About Leah Farquharson

Leah Farquharson in a green blouse and beige pants standing in a home office, smiling and holding a smartphone, with a bookshelf, desk, and houseplants in the background.

Leah Farquharson Art is the work of Leah Farquharson. Her goal is to help you create an elegant, thoughtful oasis of peace and slow living in your home, so that you can recharge away from the busyness of daily life. Her original botanical designs and artwork feature deep blues and greens paired with soft neutrals intended to root, ground, and connect you to your world and your space.

The truth is, Leah grew up reading, nestled under a quilt made for her by her aunt and grandmother. Her free hours as a child were spent either outdoors, reading, or making things. As she’s grown, “making” has taken different forms - from sewing and knitting, to scrapbooking and cooking. As an adult, she’s finally gained the courage to pursue what she really loves - drawing and painting - because she believes we never outgrow making.

Her work brings thoughtful elegance and a sense of peace to the world, and she hopes to inspire you with truth, goodness, and beauty. It’s free flowing, filled with movement and brushstrokes, designed to bring our minds out of our chaotic, modern, tech-filled world to a slower, more thoughtful place.

Education

Master of Arts in Classical Studies (in progress) Fall 2025

Bachelor of Science, Digital Media & Design, Spring 2025

Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL

Online Courses

Surface Pattern Immersion by Bonnie Christine 2018, 2024, 2025

SquareSpace Secrets by Paige Brunton 2024

Squarespace for Business 2024

Leverage Your Art by Stacie Bloomfield 2023, 2025

Making Art Work by Emily Jeffords 2020, 2025

In Progress:

B-School by Marie Forleo 2024

Timeline

Decorative vintage journal with a feather, flower, ribbon, and fabric pieces on a white wooden surface.

2011-2018

A boy sitting at a cluttered table working on a model solar system with paint and brushes, surrounded by modeling supplies and paperwork.

Hand holding a magazine open to a page showing a fabric handbag with a colorful geometric pattern, with a background of various craft magazines and books on a store shelf.

I begin working as a “designer” for major companies in the scrapbooking industry. This involved creating samples for trade shows, blogs, kit club features, and HSN. I worked for companies like American Crafts, Hambly Screenprints, Jenni Bowlin, and Maya Road. My work was published in over 40 different scrapbooking publications.

Collection of fabric scrunchies with floral and patterned designs, each with a white label wrapped around. Some scrunchies have leather or fabric accents.

2010

I file my LLC for Bluebird Chic and begin a tiny business selling handmade camera straps and covers on Etsy. They’re featured in a number of magazines, and catch the eye of editors at Mollie Makes Magazine.

Cover of Mollie Makes magazine featuring a woman holding a vintage camera and wearing a colorful apron with leaf patterns, with various headlines about crafts and handmade projects.

2018-2020

I continued to expand my camera strap making business and even had features on websites like Zulily. I made a sold a lot of camera straps, which was AMAZING. The experience taught me a lot about sourcing materials, and establishing wholesale accounts for my business and for buyers. And all the while…

A reusable bag filled with multiple white envelopes or padded mailers, placed on a tiled floor.

In 2018, we found a homeschool program that included an in person component. It provided a great platform for learning, community, and academic things like dual enrollment. In 2019, I become a leader in our local community, and began building classical education, and speaking skills.

When the pandemic hit, demand for camera straps plummeted. I tried to maintain my shop by creating masks, but when my husband needed space for an office to work from home, I didn’t have a designated space to work in. AND I had developed a reaction the sealants I used for the leather. AND I had been battling burnout. When your business grows, you find out the limits of how much one person can make on their own.

A woman standing near a whiteboard in a conference room, with a young boy sitting at a table. The room has a window showing trees outside and the table is cluttered with notebooks, water bottles, snacks, and a plastic container.

A woman with short dark hair and light blue eyes wearing a floral face mask, a purple sleeveless top, and a pearl and rhinestone necklace, standing indoors against a gray wall.

One featured article turns into a position as a contracted freelance contributor for Mollie Makes and its sister publication Simply Sewing that lasts for about seven years. I loved contributing DIY sewing projects for publication, and created everything from accessory bags to simple quilts and stuffed items. Many of my articles were also republished in their special issues.

2008-2024

Smiling woman with short dark hair and a man with a shaved head and gray beard taking a selfie together in a room with a gray wall and some papers in the background. The woman's arm is raised with two fingers showing in a peace sign.

A graduate in a black cap and gown holding a diploma, standing next to a university official in academic regalia at a graduation ceremony.

2018-2025

2022-2025

We actively homeschooled both of our sons until they graduated high school and headed off to college.

A young man sitting at a desk examining a slide under a microscope.

Sketchbook with watercolor painting of green leaves on a black table with cups, markers, a peach, and watercolor paints.

As the boys grew older and were more and more independent in their work, I spent more time art journaling and creating.

I had the opportunity to return to college and earn my bachelor’s degree in Digital Media and Design. I have discovered that classical education and mentoring are part of my core values. I love coming alongside others and helping them discover and grow. My degree and continued education allow me to continue to work in this field outside of what you see of my work in the art and design world.