Category Archives: Graphic Design

Bees Decree For Spoonflower

Bees Decree, Duvet. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

Happy Blessed New Year!

Have you ever cross stitched? I enjoyed it for awhile. Back before the turn of the century. I also made things with plastic canvas. I forgot all about that, until I started doing research for this challenge.

This pattern came together quickly. I found a cross stitch font I liked. I made the elements and decided to use a linen effect for the background. I made a repeating aida cloth pattern, but the cloth, and the cross stitch letters were not matching up. I’m guessing this is due to the spacing between the letters.

Once the design elements were done, I had to figure out how to make them look like cross stitch. Hmm. I found a few really good videos, and chose one to follow. She was great. Showed two different methods. Woo Who! I got the first method down lickety-split.

Bees Decree, sample. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

I wasn’t so lucky with the second version. I watched the video about 6 times, and took notes. Finally, I figured out that she forgot to mention one tiny little thing. It worked on my next try. Whew! By this time, I had the steps memorized.

My pattern has one major flaw. The stitch sizes do not match. If you zoom in you can tell that some of the pieces look smooth, while the stitches are more visible on the type.

I just figured out how I can fix this. 😆 Isn’t that always the way. I skipped a few steps in this quick sample, but I know what I need to do now. Woo Who! I can’t edit the design on the site until after the challenge. I will make the changes, and have it ready to upload next week.

Voting is open now, until the 12th.

Bees Decree, Wall Hanging. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

Bees Decree, Napkins. © 2023 Sheila Delgado. — Bees Decree, Wall Hanging. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

Bees Decree, Tea Towel. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

Bees Decree, Pillow. © 2023 Sheila Delgado.

Diamond Diva placed at 868 of 1393 entries with 34 votes. You can see the top 65, here. Most of the top designs are very busy. I guess I bucked that trend. 😆

Hugs and a huge thank you, to everyone who took the time to vote!

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!

Count your age by friends, not years,
your life by smiles, not tears.
John Lennon

Counting my birthday blessings today. Blessed to have 2022 behind me, and I even made it through December without catching my annual winter cold. Woo Who! I am so grateful for all of you, who let me take up a little space in your inbox. Thank you for sharing in my journey!

Color me blessed.

Diamond Diva In Pantone’s Viva Magenta for Spoonflower

8 Replies

Go BIG or go home! I went big Diamonds. Five inches top to bottom. I added a linen texture, and an Ikat inspired effect. The effect overtook the texture, still it does add a rustic depth. The design would have been more modern and smooth without it.

I wanted to work with only two tones, and that is allowed. But I thought it might help my chances to use more hues from the given palette. Art directors and licensing agents will be looking, so it is a great opportunity for exposure. And for a lucky few, a chance at a licensing contract.

For that reason, I’d be super thrilled if you could share this post, or the link for voting. I’d love to make the top 80. Voting starts today, and is open through January 3rd. I need roughly 200 – 250 votes to make the top group.

Diamond Diva, surface pattern, crop. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Viva Magenta Texture Coordinate. © 2022 Sheila Delgado. — Diamond Diva, surface pattern, crop. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Click the images above for a closer look.

Diamond Diva, products. © 2022 Sheila Delgado. Click image for more.

From the Spoonflower site:

For this official Pantone x Spoonflower Design Challenge, we invite you to create a design featuring Viva Magenta, a color which was selected to represent the bravery to break boundaries, fearless optimism, and Pantone’s pillars of Art + Design and Science + Tech. Use Pantone’s Ignite palette, showcasing Viva Magenta as your dominant color, sparking energy within an otherwise soft palette. Your challenge is to use only the palette provided without adding additional colors (like black or white).

Along with Spoonflower’s regular challenge prizes, listed below, each artist in the top ten will receive a performance velvet throw blanket featuring their design! ($159 value)

1st place winner will receive a $200 Spoonflower credit.
2nd place winner will receive a $100 Spoonflower credit.
3rd place winner will receive a $50 Spoonflower credit.

Learn more about Pantone’s Viva Magenta.

Viva Magenta Texture Wallpaper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

She Loves Sea Shells, Wallpaper. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

She Loves Sea Shells placed at 708 of 1085 entries with 22 votes. That is about 65%. You can see the top 73, here. I know it’s been a while, but thanks so much for voting!

Our next challenge, cross stitch, does not begin until my birthday. January 5th. That is when I will share the winners of Viva Magenta.

I for one am thankful for these short breaks in the challenge schedule. Year end came much too fast. 😆 And the February 2023 Creative Gathering is almost here!

Have yourself, a Merry little Christmas!

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Petite Pears for Spoonflower

6 Replies

Petite Plaid Pears. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Spoonflower is shrinking this week. We ‘re going ditzy! A ditzy pattern design is one that is small scale and random. A tossed pattern that is non-directional. They do not need to be matched up, and that saves on wasted fabric. They are great for clothing and quilting. The pears in my design are about 1 inch squared. Many ditzy patterns are even smaller.

Ditzy patterns have never lost popularity. In the early 1900’s, feed sacks were made from a light cotton material. Resourceful women were using them for towels and to make clothing for the family. Companies soon took notice, and started using ditsy prints on their flour sacks. Flour sack dresses were a staple during the depression in the 30’s.

Plaid Pears Collection. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Voting is now open. There are over 1200 entries again, so grab a cuppa. 🙂 There are quite a few pear designs, I voted for several of them. Thank you for taking the time. One of these days I will make the top 60. Fingers crossed. Haha. Hey, gotta have goals, right? Making the top for me, would mean that my skills have improved. So I will keep working at it. ;o)

Deco Diamond Indigo & Gold, © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Deco Diamond placed at 777 of 1276 entries with 26 votes. That’s about at the 60% range. I thought it would be lower. I went against the grain, hoping it might pay off. I knew there would be lots of scallop entries. You can see in the top 69, almost all of them were some form of a scallop.

So grateful for your votes! Thank you for taking the time. 1276 is a lot of entries to go through.