Founder Q & A
Pour yourself a cup of tea and join us in the orchard for a behind‑the‑scenes Q&A with our founder.
a note from
Our Founder
“At its core, Orchard & Hive is about nurturing the creativity, curiosity, and wonder in all of us. I’ve always believed that anyone can be creative with a little time, a little tending, and a space that feels welcoming enough to explore. Orchard & Hive was created to be that space – a storied world where creativity is planted and imaginations grow. Every story, every resource, and every pattern is shaped with this belief in mind. This little world was built slowly and intentionally, season by season, with the hope that it becomes a place you’ll want to return to again and again.
These FAQs offer a behind‑the‑scenes look at my process, my background in teaching and design, and the values that guide this studio. I’m delighted to share a glimpse of the roots and ideas that shape Orchard & Hive, and I’m excited to watch this world grow in the hearts and hands of teachers, makers, and families like you.”
Rachel
About the Brand
Q: What is Orchard & Hive?
A: Orchard & Hive is a small creative studio for children that blends storytelling, teaching, and design. From curriculum resources to illustrated patterns, everything we make is crafted to spark imagination, nurture creativity, and bring a little wonder into learning and play.
Q: Why Orchard & Hive?
A: Our brand name Orchard & Hive was inspired by the earliest chapter of our studio, when our TpT shop was known as Mz Applebee. The name honors our roots while looking toward what we’re becoming. It evokes a sense of growth, creativity, community, and the quiet magic of seasonal rhythms, which is at the heart of everything we make.
Q: Why digital teaching products?
A: I love creating resources that are simple to use, easy to access, and flexible enough to fit into any learning environment. Digital products let me design materials that teachers and families can print, adapt, and use in ways that support their own rhythms and routines. They’re a way to share creativity quickly and intentionally, little bursts of inspiration that can be downloaded whenever they’re needed.
Q: Is the orchard a real place?
A: The orchard isn’t a physical place, but it’s very real within the Orchard & Hive world. It’s a storied space where creativity is planted, tended, and encouraged to grow. When you explore our resources and designs, you’re stepping into that world, even if it only lives on the page.
About the Creator
Q: Why did you create Orchard & Hive?
A: Orchard & Hive began as a way to blend my background in teaching with my passion for storytelling and illustration. I originally created my TpT shop to make the resources I needed in my own classroom, materials that helped children feel encouraged to explore their natural creativity, imagination, and wonder. Even as Orchard & Hive has evolved, our mission hasn’t changed. Every resource and design is still created to inspire learning and growth.
Q: What is your experience in education?
A: I’m a teacher with a background in elementary and early childhood education, library science, and over a decade of curriculum development experience. I bring that blend of teaching and design to Orchard & Hive, creating evidence‑based materials and thoughtfully crafted resources that support the needs of children, teachers, and families.
Q: What is your background in design?
A: I’ve always been a creative person, a maker, explorer, writer and artist. When I started my TpT shop, I wanted a visual style that felt uniquely ours, so I began illustrating our resources. My illustration work grew into a love of design and eventually led me to surface patterns. Today, that blend of illustration and design shapes the look and feel of Orchard & Hive.
Q: How do stories shape what you create?
A: At heart, I’m a storyteller. Every pattern, collection, blog post, and resource begins with a story. Stories connect us, teach us, and help us imagine. At Orchard & Hive, every story becomes an invitation to create.
About the Process
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: I get ideas from books, fairytales, vintage children’s illustrations, nature, travel, and exploration. Most ideas don’t arrive fully formed. They grow slowly, shaped by sketches, curiosity, and the small details I notice in everyday life. Inspiration is something I tend and it often becomes a pattern collection or a new resource only after it’s had time to unfold.
Q: What’s your creative rhythm during the day?
A: I’m a morning person. I love getting up with the sun and doing my best creative work before the world is fully awake.
Q: What’s always on your desk?
A: My computer, iPad, a sketchbook or notebook, a mug filled with coffee or tea, a soy candle, and a bit of seasonal decor that inspires whatever I’m working on and makes the whole space feel cozy.
Q: What books would you recommend to inspire creativity?
A: My favorite creative reads are The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, and Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa Congdon. They’re all wonderful places to begin.
About the Artwork
Q: Do you license your illustrations and patterns?
A: Yes! Orchard & Hive offers licensing for both our illustrations and surface pattern collections. You can learn more in our Design Studio or reach out to request access to our full licensing portfolio.
Q: Is your artwork AI generated?
A: No, all Orchard & Hive artwork is hand‑drawn digital illustration created with care and intention. We do not create, sell, or publish AI-generated artwork, writing, or educational resources. Behind every resource, story, and illustration is a real creator dedicated to making meaningful products and experiences for children, families, and educators.
Q: What tools do you use for illustration?
A: Every illustration begins with a sketch and an idea. From there, I use Procreate and Adobe Illustrator to bring those sketches to life as digital illustrations.
Q: What is your favorite color palette?
A: I’m drawn to muted colors. Soft, gentle hues that feel calm and inviting. They have a quiet, unique quality, the kind of colors that let creativity shine. I love how kids respond to them. Softer palettes make room for bold imaginations.
Quick Questions
Q: What scent reminds you of Orchard & Hive?
A: Apple blossom, cedarwood, vanilla, and just a hint of eucalyptus. Something soft, fresh, cozy, and a little bit wild.
Q: What’s your favorite season?
A: Autumn. Apple season in the Blue Ridge Mountains is beautiful with the changing leaves, crisp air, cozy routines, porch reading, and pumpkin patches waiting for spooky season to arrive.
Q: What’s your go-to comfort read?
A: Mystery novels (adult or middle grade). I love the twists and turns of the unexpected. They feel like mini-adventures.
Q: What’s your favorite way to reset your creativity?
A: I plan an Artist Date. And a walk in nature never disappoints.
Q: What is your favorite mid-workday snack?
A: A cup of apple chai tea and honey toast.