freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: December

A year ago I was brainstorming my 2013 Designer Calendar project, and now it is coming to its end (don't worry... I'm already brainstorming next year's :D ). The last designer of this year's wonderful freebies is Esther Cox. She's English and she works from her own magical kiosk. Her work is playful and colourful... just the best way to keep track of all of the events of the joyful season.

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About Esther:

"I am an illustrator and pattern maker. Mostly, I just love to draw, and I'm ecstatic when someone wants to pay me for doing that. If I ever manage to make a proper living from it I will probably expire from sheer joy."

Her quirky detail:

"I dare say there are too many to mention. My job is to roam in a daydream. To exploit my imagination. It all seems normal to me."

Her favourite Designer:

"I'm a bit of a magpie so choosing a favourite is tricky. I'm inspired by so much art, photography and graphics. More so than surface pattern design. I would say Robert Stewart and Stig Lindberg. They demonstrated their talents in so many fields. I find their inquisitive, thoughtful approach and the playful lines of their work just beautiful. I aspire to that."

You can download December here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Esther's website to keep up to date with her great work. 

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: November

I can't believe October is already over. It hasn't been a great month for me and my family, but we are doing our best to keep going so we can honour my dad's infinite love for life. I know all he wants is for us to be  happy, keep dreaming, fighting for our goals and live great lives in his name :)

Here is November's fun and quirky calendar (wow... just 2 more months till the end of the year o.O): I just love its movember style. It was designed by Tina Devins the happy Irish designer behind Dreaming on A Star who happily agreed to be part of my 2013 Designer Calendar project when I asked her. Thank you Tina :)

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About Tina:

Tina Devins is a surface pattern designer & illustrator from Ireland. Dreaming on A Star was created because she lives in her own little dreamworld but dreams big dreams! 

She creates cute characters and quirky doodles, all hand-drawn in a graphic style. She specialises in Stationery, Textiles and the Children’s market. She is inspired by Japanese kawaii, nature and fairytales. 

She’s a licensed designer with KekaCase, who create fabulous covers for smart devices, and her work will be published in an upcoming book on New Surface Pattern Design by Zeixs.

Her quirky detail:

"I'm a proud owner of a golden ticket and own several copies of the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory!"

Her favourite Designer:

"I have two favourite designers but one is a painter! 

I love Joan Miró. I love his graphics, bold colours, his childlike shapes, his sense of wonder, his poetry. His paintings are joyful and thought-provoking. 

I also greatly admire Helen Dardik. I love her stylizing, her icons and her playfulness."

You can download November here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Tina's website to keep up to date with her great work. 

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: October

Fall officially started a week ago, but it was still warm and sunny in Milan so it didn't feel that way at all. This week looks like it really has arrived with its foggy sky and unpredictable rain. Not a problem though, you know why? Because Jookiku's fun, quirky and colourful October calendar is here to lift us up! Won't your day just get better once you write on this beauty? Sure mine will! It just makes me smile :)  

Julianne Hall (the fab designer behind Jookiku) is an happy Aussie with an adorable little boy. I loooove Julianne's work: it is so whimsical and imaginative. She is really great in creating magical and adorable characters and worlds, and I couldn't be happier to have her as part of my 2013 Designer Calendar!

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About Julianne:

Julianne Hall is an illustrator/surface pattern designer whose brand goes under the name of Jookiku; a name not meaning anything in particular, but is inspired by the quirkiness of Japanese design and embodies the flavour of her whimsical characters and brightly coloured patterns.

Julianne completed a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) at the University of Technology Sydney. She worked as a textile designer/graphic designer for companies in Sydney, New York and London. Now based back in Australia she is concentrating on her first love: surface pattern design, through her world of Jookiku: brightly coloured patterns filled with winged creatures, kooky castles and quirky animals.

The patterns and illustrations of Jookiku are inspired by children's books (old and new), Japanese design, vintage 'discoveries' such as packaging, clothing and ornaments. Julianne also says that a lot of the time, her little creatures just appear on the page, without too much thought..."these are my most favourite and have the most personality!" she says.

Julianne's passion is designing for textiles and homewares - especially for the children's market. She has signed a new licensing deal with the American based company KekaCase (who produces iphone/kindle and iphone cases) and is looking forward to launching her first range under the Jookiku label towards the end of the year.

Her quirky detail:

"I am obsessed with the colour pink! It makes me really happy. I have splashes of it inside my home everywhere: a cuckoo clock, cat lights, shoes, clothes and even a pink mix-master in the kitchen!"

Her favourite Designer:

"I have 2 favourites: Florence Broadhurst and Lucienne Day.

Florence Broadhurst's work inspired me to want to be a surface pattern designer. When I discovered her and her beautiful patterns, something in me woke up! I am also fascinated by her life story - extremely colourful on so many levels.

I also love Lucienne Day's work for the retro style of it. The gorgeous colours, shapes and linework of her patterns were created in the 1950s/60s, but they are timeless, you would think they were created yesterday!"

You can download October here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Julianne's portfolio and blog to keep up to date with her amazing work. 

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: September

Hello everyone!!!

I've been a little naughty blogger and haven't blogged much this summer, but it is all going back to normal now that summer is about to end. We have 3 more weeks to enjoy and celebrate it, so why not do it with this funky floral design by Mary Tanana? Mary is the designer behind Groovity… her work is very detailed and with a folky vibe. I really like her organic lines and was more than happy to have her on board with my 2013 Designer Calendar project.

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About Mary:

Mary Tanana is a designer who is inspired by many things; art, photography, gardening, landscapes and nature. She approaches her work with a boho, edgy flair. Mary has had a life-long love affair with anything patterned, and after a long and successful career as an award winning jewelry designer, she has once again embraced her first love of surface pattern design. Her style is defined by very intricate pattern work.

She loves to sketch in a variety of mediums, and often refers to her many sketchbooks, both old and new, for inspiration. She is fascinated with henna designs from India, folk art from the Ukraine, Russia and Poland, and loves Zentangle art. She has traveled extensively, and takes a lot of photographs wherever she goes. Mary tries to translate textures that she sees in landscapes, nature, or architecture into something fresh, eye-catching, and colorful.

Her quirky detail: 

"This one comes from when I was a child. Age 3 or 4. I would make my mother take me to the bathroom when we were out shopping, but only to see the tile on the floor and walls, the wallpaper, what colors were used. Really. I drove her crazy doing this! I bet I had her quite worried, but now I look back, I guess I was born to be a designer. Someone still brings this up at the dinner table at family gatherings from time to time."

Her favourite Designer: 

"Kaffe Fasset is my absolute fave! His colors are just the yummiest! I love his organic shapes as well. I love complex designs, and I really admire how both Jenean Morrison and Josephine Kimberling put so much into a pattern and make it all work, make it saleable, and pleasing to the eye. That's really a challenge to do! I also love Jessica Swift's free spirit style and design sense."

You can download September here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Mary's portfolio to see more of her groovy designs.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: August

Hello everyone (from Milan again)!
I'm so sorry I'm coming late with the monthly calendar, but I had some tech problems. Actually, I kind of messed up. I had scheduled it to be published last Monday and didn't really check if it had because I was busy doing last-thing stuff before my flight on Wednesday and saying goodbye to friends and family. Special sorry to Kathryn (the fab designer) for my mistake. She was the one to notice the calendar wasn't posted yet, so I went to check why and discovered I never clicked the publish button (it was still a draft) - dumb MaJo! Sorry, sorry, sorry!

I hope I'm not to late 'cause this month is pretty special to me :) August is not only the month of my birthday, but also that of my mom, 2 of my aunts and 2 of my very best friends! Kathryn Pledger, an Australian designer based in the UK created this gorgeous calendar especially for you all (and I kind of feel it was designed especially for me too, hehehehe… I really love it!) So… let's not wait any longer, and download August 2013 Designer Calendar now :D

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About Kathryn:

Kathryn Pledger is a trained graphic designer who creates digital and online artwork for industry, local government, international standards bodies and bespoke freelance commissions. 

She has a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication from the University of South Australia. Kathryn has worked on many leading international household brands, designing identities, point of sale displays, exhibitions, print collateral and online resources. She has also worked with industry leading blue chip companies on their corporate responsibility reports and materials. 

Born and raised in rural Australia, her career has taken her from Sydney to Ireland and the UK where she’s recently been able to focus her love of colour and texture into surface pattern design. Her work is strongly influenced by her years of travelling and her love of hand drawn elements, typography and photography. 

Kathryn runs her own successful freelance graphic design business, which has enabled her to move closer to her true passion of surface design. 

She is currently working on new collections for KathKath Studios, her new collaboration with textile artist Kathy Schicker. 

Kathryn has a number of her surface pattern designs licensed with companies including Artscase, Keka and KESSinhouse. She will also have designs published in the upcoming PatternBase book. 

Kathryn Lives and works in London, UK.

Her quirky detail:

"I have been known to purchase clothes purely based on pattern and colour regardless of fit!"

Her favourite Designer:

Florence Broadhurst; Australian; came to surface pattern design late in life and was a massive success, bold and fearless in design and life, a real entrepreneur.

You can download August here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Kathryn's portfolio to see more of her amazing designs.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: July

Before I start, I'd like to say sorry if I'm again, not respecting my editorial calendar. I've had some personal stuff to deal with lately and haven't been able to do so. I hope to go back on track soon :P

Now, June is almost over and Summer has officially begun a few days ago! What better way to keep track of all your Summer activities than on this fun and fresh design created by the great Dawn Clarkson? I met Dawn through Spoonflower and then discovered she was actually a British living in Italy (Turin). She is also the person that first told me about The Art and Business of Surface Pattern and I'll always be grateful to her for that ;) Dawn is a wonderful designer, full of energy, and has also demonstrated to be a good friend (even if we hadn't had the pleasure to meet yet -but I hope we'll have it soon!) and that's why I was happy to invite her to my 2013 Designer Calendar project :D

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About Dawn:

Dawn Clarkson is originally from the UK but has decided to make her home in the north of Italy. She adores her adopted home of Turin, which like most Italian cities is steeped in history and culture. Dawn is also inspired by nature, especially by her garden and the outdoors in general. Totally in love with the mountains she spends a lot of time in the Italian alps which are close to her home. 

After working successfully for over twenty years as a Graphic Designer she is now doing what she loves most, creating patterns. Her style is bold and colourful, Dawn loves to experiment and use texture in her work. It is quite easy to find a collage or two mixed in with her sketches and patterns! Her dream is to license more of her work and continue to create patterns for a living.

Her quirky detail: 

"I am a collecter (hoarder) of anything and everything to do with paper, fabric, and small items such as boxes and the like. The strangest objects I collect are fruit boxes because I love the imperfect typography and illustrations to be found on them. So I have piles of wood in my collections too! You never know when these items will come in handy for inspiration… my latest project revolves around using some paper which I have had for 15 years!"

Her favourite Designer:

"It is so difficult to chose one of the many designers I love and admire. I have always enjoyed Brie Harrison's work, it is so colourful and distinctive. She has her own personal style which is constant throughout her work (a thing I aspire to at the moment!) I love her colour palettes which are always bold even when she is designing delicate flowers and prints. I think this is what draws me most to her work and helps to create her strong signature style."

You can download July here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Dawn's beautiful blog, like her facebook page and follow her on twitter, and if you want to be delighted by more of her amazing designs, click here.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: June

We are officially a day away from June and I still feel like it was yesterday I was contacting the designers to ask them if they wanted to participate in my 2013 Designer Calendar project. This month's fresh and summery design was created by Jennie Whitman, the designer behind JLWIllustration. Hurry! Print it out now and start writing your to-dos on this beautiful calendar. 

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About Jennie:

Jennie Whitham is the name and face behind JLWIllustration. With a 2.1 Degree in Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design from Leeds College of Art in 2010, Jennie has spent several years working on her portfolio collections. Jennie has recently Graduated from The Art and Business of Surface Pattern course, created by Beth Nicholls and Rachael Taylor. The course has allowed Jennie to expand her portfolio as well as push the boundaries of Surface Pattern, and allowed her further develop her CAD skills. 

With a passion for geometric shapes and florals, Jennie often combines the two, with bright and inviting colours to create designs that will (hopefully) make you smile. Jennie has work to be published in a Surface Pattern book, entitled, PatternBase, based around the popular blog with the same name. The book is due for release in 2013. Jennie is currently looking for Freelance and Licensing opportunities, to work around her family lifestyle.

Her quirky detail:

"I began my Degree at Leeds art with a 6 month old Daughter, and graduated 4 years later with 3 children by my side."

Her favourite Designer: 

"I've never hidden the fact that Rachael Taylor is an inspiration to me. I remember being at University and being in awe of her success. I think living in the same city is a big factor, and I would LOVE to meet with her one day."

You can download June here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Jennie's blog/portfolio, like her facebook page and follow her on twitter. You can also buy her products on her Etsy and Bespo shops.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: May

Oh my God!!! This year is flying!!! We are a week away from May: a meaningful month for me because we celebrate Mother's Day (at least in Colombia and Italy and I think in other places too). Funnily, Rebecca Greenwood (the talented designer behind Littletree Designs and this month's calendar), created it thinking of her Mom because her birthday is in May. How romantic and festive is her design? Perfect for a special Mom… so don't wait long and print it and give it too yours so she can write her to-dos on a beautiful calendar. 

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About Rebecca: 

"Hello, I'm Rebecca, the designer and illustrator behind Littletree Designs.

Throughout my life I have always wanted a career in the creative industries - Interior Designer, Stylist, Furniture Designer - but my love of colour and pattern won over them all.

I am originally from Essex in the rainy UK. I studied Printed Textile Design at De Montfort University in the city of Leicester, from which I graduated in 2007. More recently I completed Modules 1-3 of the e-course 'The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design' run by the talented designer Rachael Taylor and Beth Nichols.

Being a designer comes naturally to me, I see shapes and pattern all around me – I often ‘think’ in pattern! My style in three words would be Graphic and Colourful with a Retro influence. I design with the end use in mind being for mainly stationary, fabric, kids, cards and giftwrap and homewares.

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In the future I would love to see my designs in stores such as Paperchase, M&S, Heals etc. And maybe one day have my own range of stationary or homewares."

Her quirky detail: 

"Hmm...a quirky detail about myself...I love to cook/bake, I am ADDICTED to cookery shows and I own far too many cookbooks!"

Her favourite Designer:

"That is a tough question! My favourite surface designer would have to be Caroline Gardener. I just love her cards and gift wrap."

You can download May here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Rebecca's portfolio to see more of her lovely work and her blog to soak on inspiration. 

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: April

It's still freezing in Milan, and I'm about to order Nature to let Spring play free and delight us with its warmer temperatures and pretty flowers. In the meanwhile, let's warm our senses with April's gorgeous Designer Calendar freebie designed by the great Onneke. 

Onneke is one of my favourite designers… I just love the simplicity and playfulness of her work! Her motifs are memorable, modern and whimsical, and are always able to make me smile :)

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About Onneke:

"My name is Onneke and I am a surface pattern designer and illustrator. I'm Dutch but have lived in the UK for the last 10 years. I make illustrations, patterns, personalised prints (like family trees, birth and wedding prints) and I also design cross stitch kits.

I have always believed that it's the small things that make us happy. Like letters in airmail envelopes with stamps from far away places. Cups of jasmine tea. Old books and vintage wallpapers. The sound of an old typewriter and the smell of ink. I love simple strong images that become like symbols and I love birds, and trees, and my little home sweet home. I have two beautiful children who inspire me with their brilliant ideas and always remind me of what is really important. When I'm not in the studio you can find me on the beach, out in the fields, or at my messy table with my sketchbook or a little cross stitch project."

Her quirky detail:

"I have two lovely cats who always join me in my studio. One likes to sit as close to my computer as he can get and is known as the Supervisor."

Her favourite Designer:

"My favourite surface pattern designer and illustrator is the amazing Ingela Arrhenius from Sweden. I'm also a big fan of the work of Lotta Jansdotter."

You can download April here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and remember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Onneke's portfolio to see more of her lovely work.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: March

Good morning y'all!

Time for March's freebie, are you ready?

This month's Designer Calendar freebie was designed by the very talented and sweet Simi Gauba. Simi was the lucky Print & Pattern winner of the ABSPD scholarship last year, and of course... there's where we met. Her work is very interesting in so many ways, and I think part of that is thanks to her Indian heritage and her present life in Sweden. Read a little bit more about her below... in the mean while, start falling in love with her work with her gorgeous calendar especially made for you to beautifully organise your time. 

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About Simi:

"I'm a textile and product and pattern designer who loves design and colors! I have worked as a designer for the past 14 years and it is in 2012 that my label SimiDesign was born. My patterns express me in a lot many ways- vibrant, energetic and alive. I love telling stories with my designs. My style..hmm a mix of loose strokes..definition, fun...strict, geometric...organic..Yes I like to play with opposites and just cant constrict myself to any defined boundaries of style."

Her quirky detail:

"I start my day with a biigg cup of coffee... No coffee... well then there is no starting the day... nope, I'm serious... Coffee Rules!"

Her favorite Designer: 

Marrimeko and Hanna Werning

You can download March here or clicking on the download link below the image above, and rember, it can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in). Don't forget to visit Simi's blog to see more of her lovely work.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar :: February

Hi Everyone!

Is that time again… time to release next month's Designer Calendar freebie for you to organise your time with beauty. The point of inviting my fellow ABSPD classmates to create the awesome 2013 Designer Calendar with me was to showcase their work and allow you to get to know them a bit better. To do so, I've asked them for a mini bio, a quirky personal detail and their favourite surface pattern designer.

February was designed by Tiffany Designs, a British designer whose Black Night nail-art design I featured on a Mani Sunday last year. Read her bio below and discover more about this great designer.

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About Tiffany Designs:

"I have an Art School background and have recently undertaken all three modules of a ground breaking surface pattern design course run by surface pattern designer Rachael Taylor and Beth Nicholls.

My work has been chose to be featured in the new kickstarter funded book Patternbase which will bi published in 2013. My work has been featured on many online blogs such as on Print & Pattern (#1 / #2), La Pâtisserie des Idées, Do What You Love and on Rachael Taylor's blog.

My designs can be applied to stationary, greeting cards, bedding, home wares, etc. In 2014 I hope to have my work licensed and to receive commissions."

Her favorite Designer:

Tiffany's favorite SPD designer is Caroline Gardner, one of UK's most "respected independent greeting card and stationery designers", and her quirky detail is she doesn't like being called by her real name but by her artistic name (Tiffany Designs) in the Design industry.

You can download February here or clicking on the download link below the image above. Don't forget to visit her blog to see more of her lovely work and to contact her at tiffanydesigns53@gmail.com for any further info you may want.

freebies // The 2013 Designer Calendar

Happy New Year everyone!!!

As promised yesterday, I've got a nice gift for you that will last all year long {giggles}. Continue reading to unwrap it :)

Back on early December, Jacqueline Auvigne, a fellow designer and ABSPD friend, showcased calendars created by some of our other classmates. It was then that it all came to me: ask 11 designers to create with me a downloadable 2013 calendar to share with you all and to make every month happier, prettier and funner. Our 2013 Designer Calendar project was born.

Choosing which of my many fellow designers to invite to the project was hard… they are ALL great designers and I admire their work, so my only choice was to start making a list and ask the first 11 that came to my mind. All 11 of them were very eager and happy to participate in spite of the short notice.

Each of us got a month, the same colour palette (Pantone's 2013 Spring colours), and layout (horizontal). We were all then, free to design. As a result, we ended up with an eclectic calendar that reveals our own personal styles and backgrounds as designers. 

1 - 2

3 - 4 

5 - 6

7 - 8

9 - 10

11 - 12

1- MaJoBV 2- Tiffany Designs 3- Simi Gauba 4- Onneke 5- Little Tree Designs 6- JWL Illustration 

7- Dawn Clarkson 8- Kathryn Pledger Designs 9- Groovity Designs 10- Jookiku 11- Dreaming on a Star 12- Esther Cox Kiosk

The calendars are meant for you to download and print, and use to organise your family, work or personal routines. All calendars can be printed as big as an A3 format (42x29.7cm / 16.5x11.7in).

January was designed by me, and can now be downloaded by clicking here or clicking on the download link below the image. I hope you like it and add it to your lives ;)

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Enjoy the day and start planning the great year we all have ahead!!!