I created “Rockabilly Birds” for Spoonflower’s January 2019 design challenge. My entry placed 16th out of 302 entries. Looking at the entries from 2019, I am amazed to see how much the Spoonflower challenges have grown! These days there are usually 1,000 or more entires and it takes FOREVER to vote. If you are a fellow surface pattern designer reading this post, I’m sure you’ve seen those numbers too, but don’t let that dissuade you from entering. Even though the numbers are high and the talent is increasingly competitive, I still enter as many of the weekly challenges as I can. The challenges offer an opportunity for growth, community, and so much more. The weekly challenge also helps give the design you’ve entered a boost in the ocean of other designs on Spoonflower which in turn helps with future sales. For example, I have a few designs that didn’t even place top 60th that sell almost weekly.

The Rockabilly challenge was one of my favorites and I’ve always loved the design I entered. This week I’ve decided to dig it out (from my library of files), dust it off (open it in adobe Illustrator) and give it a new outfit (edit the colors). So here it is, a fresh version of “Rockabilly Birds” with more of a pastel vibe. I also decided this version needed it’s own fresh set of accessories (coordinates). The original design was blue with punchier pinks and yellows. I love them both, but if I could wallpaper my office in one, it would be the new pastel version with the light background.

Both versions of this design along with the new (and old) coordinates are available for sale in my Spoonflower shop on fabric, wallpaper and home decor items.