I started a chat on my Patreon site the other day asking folks to introduce themselves and to share a goal they have or something they're proud of — could be anything, big or small. 

Thank you to everyone who shared in the chat. It's still open and members welcome to chime in anytime. 

I didn't share my goal in the chat and I have to admit, it feels weird to share this given the ennui I've been feeling lately. I'm sure I'm not alone. Things are heavy and it feels downright delusional to type out this next sentence — my big goal — but I believe setting intentions is energy shifting and can be a catapult.

I want to build a lifestyle brand.

I share this because art, creativity, and connection are the things that remind us who we are, what we stand for, and what’s worth fighting for. In moments when the future feels precarious, making something beautiful feels like an act of defiance. We can all choose where our focus goes and mine is going into this.

That’s part of why I’m starting this journey of building a lifestyle brand. It’s not just about creating beautiful products; it’s about creating a world that celebrates the carefully and thoughtfully made, transformation, and the belief that we can shape something better. I want to make unforgettable textiles inspired by the music, art, and places that nudge my aspirations and strike me with awe.

I also want this brand to reflect values that matter to me. One of my goals is to design products using fabric scraps and textile waste—finding new life in what might otherwise be discarded feels like a small but meaningful metaphor for renewal and resourcefulness. I want to pay respect to materials that might otherwise be thrown away.

The photos accompanying this post shows a bag I wove using wax print fabric scraps leftover from project bag orders and yarn I purchased years ago on a trip to Argentina—a piece that holds layers of memory and intention. The motif on the bag is the "African Girdle" pattern I found in the now, out-of-print "Byways in Handweaving" by Mary Meigs Atwater. For the backdrop, I used one of my original designs — a digitally printed paper collage that I made using photocopied solid colored textile waste that I had manipulated using a variety of techniques. The collage was created during my semester at Heriot-Watt in the Scottish Borders. This is the kind of work I dream of doing more—connecting the past, present, and future through thoughtful design and storytelling. And not just bags. I want to make products for home and I want to see my designs on clothing.

I won’t pretend that making things or dreaming big can fix what’s broken or cure depression or sadness or anything lofty like that. But it’s a way to keep moving forward and stay focused on a thing I can control and I need to feel like I'm in control of something right now. I know that for myself, making gives me a little bit of control.