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Divinely Inspired is designed to introduce you to my favorite creative people in the spiritual and metaphysical community and industry. As you may already know, I strongly believe that we are most in-tune with the Divine (Spirit, All, Universe, God, etc) when we are in the active state of creating, just like children at play. Unfortunately with the rise in popularity and commercialism in all things metaphysical and spiritual, now compounded by the use of artificial intelligence (AI), there is a lot of “stuff” out there that is just that, stuff that lacks any genuine Divine inspiration. My solution? Every so often, I will bring you one amazing creator whose work I believe to be Divinely inspired along with where you can find them in hopes that you follow their journey and gain inspiration for your own creative outlets. We all have the ability to create masterpieces and connect with Source while doing it, let them show you how.
I stumbled across Cherry Moon Factory on Instagram sometime over the summer and immediately knew I found a gem. I absolutely love all things vintage so to see someone take iconic vintage graphics and give them new life in our modern world was pretty cool…not to mention they are stickers and who doesn’t like stickers? Well maybe a psychopath doesn’t, but they don’t count. Anyhow back to Cherry Moon Factory. Within a matter of 15 minutes of having found the post I was scouring the theri website and ordered several packs of stickers though I wanted to order far more than I allowed myself. From magic, the occult, and gothic themes to mermaids, santa, fairies and cute critters, it really is hard to hold onto your wallet on her website. I love that she offers not only really cool vintage graphics, but also ones that are rather rare and exceptional in design. One of my favorite parts of discovering Cherry Moon Factory is discovering Jillian’s story and why she created the company, I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t go into detail, but it is the big reason I wanted her on Divinely Inspired. Immediately after placing my order I messaged and asked if she would be interested in letting me feature her on Divinely Inspired, and so without further ado here is Jillian Lambe of Cherry Moon Factory!
Jillian Lambe of Cherry Moon Factory Short Bio
My name is Jillian Lambe, and I am the owner, designer, and maker of Cherry Moon Factory, where I specialize in creating vintage-style stickers. My shop was founded in late 2021, and I have a deep appreciation for all things vintage. I live in Minnesota and have two adorable pugs.
Can you tell our readers what it is your create and what inspired you to start creating them?
I specialize in creating vintage-style stickers and die cuts. Since I was very young, my life has revolved around antiques and vintage items. One of my earliest childhood memories is sitting in the auction house with my grandmother. We would spend our weekends attending estate sales, garage sales, and auctions. When my grandmother passed, I inherited her entire collection. It's taken years to go through it all. One day, while I was going through a box of postcards from the 1900s, I stumbled upon an adorable postcard featuring "The Frog Prince." It made me wish there was a way to utilize these pieces, which sparked the idea of opening a vintage greeting card store. However, during the process, I accidentally printed the design on sticker paper and thought to myself, "Hey, this actually looks pretty nice!" That's when I made the decision to open up my sticker shop.
What was your first piece or collection, and what inspired you to start with it?
The first sticker pack I created was a Victorian Frog pack, which included the postcard I just mentioned. I opened my shop just in time for Christmas, so the second pack I made featured Victorian Santas.
What theme do you favor or do you find inspires you the most in your individual creations or collections and why?
This is a challenging question! I definitely prefer using images from the late 1800's - early 1900's. But also love using items from the 1950's. I have noticed that my mood at the time strongly influences my creative process. Typically, I start by discovering a particular piece that resonates with me, and then I build my entire creation around it. As for ideas, I maintain an extensive and ever-growing list.
Do you research or spend any amount of time planning before you start working on a piece, or do you just let it flow following more of your intuitive process and something that catches your attention?
A little bit of both actually, mostly intuitive, but I do research for things I do not know much about. For example, my most recent pack (which features Victorian baking), I had to do some research into what was popular at the time. It's really fun reading about the history of that era. Fun fact, it was apparently quite common for baker's in that era to knead dough with their feet! But yes, most of it is intuitive, in my mind I somewhat paint of a picture of what I think will look good!
Some artists or creators work best during certain times of the day or evening, do you have a preference or notice any difference when it comes to your inspiration?
Typically, all of my ideas emerge either at night or right as I am drifting off to sleep. It's quite common for me to awaken at 3 am with a sudden burst of inspiration.
You have several pieces that feature vintage spiritual and metaphysical images like the moon and and other celestial inspired designs. Do you follow astrological activity or even just simply lunar signs and phases for your creative process?
At the moment, I do not, but that is something I have thought about for quite some time. So it is possible in the near future!
Do you have any special energy or spiritual practices like mediation that you do before, during, or after your creative sessions to help drive inspiration?
I do meditate, but usually randomly throughout the week, whenever I need to decompress and refresh my mind. As I design, print, and cut everything myself, life can get pretty hectic, and meditation helps ground me.
Do you feel a greater connection to the universe, spirit, God, all, etc. through being a creator or artist and bringing your creations into physical manifestation?
Yes definitely. When I am in my creative process, I feel a sense of unity with the universe. It is kind of hard to explain, but that is my experience in simple terms.
What is your favorite creation or collection to date and why?
This changes on a daily basis, but my most recent packs, themed around my idea of a Victorian Apothecary, are my favorites at the moment. I invested an extra amount of time in designing them, and I am thrilled with how they turned out
What advice would you give to those that say that they are not creative or artistic, and it’s just not in their capabilities?
I believe that everyone tends to be their own harshest critic. It's a common occurrence for me to think to myself, "I don't think anyone will like this," only to see it become a bestseller. I firmly hold the belief that one can achieve anything they set their mind to. Practice and persistence is very important.
What do you like most about being a creator or artist?
I enjoy the freedom of being able to create anything I want. My grandfather, who consistently encouraged me to start my own business and become my own boss, gave this wisdom to me. At that time, I never imagined that I would actually be capable of turning that dream into a reality. However, it has been an absolutely incredible experience. Despite being open for just under two years, the overwhelming and remarkable support from my customers has been instrumental in keeping me motivated to continue.
Have you considered taking your vintage designs beyond stickers?
Definitely! I am always thinking about this. Hopefully I will be able to make that a reality in the very near future.
What do you hope your work will bring to the world?
Many of these images I use were originally printed on old trade cards, postcards, advertisements, and similar ephemera—items made to be discarded. However, by incorporating them into my creations, I ensure that these small art pieces continue to live on. My ultimate goal is to bring a smile to my customers' faces when they open their packages. Also, I view my work as a way to honor my grandmother's memory.
Do you have an ultimate personal or professional goal as a creator or artist?
My main goal is to spread happiness and joy for as long as I am able. This business has been a great creative outlet for me and it truly makes me happy if I can make others happy.
Given your appreciation for vintage artwork, do you have an opinion about the advent of AI art?
AI can be helpful in some ways, but it can also be harmful, as many have witnessed. I believe it all depends on how the user chooses to utilize this tool.
Want to connect with Jillian and follow her work?
You can find and follow her as @cherrymoonfactory on Instagram and @cherrymoonfactory on Facebook. Don’t forget to checkout her amazing die cut stickers at CherryMoonFactory.com.
A HUGE thank you to Jillian for taking the time out of her busy schedule to share her creative wisdom with us!
L.V.X
Brandy
Copyright © 2023 Brandy Rachelle
Uncredited images from my personal collection or stock images