Archive for June, 2007

Coldwater

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Here is the finished panel from the Master Gardeners’ Auction. It was designed in honor of Coldwater Spring.

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From the website www.friendsofcoldwater.org:
“Coldwater is a 10,000-year-old spring that flowed at a pre-construction rate of 100,000-144,000 gallons a day. In addition to being a living geological museum, Coldwater was a traditional gathering place for Native American tribes of the upper Mississippi that used spring water for specific ceremonies requiring sacred water in a sacred landscape. The powerful Dakota god of waters and the underworld is said to dwell at Coldwater Spring. Coldwater is also the birthplace of Minnesota, where the soldiers lived who built Fort Snelling and site of the pioneer settlement whose citizens founded St. Paul and Minneapolis. Coldwater furnished water to Fort Snelling for 100 years.”

I ordered new fabric!

Saturday, June 16th, 2007

In preparation for the Baby Expo in September, not to mention the mamabydesign.com shop’s grand opening later this year, I planned some new lines and took the plunge. I’ll be finishing up the Wetlands line, then moving on.

The next line will use black canvas to frame fabrics and panels inspired by Sumi-e brush painting. I’ve been playing with Gaillardia daisies, Redwing Blackbirds, and maybe evergreen branches for the embroideries. Colors should be mostly neutral creamy-tan and black with accents of red, yellow, and green.

After that will come navy canvas with jewel tones: blues and purples. I’m thinking unicorns, peacocks, dragons? I’m looking at medieval tapestries for stylistic help.

In other news, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to do the Thailand thing. I think it would be more trouble than it’s worth for one thing, and for another…I don’t want to outsource the labor. I really want my products to be Made in the USA, locally if possible. I’m still looking for a reliable sewing contract shop…