ruby star rising

it's a fun post. really.

So you know that promo piece I won't stop talking about?  The one designed by my talented friend Blake?  I sewed a fabric mailer for it (using some of my Kokka fabric as well as a design I had printed by Spoonflower), and we submitted a sample to the Communication Arts Design Annual. Guess what? It's gonna be featured! 

We're so excited!  It's funny that I had to totally walk away from the graphic design world to be featured in a major design competition:) 

ALSO.  My first interview ever as a fabric designer went live on Pings and Needles last week. Do you want to know in which ways I'm like your thrifty Great Aunt Myrtle? Have you always wondered about my greatest fears involving lunch? Care to find out which of my designs frightened fabric buyers away from the Kokka booth this spring?  Find out here.

And finally: it's time to share some more Ruby Star Rising inspiration with you.  It's been a long time, right??

These cuties were made by Nicole of www.elsabags.blogspot.com:

And these.  These clever little nappies (diapers, in american-speak) are made and sold by Anna of MangoLime.

I received some photos last week from Suzanne (of Suzie Q Bags on Facebook) of this fantastic bag (check out those details):

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your RSR creations!

 

the fabric!

So I finally got my hands on some real live Ruby Star Rising fabric!  Wanna see?

check out the ladies...

and some nice vintage dishes...

 

how about some viewfinder reels? (I can't tell you how much fun we had making up the text for these... thanks Brian and Allison!)

...aaannnddd the transistor radios!

There's even more where these came from... stay tuned!  (Oh, by the way, fabric shops will be placing orders beginning at Quilt Market in Houston at the end of October, so they should be stocking the fabric for your buying pleasure late fall/early winter.)

P.S. if you're curious, this line was inspired by women from shopping catalogs in the late 60's.  I wanted to tell a story about the women, and the objects that filled their lives.

Thanks to my husband, Gregory Miller, for the amazing photos (as always!)

Quilt Market: A True Story

The Houston Quilt Market is right around the corner and while I haven't seen my fabric line yet, look what came in the mail today:

Hey Hey, I'm officially in!  Along with my trusty sidekick and Brand Champion Extraordinaire, Allison.  Gather round, and let me tell you why this feels so important...

One year ago, I decided to (try to) get my own fabric line.  If I attended Fall Quilt Market with my portfolio of designs, I reasoned, I could have an audience with the multitudes of manufacturers who would be in attendance.

Allison began sending emails and making phone calls to try to set up meetings.   I worked and worked and worked to pull my portfolio together.  I tried to register to attend the Market, but the deadline had already passed and I found out I would just have to bring my credentials and register when I got there.  I spent my last savings on airfare and a hotel, got a couple of meetings scheduled, and then...

Allison had a head-on car crash, and was in no shape to get on an airplane for Houston.  Another lovely friend, Casey, offered to go to Market for moral support.  When we got there, the American companies were busy, busy, busy, and I had a couple of quick meetings with Kokka and Lecien.  That took all of 10 minutes.  I spent the next 3 days in Houston trying to keep my chin up and convince myself I hadn't wasted all my money on the trip.  I wasn't able to meet with any other companies, as everyone had already rejected me via email or were unavailable to meet during Market.

...Now it's a year later, and I'm going back.  This time it's for the release of my own fabric line with Kokka! I have our name badges in hand, Allison is (mostly) recovered from her accident, and we only have about 5 weeks to go until Market!  I look forward to how different this trip will be from the last.  This year, I'm ready to celebrate!

 

 

 

Ruby Star Rising Update!

Well, the strike-offs from Japan have finally arrived!!  This is my chance to correct color and make any other changes before Kokka prints the final line.  I'm so excited!

For anyone who's wondering, the line is going to be printed on the gorgeous linen blend that Kokka does so beautifully.  Below are a few preview images...

 

the best laid plans

of mice, men, and fabric designers, often go astray.  Or, better yet, get led astray by enthusiastic fabric companies that decide, at the last minute, to change a launch date.

*sigh*

Good news? Ruby Star is still rising.  Not our fav news? We won't rise until October, at the Houston Mart, instead of this month, in Minneapolis.  

Con? We're disappointed, just a wee bit, and jonesin to get out there.  Pro? We've been told that three other big names are releasing lines in May, so Ruby Star will have much more limelight to herself in October. We're sure she'll sparkle.

In other areas, our little blog has been neglected a bit lately because Melody has been fast and furious on working up her second line, geared a bit towards the younger men in our lives, like our three year olds.  But it will not exclusively be all about the tots, there will be some great stuff for upholstery, table cloths, pillows, and things we've yet to imagine.  

Aaaah. Anticipation.

If you've not heard of or read Gretchin Rubin's The Happiness Project, you might like it.  Melody certainly does.  I'm waiting to borrow it (hurry up!).  According to Gretchin, and Ruby, anticipation can be very good. In fact, here's a little thought from her site.

Anticipation is a key stage; by having something to look forward to, no matter what your circumstances, you bring happiness into your life well before the event actually takes place. In fact, sometimes the happiness in anticipation is greater than the happiness actually experienced in the moment...

We certainly don't anticipate being anything but thrilled with our launch, and hope that those of you who've been so warm and welcoming are also pleased. But until then, thank you for being a part of the part of this that is called anticipation, and that puts a little verve in our days.

Onward.

Thanks, True Up!

So Kim at True Up was kind enough to share a peek of another of my fabric designs in my upcoming line for Kokka.  It has a little bit of everything in it, including the other designs from this line, some work out of my portfolio that has been unprinted until now, and even some sketches from this blog. This design will stretch the full width of the fabric, and I can't wait to see it printed.  For now, here it is, in three different colorways, in all its on-screen glory:

 

The big question is, what will I make with it?  Ideas anyone?  I was thinking lampshades, book covers, tea towels, maybe I would even incorporate it into a new duvet for my bed.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!