Okay, I’ll admit it—my process is a little old-fashioned, a little chaotic, and 100% powered by tea. But it’s mine, and I love every weird, beautiful step of it.
Most of my designs begin with a pencil sketch or a carved lino block. I keep a stack of sketchbooks filled with doodles, botanical studies, and tiny notes like “fern left field 4:30 p.m. magic light.” It’s not exactly scientific, but it works for me.
Once a design starts to take shape, I transfer it onto a carving block or prepare it for screen printing. This is the messy bit lots of carving crumbs, test prints, and ink all over my hands (and usually my face, don’t ask me how). Then I prep my fabrics, usually linen or organic cotton, and mix my inks.
The printing itself is where the real fun begins. I place the block on the fabric, take a breath, and apply pressure by hand, with a press, or sometimes just with a trusty wooden spoon. And then…magic! The design appears. It never gets old.
It’s not always smooth. Sometimes I mess up a piece halfway through and have to start over. Sometimes the weather changes the drying time or the fabric does something unexpected. But I’ve learned to embrace that. The unpredictability is part of the beauty.
And in between all that? I talk to myself. I hum. I drink copious amounts of tea. My dog occasionally wanders in and sits on the fabric. It’s a little chaotic, a little heartfelt, and absolutely full of love.