update on:{skinny vases}

last week i posted about the derivation of our new concept for spring: the skinny vase. it all started with this drawing..now it was time to make the drawing into a real live piece!
the result was very "meh" to say the least..wah! often this happens..when i do a drawing i think..oh genius! let's go! but by the same token..just as often the genius concept turns out to be a bust, as in this case..and so in a way it was back to the drawing board. our next thought was to fit the long shape with an adapted key that we could merchandise with our other key forms from last season..the result [below] is not that bad, but notgreat either...hmm..what to do?

i never say no to a morroccan tile, and we thought that this would suit the shape, but something said keep going.
so in the next case we fattened up the shapes and changed the proportions for a very pleasing result..
but5 when we placed it on the thinner longer form the proportions looked funny..so at this point we are still searching for the perfect fit..oh the trials!!
stay tuned for a final result in the coming week!

design crush: trina turk

when i get revved up to start my designing for a new season, i often turn to trina turk for inspiration.
it is probably obvious to see why i like trina..we are certainly kindred spirits with our love for color and pattern..but in addition i am drawn to the lifestyle of the trina people.
i mean i love these folks! who are they? do you know them? i don't! these are certainly the party people..right?
i can't get enough of this sunny funny life by the pool beach airport..just breezing by us..with their brightly colored frocks..i want in!
and puhlease!! the dudes are just to die for! do you know these guys? please introduce me because i am in love!
this vignette with fabulous heels just left here in this fantasy space..is perfection..can i go here? how did you know i just love limeade?
i think trina turk is a designer goddess. she truly gets it with her styling, and all her beautiful clothing, accessories, and now home looks. i bow down.

our design process

today i thought i would share how a pattern possibly gets developed in our studio. above is a photo i took the other day of a wall in our 'hood.
i scanned the photo..cropped it and started to play around with the shape.
here it is just stacked together, and below i have given it an outline and a border. i want to play around with it a bit more..but this is a beginning. let me know what you would do with it!

our design process

the last couple of weeks, i have been sharing a lot about what we are working on here at the studio to get ready for the fall gift show. i have posted quite a number of pix of my faves that are currently being considered for the collection. but yesterday, i thought, after looking at the piles of sketches on my table, that it might be cool to share how the patterns get onto the pieces.
i spend inordinate amounts of time getting a theme and inspiration for the season, and in turn that little seedling starts to take form, and grow in my mind, and finally morph into the sketches here.
from there, i do a bunch of sifting through concepts..drawing and redrawing. and finally it comes time to choose some colors, and try some of these babies out on some pieces. we like using plates as they are quick, and a good way of simply seeing something to know how well it might be working.
many of these plates, as pretty as they might be will never make their way into the collection because for some reason they do not cohere to the overall scheme. and so while they might be wonderful, i will never be able to use them, and they are pitilessly pushed aside, like the floral pictured below. buh bye navy and white plate!

a shiny new suzani

ichiko just unloaded a plate from the kiln, and i snapped this photo right off. it is the first stab at a suzani pattern, and though i imagine there will be many more iterations before we perfect the design, i do like this pattern's playful quality, and bold colors.