Design Process
My Creative Process
By Shawnee · July 30, 2026

Every design begins with the materials already in my studio. No sketches, no formulas—just collecting, experimenting, and letting ideas evolve naturally.
People sometimes ask if I sketch my designs first.
I don't.
My creative process starts by spreading everything out in front of me. Most of the time that's on the floor, although the couch and dining room table occasionally become temporary studios too. I like seeing all of my materials at once so I can move pieces around, compare colors, textures, and shapes, and let ideas develop naturally.
I collect materials for years before I ever use them. Sometimes I find something on clearance because I know it will be useful someday, even if I don't know exactly how. Other times I discover a single button, appliqué, strand of chain, or rhinestone that sparks an entirely new collection.
When inspiration strikes, I work with what I already have.
Some projects come together in an afternoon. Others sit in a box for months—or even years—before the right idea finally arrives. I save leftover materials from nearly every project because I never know what they'll become next.
I'm also not afraid to take something apart. A necklace might become a pair of earrings. A broken brooch might inspire a pendant. One design often leads to another as I reimagine pieces in new ways.
I don't follow blueprints or formulas. I experiment, rearrange, and build until everything feels balanced. Every piece teaches me something, and every collection grows from the materials, ideas, and moments that came before it.
That's why no two studio days look exactly alike—and why no two collections ever do, either.
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