Spotlight on: Lorna Freytag's alphabet prints for design-savvy children and adults

Well, we wanted to see what the pair are up to today. And both are as busy as ever. Lorna has launched another venture, focused on her gorgeous alphabet prints and some upcoming children's books. I caught up with Lorna to find out more.

We love your alphabet prints. What’s the story behind those?

The idea behind these? To create a collection of simple, bold alphabet prints that not only look cool in kids' rooms but that design-savvy parents can appreciate, too. They’re not just for children – I've seen them hanging in cafes and design studios as well.

When I was looking for some cool prints for my own kids' rooms at home, I came across so many kitschy, cute prints and I just wanted something a bit "louder" and more stylishly designed — a bit more of a statement print. I couldn’t find anything, so I created some myself.

You’ve been running various ventures over the years. What’s changed the most?

I feel the most significant change has been the shift back to independent makers – seeing how customers have moved away from buying from larger companies and prefer the smaller companies and individual artists and designers.

People like to know they’re buying something authentic that’s been thoughtfully designed by a person who loves what they do. People want to see the story behind the product/maker – that’s where Instagram is excellent!

Do you think it’s easier or harder to start a business these days?

It’s easier than ever to set up a business, get it up and running and look slick online. But I think it’s harder to make it stand out from the crowd and reach your target audience. Background stories and "meet the maker" updates on Instagram plus articles like this help so much.

What lessons have you learned?

To lower my expectations! Ha! Things never seem to move as quickly as I want them to, so I’ve learned to be patient. Pro-active but patient.

Do you have anything else planned?

I’m planning to finish the alphabet collection. I still have a few letters left to do. So I’m working on those right now. And I’m also enjoying working on the illustrations for some exciting new picture books for younger children about the environment publishing May 2020.

After that, there are loads of plans and ideas in my mind for new books and prints, so watch this space!

To find out more about Lorna Freytag and her range of alphabet prints and children's books, visit www.lornafreytag.com. Or follow her on Instagram.