In Max Lucado’s children’s book The Oak Inside The Acorn, Mama Oak says to the little Acorn “be the tree God made you to be.” Candice Petty admits she didn’t discover who she was made to be until 2016. The then-37-year old says she never imagined she’d become an artist, let alone apattern maker, but her willingness to be in tune with her gut feelings and go for it made just the space she needed to launch Create and Soul, her very own fabric line printed and milled in Italy and the USA. Growing up in St. Augustine, being artistic was a weekend hobby she would share with her mother. They would paint and draw to pass the time. As an adult, her creativity brought her to the fabric industry, selling high-end luxury fabrics to interior designers, but never creating for them. While she loved the work, she credits a ‘mid-life crisis’ in 2016 to helping her finally stop ignoring the nagging ‘pain in her soul’ that longed to finally know who God made her to be. Picking up those pencils and paint from her past she found the perfect synchrony between the work she had grown to love and the desire to create. Soft geometric is how she describes her design style. Taking cues from the natural geometric patterns found in nature, she makes colorful patterns that reflect her personality and the positive energy she hopes to infuse into every design. Her patterns are purposely named Breathe, Be Still, Give Love, Be Kind, Be Aware, Be Present, Be Open, Be Grateful – to evoke joy and calm within your space. Today, her fabrics are sold to the very designers she worked with in the past to create everything from pillows, drapes, colorful couches, and even wallpapers. Designers and homeowners can buy fabric directly from her website.
