Layer by Layer

Issue #35

A weekly note from the studio

Oh hello!

Spring holidays always shift the rhythm of the house. The kids are home, the days feel longer, and the air carries that unmistakable early‑spring chill.

We’ve been spending more time outdoors doing beach walks and finding little gems.

My phone’s gallery is overflowing with flowers. Everywhere I look: colour, petals, new growth. Nature is putting on a show, and I’m happily documenting every moment.

At home, my orchid collection has decided to join the celebration. Buds are opening, colours are emerging, and every visitor seems to have a comment. A few friends have joked that my home should become the orchid hospital, and I had a good laugh, because it’s true. I fuss over them, observe them, and celebrate every new leaf and flower bud like it’s a small miracle.

Orchids & Business: The Seasons of Growth

Orchids have two distinct seasons: a growing season and a flowering season.

I had to learn not to rush them. Not to force blooms before the plant is ready. Not to interfere with its natural rhythm.

During the growing season, orchids focus on strengthening their roots and producing new leaves. Everything is quiet, internal, foundational. Then, when the time is right, the flowering season arrives, and all the plant’s energy shifts into creating something beautiful.

Try to force the flowering stage with ice cubes, coffee grounds, or shortcuts, and the plant will suffer. It only wants what it needs: water and orchid food once a week.

Growth cannot be rushed. Beauty arrives when the foundation is strong.

Creative Seasons

As artists and designers, we move through our own seasons too.

There are periods of quiet growth; the root‑building phases.

This is where I spend time refining watercolour techniques, experimenting with new pattern structures, expanding my portfolio, and deepening my creative vocabulary.

It’s internal work, often unseen, but absolutely essential.

And then there are the flowering seasons; the outward‑facing phases. This is when I reach out to new suppliers, share my latest portfolio, explore collaborations, and open myself to new opportunities.

Both seasons matter and both is necessary.

As we step into October, perhaps this is a gentle reminder: You don’t have to bloom all the time. You’re allowed to grow quietly. And when your flowering season arrives, it will be worth the wait.