In October 2019, I moved from Portland, Oregon, back to my hometown of Monclova, Ohio. Just as I was beginning to get settled, covid-19 spread to America in March 2020 and things really took an unexpected turn.

For major retailers like Target, however, the pandemic was big business, and that meant more work for the product development team. Lots more work. The print & pattern team changed shape, and by the time quarantine took effect, the Kates had moved on from their roles and I was now in the fabulous company of Joy Byrum, Danielle Wolf and Melanie Gaudet.

It was a busy and stressful period of my career, but it takes pressure to make a diamond dazzle. Oh and honey, we were dazzling...