Inspiring Day At Marley's Mission

My blog is most often dedicated to my own ramblings and musings about the world of the aesthetic.  Today I need to diverge from that rant and embrace what is most dear to me - children.  It is apparently a family trait, because my sister shares this same dedication in a way I never could imagine.  My sister is a trauma therapist for children, and her work along with the vision and bravery of one of the most amazing mothers in the world, has led to the equine therapeutic farm, known as Marley's Mission.  The people responsible for this program, and the children who have found love and safety because of it, are inspiring.  Please watch the video on the link attached to truly understand who they are and what they do. 

http://www.marleysmission.com/story/


I had the opportunity to volunteer as a teacher for the day yesterday and was overwhelmed with emotion as I worked one on one with children and volunteers with the same shared purpose -recapturing innocence lost through a unique therapeutic camp experience.  I only wish I could have returned for the rest of the week and really gotten a chance to get to know these brave and beautiful people more fully.  Thank you to April, Ann and the entire family at Marley's Mission for an experience I won't soon forget!

Top Five Patterns

It is Sunday and as promised the pattern designs are here.  I need feedback on the ones you like and don't like.  I am partial to a cover-up that can be worn in a public space beyond the beach or pool, but that's just me.  I like the idea of being able to hop off a boat, drop by an outdoor bar by the water and grab a drink while still looking fabulous. But that is in my fantasy life.  In my real life, I have a need to be able to stop by the market on the way home from the beach without overexposure.  A girl can still dream though - so bartender I'll have mine on the rocks.   

One

Two

Three

Four

Five - The original now with darts and a streamlined bodice.

Looking forward to your feedback!

New Fabrics Posted To Spoonflower!

Happy Weekend All! I am very excited to announce that I now have 20 fabrics on view at Spoonflower.com.  I am very proud of the work I have been doing and can't wait to see my samples.  One week and counting!! I have included three that I designed using Corel Paint 12.  I also started work on pattern revisions for the dress/beach cover-ups, which I will post tomorrow if I can get them uploaded.  For now, enjoy the sun and my fabric previews, all inspired by playful summer days! Ciao!!




 Diamonds - This is a large scale repeat, great for home dec projects - I see cotton twill or  canvas pillows!                                                               



Cotton Candy Wave - This is a beautiful marble mirrored repeat that creates a bubbly effect in full scale.  I am thinking of using cotton voile and making this a fabric for one of the dresses.

Sandy -My absolute favorite of the collection.  This is a large scale repeat to be done on cotton/linen or voile.  It is inspired by an odd marriage of pointillism and Ikat patterns.  I think I will have to ensure that the sample dress is in my size!

Check out the rest on my fabrics - http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/bluecrab

 









  

 



Cocktail Of The Week - Guava Lime Cooler

 

It's Thursday, and around these parts that is one day away from weekend fun, so to usher in the grand events (lawn mowing, laundry, grocery shopping, and hopefully a dip in the pool), we celebrate with our neighbors in our own little happy hour. This week I am inspired by my youngest boy's current obsession with Pirates of the Caribbean, and by default all things pirate.  That's right, pirate talk, Tortuga, The Black Pearl, sword fights, maps, buried treasure, an odd little compass he wears around his neck, and oh yes, rum! Thanks to the folks at Sunset magazine for their incredible drink recipes, this one, the Guava Lime Cooler, transports you to the white sand beaches of the Caribbean (not the deck at the neighbor's house) enjoying the sound of the waves ( not the children screaming "arrgh" as the run each other down with pool noodle swords)  aahh bliss! Perfect for summer nights or weekend brunches, this drink is super easy to make and even easier to drink (so be careful).  Enjoy mateys!

Guava Lime Cooler

Ingredients

• 7 cups guava juice
• 3 cups white (light) rum
• 2/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup grenadine (pomegranate-flavored syrup)
• Ice cubes
• Lime slices or wedges, or fresh guava slices

Preparation

• In a large pitcher, mix guava juice, rum, lime juice, and grenadine. Pour over ice in cocktail glasses and garnish with slices of lime or guava.

Note: Use 100 percent guava juice, not pre-sweetened guava nectar.

Kate Washington, Sunset
NOVEMBER 2006
http://www.sunset.com/food-wine/entertaining/refreshing-summer-drinks-recipes-00400000045849/page7.html

Cerulean Inspirations

Cerulean Inspirations by bluecrabthreads featuring summer dresses

Summer dress, $275,  Trina Turk off the shoulder top, $137

I am starting to look for inspiration for my line and found polyvore.com. Clearly I have been living in a cave and depriving myself. This site is amazing AND they have a huge line of Trina Turk stuff, my fave! The pattern on this Wren tye dye dress is fantastic, and I am loving the cut on this tunic by Trina Turk. Pair this with a fab pair of sandals, hop off the boat, drop by the bar and enjoy a cocktail- which reminds me - check out my Cocktail Of The Week Recipe posting tomorrow.  Happy Wednesday All!

I thought I would start my blog with the two projects that started this whole crazy adventure that is Blue Crab Designs.  One of the greatest women and costume design teachers in the world taught me to sew at the ripe young age of 34 and to Marybeth I am eternally grateful.  It was love at first stitch for this textile obsessed girl.  Things I could once only dream of creating with the yards of gorgeous fabric I had seen, were now mine for the making.  My poor husband - little did he know the amount of space a simple obsession could consume, as we surrounded ourselves in piles of cotton lawn, polyblends, chiffon, satin and linen.  Each piece filled me with inspiration to design my own fabrics and dresses, but alas, my growing brood and shrinking wallet kept the ideas on paper, that is until now.  My brood has inspired, my amazing husband pushed and my friends begged, and so my dream became a reality.  A little "what if" conversation on the beach bloomed into my own line of fabrics being created, and soon for sale, on Spoonflower.com.  Step two will be the line of beach cover-ups and summer dresses I will start making.  Below are the very first projects I ever made ( that you could actually wear - most of my initial creations were experimental in nature and a bit sack like in their completed form). These two set the scene for what will prove to be an amazing adventure I'm sure, so stay tuned and check back often!

A lined bubble dress out of vintage fabric.

I still absolutely LOVE this color combination and graphic design!

My very first beach cover-up. This is the pattern that we will be refining for the new line.

No simple stripes for this girl!