Jewel tones

The prompt word for last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram was 'Jewel Tones' so I decided to draw this stunning printed dress, inspired by a dress from Farm Rio. I loved the colour palette and the bold print, and the teal background really sets off the vibrant colours.

The colour palette I chose to use included reds and oranges with a touch of purple and pink.

Tropica

The 'Wildlife' print I designed for Makower UK comes in three colour palettes, but this is my favourite, I love the rich jewel tone colours against the purple background and think it would make a great print for various sewing projects.

If you're feeling really bold, a summer dress would look great in this print. I chose a 1950s style dress and added a bright pink belt to accentuate the waist.

If the dress is a little too much, adding accents of colour to an outfit is easy to do, using accessories. I love this roomy tote bag pattern, great for taking to the beach or for picking up provisions at the local market. The pink straps complement the pink in the main design.

I love this cute little top, perfect for using a tropical print with, The sash tie has been made using a solid dark pink fabric as a contrast.

Mix the little top with this full skirt, which also has a dark pink fabric at the waistband. Alternatively, wear it with a bright pink or bright green t-shirt for a more casual look.

I love these little shoulder bags, which are so versatile and fit in a lot more items than you would expect. The strap is adjustable so it could be used as a shoulder bag or as a cross-body bag.

 

Jewel tones floral

 I had an urge to create this hand-drawn floral in a rich jewel tones palette for my Spoonflower shop. I'm loving the hot pink and coral combo on the dark blue background and the touches of yellow give it a summery lift.

It looks great as a floral wallpaper against this rich green velvet sofa.

You can find this print in my Spoonflower shop here.

Juicy Japanese floral

A while ago I designed this print for Makower UK as part of a collection called Hikari. I wanted to use bright jewel tone colours for this collection and I'm loving the result. It sits on a luscious purple background and has touches of metallic gold to make it zing.

Look how fabulous it looks on this zipper pouch! Now available in my Etsy store.

It makes the perfect gift for a Japanophile or floral-lover.

The bag is lightly padded and is fully lined in a contrasting light purple lining.

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Totally roarsome!

 I recently mentioned the Jewel Tones collection I've been working on for Makower UK. In addition to some juicy allover designs, we also created a panel design which incorporates eight 10 inch squares depicting jungle animals. It was so much fun to design! I can see these squares being used as a rather fab quilt of being cut up and used as cushion covers or as bag designs.

Jewel Tones

I really enjoyed designing this collection for Makower UK. We decided to call it Jewel Tones as it is beautifully rich and opulent and the colours all work really well together. Needless to say, my favourite print is the leopard print!

Cheeky leopards are surrounded by delicate foliage coloured in a similar palette to the background.

Each leopard design has a matching leopard print in similar colours.

The leopard print makes a great co-ordinate to the leopard design.

I designed this sarasa print as a lovely decorative addition to the animal prints. It incorporates stylised leaves and flowers in vibrant colours.

Some of the leaves have been created using a dotty effect which softens them and adds interest and depth to the design.

Multi colour hummingbirds flutter on a cream background.

We also added a dark teal background as a rich background for the bright hummingbirds.

Juicy jewel tones

I'm regularly adding satin clutch bags to my store and the most recent addition is this pretty turquoise version made from a Chinese satin. It has a butterfly motif on the outside with touches of pink in it and I decided to use the same colour pink for the lining for a flash of colour when the bag is opened. I also added a fab decorative turquoise tassel to the zipper pull.

This bag is perfect for a night out and is big enough to fit purse, phone, keys and sunglasses.

This could also be used as a handbag organiser, gadget pouch or makeup bag.

This clutch looks great with the hot pink version with the same butterfly motif.

Each Cheeky Leopard item is gift wrapped in pink tissue paper and can be sent as a gift straight to its recipient with a personal gift message included.

 

Satin clutch bags

 Check out these stunningly juicy jewel toned clutch bags! Each one is made from a vibrant Chinese satin fabric and perfect for a night out or a special wedding. Alternatively use it to store makeup or jewellery in.

Each bag comes with a bright pink lining which enhances the outer fabric. This green clutch has a butterfly motif.

I love the yellow version with dragonflies.

Use it as a makeup bag or jewellery purse.

The three colours look so fabulous together and could be used as bridesmaid clutches.

The hot pink version also has a butterfly motif. It's perfect for storing the essentials for a night out.

Autumn at Anthropologie

It's that time of year when the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler and it's a great time to forage around the shops and take in the beautiful autumn colours. Anthropologie is always a source of inspiration for me. As a textile designer, it's very inspiring and I love their use of pattern and colour. There were a lot of jewel tones on my recent visit as well as an interesting mix of fabrics.

This rayon top uses a loose floral style and is mixed with a dark geometric background that brings out the colours. It also has a gold woven dot running through it to add a bit of glitz to your outfit.

This top is a beautiful berry tone and has a 3D effect with pretty embroidered flowers.

A paisley is a classic design and can be coloured in an amazing array of colours that can radically change its look. This one uses quite a traditional palette, but has hints of hot pink.

This folk-inspired embroidery is on the sleeve of a rather simple black blouse. I love the isolation of a design to just one area of the garment - a nod to folk without being too folky!

I was drawn to this velvet chair that comes in amazing jewel tones. Quite a statement!

This stunning print was on a maxi dress. The black background really shows off the colours and design of this retro-inspired print.

These sequinned handbags were like little gems, with their soft pink and gold colourings.

Even the trainers were brightly coloured. I love the acid green, turquoise and grey colour combo and the addition of the grey and white speckled soles.

DKNY Fall 2015

I do love a bit of colour and always home in on that when I look at the collections.

NY fashion week is in full swing right now and the DKNY collection stuck out for me with its strong, vibrant colours and menswear-inspired cuts. In some cases the colour was very bold, mixing a vibrant red with a stunning turquoise. In other cases, the colour was used as a pop of colour such as an electric blue v-neck peeking out from under a grey coat. Mixing a bright colour with a grey or a black almost enhances its vibrancy.

There was a heavy menswear influence with strong tailoring and simple cuts, but these were feminised with the use of gems and sequins as embellishment.

The perfect sweater for a cold New York day!

I love this red and turquoise combination.

The sequins add glam and I love the touch of it on just one lapel.

These gem-encrusted sections enhance the colour of the sweater.