A Little Ferro Battuto

The pattern overlapping the swaths of green in the Tuscany Pattern was inspired by Frances Mayes' description of the Tuscan wrought iron gates in Under the Tuscan Sun on page 59:
"Ferro battu, wrought iron, is an ancient craft in Tuscany. Every town has intricate locks on medieval doors, curly lanterns, holders for standards, garden gates, even fanciful iron animals and serpents shaped into rings for tying horses to the wall. Like other artisian traditions, this one is fast disappearing and it's easy to see why. The key word in blacksmith is black. His shop is charred, soot covers him, the antiquated equipment, and the forges that seem to have chnaged very little since Hephaestus lit the fire in Aphrodite's stove. Even teh air seems hung with a fine weil of soot." Sounds pretty romantic to me. Below is a pic of the Tuscany pattern in it's entirety.
So I mentioned that I'm working on new patterns for the Stationary Show. Yes, 4 down... 8 to go. Not as much progress as I hoped for by the end of February, I've been letting my procrastination get the best of me. But I am in love with the pattern I just finished for Sun Valley Idaho... I can't wait to show it to you. Luckily stress about the Stationary Show has been replaced by stress about planning a wedding, so I'm not really sweating it. Yet.
The above lovely photos (top left to right) are via flickr by XianRex & saltybullfrog.

I want to be Under the Tuscan Sun

So back to Tuscany after all the surprise hub-bub of Big Sur and engagements.
I'm not really a big "girl movie" lady, but every once and awhile I'll indulge. I'm not embarrassed to say a few favorites are Sweet Home Alabama and Friends with Money and of course Under the Tuscan Sun. I think I've watched it at least 10 times. It portrays Italy in this wonderful way...
• there is all this warm warm sunlight
• people eat gelato a lot
• actually, people are just eating all the time. which i love
• there are many beautiful Italian men + women with beautiful Italian accents
• i heart Diane Lane
• the trees, the olives, the greenery!
• the fact that this house is falling apart, and if it was in Boston I wouldn't touch it, but because it is in Tuscany I'd buy it in a second.
• we can't talk about my obsession with the scene when she goes to find her lover in Positano. she gets that white dress and walks near the crashing waves and the music is just...! Well, there is a pattern coming up for Positano in the Spring so we won't go any further on that.
Sasso FINALLY comes back from CA tomorrow. He was supposed to be back this a.m. but there was an incident involving a wallet left in a cab and me racing to Logan's FedEx Saturday evening passport in hand... so he had to take a later flight. In the last 2 out of 3 vacations Sasso has lost his wallet + atm card. He is now going to be required to wear a money belt / fanny pack on all trips that I do not accompany him. Yes Sasso, that is right... you are going to be wearing this.

Doughnuts, Castles and Elephant Seals

Sasso and I spent our first affianced day with JBatt and Picy touring the Big Sur area, we did so much it is actually kind of amazing. The day began with a stop for pastries at The Big Sur Bakery. I could have eaten those homemade jelly doughnuts until I became ill.
From there we got on the road and then stopped for a brief "hike". We should have known when the description said "good for children" that this was more of a walk to a vista point than a uphill climb. But I like to wear cute jeans and carry a cup of coffee on my hikes so it was perfect for me. The view of the waterfall / ocean / rolling hills was so ideal it kind of looked like a set at MGM.

Mapquest said the drive to Hearst Castle was 60 miles or 60 mins, but Mapquest didn't know that you can only go 25 mph on this coastal road... so after what felt like 3 hours of switchback after switchback we finally arrived, JBatt and I in the backseat a bit carsick. The name Hearst to me meant socialites and magazines, which makes sense since this castle is the former home of the media mogul Willam R. Hearst. At the castle's base is a a disney world like visitor center, but the ride up the hill to the castel is beautiful. You can take 4 tours and we took #1 which included the exterior and a few rooms. Hearst combined his love or art and architecture creating a home that really is a museum (the temple facades around the outdoor pool are actually from ancient ruins). The styles are all over the place, but together they really do all work. Every detail from the drain pipes (yes they say ...MEOW...) and eaves to the indoor pool is considered. The tour lasted 2 hours but I think Sasso and I could have spent 2 hours in just one of the rooms examining all the detailed decoration. Just imagine the parties that must have taken place.... see a few pics below.

On our way back to our lodge we stopped at a beach full of elephant seals. They definately walk the line of cute/blubbery and kind-of-gross/blubbery. It was cool to be so close to them and watch them do absolutely nothing. We were just begging to see some National Geographic type action...

Oooooooh... Big Sur!

You know I hate to interrupt postings on PIHNB... but I had to do it this time, our trip was just so great. Sasso surprised me with a little trip to San Fran for a long weekend and so off we went Friday morning. JBatt met us at the BART and took us to one of my favorite taco shops (could someone please pay me to illustrate a book about all the great taco shops in the Mission?) for a bite.
After a bit of hanging out we went out to eat at the wonderful Aziza for a Moroccan dinner. I was more than a little excited about this since I've never had Moroccan food, but we are going there in July. Mmmmmmm... that was one of the best tasting menus I've ever had. Let's just say the couscous was significantly better than the kind I've made out of a box, and the carrot soup with foam of blood orange... delicious. They also have crazy cocktails like the Cucumber made with (my favorite) Hendricks Gin and Pimm's no 1. Check them out at www.aziza-sf.com
The next day we filled ourselves with a delicious breakfast made by JBatt and piled into the car and headed to Big Sur. The coastal drive is something that can't really be described. It was so untouched and just beautiful. My favorite part: sticking my head out the window to enhale the lovely smell of the eucalyptus leaves. Our trip included a stop at Pfeiffer State Park beach, our stay at the Big Sur Lodge, lots of good eating, an amazing tour at Hearst Castle and elephant seals. (more about those in the upcoming posts)
All in all I was very sad to be taking the red eye home last night, especially since I had to leave Sasso behind. He is there for another week for a "gaming convention". Maybe a bit sadder than usual because while we were on that lovely beach Sasso popped "The Question". So this beautiful beautiful beautiful ring on my hand means that I get to be Mrs. Sasso. I knew there was something fishy going on with this surprise trip to the west coast...

Sabra Field's Tuscany

I remember sitting in the Boston Public Library on a hot hot hot day in July a few years ago. (When I first started freelancing I would go there to work because the BPL had killer a/c and my studio did not). I was in a "what-am-i-doing-with-my-work" phase and looking for some inspiration. I stumbled upon one of Sabra Field's books and boy was I inspired. I loved how she broke down what she saw into fields of color.
Sasso's parents happened to have a BEAUTIFUL set of her prints, a series of 4 that show an apple on a branch throughout the seasons. I've seen it so many times and still I'll gaze it at dinner and think "how did she print that gradient so well?"
Every year Sabra holds a printmaking workshop in Tuscany. Everyone works and stays at Spannocchia, "an educational center located at an organic agricultural estate near Siena, Italy." There are day trips around the area and plenty of time to appreciate the art of Italy while making your own. I think it sounds fantastic and hope to join in one day.
The pieces above are some examples of the woodcut prints that Sabra has done in Italy. You should check out her site here to check out more of her beautiful work.

Ooooooh... Tuscany!

Why did I choose Tuscany... there is just something so dreamy about the name. Years ago I saw Diane Lane trucking around her villa in "Under the Tuscan Sun" and I became infatuated. The thing that kept popping into my head is this: "Is all of Tuscany green rolling hills?" Cause I truly feel like it must be. Just rolling green hills sprinkled with blossoming, yellow sunflowers and streams flowing with delicious wine. Mmmmmmm.... If my husband cheated on me and Sandra Oh and Kate Walsh bought me a ticket to go Tuscany I to heal I would totally go to (well, that is what happened in the movie at least).

What else inspired my Tuscany print? I of course had to read the book "Under the Tuscan Sun" after seeing the movie. Then there is the print workshop that one of my favorite printmakers, Sabra Field, holds there each year. I hope that one day I get to join her.
I may not be going to Tuscany soon, but I am going to San Francisco on Friday! Sasso is going to be there for like 10 days for a video game conference (i know... tough job). I wanted to go, but since we just got back from Cabo and are saving for Morocco (do you know how much it costs to fly from Boston to Morocco in July? don't look - the price will blind you) I just couldn't swing it. Then I got an early Valentine's Day surprise - a round trip ticket for a 4 day trip! So nice... we are going to be in SF for one night and then off to Big Sur for the rest of the weekend. I'm awfully excited. To be honest, I'm even excited about watching 5 hours of cable on Jetblue.

Places I Have Never Been... 2009

Oh God I have no idea what month or year it is. Sometimes I sign my therapist's checks 2007, others 2009... See I'm showing at the National Stationary Show in May, and I need to have the new collection/calendars ready then. Which means, in theory, in June I should be working on the 2010 calendars. See my problem?
Oh but it is so exciting to have my new Moleskine sketchbook obsessively divided into places and being filled with ideas for new patterns. It's also a bit trying. I swear to god it is like conceiving and giving birth 12 times over. Every year I get a little cranky during this time. It's crappy outside, Sasso has been LOUDLY playing Call of Duty for 24 hours straight in the room next door and I have to give birth 12 times.
But I am excited about the new places! I can't tell you all of them, (what would i talk about here for the next year) but I thought maybe I'd share the one that I am wrapping up this weekend: The Gardens of the Loire Valley in France.
Sasso says I do too many France patterns - but I LOVE France. I have dear friends from France and it is the only foreign language I can speak. My only regret is that I can't do a macaron pattern for "Placse I Have Never Been" because I have been to Paris (and fully indulged in macarons). Well, the Loire Valley pattern is inspired by Balenciaga's Spring 2008 line (I mean look at those flowers?!) and the movie Marie Antoinette. I just keep thinking about mazes and the phrase "A riot of color". Oh, it is fantastic... you will see it in all its glory in a few months.
I thought perhaps I'd solicit a little help. I'm stuck on a pattern. I want to do a piece about Portland, Oregon and for some reason I haven't gotten that bolt of inspiration yet. My best friend 'Ris lives out there, the PIHNB line is sold there in a few lovely stores... for some reason all I can think of is moss. So if anyone has any little tales or favorite things they'd like to offer shoot me a line or leave a comment.
Tomorrow a new place begins.... I'm thinking we'll start talking about Tuscany.

Just A Little Note....

Just a little note that the 2008 Desk Calendars are on sale now for $12.00 a piece at www.jhilldesign.com. I'm in the midst of designing the new collection, which means I need to start cleaning out the inventory closet soon (bad for me) and that some card designs will be going on sale shortly (good for you) so keep your eyes peeled!

A Little (BIG) Moroccan Project

So... in July Sasso and I are taking off on a little adventure to Morocco. This is actually our first time vacationing alone in five years (we generally go everywhere with friends or family) and we are pretty excited. We are making our plans and I think it is going to include Essouria, maybe another place and definitely Marrakesh. While in Marrakesh we are going to stay at the lovely Peacock Pavilions which is operated by the lovely Marayam of My Marrakesh. I am just wrapping up the design of her website (the beta one is up right now) and it has been a real treat getting to know her - she is incredibly creative (something one often wishes more clients were). So, the plan is for me to try to work on a drawing about Morocco everyday before we go. Then, do drawings about the same places after - so in the end I will have a little travel book of before and after about Morocco. Now all I need is a publisher :) and maybe another trip so I can hit up Fez and Rabat. I'm really looking forward to starting it today and here is what I have in my arsenal, recommendations are, of course, welcome. (If my shipment from amazon was here i'd photo the actual books. hmmm.... where it that shipment anyways...)
- Fodor's Morcocco
- Time Out Marrakech: Essaouira and the High Atlas
- Morocco : Eyewitness Travel guide
- Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco
- The Voices of Marrakesh
- My Marrakesh
Let the inspiration begin!

Vancouver Wrap Up

Just for a little wrap up on Vancouver. Here is the final piece that was produced - the Vancouver note card set. The cards aren't available on the site, but I do have a few left, if anyone wants them just send me an email to place an order.
In other news... it was a sad sad Monday here in Boston. Sunday night the Patriots LOST the Superbowl, blemishing their perfect season. Luckily I was pumped full of delicious chili, wings, cookies, cornbread and a cheeseball while at Lisa + Shana's house, so the full brunt of the loss was dulled by my food coma (or maybe it was Lisa's Sangria that included brandy and triple sec in lieu of juice). Well, life goes on right. Here's to another season of watching Tom Brady.

Rain, Rain Go Away...

In 2005 I did a desk calendar that is different than the one I do today, still PIHNB - just a different layout. One of the places I chose was Vancouver, mostly because Sasso talked about wanting to go there so much. All I really knew about Vancouver back then is that it had the reputation for being a very rainy city. The image on the left is the first ever Vancouver pattern, umbrellas. When Tourism Vancouver asked me if I had any patterns about Vancouver I said yes, but it doesn't highlight something that would draw travelers to the lovely city. "It's about rain," I said. "Ah, yes... the rain. It is raining here right now," was the response. I reworked the pattern a bit and sent it over, but as I thought, it wasn't really the way that they wanted to promote the city. (image on the right).
I happen to adore the rain, especially in the spring and most especially in the summer when thunderstorms roll though. I tried to find stats on how much it actually rains there, but they were all over the board. Some say it rains a lot, some say it isn't much more than Boston. All I know is that the city is in a rain forest area and a weather system called "The Pineapple Express" whips through there and dumps water on the region. If we went to Vancouver it would be a great excuse for me to get this Orla Kiley umbrella I've been eying.