sweet life

IT'S BAAAACKKKK. Katie and I decided it was about time we revived our Pattern Pals series from the dead, and just in time for Candy Eating Season! So yep, we made candy patterns. Mine is inspired by delicious delicious black licorice.

What, you don't like black licorice? You're crazy. Next you're going to tell me that you don't like circus peanuts or candy corn.

If you're in the mood for something mintier, check out Katie's SUPER DUPER cute pattern! Here come the downloads...

iphone wallpaper / tile for your computer

I'll leave you with this relevant music video...

(you're welcome)

class act

When I signed up to take Lila Roger's Make Art That Sells class I was still working from home every day and wanted a little something to challenge myself. I'd seen a lot of amazing work practically pouring out of my peers taking the class and thought to myself "heck, sounds like it's time I took a crack at it".

And then I started that contract job in downtown Minneapolis that sees me leaving the apartment at 7:30 AM and not coming home till about 6:45 PM... the very same week that Lilla's class started. I'm not going to lie guys, a lot of my assignments (and by a lot I mean all of them) have been completed the day before they were due. I really really want to take all that I can from the class but unfortunately I also have a few small freelance gigs that also require my attention.

But I'm still mostly happy with what I've been creating, so I thought I'd give my blog a little looksee. Above is the very first assignment, bolt fabric with a vintage kitchenware and berry theme! It was so much fun, I'm thinking about making prints or cards of it!

 

The second assignment was to make art for fancy plates using bromeliads as our inspiration. I wound up liking my sketches a LOT better for this one - part of the problem being that I hardly ever like plates with actual art on them... but it was a learning experience nonetheless!

Last week's assignment, a spread for a children's book based on a Russian fairytale. I tried keeping some of my sketch in the final piece at Bryan's suggestion and was really surprised with the outcome. Guess I'll have to play around with that technique some more!

As per usual I'm running VERY behind on this week's assignment... guess I should spend less time blogging and more time working on that, huh? WHOOOOOPSSSS.

pattern pals #7: halloweenie

 Phew! With the start of fall came a whirlwind of developments for me, the largest being a big on-site contract job that requires a somewhat lengthy commute. As such I've let this poor bloggie slip to the side, poor little thing!

No matter, Katie and I have plans, PLANS I TELL YOU - and one of them was to make a new pattern celebrating the spooky season. Here, take some freebie wallpapers of my haunted crow pattern:

ipad / iphone / tile

And I've got an almost all black everything spooktacular outfit to go along with it. Incidentally if anyone wants to buy me all these things I would be very thankful.

glasses / jeans / boots / hat / sweater

pattern pals #6: abstract

Maybe you've noticed, but Katie and I haven't posted a new pattern pals in awhile. We went on a little hiatus, but I'm happy to say WE HAVE RETURNED. On the same day as the new Kanye album comes out - coincidence? Yes, but let's pretend that it's not.

This time around for a theme we unwittingly gave ourselves a challenge: abstract! I am always admiring the simple shapes and texture patterns that textile artists create. But it turns out that is easier admired than done. I played around with about five million variations of patterns before I settled on this one. They kinda look like fancy bon bons, don't they? Katie's is a great compliment to it, like freshly cut grass.

As per usual, here are some free wallpapers: iphone / ipad / tile for desktop

And! It's also available as an iphone case over on my very dusty and unused Society6 page!

Next up: the corresponding dream outfit. This one is an early summer, window shopping, iced coffee celebration of the fact that it hasn't rained for TWO DAYS here in Minnesota. That's right, we dumped the snow and almost instantly fell into a rainy spell. Portlandians, I don't know how you do it. 

bag / shirt / skirt / sandals / bracelet / hat

pattern pals #5: the alphabet

It's time for a very special pattern pals! This time around Katie and I created the assets and picked a color palette together, then went our separate ways and made a pattern using our combined drawings! SO MUCH FUN! Lettering seemed like a nice thing to work together on, especially since I've amassed quite a lot of books and websites with great vintage lettering and type. 

I had a lot of fun with this one, and it was so fun to see what Katie came up with as well! 

tile / iphone wallpaper / ipad wallpaper

And of course, here's the corresponding outfit, inspired by the snow on the ground and my major vitamin D deficiency....

sweatshirt / necklace / tote / sandals / shorts

pattern pals #4: secret society

I'll admit, when I suggested to Katie that we do a secret society theme for this week's pattern pals I already had sketched something else. On a whim I had been googling around, doing visual research on the ever popular Odd Fellows, and found this amazing website with loads of Odd Fellow art. The beginnings of this pattern ended up in my sketchbook, and that's when I shared my idea with Katie.

Weirdly enough, without having seen my piece, Katie and I came up with somewhat similar patterns! I guess when you think of secret societies you normally think of some sort of all-seeing-eye? Go check out Katie's, by the way, it is bonkers awesome.

I had a good time with this pattern! Experimenting always.

HERE COME THE DOWNLOADS: repeating tile / iphone wallpaper / ipad wallpaper

And here comes the corresponding dream outfit! This time around I was thinking about what I might wear to a the Master-esque masquerade party on a yacht or something....

  headband / necklace / earrings / shoes (how amazing are these things?) / dress / mask / clutch

pattern pals #3: tropical

That's right friends, it's time for another themed pattern! This week it's going to be around 30 degrees in Minnesota - AKA TROPICAL. Seriously guys, I've been wearing a VARIETY of coats... instead of just the one that is the warmest. It's a miracle, maybe spring really is coming early this year.

To celebrate, Katie and I are dreaming of travel plans and tropical climates. I have a very specific scenario in mind for this pattern: me sitting by a pool that is scattered with fragrant, massive flowers and plants with a tropical drink in hand. That comes through, right?

You know the deal, here come the freebies: repeating tile / iphone wallpaper / ipad wallpaper

I'm also tossing around the idea of including a dream outfit inspired by each pattern from now on.. what do you guys think? This one obviously had to be a beach-worthy outfit...

bag / swimsuit / tunic / sunglasses / sandals

now someone stop me from online swimsuit shopping....

pattern pals #2: vday

I have a new pattern for PATTERN PALS! Katie and I decided it would be too much fun to pass on a v-day themed pattern. Mine is of the French variety, avec les macarons et les... hand drawn type. And you know what patterns means right? FREEEEEBIEEESSSSS:

iphone wallpaper / ipad wallpaper / seamless tile

This time around I'm also going to point you towards my brand new (very tentative, I have to admit I don't know exactly what I'm doing here) Society6 shop! That's right, you can buy an iphone case or a greeting card WITH THIS VERY PATTERN ON IT! Say whaaaa...

 

Check out Katie's pattern - she's givin' ya TWO for the price of ONE!

pattern pals

MORE PATTERNS, MOOOOREEEEE. My buddy Katie and I decided to start up a "pattern pals" project to help hone in our pattern drawin' abilities. Maybe I'll even level up soon!

We went with a "hot & cold" theme for our first pattern (Katie's is here), since it's been pretty much below zero every day in these parts and a balmy 81 over in Los Angeles/aka Home of Katharine. Next time I promise I wont' have a cute girl in my pattern... I COULDN'T HELP IT OKAY? I just love drawing cute ladies.

Here's the tile, if you want to use this as a desktop background.

HAPPY FRIIIDDAAAYYYYYYYY

supply & demand

Hello, bloggie! Did you have a nice Thanksgiving? I certainly did - although at 18 attendees this year our numbers were down ever-so-slightly. That's right: usually the "Tritsgiving" (as I like to call it) tops off somewhere in the 20s. Even so, it was delicious and full of plenty of merry-making.

Things are getting festive and holiday-y now, so before I descend down that path (party planning, cookie baking, present buying, etc) I wanted to post one little non-Christmasy thing. I've been working on this pattern as part of a self-initiated challenge to make more patterns. There was a hot second where I was going to create a pattern for a fabric and then make bandanas from the fabric, but that might be best left for next year.

But that doesn't mean we can't use this fun lil' guy inspired by my love of cute office supplies! NO SIREE. Here, some links to get you started:

ipad wallpaper / iphone wallpaper / seamless tile 1 / seamless tile 2

Feel free to offer these up on your blog but (of coures) only if you link back here! And please, let me know so I can stop by and say thanks!!

lather rinse repeat

I completed work for a deadline early on Thursday and decided to practice something new. I learned a little bit about repeating patterns in school, but never pursued them too much after graduating. Well, now I know a little more, thanks to a combination these two tutorials. And now YOU have a new desktop or iphone wallpaper! WOO!

repeating tile

iphone wallpaper: big version / small version

Feel free to offer these babies up for download on your blog, but please make sure to link back to this post.