From May to December

Well, the last few months have just flown by...I promise I haven't been slacking, in fact I don't think I've worked harder creatively than I have over the last few weeks, and it's been tough, but I've learnt a lot and I've grown.

So let's play catch up....Since April I have:

 Attended my first trade show! I went to Pulse London www.pulse-london.com
 

 

Pulse is aimed at designers and creatives who are in the gift, fashion and homeware markets. Buyers from all kinds of businesses, large and small, come to see a huge range of products and hopefully place orders. I didn't exhibit this time, but I did take along my portfolio which I plucked up the courage to show to 5 different exhibitors. I wanted to know if people in the industry thought my work was any good....happy to report that I got a huge thumbs up from everybody! Yay! The feedback I had was really positive and I left on such a high I was totally convinced that I wanted to start manufacturing my own line and start selling! The best comment of the day was from Abi Meats of Rude (www.thisisrude.com) she very simply told me "You're ready, get out there and make it happen".

I completed Module 3 of the Make It In Design Course!

 

 

This module was tough, mainly because it is so jammed packed with information! I can't credit Rachael Taylor and her team enough, they really did an awesome job at putting it all together. I had to download everything because I know that I'm going to go back and re-read it all at some point.

 

 

Then summer came and I took some time out to focus on my family. My girls are growing up so fast that it scares me! So I spent the long summer days crafting with them, playing games and generally doing anything other than pattern work, in fact, I didn't pick up a pencil to draw anything...all summer! I did read...lots! I refilled my tank with words and other peoples imaginative outpourings and I loved it!

 

 

September rolled around and I knew I had to get back on the drawing horse because my last module with MIID was coming up fast. Module 4 has been given a revamp and is now called The Ultimate Portfolio Builder. This module, for me, was the toughest, bestest, most exciting, scary course I have done to date. The UPB is designed to push you, stretch you and basically take you out of comfort zone so that by the end you are creating work you didn't think you could. And I did...

 



 

 

There were several highlights for me on this module but the one that truly made me happy was a video review of my work by Rachael herself. In the first couple of weeks, students could submit work in a digital format, portfolio style for review by either Rachael or one of the other equally talented guest designers for review. I worked so hard to get everything together, the wait for the review to be posted was super stressful and when I saw my name on the screen, well, I don't remember ever being so nervous! I couldn't watch it alone, in fact I couldn't hit the play button for a long time. My husband had to watch it with me...I know...I'm a wimp! But that too was a pleasant surprise, lots of positive comments and reassurance that this is where I'm supposed to be.

 

Over the next few days I will be sharing with you some of the work I have made on UPB. Some of the best work has to be kept under wraps for now as it was made for the live briefs that the students can choose to participate in once the teaching part of the course has wrapped up. As the work has been submitted to real companies, I can't share until the reviews have been posted. Once they have, it will be on here...and I'm really excited to share it.

 

So, that's it for now....sketches to follow and some of the pattern collections that I have working on. I LOVE surface pattern design....I should put that on a mug, or a t-shirt....or a tea towel....