Here we are again! Today I want to give you a sneak peek into the life of Kate Baird of Katelyn Brooke Designs. It’s been so great to get to know her over the past couple months, and her blog is a definite must-add-to-your-reader-right-now kind of blog. She is an active designer and shares tips and tricks about design as well as snippets into her own creative journey. I know I’m constantly learning something new every time I head over there. Now, let’s welcome Kate!

Hi friends!  I’m Kate.  I started working as a freelance web designer over a year ago and I’ve been designing and blogging from my tiny apartment ever since.  My husband and I live in a small town in Virginia while he attends law school.  When I’m not working I like hanging out with friends, visiting family, reading blogs, and eating whether it’s trying a new restaurant or a new recipe from Pinterest.

What gets you jazzed?

Pretty color palettes, calligraphy and hand lettering, stripes and polka dots, collaborating with other creatives, any sort of delicious food, and pretty much everything Martha Stewart.

Where do you go to find inspiration, and what are you inspired by?

I’ve been trying to step away from the computer lately and look to books and magazines for inspiration.  But of course, that never really works, and browsing blogs and Pinterest is usually very inspiring.  I’ve also been pretty addicted to Dribbble lately.

Tell me a little about this project and how it was inspired:

As creatives I think that most of us are constantly trying to define our style, or who we are, through our work.  It’s easy to be influenced by the work of others, and I was feeling like I needed to spend some quality time being introspective about my own style.

I have really enjoyed the Business with Heart webinars lately- they’re free discussions about being a creative entrepreneur.  It was after one of their talks that I came up with the idea for a creative cleanse. For a week I spent the time I normally reserved for browsing the internet creating projects of my choosing just for fun.  I wasn’t as strict about it as I would have liked to be, but I definitely came away from it feeling refreshed.  I’m hoping to start incorporating projects like that into my weekly schedule- I think it’s so important to pursue creative things just because you enjoy it!

How has blogging effected your creative life, and vice versa?

Blogging has opened my eyes to so many different forms of creativity.  There are so many ways to go about it and so many different styles out there.  It’s challenged and inspired me to really pursue my own style- which is always a work in progress!

If you could give one tip to the rest of us, what would that be?

Working from home for the last year and a half has really taught me how important relationships are in every aspect of life.  None of us live in a vacuum, and it’s important to get out there and connect with others, even if you’re not meeting face to face.  You never know how your kindness and connections might help you one day, so always reach out and make an effort to give sometimes without expecting anything in return.

Thanks Kate! Be sure to check out her blog for daily inspirations. xoxo.