All work and no play is no  fun! Inspired by the fabulous and very creative window displays in Paris, I spent the morning infused with strong cafe coffee, music and my paper stash. As you can see-I had a great time Remember: Everything doesn’t have to count. Spending time cutting up a collection of images of my drawing, tissue papers and packing papers has energized me to move into what is next on my fabric design table. Design Boards: This exercise can also happen on your wall if you create a Design Board. I make them by covering thick foamcore . You can also use building styrofoam insulation which comes in 4′x8′ sheets at the lumber yard…a great size for covering a whole wall. I use the boards, covered with a neutral fabric , to pin up ideas or partially finished projects. See the list of my  my magazine articles (including one on making and using a Design Board)on my website.  whether you are working on a dressform or a design board-the name of the game is to PLAY…spinning ideas out in front of yourself that might just make your heart sing! Heart Felt Coat or Vest for the winter months- Another current display in my studio includes a layered,wool vest created from my #106 HeartFelt Coat pattern. I combined it with sketches and paper collaged on the left and a japanese paper bag sewn to linen with a favorite river stick across the top. The Vest is displayed  on a handmade hanger inside a one of my old frames. More Details-This vest is perfect for a collection of found metal bits on the pocket, and a beautiful, hand made button by a CA jeweler named Jean Keeshin McGlothlin. The collar design,  two seperate layers with raw edges, is repeated on the sleeves and in some of the seams. The #106 pattern is the perfect canvas for design variations. To see more fabulous felted HeartFelt coats & vests by Polly Stirling and her students: http://www.wildturkeyfeltmakers.com/Retreat2010_gallery.htm Here is another version of the Heart Felt Coat I created with a collection recycled, pieced wools. the button is carved bone. I have this coat in a solid color wool (I felted in the washer and dryer) that is my all-time favorite travel coat. it is my blanket or my roll up pillow and looks great when I arrive and put it on!                                       MORE BLUES –After I hit the send button on the last blog, I knew I wasn’t through sharing my Blue story with you…. One of my favorite Recycled T’s started with a very small Asian theme cardigan (see  the garment front with the buttons down the sleeve?). I usually find it takes 3 different fabrics/garments to work with as I design them into one. I used a two-way stretch knit on the bias for the sleeve. Blue Linen Pants with my version of poka-dots-I started by stenciling small off white images -these became the anchors for the next layer of collaged fabric bits.I tacked the small fabric collages down with a bit of fabric glue then machine stitched around the fabric surface, from one to the next, with navy blue thread.the collection of fabrics made great ‘fringe’ around the bottom- I love the look and have used it as a detail on other garments. I used my Capitola Pant #115 pattern, which is one pattern piece, so  can see the whole area at one time. The Fall leaves are hanging on here…they always inspire my drawing…I love combining stenciling with my pencils and watercolor. Happy Creating in your Studios, Diane