Autumn & The Art of Commissions

October: one of my favorite months. Falling leaves, cool nights ... and a wonderful time to stay cozy in one's home.

Today, I took the kids to St. Michael's - the perfect day trip from DC on a cool and crisp day. We loved walking up and down Main Street, admiring the historic homes and being by the water. (Here's a pic of my little guy, John, on the dock). 

John (the "Jean" in Mira Jean :-) on the dock in St. Michael's, Maryland)

Work has been crazy busy lately, probably our busiest month yet. A little getaway for the day was a sweet respite. We've been working on getting showroom panels and dozens of memos ready to ship to our new showroom partner in Minneapolis, Tapis Decor (sneak peek, below) ... preparing for a major installation this coming week in a *gorgeous* historic home in Arlington, VA (our Aquafern fabric design (third from left) in three custom roman shades ... can't wait to share pics!) ... and last but not least, working on two commissions. 

Our stack of fabrics, for the showroom panels @Tapis Decor in the Minneapolis Design Center

One of the commissions is a for a client, following the recent presentation I gave at the ASID peer group in McLean, VA. I am so excited about this project and can't wait to share the printed fabrics with you when they are ready. 

This client *loves* poppies and the color red - and needed fabric for custom draperies, roman shades and window seat space. True to all of our textile designs, this one is no different: I am starting with an original artwork - specifically, a watercolor painting. I've never painted so many red poppies in one month! It's fun to see how everything is turning out. Here are a few peeks of the custom textile design options, let me know which one is your favorite:

Artwork #1 --

Artwork #2: 

Artwork Option #3:

As part of the custom textile design process, we are also doing a color check to make sure all the reds in the room match. This fabric is for a bench seat in the interior space, just below the custom window treatments: 

As I look back at my last post and my daughter Mira's Autumn checklist, I am proud to share we have completed not just one, but three of the items on the list: cider, fall movies and cooked squash. :-) Bonfires and apple-picking, here we come! Hope you're enjoying the fall, too. 

xo, Kate 

Hello, Fall! & Partnering with ASID

Happy Early Fall! Summer is over and we are settling in to a new routine for my fourth and seventh graders. Mira already has our Fall "to do" list up on the kitchen chalk wall ... check it out! Looks like it's going to be a busy autumn. :-)



Work-wise, it's been busy announcing our new textile collection to interior designers across the country - and closer to home, presenting to interior designers affiliated with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).



At the encouragement of my SCORE business coaches, I joined ASID earlier this year as an Industry Partner. Thanks to my coach Ellen Brotman, this in turn led to last week's meeting ... such a great opportunity! Not only did I get to meet with a room full of professional, local interior designers, but also met fellow guest speaker Stacey Tranter of Twin Diamonds.

Stacey and her company Twin Diamonds' work is beautiful. They specialize in wallpapers and decorative painting. Stacey brought a few samples with her to the ASID meeting, check them out. I just love the natural textures, colors and artisan touch:

Two painted wallpaper samples, above, shared at the meeting. The textures and subtle colors are beautiful. 

Above: another wallpaper sample, painted and stenciled. Love the natural colors and textures of this one!

Twin Diamonds does custom stenciling, too. Check out this bathroom and its coastal colors:

Photo from Twin Diamonds' website

Stacey and I share a love of all things custom. If you have a color or design you want, just ask her ... chances are she and her team can create it for you.

Speaking of custom, during the meeting one of the designers shared a design dilemma: she spent a day at the DC Design Center, picking out fabrics for a client's new kitchen ... only to find that the repeat pattern they selected wouldn't accommodate what they were seeking, nor was it within their budget. The next step? The designer is bringing me to the client's home, to see the space and discuss potentially painting a custom textile design that works just for her. Will keep you posted! Hope your fall is off to a great start.

xo, Kate

The Business of Summer

We are back from a wonderful trip to the Midwest and not one, but ... two(!) family reunions. What a whirlwind it was - and so much fun. When we weren't catching up with friends and family, we loved exploring Wisconsin's lakes and taking in the Midwest's natural beauty. Here are a few pics:

My beloved Iowa with its blue skies and cornfields

Exploring Wisconsin: John at Paradise Springs

Mira and John at the Guthrie, taking in the Mississippi and downtown Minneapolis view. 

If you know me, you probably know it's hard for me to stop working on Mira Jean Designs at times and thinking about what's next. (Perhaps that's why I love meeting other entrepreneurs so much ... they can totally relate to this!) :-) So what was on the business 'to do' list while I was in the Midwest? Goal #1: meet with Tapis Decor in Minneapolis' Design Center at International Market Square.



I absolutely *loved* meeting the Tapis Decor team and am thrilled to share: they will start carrying the textile line! What an honor to be in their showroom. It is Gorgeous with a capital G and their team could not be more welcoming.

A pic from Tapis Decor's website

Next up on the summer business goals? Work on a new collection of designs. For inspiration, I turned to my favorite source: mother nature. Here's a sneak peek of the views and new watercolors from downtime by Lake Lulu (Thank you, Nature Conservancy, for helping to protect this gem of a place!).

The view from the "studio"and our lake house by Eagle Springs & Lake Lulu

Watercolor musings, inspired by Wisconsin's lakes and lily pads.

Swirling plants in Eagle Springs Lake and new watercolor "curls" ... I've never seen spiraling plants like these!

Last but not least, I've been gearing up for a big marketing push this fall to interior designers. I have "met" so many wonderful people via Instagram - and want to make sure they know about my new textile collections. Thanks to my summer intern's work (Thank you, Maddie!), plans are on track for our first mailing to go out this fall. Speaking of, if you know a talented interior designer who you think might like Mira Jean fabrics, let me know! I will gladly add them to the mailing list.

Until Labor Day, I'll be savoring these last few weeks of summer. Stay cool!

xo,
Kate

Happy Summer! & Front Porch Inspiration

Hope your summer is going well. Our typical summer getaway is to the beach, but this year we are mixing it up with family reunions and time on a lake. How about you?

Recently, we did a custom pillow order for a client's new screened-in sun porch, which totally got me thinking and dreaming about beautiful front porches and semi-outdoor spaces. Here are a few in particular that inspire me:

For starters, check out this one ... love how they incorporated fun pillows and real artwork on the wall  to add a pop of summer color to the space:

Picture found here

This front porch in Watercolor, Florida (one of my favorite places on Earth) is pretty amazing, too ... what's not to love? Sometimes all you need to finish off a space is color on one accent wall, a cool indoor/outdoor rug (my favorites are by Dash & Albert) and a decorative mirror like the one pictured here. (Wisteria is a great source for accents like these). 

Picture found here

Closer to home on my own front porch, we recently installed two drapery panels couresty of IKEA. All I have to say is, "What took you so long?" We've had our front porch now for years, but never added drapery panels. The instant we did, they created a wonderful sense of space - and we now enjoy more shade and privacy. It's probably the single, least expensive / highest impact accent we've made to the porch since it was built. 

Picture found here

Last but not least, I couldn't resist sharing the front porch of one of my favorite bloggers, Edie Wadsworth @Life in Grace. I've been following Edie for some time and greatly admire her deep sense of spirituality as well as how she balances - and so openly shares the challenges of juggling - motherhood, home, her business, being a wife and more. Thank you, Edie! (and p.s. she is right: All you need is love). 

Picture found here 

Hope you are finding time this summer to enjoy the beautiful beaches, lakes and/or rivers near you ... and a cozy front porch like these! xo, -Kate

Welcome, Summer Intern Maddie Donley & ... We're in The Washington Post!

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks as the kids wrapped up the school year, transitioned to summer camps, joined swim team and … I welcomed my first Summer Intern, Maddie Donley to Mira Jean Designs. Welcome, Maddie!

Maddy by one of her paintings from 2015 

A rising second year student at UVA, when I first met Maddie I knew she’d be a great fit. She is smart, positive, has great ideas -- and is a fellow artist, too. I'm thrilled for you to "meet" her via this quick interview:

Where are you from?

I grew up in Arlington, Virginia and have lived here my whole life. I love the proximity to DC. It's always surprising to me when people visit that they’re shocked by the monuments; I did crew for four and a half years and would see them every day, rowing on the Potomac.

What are you studying currently at the University of Virginia?

I haven’t decided on a major yet, but am studying French and am trying to decide between Art History and Government. I’ve always been interested in public policy - and I’ve always had a passion for art. It’s so interesting to see how art has developed over time.  

Do you have a favorite artist? 
I love Degas; the way he’s able to create movement in all of his paintings.

You’re an artist yourself; what kind of work do you do?

I love to paint, I’ve been painting since I was little. My favorite thing to paint is portraits. I usually work in oil and acrylic. My art teacher in high school was a real role model. She never said there was a right way to do anything - because there isn’t really in art - and she was very constructive and helpful in getting people to develop their own styles.

Check out one of Maddie's portrait paintings, here: 

What inspired you to want to intern for Mira Jean Designs?

I was interested in the small business and artistic aspects. I’ve never really seen how a small business works and art has been a passion of mine, so the connection between the two is interesting. The experience will also help me decide what I want to do, career wise.

* * *

These past few weeks Maddie and I have been in serious office work mode, tackling some not-so-glamorous - but necessary - activities to help grow the business. Speaking of growing the business, did you see we were in The Washington Post?! You can read the full article here. 

I am still pinching myself that this happened. They ran the article online in mid-June ... and then IN PRINT(!!) last weekend. Special thanks to my SCORE business mentors Ed Coleman and Ellen Brotman who helped make this possible.

More soon, and hope your summer is off to a great start.

xo, Kate

Happy Fourth of July!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited for the weekend. Not only is it July 4th, but we also have some dear friends coming in from out of town and the forecast here is looking (mostly!) great.

Before we head into the barbecues and time offline, I couldn't resist sharing a few photos of red, white and blue interiors for a little dose of Independence Day color ... and a pic of our growing pup, Piper (now 6 months old!) ... enjoy!

Love this one, and how just one wall of blue and a pillow can make a bold statement: (pic found here)

This one's an easy way to change up an interior in celebration of a holiday ... it's as simple as, swap out the pillows! (pic found here)
 

Then there's this one, an entryway truly after my own heart. Talk about making a statement with fresh flowers and wallpaper; I *adore* this space! (pic found here)

I imagine how these interiors would look with our watercolor textile designs, now also available in wallpaper:

Last but not least, here's a candid of our little pup, Piper (I get to call her "little" for at least a few more months, right?!).


Happy Fourth!
xo, Kate

Lights, Color, Action

I am so excited to share this next feature in my Collaboration series on the work of fellow creative entrepreneur Linda Daniel of Elle Daniel. If you like color, inspiring stories and ways to brighten up a room - literally! - then you are in for a treat.

I first met Linda earlier this year and we immediately struck up a friendship. She has such positive energy and we quickly discovered we have a lot in common: we both took a leap of faith and changed career paths mid-life to pursue more creative work. Linda's craft? Designer lampshades. Check her out ... love this pic from Linda's website!

Linda began creating designer lamp shades in the fall of 2011 when she left the DC political world cold turkey. "I knew I wanted to do something creative as I come from a family of designers, artists and winemakers. I always had in my homes beautiful, colorful lampshades — NEVER white! I walked into Anthropologie one day, subconsciously headed straight to the lampshades and thought, “I can do that, and I can do that better!”  Shortly thereafter, Linda found a mentor and perfected her  craft. The rest, as they say, is history.

Linda's work reminds me of other great design icons' work, too. For example, check out these pops of color featuring iconic designer Marimekko's fabrics: 

Picture from here

There's also Galbraith and Paul, an artisan brand I've admired for years. Their first lampshades were actually made out of paper. Today, they work with their stunning hand block printed textiles to create shades and pendants like these: 

Photo found here

In addition to second careers as creative entrepreneurs, Linda and I share a love of nature. Her home state of sunny Florida inspires her work - shares Linda, everything from its "bright yellow sun, blue skies, green grass, turquoise waters and colorful fresh flowers."

Linda's advice to other women entrepreneurs? Dream big, stay focused on your goal and do something big every day to get there. I couldn't agree more. 

Fun fact: Linda and I recently teamed up to create a limited edition series of mini-shades or night lights. How sweet are these, for a little kid's room? p.s. local (Arlington, VA area) friends: you can find a few of these at one of my favorite local boutiques, covet. 

Enjoy! xo, Kate