My BIG WILD WALK for 2024

 

I have walked more and raised more since I created this graphic yesterday - click the donate link below to see - thank you! xxx

Please help me help UK Wildlife by donating to my Big Wild Walk this year - thank you in advance for you donation - every penny goes directly to The Wildlife Trusts who do an amazing job of supporting our sadly fast diminishing hedgehogs, butterflies, bees, bats and even wildflower meadows.

LINK TO DONATE DIRECTLY - CLICK HERE

Magical Marrakech Creative Wellbeing Retreat - a new direction

Dear Readers - its been a long time - this last year has been about changing my design career direction looking forward to new vistas and horizons - and the most exciting thing I have created is a collaboration with Amanda Kitchen of Pura Vida Holistic Therapies and Yoga and Manira Palm Luxury Eco Villa in Marrakech, Morocco.

I enjoyed my own magical retreat at Manira Palm this July and met Amanda there and instantly made a new lifelong friend - we shortly thereafter decided to collaborate and this is the unique, private retreat we have created for October 10th through October 15th 2025. Manira Palm is a veritable Moroccan Shangri-la - it seems a place beyond time and when you create you can access the quantum realm where time is basically plastic and can vary with your vibration - so what better place to do that than somewhere that already appears to be in the dessert mirage of the quantum realm!

These pictures give a brief over view and below I detail both of our plans for the retreat:

Patricia's Practice: Come relax and enjoy yourself by creating your very own mandala with other like minded individuals in the magical atmosphere of Manira Palm, Marrakech!

I believe that all artists and designers access the Quantum Realm in order to create their best work. During this retreat I will help you learn the basics of how I create my own mandalas - which for me are both a meditative practice in their creation as well as a loci for meditation when they are complete, and, as a long time meditator, I will also talk about how I access what I believe is the Quantum Realm.

The Quantum realm or field or universe is an invisible field of energy beyond our experience of 3D reality, it is vibrations and frequencies beyond our mundane senses which connects everything in our known universe. Our 3D world is matter, the quantum realm is energy – the energy that connects everything that is material and physical as in quantum physics. You can access this realm by taking your mind off our world of matter – off yourself, your environment, everything that you know - and relax into the present moment – this tends to cause a dramatic change in the way our brains function enabling us to access a realm where everything is possible. When we randomly think of many things our brains are incoherent – when we focus on the now, the present moment, on exactly what we are doing right now, our brains become more coherent and more accessible to a vibration where everything in the known universe is created.

This is the place you access when you are completely consumed by the moment – it is the place I go to when my art envelopes me in entirety – when I am so completely in the now nothing exists but my creation, even time changes and hours can turn into minutes.

We will each originate a pencil outline design ready to colour in, in colour pencil, so your experience will, in effect, be a combination of Spirograph, kaleidoscope and Paint by Numbers. Creating repetitive designs, which mandalas are by their very essence, and colouring in are both well documented as calming activities. Of course you will take your design(s) home to continue to colour in when you'd like some quiet time to relax and meditate, and you'll have acquired the skills to create new mandalas in the future.

Our wellness and creative practices are symbiotic and complementary and through Amanda will help you enter a realm open to creative possibilities after which we have out first design session on the first day and each subsequent day we will design, create, enjoy, chat, connect and be meditative in our creative endeavours and I will be available most of the time during our exclusive stay at Manira Palm to be able to continue our creative pursuits, you'll even be able if you chose to make appointments with me to have individual sessions.

MATERIALS PROVIDED: I will provide special circular paper, tracing paper, colour pencils, compasses, erasers and protractors - if you have art supplies you'd like to bring please feel free to bring them.

Prior to the workshop think about some motifs you'd like to use in your mandala from perhaps your business logo to a favourite flower or a symbol like an eternal knot. I'll bring print outs of some motifs to use also.

No prior design experience is necessary! No drawing skills are required.

I love to meditate - I usually do guided meditations or listen to sound healing audio whilst I work creating my own mandalas, and my work is a meditation in and of itself. Meditation has helped me improve my life in so very many ways.

PLEASE BRING A NOTEBOOK AND PEN :)

Each attendee will also receive an A4 colour copy of one of my mandalas :)

Here is a picture in process of the mandala I created in my own workshop at Manira Palm - which includes there logo in the four compass directions and allusions to the central swimming pool, the lush bougainvillea and the surrounding Atlas Mountains and sky.

Amanda's practices: At beautiful Manira Palm I will be offering an array of healing practices including  yin yoga, meditation, sound healing, themed cacao ceremonies,  pranayama (breathwork), chanting, fire ceremony, yoga nidra  and more. These experiences are designed to restore balance, clear energy blockages, and enhance your overall well-being—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You’ll leave equipped with the tools to navigate life with greater ease, grace, and patience.

Amanda practices Holistic Therapies which in essence means a completely natural and non-invasive form of treatment, suitable for all ages, which aims to treat the underlying causes of your symptoms naturally.  Holistic Therapy gently but effectively works to restore and maintain the body’s natural balance to encourage the body’s own self healing and can also be used alongside conventional medicine.

Amanda can help you heal self-limiting beliefs, recharge your soul, release trapped emotions, recognize and honour your true needs, and fully embrace your personal power. Are you ready to step into your power, reclaim your sovereignty, and radiate your light out into the world?

There are currently only 9 places available!

Both Amanda and I are very passionate about living our lives as free from manmade toxins as possible - a really hard thing to do in our modern world - between us we have a wealth of accrued knowledge about how we have done this individually and this is what we will share with you in our Detox Workshop. 

Current itinerary for the retreat bearing in mind this will not be a rigid timetable but very much a ago with the flow, fluid outline which can change both according to people's needs or how the group is interacting - each and every day Patricia will be available to sit and create with, ask questions, have a private session with - again this will be very much go with the flow but also it enables you to work on your mandala designs when the time is right for you!

10^th October – Arrival and settling in

Dinner – 18:00 to 19:30

20:00 to 21:00 – Introductions/opening ceremony - Amanda

11^th October

07:15 – Herbal Tea or coffee

07:30 – 09:00 – Energising Vinyasa flow yoga (suitable for all abilities) - Amanda

09:30 – 13:00 – Breakfast

11:00 – 12:30 – Pranayama/Chanting/Meditation/Relaxation

Afternoon – free time

14:00 - 17:00  Mandala workshop establishing the basics of our own mandalas

Dinner 18:00 to 19:30

Kirtan – 20:00 – 21:00 - Amanda

12^th October

07:15 – Herbal Tea or coffee

07.30 – 08.30 – Hatha Yoga - Amanda

09.00 – 10:00 - Breakfast

10:30 – 13:30 – Themed Cacao Ceremony to include candle lighting, smudging, grounding meditation and mudra, oracle three card story, journalling, spirit dance - Amanda

Afternoon – free time

Dinner 18:00 to 19:30

20:00 – 21:00 Pranayama/Trataka - Amanda

13^th October

07:15 – Herbal Tea, or coffee

07:30 -08:30 – Morning meditation - Amanda

09:00 – 10:00 – Breakfast

10:30 – 13:30 – Mandala Making Workshop – Patricia Shea

Afternoon – free time

Dinner – 18:00 to 19:30

20:00 – 21:00 – Fire Ceremony – Amanda

14^th October

07:15 – herbal tea, tea or coffee

07:30 – 08:30 – Morning meditation/chanting/pranayama - Amanda

09:00 – 10:00 – Breakfast

10:30 – 13:30 – Workshop – How to Survive in a Toxic World

Afternoon – free time

Dinner – 18:00 to 19:30

20:00 – 21:00 – Restorative/Yin yoga with essential oils and sound healing - Amanda

15^th October

07:15 herbal tea, tea or coffee

07:30 – 08:30 – Closing Ceremony

09:00 – 10:00 – Breakfast

Leave :)

We would love to meet you in Marrakech - love and light - Amanda and Patricia xx

Please message Patricia at pbashea at gmail dot com or Amanda at amanda at puravidaholistics dot co dot uk with questions or to book your spot at our magical retreat.

 

The Big Wild Walk 2023

 

I am doing the Big Wild Walk again to support the Wildlife Trusts UK in their endeavour to save UK wildlife from the brink of total disaster - I am very sad to say that the UK is THE most wildlife depleted country on the planet and many of our iconic species like hedgehogs, water voles, bats and house sparrows are either on the verge of EXTINCTION or massive decline - it simply breaks my heart!

I have already walked 180km this first week so please donate and help me reach my goal of 225km walked and 750 pounds raised by Hallowe'en - I am walking for an extra day as I think Hallowe'en is the perfect day to finish on in honour of our beautiful UK bats!

Here is the LINK TO DONATE and thanks in advance for your support - it means the world to me and those sweet creatures! Love Patricia xxx

Festival Ready Fabulous Buckets Hats!!!

 

Turn that frown upside down with my wonderful, reversible jaunty bucket hats - handmade to order in London, UK

 

 Here is my Jaunty Bucket Hat made in waterproof oilcloth out in the wilds of Derbyshire doing it's job beautifully and here's how it looks in my shop mock up:

 and the interior showing how the patterns are differently placed on the outside and inside basically giving you two looks for the price of one...

 This mock up of my very popular Millefiori design shows the hat with a wider brim - there is also a narrower modern brim - just ask me to do a mock up of such for you and it will be my happy command to do such at a pretty sharpish pace!

 and a couple of other patterns that have sold and also been requested and mocked up for perusal....

 

and Candy Rainbow Geometric with an interior of Autumn Leaves! - Another customer request fulfilled most happily!

 

and finally dear Ones - some strawberries for your summer outings and trip to Wimbledon to keep the sun off at the tennis!

 Please click HERE scroll down left hand menu - accessories > womens accessories > bucket hats - to peruse all my current Bucket Hats or request a mock up in one of my patterns you love with no obligation :)

 As ALWAYS all these patterns and motifs were originally hand painted in watercolours by yours truly!

Merry Merry Darlingks all - Patricia xxx

Couture On demand dopamine textile design

 

Well this is about as close as you're going to get to a selfie from yours truly :) 

I am bedecked in my own designs though with a fabulous bonkers all the way long sleeve T from my London based CONTRADO shop and a backpack from REDBUBBLE ....but the crux of this post is to link to a simple wonderful, crystallizingly elegant interview by THOMAS RIDGE copywriter extraordinaire who did this article about me a few months ago - and what a great article it is - Tom was so relaxed and asked such great questions that teased out thoughts into words that I never even realized before that were ideas I've had about myself and my design - thanks so much Tom! He also coined the phrase 'Couture on Demand' which I have to say is genius!

Please follow THIS LINK to the full clever clogs article and thank you for reading! Warmly, Patricia 

And close ups of that utterly maximalist long sleve T which you can peruse to your hearts contenet HERE

 

 

Fabulous bomber jackets in my London based online shop

           

What a lovely picture of my dear friend Caterina wearing my Folkloric Millefiori Bomber jacket which was handmade to order in my London based partner's factory in London. Carefully and expertly made by Contrado I adore this bomber jacket.

 

....and as you can see below men look equally as good in that self same jacket

  For your reference this is how the jacket looks in my online shop - you can easily see the placement of the design is EXACTLY the same on the mock up as on the in real life jacket so what you see is what you get when you order from my online store.

If you'd like to see the jacket in my shop and explore the different combinations of outer shell and lining materials please CLICK HERE

 

Another simply luscious item from this same shop based in London is this soft as a kitten wrap blazer/kimono in a Gypsy Chic Rainbow delight of multiple patterns - such an easy item to wear - and a simple update to an outfit to slip on over a simple black dress for cocktails after the office of to wear to a fabulous festival

To see this slouch jacket in my shop CLICK HERE

 

and finally a little blurb written by Thomas Ridge about how my work is actualy Couture on Demand  - a next level up from just print on demand

 

Please visit my Patricia Shea Designs Contrado shop HERE for all my handmade to order in London UK item - thank you!!!

Visiting the Contrado UK factory in London and some new items....

How very very lucky am I that I recently got to visit one of my cloud based manufacturers in London.

Contrado very kindly showed me their new paradigm factory for print on demand production - and fabulously made this short video for me of one of my designs being made into a wonderful cross shoulder bag that can also be used as a hand held clutch.

The video shows the amazing attention to detail of the leather worker edging the component pices to make sure that when the bag is complete there are no unsightly edges.

Here is a picture of the finished Midnight Meadows Bouquet Bag held as a clutch and a LINK to peruse in my online handmade to order UK shop

And a LINK TO THIS ONLINE SHOP where everything is handmade to order in ship shape and quick as lightening fashion.

I haven't written here in ever so long so if you do read this will you let me know if anyone is out there still interested to keep reading my posts.

with many thanks - Patricia

Made in UK Day March 9th

 Today is the first celebration of #madeinUKday created by Kate Hills the founder of Make it British, a platform to help UK manufacturers and British-made brands find more customers. ... Kate also runs the manufacturing trade show Make it British Live! which attracts over 5,000 visitors from 17 different countries, all looking to make their products in the UK.

 

So I thought I would join in as I am now back in my beloved hometown of Manchester UK and promote and support the UK based print on demand manufacturers I am working with Blightyside - and here they are with links to my shops on their platforms:

ARTWOW 

For a range of home and kitchen decor, apparel, mobile cases, pencil cases and more
 

CONTRADO 

For a large range of apparel and home decor items - including my LIMITED EDITION BONKERS HOODIES
 

FASHION FORMULA 

For a wide range of fabrics, wallpaper and some kitchen and home decor
 

REDBUBBLE 

For these gorgeous diahonous scarves and a selection of 92 other items - many of which are made in UK - DM to check with me or follow this link: LINK
 

Thanks for supporting British businesses if you are in the UK - if not my other shops Society6, Curioos, Spoonflower (also Germany) and Redbubble (also a number of other countries) all ship from the USA

 

Appreciatively, Patricia Shea Designs

Your VOTE please and thank you!!

 I have just entered this design, Circus Geometric, into this weeks Spoonflower challenge - the honour of your vote would be greatly appreciated - there is no sign in, you can vote for as many designs as your little heart desires but you have to hit SUBMIT to make sure your vote is counted.

LINK TO VOTE

As always this design was originally hand painted in watercolours on paper before scanning and formatting in Photoshop and upload to my various print on demand shops 

 

As there are over 1100 designs in this challenge I do realize this is a time and eyebal boggling commitment so a hearty double thank you if you do vote for me! CHEERS

 

THANKS AS ALWAYS - PATRICIA XXX

My newest UK based print on demand shop at Fashion Formula

     I have a new UK print on demand shop

So far I only have 24 designs for sale but the exciting part is that you, as the buying customer, can change the scale of the pattern to the size that works best for you - and of course the quality of the print will never be compromised by your change - the programme will only allow you to go so big!

 At my new Fashion Formula shop you can buy my designs on a large variety of different fabrics, three different wallpapers, wrapping paper/gift wrap by the roll and a small selection of homewares and apparel: aprons, tea towels, cushions (pillows in US), blankets, napkin (serviette), placemat, table runner, tote bag, deck chair and snood (kind of a neck/face warmer scarf thingy!)

 I'll be adding more designs bit by bit but if there's one in particular I don't have in the store don't hesitate to to ask me to upload - your wish is my happy command!

 Here is the link to my SHOP 

EVERY SALE IS A TRIUMPH

Thank you!

PatriciaSheaDesigns

I've donated to a Charity Art Auction

Here are the two prints I have donated to an Art Auction for the Gaskell Garden Project based in Manchester UK.

"The Gaskell Garden Project is based in Manchester, and started out in 2014 as a growing group of friends, which included refugees & asylum seekers as well as UK citizens, who gardened together in the tradition of permaculture, sold surplus produce and used the money raised to further the welfare of our refugee & asylum seeker friends.

As we grew, we began to run workshops, both at home and at festivals, as well as running our own events. We saw both our volunteers and our refugees & asylum seekers grow in all sorts of ways, and began to understand the potential of our work.

Out of this was born the Gaskell Garden Project as it is now, and our Sponsorship Programme, which sponsors refugees & asylum seekers to help their meet their needs in their new environment. Crucially, however, the ethos of equality and friendship runs deep – they are our friends, rather than service users."

 

To bid on my donated artworks which are A2 (420mm x 594mm/16.5 x 23.4 inch) in size and digitally printed on heavy weight stock please click this LINK

THANK YOU!