Our Stop on the Blog Hop!

So it's our day on the blog hop, and we're super excited about everything that we've got to talk about.

I guess we sort of have two projects that we came up with. The first started out as a small (carnival-inspired) handkerchief-sized quilt, but then it blew up into a big ordeal (as is usually the case with any project we start)... which then led us to come up with our second... slightly less involved project. Both are super on-target in terms of theme though, so I plan on discussing both... because they're ADORABLE! And as with any project in the Jung family...we documented them with copious amounts of pictures...

So this past weekend, my new boyfriend Atul had the privilege of being my photo assistant for the day. (see below)

He's so cute I can't even stand it!

The location that I chose for this little photo shoot was Princeton University. ...On the ONE weekend when all of the freshman were moving into their dorms.

So there were throngs of students... parents... moving trucks... etc. through which we had to navigate... with quilts... and a box of fabric icecream cones. It's safe to say that a good time was had by all.

Anyway, aside from the fun photoshoots that go along with bloghops... We had a series of questions that we had to answer...

And if you keep up with our blog, you'll already know that Carrie, my younger sister has joined the team now, so the three of us have tag-teamed the following questions.

What's your favorite fair food? If not fair, then just food!

LAUREN / Hmm, I love fair food! Hotdogs, popcorn, funnelcakes! All fun and wonderful. ...Until the ride home when the post-fair nausea begins to set in.

JESSI / Candy apples - of any and all kinds, from the traditional red candy glaze with nuts, to the chocolate and caramel covered apples. I try to eat healthy food...I mean it IS a fruit.

CARRIE / For me, it's not a trip to the fair without a funnel cake.

What's your guilty pleasure?

LAUREN / Internet shopping! I love it entirely too much.

JESSI / Cappuccinos and Lattes - always iced - always caffeinated!

LAUREN (on CARRIE's behalf) / Anthropologie. If you were to check out Carrie's closet, you'd think she held up like ten Anthropologie stores at gunpoint. :)

What's on your bucket list?

LAUREN / 1/Machu Picchu 2/camp in the middle of the fall (right as the leaves are changing... this will probably happen this year) 3/learn a new language 4/vacation in one of those huts in Bora Bora 5/own a pottery studio (I used to do a lot of ceramics in college... definitely something I miss A LOT!)

JESSI / Would you believe, I have yet to go on a cruise?

CARRIE / Well...until recently, it was to be an extra in a movie or TV show. But soon after moving out to Albuquerque I finally got the awesome opportunity to be in the show In Plain Sight. You can find me in Season 4 episode 3. I am the bridal store attendant. It was especially exciting to watch it later because I have a full 4 seconds of screen time and my face isn't blurred either!

What inspires your work?

LAUREN / Internet shopping. :)

JESSI / Well, nature, of course; it's kind of like the beauty pageant answer..."world peace". But I also get inspired through fashion....magazines, catalogues, shop windows. Or I might see a mosaic wall, or a design in a carpet, and think - "that would make a great quilt!"

What movie do you watch again & again?

LAUREN JESSI CARRIE / My Cousin Vinny.

Do you sing when no one else is listening? If so, what is the song or artist?

LAUREN / I've been told I'm tone deaf... so my family only wishes that I would sing while they aren't around. But when I'm in a really good mood I bust out my best rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart". ...And Mr. Roboto.

Tell us about your pet… picture?

LAUREN / I'll let my mom take this. She's our "Rudy Spokeswoman"...

JESSI / This is Rudy - he's a Westie! VERY strong-willed!!!! I think that's what I like about him the most! Dogs in general add so much to a household and family...they are always happy to see you, and they never give you any "lip". Just like our children, right? And he's the only one of my children that get's so excited to see me that he tinkles (just a little) on the porch, when I get home from somewhere. And you don't get much cuter than that.

What do you wish people would ask about you more?

CARRIE / I would love it if more people asked me what I do out here in Albuquerque. Because aside from being the very capable project manager for Lauren + Jessi Jung Designs, I am also the local host of All Things Considered on 89.9 KUNM!

How many quilts have you made?

JESSI / hundreds

CARRIE / 4

LAUREN / I have big plans... *rubbing hands together as if to imply something wonderful is in store*

What shows do you TiVo?

LAUREN / Magnum PI.

CARRIE / Battlestar Galactica...just watch it, you'll be hooked too.

So now onto our Country Fair Projects!

Our CELEBRATION QUILT (see below) was designed with a seriously country-fair-esque theme. (Production of this pattern is currently in the works and should be available for sale very soon!) And we think it would make the perfect wall hanging backdrop for a child’s birthday party. Or you could use it as a festive covering for the gift table!

And as a cute little accessory, these ice cream cones can be whipped up in a flash, and given out as party favors. These are our official blog hop project. The instructions and a link to the template can be found below:

The cones are modified from a pattern by Tone Finnanger in the Sew Sunny Homestyle book.

ICE CREAM CONE FAVORS

1. Trace and cut out pattern templates.
2. Trace templates on WRONG sides of chosen fabrics. Cut out fabric pieces, leaving ¼” seam allowance.
3. Pin pieces, right sides together, with ice cream on top. Use template to help with placement. Sew on curved lines.
4. Trim seam allowance on curved edge. Cut slits between curves. Push curves out and press edge.
5. With right sides together, sew down side of unit. Turn right side out.
6. Tuck ice cream inside cone. Top stitch along curved edge ( below curves).
7. Pull ice cream out of cone. Stuff with fiberfil.
8. Turn ice cream top edge under, and hand sew a running stitch along folded edge. Pull thread to gather, and knot to hold.
9. Attach a red pom-pom (cherry) to top of cone.

Lastly, my mom and I also want to mention that both The Celebration Quilt and the fabric ice cream cones feature our new FLORA fabric line. FLORA is our third line and it will be in stores next month! It was inspired by an English Tea Party ambiance... with secret gardens, and small aviaries. My mom is obsessed with plant drawings that show off their roots as well as anything involving birds. We really wanted Flora to have a more elegant/decorative feel, and I think that came across with the set that we turned out.

And that should do it! You have reached the end of our Blog Hop Post. I know, I can be a bit long winded, so to reward your patience we are offering a giveaway. Two lucky winners will be receiving a fat quarter bundle of FLORA! All you have to do is post a comment. We will be announcing the winners a week from today! Thanks again for stopping by!

And if you don't know how to comment... Don't worry! Up at the top of this entry, click on the title. This will take you to the area where you can comment. At the bottom of the page you will see a comment box where you will then be prompted to post your comment, your email address and your name. Then just click "Post Comment". And that's it!! You're done!

Be sure to stop by the next blog on the hop, Stephanie from Lily Ashbury.

Oh!! And follow us on Facebook! We'll keep you posted about new lines... free patterns... etc. Just scroll up to the Facebook box over on the right side of the screen... and click "Like"!

Two Rednecks in Hatboro

When I finished up grad school, the economic problems were in full swing, and it took me quite a while to find a job.

At the time, I was interested in an interactive agency in Manhattan called G2 Interactive. I wrote back and forth with them for months about a potential position as a Junior Web Designer. Then, four months into my job search, they offered me the opportunity to work in their PA office... and I jumped at the chance!

No, it wasn't quite New York City, but it was a job...

Last year in the middle of March, I left the beautiful city of Atlanta to move up to the town of Hatboro, Pennsylvania... a tiny little crumb of a city who's claim to fame (I've been told) is its wind.

Having braved only the tail end of last year's winter, I am experiencing what a Northern Winter actually means for the first time this year... The last round of snow added another 15 inches to a base of at least 10. (See below.)

So why are there TWO rednecks in Hatboro (as implied by the title)...  

Well, my sister ran into the same luck as I did when she began her job search, shortly after getting her Masters in Marketing...  

I suggested that she look for an internship somewhere... in order to gain some experience...  To which she responded "Well, How about an internship at G2 with you!"

For people who didn't witness the two of us growing up, this would sound sweet, but to those who know us, they feared for our safety...  and hair...  a lot of hair pulling goes on between the Jung girls....

Kidding, sort of.

To make a long story short, she got the job and moved up here on December 2nd.  

Two days later I put in my notice at G2 because I happened to get two job offers from companies in Princeton, NJ!!!  And Princeton is lightyears cooler than Hatboro so I really didn't have a choice in the matter!  I wound up choosing the offer from a software interface company that creates web components, where I was very pleasantly surprised on my first day to find out that they are in the process of rebranding their ENTIRE company... and that I would be in charge of the website and product branding! I've always wanted to take a monster of a project... and this opportunity is giving me everything I could ever ask for in that respect!

And now I'm going to steer myself back towards my original topic...  

With Carrie being up here in Hatboro now, I've been trying to give her little projects to keep her busy.  

(I don't have cable right now because I was sinfully underpaid for the last nine months...)  So I gave her my stack of Botany fabric and my mom's old sewing machine... and after a day and a night she made this little messenger bag! (See below.)

Kudos to Carrie!  

That next weekend, we experienced our first big snow storm. It was a big day for us and rather than bundling up and staying indoors, we decided to go galavanting about outside... taking photos... because that's what rednecks like to do in the snow!

We Love Easter Eggs

When painted well, Easter Eggs can be very cool, but the kind of Eggs that I'm referring to are actually, secret surprises that can be found hidden in movies, art... our fabric line... etc.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, rest assured, you have probably experienced an Easter Egg at some point in your life... A few well-known examples include: the myriad of racey references sprinkled throughout Disney movies... the Apple logo that appears on the computer, Deep Thought, in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... and the rather random synchronization of The Wizard of Oz to Pink Floyd's album, Dark Side of the Moon.

Because of my slightly obsessive love for these wonderful little surprises, my mom and I came up with our very own... In every line of fabric that we design, there will be always be a spiderweb. It might not always be obvious, but, rest assured, it will be there!

Now... you might be wondering, "Why spider webs?"

And to that I say, "Why not spider webs?" They are believed to bring good luck when hidden in crazy quilts and Christmas trees... and, they kill bugs! Anything that saves me the trouble of killing bugs myself, is OK in my book, and will always have a safe haven in my apartment!

Botany has three patterns that contain sed spider webs: Flora, Wildlife, and Toile

A Little Bit of Background

We're the Jungs (pronounced "young"), and we love to quilt, create, and inspire!

If you've read the About Us Section of either this blog or our website, you can probably skip this entry... it's pretty much copied and pasted, verbatim.

1 / Lauren:

• Born and raised in Spartanburg, SC • Studied abroad in Cortona, Italy • Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts—Furman University • Graduate Degree in Graphic Design—Portfolio Center, Atlanta • Currently a web designer—G2 Interactive • Living in Philadelphia, 818 miles away from her sweet boyfriend, Beau

2 / Jessi:

• Born and raised in Amish country—Pennsylvania • Bachelor's Degree in Sociology—Clemson University • Master's Degree in Deaf Education—Converse College • Currently a quilter and pattern designer • Living in Spartanburg, SC with her husband, Chip, a cute dog named Rudy, and nearby to her youngest daughter, Carrie.

3 / Why We Work

(a little bit of a pun) • Team work certainly has its merits, especially when coming into this with two completely different backgrounds and skill sets. We do all of our brainstorming together. First, we develop a central concept for the main fabric, then we decide how this will be carried out through each of the supporting fabrics. • Jessi is in charge of all of the initial sketches, which Lauren takes and recreates on her Mac. • Together we refine, tweek, arrange, and choose colors. • Once the line is complete, we divide and conquer... Lauren is in charge of everything web related... designing, programming, blogging, etc., while Jessi is busy designing patterns. She managed to design and write six patterns for our first line!

4 / Our First Line

• Botany attempts to reveal an intricacy and delicacy found within the natural world, while drawing its inspiration from traditional botanical illustrations (as can be seen in the main fabric, Flora.) • The largest print, Wildlife, takes on a free flowing organic style, and includes elements from each of our nine supporting fabrics, thus unifying the series.

The Very First Blog Entry

Wow! This "very first blog entry" has turned out to be quite the daunting task... finding the perfect first sentence is oddly intimidating, so I'm going to have to jump right in and introduce myself. My name is Lauren Jung and my mom, Jessi, and I have recently designed our first fabric line for Moda Fabrics. 

To give a little context to this whole venture...  I recently finished up a graduate program in graphic design at the Portfolio Center in Atlanta. I looked for a job, but being October, no firms were hiring which lead to a very depressing Christmas. 

It was this same feeling of failure...  mixed with a little bit of boredom that lead to the actual idea of designing a line of fabric. After sitting around for a few days at my grandparent's house in Topton, PA, I told my mom that I thought we should design a fabric line... because, afterall, how hard could it be.

Three months later, after many frustrating late nights, we finished our line and decided to call it Botany. I assembled a fanciful promotional box set containing a deck of 65 swatch cards (each displaying a different pattern in its full 10x10 glory, as well as a book of 9 quilts and 5 alternate applications... in order to show the line's diversity and potential. After dotting all my i's and crossing all my t's, I dropped this extremely tedious presentation into the mail and sent it to Moda Fabrics.

If it wasn't for the thoroughness of FEDex, however, this extremely tedious presentation would have been submitted anonymously, as I forgot to include any form of identification within the packet...  no name, no phone number, no return address. 

I never cease to amaze myself!

That week turned out to be a very lucky week for me! Within days of hearing that Moda was going to produce our line, I found out from G2 Interactive, the web design company that I had applied to five months prior, that they were going to hire me on as a web designer!

It's been a real feat balancing my day job with my fabric designing, and I've become very thankful for my amazing time management skills. In two months I've thrown together this blog, designed and created our website, and within a week, banged out 133 promotional packets to hand out at this year's Fall Market... which was no small task. Also in this two month span, my mom has designed and written the instructions for 6 complimentary patterns (available for download on our website), as well as outlined and sketched out the idea for our next line. We've gotten together twice now since I've moved, but the majority of our collaboration takes place over the phone...  with me in Philadelphia and her in Spartanburg, SC.

And... I think that about covers everything in terms of an intro... we're so excited to be a part of this whole scene, and look forward to hearing from anyone and everyone who is interested in us, our line, or fabric design in general!

Cheers!