and the design process continues...

Rememberr when we started blogging about the design process way back on April 4?  We wanted to show the evolution of a design...from original idea to publishing and distribution. We were clicking right along, showing you the group of 3 new Inspirational Boxer kits on their journey towards publication....until we hit a SNAG! We ordered the frames right when the frame company took a 2 week shutdown. OOPS...who knew? Then one of the frames arrived and it was the wrong size...DOUBLE OOPS!  

The replacement frame arrived and Debbie from my local needlework shop Heart's Desire stretched and framed all 3 pieces. I don't do the stretching myself...she's an expert! Here I am at the checkout stand. My new Boxers are the wrapped things at the bottom of the pic, the wrong sized frame is sitting on top.  Who knows...it might work for something else? In Debbie's hand is my purchase of the day - a beautiful new book from Leisure Arts with designs from my best bud Judy Whitman from JBW Designs. Check it out - it is gorgeous and quite a bargain! 

Next a short drive to the photographer's studio. I had an appointment this morning, so beforehand I rounded up a bunch of props for the photos. We don't usually prop Boxer photos, but I wanted these to have a different, old-fashioned look, so I raided my office and house for some of my favorite things. I told Steve (photographer) what I had in mind in advance, so he also pulled a few goodies from his storeroom as well as his Mom's basement!  Steve is a collector...oh my...he has everything...and he even knows where it is!

We had a fun time doing arrangements with antique marbles, buttons, piano music (my piano teacher would be so proud!), a cool old Collars & Cuffs china container and lots of other old stuff. See the framed needlework sitting in the middle of the mess? Leaning on it is the BONUS design that will be included in this kit. We made it into a little pincushion and trimmed it will beautiful hand-dyed chenille from R & R.

Here is Steve standing on his trusty stool so he can shoot down on the whole little vignette. You can see one of the giant lights on the right, but there are more surrounding the table. I used to shoot all of my own photos on my back porch. You should have seen me sweating in the summer (while shooting Christmas projects) and freezing in the winter, trying to shoot with my gloves on! A professional assures much more predictable and reproducible results. The better photo file you begin with, the better the results and your ability to make color adjustments during the printing process.

Everything is DIGITAL!!!  Immediately we view the shots on the computer next to the camera.  When we are satisfied with the arrangement, we make color adjustments and save everything on a disc. When I first began at L*K, we shot real film and had to scan the photos afterwards. In order to "see" what we were shooting, the photographer would also shoot Polaroids, so we could get an instant idea of what was on the film. Sounds like the dark ages now! 

I love going to the photographer - so interesting and fun.  Steve likes having me visit, because his wife is a needleworker, and my stuff is so different from what he usually shoots. Next step...next post!!!