NataMari Designs

My Tech Setup + A Mix of Old and New

2012-01-24T12:01:00.001-05:00

As a small business owner who wears many hats, I'm always on the lookout for technology that can increase my efficiency and effectiveness.

My go to website it Apartment Therapy's Tech section. It a great resource for new home office tech, and curated lists of what other business owners are using. So I decided to share my current tech setup which contains a mix of old and new tech devices.

MacBook Air (2010) : This is my baby! She is a great little machine. I love that it's small enough and light enough to carry her in my purse.

HP 20" Monitor: I would love an Apple Thunderbolt display, but in the meantime this HP monitor works great for me.

Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad: Love the design and functionality of the larger keyboard for long-term use compared to using the Macbook Air.

Maxtor 160 GB External Hard Drive: I use this for all of my photos, and Illustrator files, in addition to a cloud-based solution for my files. I learned the hard way, you can never have too many data storage plans.

Wacom Bamboo Connect: It's like pen on paper when skecthing in Illustrator, or fine tuning a picture in Photoshop Elements.

Studio Neat Cosmonaut Stylus: The design is simple, but the experience awesome. It's just like writing with a pencil or pen when used with the iPad. So far I have only used it in conjunction with Bamboo Papers app and Penultimate app for notes, and simple sketches.

Dell Mouse: This standard Dell mouse does the job, but the I'm definitely going to upgrade to Apple Magic Trackpad very soon.

iPad (1st generation):Although it the first gen iPad, it does everything I need. I read 98% of all my books and articles on the iPad. Additionally, I'm trying to convert to a paperless office, so I'm using it (coupled with the Cosmonaut) more and more for note taking and sketching.

of course...iPhone 4s (white): What can I say.... I'm an #AppleFanGirl!

What tech devices do you use?

Keep it Geek!

Inspiration For the Nadiah Fabric Line + The Sun

2012-01-23T11:59:00.000-05:00

Last week I wrote about my design inspiration for the Kree and Zakiyah Fabric lines, which was the Gucci Python skirt. Those lines are named after my youngest and oldest sisters, Shukriyyah (Kree) and Zakiyyah (Zakiyah). The Nadiah fabric line, is named after my middle sister Nadirah. The inspiration for the design is the sun rising over the Atalnatic ocean. The circular motif resembles the shape of the sun. The thing about the sun that intrigues me, is it's steadfastness - a distinctive trait that my sister also exhibits.

Not only does the Nadiah line take inspiration from the shape of the sun, but also from it's colors. I used bright lemony yellows, tangy orange and rusty sienna.

Depending on the where you are in the world, the sun can take on many hues and colors, but - it's still the same beautiful sun!

Have a bright Monday!

Thank for the Support + LOVE Everyone!

2012-01-19T13:57:00.000-05:00

Were excited to receive so much positive feedback from our Facebook fans, blog community, and customers during our first official week of business.

We are especially thankful for all of the LOVE Jeanee Duval of the Dirty Laundry {the blog} continues to show us! Check our he second blog post on NataMari Designs! She is a professional graphic designer and trend forecaster for Hallmark! Needless to say she possesses amazing design skills. I just love the attention to detail that she exhibits in her photo collages and mood boards. It's no wonder she has been chosen to speak on emerging trends at the SNAP (creativity at your fingertips) Conference in April. SNAP is THE premier conference contemporary craft, handmade and DIY bloggers so check it out!

Thanks For the Support Everyone!

Free Surface Design Training + by Pattern Observer

2012-01-19T10:48:00.005-05:00

Michelle Fifis who writes a daily, inspirational blog, Pattern Observer is offering a free online Surface Design Webinar on January 26th. Yes, I said FREE! Michelle's resume includes working with renowned fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, Nike, and Jantzen swimwear. Her goal is "to support, inspire and promote those in the textile design world." In addition to blogging, Michelle offers one-on-one coaching, and online courses for textile designers. Hurry and sign up Michelle's Surface Design Webinar, this is a great opportunity to perfect your craft, and to learn from someone whom I consider a thought leader in the textile design industry.

Have a beautiful Day!

Inspiration for The Kree Fabric Line + Gucci Python Skirt

2012-01-18T11:22:00.002-05:00

I thought it would be insightful for my readers if I shared the inspiration behind some of my designs. I saw this Python print leather skirt from Gucci's Fall 2011 collection:

The scales (circled in white) in this python print was the inspiration for both the Zakiyah Fabric Line and Kree Fabric Line.

I sketched the scales, then digitally enhanced them to get the look that I was after.

The Kree Fabric line is based on the "middle scale" in my rendering of the python print.

The Kree line evolved from the single "middle scale" into a my version of the traditional stripe.

The color palette used in both lines were inspired by living seaside and my Caribbean roots.

Both lines are available for purchase by the yard here!

Thanks For All Your Support!

Business Basics + Weekly Business Reading List

2012-01-16T15:45:00.001-05:00

Here is my second installment of my weekly business reading list. You will notice that this week I was drawn articles that centered around social media and marketing. I have already read Pinterest for Brands, and 4 Ways to Tweet As A Visual Brand, I can say they both are very informative. I have already applied some of the tips and techniques outlined in both articles. I think you will find them useful too! Links to each article is provided below.

1) 7 Must-Have B2B Web Design Elements for 2012 2) Pinterest For Brands: 5 Hot Tips 3) 4 Ways to Tweet as a Visual Brand 4) 10 Amazing Blogging Insights Your Analytics Can Tell You 5) Start A New Business With a No Excuses Appraoch 5) 4 Simple Steps To Get Ramped Up With Mobile Marketing

Have a Wonderful MLK Day!

Design Inspiration + Duro Olowu

2012-01-13T12:23:00.003-05:00

My current designer obsession is Duro Olowu, a former lawyer, turned fashion designer whom I recently read about in W Magazine. His Spring 2012 collection, with it's bold prints, bold colors, and vibrant design esthetic naturally caught my eye.

I really love the way he mixes saturated primary colors with graphic, ethnic-inspired prints for a fresh and modern take on global design.

Find more images of Duro's collections here. I hope his collections inspire you as much as they have me!

Have a Fashionable Friday!

Shop NataMari Now Open!

2012-01-12T13:17:00.003-05:00

NataMari's online store is now is now open! Tori who blogs at One Eleven whom I had the pleasure of collaborating with on our line of foldover zip clutches, posted a flattering article on her blog today.

Thank you Tori!

Art Attack + Ceramic Bull Skull

2012-01-11T11:19:00.003-05:00

This has been on my mind for the last three days!

It's a real steer skull glazed black and overlaid with a turquoise ceramic collage.

Turquoise Pools Ceramic Bull Skull: $858

I would love to hang this in my living room over my brass bar cart. I think the combination of the glazed black and turquoise would contrast well with the brass. What do you think... desert modern meets urban chic?

Muchas Gracias!

Business Basics + My Weekly Business Reading List

2012-01-09T08:15:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of Instapaper. It allows me to browse the Internet and gather valuable information that I can read later when I have free time. Unfortunately, I have gotten to the point where I have more to read than time to read. I'm a firm believer in the saying "knowledge is power." I believe that if I don't take the time to read and absorb information that will help me grow our business, then I cannot expect to have a successful business. So, I decided that each week I will pick 5-7 articles to read, and I will share them with you.

Google+ For Business: How Google's Social Network Changes Everything, The 10 Best Productivity Apps of 2011, ,How to Master Facebook Marketing in 10 Days,, Crucial Keys to Business Success in 2012,, Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices, Use Motivational Fit Market Product and Ideas; ,Average is Over: What's You Extra?

I'd love to hear your ideas and comments after reading any of the articles from the list. Also, feel free to post links to other helpful articles that you have recently read.

Have a Productive Monday!

Birthday Celebration for {THE} Man!

2012-01-08T11:35:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was {THE} man who is my partner-in-crime, business, and life's birthday! We celebrated with friends at Dave & Buster's restaurant. Beside waiting over an hour for a table, (they don't take reservations), we have a fun time!

Happy Birthday Bernard!

NataMari Deisgns + Dirty Laundry

2012-01-07T10:46:00.000-05:00

NataMari Designs is on Dirty Laundry check us out!

And while your over there don't forget to pick up a few handcrafted cupcake bath fizzies from Jeanee's Etsy shop!

Have a Sunny Saturday,

Art Attack + Yarn Mandalas

2012-01-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

Riding along on yesterday's colorful Maasai Jewelry coattails are these just-as-colorful and beautiful yarn Mandalas (circles) by Jay Mohler.

I stumbled upon Jay's Etsy shop Ojo de Dios or Eyes of God on Etsy while rummaging through the art shops. What draws me to Jay's pieces are the colors and the 3D affect of the mandalas. Jay, an artist, who lives in Myrtle Beach, SC who has created mandalas since 1966.

On Jay's Etsy shop he states:

I've been making Ojos de Dios ever since after seeing such yarn and stick mandalas in 1966, in almost the exact form, made by both Huicholi natives of Mexico, and monks from Tibet. Later I made many Ojos de Dios (Spanish for Eyes of God) in a Navajo 8-sided design, when "ojos" were a popular folk art in the 1970's American Southwest. Much more recently I've mostly made 12-sided Ojos de Dios, which I believe can represent a whole panorama of spiritual cosmologies ..... although for myself, I create these for artistic satisfaction rather than as any sort of spiritual talisman.

I can definitely picture a 12-sided Ojos de Dios framed in a nice black shadow box in our office. The oscillating circles and intermixed-colors would help to inspire my creativity.

For more information on what inspires Jay to create, check out his website

Have a Wonderful Friday!

Design Inspiration + Colorful Maasai Beaded Jewelry

2012-01-05T10:06:00.001-05:00

A couple of months ago I spotted a girl wearing a beautiful beaded choker necklace. She told me it was a present from a friend who was from Kenya. Thanks to Google, I learned that the colorful beaded necklace was handmade by Maasai women living in Kenya. The Maasai are one of the most widely recognized people in terms of fashion and decoration, sporting bright colors, intricate patterns, and jewelry that dangles, jingles, and catches the eye.

I was able to locate a similar necklace on Ebay, along with several other online shops selling new, used, and vintage Maasai jewelry. I really drawn to the large choker necklaces.

Where to buy: 1 2 3 4 5

I said all that to say, that this post was inspired by today's "Man Repelling" pairing of my Maasai choker with my pink and white Ralph Lauren button oxford. Atlantic-Pacific I'm not, but you get the idea of unexpectedly mixing ethnic pieces into your look. It beats boring, and I'll probably turn a few heads...hopefully :-)

Do you like to pair unexpected items? What's your go to piece of jewelry?

Keep it Colorful!

Business Basics + What's Your Mission

2012-01-04T11:26:00.001-05:00

One of the goals of this blog is to share the many facets of starting a business with my readers. I believe it's important to share, and share alike because we all have a story to tell, and because that story is sure to help someone. So as much as I can, I will share insights, lessons learned, best practices, and other tidbits of starting and running NataMari Designs.

Today I want to talk about mission statements. Simply put a mission statement should be the WHY of what your trying to achieve through your business. Back in 2003 when I was working on my MBA, company mission statements were a big part of the many organizations that I studied. Those mission statements held the big picture vision and direction of the company. Fast forward to 2012 and I am in the midst of my business start up, I realize a mission statement is just a critical to the success of my small business as it is to a large fortune 500 company.

I was compelled to create the NataMari Designs mission statement because I wanted to define the business so that, I did not pursue avenues that were "out of bounds" with the mission we set out to accomplish. The mission statement will give you the ability to say "This is who we are" so by definition, "This is who we are not."

Charlotte Linton is London-based print designer and fashion writer, whose work I like and admire. When I found her Facebook page, I was surprised to see that she listed her company mission statement. Being an admirer of her work it is easy to see that she holds steadfast to her mission statement.

When devising your mission statement, Inc. Magazine suggests focusing on four key elements: value, inspiration, plausibility and specificity. Basically, in one to two sentences, you should be able to convey the value of your company or why your brand exists, inspire and encourage your employees, sound completely reasonable and plausible, and be as specific and relevant as possible.

Here is the mission statement my husband and I developed.

Do you have a personal or a company mission statement, and what compelled you to develop it?

Have a great Wednesday!

The Cools + New Social Marketplace

2012-01-03T15:22:00.000-05:00

I just created an account on The Cools' online social marketplace after reading an article in FMM. The Cools is was built around the idea that an individual’s style, taste and personality should influence what they see when shopping online. Thus when you begin the signup process your asked a series of question that is used to curate the list of designers and products that most fit what you are interested in.

Here are a few suggested items based on my profile

Another great feature of The Cools is ability to set up a shop and sell items. The signup process of very simple, but you must first have a Paypal account through which buyers can purchase you items.

Try it out and tell me how you like it!

Shop to You Drop,

Collaboration + One Eleven

2012-01-03T10:58:00.001-05:00

Tori, a self-taught super seamstress is patiently working with me on a line of NataMari Clutches. In her spare time she whipped up a couple of cute and colorful paisley bags. Check out her blog One Eleven for more of her crafty bags.

Stay Warm!

Happy New Years Eve Day!

2011-12-31T13:34:00.001-05:00

Wishing you a fantastic New Years Eve Day!!

Original art print by Natasha Baker Williams

Enjoy!

A Work In Progress

2011-12-30T15:43:00.001-05:00

My husband Bernard and I have been working our tails off this week, in an effort to launch the NataMari Designs online store and revamp this blog. It's actually been great working side-by-side with my husband, who took the week off from work so he could devote 100% of his time to the effort! Before NataMari Designs was born I didn't think it was possible for us to work together. Not because we don't work well together, but because I had never worked very closely with someone with whom I was in a relationship with.

The development of NataMari was a organic collaboration between my husband and I. This in turn made the transition to running a business together and working side-by-side quite "easy". Literally. See what I mean? :-) This is our office setup. We purchased the desk from Ikea on Thursday, and converted the den into our office.

While I am the designer/marketer and president, my husband is the CIO and CTO of NataMari Designs. We have found that this division of labor works very well for us. It's even reflected in our notice boards (also from Ikea). Can you guess which board it mine 0^0!

There's so much that goes into starting a business, as we are figuring out very fast. But, the process has definitely been very rewarding. Have a wonderful Friday, and stay tuned for more updates, highlights, and interesting tidbits about the birth of NataMari Designs!

Chow,

Design Inspiration + Natasha Accessories

2011-12-28T11:34:00.000-05:00

The Marc Jacobs Natasha bag has been on my radar for a couple of years now. If you haven't figured it out by now I love color! I'm drawn to the Natasha bag's saturated hues, gold hardware, and cross body style. Much to my surprise there are several other brands that carry my namesake jewelry and these pieces are just as fantastic as the Natasha Bag.

Can you think of a better way to get your design juices flowing than to curate a mood board of accessories named after yourself? I can't. Maybe it's because they carry the same name, or just maybe I'm a kick arse curator. Ha! But I must say all of these pieces work very well together.

Chain Link bangle set : Natasha Couture; Crystal and Feather Cuff bracelet: Natasha Accessories; Multi-color Crystal Peacock bracelet: Natasha Accessories; Yellow/Orange Tasha Bracelet: Dannijo; Pink/Blue Tasha Bracelet: Dannijo;

Just a little FYI... According to Wikipedia the Name Natasha is of Italian/Russian origin. It was originally used as a pet name for girls name Natalia which in turn derives from the Latin Dies Natalies, meaning "Natal Day" or "Birthday" in reference to the traditional birth of Jesus. It was traditionally given to girls born around Christmas.

I was born in February, but I guess that was close enough for my mom. :-)

Happy Hump Day!

AKA. Natasha

AKKA. Kick Arse Curator :-)

Alexandra Beth Designs Flash Sale

2011-12-27T11:36:00.003-05:00

Last week in the Peacock Blue Color Crush mood board I featured a pair of Jill earrings by Alexandra Beth Designs.

Today Lucky Magazine is featuring the Druzy Wrap bracelet by Alexandra for 1/2 off! This bracelet is normally $148, but you can purchase it for $67.50 until 10:59 am Wednesday by using the promo code luckydaily2 at checkout.

I really love this bracelet in both the silver and the black! The gold detailing gives the edgy design a touch of glamour and versatility.

Happy Shopping!

NataMari Girl + Ni'ma Ford

2011-12-26T10:41:00.000-05:00

When I first saw this picture on the Sartorialist last month I immediately wanted to know more about the woman behind this breathtaking picture.

My wish came true! Last week Scott Schuman posted a style profile of Ni'ma Ford, the girl behind the blue turban. After reading the profile, I my first reaction was, "she's a NataMari Girl!"

I believe that it's her effortless personal style, love of color, dedication to vintage pieces, and self confidence that epitomizes my vision of what characteristics the NataMari Girl possesses. What's was your first reaction to Ni'ma's picture? I would love to know what you think.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

Custom illustration by Lacee Swan

Merry Christmas,

Natasha & Bernard

The Story of Hallelu + A Video Inspiration

2011-12-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

I love this video! It chronicles the story of Dave and Catherine the owners of Hallelu, a chic boutique in Wrightsville Beach, NC. I really like how the video poignantly captures the personalities of Dave and Catherine. From the beginning, I like this couple, and what they are about. I came across the video months ago while shopping Hallelu's online store. But, last night was the first time my husband and I watched it together. We both inspired by this young coupled, and what they have achieved in a short period of time. We then discussed our plans for NataMari Designs. We had a very open and honest conversation about our business, we even wrote our mission statement, which I will share with you soon.

Tell me what you think about the video.

The Story of Hallelu from Parrish Stikeleather on Vimeo.

Stay Motivated,

Color Crush + Peacock Blue

2011-12-19T11:19:00.001-05:00

1) Jill earrings by Alexandra Beth Designs $88 2) Washed silk jumpsuit by Tibi $448 3) The Hazel Twins by Mod Pieces $415 4) Areca scarf by Charlotte Linton $419 5) Alma Brass chair by Organic Modernism $545 6) Marbella Owl napkins by Serena & Lily $38 (set of 4) 7) Hutton silk trousers by J. Crew $350 8) Silk pleated skirt by Tibi $330 9) Peacock blue color palette 10) Misfit duo eyeshadow by Nars $33 11) Lina T Strap wedge sandals by Boutique 9 $140 12) Curios Bear print by Don Carney $50 13) Quatrefoil pillow by Cococozy $322 (also pictured John Barman's home; photo by Architectural Digest)

Here are a few of my favorite pieces saturated with pretty peacock blue. This color has won the hearts of many (including mine) with it's universally, flattering appeal. It works great as an accent color or color-blocked with fiery red, mustard, or basic black. How have you used this color in your home or wardrobe?

Happy Hues!

Fab.com Sale + Resources for Creative Professionals

2011-12-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

Hurry on over to Fab.com! The next two days they are offering nine great books for creative types for about 1/2 off the retail price. The books cover a variety of topics, from perfecting your creative design process to learning about the financial side of running a creative business.

I purchased two books to add to my arsenal: #5 The Creative Professionals Guide to Money and #8 The Essential Principles of Graphic Design. You may recall I already own #7 Color Index 2...that's a very, very useful book. I used it extensively when designing my textile collection. Have you read any of these books, how did you like them?

Hurry over to Fab.com,

Design Inspiration + Rainbows

2011-12-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

The weather in Central Florida has been a little finicky this week. We had a few flash showers and I was able to capture the beginning, middle and end of a beautiful rainbow from our balcony.

Which lead me inspired me to seek out "rainbowesque" artwork on my favorite art website 20x200. There are many talented artists featured, but Jessica Snow's colorful abstract prints reminded me that a 'rainbow" can take on many different shapes and sizes.

1. Louis The Third 2. Paradigm Shift 3. Cascade 4.Curvilinear Time 5. In One Ear, Out The Other

What lights your creative spark, nature, music, art, food?

Get Inspired!

Designer Louise O' Leary + LouLouBelle Bags

2011-12-13T17:26:00.001-05:00

I'm on a roll this week! That is in the case of marketing videos created by designers. This is makes my second discovery in three days. Don't you love how IT is so accessible, thus allowing the average novice the ability to create beautiful videos for the world to see? *I see a marketing trend starting* Ok, back to LouLou Belle Bags by Louise O' Leary, an Irish Fashion designer and former interior designer.

Louise's designs are beautiful and functional. Being the color-lover that I am, I'm so smitten with their deep, rich, vegetable-dyed colors. But, what really has me lusting for a clutch are the antlers! On her crossbody bags and clutches are adorned with beautiful Italian-made brass antlers, that can cleverly be used as a handle on the clutch.

1. BeBE Satchel in mushroom 2. LouLou Clutch in navy 3. BeBe Satchel in berry 4. Hazel holdall in mushroom 5. Lou Lou Clutch in mushroom 6. Lou Lou Clutch in violet

Louise's designs have a classic structure them, but the colors and hardware adds a playful vibe to the overall design. Any one of these bags would made a great Christmas gift for the girl who has everything...except antlers :-) Which one is your favorite? Don't you just love the video?

It's Hump Day!

Officially in Business + New Business Cards

2011-12-13T12:13:00.000-05:00

Well, I guess not really "official". But I feel as though I am. Especially when received my new business cards today. Aren't they fantastic? The front was designed by Jenna of Q.A. Designs. I then took the design and uploaded it to Moo.com.

They are sure to stand out with their rounded edges, and images of my pillows and fabrics on the back. They also fit perfectly into my Kate Spade business card case. It's really old, but you can find one similar here. Now, when I network, I can whip out a business card and look well, ...official :-)

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Coming Soon + New Textile Collection!

2011-12-12T15:10:00.000-05:00

Guess what just arrived via Fedex? More of my new textile collection! Now, I can move forward with getting my store up and running.

Here's a sneek peek of a few of the designs... how do they look?

Enjoy,

Textile Desginer Chanee Vijay of {Me}longings Studio

2011-12-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

Oh, Monday's... normally Monday's don't evoke warm and fuzzy feelings or even excitement for that matter. what better day of the week to wake up to a wet, grey morning? But, my discovery of textile designer Chanee Vijay of {Me}longings Studio brought a bit of sunshine to my cloudy day. Chanee is a Charlotte, NC designer who designs, handprints and sews modern, eco-friendly home textiles. She started {Me}longings Studio in March of 2011, and has since been chosen along with several other Etsy designers to showcase their products in the Charlotte, NC West Elm Homemade Holiday Workshop.

In eight short months she started a successful business that's been recognized by a national brand! Talking about being a inspiration and motivation to designers that are just starting out. Which is exactly why I thought sharing Chanee's story would help designers such as myself who sometimes get discouraged or need true-life examples of what we can accomplish to keep us motivated.

Check out Chanee's stop-motion video. in the she takes us through her studio design process of creating a hand made tea towel, and then goes on to introduce the other designers that will be featured at the West Elm Homemade Holiday Workshop.

Handmade Textile Design Captured by Stop Motion Photography from Chanee Vijay on Vimeo.

I love how Chanee's designs have an earthy-ethnic feel to them. Her Autumn collection successfully blends metallic colors with earthy neutrals.

Each of Chanee's products are made from sustainably grown fabrics, and the designs are created using environmentally-friendly, water-based fabric paints.

All of the pieces in {Me}longings Studio's Autumn collection can be easily mixed and matched together to add a modern, uptown urban feel to any home.

Be sure to visit Chanee's {Me}longings Studio Etsy shop. Oh! and she blogs too, so leave a comment or two. I hope this post was both inspiring and motivating.

Have a great Monday,

(photos credits: {Me}longings studio website, blog and Etsy shop)

Thank You

2011-12-09T11:19:00.001-05:00

Toady marks the 2nd week of NataMari's existence. Woot woot! A sincere thank you to everyone who has read, left comments, liked and even stalked NataMari. I hope you continue to check back from time to time, and leave (pretty please) a comment or two. I would love hear your thoughts.

Print by Chris Piascik. Available for sale here.

Happy Friday,

Color Crush: All Things Orange

2011-12-08T11:22:00.001-05:00

Orange is one of those colors that looks great 12 months out of the year. It can evoke warm toasty feelings, or a baja beach vibe.

1. Tibi: heavy washed silk pants, 2. Calypso: Kissi bracelet, 3. Jennifer Sanchez print: ny.09#19, 4. Meredith Wendell clutch: macrame clutch, 5. NataMari pillow: coming soon! 6. Kendra Scott: Delia necklace in warm, 7. Tabith Simmons: striped espadrille sneakers

Enjoy,

Art Attack: Delicious Design League

2011-12-06T15:55:00.001-05:00

This year I seriously committed to collecting more original art by up-and-coming artists. My first purchase of the year was brought on Fab.com in August, which (with the help of my hubby) I finally got around to framing and hanging this weekend. The purchase was a pair of exclusive to Fab.com, prints created by Jason Teegarden-Downs and Billy Baumann owners of Delicious Design League, a design and illustration studio located in Chicago.

Titled King and Queen, these 16x20 poster-size fine art prints are really beautifully designed. They are composed of intricate fret-like detailing, that is a play of the design of playing cards.

I really love how you have to concentrate to to figure out, first, which is the King and which is the queen. And second, there are clubs and hearts infused throughout each design.

Here they are in the black, pre-matted frames we purchased from Michaels.

Please excuse the glare... and my reflection :-)

Although these prints are no longer available, you can shop Delicious Design League's online store for equally intriguing prints.

Go get yourself some art people!

One Step Closer

2011-12-05T12:49:00.001-05:00

Samples pillows, don't the contrasting colors work well together!

And a big step it is, I found a sewing artist! We are going to collaborate on the crafting of the NataMari pillow collection, and other items that I plan to sell in my online store. I have a sewing machine, and I can sew, but I'm definitely not at the caliber that I need to be in order to actually sell something I made. I'm super excited to have found her, this is going to be a great collaboration. Were meeting on Friday to look over the fabrics, and work out the details. I have a vision of other items that I would like my textile collection transformed into... The pillows are just the beginning for NataMari Designs!

Thanks for reading,

2011-12-03T13:21:00.001-05:00

Today is it's a sunny 76 degrees in Orlando, the perfect weather for these Cute and colorful Lika Mimika leather Espadrilles.

They are the ideal foot adornment for a fall festivel, Christmas shopping, brunch, or just lounging around the house. Starting at a resonable $105, you can buy a rainbow of colors.

Enjoy Your Weekend!

December Mood Board

2011-12-02T11:00:00.001-05:00

Here's a snapshot of my current mood board. I'm not ready for Fall/Winter weather. Luckily I live in Florida where our "Winters" only last a couple of months.

Happy Friday!

Art Attack: Cozamia

2011-11-30T13:39:00.001-05:00

It's quite obvious from my blog design that I love bold, colorful designs. So when I read about Cozamia on Decor8 I instantly fell for Nancy's designs. Every art print she creates is lush with color and pattern. I especially love the Brittle Stars print. It has a vibe and energy that radiates from it. The vibrant color scheme, and abstract design makes for a great conversational piece.

image via Cozamia.com

Check out Nanc'y blog and gallery for more great images of her beautiful art prints. In addition hurry over to her shop via imagekind and receive 20% off your order.

Enjoy,

My Goto Textile Design Books

2011-11-29T13:35:00.001-05:00

My collection started with a sketch. I had an idea I mind that I wanted the collection to have an exotic feel, so sketched out a print. From there I was basically lost. My deliemma, of how to transition the sketch to an actual textile design was very illusive, if you will. I turned to Amazon.com for help. I chose all four based on need and the reviews of other Amazon customers. I chose the following four books:

Digital Textile Design gives a step-by-step approach to textile design using Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. I primarily use Illustrator as I have found that it is more intuitive for me and less of a learning curve. In addition to basic tutorial on repeating patterns the authors also have tutorials on creating colors blends, fashion illustration, engineering prints, and information and resources on digital textile printing.

Textiles: A Handbook for Designers, gives more of a overview of the different aspects of textile design such as the process of designing printed fabric, an overview of the textile industry, types of printed textile designs, and the different textile printing methods. his book is more geared towards traditional textile design by hand.

A Field Guide to Fabric Design, a great book for the beginning textile designer. The author does a great job in explaining the concepts of developing your design style, color palettes and schemes, and designing by hand and digital design. I especially liked the section on designing your first collection.

The last book in my arsenal is not actually a design book, but a book on color combination called Color Index 2. After reading Textiles: A Handbook for Designers, I learned the importance of having a color handbook by my side. It helped me develop the color palette for my collection. Color Index 2 offers provides both CMYK and RGB formulas for every color palette used in the book.

Together all four books create a great toolkit for textile designers from beginner to advanced. I'm constantly on the look out for new books to add to my toolkit, do you have an suggestions?

Enjoy!

From Idea to Final Product

2011-11-28T10:44:00.001-05:00

I recently received the inaugural NataMari fabrics and I'm too excited for words. Touching each piece finally made this whole endeavor...real! . Thinking back to all of time and effort, and creative energy that I poured into this collection it all came together in that one moment when I opened the package and held MY fabric in my hands! I felt like I had truly accomplished something in my life that was 100% me. Here is a sneak peek!

Enjoy!

Welcome

2011-11-01T10:58:00.000-04:00

Welcome to NataMari! I'm Natasha Williams a textile designer and the owner of the soon to open online store NataMari Designs. Through this blog I will give a glimpse of the process involved in creating, opening, and running a textile design business. In addition I will showcase stylish- urban ethnic home decor, designers, textiles, fashion, style... you name it. If I see and love it, I'll tell you about it! I also hope to get and receive feedback, help, and information from my blog community, customers, clients and friends. I look forward to hearing your ideas, and learning what you like and what inspires you too.

Your probably wondering, what in the heck is urban ethnic? There are two parts to the term Urban Ethnic, the first is 'urban'. Urban basically means pertaining to a city, or living in the city. The second part is 'ethnic' which means belonging to or deriving from the cultural, racial, religious, or linguistic traditions of a people or country. For me the term urban ethnic means, bold colors, unique designs, rooted in culture, originality, retaining cultural distinction, chic, and forward moving. That is what I hope to capture in my designs and to share with you through this blog.

Enjoy!

Natasha