This collection came about as the result of an experiment.  I was exploring the idea of using a single shape to create collections by playing with layout and creating composite shapes.  Some of the composites seemed a little occultish to me and thus "Arcane Gothic" was born.  It is a limited-palette set of patterns with hints of the occult and Gothic-esque symbols and motifs.  It could be a great alternative for Halloween - but would work well all year round!  Think Whimsigoth aesthetic and Goth wedding invitations and décor. 

Funnily enough the "sister" collection that sparked this one is its diametrical opposite! It's called "A Groovy Kind of Pink". (I think that the name says it all!) I will introduce it in a separate blog post.  In the meantime they are both available to download in my Creative Fabrica Shop.

I spoke in a previous blog post about recolouring designs and the way it can be completely transformative.  Well that's what happened with the Autumn Splendour collection.  I had some patterns left over from my Pink and Black Boho set.  I added an HSL adjustment layer in Affinity Designer and tuned the colours to get these incredible Autumn hues.  

I wasn't sure if the patterns worked as a set at first, but the more I looked at it the more it grew on me. Now I absolutely love it!  So much so that I was inspired to create a brand new digital paper set based on the same colour palette.  Which resulted in "Fall Into Autumn".

The "Fall into Autumn" collection is an eclectic mix of patterns, textures and backgrounds featuring plaids, stipes, geometrics, paint effects and illustration.  I was thinking about making mini albums when I put this collection together and how the different designs would mix and match in a project like that.

 The two collections are quite different, but because the colour palette is the same in both they could be used in conjunction with one another for even greater versatility.

"Autumn Splendour" and "Fall into Autumn" are both available for download in my Creative Fabrica Shop.

Creative Fabrica is a graphics resource website where you can download all manner of graphics and fonts - from clip art to cut files, Photoshop brushes to patterns and everything in between!

While not directly on paper, my design collections will be available to download and use in your own creative projects - whether that is printing them out to use in scrapbooks or on cards, or using them to create product packaging or posters.  Check the Creative Fabrica website for the EULA (end user licence agreement) and terms of use.  ​

In the end I didn't use Pannacotta, but a lighter tint of it because the contrast with the lighter colour was better.  The result is very soft and delicate.  I think that it would make a great fabric for Spring/Summer projects, or alternatively adorable babywear.  See the design on Spoonflower and see how it works on a range of home decor products.

Now that I've learnt how to make plaid patterns I am officially mad for plaid!  Expect to see many iterations of plaid in my future portfolio 😄.  If you like this design please vote for me here. Voting ends 4th April 2023 at 3pm EST.  (Fair warning there are a LOT of entries, so put aside a good half hour and grab yourself a cuppa.)

Available to buy now at Spoonflower (US-based) and Woven Monkey (UK-based).

I really love the colour palette of this recoloured version of my Cowrie Star pattern.  I've called the palette "Cotton Candy" because its bright and sweet with that distinctive shade of pink at the heart of the palette.  Hex codes as follows (from top to bottom): 
​
#FFE0FF
#E6DBCA
#7AE1E0
#FEAEEB
#FE9591
#F35D66

Find this pattern in my Spoonflower and Redbubble shops.

In the second example the stars are much more prominent and the detail in the surrounding elements is much more noticeable.  For a while it was just these two variations, but I can never resist tinkering so now there are an additional five variants.

In the first two versions the stars and the surrounding, intersecting rings are quite prominent.  The desaturated orange/blue version shows more of the background detail.    In the pink/sky blue version the star motifs and the surrounding segments look more like isolated motifs compared with the previous three versions.  Finally in the last version the pattern looks very different - the larger outer star is more prominent and the surrounding segments look more connected and are more of a feature than in any of the previous examples.

I had a lot of fun trying out all these colour combinations and I really like the results - especially the mint/blue and the retro green with the 70s vibe.  I could probably keep going, but at some point you just have to stop! So that will be all... (for now).

All of the variants except the original are available to buy in my Spoonflower and Redbubble shops.
Spoonflower Shop
​Redbubble Shop

A few weeks ago we went to the beach.  It's a beautiful stretch of coastline in South Wales with stunning cliffs and a pebble beach that gives way to sand when the tide is out.  We did some obligatory rock climbing and rock pool investigations before finding our way to a small cove-like stretch of beach. 

It was the perfect breeding ground for flat, skimming stones and unlike the rest of the beach there were pebbles in a number of different shades.  I immediately thought what a great colour palette they made and so I captured it for posterity! 

Hex codes:
#E6E9DE
#ADBAB1
#BBA097
#D0826E
#D6C07D