Margo is joined by internationally renowned Surface Pattern Designer, entrepreneur, and award-winning online educator, Bonnie Christine. With a self-taught journey that began in 2009, Bonnie has built a thriving creative business, helping over 50,000 students turn their artistic passions into sustainable careers. In this episode, she shares the mindset shifts, strategies, and inspirations that have shaped her path and continue to guide her community.

Margo and Bonnie discuss:

• How growing up in her mom’s fabric shop shaped her approach to teaching pattern design

• The evolution of her vision in building a large and engaged creative community

• Taking big risks—like selling her car to invest in her dreams—and what she’d tell someone facing a similar crossroads

• Why 'action is the antidote' to imposter syndrome and a pivotal moment when this mindset made a difference

• The balance between creative techniques and business strategy in her upcoming nine-day workshop

• Helping students find their own authentic sources of inspiration, especially when feeling creatively stuck

• Why she firmly believes there’s room for everyone in the creative industry and how she’s seen that truth play out

• Challenging the notion that art doesn’t solve problems—especially in the world of pattern design

This episode is packed with encouragement, actionable insights, and inspiration for anyone navigating a creative career. Whether you're just starting or looking to take the next big leap, Bonnie's wisdom will remind you that your dreams are worth pursuing—one step at a time.

Connect with Bonnie:

2025 Workshop: Pattern Design Playbook- bit.ly/WindowsillDesignPlaybook

2025 Course: Surface Design Immersion- https://bit.ly/WindowsillImmersion

www.bonniechristine.com

https://www.instagram.com/bonniechristine/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry

Margo is joined by celebrated artist, illustrator, and creative powerhouse Lisa Congdon for a heartfelt and insightful conversation about what she’s learned while navigating a challenging chapter of her life. Lisa opens up about her journey through two total knee replacements and how this period of physical recovery sparked a creative rebirth.

During her recovery, Lisa embraced a slower pace of life, diving into a new sketchbook practice focused on collage and cut paper. What began as a meditative and playful exploration quickly evolved into a rich source of inspiration, reminding Lisa of the joy of creating art simply for art’s sake. She candidly shares how stepping away from client work allowed her to reconnect with her artistic roots and experiment in ways that felt healing, liberating, and transformative.

In this episode, Lisa and Margo discuss:

• How Lisa managed her health journey while staying connected to her creativity.

• Managing the guilt that arose from stepping away from her team and work commitments.

• How she led and supported her team while recovering from surgery.

• The role of play and experimentation in sustaining artistic inspiration.

• The importance of consistency and how even small, daily creative practices can lead to big ideas.

• Balancing a thriving art career with the need for personal time and self-care.

• How slowing down can reignite passion and open doors to unexpected creative breakthroughs.

Mentioned in this episode:

Lauri Hopkins https://www.laurihopkins.co.uk/

Lisa’s 30 day art challenge w Creative Bug https://www.creativebug.com/instructors/lisa-congdon?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1p28BhCBARIsADP9HrNXhEYWUo8t0lx_kNJAOnhMMwWKu6YLgTralGQO8q3Jjg7r6sm4V90aAjHCEALw_wcB

Connect with Lisa:

https://lisacongdon.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lisacongdon/#

https://www.pinterest.com/lisacongdon/

Connect with Margo:

www.windowsillchats.com

www.instagram.com/windowsillchats

www.patreon.com/inthewindowsill

https://www.yourtantaustudio.com/thefoundry