When I submitted my first Spoonflower design challenge entry, I told myself I’d be consistent. What I didn’t anticipate was that “consistent” would eventually mean 100 consecutive entries — no breaks, no skipped weeks, no excuses. And here we are.
To mark the occasion, I naturally did the most “me” thing possible: I started designing something breezy and Mediterranean, got completely carried away, and ended up with a full Renaissance damask featuring peacocks, lemon trees, and gilded urns. It’s called Tapestry Fiorentina, and I’m genuinely proud of it — even if it took roughly a hundred times more iterations than originally planned.
What 100 Entries Actually Looks Like
One hundred consecutive challenge entries sounds impressive until you remember that each one represents two weeks of designing, second-guessing, redesigning, and submitting just in time. It’s a discipline as much as a creative practice. Some weeks the ideas flow easily. Other weeks you’re staring at a blank canvas on a Monday night wondering why you do this to yourself. You submit anyway. That’s the whole point.
Along the way I’ve racked up 7 top ten placements, 28 top 50s and 42 top 100s — something I’m genuinely thrilled about. Each one was a reminder that the work is connecting with people, that the hours spent pushing pixels around actually matter. Those placements have also pushed me to keep raising my own bar.
What I’ve Learned
A hundred challenges teaches you things no course or tutorial quite can. I’ve learned that my first idea is rarely my best one — but that doesn’t mean I should abandon it entirely. I’ve learned that color does more heavy lifting than any single motif or detail. I’ve learned that constraints are actually creative gifts; some of my favorite designs were born from a theme I initially groaned at.
I’ve also learned a lot about my own tendencies. Apparently, given a Mediterranean theme and enough time, I will always end up somewhere in the fifteenth century. I’ve stopped fighting it.
What’s Next
I’m not stopping at 100. The next hundred entries will push me further into licensing, into building this studio into something sustainable, and into continuing to develop a body of work I’m proud to put my name on.
If you’ve voted for my designs, shared them, or simply followed along — thank you. It means more than I can say.
Tapestry Fiorentina is live now on Spoonflower as fabric and wallpaper.
Ro Carr Studio — surface pattern design for interiors, fashion, and licensing.
