The Professional Creative

In this episode, I share the complete breakdown of my 30-day workflow for designing a fabric collection—from the spark of inspiration to the final product. This topic is particularly special to me as I recently released a new fabric collection, A Year in Petals, a heartfelt project inspired by the flowers I grew in my own garden. Whether you're a seasoned designer or dreaming of starting your fabric design journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights, tips, and inspiration to guide your creative process. We'll discuss: Tips for clearing mental and physical space to foster creativity The five-step process for establishing the foundation of a collection, including telling its story, brainstorming 50 descriptive words, and creating thumbnail sketches Breaking down patterns into hero, coordinate, and blender categories Digitizing and refining artwork to create motifs using tools like Adobe Illustrator Final steps: scaling, formatting, and preparing the collection for submission or production I also highlight how these skills translate beyond fabric design to other creative ventures, such as gift wrap, wallpaper, and more. 📒 Episode Notes, Links, & Resources 📒 https://www.professionalcreative.com/blog/181 📝 Read the Transcript 📝 Connect with Bonnie: ▸ ONLINE | http://bonniechristine.com ▸ INSTAGRAM | https://instagram.com/bonniechristine ▸ START SIMPLE IN SURFACE DESIGN | FREE MINI CLASS | https://www.bonniechristine.com/startsimple ▸ FREE SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE | https://www.bonniechristine.com/guide  

I am so excited to welcome Laura Ball to The Professional Creative, everyone! Laura is an expert in media advertising who has helped clients achieve impressive results through strategic ad campaigns, and she joins me for this conversation to discuss digital advertising, specifically Meta (Facebook) ads, and how they can be leveraged as a powerful tool for creative entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Join us as Laura shares her background in marketing and communications and how she discovered Facebook advertising through a course by Amy Porterfield (whom, as some of you might recall, I have had on the show before). She explains her passion for results-driven marketing and the ability to target specific audiences, which led her to specialize in helping creative, impact-driven entrepreneurs amplify their reach. Our conversation covers various aspects of running successful ad campaigns, including the evolution of targeting on Meta platforms, the benefits of ongoing ads versus launch-focused campaigns, and the key data points to track for effective decision-making. Laura stresses the need to have a clear strategy in place before launching ads and also provides practical advice for those new to running ads, such as securing your business account, setting up proper tracking, and determining a realistic budget to start with! Laura also shares information about her coaching and ad management services for those interested in working with her directly. Tune in for some incredibly valuable insights and guidance for creative entrepreneurs looking to leverage the power of digital advertising to grow their businesses! 📒 Episode Notes, Links, & Resources 📒 https://www.professionalcreative.com/blog/180 📝 Read the Transcript 📝 Connect with Bonnie: ▸ ONLINE | http://bonniechristine.com ▸ INSTAGRAM | https://instagram.com/bonniechristine ▸ START SIMPLE IN SURFACE DESIGN | FREE MINI CLASS | https://www.bonniechristine.com/startsimple ▸ FREE SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE | https://www.bonniechristine.com/guide  

If there is one thing that you know about me, it’s that I absolutely love my favorite things! Every year, I host a Favorite Things Party where my friends and I exchange our beloved finds from the year. It’s a fun way to discover new must-haves and share what we’ve been loving, and it has really become one of my favorite holiday traditions! This year, I thought, “Why not share my personal list of favorite things with you?” I hope that you will join me as I dive into all the goodies that have made my life a little brighter and cozier - from lifestyle must-haves to a couple of game-changing business tools to some perfect gift ideas for the holidays! Whether you are looking for gift inspiration, self-care upgrades, or just want to hear about what’s made my year special, I have you covered, so join me for this fun, festive chat, and don’t forget to tell me YOUR favorite things this year! 📒 Episode Notes, Links, & Resources 📒 https://www.professionalcreative.com/blog/179 📝 Read the Transcript 📝 Connect with Bonnie: ▸ ONLINE | http://bonniechristine.com ▸ INSTAGRAM | https://instagram.com/bonniechristine ▸ START SIMPLE IN SURFACE DESIGN | FREE MINI CLASS | https://www.bonniechristine.com/startsimple ▸ FREE SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE | https://www.bonniechristine.com/guide  

It’s Bonnie Christine here, friends, and in this episode, I am bringing you an episode that just might spark a whole new creative journey for you! Imagine holding something that YOU designed - fabric, gift wrap, or wallpaper - and feeling that thrill of seeing your creativity come to life! I share all about my Start Simple mini-class series, a free, no-experience-required introduction to surface pattern design. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just curious about creative expression, these mini-classes are designed to be a fun, stress-free gateway into this vibrant world! I walk you through the essentials of creating your own patterns, from sketching and scanning found objects to tracing in Adobe Illustrator, and finally, ordering a tangible piece of your artwork. You can choose from fabric, gift wrap, or wallpaper design, and each mini-class is under an hour, making it perfect for busy schedules. Plus, I share tips for creating custom color palettes, building seamless patterns, and avoiding common mistakes when exporting files. You don’t need any fancy skills or even a background in art, just a curiosity to try something new. Also, here’s a little nudge from me: invite a friend, a family member, or your kids to join! Sharing this journey could make it even more fun. These classes are not only a chance to create something beautiful but also an invitation to play and reconnect with your creativity, so if you’re ready to dive into the world of pattern design, head over to bonniechristine.com/startsimple! I can’t wait to see what you create, and, as always, remember, there's room for you! 📒 Episode Notes, Links, & Resources 📒 https://www.professionalcreative.com/blog/178 📝 Read the Transcript 📝 Connect with Bonnie: ▸ ONLINE | http://bonniechristine.com ▸ INSTAGRAM | https://instagram.com/bonniechristine ▸ START SIMPLE IN SURFACE DESIGN | FREE MINI CLASS | https://www.bonniechristine.com/startsimple ▸ FREE SURFACE DESIGN GUIDE | https://www.bonniechristine.com/guide