Turning 50! New Collections & Creative Inspirations

Hello Reader,

I'm back with some more artful insights, but before I share those, I thought I'd give you a little update on what's been happening in my life. Also if you get to the end there might be a little surprise gift for you.

Last week, I turned 50! Yes, 50! It's such a strange feeling to cross over into the 2nd half of a century, but it also feels like quite a milestone. There were many times when I didn't think I would reach the milestone, so I'm very grateful and happy to be here. And, I feel great!

I've been busy cracking out a bunch of pattern collections. These include some Halloween collections, a Christmas collection and a cute puppy dog collection. They are all available on Spoonflower on Fabric, Wallpaper & Home decor and are also available for licensing.

Okay, enough of me, keep reading below for this month's Artful Insights.

Happy Creating,

Mel

Artful Insights

I'm always on the hunt for new books, podcasts, artists to follow, tools and apps that complement our artful journey, and I do love sharing. So once a month I will showcase what I've discovered in the previous month.

So grab a cuppa and enjoy!

Here are this month's artful insights:

Creative To Follow - Kyle Webster

A photo of Kyle T. Webster drawing on a Wacom Cintiq 22HD tablet in his home office in North Carolina.

If you don't know who Kyle Webster is, let me introduce you! I first discovered his incredible Adobe Photoshop brushes many years ago and have used them ever since. He recently left Adobe and has recently taken a position with Procreate and I can't wait to see what he does there. I also love his substack blog posts (The Accidental Expert) and I highly recommend you follow him to discover his thoughts on the industry and life as a creative. Also, check out his drawing app Lines of Zen which is so meditative and great for mindful doodles.

More Info

My Favourite New Tool - Metricool*

I have tried out several Social Media scheduling tools over the years, but this one so far stands out as the best. I love how it allows you to set the cover for reels, see the best times to post and the analytics are also pretty good. I only have the free plan and it does everything I need.

Check it out

Free Gift for you!

iPhone Wallpaper

As a loyal subscriber, you have access to this free autumn pumpkin wallpaper.

Download Now

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Learn with Mel Community Hub

Think of it as a one-stop shop for all things pattern design! There, you'll find:

Monthly Challenges to keep your creativity flowing and grow your portfolio.
Live Q&A sessions for your burning design questions.
A treasure trove of resources: tutorials, downloadable PDFs, quick tips, and more! Posted Weekly!

So head over to the Community Hub and join the vibrant pattern community. Let's keep the creativity alive! See you there!

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*Disclaimer: Note some of the links in this email are Affiliate links, which means if you do click through and make a purchase, I receive a small fee so I can enjoy a fancy cup of tea! I only promote tools and resources I use and love.