Hello and Welcome
The who, what, when, why and how of Z-dot
HELLO and welcome to my very first blog post!
I’m so excited that this day is finally here. The launch of my brand-spanking-new website, as well as the opening of the Z-Dotters Pattern group on Facebook.
It’s been a huge, and sometimes daunting undertaking.
Being ‘technically challenged’, I’ll openly admit that I found this whole process frustrating. thankfully, I had the help and support of my biggest cheerleader, My sister Jen. She has had the patience of a saint trying to interpret my nonsensical descriptions of what I was wanting to achieve and dumbing down her explanations of “why” things needed to be the way they are. She has put so much work into making my vision a reality and I just can’t thank her enough. There really are no words! Just undying gratitude and love.
So, here is it - the next evolution in my Z-Dot Designs journey. I am now a dot com!
There is a saying “Go big or go home!”. I came to the realisation about 18 months ago (yes, that’s how long this “master procrastinator” has been working on getting this done!” that If I was going to be able to live the kind of life I wanted to, then I was going to have to create it. With the rapid progression of my Auto-immune condition and the toll it is taking on my body, I either needed to plod along as I was, or ramp it up and get serious about my business.
Let me introduce myself… a little about me
Being born and raised in Australia, I am the very definition of a typical Aussie girl, with a love of the sun, sand and the ocean. While I have lived in the beautiful tropical south-east Queensland for the past 20+ years now, my hometown of Sydney will always always always have my heart. I truly believe that there is no city in the world quite as special. Now that most of my family have followed me up to the Sunshine State, I don’t get back to Sydney as often as I would like.
Life often likes to throw us curveballs and mine came screaming at me about 15 years ago when I was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Rheumatoid Arthritis. This is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects most of my joints (especially my hands – which isn’t great for an artist ☹) and internal organs. Pain is just a part of my every day life now, It’s just the level and intensity that varies. While I have my days where I want to wallow and scream about how unfair it is, I try to keep myself positive. I live each day saying to myself “there are people out there much worse off that you Girl, get on with it" We all have our challenges and obstacles we have to overcome.
Being happily “consciously uncoupled” for 6 years now, heart break was a really good reset button. A time for re-evaluation. It was then that I realised that experiences were what made you rich, not things. I had done everything that was expected of me. I had married, had my career and the big home – and I was a slave to them. Once I decided that my health, peace and serenity were worth more than all of the ‘stuff’ I had accumulated, downsizing was easy! I didn’t need the ‘stuff’ anymore. I craved the experiences instead.
Part of the Australian DNA is a ‘travel’ chromosome! Maybe it comes from being isolated from the rest of the world on this beautiful large island nation, that we all seem to have this urge to go ‘walk-about” and see whet else the world has to offer. While my travelling is now a lot more ‘planned’ to accommodate for my physical limitations, it doesn’t diminish this urge I have to wander. The world is a great big open book with lots of adventures to be had, pages to be read and stamps to obtain.
Being a lover of art and architecture and history – the older the better! The travel bug burrowed in deep. From yachting around the Greek islands and sleeping on an uninhabited beach, to backpacking the length of Vietnam and playing cards with non-English speaking strangers on a train up into the mountains. Hot air balloon riding at sunrise over the Valley of the Kings, climbing into the centre of the Great Pyramid of Giza, kissing the Sphynx and then standing face to face with Tutankhamen’s Gold mask. Experiences!!! I haven’t been everywhere yet…..but it’s on my list
What’s next?
This website and the pattern group are just the 1st stage in the plans I have for Z-dot Designs. These have taken me a lot longer than I anticipated and that is entirely on me. Putting myself out there and opening myself up has been a bit of an internal struggle – we are often our own worst enemies! Add into the mix that I am so easily distracted and move from project to project to project every time I get a new idea, stone mould, paint colour or new knickers! I’m not even kidding. Then, I start to feel overwhelmed and have to shut the door for a while!
But, having these now finished and open to everyone means that I can move on and get working on these other ideas for the next phase. I can’t wait to share them with you. The list of what I want to achieve is looooong and the future is so exciting.
Thank you for being here!
Lastly, I just wanted to say thank you SO much for just being here and reading my first blog post. I am so grateful for all the love and support you have shown. I just love the dotting community! Every heart, like and comment on social media, every pattern request and purchase, every time you share your end results, they all mean so much and encourage me to keep going and share with you all – ONE DOT AT A TIME.
Please leave me any ideas or things you would like to see here! Also remember to subscribe to my mailing list to be notified of new posts and releases.
Love and Light
Z
One thought on “WELCOME TO MY WEBSITE”
Zarah, I love your work! I follow you on FB and have also purchased lots of your patterns. I’m so sorry for what your family is going through right now. Please accept this cyber hug! ❤️