Zeida Rothman, longtime OPEN EXCHANGE lister, is founder of The California School of Professional Fabric Design. See our Jobs Category and Arts & Crafts.

I woke up this morning, surrounded by soft rosy pastel colors of late summer gardens. The crisp smell of freshly laundered sheets and the joy of lying on a bed of flowers confirmed the love I have for fabrics. Azaleas, peonies, lilies and camellias nurture my senses and soothe my emotions.

Early on in life I realized how much color and fabrics affected my psyche. My mother always set the table with fabrics that had light sherbet background colors. It was pleasing for me to have dinner seeing those particular colors. Joyful memories still come of my family gathering around light sherbets and lots of laughter.

My love for fabrics kept expanding. When there were times in my life I felt down, I found comfort in seeking out the fabrics that soothed my senses, both tactile and visual. It didn't matter if they were strong playful reds and yellows or subdued creamy pastels, they all spoke to me in different ways.

I got to realize that fabrics didn't have to be a big investment. I liked that they could be folded easily, gathered, saved and admired until I knew what to do with them. Sometimes I would just take them out periodically and feel invigorated by their artistry. The fabric that I resonated with the most, from my vast collection was usually what I needed at that moment to lift my spirits and creativity. Many of them turned out to be small tossed pillows that joined an array of others on my brown velvet down sofa in my living room.

I've become aware, as so many of us are, of the lust for decorating and redecorating. Changing older fabrics for newer ones seemed to reflect the changes I was going through in life. My creative expression was continuously stimulated by the vast beauty found in the endless diversity of fabrics. Sometimes I didn't feel inspired when I held a piece fabric. I knew that the timing wasn't right and waited until it in a sense "spoke to me."

I see how fabrics go hand-in-hand with nesting. There seems to be a desire to create a comforting sanctuary. My sanctuary, my home, is where I can breathe more easily at the end of the day. When I finally get home and plop down on my cushiony sofa, I'm surrounded by all the fabrics I took such careful thought in selecting. They soothe a deeper part of me. Decorating seems to be about dreams. Living with beautiful fabrics is an extremely fulfilling way my dreams can manifest.

Those dreams kept growing and wanted to be shared with others. I now have an outlet where people can come to create their own dreams. The California School of Professional Fabric Design is where people have been coming for over the past 26 years to explore fabric designing. Sanctuaries come in all different forms. This particular sanctuary of the school seems to be a great support for the love so many of us want to experience, but didn't know where to go to do so.

I feel immense gratitude for the sherbet colored tablecloths my mother was so fond of. It inspired me to explore my passion today as a professional textile designer and to share a career with others that is extremely gratifying.