This blogpost focus is going to be on Tabitha’s Garden, my charity range and the one closest to my heart. I hope you enjoy learning about it!
How it all started
This range started with lot and lots of floral sketches made with pencil and then ink in my sketchbook. I drew single florals and big groups, like these ones pictured, which I then made into patterns or used as single placement pieces for cards.
This range deviates a little from my more digital style but I think the use of muted shades along with bold ones brings the designs back to my style. And of course being predominately flowers - you know it’s one of my designs!
The meaning
This range was named after my second daughter Tabitha. She was born in January 2019 and sadly died when she was just one day old. I used drawing as therapy and the drawings reminded me of the blanket she was meant to come home in so I named the pattern after her.
I created the range in order to raise money for the charities that helped us so much after she died and we pledge 50p or more from every product sold. Currently we are raising money for the amazing Oscars Wish foundation.
This range really changed my focus for the future and I no longer design for trends or what I think people expect to see from me. I now design things from the heart - especially with this range.
I launched Tabitha’s Garden - Hellebores in January 2021 in honour of her second birthday as hellebores are a flower that always blooms in January. Again, it was nice to draw and design something that actually meant something and I hope that I can continue to add to the range and add to our charity funds too.
Card focus
These cards are predominantly placement designs, featuring florals in various vessels and scattered over the card. I also added a heart motif to these as I mentioned above - it was a range full of love ♡
I created 6 in pastel shades and 6 in more bright tones of green and coral. For my hellebores range everything was in my favourite burgundy and blush tones. The hellebore range is more patterned focussed but I couldn’t resist putting some florals in welly boots and in wheelbarrows as a nod back to the first designs.
Wrap
As I mentioned earlier my drawings and then particularly my patterns, looked very much like the blanket that I was meant to bring Tabitha home in so they are always my favourite and very close to my heart. I wanted to offer some designs that weren’t floral too and these were actually the first ones I did that didn’t feature florals! Using this scattered heart motif makes the wrap very versatile and I love how the really light one contrasts with the dark. They make a nice pair but also go with the floral designs too.
The hellebores range consists of two floral patterns and I would love to do a burgundy one - maybe in the winter!
Other products
I have lots of writing sets in my shop but these are my favourites! The patterns lend themselves so well to lined envelopes and each one is so different that they always look so stunning.
A little bit about my writing sets:
The set contains 10 envelopes lined by hand using paper in my original hand drawn design with 10 sheets of writing paper that also have matching floral detail and is presented in a lovely box so makes a nice gift or keepsake for yourself.
£2 from the sale of these sets will be donated to Tabitha's Garden, raising funds that help families cope with baby loss.
Looking Forward
I’ve created some keyring designs. I like the pattern and placement nature of these dinky little keyring and think I would want the whole set! I love the Tabitha’s Garden range so much that I would love to take a piece of it everywhere I go so I would love to get some keyring into production. Which one would you choose?
How fab does the Hellebores design look on this cushion? I think the design is very suited to homeware (and actually matches the shades I have in my house perfectly!). I’m thinking cushions, tea towels, and maybe even upholstery. What do you think?…
Thanks for reading another one of my series of looking back over ranges in more depth - and also looking forward! Hope you have enjoyed it.
Christine
