How I Fell in Love with Surface Design—and Why It Might Be the Creative Outlet You’ve Been Craving Too

From Doodles to Direction: How I Discovered Surface Design (and Why It Might Be for You Too)

I didn’t set out to become a surface designer. I didn’t even know what that meant.

I was just playing. Drawing little seamless patterns on my iPad during nap times because they made me feel alive again. I remember thinking:
“This is so fun—it’s too bad I can’t use these for anything.”

Sound familiar?

Maybe you’ve opened your iPad or sketchbook lately with a quiet ache to create—but felt too blocked, too behind, too unsure of where to begin.
This post is for you.

Let me show you the real, messy way I stumbled into surface pattern design—and how you might, too.

Joy Comes Before Definition

You don’t need a plan to begin—just a spark.

My patterns came before the name.
I was making seamless patterns before I even knew what surface design was. That quiet joy? It was real. It mattered—even when I didn’t know what it would lead to.

The Powerpuff Girls brought me back to life.
One day I drew fan art of the Powerpuff Girls. Not for Instagram. Not for perfection. Just because it made my inner child happy. I was always “Bubbles”—my favorite color was blue. That piece? It reconnected me to something I’d forgotten: art doesn’t have to perform. It just has to make you feel.

Even if it’s imperfect, your creative voice deserves space. Even doodles count.

Motherhood Can Feed Creativity

You don’t have to choose between being a mom and being an artist.

My son ended my art block.
I thought becoming a mom would take creativity away. Instead, it expanded it. He opened my eyes to wonder again—rocks, tree textures, flower petals. That’s how I built my first nature-inspired collection.

Other moms gave me rhythm.
Watching other creative moms share how they worked in small windows—during naps, in car rides, late at night—helped me stop waiting for a perfect schedule. I started showing up in the cracks.

Some days are for art. Some are for snuggles. Both are part of your creative life.

You’re Not Behind—You’re Right on Time

You already have what it takes to begin.

You don’t need credentials.
I didn’t have a plan when I made my first seamless repeat—I just knew it felt right. I remember thinking, I wish this could be a job. I had no idea surface design was even a thing.

It all starts with one step.
Whether that’s opening your iPad or drawing a doodle with your kid’s crayon—your first step matters. That’s all surface design needs: one spark of curiosity. Everything else builds from there.

There’s no such thing as “too late” to create. You’re not behind. You’re just beginning.

✨ Ready to Take Your First Step?

If you’ve been feeling that creative nudge—even softly—this is your permission to follow it.

I created a free Seamless Pattern Starter Course just for moms like us. It’s not about hustling or building a shop overnight. It’s about reclaiming your creativity in the time you have.

Inside, you’ll:

✔️ Create your first repeat pattern
✔️ Use my favorite Procreate shortcuts
✔️ Learn gently—at your pace, in your season
✔️ Feel like a creative again, even in 20-minute windows

Your first canvas could be your own little window of freedom.

👉 [Join the free course here] and let’s draw something just for you.
Because even play counts.
Because you’re not behind.
Because your creativity is still yours—and it’s ready when you are.