Hey y’all! Checking in here to tell you that we are still around, still busy, still going to the Mart! We thought for a while that the pandemic would make wholesale markets move entirely online, but now it seems like in person wholesale shopping has survived. Sarah goes to the shows and loves to meet our wholesale customers in person. I show up for one day of meetings for licensing and to see our awesome display at our rep Karen Alweil Studio!
Helmsie x Creative Co-Op
It’s been a minute guys! Karla here to report that we have been so busy that we haven’t even stopped to post about it. If you follow us on Instagram, you may have noticed that we had a huge new collaboration debut; Helmsie x Creative Co-Op! It’s the baby and mama product launch of our dreams! 20+ products with our art!
In my previous life as a textile and then gift product designer, I would wander past Creative Co-Op saying “oooh cute, and that, and that thing too,” to whomever I was walking the Mart with to see what the other design firms were up to. I even tried to get my first class of UGA Fabric Design (Design for Industry class) students to get an inside look into their showroom, but they were too busy during market. It really always is a packed showroom in there. so my class had to wander slowly by the front windows “oohing” and “awing” with me, as I was very accustomed to doing.
To say we are excited to be working with Creative Co-Op would be a huge understatement. The products came out looking so great! We will be selling our licensed Co op goods here at our online shop. Hope you love it because more items will come out next year!! xo Karla (and Sarah!)
Designing Wallpaper with Hygge & West
Last week, Sarah and I were BEYOND excited to finally get to announce that our wallpaper Piedmont debuted with Hygge & West. We are so ready to see some of our little flora and fauna make it into people’s homes. I thought you might want to hear a little bit about the process.
Let’s start at the very beginning, designing The Hunt fine art print. Boy-friendly designs are not easy for me to create. I love a good floral; flowers are probably 90% of what I draw and paint. Beyond liking the prettiness and daintiness of flowers, I am just a feminine person. I like bow details and pink velvet, tiny buttons and vintage dresses. Somehow it is hugely evident in my delicate drawing style. I really struggled with our first boy prints, but finally felt like I had hit a good stride when I designed The Hunt print. I started with the dog, and loved the idea of the story of a hunt going on in a pattern-like mirrored layout, similar to this damask from our pattern card set. After years of designing primary in repeat, I think my brain just kind of lives in that space now.
The Hunt became our most popular print, and Sarah and I were so pleased. It was a confirmation of sorts for us because all along we had been determined to design fun and different boy prints. I must not be the only designer who struggles with it, because it is definitely harder for boy mamas to find things they love. We were really glad to see that we were on the right track as far as our audience was wanting. When we were at the home and gift show in January at the Americas Mart, several people mentioned that they wanted The Hunt in a wallpaper, which was very flattering to hear. Most notably for us was Nan of Firefly, a Thomasville, GA store I have loved online for years. Her taste is so fantastic, and it really was such a treat to hear she loved something Helmsie produced. So many people are quick to give suggestions when you are making your own products, and I love that, but it is hard to know what to pursue next. We only have so much time and capital to invest in Helmsie goods. With Nan’s wholehearted encouragement though, we thought that maybe it was time to contact the ladies at Hygge & West!
Aimee and Christiana were so great to work with years ago when I designed a wallpaper collection with them. They loved the The Hunt inspired pattern I sent over, which was basically just the motif from the fine art print repeated out. They did want to see a few other options besides the dog, which we were completely on board with. I sent them a deer and a fox option. Both animals took a look time for me to get looking friendly, but not too cute, with just the right amount of personality. I wanted this to be adult and kid friendly, not too manly or feminine. Who knows what I ended up with exactly, but that is what I was going for at least.
I was really glad they choose the fox, my favorite because he looks a bit sly, with a slight snicker on his lips. :)
After they choose a fox, all that was left was deciding colorways. Aimee and Christiana let us do 4 of them (yay!) and we all seemed to be on the same page, as far as liking classic colors inspired by the woods. They had the specific idea for the Mist colorway which I absolutely love, and would not have dreamt up otherwise! Here it is on the call-out sheet, product spec sheet, whatever you like to call it. Being a product designer of any sort, especially my past lives as a home and gift designer (mugs, textiles, rugs etc) means you make a lot of these, in case you’ve ever wondered. After that are actual iphone images of what I was texting Sarah while we tried to decide what colors to choose. I wish we lived in the same city!
I spent another few days getting the repeat ready for screenprinting by hand by separating the colors in Illustrator. This is probably way too much information, but maybe it is interesting? Here are some screen shots of the file set-up:
Everyone liked the name Piedmont, meaning “a plateau between the coastal plain and the Appalachian Mountains, including parts of Virginia, NorthCarolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama”
Thanks so much to Aimee and Christiana, and to you, if you read this whole post :)
xo
Karla
Wallpaper with Hygge & West
We are so pleased to introduce our newest design,and first licensing partnership, Piedmont wallpaper for Hygge & West!
We are THRILLED Y’ALL! We want to wallpaper every room of our houses. We hope you like it. Let us know what you think! See all FOUR colorways at H&W’s site, and that is where it is availableto purchase too. Check back Wednesday for a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating the design.
Southern Tradition
When we started Helmsie, Karla and I were influenced most by the collective places that we have lived throughout the South. We love the traditions, the unique design, and the rich history of southern towns and cities. Each place, big and small, has its own story and identity that makes it special to the people who call it home.
One thing that I, Sarah, love about the South are the traditions that get passed from generation to generation. I grew up in a small town in Tennessee and you will find an abundance of tradition there. Another thing I love is getting to see my kids experience said traditions.
When my Dad, Jim, was little, he and his dad were out mowing the lawn when the mower died. So, they hopped up into my Grandfather's truck and headed into town to buy another. Hours later, my Grandfather returned with no mower and no Jim. Casually, he explained to my Grandmother that Jim was making his way back from town (miles from their house) on his new bike. By himself. Ha!
I heard this story so many times growing up, but have a new appreciation for how my Grandmother must have reacted now that I am a mother myself. So, the story goes in my family: you go to town to buy a lawn mower and come home with a new bicycle. This pretty fairly sums up my childhood.
Boyd's Bicycle Shop, Bristol, TN
My son, Helms, turned four at the end of June and he had been begging us for a bike for some time. We already had a trip planned to visit my parents on his birthday weekend and I knew the perfect way to surprise him. The place where my dad picked out his bicycle (in lieu of a mower) all those years ago, Boyd's Bicycle Shop, is actually still in business right off of State Street in Bristol, TN. It is even owned by the same family.
That Saturday morning, my Dad told Helms that his lawn mower had broken and we needed to head into town to buy a new one. Guess where we ended up?
Don't worry, both Helms and the bike rode in the car all the way home to Atlanta!
Trying out a few to find the perfect fit!