Notes From the Studio / Vol. 01

Friday morning musings, rollerskates optional.

I’m often listening to Glitterbox while I work — a little bit of disco never hurts the design process.

It’s hard to feel uninspired when Barbara Tucker or Frankie Knuckles is blaring in your headphones and your to-do list suddenly feels like a dancefloor.

When I’m not in Studio Mode, I’m probably rollerskating with my niece (read: being shown up by an 8-year-old with better moves than me although I am teaching her some tricks from my youth that I remember), listening to many a podcast, or diving into whatever audiobook’s caught my attention this week.

Right now, I’m thinking a lot about space — not the galaxy kind, but the kind that gives ideas room to breathe. Clients often want everything all at once. But good design — like good conversation — needs space to land. To pause. To rest between the beats.

I’m also learning to lean into the joy of saying no. No to ideas that don’t feel right. No to rushing. No to working with anyone who’s not a good human. That’s a big theme in the studio lately. Working with people who get it, who get me, who value honesty and humour over corporate crap. You know the kind.

This week in the studio

Somehow in between proofing foil samples and debating envelope linings, I’ve also been thinking about how little credit we give ourselves. For the big stuff, yes, but also the little wins. The showing-up-when-you-didn’t-feel-like-it kind. The made-a-good-decision kind. The remembered-to-drink-water kind. That all counts.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to move onto the next thing without stopping to think: That was actually pretty good, well done me.

So if no one’s said it to you this week — here it is: you’re doing great. Keep going. Celebrate the wins, even the wee ones.

What’s in my ears and on my desk:

🎧 Podcast: Help I Sexted My Boss – still my go-to for a guaranteed laugh when my day needs to get off on the right foot.
📚 Book: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin — a slow, thoughtful read that’s making me think differently about creativity, work, and how we show up.
📖 Audiobook: My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes – the warm hug of fiction I didn’t know I needed full of laugh-out-louds.
🛼 Mood-booster: Eyeing up a weekend rollerskate with my niece. Because sometimes that’s exactly what the week needs — a bit of glitter, some wobbly wheels, and fresh air.

More soon — and maybe, just maybe, this turns into something more regular for people like me: creatives, founders, freelancers, those figuring it out as they go. If that’s you too, you’re in the right place.

That’s all for now. Back to the foil press, the playlists, and trying not to spill liquid on my scribbles.

Til next time, Sharon :)