In Loving Memory of Erik McCartney of the Sawmill Shop

Dear Friends,

We received unthinkable news this week, and our hearts are ever so heavy. Our creative partner Erik McCartney of The Sawmill Shop passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, February 16 and just days before his 27th birthday. At such a young age, Erik’s enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit were quite an inspiration! His prompting 8 years ago to collaborate on woodcut products, truly inspired the idea to build a family of JPD Partners in Craft. Together through his unique process, we worked to bring our folk art and illustrations on his hand-cut plaques to thousands of homes. Based in South Carolina, Erik’s homegrown business has been an anchor to our JPD Partners in Craft, and with his passing, a piece of JPD has died as well. We will sorely miss Erik, and his contribution to our collections. With his passing, The Sawmill Shop has tragically come to an end. 🖤 Rest in Peace Dear Friend 🖤

As a Tribute to Erik and the many beautiful designs he made in collaboration with us, we created a short video, directly viewable via the the following platform links: Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Sincerely,

~ Johanna & JP

Bye Bye Carnival Cottage

Dear Carnival Cottage Enthusiasts,

If you haven’t heard the news yet, we regret to inform you that our Carnival Cottage collection has come to a sudden end.

After almost 5 years, Magenta Inc. made the decision to eliminate our Carnival Cottage brand. In an effort to refine their licensing portfolio, we have been informed that they are shifting away from artist licenses to focus on their studio licenses with Disney, Peanuts, and others. Due to their restructuring initiatives, further design, development and production of the Carnival Cottage brand for off-price retail distribution has been discontinued, and their strategic decision to eliminate specialty lines, removes Carnival Cottage from their boutique portfolio as well.

The remaining inventory of Carnival Cottage Halloween pieces that we worked diligently to keep Special for Boutiques last year is now being sold into big box stores this season as part of Magenta’s liquidation of our collection. Unfortunately, we have little control over how Magenta handles their remaining stock. These leftover quantities are the end of the line, and while limited in quantity, this was not how we intended to close this chapter. On the contrary, we were anticipating to grow our collections with Magenta. We truly appreciate the Boutiques and all who supported us in carrying our first Carnival Cottage Specialty Halloween collection last year. It was not our vision to shift this collection to discounters so swiftly.

As we bid farewell to Carnival Cottage, we want to Thank ALL who inspired us to create this whimsical line. At its peak, the interest and enthusiasm from our fans, boutique retailers and the TJX Companies buying team was both exciting and inspiring, and it was a thrill to dream up this collection for ALL of YOU! We appreciate the opportunity to have worked and learned alongside Magenta’s creative team to make the magic happen, and it is heartbreaking to watch it die.

Hold dear the Carnival Cottage by Johanna Parker & Magenta Inc. collectibles that you may have or find along the way, as they are no longer being made today.

Although this novelty collection is closing its tent, we look forward to future opportunities where we can share the spirit of Carnival Cottage in other ways….

Sincerely,

Johanna Parker Design

New Carnival Cottage Halloween Sample Sneak Peek!

Happy Friday Friends! So, what ya think? Would you like to add some of these whimsical pieces to your Halloween decor & festivities? It’s Johanna Parker here, and Today we’re sharing our Sneak Peek at the Sample Phase of our Carnival Cottage design process. From sketch to development and now full form, it’s a treat to see those early scribbles and mock-ups come to life! Included is a new series of stand-alone ceramic designs that also add variety when paired with our figural items. You’ll see that the canisters, bowls, mugs and such can be rotated for a playful, pattern-only look too. The coordinating party, bakeware and garden items extend the collection and bring many more possibilities into the mix. Your feedback is key as we gauge interest for Halloween 2023. Please spread the word and let us know!! Be sure to share a like, a comment and thank you for your interest! :)

Thank you!

~ Johanna

Carnival Cottage ~ Halloween Product Development

Hello Again!

I’m sharing a peek at the various steps I take with our Creative Carnival Cottage Team to turn ideas into potential products! From sketch to illustration and template creation to clay art direction, the process is a test of patience, but one, well worth the wait! I work with a team of skilled graphic designers and creative directors who help design and arrange my illustrations for print and who also prepare my concepts for the sculpture artists who manifest our designs into form. To get a feel for the product shapes, I often print the team's templates to check alignment and fine-tune design details. Hence all the paper print-outs in this video! Enjoy this glimpse at some back and forth visuals, exchanged between these creatives to build the prototypes, inspired from rough sketches, previously shared. Be sure to share a like, a comment and follow along f you’d like to see the finished results! Thank you for your interest in our process!

Cheers,

~ Johanna

It all Starts with a Sketch!

Hello Friends!

It’s been a long while since I’ve added a post to my blog. But, Jack, if he were here, would meow, purr, share a few nose-bumps and encourage me to share! With that, it’s no time like the present to return and share what I’ve been creating…..

You’re in for a Treat! I’m taking you behind the scenes for a peek at my creative process, designing new product concepts for Carnival Cottage! Be sure to share a like and leave a comment if you’d like to see more! Truly, it all starts with a sketch! More to come….

Happy Haunting,

~ Johanna

Enjoy a behind the scene peek as licensed designer Johanna Parker sketches character concepts for Carnival Cottage Halloween products.

FUN with Spoonflower's Fill-A-Yard!

Hello Friends! It’s been ages since I blogged, and now I remember why…. It takes forever to put together an informative post!… From the planning and photography, to the text and editing, yes, it’s a long process, especially for someone who has an endless to-do list.. But, this feature article has been brewing in my mind for several months now, so it’s time to make the time to share and inspire!

As many of you you know, I have a Spoonflower Shop with a growing collection of fabric designs. We really love this source as our Go-To for very unique prints, catered to whatever quantities and fabric types desired. Recently, I started playing with Spoonflower’s new “Fill-A-Yard” feature, and I LOVE it! As a designer, it’s a great way to order my samples in various sizes. This way, I can proof the colors and check the repeats at the block size of my choosing….

Here’s a portion of my most recent designs on a “Fill-A-Project.” (…and yes, I’m standing in our bathroom because the lighting was just right!) Out of several different templates, Spoonflower’s “One Yard Cheater Quilt” option was my choice for this order, and I filled it up with a medley of new designs. I chose to print on their new Petal Signature Cotton, and the results are crisp and the colors, accurate! Yay!!… I plan to cut these swatches apart and photograph them by theme.

Another idea for a “Fill-A-Project” is to arrange matching prints in a coordinating motif. You can alternate designs in a playful checkerboard pattern or scatter a medley of styles into various sized blocks. With this particular template, you can print up to 42 designs in each 6” square. Or, choose to allow some surrounding squares to extend your favorite patterns into larger areas. Arrange them as you wish, place your order and then Quilt it! That’s why they call this one the Cheater Quilt!

The key to a great “Fill-A-Yard” project is to Create a Collection FIRST! Choose from any of my existing Designed Collections, or curate your own from the various designs in my Spoonflower Shop or search Spoonflower’s vast website for something specific and mix and match. Then, choose your Project Template and start arranging your design. It’s that easy…

Screen Captured Example:

I communicate best through images, and hence, visual aids are key. Above is a screen capture of a work-in-progress Cheater Quilt project. At right, is the “Pink Halloween” Collection that I chose to source this particular project from. At left, is the quilt template. Simply click and highlight a specific design from the collection at right, and then click a block on the quilt. From there, arrange and fill it up! …What FUN!

My first “Fill-A-Yard” order was back in early February. I needed to order proofs of my latest Valentines-themed designs, but I also had a No-Sew project in mind. So, I combined those to-do’s into one yard! You can see my V-Day & holiday print blocks covering half of this yard, and my aqua cherry print running along the other side of the yard’s length for my No-Sew experiment. Enjoy Before and After photos below of how that idea turned out!…. (Notice how excited Jack was!)

Here’s what I meant by “cutting the yard up into swatches” for photography. How fun are these playful folk art snowman prints?! I hand-painted these guys during the holidays, and then created the repeat in photoshop. I asked our friends on Instagram what color combos they preferred, and based on popularity, we added all 3! We always appreciate the feedback :) You can click on all of these photos for a larger view…

Again, here are more matching swatches, grouped together in a Valentine’s motif, all cut from my initial Fill-A-Project. Again, I was able to create the block sizes of my choosing. Photos of the actual prints are helpful to communicate the fabric color, texture and quality….

As for the No-Sew Project, we recently mounted some work lights above my studio workbench. JP found these great vintage aluminum brackets, just perfect for the space. But, the unsightly black cords were, well, just that. So, my solution is often “fabric to the rescue!” That’s been one of my Go-To, Fix-It solutions for many years! Just cover anything unsightly with attractive fabric!

Back in the 80s when I was just a kiddo, my mom and I would tear fabric into long strips. We’d wrap all sorts of stuff to create rag baskets, rag balls, rag necklaces and the list goes on. You could say that were very raggedy back then! :) Recently, visions of those rags resurfaced, and that’s when I picked a playful print from my Spoonflower Shop, and added it lengthwise across a portion of my fabric order, with visions of rags in mind….

Here’s the before photo of my “Cherries and Dots on Aqua” fabric…

A few quick pencil tick lines, spaced one inch apart, helped me layout my strips..

Just a snip and a rip at each tick mark, and soon enough, I had a series of long bandage-like strips to start the mummy wrap!

 
 

BEFORE, we see the contrasting black cord in all it’s bla bla bla boringness….

……and AFTER, we’ve got playful, colorful, swirling JPD Style!

Here’s a side by side…… The color and whimsical print just makes me giddy! While the boring black cord, just hurts my eyes. I prefer to customize my world with color and pattern whenever I can.. :)

That’s me, touching my mummified cord… And no worries, all of the wrapping efforts happened while “unplugged.”

BOOM! Instant style!…. Well, it took a couple hours and some pre-planning, but who’s counting? :)

Jack approved too! I like how the cords blend in more with my color palette and decor. Upon a closer inspection, you can enjoy the cherry patterns too… Fun from a distance and up close!

Well, I hope I offered a few tips and inspiration with these fun ways to order and play with Spoonflower’s unique fabric! The picture above is the other portion of my recent “Fill-A-Project” order. Yet another yard, it’s a medley of prints for my proofing and marketing. It includes a set of my new retro spring designs as well as last year’s Top #13 Cycling Challenge print and more folk art florals! Sure, it’s a hodge podge….. But, if I’m gonna cut it all up, who cares, right?

The ideas for Filling-A-Yard are endless, and I just wanted to share my excitement! If you have a project such as pillows, this is a great way to block out the alternating fabric for the fronts and backs and maybe add in some strips of blending prints for any trim work, playful patches or ruffles. Test it out, and see what creative ideas bubble up! You can thank me later… hehe!

PS: Share photos of your finished JPD-inspired projects so we can feature you in our Customer Gallery. Happy Sewing or in my case, No-Sewing!

ENJOY!

~ Johanna

Vintage Tuesdays

Let's face it ~ I LOVE Vintage things... The artistry of the past certainly intrigues me. People often ask what inspires my art, and although I don't keep a stack of old magazines and books on hand from the 1930s, I do seem to easily tap into the spirit of the Art Deco era. It's no wonder that I was drawn to our 1939 cottage home with its authentic archways, nooks, vintage stove and old fixtures. I don't belong in 2018 in a world of shiny, sharp-edged products and disturbing blue-lit screens. I love the amber lighting of the past and all the flowing lines and curves of the artistry that crafts-men and women poured into their work. You'll see these elements reflected in my folk art, over and over again. 

Our house is filled with many family mementos and vintage finds that I have collected along the way. Yes, dusting is a chore, and that doesn't happen as often as it should. But, I do love to surround myself with these delights. In honor of my passion for pieces of the past, I recently started a Vintage Tuesday feature on my Instagram page @jparkerdesign. Each Tuesday (time permitting) I'll post a little snippet of something timeworn in our home that brings delight to me. If you have an Instagram page, follow along and join in by posting photos too! Use the hashtag #VintageTuesday :-) I'll see you there! Happy Treasure hunting!

~ Johanna

Source: https://www.instagram.com/jparkerdesign/

Merry Christmas to you!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! May it be purrrrrfect! ....Speaking of, Jack is back, donning his latest holiday fashion. I made an extra top hat this year, just for him. We borrowed the mini scarf from one of my snowmen, and voila!... You can also watch a fun animated time lapse from our holiday photoshoot on my Instagram page, HERE!  Enjoy!

Cheers,

~ Johanna, JP and Jack :-)

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Where Women Create Holiday Teaser...

Have you picked up a copy of the November 2017 / January 2018 issue of Where Women Create Magazine yet? If so, turn to page 70 for an 8-page article featuring Johanna Parker Design! We received the exciting news at the start of this year that we would be included in the holiday edition. Keeping in mind the release date, I quickly switched gears and made a collection of winter-themed originals to include in the mix. When summer rolled in, JP and I blocked out some time to take the photos of my studio space, and now we're in print! It's been a long time coming, and those that have acquired a copy to read my story will know why. We submitted plenty of photos for the editor to choose from, and obviously not all could make the cut. So, I am including several more here for you to enjoy! It's a beautiful magazine, so please keep an eye out for the issue on the stands or order yourself a copy directly from Where Women Create - HERE! Enjoy the peek into our home and my cozy sunroom studio space...

A sneak peek at my article intro includes me sitting at my drafting table where I illustrate…

This was the secondary portrait photo we took, showing me surrounded by my space

An old family shelf now houses both art supplies and one of a kind folk art pieces.

We enjoyed taking the photos for this article. I styled and composed most of the images and JP helped adjust the settings and played with the various camera and lens technicalities. In my opinion, it really does take a team...

This vignette shows a snapshot of various holiday art projects all grouped together. It's a fun mix of my printed graphics, rough pencil sketches, a painted art panel, pattern repeats and illustrated gift tags ~ All a variety of designs that I could easily delve into on any given day!

We chose this mischievous pair of holiday folk art characters, a rare, grinning red cat candy container and a standing snowman, to accompany me in my portrait.

A hand-me-down hoosier hutch from mom is now the keeper of art supplies, fabric swatches & collectibles that inspire new designs.

In the corner, the bare bones of an old lampshade offer easy hanging for a handful of my original ornament bell characters.

An original owl sculpture, perched atop a decorated ball, keeps watch over my studio space.

Like I say in my article, my sunroom studio space is by far my favorite. Even though I have been sculpting my folk art originals for well over a decade, I've only been crafting in this sunny room for a couple of years. Get the issue to read more about my journey through time to find the right inspired space for making my art.

A wall nook of my hanging aprons creates a soft backdrop for my jolly ball-shaped Santa and winter kitty ornament bell. 

A closer peek at my shelf reveals a sweet penguin kettle cup and an owl ornament bell. Everything from feathers to vintage pottery and glassware add functionality and design inspiration to where I sit to sculpt and paint.

Paintbrushes and pens surround a sweet Santa egg cup character.

I'd be remiss not to include a holiday crossover or two in the mix. Here, a ghost of Christmas Past howls from the corner of the room. With a cobweb collar and holly-winged bats, the lines of Halloween and Christmas begin to blur....

A festive snowman egg cup whistles a merry tune!

A jolly snowman head, donning an illustrated top hat, sports an enchanting smile.

Collectors interested in adopting some of the one of a kind pieces pictured here and within my magazine article are encouraged to Join our Mailing List for news and updates coming soon. We will be releasing pieces in a couple different ways during the month of December. At random, collectors will be able to CATCH a special one of a kind, directly from our website. And, we will also be hosting a few select auctions, again here on our site, and accepting your best offers. Stay tuned for more information once we finalize the details.. 

Many thanks to Where Women Create for including us in their current edition! I am honored to be included amongst a medley of talented artisans. It's a joy to realize a dream, and we appreciate our friends at WWC for supporting that vision. 

Now, go get a copy!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays...

~ Johanna, JP and Jack