JuBella.com - Get Your Creative Dose

Hi everybody! Hoping all is beautiful and creative in your part of the world? I have lots of great images coming up this week, and I have some fun things dancing around in my head for next year too, including an Amy Butler giveaway that I have been holding onto much too long.

Wow, I can’t believe it will be 2009 in a few weeks. I have so many resolutions…i know, don’t we all. But I am wondering, from a creative standpoint, what are some of your 2009 goals? Here are a few of mine:

have a scheduled block of time to do my arts/crafts
launch my motherhood blog
launch my fashion blog
maintain and follow a decent schedule
have more me time
send little trinkets and cards/notes to special blogging friends & family
pre-plan holiday activities and menus w/ cute files folders/boxes/binders
loose all the weight I am going to gain from this pregnancy..lol
scrapbook
sew a heck of a lot more!
I have a lot more, but those are a few of my most important ones. We will see how it goes!

Ok, here is a cute and simple tutorial I found on frosting candle votives..a great accent to your Christmas decor or as some Christmas favors for your guests!

Have you ever ran across textiles that are just so overwhelmingly beautiful that it makes your heart melt and then you get pretty color overdose and you feel like all you can do to fix your textile hangover is to take a nap and sleep & dream about all that colorific goodness you just saw? Okay, well maybe you have not gone that far, but that’s how I felt when I came across the website of Anna Maria Horner. Oh my, I am in love with her pieces and her tutorials, and her home! Oh my gosh her home sums up my style perfectly…filled with color, texture, and playfulness (the total opposite from my husband, as he prefers earthy colors and simple smooth lines and empty spaces). Nevertheless, I am forever inspired by Anna and I am sure you all will be too once you wander about her website & blog.

Just click the last photo below which will link you to photos of her home & be sure to pre-order a copy of her book that is set to release in October called “Seams To Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing”.

I have my eye on her Scrap Bags and the Chocolate Lollipop Bundle! Oh me oh my!

I am so excited to have come across this tutorial for an East Indian embroidery style known as Shisha or little mirrors. I have always loved the textiles and pillows that are lovingly adorned by hand and I cannot wait to try this out on one of my own creations!

I love these illustrations from What Katie Does, aren’t they adorable! My favorite is the “Let’s Not Talk about The Weather” print. I love the fonts!

This post is quite obviously inspired by the lovely Frida Kahlo and the beautiful colors of Mexico. I have had the idea for this post dancing around in my head for quite some time now, but it has just come together to where I can translate my thoughts. Frida Kahlo is one of my favorite artists and women in history and I am in constant inspiration by her style & if you have not seen the movie, then shame on you! No I’m kidding, well, kind of, the movie is fantastic and FILLED with color, textile, and pattern inspiration, in fact I think I will buy it after I finish posting this. I think it is a must have for any artist library & the soundtrack is fantastic and features one of my favorite singers Lila Downs(also seen singing in the movie). also, for those in the San Francisco area or for those planning on visiting, be sure to stop by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art for the Frida Kahlo Exhibit that will be up until September 28, 2008 (thanks Rachel).

Her photos alone are just filled with decorative inspiration. From the flowers in her hair, to the patterns of her skirts, dresses, and blouses, to the richness of your home seen below (which is also affectionately known as “La Casa Azul” in many areas), her entire artistic essence speaks of design inspiration to me.

Her home which is now a museum is filled with lots of authentic design inspiration. My favorite is her studio and the kitchen. The painted yellow dining set above is fantastic and the avocado walls in her studio below is divine! Wouldn’t you love to be able to create in such an open space!

The colors of Mexico in general are intriguing, expressive, and rich, and I love it all. Cobalt, indigo, yellow, turquoise, red, fuschia, mustards, avocado, terracotta, all of these colors can be fused together to bring a beautiful Spanish flavor to your home. What I find interesting are the color palettes in which you can use to achieve the feel of Mexico.

Color & Earth: You can find many homes in Mexico that are illuminating with color from the inside out. From hot pink exteriors, purple painted bricks, or the cobalt blue ocean, and the cool greys & whites. You can never go wrong with shots of color when it comes to the colors of Mexico. One thing that I like to do is observe the food that is often prepared in a country and then translate those colors to my design ideas. In this case you can have very bright colors of fresh red & green chiles, green cilantro, bright lemons, limes, and oranges.

Just as well, you can find inspiration in the earthy tones of a maroon dried chile, avocado greens, terracotta pots, a freshly baked tortilla with spots of browns and blacks, and the mildness of the inside of a diced tomato. You will be surprised at how much color inspiration you can get from foods and spices alone!

Speaking of food, here is a GREAT cookbook that is inspired by the taste of Frida!

Poppytalk just launched their Housewares themed market today called “Home Sweet Home”, so head on over and check out all of the fabulous goodies awaiting to adorn your home from some of the most creative and talented artists and designers! They have everything from photography, vintage finds, ceramics, home decor, clothing, art, and much much more; and with a line up of designers & companies that include: Abigail Vintage, Alyssa Ettinger, Circa Ceramics, Esther Coombs, Bailey Doesn’t Bark, Jenny Wren, The Little Stitch, Re-Surface, Yellena, and a laundry list of other creative people, you cannot help but to find something that you adore!

I love fabric and when I ran across these little gems over at Karaku Fabrics, I was stoked to see so many whimsical, colorful, cute, and traditional prints in one spot. I love all of their selections especially this latest addition. I need lots of different fabrics to make pillows with for sort of an indie Moroccan feel, but with an eclectic cultural mix, so I am sure I will be ordering at least a yard or two from Karaku soon, and the shipping isn’t bad either! YAY!

There’s a new Amy Butler Book Out! “I have some great product launches on the horizon and I’m super excited to share my second project book, “Little Stitches for Little Ones”. To me, nothing celebrates the arrival of a new baby like a lovingly handcrafted gift. That’s why I knew just what to do as a follow up to “In Stitches”. “Little Stitches” is lavishly illustrated with beautiful photography and inside you’ll find charming and contemporary projects for mothers and babies 0 - 12 months. Whether you’d like to add some flair to a nursery with a cheeky monkey laundry bag, bring a smile to a baby’s face with a precious soft toy, or create an adorable sundress and bloomers, I think you’ll find many projects in here for the wee ones in your world!” -Amy Butler

OMG!!! I have found a new illustrator to add to my list of favorites. Illustrator Kathy R. Jeffords of The Dreamy Giraffe creates some of the most colorful, whimsical, and inspirational pieces! I just love them all. Each one of the portraits carry their own personality. here are a few of my favorites. Don’t you just love the hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil trio of fairies! Lovely! I have always loved art that incorporates inspirational words within it. These are all so fabulous that I don’t know which is my absolute favorite!

These have got to be the cutest handmade aprons that have seen thus far! there are lots of great designs to choose from, so head on over and visit Snappy Shop on Etsy to view more apron cuteness!

Alicia Bock takes some of the most beautiful and dreamy photographs. I love the photos of the ferris wheels. Her Etsy shop is filled with lovely imagery and are quite affordable!

I am beyond stoked about Lena Corwins new book entitled Printing by Hand: A Modern Guide to “Printing with Handmade Stamps, Stencils, and Silk Screens”. It is set to release on July 16th, but you can pre-order your copy now by Clicking Here. I am a big fan of Lena’s work, so I cannot wait to see what she has stored in this publication!

These watercolor and ink prints from midcenturyjo of Desire to Inspire over at Etsy are divinely colorful and pretty. I love the chair renderings and I am a sucker for peacocks, so I was quite charmed when I saw this one. These totally inspire me to pull out the watercolors. I am planning on opening an Etsy gift shop with various items in the near future and I hope I can find the motivation to include some watercolor somewhere in the mix. Also, if you are not a fan already, then be sure to check out her blog often over at , Desire to Inspire;…it’s filled with the charm of decor and design. I just love Jo’s desire to inspire!

These items from Boy Girl Party are so adorable. My favorites are the Squirrel/Bunny & Owl Recipe Cards and the To Do Lists! The illustrated Owl Notecards are fantastic too don’t you think!

I recently ran across textile and fiber Artist Tamar Mogendorff’s pieces and was I was instantly enchanted by her work. Her light use of color and neutral tones really compliment the natural elements in which she construct her pieces to represent. My favorite are these wonderful birdhouses and the fiber bird cages are fantastic. I would love to have one of those birdhouses adorning my wall, wouldn’t you? The pine cone is fabulous. Her pieces are made from linens, wool, mohair wool, cotton, vintage fabrics, tweed, antique embroidery, and pashmina; and are embellished with antique and vintage buttons, beads, thread, and old ribbons.