Design and Shine

I've been working from home for years, and while I absolutely love it, I've also had to figure out how to make it work for me. When I first started, I was so motivated—it felt amazing to do what I love! But as my life has changed, so have my routines, and I've learned a lot about what it really takes to stay inspired and productive. In this episode, I'm sharing the lessons I've learned about working from home, including how to structure your day around your natural rhythm, ways to stay connected when you start feeling isolated, and why taking breaks can actually boost your creativity. If you work from home (or want to), I hope this episode helps you create a routine that supports both your work and your well-being.

It's true that the surface pattern design market may seem oversaturated with many talented designers and that it could make it more difficult to sell your designs... But it's also true that more opportunities are available than ever before because of how crowded the market has become -- and in this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I share exactly how you can find them! I share tips and strategies that will help you stand out as a professional designer no matter how much competition you encounter. Listen to this episode to find out: The pros and cons of how the surface pattern design market has changed in the time that I've been a professional designer Why I believe there are LOTS of opportunities available and that there's never been a better time to start a surface pattern design business! What it takes to stand out in the current market - and what is no longer going to cut it  Why it's important to treat your design work as a business and not a hobby if you want to succeed - and what that mindset shift looks like. Creating beautiful designs is not enough in 2025... Your designs the way that you create and run your business need to be elevated to stand out - and I'm here to show you how to do it!  Listen to the full episode to learn how to shift from a hobby designer to a thriving successful surface pattern design business owner!

Are you relying on just ONE source of income? If so, it's fair to say you're taking a risk - the past few years with all that's happened in the world have definitely taught us that! Things like: The unpredictable nature of industry trends, especially with the shift in technology and the introduction of AI Uncertainty in the world (with things like the 2020 global pandemic!)  Economic downturns and the rising cost of living So in this week's episode of Design & Shine, I explore why diversifying your income as a surface pattern designer is a good idea for creating a sustainable and thriving creative business.    I help you explore how diversifying can safeguard your business and provide greater financial stability, creative freedom, and growth opportunities - and I share some ideas on how you can do it! I cover: Why diversification reduces risk and future-proofs your design career. A variety of income streams to explore, including licensing, direct-to-consumer sales, digital products, teaching, and collaborations. How to get started with small, manageable steps toward diversifying your income right away.   Tune in for practical advice and inspiring ideas to help you build a more resilient and rewarding career in surface pattern design!

Happy New Year! In case you did not achieve your goals last year or are not feeling as confident about your ability to become successful this New Year, I've created a new Design & Shine podcast episode to help you get into a more empowered and positive mindset.  In this episode, I share my beliefs about what it REALLY takes to become a successful surface pattern designer and artist: What successful people have in common that helps them become and stay successful despite setbacks and hardship What people who fail have in common Questions to ask yourself that can help you continue working even when things go wrong in every way possible The number one trait that you need to have in order to become successful How to deal with failure, pick yourself back up from it, and keep going! (and details or exactly what I do when I fail at something!) Listen to this episode if you want to make this New Year a better year for your surface pattern design business as well as your mental health as an aspiring artist! 

If you're like many surface pattern designers I know, you may be worried about the impact of AI - will it replace us?  Is there any way to compete with it? Will we lose business because of it? You're not alone if you're worried - this is a super hot topic at the moment, so I wanted to come in this week on the Design & Shine podcast to share my views on it. I'm hoping I can reassure you with a fresh perspective on: The impact of AI on the surface pattern design industry - how will it change how designs are made and sold - or not! How we can use AI to our advantage and why I believe we should be using it. How some designers I know personally are changing how they create their artwork because of AI And the one priceless element and advantage humans have that AI will never have! If you feel worried about the impact of AI on your surface pattern design business dreams and goals, this episode is for you!

I'll be honest—pitching your surface pattern designs to companies can feel downright terrifying. I've been there and I know how difficult it can be to hit send on an email!  It's intimidating to put your work out into the world and face the possibility of rejection. But every designer feels that way, and you're not alone! In this episode of the Design & Shine podcast, I'm sharing tips and actionable steps to help you pitch your surface pattern designs with confidence. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your process, I've got you covered. Here's what you'll learn: ✨ Why you shouldn't limit your pitching to companies in your own country (think global!) ✨ Key things to consider when preparing your portfolio to make it irresistible. ✨ How to find the right companies to pitch to—because not every company is your perfect match. ✨ The importance of creating a repeatable system for pitching (and tips to build one that works). ✨ The mindset shifts you need to pitch successfully and keep going, even if you hear “no.” If you've been holding back from sharing your surface pattern design portfolio with the world, this episode is for you! And if you're ready to take things a step further, don't miss my FREE workshop: My Simple Process to Turn Your Art from a Hobby into Profit. In it, I'll teach you the secrets to creating successful surface pattern designs and building a thriving creative business. Let's get your work seen—and sold!

There's one thing that successful surface pattern design business owners have that unsuccessful ones who give up trying to succeed almost ALWAYS have: a 'WHY.'' In this episode of the Design & Shine podcast, I talk about why having a 'why' you choose to have a business at all is so critical to your ability to succeed. I share my personal 'why' and a habit that I have that helps me keep going despite disappointment or setbacks in my business. I also give you some critical questions to ask yourself to help you gain some clarity on your 'why' if you're not sure about what it may be!  Ready to get started on your surface pattern design business? Sign up to my FREE WORKSHOP to learn my simple process to turn your art from a hobby into a profit here!

If you've ever wondered how to become a successfully self-employed surface pattern designer and course creator, this episode of the Design & Shine podcast is for you! I share my personal journey on how I got started as an employee to becoming a university teacher, and then on to self-employment as an online course creator.   Listen to this episode to learn: What it's like to work as a professional employee in the surface pattern design industry The advantages and disadvantages of employment and why I decided to transition to freelance designer The pros and cons of putting yourself out there when you are a freelance designer (especially when you're an introvert like me!) Tips for creating your own surface pattern design course, including how long it took to create my Pattern to Product comprehensive course key skills you'll need to develop to be successfully self-employed, including tips on business systems and email marketing! I also share how I experienced many of the same struggles that you might be experiencing if you are aiming to become self-employed, from trying to figure out what I liked to do to knowing where and how to get started!  Don't miss this episode if you dream of becoming a professional surface pattern designer and course creator as I have!  

If you're struggling to make your color palettes work, this episode is for YOU!  In this episode of the Design & Shine Podcast, I'm breaking down the BIGGEST mistakes designers make with color and sharing my top tips to help you create stunning, cohesive palettes that POP!  Listen to this episode to learn: The importance of colour in design and the primary reasons consumers are drawn to or repelled by the colours in a design. The 3 most common mistakes new designers make in creating a cohesive colour palette  How to improve your use of colour including how to experiment with tone, balance saturation, and design with the end consumer in mind I'll also share some practical exercises that you can use to improve your use of colour right away! Don't miss this episode if you're ready to uplevel your use of colour in your designs to improve your sales today!     

Last year I came very close to experiencing burnout in my surface pattern design business...  I'd got to the point where things had begun to feel too heavy, hard, and demanding. Everything seemed to be taking me further and further away from the things that mattered the most to me, from my daily art practice to time with my family.  When I started to become resentful of my business, that is when I knew I had to take a step back. And so I did - and what an amazing decision that was!  I'm excited to be back now for Season 3 of the podcast and am kicking things off by sharing what I've been experiencing over the past year. Just a few things I cover in this all-new episode are: The biggest lessons I learned over the past year, including low points and highlights Finding healthy boundaries between business and life, and what that can look like Why working 'seasonally' in business is better than a non-stop grind  Finding space for more time to do what you love most - your art! How I not only avoided burnout, I renewed the joy and MAGIC in my business! Join me for this brand-new season of the Design & Shine podcast if you want to learn how to grow and thrive in your surface pattern design business! 

As 2023 comes to a close, I reflect back on the huge changes that I made in my business this year in this final podcast episode before I take an extended summer break at the beach with my family and new puppy. I share my process of looking back to assess my goals, how I question my progress, and why I believe it's so important to take time to do this reflection work when you run a creative business. A few questions that I ask myself that may be as important to you as they are to me are: Did I create more space in my life for practicing my art? Did I streamline and simplify my business to remove overcomplicated processes? Does my business align with my creative and lifestyle goals? How did this year's goals compare to the previous year's goals? Did I create less or more hustle in my life this past year? What will next year's goals be and how will I go about achieving them? Listen to this episode of the Design & Shine podcast to hear my personal answers to these questions and more! And I'd love to hear how you went with your 2023 goals too! Did you achieve your goals? Why or why not? What are your 2024 goals?  Come let me know on my Facebook or Instagram accounts where I'll be checking in over the holidays before Season 3 of the podcast begins next year!  Until then, have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! 

When I left full-time employment as a surface pattern designer, I could not understand why I found it so incredibly difficult to design with the same confidence and ease as I did for my clients... Despite years of design experience and confidence working to a design brief, when I decided to work for myself I immediately fell into a ''surviving creative'' mentality, and everything began to feel so. much. harder! It took a massive shift in how I thought about myself and my ability to design before I was able to grow a successful surface pattern design business. ⚡️ But once I did the deeper work of changing my ''surviving identity'' beliefs, I was able to quickly grow my business to my first $100k and have not looked back since! 

Recently, my family and I invited a new member into the family - a PUPPY!!! ​​His name is Juno. And while it's been a LOT of fun these last few weeks getting to know him, it hasn't been as much fun training him not to wee in the house! 

While our creativity is a beautiful expression of our own personal unique gifts and ideas, it can also carry with it a lot of things that can end up hindering our progress... Things like criticism, self-doubt, and perfectionism. So in this week's Design & Shine podcast episode, I explore why it's important to cultivate and nurture self-compassion. I share my thoughts on: What having self-compassion as a creative means  Why it can help us progress in our creative practice How not having it can hurt us and keep us stuck What having self-compassion requires and how to nurture it! So listen to this episode and start nurturing your self-compassion so that you can continue to grow and thrive as an artist today!  

If you love what you're creating but you're facing a lot of failures, rejections, resistance, and you're hearing ''no thank-you'' so often, you may start to wonder how you're going to keep going... How are you going to stay persistent if you're constantly facing obstacles? This is what I want to explore with you in this episode: The power of staying persistent and how you can learn some practical strategies that will help you keep at it! I'll share tips on: How to maintain a positive mindset about failure and rejection  How to turn a ''no'' into an opportunity to improve and grow When to seek feedback or help from others How to stay committed to your goal yet also stay adaptable to change How to keep moving forward when you're feeling defeated! So listen to this episode to get your mind back on track if you've been feeling like giving up on your art recently!

I believe many creatives underestimate how helpful gratitude can be toward helping them reach success... It's a simple mindset shift that can make a BIG difference - if you know how to use it in how you approach your creative work. I share several ways you can start practicing gratitude in your creative business in this week's Design & Shine podcast episode, including: How to use gratitude to increase your daily inspiration, creative ideas, and new possibilities Ways that gratitude can help you overcome setbacks and failures in your business Why gratitude can help you grow into a thriving, successful creative artist with an authentic voice and style How it can also help you better connect with your audience and respond to their interest and feedback in a way that helps you, rather than letting it get you down!  Listen to this episode and start practicing more gratitude in your creative business today!

Are you a Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic learner? Not sure what those are? Listen to this episode of The Design & Shine podcast to find out! I dive into what these 3 different learning styles mean and share how to tell which one you may be.  Knowing which one is your predominant learning style may help you get better outcomes with your creative work, including how you absorb, process, and understand what you are learning.  You'll finally understand why some people can't read maps, listen to directions, or need to DO something before they can understand it! 

I used to struggle to show up online in the way that I knew I needed to for my business... I consciously knew I needed to create videos, take selfies, and be visible to my audience... But subconsciously, the idea of showing up online made me feel vulnerable, exposed, and unsafe. And I wasn't even aware that this was the case until I started to address the hidden subconscious beliefs that were holding me back! So in this episode of Design & Shine podcast, I share how powerful it can be to address the underlying subconscious beliefs that may be hiding from your conscious awareness, keeping you safe by playing small. I also share how it's possible to reprogram these beliefs so that you can do the things that you consciously have always wanted to do - but couldn't! And why doing that can be one of the keys to helping become a thriving creative! ️

Do you worry that your creative work is just not all that unique? And do you worry that it'll never stand out and allow you to have the thriving creative career that you dream about?

Are you putting a lot of pressure on yourself to make things PERFECT? Many creatives I know get stuck on trying to make even the smallest design details perfect.  It slows down their progress as a creative designer and as a business owner.  So in this Design & Shine podcast episode, I share a few tips on how to overcome perfectionism including: Launching a new website Making mistakes and flaws in the creative process Overcoming fear of judgment Taking faster and more frequent action in your work and in your creative business Plus many more tips and strategies to help you have a better way of thinking about your work and your creative business so that you can get closer to your goals with realistic expectations you can work toward.

In this episode, we unravel what procrastination really is, revealing its surprising connection to fear.  I'll explain how procrastination might be rooted in your apprehensions about failure, judgment, or even success.  I share practical strategies to conquer procrastination: break tasks into bite-sized chunks to tackle overwhelm and embrace imperfection as a stepping stone to growth.  And I'll explain why my mantra, "Done is better than perfect," can help you challenge the pursuit of flawlessness and help you take action! This episode will guide you to recognize fear-driven procrastination, shift your perspective on what it means, and help your creative growth.  Tune in to this episode of the Design and Shine podcast to transform your creative process and build the thriving creative business you've been dreaming of!

If you'd like to unlock your true creative potential and build a thriving creative business, you may be surprised to learn just how important it is to develop compassion and resilience. As creatives, we're often quite sensitive people, so expressing ourselves through our art can be quite a vulnerable thing to do when we begin to put ourselves out into the world with our creative businesses.  So in this episode of The Design & Shine podcast, I cover the importance of self-compassion and resilience in your creative journey. Key takeaways you'll learn from this episode include how to: Embrace imperfection and let go of the pressure for everything to be perfect. Overcome self-criticism and negative thought patterns that hinder your creative flow. Build a strong sense of self-worth independent of external validation. Develop a growth mindset to view setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth. Cultivate perseverance and inner strength on your creative path. Tune in to the full episode for invaluable insights and tips to transform your creative life! 

If you want true and lasting change in your life, it's not enough just to know what your limiting beliefs are... You also need to how to change them so that you make the changes in your life that you want to see! So in this episode of The Design & Shine Podcast, I share: What limiting beliefs are and how they hold us back, influence us, and shape our realities Where limiting beliefs reside in our minds and why you may not even know you have them One crazy thing about limiting beliefs that will help you change them into new and empowering beliefs Listen to this episode to find out what it takes to begin to change your limiting beliefs and learn how to make true and lasting changes in your life!

Recently a student of mine came to me and said she was feeling uninspired and having a hard time knowing how to get started designing. It wasn't that she didn't want to do the work, but that when she sat down to do it, nothing would come from it. I've felt this way many times myself, and if you're a creative artist of any kind, you've probably felt uninspired from time to time as well. So in this episode of The Design & Shine podcast, I share my best tips on how to get inspired to get into a creative flow when you're just not feeling it happening for you. I talk about why it's so important to calm your parasympathetic nervous system down and how to do that through specific techniques that I've personally practiced and find extremely helpful when I'm feeling stuck.  And how sometimes, there's a strange paradox in that the more you may want to do creative work, the less creative you may be feeling! 

Imagine if you could STOP overthinking your creative design work... No more being critical of your work... No more stopping and starting over... Just intuitive creativity that makes time feel like it has stopped and your artistic output flow... Sounds good, right? This is what's known as a creative flow state, and in creative work like surface pattern design, getting into it comes with some amazing advantages for your design work and business. So in this episode, I focus on what happens when we get into a creative flow state and why it feels so good! Plus, I share some of the rituals and tips that I personally use to help myself get into a creative flow state so that you can try them out yourself.    

There's a specific difference in thinking between surface pattern designers who get stuck and those who thrive... One way of thinking will keep you playing small, while the other will help you to grow as an artist, elevate your design process, and earn more from your business in the long term. Find out what that difference is in this episode of the Design & Shine podcast and learn how you can start to shift your thinking to help you begin to thrive as a surface pattern designer.  And if you're ready to make this shift and elevate your creative process, come and join my new Elevation Program! 

If you struggle with pricing your surface pattern design work you are not alone! It can be one of the hardest things to do when you are just getting started as a surface pattern designer, which is why pricing is one of the most common topics my students ask me about. So in this episode of The Design & Shine Podcast, I give you some guidelines for how to price your work based on my personal experience including how to price: Design work Artwork Digital products Custom design work Your time as a service provider, consultant, or mentor I also bust some common myths around pricing and value that many people mistakenly believe. ⚡️  

Are you worried that the surface pattern design market may be too oversaturated?  This is a common concern that many of my surface pattern design students have, so I've shared my thoughts about it on this episode of The Design & Shine Podcast. I cover: How not to be taken advantage of in a crowded market Ensuring your work will stand out in an authentic way Having the right business mindset to build a successful surface pattern design business And the one personal quality that distinguishes those designers who make it and those who give up!   

No matter what kind of creative business owner you are, whether you are a surface pattern design business owner or not, you're often told there are certain ways you need to do things... And though you want to be successful and this external advice can be quite convincing - it's not always the right thing for YOU to do. This is what happened to me with my surface pattern design business last year... So in this episode of The Design & Shine podcast, I wanted to share my story with you and why I am changing the direction of my business going forward.        

In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I welcome back Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine and I talk all about a hot topic that I know a lot of surface pattern designers have trouble with and that is writing captions for your social media posts. We cover: branding and why it's much more than just the fonts and colours you use how to get write engaging captions  using content pillars with your copywriting  tips for structuring successful captions creating something relatable and interesting that also connects with the audience you're writing for using storytelling to engage with your audience Plus much more! Click here if you would like to join Christine's free Facebook group community

In this episode of Design and Shine, we are going to be talking about something that is important to think about doing as you're growing your surface pattern design business and that is creating an email list. Learn what one is, why you need one and whether it's something you should consider creating.

On this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, we are going to be talking about some things to think about if you are not selling your designs. So if you've been working hard, you've been creating lots of designs and then you hear crickets then I want to give you a few things for you to ask yourself and consider.

In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine and I talk all about Instagram for surface pattern designers and dive into: how to grow your audience how to get more engagement best ways to use Instagram to promote your designs and your pattern design business tips for creating video content how many times to post and which types of posts Plus much more! Click here if you would like to join Christine's free Facebook group community

In this episode of Design and Shine, we are going to talk about something a little different and that is trying to create work-life balance. Something I get asked a lot is how I manage to juggle work with family life and everything else in between so I'm going to give you a few tips that help me stay balanced and on track.    

In this episode of Design and Shine, we talk about setting goals because it's a really great way of keeping you on track and moving forwards so you achieve the results you want.  We'll look at setting goals in 2 major areas so you can take the right steps towards your success.

In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Australian textile designer and Illustrator Brook Gossen. And she creates really beautiful and colourful artwork and has a really fun and gorgeous brand. Brook didn't start her career as an artist but after working in a different area and having her family she felt was missing and that something was a creative outlet. She won a course where she learnt about colour and started her creative journey. It wasn't until she participated in a 100-day challenge where she aimed to create a new piece of art every day that her gorgeous style began to evolve. Brook and I dive into: how she developed her signature style her beautiful studio space how she stays motivated her experience in licensing her designs tips for those that are starting out and wanting to sell their work some exciting upcoming projects Plus much more! Here's where you can find out more about Brook https://brookgossen.com/ https://www.instagram.com/brookgossen/

If you want to be a successful designer then one of the most important skills you need to develop is your critical design eye.  In this podcast episode, we talk about your critical design eye, why it's so important and some tips for developing yours.

In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I talk to Christine Rice, who is a social media manager for online businesses and she also runs a fantastic small Facebook group called marketing for creative and unconventional women. Christine and I dive into: what a funnel is and how it relates to social media for surface pattern designers a four-step funnel strategy using your funnel to sell your products and designs time-saving tips for posting beautiful images on Instagram recommended tools to make posting more efficient rescheduling popular content Plus much more! Click here if you would like to join Christine's free Facebook group community

In this podcast episode, I talk about investing in your surface pattern design business. I know it can be challenging for some people so we talk about why it's important, when you should invest and why should invest.

In this episode of the Design and Shine podcast, I'm going to be talking to textile designer and creative director Penny Gale who is the founder of Fabriculture, a new, contemporary design brand with the purpose of helping young people learn about our most endangered native species. This is such an exciting brand and I absolutely love that Penny is creating designs with the purpose of educating as well as being gorgeous. Click here if you would like to see Penny's gorgeous products and her Fabriculture shop  

In this podcast episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Nerida Hansen about marketing strategies for surface artists. Nerida Hansen is the founder and creative director of Nerida Hansen Fabrics. Through her business, she supports and collaborates with independent artists and illustrators and she's just launched a brand new app PatternField App which connects surface artists and designers with art buyers from all around the world. Which is super exciting. In this episode we talk all about marketing strategies as marketing is one of the areas that designers often really struggle with when building their creative businesses  You can find out more about Nerida's Patternfield app here 

Do you feel overhelmed by marketing? In this episode of the Design and Shine Podcast, I talk about simplifying marketing for pattern designers. If you're starting out it can be hard hearing about all of the things that you should be doing and feeling like you need to be doing all of those things and then feeling super overwhelmed which usually results in not doing anything. So what are the really important things that you need to start with? What are the nice to have? What can you add to?

If you are wanting to start achieving your pattern design goals then it's really important to set some habits in place and start creating your daily art practice. If you want to be a successful designer and you want to be able to sell your work then set up a daily practice is a foundational step as it's going to help you grow, nurture and develop your skills. In this podcast episode we dive into some tips for creating your daily practice.

In this episode of Design and Shine, I talk to artist and surface pattern designer Lauren Lesley about finding your unique art style. We cover when you do and don't need to worry about when developing your own style, the mindset battles that are commonly faced and how to stay consistent.  Lauren also shares her tips on sending your portfolio to clients to get work. You can sign up to Lauren's free mini course 'Art Style Secrets' here And find out more about her on her website here 

In this episode, I share some of my favourite tech tools that I use regularly within my surface pattern design business. You can download my Pattern Design Secrets eBook here

If you want to be a successful designer then you need to start stepping up and doing the actions that a successful designer would do, starting with your thoughts and beliefs. In this episode, we are going to talk about how your negative self-talk is stopping you from being successful and how you can reframe your thoughts so you can reach your full potential.    You can download my Pattern Design Secrets eBook here

If you are wanting to create a successful design business you need to allocate time to business tasks but what happens when those business tasks take over and you no longer feel you have time for the design tasks? In this episode, I talk about how to fit in time for both business and design tasks. You can download my Pattern Design Secrets eBook here

In this podcast episode, I talk to surface pattern designer and illustrator Sheree Coleman. She shares with us how she is transitioning away from full-time work to building her brand Whimsy Kaleidoscope. We discuss how she got started, what led her to surface pattern design, how she gets clients and tips she has for other aspiring designers. Sheree has put in the hard work and it's now paying off, so you won't want to miss this conversation. You can find out more about Sheree here: https://whimsykaleidoscope.com/ https://www.instagram.com/whimsykaleidoscope/  

If you are starting to get your surface pattern design portfolio ready to send to clients and you're not sure what to or what not to include then this podcast episode is for you. I'll be talking through some tips that you may want to consider when preparing your portfolio.

It's really important if you want to step up and stand out as a designer that you consider branding within your business.  Branding includes the assets you use e.g. fonts, colours and logos etc. but it goes far beyond that. Branding also includes your unique voice and the way you show up in your business. In this podcast episode, we talk about the importance of branding within your design business and some tips for what you should and shouldn't do when it comes to branding.

If you are a surface pattern designer who is wanting to get to the next level and move away from being a hobbyist to a successful designer who is selling their designs consistently with a regular income then you need to allocate time for business tasks. In this podcast episode, we talk about the importance of treating your design business as a business and I also share a few tips to help make that process easier.