Bringing a vision to life is no doubt full of dreaming, anticipation, pushing aside fear, working hard, and always includes some bumps in the road. Oh, but the satisfaction of seeing it come to life is always so worth it.

We are honored to collaborate with Rosina from Tortoise & The Hare for a styled photo shoot for her 2017 spring summer collection. What a fantastic brand she has built, so authentic and true to her with a rich brand story. She graciously took a few minutes to tell us about her creative process and building Tortoise & The Hare.

My favorite line Rosina mentions below? “There’s a lot of thoughts on overcoming creative blocks, but I’ve discovered that I always hit a creative block somewhere in the design phase. It’s better to embrace it as a valuable part of the design process rather than a nuisance.” So much wisdom there! Embrace those road blocks as part of the process. Keep reading to hear more from Rosina and don’t miss the sneak preview into this 2017 collection.

Tell us about the creative design process when creating a new collection! 
I’m a country girl at heart so while designing I’ll often find myself walking field lanes, collecting bouquets of wildflowers, or gardening. Immersing myself in the natural world sparks my creativity in a way that nothing else does. Sometimes ideas come to me during the day, but my golden hour is at night, that is when I’ve found my best designs are born. There’s a lot of thoughts on overcoming creative blocks, but I’ve discovered that I always hit a creative block somewhere in the design phase. It’s better to embrace it as a valuable part of the design process rather than a nuisance. Sometimes I begin with design sketches and then find inspiration for colorways and fabric. Other times I might find a fabric and build the designs around that. It’s a very organic and personal process that always includes coffee, chocolate, and lots of gardening.

Where do you gather inspiration?
Children’s books are my favorite source of inspiration. I’ve discovered that each collection has also reflected my childhood and my Amish heritage.

What inspired did you start your company, Tortoise & the Hare?
There are two things that really pushed me to starting my own brand. First of all, when my daughter was born, I noticed that some of the vintage pieces that I had collected were showing wear better than new pieces from Old Navy or Carters. But most importantly, my parents and my husband and I run a cut and sew facility, PlainStitches. Here we work for a variety of designers across the US. Walking with other designers through the design and manufacturing process has given me a unique perspective in the industry. I thought, why not create a brand of heirloom quality children’s wear made ethically by women who have been taught to sew by their mamas.

What bit of advice or encouragement can you give small business owners?
Embrace who you are, your weaknesses and strengths. This will allow you to acknowledge your fears and lean into them.

Enjoy a preview of this gorgeous collection that will be released next year…