Taken at a fabric store in the south island, New Zealand

I’m back in the USA, getting settled after an amazing adventure and oh so ready for the next exciting phase of my creative journey.

I just re-registered for the wonderful “Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design” e-course.

Round 2 of this class started again this week. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may recall I hit the ground running with signing up for round 1 of this class back in November when I spilled my heart out for this dream I had been holding inside for years and years of being a surface pattern designer.

Of course, I seized the day and dived straight in, but trying to ‘spin too many plates’ at once and do too much, (which is something I often do), left me falling behind in class and feeling sad about it.

So I listened to my intuition and realized, it was okay to wait until I got back from my travels to follow this dream and to just take what I needed over the following few months.

So I did.

“Take what you need” discovered on the wall of a winding alley way in Hobart, Tasmania.

I took “Patience” to learn to slow down.

I took “Faith” to know there is room for me amongst all the other talented designers

I took “Freedom” to let go of limiting thoughts and just “be”

and then

I took “Love” to be more conscious of loving each moment. To live in it, right here, right now.

Soaking up inspiration from nature in Tasmania.

So in late December, I headed out to Australia and New Zealand on a 3 month trip, seeking inspiration, leaving this special dream to one side and letting the universe guide me. Mondo Beyondo call it “The Art of Forgetting”. We of course never truly forget.

By giving myself the “patience”, “faith”, “freedom” and “love”, I opened myself up to opportunities. I became a sponge, soaking it all up. Ideas and sketches flowed so freely, I connected with nature (and not the internet) and the universe re-enforced, I was on the right road, the right path for me. This “bend” in the road was exciting and liberating!

Tessellated pavement in Tasmania

Being back and reflecting on my time away, I’ve been bursting with how to share it all! So over the next few months as I progress through class and seek more inspiration, I’ll be dipping into some of my photos and showing you sneak peeks of my sketchbook from the road. Sketches that will evolve into designs!

In this first week of class, we are seeking inspiration, finding specific shapes in the beauty of our world. So here are just a few inspiring heart shapes I found whilst traveling around Australia.

1. Heart stone, 2. Coffee in Byron Bay, 3. Heart seat, 4. Heart dish at Tracy Verdugo’s house

What are some of the shapes you tend to keep seeing out there in your world?

I cant wait to share the next phase of this creative journey with you.

Thank you so much for your continuing support and kindness.

We are looking at drawing motifs next so I’ll share some sketches in a few days. 🙂