Late last month I went on a brief weekend road trip to a neighboring state. The weather was way too hot and the drive was way too long, but it was lovely to be out in the world again after a long year at home. I sang along to some music blasting in the car (still have "Long Time Gone" by The Chicks echoing in my head), ate a few delicious things (Apple BLT sandwich! Garlic green beans! Blueberry tart!), and saw some artwork. I highly recommend you get out and about this summer if you're able.

On My Work (Art) Table

Summer is always a bit slower for me, which means it's the perfect time to experiment with new ideas! This very simple pair of earrings has been sitting on my desk for awhile. The problem with them is that they move a lot when worn and the top triangle could potentially slip to the side. I've been trying to see if there's a perfect balance of jump rings that I can use to make sure that they always hang correctly. (Two isn't the answer, but maybe three will be?) Otherwise, I might need to skip the extra jump rings and wire the triangle to the top jump ring. Or maybe I'll come up with a different solution altogether.

What I'm Reading

I've just finished reading my second Louise Penny mystery, A Fatal Grace. (Thanks to reader Debbie for asking for an update!) I can see why she's a popular author. While Louise Penny is writing a detective mystery and the plot revolves around a crime, you feel like you get to spend a lot of deep, quality time with all the other characters in the book. 

In this book, I especially liked the scene with the character Clara talking about her artwork and the themes of imperfection and impermanence. She says, "There's a crack in everything." To which the detective Gamache replies, "That's how the light gets in." I've been thinking about that a lot!

On My Library Hold List

I'm waiting to read The book of alchemy: a creative practice for an inspired life by Suleika Jaouad. The author's website notes that she's an "author, artist, advocate reporting from the in-between places." I know that the book is about journaling, but not much else about it.

In the Kitchen

I found a new use for those pink Ball jars that I bought back in March of 2024: water! Okay, I know, not the world's most exciting thing, but hear me out! I work at home and prefer to drink out of a glass, but I could never figure out if I was drinking enough water. How many glasses of water did I drink today? Two? Ten? Now I fill one jar, place it in the refrigerator (chilled water tastes better), and use that to refill my glass. Each jar holds two quarts of water (8 cups), so it's easy for me to tell at a glance if I need to drink more. Hydration for the win!

What I'm Watching

Have you seen the junior version of The Great British Baking Show? I'm more nervous watching the kids than the adults, but I shouldn't be. They all tackle setbacks so well and are so encouraging to one another. A good show to make you feel a bit more hopeful about the future!

Art I Admired

Lately I've been looking at more jewelry designs. I love this kinetic sunflower locket by Victoria Walker Jewelry. Stunning! I've always been fascinated by jewelry that has moving parts.

I also enjoyed looking at the beautiful jewelry made by The Broken Plate Co. Such a cool way to reuse broken dishes that have sentimental meaning!

Made Me Laugh

Did you know that you can buy wrapping paper that turns all your gifts into loaves of bread? So silly!

New in the Shops

Have you heard of Summerween? I admit this trendy combination of "summer" and "Halloween" makes me cringe, but if you make things that are Halloween-themed, it is a good idea to start in the summer so you finish on time. I had fun drawing this collection of Halloween designs, one of which features cats playing with brown paper bags. I set out to draw an even number of "trick" and "treat" cats, but ended up drawing too many "trick" ones on my first pass. Naughty cats are just more fun to draw! The full Trick or Treat Halloween Cats fabric collection is available via Spoonflower.



See you next month!

It's raining almost every afternoon, but I can't complain. All that rain will lessen the chance of wildfires later on.  Plus, my roses are super happy!

On My Work (Art) Table

I've been wanting to carve another rubber stamp design. I last made one back in 2018, so it's been awhile! I have the materials ... and they're just sitting there! I'm sharing this here as a way to remind myself (and you!) to just get started.  If the design in my head doesn't match the final outcome, it's fine! You'll never improve if you don't start!

What I'm Reading

I read the second and third books in the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. I'd read the first one back in August 2023 and then moved onto other books. I saw that they're making a Netflix show about the first book about these retirees-turned-detectives (due out in August 2025!), so I started reading them again. I enjoyed the second and third books more than the first one, although it could just be that it was the right book at the right time. It's a good reminder that sometimes it's worthwhile to go back to an author and read another one of their books later to see if you still feel the same way.

I also read the new science fiction book When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi, which is about what happens back on Earth when the moon suddenly turns into cheese. It's told as a series of connected short stories, a format that makes it easy to read just a chapter at a time. I couldn't help but think of the short story he wrote years ago about yogurt (which later was animated as an episode in the Love Death and Robots series). Maybe he'll do one more dairy-inspired piece and we can have a boxed set!

My reading doesn't always align with my artwork, but I did draw a Moon Phase Circles fabric design around the same time:

On My Library Hold List

Here are two books on my library hold list:

• Class Clown by Dave Barry
  Way back in the olden times, I used to sometimes read Dave Barry's humor column in the newspaper. I haven't read any of his work in a long time, but I'm intrigued that he's written a memoir.
  
  
• Ordinary Time: Lesson Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones
  The author is a bookstore owner and podcaster. I've never listened to her show (From the Front Porch), but added this book to my to-do list based on the title alone.

In the Kitchen

I made Perfect Blueberry Muffins from Smitten Kitten. The mixture has an interesting texture, more like cookie dough than normal muffin mixture. I used the batter to make 12 muffins instead of 9 and used tiny frozen wild blueberries from Trader Joe's. I also used Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt for more protein. Very good! One thing I like about muffins is that you can freeze them, so I froze half of them to eat later. My future self will appreciate that in the middle of summer when I don't want to turn on the oven!

One day when I was running errands, I bought a bottle of Just Ice Tea. I was delighted by the quote inside the cap: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." ~ Albert Einstein.

What I'm Watching

I checked out the DVD of Wicked from the library. I'm not a huge musical fan, but I was definitely curious about this one which is a retelling of The Wizard of Oz from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West. I didn't realize that this movie was "Part 1" (at 2 hours and 40 minutes!). The second part is supposed to come out later this year. Stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were excellent and it was fun to see Michelle Yeoh and Bowen Yang in their roles.

Art I Admired

The Quilters on Nexflix is a short documentary about men in a high security prison in Missouri who make birthday quilts for foster children. The quilts are beautiful objects, but it's also beautiful to see something good come out of such a harsh environment. There's a short article about it on Quilting Daily about the project that includes information on how to donate fabric and other materials.

Made Me Laugh

I loved reading about this couple in Minneapolis that turned their damaged oak tree into a giant pencil that they sharpen every year with a custom-made pencil sharpener. Some people come dressed as pencils and erasers to celebrate! Amazing!

New in the Shops

I don't do as much hand stamping on metal as I used to, but lately I've been inspired to make few items, including this fried egg keychain that might remind you of a certain commercial from the 1980s if you're around my age! Another new stamped item on Etsy is these write more, worry less earrings.



Someone asked me about making a tiny version of my turtle shell patterns for their sewing project, so those versions are now available on Spoonflower in brown, green, and aqua blue.

If you need a different size or color of one of my fabric designs for your project, just ask! I can do that for most designs. (And a reminder that if you make something or decorate with one of my fabrics or wallpapers, I'd love to see it!)

See you next month!

It's the middle of May and I'm ready for summer! I have so many projects that I'd like to accomplish, but I'll try not to get discouraged if I don't get to them all. I have to remember that most people overestimate what they can do in a single day, but underestimate what they can do in a month or a year. In other words, keep going!

On My Work (Art) Table

A couple of weeks ago I needed to wrap a last-minute earring gift and reached for my metallic silver washi tape to decorate the top of the box. It turned out pretty cute!

What I'm Reading

Here are three books I liked recently:

• I never thought I'd use the word "enjoyable" and "tuberculosis" in the same sentence, but here we are! Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green was a fascinating quick read. I had no idea how this disease connected to fashion or literary history. It's heartbreaking that we could eliminate this disease but have chosen not to.

• I'm not a diehard Saturday Night Live fan, but I did enjoy by The Art of the SNL Portrait by Mary Ellen Matthews. I'd always kind of wondered about the stylized photos of the guest stars that appear only for a few seconds on the screen. It turns out they were originally bumpers, an industry term that signifies to stations that they should play the commercials. Bumpers were phased out in the 1970s, but SNL continued to use them. My favorite part of the book was in the back where they show the staging and stories behind some of the photos. (NPR has a short segment about the book if you want to see a few photos and learn more about the photographer.)

• I picked up A Short History of Black Craft in Ten Objects by Robell Awake at my library, drawn in by the colorful book cover. I'd only heard of the quilters (Gee's Bend and Harriet Powers) before, so it was great to learn about some new-to-me makers, artists, crafters such as couture designer Ann Lowe who made Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress. The author is coming from a maker perspective (the chairs on his website are amazing!) and not a scholarly one, so the book is very approachable.

On My Library Hold List

I'm looking forward to Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by poet Maggie Smith. I read her memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, last August. (If you've never read her poem by the same title, I recommend it.)

My city has just chosen their "One Book, One City" read for this year, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller, so I added that to my to-read list, too.

In the Kitchen

In my ongoing quest to get more protein in my diet, I tried Momofuku noodles, which are the air-dried (not fried) noodles created by chef David Chang. I wasn't a fan of the sweet and spicy sauce, but I did like the noodles themselves.  They're a bit pricey--$14+ for a 5-pack as of this writing--so not something I'll eat every week, but definitely again with my own sauce.

What I'm Watching

A Lego Brickumentary was a fun watch. I didn't know much about Lego fans, especially the adult variety. I'm amazed at how they can create huge scenic displays in 3D. One of the featured artists in the documentary was Alice Finch, who is one of the few women in the field. Her first model had 400,000 Lego bricks!

Art I Admired

I bought a copy of Design, Second Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide and have been leafing through it. I love a great reference book (you know I used to be a librarian, right?) and this one fits the bill. I checked out a copy from the library as part of my research into Art Deco and decided I wanted my own copy. I feel like I could flip to any random page and find inspiration. So much beautiful art in one place -- it feels pretty decadent!

Made Me Laugh

This lovely story about a paraprofessional who sews bags for the children in her school is not inherently funny, but I was amused at how she'd repurposed the deli equipment from her former business (including a big freezer) to hold all her sewing supplies. I bet a lot of crafters can relate to that!

New in the Shops

I've been adding earrings, keychains, and stitch markers to my Etsy shop. A Daiso shop (a Japanese dollar store) opened near me and I've bought a few tiny dishes to use for photographs. Shown here are a house plant keychain, a pair of black-and-white beaded mandala earrings, and some tiny feather stitch markers, all in their own tiny dishes. The back of the plant keychain has been engraved with the words: "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."

I entered the Art Deco challenge at Spoonflower with a wallpaper design titled "Elegant Art Deco Brooch with Sapphires, Diamonds, and Silver." I always learn something by doing these challenges, even if it's something I don't expect. Of course, I refreshed my knowledge of Art Deco style, but I also learned that I need to be careful when coloring on Procreate, as I kept finding tiny spots I'd missed and had to edit the finished design several times to make sure all the shapes were properly filled in. I'm working on several different color variations, plus some simpler blender patterns to complete the full collection.

See you next month!

Ah, spring! I bought a new beige sun hat with a wide brim and a strap that goes under my chin. (It's this one from REI, if you're curious!) It's extremely dorky, but at least now I feel better protected from the mix of snow, rain, and sun that will show up this month. I'm thinking of adding some pretty ribbon, beads, or embroidery on the hat to make it feel more like me.

On My Work (Art) Table

For April, I joined a Spoonflower challenge hosted by Australian designer Erin Kendal. It's titled the "Blender Bonanza Challenge" and involves 14 prompts (given over 28 days) to create blender patterns. A blender pattern is simpler repeat design that can be used on fabric, wallpaper, home decor or apparel. I'm not planning on finishing it in the given time frame, but I do want to try all the prompts. Challenges can be a good way to think a bit differently about what you're creating. Here's my take on the "dense ditsy floral" pattern challenge prompt which calls for non-directional flowers and minimal white space:

Black-Eyed Susan Ditsy Floral Pattern

What I'm Reading

I've finished reading The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon, which covers little-known people who changed the course of American history. I especially liked how she linked some of the stories together, as I think history is often taught as discrete events, when really there are multiple people working towards a shared goal. The author has a distinct voice and inserts herself into the narrative occasionally, which makes this book unique. She also has a hopeful tone that I appreciated.

On My Library Hold List

I'm waiting for Still Life by Louise Penny. I've been hearing the author's name pop up more from different people. She's an award-winning Canadian author who has been writing mysteries for a long time, but she's new to me.

I'm also on the hold list for Everything is Tuberculosis. Young adult author John Green is a fascinating person, one of those authors whose passions run deep and can't be contained to a single subject, except perhaps trying to make the world a better place.

In the Kitchen

I've made so many smoothies in the last year that my blender has started making a horrible noise. It turns out I need to replace the "cutter assembly" part. I don't follow a specific smoothie recipe, but some of my favorite ingredients are:

• Greek yogurt
• Frozen fruit
• strawberries
• cherries
• blueberries
• raspberries
• bananas
• Peanut butter powder
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Honey
• Almond milk
• Orange juice

What I'm Watching

Have you seen The Residence mystery show on Netflix? I enjoyed it for the most part, although I though the last episode felt overly long. I really liked the bird-watching detective. (I keep thinking about the birdwatcher earrings I made awhile back. I don't think that this character would wear them, but fans of the show might!)

Art I Admired

I've been admiring the beaded jewelry tutorials of Poetry in Beads. Not only are the necklaces, bracelets, and earrings beautiful, but she gives them such clever names: Secret Garden, Katherine of Aragon, Avonlea.

Made Me Laugh

I loved seeing actors Jason Momoa and Jack Black outfitted in the brightest handmade crochet cardigan sweaters to promote their new movie. Country Living has a nice article about them and the handmade artist. I think of Jason Momoa as an actor who does action or superhero-type movies, so it was fun to see him in an unexpected way.

New in the Shops

Elections take place in the U.S. every month of the year. The presidential elections every four years get the most attention, but elections for school board members, state Supreme Court judges, and all sorts of positions can have a huge impact on your local community. Knowing this, I designed a new postcard "Every Vote Counts." The red, white, and blue lettering is taken from one of my original abstract paintings. It's available in my Etsy shop.



In addition to the postcards, there are some new earrings in my Etsy shop, including some copper teapots and gold-toned pretzels, plus some strawberry stitch markers.



I guess I'm thinking about food lately, as I also designed two kitchen-themed patterns for Spoonflower, a retro pattern that only features spatulas and one with a cheerful country farmhouse vibe!


See you next month!

It's mid-March, which means here in Colorado we're either having 70-degree temperatures or a blizzard. Ah, spring in the Rocky Mountains! Here's what's been keeping me busy:

On My Work (Art) Table

Lately I've been doing a lot of drawing on my iPad. I do love the convenience of being able to draw sitting on the sofa! I've been trying to get into the habit of drawing most days even if it's for a short period of time. Here's a little puppy from one of my drawing sessions:

What I'm Reading

I'm reading a few pages of Little Pieces of Hope by Todd Doughty every day. This is a book of lists, so it's the kind of book you can open and read at random or straight through. This book reminds me of lots of things that I love now and have loved in the past.

I've also started Back After This by Linda Holmes. You might recognize Linda Holmes as one of the hosts of the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. She is the one host who if she says the likes some book or movie, I immediately take note. Our tastes are not identical, but there's enough of an overlap that there's a good chance it's something I'll also like. Her romantic comedy centers on podcasts, dogs, and dating. (As an aside, several years ago I made earrings inspired by one of the characters in her first book.)

On My Library Hold List

I'm intrigued by Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. A summary of the book begins, "An inspired weaving of indigenous knowledge, plant science, and personal narrative from a distinguished professor of science and a Native American whose previous book, Gathering Moss, was awarded the John Burroughs Medal for outstanding nature writing." There's a pretty decent wait list for this book at my library (around 30 people or so) and that always adds to my curiosity.

In the Kitchen

Lately I've been drinking this red chai from The Republic of Tea. I normally add a little bit of almond milk and sometimes honey, too. I like that it's decaf. It's harder for me to find decaf teas that I like. If you order directly from the company, you can buy just the tea bags and skip the normal decorative tin. It's slightly cheaper that way and probably better for the environment.

What I'm Watching

I've discovered that I can catch episodes of the British show The Repair Shop streaming on Freevee in the evening. Some people probably would find it slow and dull, but I'm fascinated by the repairs that the craftspeople do on all sorts of family heirlooms -- furniture, teddy bears, paintings, radios, and more. As a maker myself I always seem to pick up a bunch of little tricks every time I sit down to watch it. For example, I watched as the craftsman matched the grain of the wood of the furniture he was repairing, but not the exact color, saying that he could stain the wood to match. That would never have occurred to me; I would have definitely been trying to find the exact wood.

Art I Admired

Since I tend to work on a very small scale, I always love seeing larger pieces of art. Someone online mentioned this old coffee pot water tower in Iowa. Roadside art is always so fun! I was reminded of some of the other roadside pieces I've seen such as the giant sunflower painting in Kansas.

Made Me Laugh

I shared this photo on Instagram of the Little Pieces of Hope book ... and Instagram cropped the photo so it looked like the book title was "Little Pie of Hope," which to be fair, is totally a book I'd read.

New in the Shops

More earrings in my Etsy shop! Pictured here are my Twisted Pencil Earrings, Full & Empty Earrings, Guitar Pick Earrings, and Retro Video Game Earrings.



I also have a fresh quilt-inspired spring fabric design with flowers in three different colorways on Spoonflower (dark blue, terracotta orange, and sunny yellow):

See you next month!