Same month, a year later - two big moments (shared a little late)
From maternity leave to fully self-employed. How I am juggling personal and professional life.
Hello, and welcome to my very first blog post! 🌝
I’ve been meaning to write more about my work and creative journey for a while and now felt like the right time to start.
Well here I am: It’s September again already and somehow this month highlights a big moment:
It was this time last year that I started my maternity leave. Now, one year later, another big change: I’m going self-employed and am focusing fully on being a freelance illustrator and picture book maker. Both Septembers have brought big moments, decisions to step back as well as forward. This is my year with little and big achievements combined with their fair share of doubts. It’s pushed me to rethink my process, stay creative and figure things out as I go along and every day looks different.
So here we are, September 2024: I was stepping away from my pub job and starting my maternity leave, seven weeks of me time before our little boy Casper arrived.
I remember feeling so excited and so enthusiastic. Everything was about to change! I had all these plans to work on my illustrations and DIY art projects at home… but honestly, I probably slept through most of it. that’s being highly pregnant as I had to discover.
Towards the end of October and after an emergency c-section and those hazy, beautiful newborn weeks, I gradually found my feet. Once I physically recovered (and after plenty of time in our cosy new baby bubble) January rolled around and I began carving out quiet moments to create again.
Now by February, Casper was about three months old, I’ve basically back at work throwing myself into commissions, updating my portfolio, and squeezing in personal projects whenever I could. Some days that meant sketching while he napped on me, others, burning the late night oil with a strong cuppa and lots of chocolate. This rhythm hasn’t changed much. And time as flown by:
Now, September 2025 — it’s hard to believe, but it’s been a whole year since I left work! Seriously, where has the time gone?
This year brings another big change: I’ve decided not to return to the safety of my old pub job. Instead, I’m taking a leap of faith and diving headfirst into self-employment. It’s probably the riskiest moment for our little family, but with all the support around me, I’m officially working as a freelance illustrator!
Eek — I still have to pinch myself to believe it’s real!
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How I am juggling personal and professional life.
The working pattern since February hasn’t changed much. If anything, it’s just got more chaotic.
The past months have been…full on. I think that describes it as it is. It’s the most beautiful and exhausting time but I absolutely love it.
I couldn’t be happier watching this amazing little human grow—he’s crawling already now! Honestly, how did that happen so quickly?
And yes, the pressure is real. I’m constantly juggling deadlines( my own and clients) wirh everything in between, powering through just to make sure I get enough sleep to function. The good thing? My time management has had to level up massively. Without it, this just wouldn’t work. So I’m actually really proud of that and what I’ve achieved with my work.
But even so, surprise surprise, I often find myself wondering if I should be doing more? Should I be posting and sharing new work every week? The pressure I put on myself is as usual, too much!! I’m definitely my hardest critic and often that stops me from exactly the thing I want to achieve but more about that maybe in another post… ok I’m getting sidetracked… where was I? Am I doing enough?
Well this is when I’m most grateful for John (my husband), he reminds me on on a daily basis that I’m already doing more than enough!
This man is my secret weapon as I couldn’t have managed any of this new work-life balance without him: bringing me cups of coffee, making dinner and doing bedtime when I’m working away in the studio late into the evening and night.
Looking back to last September, I can now see how far I’ve come! But the everyday little doubts make it easy to overlook that. Little steps are so easily missed. So this next chapter feels big, from this month on I am officially Self employed. Not gonna lie I cried a little and wasn’t even sure why: It’s a bit daunting and it becomes very real that there’s no backup income anymore. Just me and my work.
But I’m so excited too. This has been my dream for as long as i can remember. To get this far, to make this work! Writing this was taking a step back and seeing how far I’ve done in these last 10-12 months.
I’m building something new, step by step, and I can’t wait to see where it continue leads.for now: Just had to say it again out loud: I’m officially self employed :)
I’m writing this while baby boy is napping on me. I’m pretty sure he’ll wake up any minute, so I’ll try to relax for a little longer before I’m off chasing our little explorer again.
Thanks so much for being here 🧡