Category Archives: Patterns

Biscuits and Bones

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Biscuits & Bones. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Biscuits & Bones. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Babe's New Digs. SMdelgado
Babe’s New Digs

Growing up, we had a husky mix as the family pet. My dad Pete rescued her from a drunk old farmer, who was shooting at the mama and her young pups. Babe ran across a field and onto the dirt road. He almost ran her over. She was shaking, scared. He brought her home that day.

Tug of War, Babe and Pete. SMDelgado
Tug of War, Babe and Pete.

We had just moved into a new house. After waiting all summer for it to be finished. New town, new school. Junior high. Nothing but dirt in the back yard, and beyond that a field and ditch. I learned to drive a stick shift on the road you can see in the distance. But that was several years later.

Babe on her chair, that she is not supposed to be on.

Pete found a dog house that had been tossed out. He fixed it up to look like our house. Little by little we got grass, then the fence. Soon she had her own dog run. She was a happy dog, and she loved us as much as we loved her.

That was the inspiration for my Spoonflower Design Challenge entry. Barkitecture. I had a request for a pink version. I thought red might be popular as well. Voting is open now, until November 1st. There are 627 entries.

Biscuits & Bones Fabric Collection. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Biscuits & Bones Fabric Collection. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Dad Joke Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Dad Joke Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

My Dad Joke wall hanging placed at 147 out of 292, with 48 votes. That puts it at just over the 50% mark. 50.3. Woo Whoo! I’m so grateful, really. To everyone that takes the time to vote. Thank you. Many of you really liked this one. It even received an awesome comment from a designer I really admire. I was stoked. Thank you, Tina! I am going to turn this into a repeating pattern.

The poor dog, in life the firmest friend.
The first to welcome, foremost to defend.
Lord Byron, poet of Epitaph to a Dog

If a man aspires towards a righteous life,
his first act of abstinence is from injury to animals.
Albert Einstein

I have found that when you are deeply troubled,
there are things you get from the
silent devoted companionship of a dog
that you can get from no other source.
Doris Day

Unexpected Still Life for Spoonflower

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Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Tea Towel. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Tea Towel. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
The original. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
The original. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I started with the original painting as inspiration. Problems with Photoshop used up several days of my design time. A revamp was quicker than creating from scratch. What you see here, is all that is left from the original. I noticed several mistakes in the yellow blooms, so I eliminated them. I added digital outlines using the pen tool, for nice crisp edges.

I cleaned up the white blooms. The blue background was visible and made them look a bit dirty. The grey is the template that Spoonflower provides. The darkest, inner rectangle is all that will be visible when the design is printed.

WIP. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
WIP. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I added color blocks and considered using them for the final piece. But they were too flat, and I thought a pattern in the background would be too much. I placed the plaid to find the right scale.

Day 20, CG 9 22. 8 x 8 inch. Watercolor, digital collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Day 20, CG 9 22. 8 x 8 inch. Watercolor, digital collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Unexpected Still Life Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I decided to paint paper with three colors. Yellow, blue, and green. I scanned them in to get the texture and uneven color tones. The variations are less obvious, than in the original painting. But I think it “warms” the design, by having a hand made, imperfect quality.

The design brief really called for wacky, or strange. They showed a tennis ball cut in half to reveal a lemon interior. This may not be wacky, but it will be unexpected to some.

I am really starting to feel comfortable using the pen tool in Photoshop. I never thought I would say that. There were only three connections I had to smooth out. Just slightly. I am so stoked about that. And so grateful. Whew! 🤓

Voting is now open, until October 18th. Voting is easier on a computer or larger screen like a tablet. If you are using your phone, you need to scroll slowly, it can only load so many images at a time and you may miss seeing images without knowing it. There are only 484 entries, roughly a third of the usual.

Your votes help give me the chance to win cash prizes. Money I can use towards printing samples of my designs, which is a requirement to making them available for sale in my shop.

  • 1st place winner will receive a $200 Spoonflower credit.
  • 2nd place winner will receive a $100 Spoonflower credit.
  • 3rd place winner will receive a $50 Spoonflower credit.
  • Remaining top 10 designs will receive a $20 Spoonflower credit.
  • The top 50 popularly-voted designs from each theme will be
    automatically made available for sale in the Spoonflower Marketplace,
    no $5 swatch required.
Tiger Bark Recipe Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.
Tiger Bark Recipe Wall Hanging. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Tiger bark placed At 222 of 424 entries with 54 votes! Just shy of the top 50%. Woo Whoo! Thank you, thank you!😀

To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.
Oscar Wilde

The artist has one function–to affirm and glorify life.
W. Edward Brown

The ability to simplify
means to eliminate the unnecessary
so that the necessary may speak.
Hans Hofmann.

September 2022, 30-Day Creative Gathering Collage

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9.22, 30 Day Creative Gathering Collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

Over 700 artworks were created in the group this month! 713, approximately. What a spectacular beginning for our fourth year of the The Gathering! Four years! I am so thrilled that the artists are still enjoying 30 days of creatively challenging themselves. We are still going strong! And the group has grown, with over a dozen new members this month. Welcome!

Personally, I think this was my best challenge ever. I am very happy with my results. There are only two that I wish had turned out better. Not a bad average! I shared two surface design starts. Funny, I did not use either of them in my final patterns. It’s very likely they will make an appearance somewhere down the road. 😉

I am always interested to know which, if any were your favorites. Some of you have already shared them with me in the group. 😄 You know me so well!

Here are my favorites. And I am grateful to say, it was hard for me to choose. I could have added most of the landscapes as well. I had the most fun those. With watercolor. I have missed painting with watercolor. And I really had fun with the abstracts in the last week.

9.22, 30 Day Creative Gathering Favorites Collage. © 2022 Sheila Delgado.

I started experimenting with digital collage on day 3. But I remember that one being more of a struggle. From day 20 on, I was really having fun playing with pattern. I think the pinks, the final week, were so fun because I started loose and fast, and without intention. I painted eight pieces, but only four were interesting at first.

Funny to think that only 3 of my favorites are actual, in real life paintings.

I was blessed this month. Blessed to have the energy to participate, to create. Blessed with restored health. Blessed to have so many friends & family follow along here, and in the group. And so very blessed to be in such fine company, in The Gathering. I learn so much from everyone. Something new each day. And I am consistently inspired and amazed.

In the next couple of days, I will share the group gallery with you.
It will be awe-inspiring. Every one really had a superb month!

Next week I will post a health update. I still am catching up on getting my annual postcards out. And I want to send a special “thank you” to all of you who kept me in your prayers, and sent well wishes while I was ill. Will you please leave a comment with your mailing address. I have to approve each comment, so they will not be posted for others to see. You can also email, or message me.

I have many already, but I’d like to be sure I include everyone. I am eternally grateful. My brain was so muddled, I’m fearful that I might forget. And I believe in my heart, the power of your prayers are what healed me. 🙏🙏🙏

Wishing you JOY!

When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive,
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
Marcus Aurelius

Reflect upon your present blessings,
of which every man has many.
Not on your past misfortunes,
of which all men have some.
Charles Dickens

You have to participate relentlessly
in the manifestation of your own blessings.
Elizabeth Gilbert