In my portfolio prep class, we are doing a project that I am loving! One of the grad students here at USU has a ton of experience in product design, and so she was asked to teach a section of our class. Yesterday we went on a field trip to where she works right now, as a designer for
s.e.i scrapbooking. We got to look at the trend/inspiration boards and the resulting line of scrapbooking paper that was designed, see their studio, and visit with their design team.
Also, I learned a new illustrator trick that I am loving called making pattern swatches.
I played around with it today for a little bit when I got antsy at work and I can't wait to go home and try it out even more!
Here is my quick, ten minute pattern. It, of course, needs a lot of perfecting but i am so stoked that it was so fast. Before, something like this would have taken forever and not matched up at all!

ps. JB and I got engaged yesterday. Just thought I should mention that, too. :)