We often hear the phrase ‘paint what you love’.
This is what I’ve done all my life, especially when I undertook the Year of Creative Habits course – coinciding with my move to Nottingham and my houseplant collection growing with the bigger place!
I started to understand what makes good art. I believe that painting what you love really makes that love show in your art! I have so many houseplant-inspired products and I’m excited to share with you how my plant collection inspires my designs.
Monstera Deliciosa plants
Monstera Deliciosa has been my firm favourite since I started collecting houseplants years ago. Here’s my original Monstera Deliciosa. My products feature a lot of Monstera Deliciosa – greeting cards, art prints and even a wooden decoration.
I have five Monstera Deliciosa plants and two of them are variegated. I have a large form version too, which inspired me to paint my Festive Houseplants' Monstera Deliciosa Christmas card, I Want To Grow Old With You card, and Happy Father’s Day Monstera card. The latter design also features younger Monstera Deliciosa, based on my original Monstera Deliciosa I repotted a few years ago.
Plant corner
I have most of my houseplants in my studio (rather than taking over the house, probably to my husband’s mild annoyance), in what I affectionately call a ‘plant corner’. It’s behind my painting and admin desk, so I spin my office chair around for ideas, to admire, or quietly celebrate over some new unfurling leaves.
This plant corner inspired me to paint some plant ‘shelfies’, like these designs – Houseplants card and art print, Potted Plants cards and Indoor Plants cards.
Plants Are Magic
I am always in awe of plants and consider them to be magical. I’ve written a blogpost on exploring the magic of plants if you want to read. I used my wonderment to design the Plants Are Magic art print and tote bags.
Heart-shaped houseplant leaves for Valentine’s Day
I adore heart-shaped houseplants like my Hoya Kerrii (aptly also called Sweetheart or Valentine plant) and Ceropegia Woodii (known as the string of hearts plant).
I used these plants to paint my Valentine’s Day designs – like the Love You Sweetheart Plant card and the Love You Lots String Of Hearts card. I have more heart-shaped houseplant leaf designs in this collection for you to explore too.
Houseplants and cacti washi tapes
I have five washi tapes in five different houseplants and cacti designs. The illustrated elements are, of course, inspired by my own houseplant and cactus collection.
Botanical wooden decorations
I picked five of my favourite plants in the collection to create my botanical range of wooden decorations: Watermelon Peperomia, Angel Wing Begonia, Monstera Monkey Mask, Monstera Deliciosa, and Maranta.
Sadly I couldn’t keep Maranta alive in my new house (I went through three or four plants and I had to admit defeat!) but I’m still inspired by its beautiful patterns and colours. I’m glad to have a Maranta wooden decoration to replace the actual plant so I don’t miss it too much! I’ve made a reel comparing my botanical wooden decorations to my plants, if you want to have a watch.
Cactus collection
My most loved cacti in my cactus collection are Peanut Cactus and Bunny Ear Cactus. I’ve painted them and the paintings have been immortalised as cactus cards, art prints and postcards.
I’m still coming up with a lot of ideas – they’re endless! I am also wanting to paint more of my cactus collection, especially my cactus ‘shelfie’ in the porch room.
I hope you love my houseplant-inspired products as much as I do, and that they make perfect gifts for a houseplant lover in your life. In fact, this gift guide: Gifts For Houseplant Enthusiasts might be handy if you’re looking for houseplant gift ideas.