MS episode 138:: Mia Whittemore

art138 mia whittemore

My guest today is Mia Whittemore who is the winner of the Uppercase Magazine contest to find the next Windham fabric designer. Mia entered the contest thinking it would be a good experience but she didn’t imagine winning a prize that would land her artwork on fabrics. Mia and I talk about her background in art and how she is flexing her skills in the classroom as an art teacher. Mia hadn’t always thought of her art as a daily practice until she challenged herself to just get creative after her nine to five job. Watercolors entered the picture and as they say she hasn’t looked back. She says it was the thing that changed the way she felt about herself as an artist and eventually gave her the courage to enter the Uppercase Magazine and Windham Fabrics contest. Mia’s artwork is whimsical, colorful, and so vibrant. I so enjoyed chatting with Mia and learning more about her process, her love of all of the colors, and how winning the contest is changing things for her. I have also worked with her first fabric line, Flourish, and it is gorgeous. I am so excited to see what Mia has in her future.

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Featured Blogger:: Stephanie Ryan Designs

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Have you ever chatted with someone and you just feel like you know them instantly? That is how I felt the moment I said Hi to Stephanie Ryan. Stephanie and I chatted on the latest episode 019 on the Modern Sewciety Podcast. She was immediately one of those women who inspire you from the get go. Why?

Fleurologie 4

Well for one… this was her studio I saw when we chatted. Totally swoon worthy, right? I mean it was hard to concentrate! Those colors on that fabric, art, votives, and birdhouses had me at hello. Stephanie is the creative mind behind all of this awesomeness.  She is an artist that knows how to rock some watercolors. Stephanie is not only designs fabric but china, notecards, prints, paintings, fine china, a garden collection and much more. I mean this is one talented lady and she is so so sweet to boot.

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Stephanie’s first fabric line was Spring House which was chock full of beautiful pinks and teals. I think this is still my favorite line. I just love those colors so so much and the organic lines from the watercolors. WOW! I am a sucker for a chevron print and flowers and well all of it.

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Her second fabric line is Modern Roses. Muted colors is florals, a cross hatch type print, and just pure heaven. Modern Roses is the perfect low volume collection to me and I can see it working so well in so many different projects from clothing to quilts to home decor.

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There are several color ways including flax, honey sweet, patina and ginger. I really love the different scales of prints in this collection including those bold roses. I can really see an awesome shabby chic bedroom in these fabrics with flawy curtains, a quilt with patchwork shams, and a cute vintage chair with a cushion covered in the patina color way. Okay so maybe I am dreaming for my own house. It would be awesome wouldn’t it?

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Fleurologie is her third and latest collection and WOW is it amazing. I love the florals so much and I am dying to make a tunic with this line asap. This line reminds me of spring and happiness and inspiration galore. Fleurologie is bound to get your creative juices flowing about what projects you want to make with it first. That is what my brain has been doing since I chatted with Stephanie and got a sneak peak.

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One thing Stephanie and I chatted about was that she has a hard time with sewing quilting blocks so her friend suggested she try improv. Below is her first attempt. Uhhhhh in love. How cute is that?!?!?! I love it. I think this would be such a fun line to mix with solids to make improv, patchwork, or a little mix of both.

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Stephanie also sells art prints on her website and man oh man they are awesome. I love that her signature style is to mix florals with inspirational words. I like to hang inspirational art around my house so in my daily routine I am reminded of what life is all about.. to laugh, to listen, to be happy and joyful, and be. just be. You should go now and check out Stephanie’s shop… you will love what you see I promise. Buy a print or three.

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Stephanie also has several original pieces of artwork for sale in her shop. She showed me the one that inspired fleurologie while we were chatting and it was awesome. It was bigger than I thought it would be and full of amazing colors.

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I thought it would be so much fun to pick some of my favorite prints from Stephanie’s shop. I have to say I wanted all of them. Like ALL OF THEM! ha but alas I picked my favorite three.

 

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Be Joyful Print

 

This is something I NEED to see daily… maybe hanging above my desk. Oh I think that would be perfect.

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Patience Print

 

Uh okay we all need to see this in my house. The whole family!!!! We all need patience up in here.

 

 

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You are Loved print

I have a lot of prints in my girl’s room and this one would be perfect. They are so loved and I want them to know it.

Okay… I think this is the happiest post I have ever written. I love Stephanie’s work so much. I really hope you will hop over and check her site out.