Carpe Diem
Free Friday newsletter sharing the trials and tribulations of my freelance floral pattern design life and my love for painting alongside motherhood, fashion, interiors, lifestyle and books.
Hey there and welcome to my newsletter, I am so happy that you are here.
I'm Nicola, an artist and pattern designer living in Tring, Hertfordshire with my husband, three children and dog Bella.
In my pre-children life (living in London having a ball!) I worked in the fashion industry for Topshop and Warehouse which I absolutely loved. I worked as a merchandiser so was responsible for the money side of what the buying team wanted to bring into the stores. Working with the buyers and the product was so much fun and I have always had a passion for clothes, interiors and all things beautiful.
After I had children I ran my own small business selling sweatshirts and other gifts but have since moved on to retrain as a print and pattern designer. I currently create floral patterns for fashion and homeware but also paint floral art, producing prints from these original pieces too.
Creativity has always been in my veins growing up with a mum who constantly had a project on the go - stained glass, pottery, upholstery, silk scarf painting, the list goes on - all alongside running her business making curtains and then becoming a teacher. She is such an inspiration and her passion for all things creative continues to this day. Her current obsession is life drawing and I can't wait to find out what's next!
My love for all things floral started at a fairly young age too and I have my nana to thank for that - she was a keen gardener and introduced me to the magic of nature.
I strive to create the beauty I want to see in my home and day to day life. I would love others to treasure my work and for it to bring them some joy. I hope my weekly updates will share my adventures in freelance pattern design and my love for painting alongside snippets of trying to navigate the beautiful chaos of motherhood. There will also be fashion, interiors, lifestyle and book recommendations thrown in for good measure!
Carpe Diem is a free newsletter which will land in your inbox every Friday.
Carpe Diem/Seize the Day
Some of my happiest childhood memories are from when my mum and I spent 3 years living with my grandparents in Taunton, Somerset. I was lucky enough to go to an amazing primary school called Weirfield where the motto was the latin phrase “Carpe Diem”, essentially “Seize the Day”. It’s a timeless piece of wisdom that has remained with me ever since, the essence of which urges us to enthusiastically embrace all of life’s beautiful opportunities, be grateful for the everyday joy and bravely step up to the challenges. I want to make the most of the present with no regrets and not too much worrying about the future. I think motherhood has also made me recognise the fleeting nature of time and appreciate the importance of chasing your dreams. It feels really vulnerable to share my work (the good, the bad and the ugly) but I don’t want to let fear hold me back so I am here to put myself out there and seize the day - thank you for being here with me.