March with Dreaming on a Star

Hi everyone. March has been a bit quiet at Dreaming on a Star. I had a horrible, stinky flu that lasted for two weeks, then I got a chest infection.

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Thankfully I’m all better now and ready to face April with gusto! I had some happy news in March that I would like to share with you all. One of my illustrations will feature in this fab book about Dogs! Read more…

Tropical Fusion Blog Hop

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Hi everyone. Welcome to the Tropical Fusion Blog Hop – a collaboration of fabulous design by over 40 designers, celebrating the Pantone Colour of the Year – Radiant Orchid.

You’re probably joining me from the fabulous blog of Nina May from Nina May Designs. 

Welcome to Dreaming on a Star‘s blog. My name is Tina Devins and I create cute and quirky designs for stationery, textiles and the Children’s market. If you’re interested, have a peek around my blog and website to see more of my work.

Here is my work for the Tropical Fusion Blog Hop! I was inspired by the tropical lust for life and candy colours of a retro carnival. I thought of music and dancing as I designed.

Tropical Fusion by Dreaming on a Star

I was excited about my designs and made them into a bed set. I hope you like them!

Tropical Fusion by Dreaming on a Star

Thank you for visiting! Make sure you visit the blog of Photoshop expert and surface designer, Sherry London next. If you have only just found our Blog Hop, pop on over to Groovity’s blog where you can get started and join in the fun! ♡

The Declaration of You – Blog Lovin’ Tour – Self Care

Hi everyone. I’m delighted Dreaming on a Star‘s post is part of The Declaration of You – Blog Lovin’ Tour – by Michelle Ward and Jessica Swift! Learn more – and join over 100 other creative bloggers by clicking here.

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do!

Today I’m going to talk about Self Care! Read more…

The Declaration of You – Blog Lovin’ Tour – Enthusiasm

Hi everyone. I’m delighted this post is part of The Declaration of You – Blog Lovin’ Tour – by Michelle Ward and Jessica Swift! Learn more – and join over 100 other creative bloggers by clicking here.

The Declaration of You will be published by North Light Craft Books this summer, with readers getting all the permission they’ve craved to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique and uncover what they are meant to do!

So I’ve been asked to write about Enthusiasm and what it means to me!

Read more…

Animal Love Day – Bunny!

Hi everyone. Welcome to Animal Love Day –  a new feature where I celebrate the wonderful world of animal illustration and pattern! I am a big animal lover and also a fan of cute patterns so why not combine these two loves into a wonderful showcase of our lovely creature friends! 

The showcase comes in two parts. First I will do my own animal design (a brand new illustration/pattern/sketch or an old one).  Then I will showcase some inspirational animal designs from other fantastic designers.

The animals covered will include birds, fish, insects, extinct creatures and mythical creatures.

So without further ado, here is the first animal on Animal Love Day!

MY DESIGN

Spooky Bunny

Bunnies are very close to my heart because I own a very cute rabbit called Spooky! She’s two years old and is half Netherland dwarf and half Lionhead. She inspires me to make things cute as she’s so cute herself!

Nitey Nite Baby Bunny

Here is a new design from me called Nitey Nite Baby Bunny. It is one of my entries for the Hallmark New Baby Competition. I hope you like it! ♡

Read more…

Back to the Drawing Board!

Hi everyone. I’ve gone back to the drawing board! As you may know, I’ve been having problems with my computer. These problems have been happening on and off and have stopped me from working on my designs and all the new products I had in mind. My usual way of working is to sketch out my designs and use the computer for adding colour and making patterns. I also use the computer for research, blogging and social media.

So I rely an awful lot on my computer and it feels wrong not to be using it!

But instead of moaning about it, I’ve decided to use this time to do some non-computery things!

Doodle Bugs

Here is a list of what I am and will be doing:

♡ Read back over the Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design course and redo some exercises

♡ Use my camera to take pictures of natural patterns (I used to do this a lot, but it’s something that I’ve forgotten about)

♡ Work on more papercuts. I started my design career doing lots of papercutting, but again this has taken a backseat

♡ Actually make some of the crafty projects I’ve pinned on Pinterest, instead of collecting them!

♡ Go through my issues of Mollie Makes and pick out some new projects to work on

♡ Tidy up my work area

♡ Sketch some more

♡ Spend more time with my Bunny!

I’ll still be able to tweet and facebook and pin some lovely pins on my iTouch and if I borrow a laptop I can blog. But until I get my computer fixed/replaced I am going back to the drawing board!

What would you do if your computer was unwell? ♡

Decorque Guest Post

Hi everyone. Today I would like to welcome Decorque as my first guest contributor. The lovely Harriet from Decorque will introduce their brand to you and reveal their dream for 2013. ♡

I would like to introduce Decorque as a new family run on-line business that launched in September 2012.

Our team is a diverse mix of talents! Lesley Stevens is Decorque’s owner and head designer, also a qualified surface pattern and textile designer who has worked in the fashion industry for many years. Aaron Hawkins is our web developer, who worked on the design and fully implemented our website, he works continuously updating the site to keep a fresh and interesting experience for the customer. Chris Stevens is our expert in eCommerce and all business matters. Then there is myself, Harriet Stevens, a qualified graphic designer, working in the retail sector and designing windows for a UK high-street brand, who manages Decorque’s print production, digital design and social media avenues.

As a team we decided to find a medium to introduce Lesley’s fashion-edge prints to the home-ware market, which so far has been hard work, but an inspiring and exciting challenge.

So this is what we do, we turn this, into this!! 

Decorque

Read more…

Face Rejection with Inspiration!

Hi everyone. I’ve recently written a post for Tigerprint’s Youblog about rejection.

I compiled some fabulous quotes that I hope inspires you.

You can read the post here. ♡

Inspiring Quote

Busy Blogging!

Hi everyone. I have been busy blogging for other people, so my blog has been a little bit quiet.  I just want to keep you posted on what I’ve been up to.

I’ve written another guest post for the fabulous Tigerprint Youblog. I talked about inspirational toys from my childhood.  Anyone remember Holly Hobbie, Victoria Plum, the Care Bears, My Little Pony or Rainbow Brite? You can read it here.

1980s Toys

I’ve also written a post for Dawn Clarkson of Nice and Fancy. She created a feature called Dream Designs where she asked us to choose our favourite design and a dream application for it. We were allowed to Dream Big! I chose my Quirky Hearts design and applied it to a stationery line at my favourite stationery shop Paperchase.

You can read all about it here on Dawn’s lovely blog.

Paperchase Dream Design

I have also been asked to blog for another great design blog and will report back when I’ve been featured. So I have been busy blogging elsewhere but not forgetting my own lovely blog! ♡

Dreaming on a Star is a Tigerprint Youblog contributor!

Hi everyone. I am very excited to say that I have been asked to contribute to Tigerprint’s Youblog. Tigerprint is the design company behind M&S and run competitions to find new design talent.

So it is quite an honour to be asked to join the Youblog team.

You can check out my first blogpost for them here ♡

Tigerprint Youblog