JuBella.com – Get Your Creative Dose

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 ran across these gorgeous images of Textile Designer Kathryn Irelands California home from House Beautiful. I love everything about this abode! the rustic furniture, and the mix of color and pattern that makes me think of Mexico, Africa, & east India. But, hey, what more could you expect from the home of a textile designer! The first bedroom and office setting is just divine..and I would simply love to be gently awaken by the glowing sun basking through the windows! Oh my..what a lovely place wouldn’t you say? Our living room walls are a rich Caribbean blue and these images gives me so much color inspiration to lean on. Now I want to go & seek out some fabulous textiles, and buy a dozen red roses & a pretty white vase! Lovely!

I am always a fan of colorful tones and I think the cool rich turquoise paired with the deep reds and tangerines are perfect, and the textiles in her home are fabulous(of course) pieces of art. I love to decorate little vignettes with textiles, like a stack of old vintage quilts or sheets, or folded remnants of culturally inspired fabrics. In my eyes, it is all art!

“Every textile represents a story, a drawing of an adventure in a far–off place–from Yogakarta to Rajasthan, Bolivia to Vietnam. Arriving at textiles from painting and printmaking, I am interested in the mistakes, overlapping prints and the miss-registrations of woodblocks that record the human hand.” -johnrobshaw.com

I have always been a big fan of many of the textile designs of John Robshaw, and these are some of my favorites from his Spring 08′ Collection.

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!

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!

Romo Fabrics has a great line of fabrics and wallpaper that sort of straddles traditional and modern design. My favorite is the black and white and the pink and gray chair! Click Here for a list of stockists.

I really like the Indian inspired textile line of Les Indiennes by designer Mary Mulcahy. The color waves are rich, neutral, and simple, and carries a nice quiescent feel of India, and if you love to collect lovely photography of interiors and textiles then be sure to order yourself a copy of their 50 page “coffee table” catalog for only 10 bucks!

I love the imagery, products, and the philosophy of the Side Attraction 3 collection. Based out of South Africa, their pieces are rich in color and texture, embroidery, beads, leather, and tie dyeing; and to top it all off they outsource work to the local crafters in disadvantaged communities. A percentage of the proceeds of the sales are channeled back into the community! I scanned these images from their catalog that you can order for free (psst…they send you a nice little coupon along with it too!) I only wish that I had those “Blooming Pillows” The flowers are made from felt and the centers are crocheted!

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!

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!

Colorful, playful, and pretty, thats what the work of Maxine Sutton is made of! I love the abstract play of Textile Artists Maxine Sutton. She uses a combinations of screen printing, hand & machine embroidery, and needle-punch felting. Her pieces are artistic translations of anatomy, nature, organic shapes of spoons, eggs, and folklore.

One of my favorite Textile designers is Malene B. Her textile/home furnishing collections are fused with freehand drawings, and global expression while maintaining the influence of “Modern” design. As with most creative people, her childhood was surrounded by creativity. Malene spent her time designing cakes with her mother and watching her change the décor and drapes with the seasons. Her collection of awards have been given to her by The Stark Carpet Corporation, The Home Fashion Products Association, Textile Surface Design Department, and the French Lace & Embroidery Federation. Malene graduated from FIT(Fashion Institute of Technology). She has designed collections for Nicole Miller, Liz Claiborne, Waverly, Nourison, and Marcus brothers just to name a few. Malene takes a few moments to chat with us about what inspires her as a designer…here’s Malene:

Jubella: Why is creativity important to you?

Malene: Creativity is important because it is one of the characteristics that defines who I am. I use my creativity way to communicate with people.

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

Malene: My most creative spot would be a space on a hill overlooking a turquoise ocean.

Jubella: Favorite Décor/Textile magazine or episode?

Malene: I love the US and UK versions of Elle Décor magazine, Living Etc., Metropolitan Home and Domino magazines. I really like watching Debbie Travis’s Face Lift, Redesign and Divine Design TV shows on HGTV.

Jubella: What are your favorite stores for Home Accessories?

Malene: HomeGoods is my absolute favorite store!!! I LOVE HomeGoods, Crate and Barrel would be next and then Pier 1.

Jubella: Favorite design piece/element in your home?

Malene: My favorite design element in my home would be my painted floors and stairs. My floors are painted bright orange and my stairs are individually painted using these colors: turquoise, lime green, orange, and red.

Jubella: Do you have a pet peeve about anything relative to décor (something that drives you crazy when you see it within décor)?

Malene: I have a few but this one stands out. I hate to see area rugs on wall to wall carpet. People should use one or the other but not both!

Jubella: How would you describe the style/décor of your home?

Malene: The style of my home is modern design with a cultural flavor. The walls and floors are painted in bold colors of turquoise, lime green, yellow, orange and red. Fine art, sculpture and textiles from around the world are accented throughout. My space has color, pattern, and texture.

Jubella: Favorite color combinations?

Malene: I have so many but to name a few, I love red and green, turquoise and orange, and chocolate brown and lime green. The fact is I just love color!

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.

I am loving Mokum Textiles, which carries some of the loveliest patterns and colors for their fabric collections. They also have their very own down-loadable magazine that talks about color schemes and the inspiration behind their collections. My favorite of their collections would definitely have to be their Mokum:Modern Maroc and Morocco Collections.