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Peacock Pavilions...... oh my.... by Valori Wells

Hello...

I have been working on my newest collection of fabric for fall...the designing phase and got so caught up yesterday that I forgot to post... good grief. At least it was because I was on a really good roll....Anyhow....

One of the things I loved about the way that Maryam  from Peacock Pavilions decorated was her ability to put all of us (12) at a table and it felt seamless...she layered her table cloths. Love the idea. (I am sure that for some of you this is old news :-) ) I don't have one long enough tablecloth for our table when the entire family is over so now I just layer three different cloths. I took two - 2 yard pieces of Mystic and stitched them around the edges like you would a pillow. Turned them right side out and pressed. Whipped stitched the opening and took my walking foot and ran some stitching to secure the two pieces of fabric. So easy... they wash well and they are two sided! Bonus!

Part of why I want to share this place with you is for the design that is incorporated into every aspect of this place....

The dining tent...

The stenciling on the tent... amazing.... the floor is covered in soft Berber rugs (no shoes allowed).

This is the main living area of the house we stayed in. There are two houses apart from the main house. These two houses are were the guest stay. The main house is the families living quarters, the kitchen and the main living communal area...

Artifacts from all over Africa adorn the houses....as well as kitties!

view from the roof top...

 The main house....

The property they own has a olive grove on it...the small batches of olive oil produced from their grove is really yummy.

And yes they do have peacocks....they used to roam free but they found that they had no disregard for interiors....and that is hard to get out of a Berber rug!!

Scout the resident lab!

The pool....

 The path from my house through the olive grove to the main house. They are called meditation paths because the stones are either a little too close together or a little too far apart in turn making you conscious of each and every step. I loved starting my morning walking this path being in the moment noticing the small delicate details of the ground cover and the olive trees.

Our crew....

Mystic Blue blog winner is Sarah M. (you have been emailed).... Thank you all for you wonderful comments.....I am so in love with blue, glad to know I am not alone!

This trip through the inspiration of Mystic is winding down... The last post will be on Monday.... I have some bundles of the entire collection to give away... Three to be exact! Leave a comment....See you then!

xo

Valori

Mystic Blue by Valori Wells

Happy Friday!!!

It is a beautiful blue sky day here in Sisters...perfect day to share with you my Mystic Blue quilt that is made out of the blue palette in the Mystic collection and Kona Cottons.

This quilt is a mixture of design elements seen in the rugs and the variety of blues you experience while visiting Morocco.

I already love blue... and now I am completely enamored by blue....

I really enjoyed quilting this quilt... embracing the solid areas for Moroccan elements of design.

Mystic Blue will be a Sewing Card available late January.

And now for Moroccan blue inspiration....

The Riad Idra in Marrakesh.

The doors...

Amy and I....

Jardins Majorelle - this garden was incredible with the marjorelle blue everywhere.

How could you not fall in love with blue!??

The winner of the last blog post is Ann (you have been emailed)...

A bundle of blue Mystic up for a giveaway... Just leave a comment and the winner will be picked on Tuesday....

XOXO

Valori

A little embroidery.... with Valori Wells

Hello Friends....

I love embroidery. Over the years I have embroidered bits and pieces of my fabric designs. Adding stitching to quilts, bags, and pillows whatever I can think of that will add a little more texture and color to a project. My flora design in Mystic is perfect for embroidery.

I like to make something for my mom at Christmas and this year at the last minute I decided to embroidery on the grey canvas Flora to make into a pillow for her. It is perfect colors for her house. This is the modern canvas from Robert Kaufman so it is light weight compared to traditional canvas. It is perfect for pillows and bags...

I added some gold piping which worked really well at accenting the gold in the embroidery. The great thing about taking a printed fabric and adding embroidery is that you don't have to embroider the entire pillow. Just add to the design of the fabric. My mom loved it...

She has now started one for a friend of hers.... it is in progress so I thought I would show you how easy it is to embroider a little fabric and make something...

Here we go in progress. I use three strands of the Aurifil embroidery floss. Tie a knot in one end and use the design printed on the fabric as your guide.

It is that simple.... I like to use a couple of colors in the flower. But it is up to you... maybe an variegated thread. There are so many great fabrics out there that would be perfect for this technique.

I have to share a few photos of Morocco that inspired this new design Flora, from Mystic. It is not a specific flower but the essence of the flora in Morocco...created into a stencil like design....something simple but dramatic.

The roses at Peacock Pavilions were amazing...

The stenciled door in our house at Peacock Pavilions....

And a little henna to round it out.....

The winner of the Gypsum blog bundle giveaway is..... Robin (you have been emailed).

I have more fabric to give away... and with this bundle I am going to include some of the canvas.. just leave a comment to be entered to win. Winner announced on the next blog post this Friday....

Have a great day!!!

xoxox

Valori

Just in case you would like to come to Morocco and do a little creating and exploring... YA SALAM

 Amy Butler’s Ya Salam Exotic Getaway! Marrakesh Morocco
November 5 - 12 2016

Join Amy and David Butler and creative guru Val Wells for an exciting inspiration expedition exploring Marrakesh and all of it’s exotic inspirations!
Our week together will be filled with creative workshops mixed with day trips that take us to fascinating, colorful locals! We’ll scour the souks, visit
historic sites in Marrakesh and have a full day in the Atlas Mountains taking in the natural beauty and tour the rural Berber villages. Our home base
is the gorgeous Peacock Pavilions.  Many of our meals and events will take place at the Pavilions including our creative
workshop sessions. You are in for a treat!

Gypsum Quilt by Valori Wells

Happy Friday!!!

I wanted to share with you my Gypsum Quilt made out of the black and white palette of Mystic, for Robert Kaufman.

Gypsum was inspired by the Berber Rugs in Morocco and the gep carvings throughout the architecture in Marrakesh. Geps are the carved plasterwork used for upper wall, ceilings, tops of pillars, arches, or peaks... they can be ribbons framing windows and doors. I first saw geps in the Riad Idra in Marrakesh.

I love the Berber rugs... and what is surprising to me is how few photos I have of them. They are very simple and usually geometric, two color designs. The rug designs mixed with the stenciling at the Peacock Pavilions, I was bound to be inspired to do a black and white color way of Mystic and a quilt.

My room at Peacock Pavilions was even neutral....

Once this quilt was done I decided to quilt the Hand of Fatima mixed with designs reminiscent of the geps.

Mayram has an amazing collection of Hands of Fatima at Peacock Pavilions.

I love how the quilting turned out....

So does Ollie....

I have to share a few more images from Morocco that inspired the black and white palette in Mystic.

I hope you enjoyed the inspirational journey of Gypsum. The pattern for Gypsum will be available through The Stitchin' Post this month. I will keep you updated.

The winner from the Kantha Stitching blog post is... Solange (you have been emailed).

As with each quilt and project I share of Mystic there will be a bundle of fabric to win. Leave a comment to be entered... I will announce winner on Tuesday.

Hope you have an Awesome weekend....

XOXO

Valori

OH... One more really important thing. My good friend Amy has her newest Blossom Magazine Live... If you want to be inspired...find some love....some meaning... go check it out. Our trip to Morocco is in there and the exciting announcement that there is a new Morocco Artist Retreat in November 2016... and I am going to be teaching with Amy.....

Kantha Stitching with Valori Wells

Today is one of those winter days I am not  fond of... it's cold, raining and the roads are icy. A good day to be in the studio.

A good day to sit by the fire with a nice cup of tea and do some Kantha Stitching. I have also heard this stitching called, Big Stitch or Running Stitch.... My friend from South Africa taught me...

All you need is two pieces of fabric - fat 1/4's are a great way to start and then you can turn it into a cute pillow. Embroidery thread or pearl cotton for stitching, and a needle. (I personally need a needle threader sometimes) and some scissors. Thread and needle for a quick basting.

This is one of my in progress pieces... I am going to turn this into a pillow once the stitching is all done. One of the great things about this technique you can put it down and pick it up months later without worrying about a pattern...(my current problem with knitting projects)

If you are working on something bigger than a cocktail napkin you are going to want to baste the two layers together. You can use a few safety pins or needle and thread. Using a needle and thread stitch the two layers together with large stitches, you don't need a ton of basting just to keep the two layers from slipping while you get the first few rows of Kantha stitching done.

Cut a 12" ish length of thread. Knot the end and either nest it between the two layers or through both layers so the knot is on the back. Your first row you will want to be straight. I fold my piece and finger press a line to follow when I am stitching. Very scientific!

It is this simple....

Now for all the fun things I am making or have made....

I think this will be a table runner when its all stitched...

Little cocktail napkins!! These remind me of Morocco and the cool napkins they have at Peacock Pavilions.

Pillows...Out of Mystic canvas and Mystic cotton.

Hope this finds its way into your tool box of techniques that you use when you create.

XOXO

Valori

The winner of the Mystic bundle is..... Barb in MI (you have been e-mailed)

AND because I really love giving things I am going to do another give away from this blog post....

Just leave a comment and I will announce the winner on Fridays blog....

Class-Studio Block Printing with Valori Wells

Friday and Saturday's class with Valori at the Stitchin Post was a Huge Success!!

Here a a few photos to show you how much fun they had and all they accomplished! 
She has promised to have another class here at the Stitchin Post in the Spring 2016.












(You can find our printing supplies here.)

      
Guess Who this belongs to...Jean is putting together a new monthly blog beginning in January 2016, Mixology, Stay tuned!

  gg

Inspired by.... Clouds

May in Sisters, Oregon... rainy (which we are all very, very, very, happy about since our winter was extremely dry) and full of great clouds. May is also a busy time for me. I just returned from Quilt Market and we are 6 weeks away from Quilter's Affair and Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show....OMG how does that happen so fast? Reminding myself to breathe and enjoy the excitement of preparing to celebrate 40 years of quilt show.... and this weekend is the shop's 40th birthday party....all of these things will happen only once and I have to remember to be there..... 

The Clouds this time of year really speak to me... oddly enough keeping me grounded and in the moment.

Living on a canyon we get really amazing fog...

and then this happens....

Oregon Coast has fabulous clouds...

Who doesn't photograph clouds when your flying?

I couldn't show photos of clouds without some from Morocco.....

A sunset on the roof top of Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh, Morocco! When I see this image I can remember the smell of the air, giggling with Louise as we ran out of the main house to the roof top to capture this amazing sunset... trying not to mess up the Henna tattoos we had just received...

Isn't this why we love photographs so much...

Have a great day!

XO

Valori

 

Inspired by.... by Valori Wells

Happy Friday!

Today is my first post of Inspired by....

I had the honor of staying at the Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh, Morocco. This place is MAGIC... While staying there you travel from house to house and tent to tent through the olive groves over paths. These are unique paths, each step is either too close or too far apart so that you are conscious of every step you take. You are present! My biggest goal and desire while I was in Morocco was to be present, soak in every moment. From my room in the morning I walked through these olive trees to the main house for breakfast. Starting my day being present in the moment.... this has stayed with me and I am so grateful for Maryam and Chris for creating such a unique and magical place.

My Path through the olive grove.

The Path to the artist tent.

The Path to our house.

I knew I would make a quilt at some point based on my love of these paths and the colors of Peacock Pavilions.....

At the beginning of the year Robert Kaufman asked if I would design a quilt out of their Essex Linen to show at market. Of course I said yes.... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE working with Essex Linen! As I looked through the colors I realized that this was the quilt that I would make to honor those paths!

Some of the beautiful colors from Peacock Pavilions...

Dinner in a traditional Arabian Tent.... This was our first night there and was the most fun experience... the floors are covered in soft Moroccan rugs you sit on firm embroidered pillows... with soft lighting and bougainvillea hanging from the lights. The tent is covered in traditional Moroccan stencil designs. Seriously how could you not start off your experience with this and not be in LOVE with Peacock Pavilions!!

The Main house...

From the rooftop of our house looking towards the main house over the olive grove.

I loved the nights at Peacock, the pool would darken as the sun went down, the lights would start to glow in the seating area and everything would slowly turn into an Indigo night... so beautiful.

So.... drum roll...... the quilt....

Paths of Peacock Pavilions (photographed on the canyon at our house)

I quilted Olive leaves and Olives all over the paths. I am truly in love with this quilt... the memories of such a special place that helped my path to changing the need to always think about what is next or what I have to do or, or, or to being present and in the moment. Enjoying my children and my husband in the moment! It brings tears to my eyes because I am so full filled by this by the love I receive and give by being in the moment.

I hope you have a magical day!!!

XO

Val

Here is a great description of Peacock Pavilions   from their web site. They are amazing people!

"Peacock Pavilions is a handmade, artisanal boutique hotel in an olive grove on the outskirts of Marrakesh.  Part of the M.Montague offerings,  Peacock Pavilions  was designed and built by American blogger and designer, Maryam Montague, and her American husband, Chris Redecke.  

The hotel, like the rest of M.Montague brand,  supports Project Soar, a non-profit organization established the couple to uplift underprivileged communities, especially its girls and women, through art, and fitness. 10 % of profits from Peacock Pavilions go to sourcing Project Soar.

Maryam, her husband, and two children continue to live at Peacock Pavilions where they share their own slice of a Marrakesh oasis with resident peacocks Maurice, Persephone and Gigi, five cats, one mischievous yellow lab, and any guests lucky enough to be stopping through."

Learn more about MMontague products and experiences at www.mmontague.com