Wins and Lessons of 2023
As another year has drawn to a close, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate not only the wins of 2023, but also the lessons learnt from my mistakes. 2023 was definitely a year of two halves for me, the first half was terrifyingly stressful, the second half, exciting and fulfilling. All of the downs and then all of the ups, which is important because it helps you gain perspective not only in your professional life but also in your personal one.
So I hope you’ll enjoy reading through my top 5 wins for last year, and also my top 5 lessons learnt from those ‘teachable’ moments.
wins
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wins -
1. Glass and Wick
What an incredible opportunity to see my work transformed into a new format! Working with Glass & Wick was an absolute joy. It’s a rare thing to find a client who just gets your vibe and can see your vision even if it’s not on paper. In the end I created a total of 27 separate illustrations culminating in 50 hours of drawing. Holding the finished article in my hands felt like holding a little treasure, and I hope if you ordered one too you felt the same!
2. Thyroid Superhero
I was over the moon when local friend/writer/thyroid advocate Rachel Hill got in touch to ask me to bring her children’s book idea to life. After the success of The Strange Tales of the Alphabet Children I was very keen to work on another book, especially one which could help so many families. I was bowled over by Rachel’s expertise and knowledge, and it reminded me that working with clients works both ways; I always come away more knowledgable and informed after being involved with their worlds, even if it’s for a short period of time.
3. Penhaligon’s for Studio XAG
One of the (physically) biggest projects I worked on to date, I was commissioned by creative geniuses Studio XAG to create some large format illustrations to be applied to a booth for their clients Penhaligon’s. As well as illustrating many Victorian style flying machines I was commissioned to create a 4ft x 4ft London map complete with iconic landmarks.
4. 2024 Markets
I visited 10 markets last year, all across Nottingham and as always it’s such a pleasure meeting you all face to face! My favourites had to be Pitch Presents Ay-Up Market in June (The weather was perfect, and it was my first time pitching up in the actual market square!) as well as the Nottingham Castle Christmas Market at the end of November. The Castle has always been a favourite spot of mine in the city, and to be a part of that for a weekend felt really special.
5. Isla & Fraser
Whilst Isla & Fraser aren’t new clients, they have been one of my longest standing clients and I am always so grateful to work with them every year. 2023 saw a little upgrade to their beautiful gift boxes which saw some small illustrated editions of flowers and ribbons to the corners in their sumptuous brand colours as devised by Page + Looker.
Photography by Abi Moore
lessons
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lessons -
Only you gets in your way
We like to think that it’s external circumstances that stop us from progressing, but one thing I noticed about myself was that I was the only saboteur. I’m not cured from this affliction, and I still self sabotage on a daily basis, however like meditation I notice when I’m doing it and I decide to try and change gears in that moment. No judgement needed.
2. Money doesn’t equal happiness, but it does make you less stressed
2023 was financially one of the hardest years to date. I’m happy to be transparent enough to tell you that the first half of the year was terrifying. And whilst the old adage of ‘money can’t buy you happiness’ is true in one way, I can’t iterate how much less stressed and ill you don’t feel when you do have it. I ended up getting a part-time job to supplement my income, something I’ve done to look after my family and ultimately my mental health.
3. When there’s a will, there’s a way
Things can, and do, feel hopeless at times. January-May was that time for me. Going through this has shown that I am able to do a lot of things I told myself I never could. Approach jobs I never imagined I would be good enough for, step up to responsibilities I didn’t think I was strong enough to do, take on work that I didn’t think I was skilled enough to complete. It’s amazing how point number 1 resonates here right?
4. Get out of your head about social media
I’ve had the privilege of watching my husband grow his Instagram account from nothing to over 101K follows in the past few years. His secret? He posts every day, and he’s not hung up over the extreme specifics. He just wanted to showcase how easy and fun it is to rewear clothes and buy secondhand, and it seems it resonates with many of you too. I’m taking this attitude with me into 2024, to approach social media less like a chore and a stress and to just be more playful and spontaneous with it.
5. Start the thing, now!
So many things put off in 2023, and once I’d done them they were so simple. This circles (again) back to point number 1 - we get in our own way all the time! How many projects do you have sitting on a pile, waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment? There will never be a perfect moment apart from the moment where you’re thinking about doing the thing, so do the thing!
SME News - Freelance Illustrator and Designer of the Year (East Midlands)
Receiving this accolade feels like the recognition I’m not very good at giving myself, recognition of the hard work and late nights to make it all work in the face of a crazy few years.
Wow.
Just, W O W!
It gives me the greatest pleasure to be able to announce that I have been awarded Freelance Illustrator & Designer of the Year (East Midlands) by SME News in their annual Enterprise awards!
When I received the email last year to say I had been nominated, I couldn’t quite believe it, so much so that I just shelved it thinking it must have been a scam (hello, imposter syndrome?). But as I started to receive more emails about the nomination and consequently the news that I had won it, I started to wonder if I should be paying attention to this news.
When you work for yourself it’s easy sometimes to not notice progression. Especially being a full time mum as well as freelancer, there is little to no time to sit and take in achievements. My ‘colleagues’ are 5 & 2 and they’re not interested if I’ve landed a new client or perhaps launched a new product so I don’t get that same experience as if I was in a studio or office where there are people to bounce that news off with! I’ve very much just been keeping my head down and working through the juggle of running a business, working freelance for clients as well as being there for my kids.
This award means so much more to me than I can explain. It’s been a wonderful moment to just stop, and pay attention to the bumpy and winding road that I’ve been travelling on to get to this point.
As some of you who are self employed will have experienced this year, work has been extremely difficult; I’ve missed out on a few job opportunities, had failed pitches, sales have been down and not to mention the cost of living crises thrown in to help amp up the stress levels. Receiving this accolade feels like the recognition I’m not very good at giving myself, recognition of the hard work and late nights to make it all work in the face of a crazy few years.
After the uncertainty of the last two years or so, relative quiet has been greeted by a rush of announcements, of achievements being announced left, right and centre. Growth, new products, new services, new markets, recruitment – it’s all happening for SMEs across the UK.
Now in its sixth year, the SME UK Enterprise Awards continues to recognise SMEs of all sizes who are endeavouring to bettering business in their industries. Whether it’s by nourishing rich internal cultures to promote employee satisfaction, by offering next-level customer service, or through an enduring dedication to innovative products – British SMEs are truly the lifeblood of the country’s economy and business landscape.
Award Coordinator Holly Blackwood took a moment to discuss the success of this year’s programme: “One of the joys of this programme is realising the sheer talent and skill that permeates every inch of the British business sphere, across all industries and fields. So here’s a massive congratulations and I hope you all have a wonderful – and productive- rest of the year ahead.”
SME News prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition.
To learn more about our award winners and to gain insight into the working practices of the “best of the best”, please visit the SME News website (http://sme-news.co.uk) where you can access the winners supplement.
I’m very grateful to each and every client I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and for all your wonderful orders through my shop and IRL at markets! Every purchase and commission I get tells me to keep going with this dream career which I’m very grateful to have to work around my home life.
If you’ve been thinking about working with myself to get your illustration or design idea realised, then please feel free to get in touch with me as my books are open to new projects and commissions! Take a look through my full portfolio or even my Instagram to see the kind of work I do. I’m always up for a good chat, especially over a brew and maybe a biscuit or two.
A huge thanks once again to SME news for this wonderful award, and to you lovely lot for your continued support!
Here’s to another year of new illustrated adventures,
Deborah x
Pre-Order my Limited Edition 'Sunset' Tropical Palm Wrapping Paper
A few weeks or so ago I thought I would play around with some different colour ways on my bestselling Tropical Palm wrapping paper and after posting them to Instagram I was bowled over by everyones response.
A few weeks or so ago I thought I would play around with some different colour ways on my bestselling Tropical Palm wrapping paper and after posting them to Instagram I was bowled over by everyones response.
You guys were IN LOVE with these new colour ways, and loved the idea even more of a limited edition print run of my wrapping paper in one of these new palettes.
It was a very close call between the Pink and Khaki and the Navy and Sunset Corals but the sunset colour way pipped it to the post and it’s not hard to see why. Sultry and balmy tones of lilac, rust and sandy beige set against a rich navy just shout heady warm August nights (or the July ones of recent!).
And although these photos may be mock-ups to visualise how the finished product will look, I cannot get over how much I love them!
Now, I’m going to be transparent. Us small businesses are definitely facing a hardship at the moment. I would so love to be in the position like I have before to be able to order this design up front but unfortunately that isn’t possible right now. So I’m making this limited edition design available for pre-order only until August 11th at a super special reduced rate to help raise the money I need to make this beautiful product a reality!
As a pre-order item you will have access to this price until August 11th after which it will be available at it’s regular price. All pre-orders will be posted a few weeks after this date dispatched via first class post.
I would so love to bring this design to life, so if you would like to see it too and own one of the limited 500 sheets I will be printing, please take a look at the product listing below:
I’d love to know what you think of this new colour way! Feel free to drop your thoughts below, I always love to hear feedback and suggestions.
Deborah x
Shop Update
I have not one but two new designs for Father’s Day coming up on the 19th June!
Father’s Day is the one celebration I find hard to design for as I never want to fall into any of the same cliché traps - Think pints of beer, cars, gardening, golf, fishing etc - which I personally find are not a representation of men and father’s. Just like not all mum’s are all about shoes, flowers and Prosecco, so too are father’s more diverse than what the current greeting card climate displays.
So I put the question to my Instagram audience - What do they look for when purchasing cards for their dads? The feedback was so insightful and useful as it helped me see the types of themes and imagery that you guys are looking for. So I hit my sketchbook and drew up these two designs; one inspired by space, constellations and stars, and the other by vinyls, record players and vinyl label artwork.
I hope you’ll agree that these designs are not like the usual fair you’ll see on your local high street, hopefully giving all those dads outside the cliché norms a card perfect for their Father’s Day.
For the dads who collected vinyls in their hey day, or during their revival. For those trendy vintage dads, and those vintage dads who are trendy!
• Card measures 10.5cm x 14.7cm (4-1/8 x 5-7/8 inches)
• Card is blank for your own personal message
• Design is printed on 350 gsm recycled card and comes complete with its own recycled envelope.
• Please recycle your card after use.
• Want to save some postage? I can write your message and post your card at no extra charge! Simply select from the drop down menus and add your personalised message in the text box. Be sure the delivery address is your recipients!
There are some dads who go above and beyond. Celebrate how special your father is this Father’s Day with my illustrated and cosmic greetings cards.
• Card measures 10.5cm x 14.7cm (4-1/8 x 5-7/8 inches)
• Card is blank for your own personal message
• Design is printed on 350 gsm recycled card and comes complete with its own recycled envelope.
• Please recycle your card after use.
• Want to save some postage? I can write your message and post your card at no extra charge! Simply select from the drop down menus and add your personalised message in the text box. Be sure the delivery address is your recipients!
The second product to hit my online shop are these contrasting screen printed patches, which I’ll be honest, have taken me years to list.
Yep, these patches have been in my cupboards for the past few years, hidden away by shame. You see the monkey patches were printed to go on some lovely kids t-shirts which, unfortunately, haven’t sold. Because I was a bit embarrassed about this product tanking badly I decided I would just shove the remaining patches in the cupboard and hope one day I’d make my money back by some divine miracle.
Of course that’s not how you make a living when you work for yourself, so I gave myself the goal of getting them photographed and listed by the summer. It was the little push I needed to get them out there and out of my cupboard, and I hope you’ll like them as much as I did when I had them first printed back in 2019!
Illustrated digitally, these celestial moon and stars patches are perfect for jackets, bags or anything you want to embellish.
• Patch measures 8 x 8cm
• Screen printed with a high quality overlocked hem to prevent fraying.
• Application instructions come with each patch, printed on recycled paper and packaged inside a glassine envelope.
• Please recycle your instructions and glassine envelope after use.
Illustrated digitally, these tropical monkey patches are perfect for jackets, bags or anything you want to embellish.
• Patch measures 8 x 8cm
• Screen printed with a high quality overlocked hem to prevent fraying.
• Application instructions come with each patch, printed on recycled paper and packaged inside a glassine envelope.
• Please recycle your instructions and glassine envelope after use.
Enjoy having a browse through my new products, and if you have any feedback please feel free to email me or drop a comment below!
Deborah x
Happy Earth Day 2022!
Where do I begin with my thoughts and feelings about Earth Day?
If you haven’t gathered already from my products and illustration content, I’m a big Earth lover. It’s the only place we have to call home, and whilst we can explore planets far away for us to colonise, why not invest all that money (and there is A LOT of it for space exploration) into trying to make our home safer and more habitable? ‘Invest in our Planet’ is the key message from Earth Day’s official site.
Where do I begin with my thoughts and feelings about Earth Day?
If you haven’t gathered already from my products and illustration content, I’m a big Earth lover. It’s the only place we have to call home, and whilst we can explore planets far away for us to colonise, why not invest all that money (and there is A LOT of it for space exploration) into trying to make our home safer and more habitable? ‘Invest in our Planet’ is the key message from Earth Day’s official site.
Invest your time, your thoughts, your current resources, and whatever finances you can.
Invest in solar power.
Invest in an electric car, if that’s something you can afford to do.
Invest in a compost bin
Invest in some child friendly books to start a conversation with your children. They’re the ones who will live with the decisions we make today.
Invest in a reusable bag.
Invest in saving water.
Invest in saving electricity.
Invest in that bike that’s stuck in the shed.
Invest in a new bank account that doesn’t fund fossil fuels.
Invest in books that can educate us and help us become aware of what we need to do to change.
There are so many big and little ways for us to make a change which don’t need to leave us bankrupt. Below i’ve shared my own 5 small steps we can take today to start making an impact, no matter how small.
There are so many inspirational people as well who are putting in the hard work to help us all make more conscious decisions for our planets survival. Below is by no means a comprehensive or finished list, but these are people who I’ve either bought from or worked with who are great leaders in making change happen:
Fashion
Good on You app - an excellent app to quickly check how ethical and eco friendly a brand is. The app will also offer suggestions for better brands to purchase from.
Aja Barber - an incredible ‘writer, stylist and consultant whose work deals with the intersections of sustainability and the fashion landscape’. Follow her Instagram for insightful and eye opening posts.
Ford & Guy - Not only is Suzie an incredible seamstress, but she has also compiled the most amazing directory of Mindful Makers (I’m kindly included, thank you!) so you don’t have to do the hard work for searching for more conscious creators.
Grocery Shopping
Shop Zero Nottingham - An incredible zero waste shop in the heart of Nottingham offering refills as well as personal care, gift ware and other eco friendly products. All products can be delivered too!
The Good Weigh - Another local zero waste shop to us based in Lady Bay, Nottingham which also offers some plastic free fruit and vegetables.
Wearth London - Fantastic zero waste site which not only offers refills but also has a massive selection of eco friendly products.
The Good Club - A subscription based zero waste site which has been on my radar for a while but I havn’t yet tried - if you have please let me know how you get on!
Oddbox - Our favourite fruit and veg delivery box, filled with items saved from landfill as they were rejected due to their size/appearance/quality. Every box includes a handy info sheet of how much water, CO2 and food was saved and even has some delicious recipe ideas to help give some inspiration for your rescued veg.
Communities
Mother’s CAN - Find a local group of mother’s who are concerned about climate change and want to make a difference. A fantastic way to get involved in activism and meet other like minded people.
Mum’s Go Green - Another mum focussed eco group, but I am a mum so that’s what I gravitate to! I LOVE this facebook group - no question is ever treated silly and no one is ever demonised for their choices. Just an amazingly supportive community of mums trying to make the right choices for their families and the planet. A lot of businesses and tips are shared to making greener choices, a perfect place to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all.
Extinction Rebellion - If you want a larger and more well known community then Extinction Rebellion is probably the one that springs to mind. You can find a local group and events for you to partake in and there is also a wealth of information on the website.
I could go on and on, the topic is huge, vast and never ending, but I would love to hear from you lovely lot. What are your top eco friendly tips, and do you have any accounts/businesses/websites that you’ve discovered which you’d love to share?
Drop them in the comments below or feel free to ping me an email. I’m by no means perfect when it comes to a more sustainable and zero waste lifestyle, but I’m trying and that’s all any of us can do.
“We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Anne Marie Bonneau, Zero Waste Chef
Have a wonderful Earth Day and Friday!
Deborah x
Submission for Castle Rock Brewery x Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
To celebrate 20 years of friendship, Castle Rock Brewery launched a competition to design the can and keg labels for their collaboration beer with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
To celebrate 20 years of friendship, Castle Rock Brewery launched a competition to design the can and keg labels for their collaboration beer with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Whilst my design wasn’t selected to win the awesome prize of having their design printed and showcased across the country, it was a really fun brief to work to! Both organisations are personal favourites of mine, and you know I love a good British woodland theme to work to.
The above design was the finished artwork for the keg labels, whilst below the illustration was adapted to fit their beer can labels.
Huge congratulations to Matt Newton for his beautiful winning design!
Spring/Summer Market dates 2022
There’s nothing I love better than getting out and about with my paper goods to meet you lovely lot in person! So far this year these dates have been confirmed, with hopefully a few more to add!
Sunday 15th May - North Notts Artists, Makers & Fine Foods Market, The Manor Room
Sunday 29th May - The Garage Market, The Garage Chilwell
Sunday 17th July - North Notts Artists, Makers & Fine Foods Market, The Manor Room
Sunday 31st July - The Garage Market, The Garage Chilwell
Sunday 7th August - North Notts Artists, Makers & Fine Foods Market, Ravenshead Village Hall
Sunday 21st August - North Notts Artists, Makers & Fine Foods Market, The Manor Room
Hope to see you there!
Deborah x
The Great Postage Debate
As some of you may have seen in the news (it’s a bit inescapable) our lives are about to get a whole lot more expensive.
Self belief coach Anna Dunleavy shared in her Instagram stories last week an amazing reel from Susie Jackson (pricing mentor) talking about how freelancers should be thinking about their worth and in doing so increasing their prices to be able to cope with the increased interest rates. It’s got me thinking about my products, my pricing, my offerings and when I did the math I was doing myself a disservice.
Etsy are very keen for all their sellers to offer free shipping, and this is something I implemented to try and get more sales, more customers etc. Their stance is for us to absorb the postage costs into our product pricing, however I don’t feel this really works for my offerings, especially when people mostly buy single sheets of paper or cards. Over time, I’ve just been losing money. And whilst I’ve wanted to try and not be too expensive for people, I’m really not doing myself any favours. So I’ve decided to add shipping costs back into my online shops as a starting point for me trying to keep my head above the rising tide of price increases in every daily element of my life.
I wont lie, just this small alternation scares me a lot. I’m scared that I’ll lose my customers and I’m scared that this will be the end for my small business. As soon as I put my postage on my listings, Etsy will be there to alert me that in doing so I’m charging more than my contemporaries, that people won’t buy from me, that it’s a bad idea. So I hope this isn’t the case and that you all will be happy to pay the extra 85p to have your card posted, or £1.29 for your gift wrap. I don’t feel it’s steep, but of course I value your feedback and comments on this.
This may seem like such a small thing, but I am a small business and so for me it’s huge. I’m laying my heart bare in the hope that my transparency helps explain the decision, and also shows the intricacies of how businesses run. Postage will be added tomorrow and any orders over £30 will automatically get that desirable free shipping.
Hope you all understand and please let me know your thoughts and feelings!
Deborah
Valentines Day 2022
This years love cards have finally landed in my shop and I think it’s safe to say there’s something for everyone.
Returning favourites For My Valentine and Cosmic Love are relisted this year, alongside some new designs which I hope you’ll love!
No one does love better than Stevie Wonder, so naturally a valentines card was needed inspired by one of the greatest love songs. Drawing inspiration from vintage stamp designs, and keeping to a fresh candy coloured palette, my latest love card is perfect not just for Valentine’s Day but for any love occasion.
I know that Valentine’s can be a little tricky for some, and over the years amazing new traditions have come about such as Galentine’s Day and Palentine’s Day to include more people who deserve recognition just as much as the next loved up couple. So I wanted to create a truly personalisable love card that could be gifted to anyone. Enter my ‘Sun and Stars’ design which can be personalised with any greeting of love. I have a few examples which you can choose from, or if you have a recipient in mind write your own wording.
All my cards are printed on 100% recycled material and are never shipped in cellophane so your cards of love return the love back to our planet.
Need to see more designs? Check out my full greeting card selection here.
I’d love to know what you think! Drop your comments below or shoot me an email.
Deborah
Nordic Flora and Fauna Christmas Collection
Things have been a little quiet over in my small home studio in Nottinghamshire whilst I’ve been working my size 8 socks off to bring you a whole new Christmas collection like ever before!
I’m so excited to say though that the wait is over, and my Christmas shop is now fully open and up and running, with old favourites plus my brand new collection for 2021, ‘Nordic Flora and Fauna’.
Inspired by the beautiful animals and foliage of wintery Scandinavia, my new collection features a bold design of reindeer, wolves and arctic foxes nestled between ferns, spruce and stars. Using a linocut inspired palette of black, off white and gold/sand this years designs have been printed onto cards, wrapping paper and also gift tags to help complete the look.
Now officially a Plastic Free Champion, this year more than ever I’ve been working hard on making sure this was my most conscious collection yet. To keep my carbon footprint down all my products have been sourced and printed here in the UK, using companies like A Local Printer who also work hard to make sure they’re not damaging the planet whilst creating beautiful things. This years eco credentials include:
No plastic cellophane wrap on my cards - they will be naked and free when they arrive to you!
All my cards, tags, envelopes and wrapping paper has been printed on 100% recycled material.
hand cut, hand strung jute on my gift tags which can biodegrade in 1-2 years.
My wrapping paper has been printed using vegan inks, and has even been carbon balanced.
All my card packs will no longer come packaged in viewfinder boxes with plastic windows. They are now lovingly wrapped in a glassine envelope which can be recycled.
I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m MEGA proud of this collection, not only from a design and illustration point of view but also from a product development stand point. Caring for the environment is a number one priority for me, alongside bringing quality and unique designs that you won’t find elsewhere. I hope you love this collection as much as I have created it, and if you would like to shop the full range you can find it now in my shop and on Etsy.
The Etsy Market Summer LookBook
Very excited to share with you that my Eat Kind tea towel has been featured in this years Etsy Market Summer lookbook!
The Etsy Market is a virtual shopping event that is a perfect opportunity to shop unique and one of a kind from a selection of very talented and passionate makers. Some events are run locally, and some are curated by Etsy themselves, but always featuring wonderful treasures from Etsy’s marketplace.
You can shop directly through the lookbook above with clickable links to each product, with the market running till the 15th June, and help support small businesses (like mine) working hard every day to keep their dream going.
Happy shopping!
Deborah x
The Strange Tales of the Alphabet Children Interview
Photography by Daniel Hughes
Those close to me know how much I’ve longed to illustrate a children’s book as I’ve always seen it as something to accomplish on the freelance illustrators ‘bingo sheet’ as it were. So when I was approached by author Matthew Rumbelow in 2019 to illustrate his Edward Gorey inspired cautionary tales I was beyond over the moon!
Winnie Yummly-Scott
I remember studying Gorey’s Gashlycrumb Tinies when I was at University, and to meet someone else who had a love for the stories was something serendipitous.
The Alphabet Children is a collection of 26 rhyming tales, from A-Z, of 26 children who should have heeded more caution with some disastrous consequences to their unwise decisions! With Matthew’s linguistically intricate tales (I’ve learnt a lot of new words!) and my love for the more macabre side of children’s literature, it really felt like a great working partnership.
If you would love to hear more about the book and the illustrations, Matthew kindly interviewed myself which you can watch below.
And if you’re keen to purchase a copy you can find them for sale on Matthew’s website, Waterstones, or Amazon.
EDIT 24/6/21 - You can now purchase the dust jacket versions directly through my new web shop!
Mental Health as an Illustrator and Mother // Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
Freelancing and motherhood. What a rollercoaster it has been so far.
I often have people say to me, “I don’t know how you do it, working from home with a toddler!” or “you must be so disciplined to get any work done at home, I’d be so distracted”. And yes, a lot of that is true and is also extremely flattering.
The thing is, I am a complete imposter, because you see the problem is I am not nailing it one bit. One human being (or should I say woman because let’s face it, this isn’t necessarily an issue for all working men…) cannot be 100% full time working and 100% full time mum.
Freelancing and motherhood. What a rollercoaster it has been so far.
I often have people say to me, “I don’t know how you do it, working from home with a toddler!” or “you must be so disciplined to get any work done at home, I’d be so distracted”. And yes, a lot of that is true and is also extremely flattering.
The thing is, I am a complete imposter, because you see the problem is I am not nailing it one bit. One human being (or should I say woman because let’s face it, this isn’t necessarily an issue for all working men…) cannot be 100% full time working and 100% full time mum.
Those are two separate full time jobs, in their own right, and the maths doesn’t work. So what happens is the inevitable; comparison, guilt, feelings of failure and then the ‘all expected but not expected at all because you’ve been lying to yourself’ crash.
I had mine back in September/October. I may have been portraying that I was nailing this working mum malarky all over the internet (because I’m just as guilty of doing that as anyone else), like a multi-armed goddess, but really I was at the start of what was to be a sharp downward arc. I had come off my meds so myself and my husband could have another baby, and whilst I was only on a low dose anyway I was not prepared for how I would feel just coming off that mixed with the hormonal tsunami that consumed me with getting pregnant.
I felt ill. Not just mentally, but physically, like I had never experienced with Ophelia. Having both the mental and physical battering made my mum guilt multiply when I couldn’t play with Ophelia the same, or couldn’t make it out the house. Then the work guilt would kindly join in when I didn’t feel I could sit at my desk and work, or have the mental capacity to open an email.
Comparison was often rife when I would see other mums just being totally amazing and not complaining one single bit. Mum’s who had it much worse than me, or more children, or more work pressures. Single mums, and mums on lower incomes. Mums with unsupportive partners or distanced family.
I’d sit there and think, “woman, what’s wrong with you? You have a very supportive and loving husband, family all around, a gorgeous toddler and another healthy baby on the way. A freelance career you’ve worked hard for. A house you own. What could you possibly be feeling sad about?”
But I just was. I didn’t feel good enough, or worthy of anyone’s time or attention. I didn’t feel special, or interesting, or that any of my feelings were valid.
Because that’s what happens when you tell yourself something enough times; you actually believe it.
With the help of my perinatal support worker, my MBCT group, my family and close friends and even my pregnancy yoga class, I’ve managed to make it to the 8 1/2 month mark in pregnancy. I’m feeling pretty battered and bruised from the journey to get here (let’s throw in my dad getting sick and going to hospital, Ophelia going to A&E, heavy work loads, and of course lockdown and a pandemic…) but remarkably, I’m still going.
I am anything but stubborn.
A lot has been acceptance, which I’ve only managed to achieve through time, space, meditation, journalling, talking to my loved ones and (within lockdown rules) getting out in the sun and walking it out. The pandemic has stripped me of a lot of things that used to help me cope and manage my mood, but it’s also shown me that I can be adaptable and I can weather it.
Depression and anxiety when you have kids, as well as running your own business, can feel like the worst thing to befall you because it’s up to you to keep your shit together, to be accountable, to make sure you get up so you can play with your kid. I’d feel this pressure to be sure I was on top of everything, despite how I was feeling. To put dinner on the table. To answer that important email or fulfil that order because it’s got to go to the Post Office.
I used to worry constantly that the way I am would affect Ophelia, would rub off on her and make her unhappy, but honestly what I see in her is total compassion. When I’m having a bad day, or just a really good cry, she comes over and she gives me her bunnies to soothe me. She’ll say “It’s ok mummy, Flossy will make you feel better and then your tears can go”.
She’s seen all emotions, not just the super shiny positive ones, and I’m starting to think that’s actually a really good thing. It allows her to be sad and to feel whatever feelings she has. It gives her the permission to feel whatever she needs to, no judgement, and the amazing thing is the sooner she acknowledges how she’s feeling the quicker she moves on from it.
Honestly, we could all be more like a three year old in some ways.
I’m not ‘cured’ and I’ve stopped expecting that this will be something I will get rid of completely. It’s just something I have to manage the best I can, and hopefully once the pandemic is over the coping mechanisms that used to help me manage my thoughts and mood can be put back in place; seeing friends and family, long walks out in the countryside and plenty of adventures.
Maybe I’ll go back on meds once baby is born, maybe I’ll just need a new form of therapy. I can make those decisions once he’s earth side and we’ve settled into our new family of four.
So I’m really writing this for any of you who are struggling, silently or with the aid of our amazing NHS. For anyone who has ever felt like they are just the worst mother ever, or that they haven’t got it all together and they should. For those who feel like a failure because they chose to work over staying at home, or because they chose to stay at home and not work. For any of you juggling and wondering when you will ever be able to do one job 100%. And I’m writing this for me too, because I need to hear it(and remind myself) just as much that I am worthy of good things too.
Remember:
You’re doing great.
Just keep going.
Deborah x
If you ever feel that life, and stuff, is getting too much there are some amazing people out there who you can talk to if you feel that you can’t talk to friends and family. PANDA’S Foundation have a free phone line you can call 0808 1961 776, as well as the Samaritans who you can contact on 116 123. Of course your GP will be there too to help and guide you, so please seek help if you’re struggling.
Hello 2020! A little look back at 2019 (PART II)
Carrying on from Part I, I’m sharing all the things that brought me joy, and made me proud in 2019, from July through to December.
Carrying on from Part I, I’m sharing all the things that brought me joy, and made me proud in 2019, from July through to December.
JULY
Prints arrived of my new ‘Prove them Wrong’ design and I was over the moon with how gorgeous the foiling turned out.
Then I was off to London to sell at the House of Illustration Summer Fair!
Ophelia had her first trip to the Golden Mile in Leicester, and her first taste of the exquisite Bobby’s.
Renovations continued, this time taking the carpet up in our bedroom to reveal these stained floorboards.
More eco swaps - this time for a disposable razor and shaving soap bar which I bought from Shop Zero Nottingham
We then did a little up-cycling project to breathe some life into some old garden furniture my Dad had passed onto us…
… with just some garden furniture paint from Wilkos!
Our old, worn doors came off…
…and were replaced with these beautiful new composite doors.
I was asked to paint Puneet’s beautiful logo on a feature wall of her new Wedding Ring Workshop (and boy, was that a hot week!)
Nottingham’s Pride brought so much colour and positive energy to what was a VERY wet day
And Ophelia had her first proper visit to the Gurdwara for a family member’s birthday.
AUGUST
I started August working on a design for a totally new product
More eco swaps, this time this gorgeous shampoo bar when my bottled shampoo ran out.
The Nottingham Etsy Team leaders came over and we had the incredibly hard task of choosing who we were going to pick to sell for Etsy Made Local! It took us a few hours with many snacks/cups of tea.
Our beautiful friends Dan and Ruby tied the knot in the most amazing wedding venue - and I mean, look at Ruby!
I designed some custom privacy vinyl for the glass in our new front door and it casts the dreamiest shadows on our floor!
I had a wonderful client meeting with Matthew, author of The Alphabet Children, at this amazing cafe called Fika. We hatched some awesome illustrated plans for his book!
I made some edits to an existing pattern I had created for Lola’s Apothecary and these beautiful samples came in the post.
I started work on a new print design….
And in the summer sun we visited more stately homes and festivals celebrating Mother Nature.
SEPTEMBER
I designed the promotional materials for our Nottingham Etsy Made Local - and it was exciting to start shouting about our event at our new venue in the Council House.
That moon illustrated back in August? Got turned into this huge wall hanging!
I finished designing my Christmas cards! These were my best ever selling designs for Christmas, and I can’t tell you how thankful I was for every re-order (there were 5!)
My Grandad (who’s is bossing life at 92 by the way) treated myself and my mum to a day at Ragdale Hall Spa
The Nottingham Etsy Team had another amazing meet up, this time with a talk from the incredibly talented and switched on business coach Debbiedoodah , who talked to us about the importance of email marketing.
Injected with that new enthusiasm from Debbie’s talk I decided to put more effort into my email marketing and started creating illustrated freebies for my email subscribers.
I joined with the Global Climate Strike in the Nottingham Market Square, standing in solidarity with children and adults alike to try and make positive change for our climate crisis.
We had more adventures, this time at Newstead Abbey
OCTOBER
I created my first downloadable product for Etsy, these print at home Halloween Masks in a wolf, black cat and bat design.
The seasons started to change…
and we went pumpkin picking in the biggest mud field you’d ever seen!
NOVEMBER
We had a magical bonfire night
More autumnal walks which are honestly my favourite
Oh yes, more renovations! This time getting rid of the awful dark/grey brown vinyl in our kitchen, and getting this faux Victorian tile vinyl.
For the first time ever I sold at the Craft Fair Contemporary and it was amazing!
And then a family of 3 became a family of 4…
That monkey illustration from a few months ago? Got turned into these awesome patch t-shirts for kids!
Etsy Made Local Nottingham finally arrived and it was our biggest and best event to date! (photo courtesy of the Nottingham Etsy Team)
DECEMBER
We kicked off December, and a little post Etsy Made Local come down, with some festive eating
And fetive activities like this beautiful light show at Belton House gardens
I designed more freebies for my amazing newsletter subscribers
And finally visited the vegetarian restaurant of dreams, No. Twelve.
Keeping our Christmas more eco I stamped a HUGE roll of recycled brown paper to wrap all our gifts in.
We painted our bedroom!
I was then back in London for the House of Illustration Winter Fair!
After wrapping up some commissions and smaller projects it was then time to unwind for Christmas with plenty of family visits, biscuit baking and a huge vegetarian feast for Christmas!
We ended 2019 out in the garden; fire on, hot chocolates in hand, enjoying all of our neighbours fireworks!
Phew! What a year! If you made it to the end of this two part blog post spectacular I applaud you.
I hope this inspires you to go back through photos of your 2019 to see the highlights and celebrate all the wins you achieved. I was so cynical about the whole thing before I started writing this post, but I have to say it has been cathartic, and an incredibly powerful way of owning my own achievements. Just documenting it here has been a process, and I have to say it’s given me a very positive surge of work energy for the year ahead!
We have so much to look forward to this year - welcoming our baby boy into the world being the main thing we’re gearing up towards - but I would love to know what things you’re looking forward to in 2020 and what things you were proud of in 2019?
Hello 2020! A little look back at 2019 (PART I)
A very happy (and belated) New Year to all of you!
There’s nothing like a new year, let alone a brand new decade, to bring out the sentimentality in people. It’s been both interesting and a little depressing watching through everyone’s round up’s of 2019 via Instagram (I get it, you guys got to have a lot of holidays whilst we never made it out of the UK!) but I thought it would still be nice to share what a wonderful year it was - minus holidays - both work and in personal life, to maybe help myself not have so much FOMO.
A very happy (and belated) New Year to all of you!
There’s nothing like a new year, let alone a brand new decade, to bring out the sentimentality in people. It’s been both interesting and a little depressing watching through everyone’s round up’s of 2019 via Instagram (I get it, you guys got to have a lot of holidays whilst we never made it out of the UK!) but I thought it would still be nice to share what a wonderful year it was - minus holidays - both work and in personal life, to maybe help myself not have so much FOMO.
Who am I kidding, I’ll still be wildly jealous, but it’s been wonderful looking through photos of all the work we’ve put in this year; renovations to our 1940’s house, birthdays, amazing commissions and wonderful events I was privileged to take part in.
JANUARY
I started the year with working on fresh designs for Valentine’s Day
I also started the 30 day Dedicate Yoga program by Yoga with Adrienne to get myself in a better exercise regime
I was finally prescribed with some glasses for working in to help with all those teeny tiny illustrations!
Amazing meet ups with the other leaders of the Nottingham Etsy Team
Worked on designs for my friends party invitations for her son…
FEBRUARY
We started work again on renovating our 1940’s home - starting with taking up the carpet on the stairs and landing and revealing these beautiful floorboards.
My new Valentine’s collection launched and I had the pleasure of posting them out!
In my bid to make 2019 my year for making my home and business more eco friendly, I started making small swaps around the house when things broke/wore out.
We had plenty of cold but beautiful walks in and around Nottinghamshire.
And then we had our old gas fire taken out…
Ophelia had her first trip to London to visit her Auntie.
Then I had the pleasure of talking about my illustrated business and how I started out illustrating at the Select Vegan networking event.
I mean, look at the spread they put on…
MARCH
I started designing invitations for Ophelia’s 2nd Birthday.
After my unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign, I finally released my Eat Kind meal planners into the world - my first 100% recycled and eco friendly product (including packaging).
We had snow!
I started my creative business coaching journey with Amy from Women Who Create
Then we had the loveliest little weekend away to Stamford visiting stately homes, beautiful tea rooms, and then this church near Rutland.
More renovations carried on, finishing off our fireplace with these gorgeous star tiles for the hearth.
And just like that, our Ophelia turned two.
APRIL
Using the designs from my friends party invites, I created my first range of sophisticated children’s age cards, which have been received so well.
I also designed some new Easter cards featuring this Victorian style Easter bunny
We sanded and painted our staircase!
And then went on to paint our living room this awesome pink colour called Pink Alabaster by Valspar
MAY
We started May trying to make another eco swap with locally delivered fruit and vegetables from Kerry’s Fresh
More house updates, making our little balcony/patio out the back into an outdoor living room ready for summer!
I had the pleasure on working on this beautiful branding for Out of the Woods Hypnotherapy
Worked out in the sun and rain for the Sutton Bonington Summer Festival.
More lovely Etsy Team meet up’s at Debbie Bryan’s
And finally, celebrated 5 years of marital bliss in the best way we know - with the best vegetarian burgers in Nottingham at Annie’s Burger Shack
JUNE
We started June with the loveliest impromptu trip to Matlock
Then I saw my latest surface design for Godâ Skjorter come to life in these beautiful Hawaiian style shirts.
It was my birthday! And my mum made the tastiest banana cake.
I had the second product from my Eat Kind collection release, these beautiful screen printed tea towels.
I finished the month starting work on a new print
Check out my next post for July-December of my 2019 journey!
Eco Friendly Craft Fair Essentials
Craft Market season is fast approaching, which means it’s time for me to dig out my trusty checklist and start planning stock!
As well as ensuring I have everything I need for my stall such as a float, packaging, bags, stationery, business cards etc I always plan what I’m going to take with me for the day.
Craft Market season is fast approaching, which means it’s time for me to dig out my trusty checklist and start planning stock!
As well as ensuring I have everything I need for my stall such as a float, packaging, bags, stationery, business cards etc I always plan what I’m going to take with me for the day.
The biggest thing I see when working markets is the amount of rubbish left over, not only by visitors but by stallholders themselves. Plastic water bottles, non-recyclable coffee cups, and food wrappings to name but a few! Obviously we know the impact plastic has on our environment, but needless to say it doesn’t look great either to visit a market and see rubbish everywhere.
So I thought I’d share these essentials that I pack with me for every market I work to help reduce my environmental impact and save a few pounds in the process!
1 / Tuppaware Snacks
I love snacks. And I love packing myself my own little trail mix of nuts, seeds and raisins. Genuinely keeps me going for longer, and I like that I can choose which nuts I want to put into it compared to shop bought versions (goodbye walnuts!). Should I feel extra naughty some chocolate drops or yoghurt covered raisins sneak in too … but best of all are these cute little food storage clip lid pots that are perfect for all my snacking needs! They came in a pack with other different sized pots, so you can use the others for your lunch, or granola and yoghurt, or apple slices….did I mention I like snacks? And should you wish to keep your plastic footprint at an even lower rate, find your nearest zero waste shop and have your snacks filled into your tuppaware without any packaging - I love to visit Shop Zero Nottingham, they have the most delicious chocolate covered almonds!
2 / Bamboo Cutlery Roll
This has been a life saver for many a reason! For the homemade pasta I’ve brought with me, or the off the cuff cake purchase I’ve made that I want to slice up and share, I’ve used every piece in this set, bar the chopsticks (it’s my mission to use these next just to say I did!). I love that it also comes with a bamboo straw, because as awesome as it is that some places offer paper straws they disintegrate in a matter of minutes, and no one wants soggy paper in their lemonade. When I get home I then wash the cutlery in the sink and the roll goes straight in the washing machine (I can guarantee there will be left over food trapped in it…). Not a piece of plastic cutlery used, and it looks cute too! This particular set was purchased through Amazon but there’s nothing to stop you taking your own cutlery from home wrapped in a tea towel.
3 / Backpack
This backpack has been my staple wardrobe piece since I bought it 3 years ago and it’s travelled far and wide with me! I love that it zips open all the way round so I can pack as much as I can in, with pockets on the sides for water bottles.
4 / Water Bottle
If there is one swap you ever do, it’s to ditch the single use plastic water bottles and invest in a decent refillable water bottle. I’ve had many different ones over the years, from glass (bad idea) to BPA plastic (always go for BPA free!) but I have to say this metal one by Smash Enterprises has been my best ever purchase. A great seal, with a carry handle on the lid, my water stays so nice and cold for a long time! I couldn’t find this exact one online as I purchased it years ago from good old Homesense, but genuinely you can’t go in any homeware shop without seeing an array of amazing water bottles in all different colours, sizes, and styles. Most cafes and restaurants are happy to refill your bottle for you, but the Refill App is perfect when you’re in a city you don’t know and you need to find somewhere refill friendly.
5 / Bamboo Lunch Box
I love this bamboo lunch box from John Lewis and Partners - It’s the perfect size for sandwiches, homemade pesto pasta, rice cakes, you name it. Although it does have a silicone band to keep the lid on (so it isn’t the most eco friendly product) it’s definitely better than buying lunch from a supermarket packaged in 100% plastic that can’t be recycled. And let’s face it, you save so much more money bringing your own lunch. (N.B this particular lunch box is no longer for sale, but we also use these Elephant Box stainless steel boxes and they are AMAZING.)
6 / Collapsible Travel Cup
We have some gorgeous travel cups that we use regularly (big shout out to Keep Cup!) but this collapsible version by Stojo is perfect for working markets. As it can collapse, it doesn’t take up as much space in your bag as normal bamboo or glass travel cups, which is a lifesaver when you have so much to take with you! You simply pull it open, slip the heat protection sleeve round it, and you’re good to go. Oh, and they come in loads of lovely colours too!
What ways do you reduce your environmental footprint when you’re travelling or working away from home? I’d love to hear your ideas and tips so feel free to drop them in the comments section below!
New in the Shop!
Well, it’s been a minute hasn’t it?
Summer came and went so quickly as I had some really lovely commissions to work on (that I can’t quite talk about right now) but in between all my secret client work I was busy beavering away on some new products.
Driving Home for Christmas card range is now available in my shop
Well, it’s been a minute hasn’t it?
Summer came and went so quickly as I had some really lovely commissions to work on (that I can’t quite talk about right now) but in between all my secret client work I was busy beavering away on some new products.
First up is my new design, Celestial Moon Phase Print, which I had in mind as a Halloween print but kind of just love it as an everyday piece!
Perfect for any lunar lover, this large scale fabric print features delicate pen illustrations of the moon as she moves through her phases from new to full. An intricate mandala style design features in the middle, connecting the phases of the moon in her journey. Hand drawn punjabi at the bottom reads 'Phases of the Moon' (and I have it on good authority from my in-laws that it reads correct!)
In line with my goal for 2019 to be a more sustainable and eco friendly business, I have had these A3 prints printed on recycled silk stock to give a beautiful slick finish. You can even request it to be shipped without cellophane to help reduce the plastic going out into the world.
I then went and scratched an itch I had had for quite a while and turned my new Celestial Moon Phase design into this beautiful large wall hanging piece!
Printed on linen cotton canvas, this one of a kind piece measures 90cm wide x 132cm high! I always feel like illustrations have a different feeling when they’re printed on fabric, and this one is no exception.
Finally, I launched my Christmas card collection ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ which has to be one of my favourites.
Capturing the spirit of the great journey home to celebrate Christmas with nearest and dearest, this new collection features 3 different card designs; A badger in an old Morris Minor, a bunny on a bicycle, and a mouse pulling a sledge, all laden with presents.
All my cards are available in singles, or in packs of 6 or 12, and come with the option to be ‘naked’ or posted with biodegradable cellophane/presentation boxes.
House of Illustration Summer Fair Round Up
What an honour it was to have been invited back again to the House of Illustration summer fair the other week!
I’ve been a bit behind in getting this post written up due to some lovely client work I’ve been beavering away on, but still wanted to share some of my favourite illustrators from the fair who I had the pleasure of meeting.
What an honour it was to have been invited back again to the House of Illustration summer fair the other week!
I’ve been a bit behind in getting this post written up due to some lovely client work I’ve been beavering away on, but still wanted to share some of my favourite illustrators from the fair who I had the pleasure of meeting.
Miss Ella’s beautiful illustrated laser cut jewellery
Miss Ella Illustrator
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Ella from when I studied at Norwich University of the Arts back in 2007-2010, and since graduating I’ve been seeing her beautiful work at various events across London. Her jewellery is just so imaginative and whimsical, and I am totally in love with those pink moon earrings.
Aleesha Nandhra’s postcard selection
Aleesha Nandhra
It was so lovely to meet Aleesha at the last House of Illustration fair back in December - especially when we realised that she was a distant relative of my husbands! Needless to say it was great to meet back up again (along with her amazing mum) to see the beautiful new work she’s been creating. She’s been travelling around the world (check out her visit to Nepal) and you see how these beautiful experiences have influenced her work.
Beautiful linocuts by Aurore Swithenbank
Aurore Swithenbank
Plants? Check. Black on natural card? Check. Insects? Check check! All the things I love and more. It wasn’t just her gorgeous artwork that I was head over heels for, but her display stole my heart (LOVED that she brought along her linocuts) as did her gorgeous hand typed business cards. It just shows that it’s the little things that really make a difference.
House of Illustration Summer Fair held at The Crossing in Granary Square
There were so many more illustrators I wanted to shout about but I’m pretty sure you don’t have all day to scroll through it all. So here were some of my extra favourites:
I absolutely love coming to this fair as I always come away so inspired by the talent there. It’s so easy to remain in your little creative echo chamber but stepping out of this comfort zone always gives me the fire to try and do something new or pursue one of my illustration project dreams (and that list is long).
Fingers crossed I can make it to the Christmas event, and perhaps see you there!
7 Tips for Freelancing with a Toddler in Tow
Imagine you have a colleague at work who relentlessly needs your attention, messes up your keyboard (which makes your laptop freeze), is beyond filthy and has no personal boundaries? Working from home with a toddler is pretty much like this. In a shared office environment this person would probably have to visit HR but when your office is a corner, or at best a room, in your own home, you’ve got to somehow manage these tiny whirlwinds of energy!
It’s only after 18 months of tears, frustration and stamping feet (and I’m not on about my own toddler…) that I’ve been able to find ways to get through a day where emails have been answered and projects get completed. Here are my top 7 tips should you be on the verge of shipping your own tiny human off…
Photography by Daniel Hughes
Imagine you have a colleague at work who relentlessly needs your attention, messes up your keyboard (which makes your laptop freeze), is beyond filthy and has no personal boundaries? Working from home with a toddler is pretty much like this. In a shared office environment this person would probably have to visit HR but when your office is a corner, or at best a room, in your own home, you’ve got to somehow manage these tiny whirlwinds of energy!
It’s only after 18 months of tears, frustration and stamping feet (and I’m not on about my own toddler…) that I’ve been able to find ways to get through a day where emails have been answered and projects get completed. Here are my top 7 tips should you be on the verge of shipping your own tiny human off…
ONE / Work smarter, not faster
Since having Ophelia and having to really re-work my daily routine to accommodate her and work (which has shown me how actually un-adaptable I can actually be!) I genuinely can’t believe how little I got done before I had her. There’s something about having a 2-3 hour window everyday that gives you some serious laser focus; there’s no time to idle away on Instagram or claim you’re ‘researching’ when you’re head first in a Pinterest rabbit hole.
Nope, you’ve got to be pretty stern with yourself and get that list written out with the top priorities for those few hours. I’m on about important emails (deleting old ones can be done in ad breaks in the evening in front of the TV), making those phone calls that give you the hebe jeebies, cracking on with illustration projects.
The other stuff, the stuff I like to call the ‘chuff’ of being freelance can be done after it’s the little persons bedtime. Invoices need filing? Inbox need clearing? Social media posts need scheduling? Yep, those are perfect ‘sofa jobs’ which don’t require excellent daylight (if you’re an artist) or a desk.
You’ll be amazed with what you can achieve when you limit yourself to just a few hours!
TWO / Work around their schedule
This kind of ties in with the previous tip, but get to know your little person’s routine and make it work for you. If they have a regular time of day when you know they’ll get sleepy, then plan to get your work done in that nap time window.
I know I can’t get any work done when Ophelia is awake (save for a few orders but that is all she can tolerate before boredom hits!) so I always make sure that the time we spend together is just us time. And should it just be the activities we do exert her to the point of tiredness around her nap time then that’s a good coincidence too…
Don’t get me wrong - she’s not a robot and 50% of the time I’m winging it because the day just hasn’t planned out like I thought it would. That’s having children in a nutshell, but I just make sure I catch up when lights are out, which leads me on to…
THREE / You may have to become a night owl
I’ve always labelled myself a lark, and thought that I could only work in the morning and was a useless lump of lethargy by the afternoon. Well, let me tell you that’s just a story I used to tell myself. I’ve had no choice but to become a bit of a night owl since having Ophelia because there are days when there is no opportunity for me to sit down and focus on my work.
Sure I can post to Instagram or answer an email here and there whilst she’s awake, but the stuff that requires my full attention I can save till the evening now when she’s tucked up in bed resting.
FOUR / Get those boundaries in place
I’m very lucky to have a whole room as my studio in our house. A small corner of it does have some toys and a teepee for Ophelia to play in when I’m in there sorting orders but for the rest of the time it’s an out of bounds room. Aside from the fact that her little hands seem to manage to destroy everything in sight in the space of seconds, I want her to understand that that space is my work room and that the things that are in there (my laptop, stock, clients work) is very important and can’t be touched.
The joy of working for yourself is that you don’t have to adhere to strict hours, or dress code or office location, but sometimes there needs to be some boundaries so others can respect that what you do isn’t just a hobby (and I’m not just talking about kids here) and is in fact an important job.
FIVE / Be open and honest with your clients
There’s going to be a day when your child won’t nap, and they won’t just entertain themselves with a film for a few hours, and basically it will feel like they are out to destroy any plans you had for your day. Honesty is the best policy here.
I’ve had a few scheduled client calls which I’ve booked to be during Ophelia’s nap time and of course she’s decided to stay awake to mix all the play dough together (very important job). She’s at an age now where she does have a little understanding that when I’m on the phone, she needs to do her best ‘whispering voice’, however her mind loses focus quickly and so I may at best get 5 minutes with my client uninterrupted.
It’s best to just manage everyone’s expectations and be honest with your client. A very polite disclaimer at the beginning of your call or meeting to explain your situation, and to apologise in advance for any interruption will go a long way to helping ease any discomfort when your darling child starts to pipe up. 90% of the time clients are parents too, and they understand the trials and tribulations that come with it.
Still, it does make you die a little when it happens as you worry that it makes you look totally unprofessional. In that case, make sure you can book any extremely high profile client calls on a day when maybe your little human is out of the house and is screaming down someone else’s.
SIX / Make use of your Village
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I honestly believe that. We’re very fortunate to live close to our parents, all of whom are more than happy to watch Ophelia for me. Whether it’s for a whole day, or even just a morning, I am privileged to have that time carved out to just get work done.
And besides, it brings them joy too.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is nothing weak about it. You are a human, and you can’t do it all (as much as the media may tell you otherwise). Some work commitments and projects just need an empty house, and you don’t need to justify yourself to anyone.
If you don’t have the luxury of family nearby, why not ask a friend who has kids as well? Maybe one of the NCT mums you met when you were pregnant? Either way it makes a great playdate for your children, and great way for you to get your to do list completed. You can always return the favour to your pal another day and in turn give them a chance to a child free day!
SEVEN / Remember the amazing advantage you have…
In the end, it’s important to remember that not everyone gets to spend as much time with their kids when they’re young. Working from home with kids is hard, and it can be frustrating, but remember that you get to see more of the milestones than those parents who work outside the home.
You have this golden opportunity to be there for all the firsts, to hear them string new sentences together, and to enjoy things like going to the park/soft play/cafes/other fun stuff that you can’t do in an office. These young formative years can go so quickly, and to be a big presence in them is very important and musn’t be overlooked.
I hope these tips help in your journey into the world of freelancing and parenting simultaneously. If you have your own life saving tips I would love to hear them! Feel free to drop them in the comments below and hopefully it will help any other freelance parents out there!
How to make your own repeat pattern workshop - July 20th
I never thought that I would ever be saying this, but I am hosting my first ever workshop in July!
That old friend of mine, imposter syndrome, has been present most my life. After all there is always someone better, more talented and more qualified than you. But that’s the thing, I wasn’t giving myself enough credit for everything I had achieved. All the clients I’ve worked for. The knowledge I’ve gained over a career that’s now in it’s 9th year (yikes!)
I never thought that I would ever be saying this, but I am hosting my first ever workshop in July!
That old friend of mine, imposter syndrome, has been present most my life. After all there is always someone better, more talented and more qualified than you. But that’s the thing, I wasn’t giving myself enough credit for everything I had achieved. All the clients I’ve worked for. The knowledge I’ve gained over a career that’s now in it’s 9th year (yikes!)
So after some amazing coaching sessions with Amy from Women Who Create (who is just a peach by the way, and such an inspiration) I dug down, found some courage, and created a workshop that I hope you guys will enjoy.
Although I got my degree in Illustration and Graphic Design, I taught myself how to make repeat patterns during my 3rd year of uni. As soon as I made one, I was hooked. I was making patterns out of everything, and I loved trying out so many different styles of repeats and seeing what I could do with the pencil illustrations I was creating.
Although I create all my surface designs digitally nowadays, I did originally start out creating patterns in an analog way. I found this really helped me understand how tiling worked, how you made patterns seamless and how moving the tiles in different ways created different styles of repeat.
And so this was how my ‘How to create your own repeat patterns’ workshop was born!
I wanted to make a workshop that would help inspire any creative, on any level of expertise, to take their practise into another dimension, without needing software like Photoshop to get started.
Trust me, I know how daunting some of these things can feel when you starting thinking you need all singing, all dancing software and computers to just dip your toe into a new practise or medium. But this is the great thing with pattern making; it works just as good by hand as it does digitally. And there is no limit to what medium you create them in, nor do you need to be an excellent draftsman!
Just some Grade A imagination and the intrigue to play.
Mexican Parrot surface design created from images taken on my honeymoon.
I’ll be running the workshop at Handmade Nottingham on July 20th, 10.30-1.30, and i’ll be covering:
Basics of repeat patterns
Different types of repeats and how to create them
Creating seamless designs
Creating designs that capture the imagination
Inspiration for how to apply your own surface designs to textiles, homeware and stationery.
I’ll be bringing along some mark making materials, however please feel free to bring along your own mediums of choice if you have a preference!
If this sounds like something right up your street, then I’m hoping to see you there! Spaces are limited to 10 spots, so be sure to book your place early. You can book your spot HERE, or check out my events page to see where else you can find me this summer.
I hope to see you there!
