Hello, world

Hello, world 👋

Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the surface pattern design world. I’m Natalia, the artist, designer, and business manager behind Whimsy & Mojo. I thought I’d introduce myself here in a more relaxed way.

I’ll start with 10 random facts about me:

1. I’m a mom to two spunky boys and married to an amazing husband - they’re my whole world

2. I was a competitive Ballroom and Latin dancer for over 35 years, and spent 20 of those teaching dance to others before stepping back to focus on my family

3. During the COVID pandemic, I sewed over 3,000 masks and rediscovered just how much I love working with fabric. I’m pretty sure this was a major catalyst for my pattern design journey

4. My favorite color is chartreuse, with cobalt blue coming in a very close second

5. For the past several years, I ran a small business as a professional family and newborn photographer

6. I’m a truly terrible singer. Yep, my boys still joke that I can’t carry the tune to save my life. Not even the ABCs!

7. White freesia is my favorite flower. My wedding bouquet was 100% freesia, and I still remember the lingering scent

8. I’m a cancer thriver (a friendly reminder to stay on top of your screenings!)

9. I’m fluent in three languages: English, Russian, and French

10. Hot yoga is my fitness torture of choice

Just a few years ago, I never would have imagined I’d be designing surface patterns for a living.

When my younger son was born, I stepped away from my decades-long ballroom dance career to be more present with them. I leaned into photography, running a small portrait business focused on newborn babies and families. Watching my littlest clients grow year after year was so incredibly meaningful, and I’m deeply grateful for that chapter of my life.

In 2022, life handed me an unexpected challenge. I was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. During my treatment, I lay in bed thinking of how I could pivot to a career that allowed me to work from home and offered flexibility. With an iPad Pro and extra time on my hands, I got back to drawing motifs and started creating designs. At my computer, I dove into Adobe Illustrator and discovered a bright new path during an otherwise dark season. Photography had already taught me how to work with images in Photoshop; Illustrator opened the door to vector seamless patterns and unlimited color possibilities. Suddenly everything clicked, and the puzzle pieces began falling into place.

As a photographer, I’ve always been inspired by color, texture, light, and composition. Patterns and structure make my brain happy, and surface design brings all of that together. This journey has given me renewed purpose, creative freedom, and the flexibility to work from anywhere.

These days, I’m creating surface designs for licensing. I’m also back to my sewing machine, making hand-sewn products for my new boutique shop.

Thanks for being here. I’m so glad you found your way to Whimsy & Mojo!

~ Natalia