Hey Reader
It’s April.
April.
I’m just going to let that sit there for a second.
We are a full quarter into 2026. Remember back on New Year’s Day? I said that this was going to be your year. I meant it then. I still mean it now. That’s why I’m checking in with you.
I want you to know that I don’t send you newsletters just so you’ll feel inspired for 48 hours and then go back to the same patterns. (Pun possibly intended.) I want this stuff to work for you.
So before we get into anything else — let’s start with the people doing the thing.
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Andrea (vihiboh) – Spring Floral Folk
She Just Went With the Flow. Look How That Turned Out. Navy ground, sunflowers, daisies, poppies, berries, scattered white dots — Andrea says she made this purely for fun with zero product plans. And now she's asking if it should have friends. I love this so much, because this is exactly how collections are born.
Hero Pattern Energy, Absolutely This is a hero. Full stop. Dense, rich, high-motif-count with enough variety to anchor an entire collection. The navy ground gives you instant coordinate options — a blender stripe, a mini toss, a geometric. The collection practically writes itself.
Great for Apparel, Quilting & Licensing Quilting cotton, dresses, tote bags, stationery. But honestly? The bigger story here is what Andrea accidentally demonstrated — that designing for yourself sometimes produces your strongest work. No brief, no pressure, just flow. Don't sleep on that.
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Amanda Bierbaum – Craft Maximalist Spoonflower Entry
Born at an Art Night. Placed #4. No Big Deal. Amanda gifted her nieces oil pastels over the holidays, they had an art night, and this is what came out of it. Bold dark ground, hot pink dahlias, yellow coneflowers, teal tulips — maximalist, textured, completely alive. She entered it in the Craft Maximalist Spoonflower challenge and placed #4.
What Oil Pastels Do to Your Design Brain That chunky, slightly rough texture you're seeing? That's the oil pastel influence coming through in the digital work. It gives the whole thing warmth and handmade weight that clean vector florals just can't touch. This is what happens when you let real-life making inform your digital practice.
Great for Stationery, Wallpaper & Licensing Notebook covers, maximalist wallpaper, gift wrap, planner covers. But the real lesson here? Some of your best work is going to come from an art night with your family and a fresh set of pastels. Keep showing up for the fun stuff. The results will surprise you.
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Papergrape Prints – Mahjong Spring
The Concept Is Everything Okay, this one stopped me. Hot pink ground, illustrated mahjong tiles tossed like confetti, each one hiding its own tiny spring motif — bees, bows, umbrellas, rain boots. It's the kind of concept that makes you go why didn't I think of that? And that reaction? That's the goal. That's what a strong concept does.
Toss Repeat with Illustrated Tile Motifs The tiles act as little frames, giving each mini illustration its own home. Macro level: classic toss repeat. Detail level: micro illustration party. Two things happening at once, both working perfectly.
Great for Gift Wrap, Games & Niche Licensing Gift wrap, puzzle boxes, game night accessories, stationery. Niche audiences are loyal audiences — and this design has a built-in fan base already waiting for it.
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So, way back on January 1st, I asked you to do something a little unusual: stop setting goals.
I gave you three different planning models to try — the Project-Based Model, the 4-Season Pattern Business Model, and the Skill Stack Model. I asked you to pick ONE system to build in January, protect in February, and keep up with in March.
How’d that go?
Tip #1: The Q1 Systems Audit: Let's Actually Look
So, I’ve got a few years of coaching designers under my belt. One thing I've learned is that the gap between meaning to and doing is not a character flaw. It’s a system design flaw. If a system didn’t stick, it’s usually because it wasn’t built for you or where you are in life right now.
I want you to do a quick, honest Q1 audit. Five questions.
1. Which system did I pick in January?
If your answer is “I couldn’t decide” or “I didn’t pick any” — that’s important, too.
2. Did I actually run the system I picked? For how long?
Two weeks? A month? Is it still going strong?
3. What did I finish in Q1?
Not what did you try — what did you actually complete? New patterns uploaded? Collections finished? Platforms updated? Write it down. You probably did more than you’re giving yourself credit for.
4. What’s still sitting on the list from January 1?
Do you still need to do it?
5. What does Q2 look like?
April, May, June. Twelve weeks. What’s the one system — just one — you’re building this quarter? Are you going to keep going with the one you started with? Switch it up?
Some of you are saying, but Mandy, I didn’t do any of it. I feel terrible.
I understand. Look, stuff happens. Life can get messy. You opened this email. You’re still here. You showed up today looking for accountability. That counts for a lot.
Tip #2: Accountability Can Help You Move Forward
As of yesterday, my coaching calendar is officially open again.
No pressure. No “spots are filling fast” energy.
That’s not why I’m telling you.
I’m telling you because some of you just did your Q1 audit. Some of you aren’t happy about the the gap between where you thought you’d be and where you are and you need someone to help you understand if your plan is realistic. Some of you just need a little extra encouragement. Another set of eyes on your portfolio.
That’s what coaching is for.
If that’s you — or if it becomes you somewhere down the road — here’s the link: 👉 One-on-on coaching
For everyone else: I’d still love to hear how Q1 went. You can take the poll at the bottom or hit reply and tell me one thing you’re proud you accomplished this quarter.
Focus Modes: Three Months Later. Are You Actually Using Them?
Back in January, I told you about Focus modes on your iPhone — the ones you can customize to auto-trigger based on time, location, WiFi, or app.
So. Be honest.
Did you set one up? Did you use it for a week and then forget about it? Did you stare at the Settings screen, get mildly overwhelmed, and close it?
No judgment. (This is apparently a theme today.)
Here’s the follow-up I didn’t give you in January, because I didn’t want to overwhelm you with ALL of it at once.
Once your Focus mode is set up and running, you can do something pretty cool with it:
Customize Your Home Screen for That Focus
When your Creative Focus (or whatever you’re calling it) is active, you don’t need to see anything that pulls you out of flow. You can set up a separate Home Screen for that focus. The cool thing is that this new focus home screen will show only what you need for work: Procreate, your music app, your photo reference app, maybe a timer.
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If you have an iPhone:
- Go to Settings → Focus → [Creative Focus Time]
- Tap Customize Screens
- Choose the Home Screen page you want
- Customize the widgets on that Home Screen
- Now when Focus is active, your new Home Screen appears and everything else is hidden until Focus turns off
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Your phone becomes a tool when you’re in creative mode. No ‘accidental’ Instagram scroll when you go to open Procreate. No dopamine detours.
I Googled this and it looks like you can set customized focus in Android, too. I don’t have an Android, so I can’t fact check this. But if you have an Android, you should have a way to set a focus mode or a routine that works similarly.
The Whole Point of All This
The point of the systems, the Focus mode, the Q1 audit, all the things, is the same. I want you to build an environment where your creative self, the version of you that wants to make beautiful things, can show up and get stuff done with as little distraction and hassle as possible.
Small tweaks. Big results.
Okay. Now it’s your turn. I want to know where you are.
| Q1 Accountability Check — Pick Your Status: |
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Seriously — reply back with your status or a quick update. I read these. This is the part of my week I look forward to.
