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SHOW NOTES: Eight years ago, I discovered Bonnie Christine and surface pattern design—and it changed everything. Today I'm inviting you to join Bonnie's free Print & Pattern Revival workshop (Feb 11-16) where she'll teach you how to create seamless repeating patterns and understand how the surface design industry really works. No experience needed—just a pencil and paper. This workshop is perfect whether you've grabbed my surface pattern design ebook or my Doodles workbook and want to go deeper, or you're completely new to pattern design. Learn from the GOAT herself! 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: My discovery story: finding Bonnie 8 years ago Why I call Bonnie Christine the GOAT in surface pattern design education What makes this free workshop different (video lessons + live sessions) The workshop schedule and what you'll learn each day How to register (it's completely free and you can sign up HERE. Links & Resources: Register for Print & Pattern Revival (FREE workshop Feb 11-16): From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook ($10) The Doodles Digest Newsletter (free) Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website: https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art This episode mentions Bonnie Christine's Immersion course. Anne is an affiliate partner, which means she may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you choose to enroll through her link.

Episode Description: Seventeen browser tabs open. Three YouTube tutorials playing at once. Four courses in your cart. And yet... you still haven't finished that one pattern you started three weeks ago. Sound familiar? In this episode, Anne shares why her Creative Business Mastermind is spending an entire quarter studying The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan—and how this one book is changing the way her students approach their creative businesses. If you've been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or stuck in busy-ness instead of progress, this episode is your permission to go small so you can finally win big. In This Episode, You'll Discover: The Domino Effect: One small domino can eventually topple a domino 50x its size Going Small to Win Big: Success comes from doing small things with extraordinary focus The Multitasking Myth: Multitasking is a distraction dressed up as productivity Time Blocking: The most successful people don't just think about priorities—they schedule them Success Leaves Clues: Follow the proven path instead of reinventing the wheel   Action Step for This Week: Write the Focusing Question on a sticky note and put it on your computer monitor: "What's the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?" Then identify your ONE THING for the rest of February and time-block it on your calendar. Resources Mentioned: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook ($10) The Doodles Digest Newsletter (free) Connect With Anne: Website: annelafolletteart.com Instagram: @annelafolletteart Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Episode Description What if you discovered a creative career path that lets you see your designs on fabric, wrapping paper, and products worldwide? Listen to how I accidentally discovered surface pattern design in 2018 and how it transformed from a curiosity into a six-figure business. Whether you're exploring a creative second chapter or looking for a way to turn your artistic side into income, this episode reveals one of the best-kept secrets in the creative world. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: How I made my first repeating pattern What surface pattern design actually is and a bit of inspiring history The many ways you can use pattern design: fabric, wrapping paper, stationery, home decor and more Links & Resources: FREE EBOOK: "How to Craft a Career in Surface Pattern Design" Carla Sonheim's online classes Teachers mentioned: Bonnie Christine, Elizabeth Olwen, Dylan Mierzwinski Historical designers: William Morris, Marimekko Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art  

EPISODE DESCRIPTION Feeling like you didn't make enough progress last year? Struggling with January's "fresh start" energy when you're just plain tired? This episode is for you. I'm sharing the story of Janet Hild, a textile designer and Creative Business Mastermind member who accomplished three major business milestones in 2025—while raising three kids, teaching at the master's level, and working part-time jobs. Her story will help you reframe what progress actually looks like and recognize the wins you might be overlooking in your own creative journey. What You'll Learn: Why we're measuring progress all wrong (and what to measure instead) How Janet went from "exploring what's next" to making progress across multiple fronts Why playing the long game beats chasing viral moments Links & Resources: Janet Hild's Work: Ink + Sun website: https://www.inkandsun.com/ Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE for details. Ready to expand your creative business? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where I share my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Join my email list and get my weekly Doodles Digest Newsletter.

Show Notes: January often comes with pressure to feel motivated, organized, and ready to charge ahead. But what if that’s not the season you’re in? In this episode, I’m sharing a more honest start to the year. I talk about entering my eighth year of business, navigating caregiving and health challenges, and noticing what happens when energy feels low instead of abundant. Rather than pushing through exhaustion, this episode explores what it looks like to listen — to your body, your life, and the season you’re in — and how adjusting doesn’t mean quitting. Sometimes, it’s exactly how new ideas and new paths begin to emerge. If you’ve been feeling behind, unmotivated, or unsure how to start this year, this conversation is for you. What You'll Learn: Why feeling tired or unmotivated doesn’t mean you’re failing The bigger questions many entrepreneurs quietly ask (and why they’re normal) How listening to your energy can lead to more sustainable creativity Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE for details. Ready to expand your creative business? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where I share my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Join my email list and get my weekly Doodles Digest Newsletter.

Show Notes Start messy! I want you to think about your first pattern like your first pancake. You know how the first pancake is always wonky? Too thick, too thin, weird shape, probably stuck to the pan? But you don't stop making breakfast. You adjust the heat, perfect your pour, and by the third pancake, you're flipping like a pro. Your first pattern is just information gathering. It tells you: What tools feel comfortable Which design elements you're drawn to Where you need more practice What comes naturally to you Every "mistake" is actually data that moves you closer to your unique style. In This Episode, You'll Discover: Why successful pattern designers hide hundreds of "learning patterns" The myth that's keeping women over 50 from starting their pattern journey Why "messy action beats perfect inaction" every time Key Takeaways: Your first pattern is information gathering, not your masterpiece You only need to learn 5% of Illustrator to create beautiful patterns Starting messy helps you discover your unique style faster Every successful designer started with messy first attempts Memorable Quotes:  "Your first pattern is like your first pancake – it's supposed to be wonky." "You're not too old, too late, or too anything. You're exactly where you need to be." "The magic isn't in that first flower being perfect. The magic is in starting." Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spots are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Show Notes Ready for an embarrassing story that relates to my birthday? How about demanding to celebrate my birthday on my Saint's Day in July (because December 30th felt lost between holidays). What You'll Learn Why the shame we carry about our younger selves (wanting "too much," starting "too late") is actually evidence of someone who knew their worth and deserves forgiveness The permission slips every creative needs for 2026: to take up space, to start at any age, to be imperfect, and to believe your voice matters even if "it's all been done before" How December 30th birthdays – and all "in-between" moments – are actually perfect for creatives because creativity itself lives in the space between dreaming and doing  Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE and get $500 off at checkout. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Show Notes It’s two days before Christmas. Let’s celebrate and talk about Pantone's perfectly timed announcement of Cloud Dancer as the 2026 Color of the Year. You may thinking, it’s just… WHITE! But I explore why this softest shade of white represents exactly what we need right now – not empty space, but possibility space. Space for space which we all need.  What You'll Learn Why Pantone's choice of white (Cloud Dancer) after years of bold colors signals our collective craving for peace, and how this connects to the natural whites of the holiday season How white space in design is never empty but full of possibility – it's the pause that makes patterns sing and the breath between notes that turns sound into music Practical ways to create your own Cloud Dancer sanctuary during the holidays, plus a special downloadable wallpaper gift for your phone and desktop Download the free phone wallpaper HERE.   Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE and get $500 off at checkout. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Show Notes Publishing this podcast on a Sunday perfectly captures the challenge: As entrepreneurs, we work a lot! Entrepreneurial exhaustion is real and sometimes it's actually harder to rest as a creative business owner because there is always something to do. In this episode, I share how my walks transformed from restoration time into mobile strategy sessions with AI, and why I had to learn the hard way that creativity without rest leads to creative bankruptcy. What You'll Learn The paradox of creative freedom: why entrepreneurial exhaustion is sneakier than corporate burnout because it comes dressed as passion and never has clear boundaries The science of creative breakthroughs: why your best ideas come in the shower (not at your desk) and how constant productivity actually blocks the connections your brain needs to make Practical "permission slips" and strategies for people who can't stop working, including artificial boundaries, no-work zones, and why rest needs to be scheduled like launches  Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE and get $500 off at checkout. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Show Notes. After learning the hard way during a disastrous Paris trip where I was stuck on late-night Zoom calls instead of enjoying family dinners, let’s dive into my favorite way to plan for the year ahead. I’ll share why starting with life first and building business goals second actually leads to greater success, not less. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: The backwards planning method that flips traditional goal-setting on its head – why blocking family trips, personal health, and creative restoration time FIRST actually increases your business success Why limiting yourself to just three major goals for the entire year (instead of twenty) leads to more profit and satisfaction, plus exactly how to choose which three How to identify your natural "business seasons" based on your energy patterns from your 2025 review, and why working with these rhythms instead of against them changes everything Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE and get $500 off at checkout. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/ Facebook: Anne LaFollette Art

Show Notes. In this episode, I share my 8-year journey of learning how to effectively review and plan for business growth. I’ll reveal why skipping your year-end review is the biggest mistake you can make, even when your tracking wasn't perfect, and I’ll share my game-changing Post-it note system that makes both reviewing and planning visual, flexible, and actually doable. 🔑 In This Episode You’ll Learn: The simple Post-it note and wall calendar system that revolutionized how I track my business (and why it's superior to any digital tool for creative entrepreneurs) How to conduct a meaningful year-end review even if you barely tracked anything this year using the 5-step framework that mines gold from imperfect data Why identifying your "hidden wins" and conducting an energy audit alongside your financial review will transform how you plan for 2026 Next Steps: Get started for just $10 with the From Doodles to Dollars® Workbook. Expand your surface pattern design skills in The Pattern Design Academy Self Study Program. Click HERE and get $500 off at checkout. Ready to expand your business online? Explore The Creative Business Mastermind where you’ll learn my proven framework for building a successful and wildly profitable creative business online. By application only. Spot are limited. Click HERE for details and to apply. Let’s Connect! Instagram: @annelafolletteart Website:https://www.annelafolletteart.com/

Show Notes: In this Thanksgiving week episode, I share the story of how my mother and I used to alternate hosting family holidays, and what I learned from her warm and inviting approach to hospitality. My mother was a fabulous hostess who had an incredible gift for making people feel completely at ease, using formal elegance that somehow felt completely welcoming. She was always my biggest cheerleader and supported the exploration of my own unique perspective. What You'll Learn How learning from teachers whose styles differ from yours expands rather than limits your creative development and range of possibilities Why the most influential teachers often challenge your assumptions and introduce approaches you wouldn't have discovered on your own How authentic style emerges from absorbing principles while expressing them in your own voice rather than copying approaches exactly The difference between generous teaching that provides foundation without constraining possibility versus instruction that limits expression Why your creative voice is part of an ongoing conversation between learning and teaching, tradition and innovation  Three Ways to Work with Me If you're ready to take your creative confidence to the next level, there are three ways I can support your journey: To get started in surface pattern design: Grab a copy of my From Doodles to Dollars® workbook. This is a downloadable PDF with the step by step instructions for how to turn a doodle or sketch into a repeating pattern. You’ll create your very first repeating pattern and gain the foundation skills to begin expressing your artistic voice in a new, exciting way. If you've already made repeating patterns in Adobe Illustrator and you want to up-level your skills: Join the self-study version of my Pattern Design Academy® program. You get the complete program, with lifetime access and $500 off the regular price of $1,997. Click HERE for details. If you run a successful creative business and you want guidance on how to expand online: Apply for my Creative Business Mastermind. This program is limited to 20 students and is designed to help you scale and achieve greater profitability using my proven 6-part framework. Your creative voice is valuable. Your artistic perspective matters. The world needs what you have to offer.

Show Notes In this episode, I share my personal journey from corporate employee to creative entrepreneur, and the overwhelming feeling of facing a dream that seemed impossibly large compared to my starting point. After 30 years of following someone else's strategic vision, I found myself wantin to create something completely from scratch, and I had no idea where to begin. I explore the crucial question that changed everything for me – what am I actually seeking underneath this dream? – and how clarifying whether you want a creative hobby or creative business helps guide every decision you make moving forward. What You'll Learn The fundamental question that should guide every creative decision: Are you seeking a fulfilling hobby or building a sustainable business? Why the myth of the perfect starting point keeps you stuck and how to take action from exactly where you are now How to break down overwhelming creative dreams into strategic, manageable steps that build on each other over time Why baby steps create momentum that eventually leads to transformation that feels miraculous when you look back The power of starting with one clear goal instead of trying to pursue multiple directions simultaneously Three Ways to Work with Me If you're ready to take your creative confidence to the next level, there are three ways I can support your journey: To get started in surface pattern design: Grab a copy of my From Doodles to Dollars® workbook. This is a downloadable PDF with the step by step instructions for how to turn a doodle or sketch into a repeating pattern. You’ll create your very first repeating pattern and gain the foundation skills to begin expressing your artistic voice in a new, exciting way. If you've already made repeating patterns in Adobe Illustrator and you want to up-level your skills: Join the self-study version of my Pattern Design Academy® program. You get the complete program, with lifetime access and $500 off the regular price of $1,997. Click HERE for details. If you run a successful creative business and you want guidance on how to expand online: Apply for my Creative Business Mastermind. This program is limited to 20 students and is designed to help you scale and achieve greater profitability using my proven 6-part framework. Your creative voice is valuable. Your artistic perspective matters. The world needs what you have to offer.

Show Notes: In this episode, I share my journey from corporate job loss and creative isolation to discovering the transformative power of a creative community through a local co-working space. I explore why the myth of the solitary artist is actually harmful to working creatives and how an authentic community provides perspective, solutions, and accountability that you simply cannot achieve alone. As we approach 2026, I discuss the importance of both online communities and in-person connection, address the current "trust recession", and explain how a community can support you when you’re feeling lost or isolated. What You'll Learn: Why the myth of the solitary creative artist works against the conditions that foster sustainable creative practice How creative community provides specific advantages including perspective on your work, solutions to technical challenges, and normalized creative struggles The "trust recession" in creative education and what to look for in authentic communities that prioritize relationship building over content delivery Why the most robust creative communities embrace both online consistency and periodic in-person intensive experiences How to find the right type of creative community for your current stage of creative development and business goals Resources Mentioned: If you're ready to explore what's possible when you combine your creativity with strategic business thinking, I'd love to support your journey. My Creative Business Mastermind is designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs who are ready to build sustainable, profitable businesses without losing the joy in their creative practice. Apply today!  

Show Notes: In this episode, I explore how planning your Thanksgiving tablescape is actually a comprehensive creative exercise that showcases every artistic talent you possess. I share why November's natural rhythm of harvest and gathering creates the perfect environment for artistic reflection, and how this season invites us to pause, give thanks for our creative gifts, and gently prepare for what wants to emerge in 2026. From practical tips about revisiting existing patterns with fresh seasonal eyes to permission for creative rest during the holidays, this episode celebrates the cyclical nature of creative practice. What You'll Learn: How Thanksgiving tablescape planning engages every creative skill you use in your art practice including color theory, texture, and composition Why November's seasonal rhythm naturally supports the kind of reflection that fuels artistic growth and development A practical approach to revisiting your existing patterns and designs with fresh, seasonal perspective for holiday opportunities How to give yourself permission for creative rest during the holiday season as part of sustainable creative practice Why planting gentle seeds for 2026 goals now creates natural momentum without pressure or rigid planning Resources Mentioned Creative Business Mastermind Spoonflower