Famille Summerbelle

New! Tokyo Map Paper Cut

As the Olympic Games begin today in Tokyo, I am pleased to introduce you to this wonderful city through my cut-out illustrations!

On my last trip to Tokyo I had in mind to design a map of it on my return. On the spot I made many sketches of people walking in the street like a group of school kids wearing their randoseru bags or landmark buildings such as the Asakusa temple or some of the typical Tokyo houses with plants in pots growing on the front.
I also took lots of photos of the city, people crossing the famous pedestrian pathway or a young man listening to music while waiting for a friend by the Hachikō statue at Shibuya station.

The idea was to come back at my studio with lots of visual references. I needed to capture the many contrasts of this vibrant capital to create this intricate cut out map of one of my favourite city.

I invite you to view a short video of the making of the map of Tokyo by clicking here.

The paper cut map of Tokyo is available in 2 colours: black and deep blue.
It is laser cut from an original paper cut map.
The map measures 42cm x 56cm and is sold unframed.

Valentine's Day Illustrations for The House That Lars Built

I am so happy about this latest collaboration designing for The House That Lars Built.
Last year I designed for them three large painted flowers cut outs that you can print yourself or have them framed on their Print Shop.
This year I really enjoyed designing three cards and a home cookie box for Valentine's Day. Numerous international illustrators have also designed beautiful printable for this occasion. Have a look at the variety of great work available for you to download on The House That Lars Built Shop!

Foldable Valentine Cookie Box House:

Arlos Cookies baked these stunning cookies inspired by my illustrations. Look at the details on the little house, the hearts! I love them all!!

"My Home is Your Home Valentine" card printable:

"I'm Lucky to Know You" Card:

"Heart Tile Valentine Cards"

HAPPY 2021

I would like to wish you a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's make it creative, colourful!
May it brings us all the things and connections we missed this past year.
I'm sending virtual hugs to each one of you who has been so supportive this past year!
Julie x

Illustrated Advent Calendar

24 illustrated pockets filled with chocolates and sweet words!

It was super fun to make, I printed my illustrations on A4 sheets of paper that I sewed to make little pouches. I know 3 children who will be very happy to see the calendar up on the wall when they come back from school!

A little present for you

As a thank you for all your support this year, I made this little Christmas wreath. I will add one to your order (but hurry, it's a limited edition!)

New! Paper Cut Family Tree

The holidays are coming up fast, and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by presenting you with my new Paper Cut Family Tree!

Inspired by Scandinavian folk art, this piece features a delicate cut-out of a tree with leaves, flowers and familiar friendly animals.

It comes with 16 openings for your favorite photos of your children and other relatives or friends that you consider family.

If you are looking for a special gift for your mum, then this it!

The Family Tree is available in this stunning Deep Blue with a back print to insert your favourite photos:

The back print comes with guides for placing your photos. Each window measures 3,5 x 4,5cm



The Family Tree is available in this beautiful Forest Green colour:

A guide is included to help you measure and cut your photos to the right size fit into the appropriate windows on the back print.

Make sure to place your Christmas orders soon to avoid postal delays!

Happy 2020!

10 years with Lucien!

Yesterday we celebrated Lucien's 10th birthday at home, the 5 of us. Lucien had chosen what he wanted to eat on the big day, it was going to be pancakes before school and home-made hamburgers and fries for dinner!
I also cooked a chocolate fondant for dessert and on top I made colourful 3D style paper cuts featuring the big number 10.
After blowing his candles, Lucien said proudly: Maman, I will know have a two digit number for the rest of my life!

As you may have previously seen on my blog, I have been recording Lucien's growth since he was born, with the same setting, him laying on a bed, with his age written with coloured felt letter (I bought them on Etsy, 10 years ago).

When I started photographing him I never thought I would do it for the next 10 years, I was just having fun recording his first few months and somehow it became a tradition on his birth date. I only forgot to do age 6. I think we were probably moving country as we do often!

I wish I had done it as religiously for his big sister and his little brother. But you know how busy life gets, especially with 3 kids! For Ophelia, the first child I wrote down in a beautiful little book at every stage of the pregnancy with photos, I made photo albums for every year...well until number two was born. Poor little Téo I haven't even started a single photo album (I'm 4 years behind!)

I find it fascinating to see how his face has changed but still it's Lucien all along, with his blond hair and cheeky smile!

I'd like to keep this tradition going, of course if he is willing to cooperate and if we keep it fun. But I'm not sure when he turns 15 that he'd like to have his photo taken with the cute little felt letters on top of his head :-)

Julie x

This is Lucien's first 12 months. How the project started and as I mentioned above I never thought to do this for the following 10 years!

Fig Leaves - Original paintings

For the first time, I offer for sale my original paintings I made over the Summer.

These 8 unique watercolor paintings were inspired by a more than 100 year old fig tree in our family home in the South West of France.
It is a beautiful tree with quirky old branches and large leaves that change colors according to the warm light of the South.
Available for sale on Famille Summerbelle e-shop.

Famille Summerbelle exhibition in Tokyo at Galerie Doux Dimanche

I have just returned from an amazing week in Tokyo where we celebrated the 11th anniversary of Famille Summerbelle with a colorful exhibition of new paper cut works, original watercolors and our city maps.

It was an honor to celebrate our 11 years in Tokyo at Galerie Doux Dimanche since it is also 11 years that we have been collaborating with the creative couple Hisashi Tokuyoshi and Fumie Shimoji, founders of the Edition Paumes.
Together we made the book "Be Creative with Famille Summerbelle”. I was warmly welcomed by the team for my second exhibition in this charming gallery, located in the beautiful district of Jingumae in Shibuya.

For the occasion I made a large drawing on the window of the shop adjacent to the gallery to entertain visitors and passers-by!

It was such a pleasure to spend time again with the charming team of the Galerie Doux Dimanche who have also welcomed my mother and I for an exhibition 7 years ago. My mum who's a ceramic artist exhibited with me which was really amazing. You can read and see images on the blog, it was back in 2012!

Paper cut City maps:

London paper cut map:

Famille Summerbelle tea-towels:

Be Creative with Famille Summerbelle by Edition Paumes. The books is a peak inside our home and family life back in 2012. It includes tips and inspiration for handmade ideas and inspiring home decor. It, of course, includes plenty of paper cutting and fun activities to do with your children.

Thank you all at the Galerie Doux Dimanche for your warm welcome!

Julie Marabelle (yes that's me!) and Hisashi Tokuyoshi, DA, photographer, co-founder of Doux Dimanche and Edition Paumes!

The exhibition of Famille Summerbelle runs until Sunday 23rd June 2019:
Galerie Doux Dimanche
3-5-6 Jingu-mae
Shibuya-ku
Tokyo - Japan

Famille Summerbelle x Bonton Japan

During this trip to Tokyo I was also lucky enough to be invited by the Kids Concept Store Bonton for the opening of their new shop in Takashimaya department store in Shinbuya.

I made an installation of about sixty paper cut illustrations on the theme of their collection Little Italy that were displayed in 3 areas of the shop. I also had a lot of fun drawing across their ever so long shop window. I love drawing on a large format, is it very satisfying and rewarding!

The Saturday before my departure I organised a paper cut garland workshop that the children happily coloured and cut to leave with a pretty decoration to hang in their room!

Thank you Bonton for your warm welcome and for this fun collaboration!

Famille Summerbelle celebrates 11 years!

11 years already! I never thought 11 years ago that I will go to Japan to make an exhibition to celebrate Famille Summerbelle 11 years in business!
Tokyo was our first destination while Family Summerbelle was only 6 months old. We met there with Hisashi and Fumie, the founders of Editions Paumes and Galerie Doux Dimanche, with whom we have collaborated many times since our first meeting.
I am very happy to return to Tokyo in a few weeks to celebrate these years of creative work with them.
I can not wait to share this trip with you!

If you live in Tokyo, come and visit me at ">Galerie Doux Dimanche on Wednesday, June 12th.
From 14h-16h I organise a workshop where we will cut a wreath of flowers, it will be followed by a small party to celebrate the 11 years of Family Summerbelle

The Famille Summerbelle exhibition at Galerie Doux Dimanche starts on Tuesday 11th June, ends on 23rd June!

Miró in Majorca

It was my birthday treat during our week in Majorca. I really wanted to visit the Fundació Pilar i Juan Miró in Palma and it was really special: not only it was sunny, it was my birthday (42 eeek!), I was with my favourite people (my husband and my 3 kids) and in a place so inspiring and full of history.

If you ever come to Palma de Mallorca, go and visit this place. You won't be disappointed!

Juan Miró relationship with Majorca lasted his whole life. He was born in Barcelona but his mum and later his wife were from Mallorca. He spent his Summer there as a child and later in 1956 Miró settled permanently in Majorca where for the first time he had a stunning studio built by his friend Josep Lluis Sert.

By this time Miró was already an acclaimed painter but he needed a quiet place where he could retreat and work in silence.
A few years later he needed more space so he bought the adjoining land and San Boter, a typical Majorcan house from the XVIIIth century.Initially it was intended to be a sculpture studio but it actually became his second painting studio for large scale painting. Miró left some beautiful charcoal drawings on the walls of the villa.

Mallorca in March

This year we decided to do something a bit different. We usually go to the mountains skiing for the Winter holidays but instead this year we decided to head further South to the island of Mallorca. We needed some sun and blue sky after weeks of clouds and cold weather here in Germany.
It was our first time travelling to the Balearic Islands. From Bonn-Cologne airport it was very easy to fly to in only a couple of hours.

Simon was really happy to discover the island on his bike. Mallorca is THE place to go for professional and amateur cyclists. The mild weather and the diversity of landscapes makes it a great place to practice during the Winter months. I later discovered that a lot of triathletes, hikers and runners also come here to train (our hotel seemed popular amongst sportsmen).

Once thing i'd like to mention: I am not sure I would visit the island in Summer as it must be incredibly busy, we were really lucky to experience it in Winter, it was very quiet, no traffic and the beaches were empty.

For the first time we stayed in a hotel with a half-board service and it was amazing! Normally we stay with family or rent during our holidays but I have to say it was really relaxing to stay in a hotel and not worry about cooking food!
We stayed in the PortBlue hotel in the North of the island (only 45mn drive from the Palma airport) near the port of Pollenca. It's a great place to stay for families as they have really nice Family rooms, indoor and outdoor (heated) pools and a kids club. Our children didn't go to the kids club as there wasn't much to do at this time of the year. For the parents/adults there is a really nice spa overlooking the bay of Pollenca and a well equipped gym.
We had two interconnecting rooms, one for the 3 kids and one for us :-) large buffets for breakfasts and dinners with food freshly cooked. The kids were so excited!
On the first night and despite the variety of available food, Lucien came back to the table with a huge plate of fries and a couple of slices of tomatoes (because I told him to get some veg) and on the side his chocolate ice cream melting while he was eating his fries!! He later understood that you can choose more than fries and that desert can wait until the end of dinner!

The old Palma has a lot of charm with colourful facades and a maze of narrow, quiet streets. Our daughter Ophelia had written down two addresses for eating out so on our arrival we had a delicious lunch La Molienda (great coffee) and on another day we had lunch at Rosevelvet Café (another place where you can enjoy great coffee with delicious cake!)

La Molienda

Café du Cycliste This place was for Simon (cyclist fan) Facing this shop you also have Rapha, another great shop/café for cyclist fans :-)

We went to visit the stunning Drach caves on a cloudy day. The kids loved it and after we went for a picnic on the beach.

View of the Cala Figuera from the car. The drive to the lighthouse at the far end of Cap Formentor is breathtaking. The narrow and winding roads are very popular with cyclists.

Photo with the kids at the Cap Formentor while Simon was having a great time on his bike.

We found this dreamy beach - Playa de Formentor - were we had picnics on few occasions. It felt like we were lost in the Caribbean as the beach was empty (in Summer it must be hell!)

Happy 2019!

Advent calendar paper cut style!

This year the kids kept asking me to make an advent calendar so I managed to finished it just on time! Behind each illustration I wrote a fun activity to make with the family on each day up until Christmas!

My Little Voyageurs interview on my favorite kids friendly spots in Amsterdam

A few months ago, before we even had planned to move, I met up with Charlotte Burgoyne, the co-founder of My Little Travellers, a reference blog for traveling families.
We met in one of my favourite café near our home in De Pijp.
Charlotte is a well travelled French mum who happened to be visiting Amsterdam with her family so I was very happy to meet up with her while she was here as she now lives in Algeria with her husband and their two young daughters.
We could have talked for hours about far destinations and our passion for travelling with our family.
Head to My Little Travellers to read the full interview where I share my favorite kids friendly spots in town.

World Illustration Awards - Somerset House

I wanted to share with you some images of the World Illustration Awards exhibition that was held on 7th June at Somerset House in London. I was very happy to be there for the opening ceremony and to see my paper cut map of Copenhagen as part of the 200 shortlisted illustrations on display.

We all cheered the winners who were announced on that evening. The talented Stevie Gee won two awards. One as Professional Overall Winner for designing a range colourful and interactive boxes for Stella McCartney Kids underwear, and another one in the Advertising Category for his Here to Create campaign for Adidas.
One of my favourite was also the work of Swedish-based illustrator Monika Vaicenaviciene who designed a stunning book 'What is a River' who won an award for the Overall New Talent category.

A small description of the show by the Association of Illustrators who is the organiser of this wonderful event:
The exhibition, held in Somerset House’s Embankment Galleries, is the largest World Illustration Awards show to date, showcasing the full shortlist of 200 works. It explores what illustration means today, how it shapes our world and charts how the art form itself is changing. At once global and personal, visitors can expect to be inspired by this diverse, engaging exhibition. This annual survey of the best illustration globally will explore where illustration is now, and where it is heading in the future. As WIA judge Rob Alderson of WeTransfer says “in a visual culture dominated by photography, illustration provides a deliciously different way to see the world.”

Photo Credit Josh Redman.

Photo Credit Josh Redman.

Photo Credit Josh Redman.

My paper cut map of Copenhagen was shortlisted under the Design Category:

The WIA exhibition ends on 20th June but will go on tour in different venues in the UK and will also travel to Seoul Illustration Fair

Seydou Keïta at Foam Amsterdam

I had the most wonderful Sunday celebrating Mother's Day on a boat with the family. As it was early morning we took a flask of coffee and some patisseries for a very special breakfast in the beautiful canal rings.

Later my daughter and I went to the Foam Photography museum to cool down (it was so hot by 11am!) and to see the stunning portraits of Malian photographer Seydou Keïta.
As a teenager Keïta was given a camera by his uncle and fell in love with the medium while learning how to master the technical skills to shoot and to print in black and white.
In 1948 he opened up his studio in Bamako that became very successful with families, individuals, couples and children.
He liked to use a pattern backdrop and props such as music instruments, Vespa, hats, costumes and even his own luxury car.
He would also hang a backdrop in a courtyard and have beautifully dressed women queuing up to have their photo taken. The photographer would always gently direct them how to take the best pause.

A visit to Popham Design in Marrakech

If you think of cement tiles, no doubt you'll have one of Popham Design image saved in your Pinterest board (like mine on Floors) or in your Inspiration folder. Every single interior mag has been featuring stunning homes decorated with the highly colourful and bold patterns of Caitlin and Samuel Down-Sandes, the owners of the brand. They have revolutionised cement tile designs thanks to their vision and collaborative projects with international designers such as Claesson Koivisto Rune who designed the iconic Dandelion tile.

ZigZag and Do You tiles:

So when I knew we were going to Marrakech this Winter I immediately contacted their Head Office which is located at about 10mn car drive from the city center.

We were greeted by the lovely Mariam who proudly showed us around their beautiful showroom, with floor to ceiling examples of their most iconic designs.

Here is Lucien in his djellaba in front of the blue and white wall panel featuring the ZigZag pattern.

Pentagone design:


Splinter asymmetrical design:

Mariam offered to give us a tour of their nearby factory and ask the kids if they wanted to make their own tile. The answer was a cheerful YES! OUI!
Our first impression beyond the amazement of the fine craftsmanship was the smile and the warm welcome we received from the artisans. They were so happy to share their skills and knowledge of their craft with us. It felt like entering into a large friendly family.
The children were fascinated by the process of layering the pigments, marble powder and cement into the different sections of the moulds. Each tile is entirely made by hand by these skilled artisans.

ZigZag design with a different pattern layout.


Check out their Pinterest, Instagram and website for an overview of their huge collection and colours.