Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Designer Spotlight - Meet Jan Shade Beach

It was not surprising to learn in my conversation with Jan Shade Beach, that she and Shelly Comiskey are friends. Of course! But then again, after talking to Jan and hearing her story about her life it wouldn't be surprising to learn that she has a gift for making friends.

Take for instance the story of meeting her husband, David. While traveling for business she happened to sit next to him on an airplane! After 4 hours, they found common ground in many aspects of their lives. Though they lived in different cities, in entirely different parts of the country, fortune had it that after being long-distant friends his business relocated to her area. Three years later they were married!

  

That's just the tip of the iceberg for the many styles of Jan Shade Beach's life. Here's a quick montage of her photos she shared, so you can get to know her too.



And you can see why it's hard to catch up with her!


We could also very well call her the Queen of all things Christmas as you might tell from her recent success stories with Henry Glass Fabrics with Holiday Frost (flannel), Holiday Magic, and Holiday Traditions.

She has stepped out of the holiday box with the latest collection called Moose Lodge, though you still notice scenes of winter in the designs.


So that's a little bit about whom she is, and what she does. Next the most anticipated question in any interview with a designer is "how do you get inspired?"

And of course the response is "from everything."  Jan is a true testimony of that statement. She recounted a tale of a recent trip (well 2 years ago, anyway) to New York where she was exhibiting at the Surtex show. While there she noticed a single tree wrapped up in what appeared to be a sweater around its trunk.

We know now that this is an example of the fine art of 'yarn bombing.' Though in its infancy at the time of Jan's discovery, she was immediately drawn to the unusual nature of this art form, and began to incorporate the design style into her own work.



When not designing fabric for Henry Glass, Jan is busy creating illustrations for other types of surface pattern use. Here is a picture of some recent projects - again - her favorite thing...Christmas! 


Jan's fun and notorious claim to fame is seeing her own designs on an episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" with Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon wrapped in the Holiday Frost fabric for a skit called "Bring it on down to Wrappinville."



And here she is in her natural habitat, in her home studio at her desk, with a view out the window. Friend of Henry Glass Fabrics, and now you... Jan Shade Beach:



To celebrate this introduction of you, our dear readers to our designer Jan Shade Beach, we are giving away this sweet little bundle of five, you guessed it... Christmas fabrics.


69 comments:

DebrafromMD said...

I like the traditional reds and greens.

Lisa England said...

I decorated with traditional reds and greens for years, but lately have enjoyed the modern combination of red, lime green and aqua.

Debbie Rogowski said...

I love the reds and greens but I also like to have neutrals to go with them like silver and greys

Pam @ The Journey Leads Home said...

Hey Jan - I'm really lovin' gold and silver these days! Since I'm living the empty nest dream and planning to move one day I'm dreaming of a tree in every room! Doesn't that sound like a dream come true! I love Christmas! It must be in our blood! :) Pam

Judy1522 said...

I am very much a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas so my favorite colors are red and green.

loosecannon2@live.com said...

Jan is my all time favorite Christmas designer because she gets it. As an adult, she still has 'The Wonder of Christmas" in her soul. I missed out on her other line of Christmas fabrics but not this year. Looking forward to new creations.

I'm loving the grays/reds. Thank you ever so much Jan.

loosecannon2@live.com said...

Jan is my all time favorite Christmas designer because she gets it. As an adult, she still has 'The Wonder of Christmas" in her soul. I missed out on her other line of Christmas fabrics but not this year. Looking forward to new creations.

I'm loving the grays/reds. Thank you ever so much Jan.

Kathy G. said...

I love the traditional reds and greens, too!

Michele T said...

I love red and white, very classy and festive. This is a beautiful collection!!

StephS said...

I've started to be drawn to the bright blues,greens,and reds even though my style used to be very traditional.

Lucille said...

I love red, white and green.

Sandra Walker said...

My current favourite colours for Christmas are mint green paired with bright red and aqua. :-)

Joanna said...

I like whatever I see that's pretty, gold and green, gold and scarlet, silver and white, blue and silver. My house is a mix of colors at Christmas. I love the red and silver gray fabric; very pretty.

Joanne said...

I like blue and silver! :-)

Unknown said...

Hi there - I love deep blue and silver with pearly white

Janie said...

Thank you for the introduction. It is nice to meet you Jan Shade Beach. I enjoy the reds and greens in my Christmas decorations. Thank you for the lovely giveaway.

Karen said...

I usually like red and green for Christmas, but I do enjoy some of the new modern colors.

lindawwww said...

My favourite colours for Christmas are very traditional - green, red and white.

lin.web.28 at gmail dot com

Jen Barnard said...

I like red and green.
jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com

Unknown said...

I'm a trafitionalist as far as Christmas colours are concerned, I love deep warm reds and deep greens, but instead of traditional golds I prefer beautiful sparkling silver! And a warm white, beeswax candle shade.

Katy M said...

I love gold and red for Christmas:)

Gloria said...

I like the traditional red and green but I also like this silver gray in the give-away bundle. Thanks for the chance to win!

Susan L. said...

I like reds and greens with some gold metallic on them.

Cloud 9 said...

I also go for the traditional reds and greens, along with a touch of gold. Also blue and silver. But, love the red and grey combo.

Vicki H said...

I like red, white and green.

Vicki H said...

I like red, white and green.

Unknown said...

Reds and greens of course

Unknown said...

Red!

Unknown said...

Red!

Cecilia said...

I like red, gold, silver, green, and Aqua. Thanks for the introduction.

Renea said...

I really like red & green. I guess that means I like the traditional colors. Thanks for the cute giveaway.

Judyk said...

My usual is some form of reds and greens but I Love your reds and greys.

OhioLori said...

Hello from Ohio! :) I love the reds & greens for Christmas..but your Bundle is Awesome! The Gray with reds is very Wintery..and prints are perfect!

Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way too! :D

ledamewood said...

I like blue and white, however, the males in my family (I'm the only female) like traditional red & green.

Jusmom1 said...

Wow, I usually like traditional red, green and gold...but you have just turned my Christmas ideas upside down! My home is gray, blue and burgundy so this fabric would fit in beautifully. Crimson and Gray were also my mom's school colors when she was young! Thanks so much for the chance to win!

Lee said...

I love Red and White!

amy said...

I like the traditional reds and greens with a bit of sparkle in them.

Summer said...

Hi Jan! Loved your story. How crazy is that to turn on the TV and see your fabric on SNL? That is the ultimate flattery! I love the color blue, so I'm drawn to Christmas fabric that has blues in it, so of course the snow scenes! Funny since I live in the South and rarely see snow. But thank goodness, because I don't like the cold! :P (lalaluu at yahoo dot com)

Kathy said...

I love the new one with red, grey and turquiose

Rebecca said...

I love the good old fashion red and green, that just speaks Christmas to me. thanks for the story about Jan, what a girl! wow

Diane Beavers said...

Helloooooooooooo Jan Shade Beach:)
I love anything in blue, white and silvery grey for Christmas w/a dash of red.

bluestarof2(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

I am making Christmas quilts for family embers this year! This fabric would be a great addition.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan! Very nice to meet you! I love all Christmas colors, but lately my favorites have been silver and blue. Thanks!

Please click on the delaineelliott above for my email link.

Quilting Tangent said...

Beautiful and cute collections. 24Tangent@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan, love those fabrics! Usually I go with traditional reds and greens, however some years I change it up a bit, blue and silver etc.

Jennifer M

claire ross said...

I decorate with red and gold x

Marit Johanne said...

I like red and green. And these fabrics are lovely!

Pamela said...
































Hi Jan! My favorite christmas colors are red and green and silver. Your fabric is delightful!









quilter said...

I usually like traditional red and green, but also blue, and now red and black and gray-beautiful!!
cork@pa.rr.com

SewDoUQuilt said...

Red and white, to me, are classic colors with a little of gold and cream. Great fabrics. jarvenpa1ne(at)gmail(dot)com

MoeWest said...

I like red,green, white and silver. I also think blue and silver is a great combination.

Deal.licious Real Food Debby said...

I think that the colors I choose really depend on my mood and what I am making. Sometimes I want the classic red and green, sometimes I want whites and golds and other times I really like bold teals and fushias and fun colors.

mangozz said...

I love red, white and silver! chocolatewiskers@aol.com

Amy said...

I love a variety of colors for Christmas. These are beautiful.

Emily C said...

I love Blue and Silver.

Rose Santuci-Sofranko said...

Hi Jan! Lovely fabrics. I'm a big fan of glittery reds, golds and silver for Christmas! Thanks and God bless! ILuvTheEucharist (at) aol.com

Mom C said...

I favor the traditional red and green. I was driving through a city last year and had to stop and take pictures because all the trees in the yard were yarn bombed. Turned out the house was a yarn shop and they used leftover yarn to color their landscape. So fun. Love the designs. Thanks.

gab said...

I'm leaning towards red and gray now! Lovely fabric in your giveaway!

Sherry said...

I have used a lot of red in my decorating nut have added blue and silver in the past few years.

Kathy E. said...

My husband is an Iowa State boy, so we go with the colors of red and gold for Christmas. They match our décor very well and it's always festive and pretty!

Alice Ronne said...

Beautiful fabric...love reds/greens but this might be a new color group for me to fall in love with! akronne17@gmail.com

Alice Ronne said...

Beautiful fabric...love reds/greens but this might be a new color group for me to fall in love with! akronne17@gmail.com

Dody said...

To me Christmas colors are red and green some yellow,blues, whites, gold and silver or grey.
Dmac5958ataoldotcom

Knittingdancer on Ravelry said...

I like reds, greens, and white.

Anna brown said...

Gold silver dark green red...............Ohhhhhh i love outdoorsy christmas too.....love all the colors to be honest.... happyness04431@yahoo.com

Rosa said...

Red,green and gold are my Christmas colors.

Anita said...

Red, white and green are my favorite Christmas colors.

Marie Chat said...

This is so cute. Love how it could easily play into masculine projects as well.
Thanks!

Unknown said...

I grew up seeing all colours in our Christimas trimmings and decorations, and so I like all colours for CHristmas but especially red.
Pauline
perry94022 at hotmail dot com