Irish Tea Garden Collection Story

In the simplest of terms, my kids are now grown and flown. Our nest will always be here and it is not exactly empty, but I have been moving through many difficult transitions leading up to the launch of my very first surface pattern design collection. I in late perimenopause and have been trying to recovery from long COVID for the past 2 years. I have weathered some major career identity shifts and work with daily pain and fatigue. But, signs of life started to emerge this January. Yes, I believe even an unexpected lay off can sometimes be a blessing. Out of work and truly confused by the events, I simply began resting, creating, and tending to myself. I went back to therapy. I reconnected with people who truly love me. I did something small everyday to nourish myself.

We had a trip to Ireland planned and, despite drastic changes in income, we decided to go anyway. This is where my collection began to take root. Ireland is a magical, beautiful place. Spring was in full bloom and putting on quite the show! The ancient, sacred places warmed my heart, as if my ancestors were whispering “keep going, you are healing”. The coral tulips, the orchid colored hyacinths, the golden daffodils, and those tiny little forget-me-nots just reminding me everywhere that menopause is an initiation, an invitation to go inside and reconnect to what matters most (for ME, not everyone else, me).

Then the experience that inspired my hero print happened. We visited the Burren Perfumery to tour the gardens and have lunch. Learning about how they hand-make their perfumes from the things they sustainably grow there was amazing. I chose a scent to take home that allows me now to travel back there in my mind anytime I apply it.

We sat in the garden cafe drinking tea and eating the best carrot cumin soup I’ve every tasted. Out of no where, this little European Robin perched on the wall right next to us and sang his little heart out for a crumb of my scone. Of course, he got it!

That moment, that garden, reminded me that I was healing. I was re-emerging through the mind-numbing fatigue, pain, and hormone shifts into a new version of myself. A version that is now prioritizing her joy, her art, and her hard-won wisdom. I hope you enjoy the beauty of Ireland as you explore this collection.