Digital Collage

I've loved so many collages and have always aspired to make them. I'm not a "blank canvas" artist/designer though, so I face fear when beginning.

Lucky for me, I have a library of over a thousand vector repeats and a hefty library of digital images, mostly vintage. A lot of them are already clipped. (Another thing I do in my spare time.)

It was simple then, to begin with a design I love, likely a pattern I've recently completed. This is the case here ... in fact, I've featured several of the designs in this collage in the last few weeks.

More Scrapbook Papers

I pulled together some of my existing designs for this fun new collection.  For sale in my Etsy shop.

Digital Scrapbook Paper

I've got SO many design collections, many of which go to Modern Yardage.

But, they're also perfect for scrapbook papers, and Etsy is the perfect place to sell them in digital format. Once the listing is posted, Etsy does all the work.

There's some overhead on my end, of course, formatting it all for the listings, but now that I have a process in place, I should be able to work my way through my collections.

Accuquilt Quilt Block Contest

I took my newest pattern collection, Merriweather, and applied it to a quilt block I created for Accuquilt's contest.

Fingers crossed!

25 New Patterns

Man, I get discouraged.

As a pattern designer, I am in competition with hundreds of talented people. I question my skills and abilities. I worry about making a living.  Days or even weeks can go by without a sale or a job.

In those times when I just don't know what to do next, what market to cater to, how to be better or more successful , I always seem to remember the most important thing for me as a designer:

Create beauty.

Yes, I still look for work and keep my current clients happy. But mostly, I gotta do what I do best.

So, the second most important thing is:

Design.

I set a goal last week to get busy and create 25 new patterns just for the joy of it.

Here are the first 6 patterns filling the letters of one of my favorite words.

Television Ad - Vivid Vision?

I love this Vivid Vision ad that's in black and white! Or sepid rather than black, really. 

Not exactly vivid.

I did my own version, keeping the same off whites and off blacks.

Opposites Attract - Tropical Designs

Winter is full of bright snow, indoor coziness, cold walks ... and dreaming of warm sunshine.

Maybe it's not a coincidence that I was attracted to recreate a vintage tropical barkcloth from the 40s.  If the warmth isn't outside right now, it can be in my imagination.