JuBella.com – Get Your Creative Dose

Finally! The first diy post! This diy project needs little to no direction. I made this chess/checker table using an old fold up table that was just laying around. All you have to do is take some paper in contrasting colors(here I used black paint for the dark squares and the lighter squares are pages from an old dictionary that I cut into squares. I tried to find words that related to the theme of the table. Then I just decopauged (fyi: I am totally addicted to decopauge) it along with some colorful tears from old magazines. That’s pretty much all to this project. This could be a fun & quick diy project for a kids room or maybe even a game room. I will be back with more soon including one on making paper bowls!

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!

Australian born Crafter and writer Allison Whitlock has probably made her way to the screens of all of our crafty homes. The lovely host of the DIY’s Network “Uncommon Threads” chats a bit with us about all things creative and she shares a sneak peek into her fabulous sewing and design studio located in her home. Allison is no newby to the design and craft world. She has worked as a writer and Stylist for Sheila Bridges: Designer Living, A Swell Holiday, and Dwell, and you can catch some of her work in Vickie Howells popular book “Knitty Gritty” & Vickies upcoming book “Catwalk Crochet”. I look forward to her upcoming home decor line “Home Made Modern” as well! Heres Allison

JuBella: Why is creativity important to you?

Allison: To me, being creative is like breathing. It’s the very expression of who I am. It helps me to stay centered, expressive and happy. I also believe that by being creative, I’m able to understand myself, my culture, and my environment.

JuBella: How would you describe your most creative spot/atmosphere?

Allison: There’s no one place that I go to be creative. I think inspiration is all around and sometimes you can take a fresh look at something you pass by every day and see something new. But the ultimate environment for creativity to me is a new one – so travel is important. Every culture or city expresses itself aesthetically in a different way. Even the way that light falls on a building or the way colors look so different from one hemisphere to the next or one city to another. I always travel with my digital camera a snap a shot of images that make me stop and take a second look. They’re a constant inspiration for my designs.

JuBella: Favorite Craft magazine or show?

Allison: I have to say being a knitter among other things – I love to watch Knitty Gritty. It’s great to learn from those amazing knit designers – and Vickie Howell is one of my favorite crafty chicks! Also, I’m completely obsessed with modern design and I’m very impressed with DIY’s Free-form Furniture – it’s not classic craft but it’s great design and that’s what excites me.

JuBella: How would you describe the character/decor of your studio/design space?

Allison: Allison: My studio is my home, and rather than dedicating a room to craft – I just let it take over my space whenever I’m feeling creative. I’d describe the style femme modern – classic clean lines but always with a curve or soft edge. My favorite piece is my 1950’s Saarinen tulip dining table and chairs. I bought it on ebay for a steal and have been in love with it ever since. It’s fantastic as a work desk, to cut on, sew at or wipe clean and have friends over for cocktails. My second favorite piece is a Womb chair and ottoman also by Saarinen…and it’s called a womb for a reason – it’s one of the most comfortable curvy chairs I’ve ever sat in. I use this one for knitting,crochet or any hand sewing or embroidery. I can get lost in my own thoughts in that chair. For inspiration I keep a library of craft, design, architecture and photography books.

JuBella: What have been some of the biggest challenges with being an artist,starting your own business, and promoting your work all at the same time…what advice would you give to others in the same boat?

Allison: The hardest thing is taking the leap! Like many women who start their own creative enterprises, I had a career outside of craft and design first – directing and producing television. I had to bite the bullet eventually -throw caution to the wind and just create/design full time. It’s still early days for me – but so far, it’s the best thing I could have done. Whatever you put 100% of your time and effort into – I truly believe you’ll be most successful at. And you’ll also be happiest doing what you love. Aside from that – it’s just about creating and maintaining your own momentum…not taking two hour lunch breaks or catching up on Oprah too much.

My most recent purchase is Florence Broadhurst: Her Secret and Extraordinary Lives by Helen O’Neill. Florence Broadhurst was one of Australia’s most prolific wallpaper and textile designers. I love looking at and appreciating the creativity of others and I’m particularly inspired by creative women.

JuBella: What is your favorite craft product thus far and what have you enjoyed making with it the most?

Allison: I’m definitely a fiber addict, so fabric and yarn are my favorite things for sure. I love making interior products and it’s hard for me to go past a good vinyl fabric without wondering of it’s capabilities and possibilities. Recently i made a western style saddle for a plastic stool. The brown vinyl fabric I used was challenging to sew with- but gave me a prefect result.

JuBella: What crafting tools could you not live without?

Allison: Hmmm…so many to choose from, it’s hard to pick one. But if I must play favorites – I wouldn’t be without my Bernina sewing machine. For years I sewed using my mothers old 1960’s Lemair Helvetia sewing machine. It was a fabulous light green cast iron model that did little else than straight stitching and a capable zig zag. I eventually decided to face my fear of digital and buy a machine with more functions – and I’m loving it. it has opened up new avenues for my designs. We also use them on my show Uncommon Threads. It’s interesting to watch guests who were like me – using the machines for th first time. At first they were trepidacious and by the end of the show, completely in love.

JuBella: Most unique gift that you have given to someone?

Allison: I recently found some old slide film of my mum when she was a teenager. There was a great photograph of her sitting on the bonnet (hood) of her car with her ‘P’ plates – in Australia this is your provisional license,it means you can drive alone for the first time. I loved the photograph because my mum looks so excited and ready to take on life. I had the photo scanned and then printed the image onto fabric. I created a pillow for her with the photo in the center with a slim white border – much like a postcard. it’s a nice way to take a memory and make something beautiful and functional out of it. I’m so excited to be a part of the community of creative women.

JuBella: Any additional comments for our readers:

Allison: My greatest desire is that we share our ideas and techniques with one another to ensure that they are passed on and live on. It’s through this sharing that we stay connected to one another and to creative women of our past. The best thing about working on my show Uncommon Threads is meeting groups of creative women (and men) and helping them share their ideas with a world of seasoned crafters and newbys. They all inspire me!

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.

Need some paper? Need some soap? Then head on over to Soap & Paper to get them both! Soap & Paper sells handcrafted soaps, body care products, candles, and beautifully crafted paper and stationary. You can choose from their Verbena, Orange Blossom, Rosewood, Green Tea, Fig, or Cinnamon Clove collections. My favorite item that they sell besides their soap would have to be their scented drawer papers and stationary, which comes in the scents of their given collections. Yum…paper!

Soap

Mixed Media Collage Artist Jennifer Gordon creates fantastic pieces that fuses vintage elements, vibrant colors, and random imagery of modern women in her work. Out of all the elements that make up her work, it is definitely the bold rich colors that she uses that attracted me to her work the most. This makes me want to go do a vintage inspired collage! She also makes some really cute journals and boxes with the same medium. Check out more of her work at her Etsy Shop.

I have totally become infatuated with this whole “Furoshiki” art form. I had never heard of it until I came across these lovely treasures from Jenny Wren Paperie while browsing for stationary. Furoshiki is an ancient form of wrapping items and packaging gifts with fabric. Talk about saving the trees! I am always looking for something crafty to do that does not involve a lot of sewing and I think it would be loads of fun to block print some fabric and make my own furoshikis! I am so excited about this and cannot wait to try it, I will keep you posted on the outcome! Here is a great video that demonstrates the folding techniques and this one too.

There is a very popular furoshiki shop in Japan called Kakefuda Kyoto and even though there website is in full Japanese, you can click on one of these photos and then click on the links directly underneath the larger photo and it will take you to a diagram on how to fold your fabric. I don’t thik that your fabric has to be any one particular size, but in most cases it should be a perfect square. You might want to also consider picking up the book“Gift Wrapping With Textiles” for reference as well! Happy folding!

The crafty lady behind In My Solitude is Evolyn Brooks, who is not only a crafty lady, but also a writer, reporter, anchorwoman, and Emmy nominated producer, model, and artist. “Her passion for fashion and beauty led her to help supervise the start up of the Tyra Banks show, and she oversaw the launch of 20th Century Foxs’ home invasion series called Design Invasions.

She has a lovely blend of cultural fabrics and modern design. The “Fresh Water Table Runner” is brilliant and a definite inspiration for all of those who love to quilt or at best do simple patchwork. The name In My Solitude is the perfect name, because it is there that you can appreciate yourself and what better way to do that than something special to adorn yourself with than a lovely quilt or pillow!