I had created a pinterest board where I compiled all of the images which I was looking at before I started designing.
link: http://www.pinterest.com/RineshMistry/cath-kidston-pattern-ideas/
Looking at these images had helped me to decided how to illustrate the objects as well as how to put them into a pattern.
I liked how detailed these illustrations were but did I knew I did not have the illustrative skills to achieve something as detailed as this but it gave me a good heads up on how to approach doing the illustrations.