Pattern Design Pin-hop 2013

Welcome to the Pin-Hop June 2013!  I am so excited you joined in the fun!!  We are a group of over 50 designers participating in the first ever pattern pin-hop on Pinterest.  The concept and preparation for this pin hop was orchestrated by the talented Tina Olsson of FYllayta.  

My designs were inspired by the "Midnight Garden" concept board from Patternbanks A/W 2013/2014 trend .  I hope you enjoy browsing through my interpretation.  Please be sure to stop back and check out all the other designers on the Pin-Hop June 2013 Pinterest board.  You can also find many of the designers and their fantastic work on the Find New Designers Pinterest board.  

Midnight Garden Sketchbook Collection - Holly Helgeson Designs 2013

I sincerely hope you enjoy this event and leave inspired to create fabulous designs of your own!

Also, please make sure to check out the beautiful designs from the very talented Femi Ford! Enjoy the Hop and Happy Pinning! 

iPhone Case Design Challenge by Uncommongoods

Last week I entered an iPhone Case Design Challenge for Uncommongoods.  They put a call out for designers to submit their artwork for a chance to win $500 plus 5% royalties.  Each designer could submit up to 5 designs to be considered in the contest.

Today I got word that my design "Vintage Telephones" has made it to the semi-finalist round!  WHOO HOO!!!  Now, I NEED YOUR HELP IN THE FORM OF VOTES.....PRETTY PLEASE!!!  The winner will be determined by the most number of votes.  Please click on this link to vote for my design.  I would be so grateful for your support!!  I am doing everything I can to follow my dream, and every step I take gets me a little closer.  Thank you so much for supporting my dream!!

                        

Love to pin? Love pattern? Why not save the date and join the Pinhop event starting on the 15th June

If you say yes to either of those two questions then there is no excuse not to join in the Pinterest Pinhop starting on the 15th. A group of 40 or so talented SP designers will be presenting brand new designs via a special Pinhop board located on the Find New Designers Pinterest site-there will full collections presented by those designers own web sites or blogs but the main design you can pin to your own board.

The concept and preparation is by Tina Olsson of Fyllayta who has done a great job putting this together.

See you there I hope?

Because...

I am a glass half full kinda girl!

Summer Folly...Ahhhh...Wishful Thinking!

In Minnesota, 9 times out of 10 Memorial Day weekend is rainy and cold.  And yes, this weekend certainly lives up to those statistics.  Okay...they are not really statistics...just my opinion.  But if you ask any Minnesotan they will probably agree with me.  So, since the weather is damp and gray, I decided to create a little bit of sunshine myself.  Inspired by vintage prints, here is my playful summer folly print.

Geek Chic Sneak Peek

A couple of weeks ago Spoonflower held a competition with the theme of 'Geek Chic'.  I loved the idea, but unfortunately did not get my submission completed to enter.  Today I finally finished my design, so I thought I would share it anyway.  My design depicts what GEEK DNA probably looks like...at least I am pretty sure that this is what my DNA looks like.  Plus I love vintage glasses!!   :)  Enjoy!

World Lupus Day

Today is World Lupus Day!  Dawn Clarkson of http://niceandfancy.blogspot.co.uk/ created a wonderful "Butterfly Showcase" to show support and raise awareness for those afflicted with Lupus.  Thirty designers created beautiful butterfly designs for this showcase.  Please check out her blog and Pinterest board!  The designs are wonderful!  Here is the design I created.

Bernina WeAllSew Fabric Design Contest

YES...I am at it again.  I am entering another fabric design contest, and I need your help.  This contest is the Bernina WeAllSew Fabric Design Contest.  You can read about it by clicking on the link.  I am entering 10 of my designs in the contest.  Winners will be chosen based on the number of repins from the BerninaWeAllSew Fabric Design Contest Entries Pinterest board.  This is where I will need your help!  Please repin my designs to your boards if you feel I deserve a WIN!  I would LOVE your vote!!  Thank you so much!!  Please remember the repins have to come directly from the Bernina WeAllSew Fabric Design Contest Entries Pinterest Board and not my blog to be counted.  You can click on the picture below to be directed to their page.  My designs should be posted to their page within 24 hours. Thanks again!

In the Geo Moment

Just a little fun with lines.  Still feeling a bit geometric.  Probably has something to do with the thought of more SNOW....having trouble visualizing flowers when the threat of more SNOW is looming.  UGH!  I would like some warm weather now...pretty pretty PLEASE!!!  :)

Fabric Collections...Oh YAY!!

Fabric Collections....oh how I LOVE FABRIC COLLECTIONS!!  I love to see how designers combine common...or not so common elements and themes, and unite them with color into a collection.  Recently, I have been trying to concentrate much of my energy on developing my portfolio.  I am trying to sort through the pages and pages of drawings and doodles in my sketchbook, and start to assemble the designs into collections.  Here are two of the collections that I am currently working on.  I have several more designs to incorporate into each collection, but at least it is a pretty good start.  I have so much fun finding just the right colors for each design and watching the collections come together!  Enjoy!  :)

Doodlin' Around...

Just thought I would share a little fun I have been havin' today....fun with doodles and circles.  Feelin' a bit geometric.  :)  Happy Saturday!

More Designs Inspired by Ireland

I was doing a great deal of research about Ireland while developing my design for the REPEAT(ed) competition.  My design kept evolving as I played around with various elements that I thought represented Ireland.  My designs were influenced by the beautiful landscape, culture and history, as well as the people of Ireland.  Here are a few of the designs that I created but did not enter.  Hope you like them.  :)

"Emerald Isle"

"Land and Sea"
These designs were inspired by the beautiful hills of Ireland and sea as far as the eye can see.

"Heart of Ireland"
This design (shown in three colorways) used elements of Irish lace, Ireland's Snow Drop Flower, Celtic Knots, and the petals of the Shamrock represented by the heart.

Design Challenge One...Follow your Wanderlust

Here it is....finally!!!  I was so excited for the theme of our first challenge for the REPEAT(ed) competition from The Printed Bolt!!  For my inspiration, I decided to let my design take me to Ireland!  I have always wanted to go and travel around Ireland.  I can almost smell the damp mossy fields and sea salt in the air! Ahhhh!!!  My design was greatly influenced by the many beautiful stone castles scattered around Ireland's emerald green rolling hills.  The name of my pattern is called Emerald Kingdom.  Please visit The Printed Bolt website to read all about my design process, as well as view the wonderful designs from the other 9 contestants.  Please vote for my design if you feel it deserves the Reader's Choice Award.  Thank you for visiting!!

Emerald Kingdom

Emerald Kingdom Close-Up

Emerald Kingdom Close-up 2

Emerald Kingdom Coordinates

More Amazing REPEAT(ed) Designers

Forgive my tardiness...I have been working like a mad woman with Design Challenge #1!  Please check out the other five designers in the REPEAT(ed) competition.  They are wonderfully talented and are totally inspiring!  Click on the links below to be redirected to their bios.

February 11, 2013, Kate Austin
February 12. 2013, MaJo
February 13, 2013, Alice Murphy
February 14, 2013, Nicky Ovitt
February 15, 2013, Jessica Majers

In addition, please check the Printed Bolt's website daily for a glimpse at each designers studio!  WOW...they are creative and wonderful!!

More REPEAT(ed) Designer Bios...

I have not forgotten about the other talented designers in the REPEAT(ed) competition!  I have been running crazy organizing and gathering inspiration material to get ready for the start of the competition!  So far this week, five of the designers (myself included) have been showcased on The Printed Bolt.  Next week, the remaining five designers will have there bios introduced.  WHOO HOO!!  What a wonderful opportunity to learn a little background about each designer and hear about what inspires their work!  Included with each bio are two samples of the designers work...wonderful samples!  So check out the designers links and take a peek!!

Monday, Feb 4 - Me (Holly Helgeson)
Tuesday, Feb 5 - Janel Maske
Wednesday, Feb 6 - Kim Andersson
Thursday, Feb 7 - Rebecca Ng
Friday, Feb 8 - Taylour Beadling

My Bio Debut

Each day (Mon-Fri) over the next two weeks, The Printed Bolt will introduce a new designer from the REPEAT(ed) competition.  I was thrilled to find out that my bio made it's debut today!  WHOO HOO!!!   There are nine more extremely talented and experienced designers yet to be showcased over the next two weeks!  Make sure to check The Printed Bolt website each day to read their bios. I will also be blogging about the competition so please stay tuned!!

Here are the four designs that I entered into the competition.  Currently, Dandy Blue Flowers is available at my Society6 Store.  Miss Ruby, Deco Calla Lily and Reykjavik are all available in my Spoonflower Shop.  Miss Ruby and Reykjavik are shown with my bio at The Printed Bolt.

Dandy Blue Flowers

Miss Ruby

Deco Calla Lily

Reykjavik

I made it in the REPEAT(ed) Competition!!

It is such an honor for me to announce that I am one of ten designers chosen to compete in the REPEAT(ed) Design Competition with The Printed Bolt! This amazing competition will run from March through July with monthly design challenges and blog posts.  I am looking forward to learning all about the other 9 designers and seeing what inspires their design process.  I will be blogging all about the competition here as well as on theprintedbolt.com.  I am just so excited to be part of this competition with so many other talented designers!

Snowflakes and Cardinals

Over the Christmas week, Spoonflower held a contest for a snowflake design.  I wanted my design to reflect an outdoor scene, so I incorporated cardinals, pine cones, pine branches and snowflakes together into a repeat.  Instead of typical blue tones used in many snowflake patterns, I colored my design with a deep red.   Click on the link to see the entry I submitted.  The image below is a slightly more airy version of my entry.   

Snowflakes and Cardinals

One Fish, Two Fish, Bubbles & Blue Fish

Another recent contest from Spoonflower... "One Yard Wonders from Under the Sea"...was a fun challenge for me.  The contestants had to design a print for a kid's shirt.  I had to download the pattern for the Riviera Tee, and upload it to Spoonflower with my design on it.  I designed a girly theme of graphic fish and bubbles.  My daughter Ruby helped me pick out the colors...some of her favorite.  I named my design "One Fish, Two Fish, Bubbles & Blue Fish".  The name had a good ring to it...plus it fit the design well....could have possibly been inspired by Dr. Suess too.  ;)

My entry for the "One Yard Wonders from Under the Sea" contest for Spoonflower.

One Fish, Two Fish, Bubbles & Blue Fish

Penny Candy

I am sorry...I have really gotten behind on my blog posts!  I was so busy this holiday season and completely neglected my blog.  Well, I am trying to make up for lost time now and get back into the swing of things.  So, here is a design I did a couple of weeks back for the Spoonflower "Sweets" contest.  I really enjoyed this contest, and the design I created and named Penny Candy reminds me so much of my childhood.  I fondly remember walking down to the local store with my siblings....money just burning a hole in our pockets....ready to buy and consume sweet treats!

Penny Candy