JuBella.com – Get Your Creative Dose

I love when you can use very simple and mundane items to perk up a gift or decorative piece. One item in particular that I can’t get enough of is Japanese Washi Tape, also referenced as deco tape! The little gems are adorned with some of the prettiest colors, patterns, and typography which can add a lot of character to something very simple. I am actually quite surprised to see that there were not more photos of DIY projects using this tape. I know that I have tons of ideas swimming in my mind. Maybe that calls for another tape it pretty inspired post! Nevertheless, here are a few ideas that I love and have collected from around the web. Just click the links below the photos for more info and pics!

Here are two of my favorite shops for deco/japanese tape: Happy Tape and Pretty Tape

Oh Happy Tape

Oh Hello Friend

The Beat That My Heart Skipped

To Be Charmed

Cute Kawaii

A Spoon Full of Sugar Girls

Once Wed

Don’t you just love the DIY Network? I do and one of my favorite shows within their crafty line up which includes Knitty Gritty, Craft Lab, and Uncommon Threads is a spunky show called Creative Juice! Hosted by Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza, Creative Juice offers up some of the cutest, kitschy, affordable, easy, and delicious projects to do in your own home. I really do enjoy watching their show so I was elated when Cathie agreed to share a bit of her time to offer up some creative inspiration! As a youngster, Cathie spent most of her time designing elaborate homes for Barbie dolls, sewing her own clothes and baking cookies; and for eight years, Cathie worked in the film business creating costumes for movies like Vanilla Sky, Rushmore, Heartbreakers, Twister and Bottle Rocket.

So, with that said..here’s Cathie…Enjoy & don’t forget to “Make It, Bake It, and Cocktail Shake It”! (ok, you have to watch the show to get it)

JuBella: Why is creativity important to you?

Cathie: Creative is who I am. Long before Creative Juice, I had an old saying… I wake up in the morning creative, I create all day long and I dream what I’ll make next. I doesn’t matter if I am making a dessert, balancing my check book or sewing a new dress – I am always thinking and acting creatively. I look at my day as one big creative journey.

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

Cathie: It’s a buzz…. I am in a unique situation because I craft at home and at work. At work I am juggling many different hats, Producer, Writer, Crafter and Host. We have a crew of about 35 amazing people on the show and a typical day at work is really a buzz, it is a very creative environment. At home I really get my creative juices going. I can get lost in my projects and the quiet/calm of home.

Jubella: Favorite Craft magazine?

Cathie:Vintage, I love vintage craft magazine and books. I draw inspiration from the color pallets and pattern choices. I also love the old ad’s – they have wonderful fonts in them.

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

Cathie: I call my work space organized chaos. I know where everything is – it really is about being able to reach all my supplies. I am short so a step ladder is my friend. My space has tons of character – I like color and vintage collectables.

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?

Cathie: Stay with your ideas and dreams and realize that some people won’t “get you”. The biggest challenge was convincing people that young people were interested in being creative – crafting, sewing, cooking, etc.

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

Cathie: Hands down – decoupage medium. I use this glue for so many projects…. My favorite project I make with decoupage is the candle luminaries.

JuBella: What crafting tools could you not live without?

Cathie: My scissors, I have a collection of about 100 different pairs. Some of my scissors I’ve had for over 20 years. Round nosed pliers and glue run a close second to scissors.

JuBella: Most unique gift that you have given to someone?
Cathie: I made a quilt for my husband made from all of his old sports tee shorts. He just about flipped out!

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!

Hi there everybody! I know that I was supposed to post this yesterday, but it totally slipped my mind that I would be out as it was our sons 5th birthday yesterday! We had lots of fun and enjoyed a really great strawberry iced cake that was made with white chocolate along with some homemade strawberry and vanilla ice cream!! Here is a little snippet of the cake….I was super tired, so it came out a bit sketchy, but the little one loved it and it tasted great! I made it exactly how he requested! I must say that the strawberry icing was SUPERB. I used the Sprinkles Cupcakes Strawberry Icing Recipe! YUM!

Nevertheless, here is a simple little DIY project that is quite addictive in my opinion. I love making these and I have several around the house as a catch all or just to add to a room for decor. I also use them for popcorn. I prefer an eclectic mix of paper, but you could use paper that are all in one color wave as well!

Making Paper Bowls:

Supplies:
Bowl of desired shape
Foil
Modge Podge
Magazine Paper, cut or torn into very small pieces
Scissors
Paintbrush
Towel
Hair Dryer (optional, but recommended for faster drying)

Directions: Simply mold your foil over the shape of your bowl. Smooth out as much as possible and do not worry about the wrinkles that firm, as they will not be seen once covered. Trim the edges of your foil(which will be the edges of your bowl) evenly. Try to make it as straight as possible to get a nice even edge when you cover your foil.

Brush on your modge podge and start gluing down your torn paper where you want it. Make sure you cover the top of the paper with modge podge as well. Use your hairdryer to dry and then carefully remove the mold from the bottom and repeat the same steps of covering the inside of your bowl with your modge podge and paper. Use your dryer to dry the inside and enjoy!

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!