SILHOUETTE & SHADOW: Sneak Peek

I am nearing completion of my Halloween collection and I thought it would be a good time to show a little of what I've been working on. I grew up loving to trace shadows, even just in my mind. I'd be sitting at an appt with my mom and I'd start visually tracing shadows on the walls. So I had this idea to create a collection based on silhouettes & shadows. And of course, there's deeper meaning sprinkled throughout.

The Walls Within

For my hero print, the Walls Within, I had this idea to create a silhouette gallery wall of family portraits, except instead of the whole family, it would highlight the different versions of myself. Some days I feel frumpy, pudgy, & tired. Other days I feel bold, strong, & confident. Some are haggard, frantic, & chaotic. Some are playful, silly, & childlike. And many days I spend way too much time in my head. My favorites are the slow, intentional, one-with-nature vibe, but I don't get those as often as I'd like. Some days I soar, other days I stumble, and most days I am a little of each. The center silhouette blends them all, because none of us are only one version. We are a collection of shadows that make up the whole.

Even the name hints at deeper meanings. I wrestled with how I wanted to portray myself to the world through this pattern and I'm pleased that I was willing to share the uglier sides of how I see myself at times.

Swept Away

For the broom pattern, I wanted to create a structured yet loose pattern to highlight variety in life. Even with something as simple as a broom, we all are different. We like different things. One is not better than the other. And on the spookier side of things, it's more than just a witch’s tool. It’s a symbol of everyday magic, of the line between the ordinary and enchanted. Some carry us forward, some just sweep up the mess, but all are a reminder that magic lives in motion.

Creepy Crawler Chronicle

For the Creepy Crawler Chronicle, I reminisced back to 3rd grade Science class where we had to pin bugs to a foamboard and explain all the details about them. I knew I wanted it to have an old newspaper print vibe so I layered texture behind my version of their details. (insert cheeky grin) Of course I had to go sarcastic with it, because that's way more me than anything else.

For the pattern description: Not every shadow is glamorous, some are downright creepy. These bugs crawl across a backdrop of sarcastic “dictionary entries,” poking fun at how unsettling, annoying, or oddly fascinating insects can be. It’s humor wrapped in spookiness, a reminder that even the icky parts of life can make us laugh.

Remedies & Roots

In every collection, I dive a little into history, folklore, and stories. I always want to learn more about how things came to be. This one was such an unexpected surprise. I knew I wanted something in the apothecary realm for a pattern as it's as witchy as it comes. But when I started learning about what "witches" used in their "potions," they were the same things I have in my home holistic medicine cabinet today. (Yes, I use white willow bark instead of tylenol.)

My pattern summary: History once called them witchcraft, yet these herbs and remedies are now beloved for their healing. This pattern honors the wisdom of the past, the quiet power of plants, and the resilience of women who kept traditions alive. What was once feared as “magic” is now remembered as medicine.

I've always told you how story should drive your designs and I hope you can see how it elevates these patterns by hearing my inspiration and inner thoughts. Let me know if you have questions on my process, about licensing, or placing designs on products. Next week I'll show you some of the graphics I created to go with this collection.

Warmest regards,

P.S. I'll be showing the full behind the scenes with this collection in my membership, in case you want to see how I went from idea to pattern to product.