starting not bad design co. and taking chances
in October of 2019, my brother-in-law died in a car accident at one o’clock in the morning.
You know how they say the really bad things don’t happen when you worry and prepare. It’s the surprise call at 3:00 AM. They’re right.
I don’t all the way understand why this was a turning point for me, but it was.
At that time, I was working 60 hour weeks teaching and advising. I was available to my kids night and day. I poured myself into my work all year long. but when he died, I couldn’t be that person anymore. I had to be something else, someone else. Home more, more attentive, more involved with my family.
and at some point in the process, I realized I wasn’t taking care of myself. And it wasn’t because of the accident. I had spent year after year burying myself into my career and my kids until there wasn’t anything left over for me. I don’t regret a minute of it. But I realized it was time for me to do something for me.
at first, I started writing again as a way to process what I was going through in my own grief, my own overwhelm, and my relationship with my husband while he managed his loss. Then came out the paintbrushes.
it was almost painful at first to find the time to paint or draw. as the weeks went on, it got a bit easier. I designed my sister’s wedding invitations and really dove into the process. Then, I just kept going.
The wedding invitations for my sister’s wedding
I knew pretty quickly I was feeling more myself than I had in years. the thing about giving yourself away is that it can be hard to see yourself after. But this time was critical for me to learn two things. One, I didn’t want to give up this part of myself again. And two, my years of teaching were coming to an end.
It was a few months into the pandemic when my extra free time and complete deep-dive devotion matched to birth Not Bad design co. I started with spoonflower and Etsy. I learned the things people were interested in. I was playful and experimental. I didn’t take anything too seriously.
One of my very first patterns
inspired by my sister’s wedding invites and shower
I find such joy in this work.
and now, Just one year later, I’ve managed and ordered a shipment of kitchenware of my own design. I gotta pinch me! This is just so beautiful.
If you’re reading this, I want to thank you. Thank you for being a part of my dream, of my joy. I hope you find some here as well.
