// LOST FILES

// MIAMI, ART BASEL, VEGAS, WORK,,,,,

Miami, Art Basel, some lost film from Vegas with the fam, some work.

I was looking back at some photos of this time last year and I look like a completely different human. And I am really proud of that. I wanted to step into all of my fears - in love, in work, in finances, in location. And I did it. Fully, in all of its ups and downs. My dad passed away when I was 9 years old, and I wonder - I mean I know - his passing taught me how short life can be. He was 41. Maybe in some weird way I feel divinely protected by him, like the doors that are opening have his hands on them somehow. And maybe that’s why I jump in head first. But life, wow, what a beautiful, scary, very real place. Even in all of my ups and downs of this year I would do it all over again. I’m sitting in my studio on this cold Saturday morning listening to SZA’s new album, feeling just happy. There is so much work to get done before the holidays and I’m feeling so thankful for that. For the work that I get to create, in this little studio of mine. My own world that I’ve managed to carve out for myself. My place of refuge when life brought me to my knees, my place of daydreaming, magic and make-believe. My constant.

I learned how to show up for myself, I learned boundaries - still learning - I learned personal discipline, I learned how to make my company work for me - rather than me work for my company. Huge shifts in perspectives this year that felt so simple when I had them, but had such a profound effect on my life. Slowly I became my own constant I could trust and lean on. I’m learning how to truly grasp the moment of Now. How to truly understand how much power the present moment has. To take deep breaths when I get in my head and get into the flow of life, to allow what is to leave to leave, and what is to stay stay. To allow people to show up and be who they are as they are, to accept situations for what they are, and to know that in the end I have myself and she’s someone pretty special.

“Everyone buys books, few ever read them. Everyone wants growth, few accept the pain. Everyone wants to be happier, few ever change. Intention is nothin without action, but action is nothing without intention.”

// HEART DOODLES

//

Rest, work, play repeat. Some images of life over the last couple months. I can’t believe it’s December next week. What an insane year. This year brought me back to myself. To the girl I was in my early twenties, when everything felt possible and magic was real. I explored different cities, said yes to everything that felt right. I had this unwavering faith that everything always worked out. Somewhere down the line of working so hard I lost some of that faith, got in my head too often and started to overthink. All of those sleepless nights could have been spent dreaming, or simply resting. Your thoughts are mighty powerful. Your soul knows the answer, let that guide your decisions. If it’s not an resounding yes, don’t do it. Distractions will come into your life, learn how to block out the noise. Most importantly I’ve learned that we are in charge of our own lives. If you want to be seen, see yourself, if you’re looking for someone to make you a home, make your own home, you want honestly and love and commitment? Love yourself fiercely, be open and honest with all of the multi layers of your being and commit to yourself. Show up for yourself in some form every single day. Be your own keeper. This is where the true confidence comes from.

I laid the foundation this year towards the life I would like to see for myself in the near feature. I made some hard decisions, leaned into anything & everything that felt absolutely terrifying and got over a lot of my own bullshit. I highly recommend sitting with the uglier sides of yourself, just make sure you surround yourself around the right people. The moment I was ready to sit with the many different sides of me, a whole new crew of people entered my life. People I now call family. The universe works like this. It has been a blessing to experience the magic of it this year.

Chat soon, back to work x

// GRADIENT

//

how do i even put the last month into words. i can’t. it’s just been amazing. i feel different. i am different. small shifts in perspective that have changed the way i look at my present and future. how i understand my past. Anyways, it’s all been really exciting, grounding and peaceful. Here are photos of life and some work lately. Dana, Rachel and i just installed our newest bespoke rug project. Came out BEAUTIFUL. we did gradient ground with a gradient pattern overlayed on top. really loving LA, and excited to see where this place takes me!

// LA PAZ, MEXICO

//

CKD’s newest collection is here! Inspired by a trip to La Paz, Mexico we lived on a ranch for a week, rode horses, the abuela’s made us home cooked meals. It really was an incredible experience. See the full collection here!

THE ANDREA THE ANDREA THE ANDREA THE ANDREA THE ANDREA
THE ANDREA
from $10.00

// FOLLOW YOUR BLISS

//

I am on the beach in Pompano listening to Alicia Keys’s 21-day mediation experience. It’s end of Jan 2022 and I’m dreaming about what this year will look like for me and my business. I realize in that moment whenever I think about my future, I think of CKD and I as one. The choices I make for myself directly effect what happens to my business and vice versa. I’ve been growing CKD for almost 7 years now. Sacrificing my early 30’s, living a life literally no one around me was living. Together we were learning lessons, going through life experiences separately with different challenges but knowing that the lessons and growth would benefit and help the other. This thought process has brought me to this point, I tell myself - how do I get to the next phase. I feel like there is a gap between my life now and what I truly want for myself. “Do you feel a resounding yes”, says Alicia Keys in my ear. The meditation is about following your life’s bliss. If you do not feel a resounding yes she says, don’t do it - it’s not your path. I took this a sign and told myself the way to evolve next is to open my mind and heart to new opportunities and if the feeling is not a resounding yes, don’t do it - if it is, jump.

I am currently writing this from Los Angeles. A city I never thought I would find myself spending time in. These photos are of life recently from Paris to Mykonos for Roberto’s 40th with my best friends (some of them I just met this year while in Tulum ) to LA . I realized so much about myself over the past 6 months. I learned how to put my personal life first and let CKD adapt. This shift hasn’t been easy and it’s exposed some very vulnerable parts of me that have been hiding in safety for years. But now - somewhat on the other side of it all, there have been way too many serendipitous moments happening to trust the jump and be in awe of life and its magic. It has been a while since I’ve been in this flow - in life’s flow. A place of presence. A place of acceptance for all that is here to stay and all that is supposed to leave. But most importantly a place of inspiration and excitement.

That gap has closed, bringing me through new doors of adventure filled with new people, new lessons that will require different versions of myself that I’m ready to explore. Guys… there is some really cool stuff happening right now. I’m scared but excited. In the words of Roberto - LFG .

Mykonos, Greece. one of the best trips of my life. I left my phone at home and took my camera out. Felt like old blogging days.

Los Angeles :) Living the beach town life for a little bit

// MILAN

//

Milan design week with my best friends. The design, the dinners, the people! It felt so nice to get out and be at events again. The work that was shown during this week was stunning. Here are some highlights from Fendi, Mooi Carpet, Tom Dixon, and Lee Broom.

// THE OPENING OF GEKKO MIAMI

//

CKD’s newest bespoke work for David Grutman and Bad Bunny’s Gekko. WHAT. A. SPACE. Four completely different bespoke prints, each area its own vibe - yet all work together as you move through the space. These prints were a true collaboration with the most creative minds. We wanted Japanese steakhouse but elevated. My goal with the Geisha mural was to create something unexpected. I hand painted palm leaves and selected florals found on the traditional Japanese Kimono. The color story was suggested by my close friend (& talented interior designer) Kayla Pongrac - a very popular color story we kept seeing while in Milan design week also (I just realized I never did a post about Milan design week! Will do this this week). Scroll down to see some behind the scenes photos from installation day! 

Love the way this turned out. Thank you Groot Hospitality for having me. 

Opening night was INSANE. See more here!

Me on-site! The mural wraps all the way around the space. We printed out 8 FT samples to make sure the scale was perfect. Every single inch counts - this is what separates a good print from a great one.