Color of the Week.... Black

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Black

Blackswatch

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It is always amazing to me how many different blacks there are. You really see the difference when you look at all of the different black solids out there each company is a little different.

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Snag

 

Horse

Table

Fire

Lights

Sunflower

These beauties were in my garden this year. I didn't know they would be almost black. So beautiful....

Have a great day!

XOXOX

Valori


Color of the Week... Orange Spice

 

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Orange Spice

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Orange Spice...

There is something about this orange that makes me think of winter... warm fires and hot cider.

Coasters

Pumpkin

Beets

Moss

Sunset

Pottery

Flower

I think I am finally on the up side of the flu...This time of year is so hard with the kids and the germs...

Hope you have a great day!!

XOXO

Valori

 

Color of the Week... Steel

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Blogcolorstorysteel

Steel... soft greys.. beautiful sun aged wood.

Even though the name implies metal...

Bridge

Metal

Building

Cat

Duke

Rocks

Trees

Sticks

This time of year is very grey in Central Oregon...so I love to try and find some simple beauty within Winter. The sage brush stalks on a wet morning hike stood out beautifully along the side of the trail. My husband and dog patiently waited for me to snap some photos.

Have a great day!

XO

Valori

 

Color of the Week... Chinese Blue

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Chinese Blue

Blogcolorstorychineseblue

One of my biggest challenges is naming colors and designs... I named all of the Blueprint Basics a couple of years ago and I have no idea why I came up with Chinese Blue for this Stacked Books design. I love the color....I saw a lot of it in Morocco. So, so, many blues in Morocco, which is one of the colors I struggle to find in my library of photographs. I now look for blues all the time...

Door

Mts

Chair

Curtain

Landscape

Cage

Sweetpaul

Painting

I normally only use my photography in the Color of the Week but this painting really spoke to me and I thought it was a perfect example of Chinese Blue....

Have a great day!!!

XO

Valori

Color of the Week... Starry Night

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Starry Night

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Blogcolorstorystarrynight

Starry Night.... dark blue grey... the color of early night.

Mts

Snags

Glass

Design

Sky

Peacock

This last image is from Morocco, the Peacock Pavilions....every night we would walk past this pool and to the left of the lights to a path that lead to our rooms. This sight was different every time I walked by. To say the lease I have tons of images of it.

Have a great day!

XO

Valori

 

Color of the Week.... Basil

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Basil

Basilswatch

Blogcolorstorybasil

Kona Cotton Solid

Basil....a dark, rich green.

A great color to use as a dark in quilts rather than black or dark blue. Sometimes it is good to take a look at our common go to colors and push your comfort zone. Of course it makes me hungry for Tomato, Basil and Motzerella on a warm sunny afternoon in August.

Basil

Bushes

Gourds

Poppypods

Forest

Grass

Suculant

Have a great day!

Try something out of your comfort zone today...

XOXO

Valori

Color of the Week... Charcoal

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Charcoal

Charcoal.swatch

Blogcolorstorycharcoal

Charcoal... I think is my favorite piece of Blueprint Basics. Black and white photography is my first love. When I am desiging either a quilt or fabric design I use a gray scale to see what my color values are up to...

Door

Beach

Reflection

Zinnia

Hand

Lights

Flowers

Once in a while turn your camera to black and white and see what the world looks like.

XO

Valori

Around the World Blog Tour...

Around the World Blog Tour...

Sue Spargo invited me to play in the tour.... Sue is a very talented lady and someone I admire.

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This is Sue's recent class on Craftsy....Embroidery Texture and Dimension by Hand

Her embroidery and applique inspire me to be free when I create. Taking risks with mixing mediums and techniques.... Which fits right into what I am creating in my studio.

The studio is very busy and very messy....I wish I had a cleaning fairy! Fabric is exploding in here as I received all my Ashton Road fabric. I am thinking that I need to cut some off and give it away....wink, wink!

My new collection of fabric for Robert Kaufman - In The Bloom - will release at the end of the month. I am working hard in the studio with my sample yardage, creating quilts and projects to photograph and create a look book for the release of the fabric....

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I can only give you sneak peak.....I promise to share more once the fabric is released. I am so, so, so excited about this collection.

I spent the weekend in Seattle with my girls and my mom. I was teaching at a shop - The Quilting Loft - in Seattle. It was so fun to be with Olivia and Violette experiencing all of the new things a city can offer...staying at a hotel in downtown, the American Girl Doll store, the Spaceneedle, Chihuly glass garden and of course Pike Street Market...I loved every second.

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Teaching Silk Screening out of my new book....My Life in Fabric

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Pictures from my class on Saturday. We had so much fun printing and playing with color.

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My new work fills me with so much joy....teaching the silk screening class reminds me to do what I love and my work will show it.

My desire to work is as much about me as it is about my family.....they inspire me to be better at everything I do and everything I am....

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Traveling this weekend with these two filled me with so much love and happiness I know I can do anything...they are my world.

My wish for you is inspiration and love.....to enjoy every moment!

XO

Valori

 

 

Color of the Week... Coastal Fog

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Coastal Fog

Blogcostalfog.swatch

 

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I am running late on Color of the Week this week.... Jet lag has taken over my life the past two days... But my adventure to Morocco was a trip of a lifetime and I would do it again tomorrow.

Coastal Fog reminds me of a overexposed, old black and white photograph...I am excited to share a few images that I took in Morocco that make me think of Coastal fog...as far as a fabric goes this subtle beauty is a great neutral.

Donkey

 

Heart

Light

When you accidently push a button on your phone and take a photo... love a happy accident!

Forest

Tulip

Petals

Design

Flower

I am editing my photos from Morocco and can't wait to share this beautiful place and people with you.

Have a great day!

Xo

Valori

 

Color of the Week... Bamboo

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Bamboo

Bamboo.swatch

Blogcolorstorybamboo

I truly have come to LOVE this color... Yellow has come a long way from "sunshine" and "lemon"....a nice bold gold with a hint of green...the new yellow!

Cardboard

Coasters

Daisy

Glass

Fabric

Sunflower

Lights

Orchid

I am off to Morocco today for an Artist Retreat. My stomach is filled with butterflies of excitment and nerves.... it will be a trip of a life time for me.

Have a great week!!!

XO

Valori

My Life in Fabric

I am so excited to introduce my new book to you....

My Life in Fabric with Valori Wells

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My life has always been in fabric. The Stitchin' Post opened in May of 1975 by my mom, Jean Wells. I was a year and a half. I don't remember anything else. Although I strayed from fabric as I studied photography and printmaking in college. Coming home and being in the shop or mom's studio kept textiles in the forefront of my life. After college and photographing two quilting books for my mom  I found myself embracing fabric in a new way.... I wanted to design it. To create beautiful fabrics. My first collection of fabric was released in 1998 - Shades of Serenity a collection based on my black and white photographs. Fast forward.... 2014..... My life in Fabric is a collection of projects and techniques based on my love of fabric and how I like to create from Silk screening to block printing... painting and embroidery and recycled sweater owls....

I hope you enjoy a peak at my book....it is full of my love of fabric as much as my life...

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Trinity....

This was my favorite photoshoot on the edge of the creek.....Just how I imagine a romatic picnic with someone you love.

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Baker's Twine....

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Screen printing and embroidery...

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Block printing....

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Studio Birds

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Waterside

Blogwave

The Wave....

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Painting on fabric...

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Karavan

Blogowls

The Owls...

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Sundresses.....

I have to end with these two.... my beautiful girls. My family - including my village - have been so amazing during the process of creating this book. It is a long journey and I couldn't of done it without them.

 

XOXO

Valori