JuBella.com - Get Your Creative Dose

I am very inspired by this video interview of Textile Designer Emma Gardner. I love all things print and pattern and this gives me a big boost of textile energy! I hope it inspires you as well!

Do you still play with dolls and stuffed animals? Well, should someone ever give me one of these darling creations from artist and doll maker Jhoanna Aranez of One Red Robin, I would surely be on cloud nine! Jhoannas pieces are overflowing with color, pattern, patchwork, and most of all her pieces carry their own unique character that just comes to life. I was stoked to have Jhoanna chat with us a bit about her creative inspiration and the story behind One Red Robin. So sit back and soak up the creative inspiration of One “creative” Red Robin…Jhoanna Aranez:

JuBella: Why is creativity important to you?

Jhoanna: Needing to exercise creativity has always been a part of me. My earliest childhood memories are of taking scrap pieces of paper, any pencils I could find, and spending hours drawing things. I also remember spending my days sticking discarded household objects together with glue & sticky tape to make a ‘gizmo’ of some sort, and using whatever I had to make something I needed. I always felt (and still do feel) a great sense of satisfaction and joy upon seeing my completed projects.  Being creative with my hands not only kept me out of trouble, but helped my self-esteem, and exercised my mind to think in new ways and to take different approaches to daily life. I do believe that everyone has a creative side but it needs to be exercised often as it certainly contributes to making life fun, balanced and beautiful.

JuBella: What do you love most about designing and crafting plush toys?

Jhoanna: The possibilities with plush toys are just endless! I love the fact that I can create each one to have a unique character, quirks, and look-and-feel. There is the freedom to create conventional versus unconventional soft toys and dolls. There is much scope to play with fabrics - combining clashing or complimentary colours, prints & textures. For example, my quilted patchwork soft toys include a variety of different types of fabric, colours and fabric prints, with some quilting for added texture.  I don’t spend hours figuring out what colours or prints should go together - when I start a patchwork, I just sit down with my stash, pick out what I think will work and just go with it. My favourite part is after I’ve sewn the toy together and turning it out to see what the finished product looks like (before it gets stuffed).  I love the surprise element. The great thing about soft toys is that both adults and kids enjoy them.

JuBella: How did you come up with the name of your company?

Jhoanna: Robins are my favourite type of bird.  I remember reading somewhere that one of the behaviours that characterize a robin is that they run then stop, then run then stop, and admittedly, that pretty much sums up how I approach life at the moment! ‘Red’ is a little reference to my birthmark, which, over many years, I’ve come to accept is really a part of who I am, a unique stamp that God has included in His creation of me.

JuBella: Where do you like to find your fabrics and embellishments for your toys, and what other artists inspire you to stay creative?

Jhoanna: My fabrics & embellishments are sourced from the local fabric store, my 2 favourite online fabric shops (Cia’s Palette & Reprodepot ), and the local thrift store. I have also been blessed with some wonderful fabric and notions from generous blog buddies! In terms of soft toys, my greatest inspirations are fellow bloggers:

1) Dawn of Look What I Can Do , she has an amazing eye for transforming fabric into the perfect little Love Creatures.

2) Abby of While She Naps: I love the way she experiments with different animal/doll forms and fabric/yarn/buttons

3) Ricardo of Wishes & Heros: I adore the way he uses colour and embellishment in his little pocket dolls, cat-lover dolls, and his illustrations

4) Hillary of Wee Wonderfuls: she is simply prolific; incredible vision and imagination

I would have to add that my 2 girls remain my greatest inspiration.  If it weren’t for them, I would never had had the urge to make soft toys to begin with, and their great response to what I create certainly motivates me to keep creating.

JuBella: Favorite Craft magazines or shows?

Jhoanna: I find inspiration and ideas in a number of magazines and craft books. Anything from quilt & patchwork magazines to home decor magazines.  My favourite Aussie magazine is InsideOut. Like much of the craft community, I adore Japanese Craft books and magazines.  Although they are written in Japanese, I pick-up a lot of ideas on colour, fabric combinations, themes and form.  Plus I adore the way they photograph the items.

JuBella: How would you describe your most creative spot/atmosphere & the character of your studio/design space?

Jhoanna: I am most creative after I’ve had a good cup of coffee, my 2 girls are tucked into their beds and sleeping peacefully, the dishes have been done, and I have my favourite CDs in the player!

My ’studio’ occupies a small corner in my home.  At the moment, it really is just organized chaos! I use a small computer desk to house my sewing machine and notions. On a narrow wall hang a few bits and pieces of inspiration and favourite things. Against another wall, I’ve got a few of my earlier pieces of work on display to remind me of where I have come from and to inspire me to keep trying new things or to try something different with existing patterns. I’ve got a small stack of craft books on a side table.  My most-used fabrics are stacked on the floor, which is where I do all my fabric-cutting.  I find it very relaxing to sit on the floor and cut fabric, trying different combinations for some of my patchwork.  I also have a beanbag nearby where I do my hand-sewing.  It’s a small studio - cozy and intimate – but I always look forward to spending some ‘me’ time there, whenever I have a chance.

JuBella: Do you have any favorite books on soft toys?

Jhoanna: I adore all my Japanese craft books – I have learned so much from trying to decode their diagrams! I also recently picked up “The Complete Doll Maker” by Alice Weiner.  It’s proven to be an invaluable resource on doll-making techniques, from the basic to the advanced.  I haven’t had the chance to take classes in doll/soft toy-making (or any sewing classes for that matter) so I highly value craft books.
 
JuBella: What crafting tools could you not live without?

Jhoanna: I love my sewing machine! It’s a Janome and it’s been extremely reliable and easy to use.  I definitely couldn’t live without it.  A good pair of fabric scissors also make a huge difference!  I don’t think I could survive without my handy sketchbook and an always-sharp pencil, so that I can jot down ideas and sketch patterns whenever and wherever inspiration hits. And finally, I’d have to say my laptop - not a crafting tool per se but it keeps me linked to the crafting community.
 
JuBella: Most unique gift that you have given to someone?

Jhoanna: This was a tough question to find an answer for – I’ve given many handmade gifts and most are unique in the sense that they are one-of-a-kind, but I’m going to go with my gut reaction and say that my 2 girls are the most unique gift I’ve had the privilege of ‘giving’ to my family.

Textile Designer Amy Butler is an inspiration to anyone who carries a passion for fabric and textile design as well as all of those who love creating beautiful crafts and clothing with beautifully designed fabric and paper. Amy has been an inspiration to myself and many others for quite some time and I simply fell in love with her style, her creativity, and her charm after reading and drooling over the fabulous photography of her home and textiles that are featured in her book “Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle”. If you have never heard of Amy then you are in for a textile and pattern treat. Her designs are filled with creativity, color, pattern, and a style that fuses traditional patterns and artistic values and hues that results in magnificent fabrics and stationary to create many lovely things with!

Be sure to check out her website where you can not only find her latest Spring 2008 Collection, but where you can also find free patterns and shop her products that includes pillows, bags, and stationary. You can also pick up a bottle of her fragrant fabric wash called SOLA, which is bottled up in a lovely and decorative bottle. Amy took some time out to share a bit of her creative inspiration with us. Heres Amy:

JuBella: Why is creativity important to you?

Amy: I think as an artist I couldn’t live without it. It’s the core, unwavering ingredient in my personal make up, it’s that part of myself that I can’t question or doubt, it just is. But I also believe you don’t have to be an artist or designer to get in touch with your creative side. Creativity is a part of all of us, it’s a common thread and a unifying trait that brings us together, it’s something we can share. I think we need to nurture this part of ourselves and give it as much space in our lives as we can. For me, I need to honor time away from the ” business ” side of what I do each day to give myself the opportunity to free my mind and tune into creative solutions both in my artwork and with my daily challenges. Creativity is important to me because it’s the energy and impetus behind everything I do.

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

Amy: My most creative spot is on the bike path behind our house. There’s something about walking and being in the woods, maybe it’s the moving meditation but I always get a bunch of good ideas when I hit the path. Dave walks with me a lot and over the years we’ve come up with some of our best ideas for the studio while hiking along. We always giggle when our financial planner asks us what our 5 year business plan is and we say we have to hit the trail to figure that out!

JuBella: Favorite Craft & Design magazines, books or shows?

Amy: Oh I have loads! Favorite magazines: Selvedge, British Elle Decor, Australian Vogue Living and Inside Out.

Favorite Books: Ilse Crawford’s the Sensual Home, Tricia Guild’s Pattern, Christian Lacroix, The Diary of a Collection, Barbara Bestor’s Bohemian Modern- Living in Silver Lake, Joelle Hoverson’s Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and The Greater Perfection: The Story of the Gardens at Les Quatre Vents by Francis H. Cabot.

Favorite Shows: Sundance channel’s documentaries on haute couture designers and Project Runway.

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

Amy: My studio is in the lower level of our 1970’s modern bank ranch home. The studio is very cozy and bright. The windows are north facing, so I always have the perfect light for working on designs. The furniture is an eclectic mix of vintage modern and old farmhouse. I collect most of my furniture at flea markets or the salvation army, I bring home the un-loved pieces with loads of personality. Everything is new again with a little padding and a fresh slipcover! Changing out the fabrics on my furniture serves two purposes, it allows me to see how my prints translate in home decor and keeps my space kinetic and fun. I love the new energy that’s created when I change things around.

I’m surrounded by all the things I love, loads of fabric, notions, antiques, ephemera and books. I made two big benches that are padded with cushy foam and slip covered in my Forest fabric. I push the benches together for napping with the cats, a little luxury I try to take advantage of as often as I can.

JuBella: What do you love most about being a textile designer?

Amy: I love that I get to create artwork for my designs and that they are enjoyed by so
many people. I love what I do and I feel this energy is translated in my work and passes onto others. It’s pleasure that keeps paying forward. I’m just a starting point, folks work with my patterns and fabrics to create and then pass that happiness onto the person on the receiving end. It’s a very cool cycle of joy. I’m so fortunate that folks respond so sincerely to what I do which is incredibly humbling and fulfilling.

JuBella: and do you have favorite textile designers?

Amy: Kaffe Fasset has always been a great inspiration to me. I admire him because he is first a fine artist who eloquently shares his vision for color and design through his work with great warmth and passion. I get lost in the color combinations in his fabrics!

I am also a huge admirer of Harmony Susalla from Harmony Arts. Harmony is leading the way for organic printed fabrics. She is the real deal, an amazing artist, designer and passionate supporter for the organic fabric movement. She is a visionary with an unwavering heart, and her fabrics are delicious! Harmonyart. I’m constantly inspired by Tricia Guild’s philosophy and her spirited use of color and print. Her designs are sophisticated and approachable at the same time. I love her books, they are put together so beautifully…. a total feast for the eyes!

JuBella: Do you have a favorite line or print that you have designed thus far?

Amy: I’m always in love with my Nigella home dec fabrics for Rowan. I describe this group as having a neo victorian vibe, with a mixture of modern elements and feminine details, it’s very romantic and rich looking.

JuBella: What is your process like when designing a print?

Amy: I’m always dreaming of future fabrics I’d love to sew with or use in my home which is always the underlying motivation for specific prints. I keep things fresh and lively by keeping my inspiration kinetic. I’m always excited about a new ” color” or colors. I keep an on-going color idea stash where I save snips of colors I love which eventually get worked into my palettes. My taste and interests continually change and are reflected in my design choices. I am always in the process of collecting inspiration in all kinds of forms.

For example, when I start working on a new fabric collection I pull my color palettes together by building color ” stories ” intuitively by making a collage with coloration and textures I love. I then match color chips to my color stories and complete my palettes. I almost always make way more palettes than I need, but I love have as many options as possible to react to. I trust my gut and go with my top 3 -4 favorites. For my prints, my base inspiration comes from antique documents that I re-design, scale and color to fit the story of the collection I’m building. Once I’ve developed my core designs, I create the artwork by hand coloring each print in all it’s possible variations in each palette.

JuBella: What design tools and software could you not live without?

Amy: I couldn’t live without my imac, stapler, xacto knife, Viking sewing machine, white out, cutting mat, and microsoft word.

JuBella: The most creative and inspirational city/ country that you have traveled to thus far and why?

Amy: One of the most moving trips I’ve had in the past couple of years has been to England. I travelled with my husband David and our two good friends Kevin and Chuck. We completely absorbed ourselves in touring historic gardens in the Cotswold region. We also spent a couple of dreamy days in London visiting the Victoria & Albert museum and the Chelsea Garden show. The combination of the english countryside and design sensibility are very inspiring, it’s more a “feeling” that is absorbed and translated later when I am back in my studio. My design collection called ” Charm ” was inspired by this trip in particular.

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

Amy: Original paintings or fabric collages. Dave and I often make each other artwork for gifts. These are my favorites!