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One of the things I'm most often asked to do is help collaborate on birthday party planning. This is a ton of fun, especially when it comes to parties for little ones. Kids have so much imagination, so there's no limit to what kinds of themes and ideas they propose. 

When a friend opened an awesome play cafe in Walnut Creek, California, I was excited to be brought onboard to help design the party packages she would be offering. While there is nothing at all wrong with wanting an Elmo or Frozen party, the ones that I think are the most fun are those with looser themes, which is why I created suites that were more ideas and starting points, and didn't include any licensed characters. There's so much more room for creativity and fun when you aren't tied to a certain character or company to provide you with everything. But with all that freedom comes a big challenge.
Many people are intimidated at the prospect of creating a full party from scratch, and with good reason.  It is a lot more challenging to come up with coordinated items that aren't all sold in one package. When you buy the Princess Party Fun Kit from the local party store, you don't have to worry if the napkins will match the tablecloth, or if the favor bags will go with the cake. For a kid that knows she loves Ariel or Jasmine, this is perfect, and honestly a lot simpler for parents. Some kids, though, have a more complicated idea of what they want, or it's something that isn't tied directly to a "standard" theme. If, say, your daughter wants a painting party or decides she wants her day to be about bugs or some other random thing, it's near impossible to find a packaged set that will include all those things.

Sites like Pinterest have become incredible tools for inspiration. There are so many creative people out there and I am in complete awe of their design skills and innovation when it comes to designing themes and coordinating all the thousands of party items out there. I've pinned more parties than I could ever hope to throw and keep wishing my niece and nephew lived closer so I could do monthly birthday celebrations just for an excuse to decorate the house and bake cupcakes.
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I've been experimenting in more modern, geometric shapes and designs lately, and my OCD side is really, really happy about it. While my home has a few modern things thrown in, it's mostly an eclectic mix that looks like a Pottery Barn and an Anthropologie had a slightly antiqued baby. I don't like many modern things because they feel cold and sterile, but I am drawn to those that give off a clean, orderly vibe. The straight lines and cool, serene colors in my newest print (and I'm working on more!) feel tidy and calm, not cold and stark. The colors I chose remind me of specific things or emotions (beachy days, sunshine, flowers) that I love and find comforting. 

The first one in the collection has the colors of sea glass, and the the crisp white lines make me think of things that are clean and neat. I'm thinking of hanging the original in my laundry room or perhaps in my guest bathroom to help give off the "all is clean and quiet" feeling in the areas I most want to feel it. 

Even though most of these are created digitally, I still enjoy the process of composing them manually. I recently broke out the Wacom tablet I purchased back in, oh, December or so, and started playing around with it. Here's an idea of my first attempts, plus a sneak peak of another design in the works. 


The tablet is so far giving me the best of both worlds when it comes to pattern design. I still have the control and feel of a pen/pencil, but with the ability to erase and correct shapes and angles when needed. When I'm painting or sketching on paper, I try to let go and let loose as much as possible, but for pattern making, the ability to digitally maintain consistency and repeat certain things can't be beat.  I'm still learning how to use it and make the most of the features, but I'm really looking forward to doing more with it. Geometric shapes are a new area for me to explore, and I think I can make some really cool stuff for both my home and for the shop. I'm so excited to get started on more!
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Today I uploaded the full batch of things I had ready for my Society6 page. And I. Am. Terrified.

It isn't so much that things will be out there for sale to total strangers, it's that I've made my friends and family aware that it is for sale. I'm scared of what they'll think. I'm scared of the judgment. I'm scared they'll think I'm silly or stupid or wonder what I'm trying to do by competing with other real artists. 

But I know these people and I know they'll be nothing less than completely supportive. What's really nagging me is my own lack of confidence. I think anyone that creates is plagued by the same feelings, which is unfortunate. I'm in no way comparing myself to the Van Goghs and Monets of the world, but when they were alive only a few people liked their art too. I'm sure Dali and others got their fair share of raised eyebrows and outright dismissals from countless numbers of people. The point is that they still tried. They still picked up their brushes and pencils and did work, and I'm inspired by their example. 
I am scared, but also really excited to see things I've loved in my home put on canvases and pillows and phone cases and other things. I hope people do see them and buy them and that they get the same amount of happy I've gotten from them. I have the originals taped up in frames from Target and Wal-Mart and Ikea for the most-loved ones, fancy!), so seeing what they look like professionally printed and framed makes my heart skip a beat or two. I paint for practice and for fun but also to express a feeling; to get an emotion out of me and onto the paper and share it for everyone. I love macro photography because it catches all these little teeny details that might otherwise go unnoticed, and to me, those details are often the most beautiful parts of the objects. 
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