Ashley Rachelle Design & Interiors

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tips, tricks, & tuts {lumbar pillow part 3: the finale}

it’s finished! my lumbar pillow is finally finished! this project was a labor of love, for sure! if you remember, this was the original inspiration that got me started on this lumbar pillow in the first place. can i just say that i love how it turned out? because i do!

it took a little finessing to get the texture just right. you can find more details here.

here’s a shot that shows the front and back as well as the random dot piping i made to tie the two together. i found the piping fabric at joann’s.

time for a look at the back.

you can find more details on how i made this textile here.

let’s pan out, shall we. here’s the complete view from the front of the lumbar pillow.

and one last look from the back. a feathery herringbone delight.

so despite the many hours of toil and subsequent zipper trauma my lovely lumbar pillow is complete! well, thanks for indulging me in this little pillow show and tell. xo

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inspirational influences {q+a with julie manwaring}

meet julie manwaring of flourish & whim! julie is a calligrapher and watercolor artist currently living in san francisco. she does everything from designing letterpress wedding invitations to lovely watercolor illustrations. her labels and logos are so elegant and whimsical. in addition to showcasing her work on her blog, julie can also be seen on the popular party & lifestyle blog, oh happy day.

here is some inspiration that julie was kind enough to share with us!

a: 1) i love being a regular. there’s something that makes me light up when the barista knows my order, or our local baker asks about my husband, or when the guy at the sandwich spot notices i hadn’t been by in a while. i love feeling known. even when i’m on vacation i like to frequent a few favorite spots and pretend like i’m a regular. 2) i love watching golf. most think it’s painfully boring and slow, not me! growing up my dad always had the big tournaments on in our house, so it’s incredibly nostalgic for me—the birds chirping as they pan the beautiful scenery, the low hum of the announcers’ monotone voices, the tradition of it all…3) a good pun gets me every time.

q: julie, what motivates & inspires you in your art & calligraphy?

a: flourish & whim grew out of a true desire to find passion, joy, and fulfillment in my work. it is this excitement to do and create beautiful things for a living that motivates me. i find inspiration everywhere—the intricate lettering on antique signage, the stunning color combinations of flowering succulents blooming in my neighborhood, the graphic surface patterns in scandinavian textiles—you name it, i’m inspired by it.

q: have you ever hit a creative block? if so, how do/did you get past it?

a: oh have i! i feel like you’re not a true creative if you haven’t been stumped (repeatedly). when i hit this point it’s usually because i’m forcing it—forcing the creativity, the good idea, the beautiful letter. the longer i try, the further i get from where i want to be.

to get past this block, i step away from the project and engage in another kind of creative outlet—often times this means baking. as i fully immerse myself in a new recipe, in the tastes and smells of a culinary creation, there’s no brain space to dwell on my earlier discouragement or creative block. having removed myself completely, while still engaging my creativity, i find i’m able to return to my desk with renewed and refreshed ideas…and the added bonus of a freshly baked treat.

q: when it comes to creating, what are 3 things you couldn’t do without?

a: 1. ink, pen & nib—i know these are 3 things, but in my craft they are a single unit, one can’t function without the other. these are my tools to create.
2. my moleskin weekly planner—i’m an organized creative and live by my calendar that maps out project timelines, details, and due dates. it keeps me on schedule and ensures that i don’t overbook. i’m pretty old fashioned on this front, there’s no convincing me to convert to an online calendar despite all of its highly praised bells and whistles. i’m pen and paper all the way!
3. iced coffee & a cookie—this 3pm snack feeds my creativity (pun intended!) during afternoon slumps in the studio. the walk outside down the block to the corner cafe is just enough fresh air, sugar, and interaction with neighbors to brighten up and reinvigorate my afternoon.

q: julie, what do you enjoy most about what you do, as an artist and calligrapher?

a: i love that it is creative and unconventional; that it is not confined to the same cubicle every day; that it allows me to collaborate with other likeminded (and insanely talented) individuals. i love its flexibility; that it humbles and challenges me; and most of all, i love that it feels like what i was created to do.

her work is so gorgeous, right? i love how calligraphy has really come back into mainstream popularity. i especially love how julie puts a creative and modern twist on this ancient art and adds some watercolor accents too.

so, if you need any invitations or branding designs, be sure to drop julie a line!

thanks for sharing your unique perspective on inspiration, julie! xo

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tips, trick, & tuts {lumbar pillow part 2: diy handpainted feather textile}

hello! here is a quick run down of how i created the back textile for my lumbar pillow. originally i was just going to find a basic striped fabric to use as the back. however, i still had plenty of white fabric to work with. so, frugality won out and i’m really glad that it did. i am truly believer that constrains make you more creative. here’s what i created with a little:

white fabric
painters tape
acrylic paint
and water!
(a cute munchkin assistant doesn’t hurt either…)

1. lay down vertical pieces of tape to delineate the distance between your pattern. i placed mine about every 6 inches. then lay down strips of tape on the diagonal.

tip: use varying widths of tape or spacing to achieve a more organic, feather-inspired chevron. use uniform spacing if you are trying to achieve a more symmetrical or mirrored pattern.

2. gently run the inside part of a pair of scissors down the center of the vertical stripes of tape. this will break the tape into sections within the vertical widths.

3. reposition the tape in every other vertical section alternating sections so that the tape strips “point” up or down. reapply new strips of tape over the existing vertical tape so paint will not seep into the cuts.

4. use your super professional paint palette (aka a polysytrene egg carton…) and squeeze in the acrylic paints of your choice. and in my case, lots of water.

side note: out of necessity i decided to use watered down acrylics as my fabric paint. i didn’t want the fabric too feel stiff, hence the watering down of the paint. you could also use fabric paint or and acrylic textile medium, but i was fresh out after make these. i ended up be really glad with my paint decision because of the watercolor effect that was achieved.

5. begin painting in your taped on sections.

tip: wet each section with clean water before painting. this will help the paint to run and spread more easily across the fabric.

6. add a little more water and paint in some areas to achieve a bleed-through effect beyond the taped lines. to help maintain the over all pattern constrains, dry brush paint over edges to create a more defined outer edge.

7. after painting the entire taped off area, peel back the tape to reveal your pattern.

8. say prayer of thanksgiving because it turned out even prettier than you hoped and let air. then tumble dry to set the paint.

so, what do you think? do you have any fabric paint tips or techniques you would like to share?

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pretty please {spring mirror picks}

i’ve had mirrors on the brain lately. especially because i need [and by need i mean want] a mirror for our main floor bathroom. when we moved into our home there weren’t any mirrors in the bathrooms. so we are using some of the existing mirrors that we own as functional placeholders until we find “the one”. so far, option “a” is looking like the strongest contender for that title.

a.wisteria – antiqued moroccan mirror (a strong contender for our main floor bathroom mirror) b. ethno bone inlay framed green mirror c. kichler mirror d. queen anne mirror e. montclair mirror f. meurice mirror

which mirror reflects your style best?