THE PATTERNED FOX
A Creative Journal by FoxKay
Tucked away in the countryside village of Great Barford, I’m a self-taught artist inspired by the chaotic beauty of nature, travel, and everyday life. From scrappy sketches to digital illustrations, my work is all about finding patterns - both in the world around me and in the creative process itself.
This blog is a window into my creative world: part design journal, part experiment lab, and part storytelling space. While the blog goes by The Patterned Fox, the creative force behind it is me - FoxKay - a name that captures my curious and ever-evolving artistic style.
So, why The Patterned Fox?
Because I see patterns everywhere - woven through landscapes, memories, and the rhythm of making. And the “fox”? It’s both a nod to my surname (Fox-Holmes) and a creature associated with imagination and playfulness - qualities I like to bring into my work.
What you’ll find here:
Behind-the-scenes design journeys
Notes from the road and reflections on nature
Digital illustration progress (and plenty of Illustrator misadventures)
Learning by creating: one step at a time
Funchal, Madeira: The Floating Garden of the Atlantic
From Madeira’s orchid-draped gardens and colourful markets to Churchill’s painting inspiration and a Goan feast aboard Fred. Olsen’s Borealis, our journey through Funchal revealed why the island is called the “Floating Garden of the Atlantic.” A story of colour, flavour, and culture.
Winston Churchill once described Madeira as a “floating garden”. After experiencing the journey up the island’s winding mountain roads ourselves - from dockside to the lush heights of Quinta Jardins do Lago - I realised it’s the perfect description. The hills surrounding Funchal are cloaked in green, rolling down towards the glittering harbour in a way that feels truly enchanting.
Sweeping views of Funchal from the Monte cable car - where hillside homes, the Atlantic Ocean and a golden Madeira sunset come together in one scene.
Jardins do Lago: A Garden Paradise
At the Botanical Garden Hotel, we stepped into a world of colour and texture. With over 500 plant species on display, every turn revealed something new: towering palms, sculptural succulents, and flowering pathways that seemed to pull you deeper into the greenery. Quinta Jardins do Lago truly feels like one of the most beautiful gardens in Madeira, with every corner inviting you to slow down and notice details you might usually rush past.
One of the highlights was a pergola draped with orchids in vivid shades of crimson, violet, and sunshine yellow - hanging above like living decorations. Walking beneath them felt like stepping through an art installation, styled entirely by nature.
And then there was Colombo, the giant tortoise. True to his explorer’s name, he wandered casually through the gardens before being hand-fed by the groundsman. In the midst of this lush paradise, Colombo seemed to embody the slow, timeless rhythm of the island itself.
Learning Amongst Orchids
To round off the visit, we sat in on an informative talk about Madeira’s orchids and other tropical plants. At one point, the speaker revealed just how valuable some of the rarer species are - and that’s when I nearly fell off my chair. Chairs seemed to be a running theme on this trip: back on board Fred. Olsen’s Borealis a fellow passenger was caught out when hers reclined so suddenly she almost ended up wearing the G&T she was still holding.
The most fascinating discovery was that orchids don’t naturally grow in soil at all. In the wild, their habitat is the branches of trees, where roots cling to bark and absorb air and moisture. To recreate those conditions at home, growers often use materials like cork, tree bark, or coconut husk - all of which allow the roots to breathe just as they would in nature.
The talk was accompanied by a glass of Madeira wine - sweet, rich, and golden. We loved it so much that we picked up a bottle to take home, a reminder of the island in liquid form. And yes, there were more pastéis de nata. At this point, I was starting to think custard tarts should come with their own passport stamp.
Exploring Funchal’s Streets & Markets
After leaving the gardens, we took time to wander through the streets of Funchal. The Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market) was a highlight - stalls overflowing with vivid tropical fruit, and strings of fiery red chillies. The colours, textures, and scents were as much an inspiration as they were a feast for the senses.
As we strolled, we spotted more examples of the azulejos tiles Portugal is famous for, each one telling a story in blues and whites. These patterns, paired with the lush greenery of Madeira, made the city feel like a blend of art gallery and botanical showcase.
When we first stepped off the ship, though, our mission was food. We found a harbourfront seafood restaurant that turned out to be incredible. Fresh fish, shellfish, and local flavours served with the view of the marina - where ducks and shoals of fish swam just metres away from our table.
Later, with some free time before heading back aboard, we wandered through a few more bars, watching the streets of Funchal slowly light up as the sun set and the city shifted into night.
Churchill’s Brushstrokes
Churchill himself fell in love with Madeira, not only for its landscapes but for its light. He often came here to paint, setting up his easel against backdrops of terraced hillsides and the Atlantic horizon. It’s no wonder Churchill chose Madeira as a painting retreat - the island itself feels like a living canvas, with bold contrasts and compositions already framed by the sea and sky.
The island’s light has long been a magnet for artists and designers, and it’s easy to see why. In Madeira, colours seem amplified - greens glow more vividly, skies deepen to a sharper blue, and shadows cut with striking definition. Walking the same winding paths Churchill once did, I felt as though the island was staging its own compositions: bold colours, dramatic contrasts, and ready-made canvases waiting to be captured.
A pair of elegant crane sculptures stand gracefully in the lush gardens of Funchal’s Jardins do Lago hotel, with sweeping city views framed by Madeira’s greenery.
From Neutral Stone to Bold Colour
Looking back across Portugal, I was struck by the sharp contrast between Lisbon and Madeira. Lisbon’s palette was neutral, calm and balanced - earthy stone hues, pale pink marbles, golden highlights, and subtle blue tiles. Madeira, by contrast, was unapologetically bold: saturated greens, orchid purples, deep reds, and tropical textures spilling over every surface.
What are the key differences between Lisbon’s design palette and Madeira’s? One whispers in neutrals, the other sings in colour. And how can the colours and textures of Madeira influence modern surface pattern design? By pushing me, as a new designer, to embrace not just structure and restraint, but also vibrancy and flourish.
Together, they told a story of balance: one city whispering in neutrals, the other singing in colour. Like being handed two complementary palettes - structured, historic elegance on one hand and organic, vibrant abundance on the other.
It’s a pairing that I know will shape future pattern collections: Lisbon’s geometry meeting Madeira’s flourish and freedom.
From Lisbon’s timeless stone statues to the plant-draped entrance of Funchal’s Botanical Garden Hotel - a striking contrast of European architecture and Madeira’s lush, tropical charm.
A Taste of Goa at Sea
Our final evening aboard Fred. Olsen’s Borealis gave us one more surprise before the journey home: dinner at Vasco, the ship’s Goan restaurant named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. The menu here is shaped by their very own chefs, with dishes inspired by authentic Goan flavours - rich curries, freshly baked breads, and marinades layered with spice.
The story behind Vasco is as memorable as the food itself. One of the restaurant’s crew members took his colleagues from the ship back to his village in Goa. There, they tried local delicacies marinated in spices grown and blended by the villagers themselves. After a few beers and a good old chinwag, the concept for Vasco was born - a way to bring the warmth and vibrancy of Goan cooking to life on board.
Rather than feeling like a finale, the meal added another layer to our journey - connecting Portugal’s history of exploration with a dining experience that spanned continents. From Lisbon’s pastéis de nata to Madeira’s seafood and wine, and now Goa’s spice-rich flavours, the trip became a tapestry of tastes as well as places.
A feast for the eyes as well as the palate - the vibrant flavours of Goa brought to life at Vasco, Fred. Olsen’s onboard restaurant inspired by a village feast in India.
Farewell to the Floating Garden
Our true farewell came later that night, as we sat on our cabin balcony reflecting on the Fred. Olsen Atlantic cruise that had carried us from Liverpool’s docks to Lisbon’s tiled streets and Madeira’s gardens. It was a moment to pause and take in how much ground (and sea) we had covered on this Borealis cruise itinerary, each stop offering its own palette of sights, flavours, and inspirations.
Why is Madeira called the “Floating Garden of the Atlantic”? Because everywhere you turn, from terraced hillsides to coastal views, you’re surrounded by a tapestry of colour and growth that seems to rise straight out of the ocean itself.
The next morning, as we drove towards the airport, we waved goodbye to this Atlantic jewel. From the sea to the hills, the ship to the streets, Portugal had given me not just memories but a visual library of inspiration I’ll carry forward, sketch by sketch, until the time comes to turn it into design.
Turning Journeys Into Design
✨ Come behind the scenes at @foxkay.designs where sketches from Lisbon and Madeira start their journey into patterns.
The Art of Lisbon: Azulejos, Pastéis de Nata & Design Inspiration from the Borealis
Lisbon is a city of hidden creativity - from tiled walls to golden Pastéis de Nata, inspiration lives in colour, pattern, and tradition.
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”
- Saint Augustine (354–430 AD), theologian & philosopher
All Hands on Deck!
I’ll never forget stepping aboard the Fred. Olsen Borealis at Liverpool Docks. For the next few days, this beautiful ship would become our floating home, carrying us across the Celtic Sea, past the Bay of Biscay, and on to Portugal.
Like kids in a sweet shop, we wandered from deck to deck, taking in the art, objects and atmosphere. Everywhere you turned, there was something eclectic: Japanese warrior statues, delicate ship models, and even a grand portrait of the three Olsen brothers who founded the line in 1848. The piece that stopped me in my tracks, though, was a mural-sized painting of stormy seas and ancient ships — a reminder of how closely art and travel are tied to human imagination.
The Ship as Inspiration
The Borealis itself became an unexpected design lesson. From the Observatory Lounge with its panoramic windows (and reclining chairs that occasionally caught passengers off guard - one poor woman reclined so fast she wore her gin and tonic!) to the Morning Light Pub with its glowing hearth and cosy board games, the décor blended history with comfort. It was a reminder that spaces tell stories - something I always carry into my creative work.
Even meals became a form of performance art. Behind the scenes, chefs presented dishes for sign-off at the “tasting table” - a daily ritual of precision, creativity, and collaboration. From sticky-plum roast duck to jewel-like desserts, it felt like watching an edible exhibition unfold.
Behind the scenes at the Borealis galley: the chefs’ ‘tasting table,’ where every dish was presented like art before making it to our plates. Creativity, precision, and a dash of theatre.
Waking Up in Lisbon
There’s something surreal about going to sleep with the sound of the sea outside your cabin and waking up to an entirely new country. I stepped out onto our balcony and there it was: Lisbon rising in the morning light.
Our tour began in the historic Belém district, a place many people ask about when visiting Lisbon. If you’ve ever wondered what azulejos are or where to see the best ones in Lisbon, Belém is the perfect starting point. The glazed ceramic tiles are everywhere - once a practical (and inexpensive) way to rebuild after the devastating 1755 earthquake, today they’re admired as intricate works of art. So, why are azulejos so important in Portugal? Beyond their beauty, they tell stories of faith, history, and everyday life, turning whole streets into living galleries. I even picked up handmade coaster replicas from a local market - a small but meaningful way of bringing Portuguese craft back home.
Inside the Jerónimos Monastery, sunlight poured across stone archways carved with pineapples, corn, and artichokes - “exotic” foods discovered by Portuguese explorers like Prince Henry the Navigator. To me, this was design at its most powerful: history, culture, and creativity etched into stone.
From there, we visited the Monument of Discoveries on the edge of the Tagus River.It’s one of Lisbon’s most famous landmarks, and visitors often wonder what the Monument of Discoveries represents. Built as a towering ode to Portugal’s Age of Exploration, it stands beside a giant marble compass and world map mosaic. Standing there, I couldn’t help but feel the pull of both geography and design - patterns laid into stone, telling stories of journeys that shaped the world.
Pastéis de Nata & Coffee Breaks
Of course, no Lisbon adventure is complete without pastéis de nata (custard tarts). We didn’t just eat them - we learned how to bake them in a workshop at the Cooking Lisbon Culinary School (aprons included!). This was part of our Fred. Olsen tour, and it turned out to be such a fun way to connect food, culture, and travel. Paired with a glass of Taylor’s port and rich coffee, it was the perfect end to our day.
Ever wondered why Portuguese custard tarts are called pastéis de nata? The name simply means “pastries of cream,” and they originated with monks at the Jerónimos Monastery, who used leftover egg yolks to create the rich custard filling we know today.
Because no blog about Lisbon would be complete without them, I’ve included the recipe below as a recipe card you can save or print. Just click the banner image below to open the full PDF. If you give it a try, I’d love to see your creations - share your photos and tag me @foxkay.designs.
Ingredients
- 1 roll puff pastry
- 250ml whole milk
- 250ml double cream
- 175g sugar
- 40g plain flour
- 2 lemons (zest only)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 egg yolks
- Butter (for greasing)
- Muffin tins (makes 8 tarts)
Method
Prepare the pastry: Slice your puff pastry roll into 1 cm discs. Place one in each muffin tin and press gently outward with your thumb until it reaches the edges. (Tip: wet your thumb to help spread the pastry more easily.) Chill while you make the custard.
Mix the base: In a large bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Gradually add the milk, then the cream. Stir in lemon zest and a cinnamon stick to infuse.
Cook the custard: Transfer mixture to a saucepan and simmer gently over medium heat, stirring often. It should thicken slightly but stay pourable. Remove from heat and strain out the zest and cinnamon.
Cool completely: Place the custard in an ice bath or refrigerate until cooled.
Add the eggs & fill: Whisk in egg yolks once cooled. Pour into pastry cases, leaving a little room at the top so they don’t spill in the oven.
Bake & enjoy: Bake at 250 °C / 480 °F (or as hot as your oven allows) for 10–15 minutes until the tops are caramelised and the pastry golden. Serve warm with coffee or a splash of port.
From Ship to Shore: Design Stories Intertwined
Throughout the journey, the Borealis seemed to echo Lisbon’s spirit of design. Onboard, Fred. Olsen’s eclectic collection told stories through Japanese armour, maritime murals, and portraits of seafaring pioneers. Every hallway was like a gallery, a reminder that travel and art have always been inseparable.
Stepping ashore in Lisbon, I found that same storytelling spirit woven into the city’s fabric. Where the ship used paintings, carvings and statues, Lisbon used tiles, stone and mosaics. Both spaces - one afloat, one anchored in history - carried design as a way of recording memory, celebrating culture, and inviting us to pause and look closer.
After a day wandering Lisbon’s tiles and streets, we returned to the Borealis just in time to watch another ship sail into the sunset.
A Designer’s Eye in Lisbon
In Lisbon, inspiration waits at every corner:
Textures of ancient stone walls, smoothed by centuries.
Patterns of azulejos, each tile a tiny work of art.
Mosaics of black-and-white cobblestones, recycled from earthquake rubble.
Symbols etched in marble, maps pointing to voyages long past.
The detail that stayed with me most was the colour palette of the city. Lisbon feels perfectly neutral at its core - earthy stone tones forming a calm backdrop - but look closer and you notice subtle layers: pale pinks running through the marble of the compass mosaic, golden accents shimmering against the warm neutrals, soft blues glinting on the tiles. It’s a palette I can’t wait to explore further in my own work, and one that will certainly find its way into a Portuguese-inspired pattern collection.
Lisbon showed me that art isn’t only in museums - it’s in streets, pavements, pastries, and ports. My camera roll is overflowing with motifs, palettes, and textures that I know will one day spill into design.
Come Behind the Scenes
This journey through Portugal is just the beginning. From Lisbon’s azulejos to Madeira’s gardens, the textures, colours and stories I’ve gathered are already finding their way into sketchbooks and early pattern ideas.
If you’d like to see how travel moments become designs - from first scribbles to finished collections - I share it all over on Instagram.
Follow @foxkay.designs for behind-the-scenes process, new pattern launches, and more travel-inspired creativity.
