The Summery Umbrella + Bonnie Christine PLUS an Interview

Have you heard? I (aka. The Summery Umbrella) have teamed up with my super talented friend Bonnie Christine from Going Home to Roost for my NEW 2017 Spring Sign Collection.

It’s ok. You can scream now. Eek!! I know. I’m pretty psyched too ;)

{You are My Wild}

I want to say that it was back in 2012 or 2013 when I first found Bonnie through the wonderful world of social media, and became instantly addicted to her gorgeous designs and charismatic personality. I was so excited to meet her IRL (in-real-life) at a creatives conference in South Carolina in 2015, and she is every bit as amazing in person as she is online.

So, without further ado, let’s get to know the face behind the magic of Going Home to Roost a little bit better!

The Summery Umbrella + Bonnie Christine PLUS an Interview

1. What does your typical day look like?
My typical day is constantly changing. Being a stay at home working mom of two small children means my days have to be pretty flexible. If there’s ever a constant though, it looks something like this:

8:00 – 10:00: Everyone wakes up. Lots of snuggles, warm baths and breakfast – usually oatmeal with fruit.
10:30 – 1:00: – My husband and I ‘switch’ and he takes over the household. Depending on the day, he and the kids will run errands, clean house, watch movies and play outside. I get my first session of work in – usually lighter tasks like filling orders and answering emails.
1:00 – 3:00: I wrap up my work for the morning and prepare lunch. Sandwiches, pasta or grits are usually on the menu. I use this time to sort of multi-task with the kids while they play around me as I do household chores and prep for dinner.
3:00 – 6:00: Snuggles for bed and nap time for both of the kids. This is my most productive work time and I spend it doing the work that needs the most concentration, usually illustration and writing.
6:00 – 9:00: Everyone wakes up around 6:00 and I begin pulling dinner together. We eat together and wrap up any loose ends from the day. We all go to bed together around 9:00.

{Reach High}

2. What is your favorite part of the process with surface pattern design?
Honestly, I love it all! Each stage is intense and special in it’s own way, and I really enjoy each of them so much! A collection usually goes like this: 1) general brainstorming, gathering inspiration and photograph taking 2) sketching and painting 3) turning all of chosen sketches and paintings into usable artwork and illustrations 4) making the actual repeating patterns 5) adding color and perfecting the collection. If I to choose a favorite part, it would probably be making the actual patterns. I love seeing it all come to life!

3. What is your favorite design/product you’ve ever created?
With out a doubt, it’s my fabric collections for Art Gallery Fabrics. There’s something incredibly special about seeing my work on fabric, and then seeing all the creations other people make from it. I’m in constant awe!

4. What is the hardest part about running your own business?
Definitely the ‘business’ side of it – managing emails, taxes, marketing, bookkeeping. If I had my way, I would just create all day!

5. What advice would you give someone wanting to pursue a similar path?
For me, just starting is always the hardest part. Big dreams and goals can seem really overwhelming and out of reach, but when you begin to break things down it all becomes easier. Just doing one thing every day towards a big goal means that by the end of a few months you’ll have made HUGE strides in accomplishing it!

{Wonder is the Beginning}

Don’t forget to stop on by and check out this super exclusive collection that will only be available for a short amount of time. More details can be found on our Spring Sign Collection page.

Happy Friday, and see ya again next week :)