Jessica Flores Design

The Briar Patch

Despite an early afternoon of unexpected rain, our day last Saturday at the Briar Patch in LaPaz was a great time of relaxing, meeting new friends and artists, and enjoying some mother-daughter time. Our friend, Phyllis, owner of the lovely country perennial gardens, did a wonderful job of staging the event --would you just get a load of that refreshment stand?! I didn't notice until today that that horrible modern vehicle was in the background ruining my nostalgic shot!

Here's how our booth turned out:

It needed about three times as much stuff in it, but we'll keep working on filling it up for next time around! The woman next to us had the cutest potted herbs and flowers. They were all done up in antique containers--feed scoops, vintage canisters, enamel cookware, wooden crates--even a big wash basin. Here's a corner of her booth. I love the cherry pie table cloth.

You can find Mary Vogel every Saturday at the Plymouth Farmer's market selling the same wares.

This week I'm spending a little time each day listing some new bags, stationery and other items on my Etsy site. You'll see a little peek of some of them flashing on my etsy badge over there on the left. Visit my shop and see what's new!

Party time

It's a beautiful spring day!  An afternoon birthday party and graduation open house are on the schedule. I'm scurrying to keep up with the disaster inside the house, so I can enjoy the afternoon.

  

I made this pennant garland earlier this week from vintage fabrics, seam binding, and old buttons to finish off the loop on each end.  I think it adds a bit of flair to my little garden shed--handcrafted by my talented hubby.  But you know it will be for sale in my booth next weekend at the Briar Patch.  I shall make more for my own summer soires later in the season!

Fresh Laundry

A new "load" of gift card holders fresh from the craft room.  These were made from my own homemade scrapbook paper featuring patterns scanned from my collection of vintage fabrics, rickrack and old buttons.  Wouldn't they be great for a grad gift?  

A Tale of Two Bags

I made these two very-different Amy Butler swing bags for my sister's friend, Erin.  She shall choose the fairest of them for her own.

The first is very vintage--made from an old tablecloth and some of my favorite coordinating vintage cotton.  It's a soft, slouchy bag--so comfy.  It had a few tiny holes in the outside fabric, so I just put some little appliqued flower patches over them for added character! It has one large pocket inside.

The next is made from some of Amy Butler's own line of fabric in mustard and gray.  It's more polished, crisp and modern.  The applique on the front was taken from part of the pattern in one of the coordinating fabrics.  I free-stitched it on, so it has lots of ziggy, zaggy lines through it. This bag has three pockets inside.

See that little white tag inside?  I got some new custom logo tags from Etsy.  Now I'm a pro! 

Psst. . .

One of my fabric designs is up for the weekly favorite contest on the  Spoonflower  blog starting on Monday, June 1st.  If you have an account, you can vote for me.  If I win, you'll be able to buy the fabric in the spoonflower Etsy shop, and I'll win some free yardage!  

For A Lucky American Girl

I designed this special mini messenger book bag for this weekend's annual American Girls Club Tea Luncheon at the Nappanee Public Library, where I work as a communications specialist.  One lucky girl will win the bag during a prize drawing at the end-of-season event.  I just love the funky granny print--it's a perfect mix of punk and pretty.  

The blue dotted lining reminds me of a little puffy "sunsuit" with spaghetti straps my mommy made me when I was about 5 years old.  I know there's a picture of it somewhere.  Can you find it, Mom?

Evie's Bag

I finished my first attempt at a diaper bag this afternoon.  It goes to my newborn niece, Evie, and her mommy.  The fabric is from BJ Lantz for Studio e fabrics.  It has lots of pockets, a hidden magnetic closure and an adjustable strap that ties onto bamboo rings.  The pattern needs a bit of tweaking to cut down on the slouch, but once it's stuffed full of diapers, bottles, and blankets, it should fill out nicely.  . . and, I still need to trim the stray threads and remove the basting, so don't look too closely at my seams! 

Lilac Time

It's time once again to bring in the lilacs!  This has to be my very favorite spring-time ritual.  We are blessed to have two old lilac trees at our new home.  The one with lighter purple flowers is just about finished, but the new bouquet I brought in today has the most regal deep violet color and double blooms.  Heavenly!  

Sewing Update:

Spring Into Art was a great show this year.  I sold several pieces of stitchery to new customers, and met some really talented artists, including Debbie Kilmer, a new fiber artist who makes the most beautiful fiber beads, handbags and other accessories using really fascinating techniques.  

Here is a pic of one of my new "pinked" posey pins:

The basic idea comes from a Heather Bailey blog post, but I have tweaked mine quite a bit to make it more appropriate for spring.  These are so cute pinned to a cardigan or a bag for a pop of color and pattern.  I can't wait to make more.  Before I do, there is a diaper bag to make for my sweet, adorable new niece, Evie, and her Mommy; a custom zipper pouch, and a top secret project making its debut in Nashville soon!  

Spring Into Art

 

May 1 - 3, 2009

451 N Main St, Nappanee, IN

My day job and my dream job have been blending together lately with the approach of another Spring Into Art--the Friends of the Nappanee Public Library Fine Art Exhibit and Sale. 

For the past ten years I have helped coordinate this show, each year taking on more responsibility.  My co-worker, Lindsay, and I have put in a lot of work scheduling workshops and demos with about 30 artists in 5 rooms of the local Boys & Girls club, arranging for each artist's booth space, equipment rentals, lots of mailings, the promotional campaign, a new style show and lots of other tasks in order to put together a fabulous show and schedule of free hands-on workshops! 

Please stop by and visit my booth at the show this coming weekend, May 1 - 3.  I'll have about 40 items for sale, including many of the vintage fabric designs you've seen here lately as well as half a dozen of my fine art paintings.  I'll also be teaching a drawing class for little ones and their grown-ups on Friday at 10 am.  Click on the logo above to go to our website for more details.

Hope to see you there!

Message In a Garden

As the end of this month approaches, I've been spun into a frenzy of busyness--freelance graphic jobs, three custom sewing projects, coordinating a fine art show at work, spring cleaning, and gardening.

This weekend I tried to concentrate on slowing down to enjoy the warm weather and dig in the dirt. While Nora was busy making mud pies one afternoon, I set to work tackling the crab grass among the daffodils. Imagine my delight as found this leftover scrap of newspaper nestled into the dirt near a new sprout.

This piece of utilitarian scrap used last year simply to suppress the weeds in the vegetable patch was transformed in a quiet moment into a subtle, yet profound sign to me that my creative efforts are worthwhile, and that even the most mundane tasks, like weeding a flower bed can produce joy and creative gratification.

Or perhaps it was a very literal message that God's creative handiwork is in the smallest and most unlikely nooks and crannies of this remarkable world.