Day 30 Journaling Challenge - Connecting with Technology

You're breaking my heart with this challenge! I wish I could do a page for all my team members, past and present, who have done so much. For the Pollys for all their amazing work. And especially for 'MrsPeel', the wonderful Cynthia, who brightened my day on a visit to London and whose messages never fail to cheer me. We totally get each other! So many people in this wonderful community who have had my back

In the end I decided to focus on the relationship that has been such a gamechanger for me, and brought so much fun and creativity back into my designing life. We share so much and although I rarely 'hear her voice' our frequent messages and chats brighten my life. And when I do hear her voice, it sounds like home to me here on the opposite side of the world.

I made this with "Hear My Voice: Embracing"

For many years I avoided entering into too many collaborations with other designers, because I was always afraid an ill-timed migraine combined with some rush at my other work might leave me letting them down. But when I was invited to join the M3 (Mixed Media Monthly) team at The Lilypad I couldn’t resist. I had been wanting to take my designs in a mixed media direction, and I loved the collections that the M3 team created. Being on the team with Rachel, I got to know how organised and skilled she is at so many things, not just gobsmackingly talented as a designer. The fact that she is in the UK and I am in New Zealand makes no difference. My summer is her winter and her night is my day, but I am up early enough in the morning to catch her before bed. Plus I love that connection back to England - her voice sounds like home and the pictures of her life look like my life when E was little. And although we are at very different stages of life, we have so much in common. It was a sad day when the M3 disbanded, but by then the connection between Rachel and I had grown and we both realised we wanted to keep collaborating on a regular basis. And thus “Hear My Voice” was born. It’s honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me in my designing career. And if I ever retire (unlikely!) I’ve already told Rachel I’d be begging for a spot on her creative team ;-)