annwood – ann wood handmade

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stitch book challenge – day 1 – curiosity

January 17, 2025

by annwood

Let’s baby step our way to 100 days of creative stitching. Let’s not worry about the outcome. Let’s find out what happens when you show up in a small way consistently. Let’s watch ourselves work. Learning more about how you work is one of the benefits of working- notice where you get stuck, notice what lights you up, feel for your curiosity…

The 100 day stitch book challenge starts today! Please be sure to read these two pages completely before you start:

1 – Before you do anything else please read this page carefully.

2 – Find the tutorial for how to cut your pages and make the book here. We don’t assemble the book until the pages are done but it’s good to know where we are headed. Take special note of how the pages will be stitched together and where you might want to leave a margin.

The books above are the result of the previous stitch book challenges. The book on the right has raw edges and the book on the left has finished edges- you’ll have the option to choose when we assemble at the end of the 100 days.

a couple things to consider

15 minutes is a suggestion – a good minimum- overachievers are welcome to do more.

The process lends itself to improvisational stitching – starting without knowing – working without a plan. It’s not the only way to approach this challenge but it’s my focus and when I offer suggestions and inspiration sources it will be in that context.

Community is key. We are each other’s accountability partners. Showing work in progress can feel weird but it helps you stay on track. It’s not mandatory to post every single day but I think it’s helpful to you to take a photo of each day’s progress for yourself.

Speaking of sharing – you can share on insta etc with

#stitchbookchallenge2025

FYI Hashtags can take a while to show up on social media. You can also – totally optional – join the stitch club community – it’s the private sharing space for ann wood handmade.

Daily practice- even a small one – is hard. Give yourself credit for showing up for it and take it one day at a time.

helpful blog posts:

the shimmering space between

7 ideas for your 100 day stitchbook

day 1

day 1- 2025

One thing leads to another if you let it. You just have to start. To set myself up for success I cut some pages and gathered some scraps to work with. It was all waiting for me this morning. My to go kit is ready and I have a plan for bad days. The rest is so easy- just stitch for 15 minutes. Begin without a plan. You get somewhere new by starting without knowing, make a mark (in this case a stitch, a patch etc.) and respond to it.

day 99 2023

curiosity

Let curiosity drive you in this process. What’s around the next corner? The books, the pages, and the whole process have surprised me each year. The daily thing is really a slog sometimes. I have not loved every image, I cringe when sharing my missteps. And, it’s all totally worth it. I get to places in my imagination I never otherwise would. That is everything. It’s the “youness” thing.

“No one is youer than you.” – Dr. Seuss

The world only has one chance at what’s in there – one chance at you. I think it’s worth time, energy, embarrassment, failure and disappointment to work your way through to the deepest, most truly creative work you can do – the youest – the work of your utterly unique imagination. Listen carefully for the magic – it is there- waiting to be noticed… Listening is part of the work. That kind of listening takes practice and patience and the afore mentioned showing up.

be curious
be open
show up

the 100 day stitch book starts soon! and community sign ups are open

January 11, 2025

by annwood

comments 29

The 2025 100 day stitch book challenge begins on 1/17 and ends on 4/26

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGE HERE

All the info you need to participate is available at the link above – please read it carefully – don’t skim! You’ll miss stuff

The 4th annual! 100 day Stitch Book Challenge begins next Friday January 17!

I have spent a lot of time and energy in life learning how to trick myself into doing stuff, getting my ideas out of my head or working past stuckness. One of the most effective ways is daily practice. Small daily practice. It’s where my ideas show up and percolate – in my daily paintings (this is year 7!) and the stitch book project.

In the case of the stitch book project, that’s 15 minutes per day for 100 days.

learn about the 100 day stitch book challenge here

The do-able chunk of time eliminates paralysis and overthinking and invites happenstance. And I love the idea of each day building on the previous.

Committing to a do-able assignment and applying small consistent effort is as close to a magic formula as there is for growing creatively and getting unstuck.

will you join us for the 2025 challenge?

To set yourself up for success on day one- Jan 17th – take some easy actions now. Grab the checklist. Then begin with the overview here.

And totally optional- join stitch club! You don’t need to join to participate but it is a great place to find support and share your progress.

stitch club membership is open now

What happens in stitch club? It’s the private ann wood handmade community, a great place to get inspired, share what you’re working on and make sewy friends.

We just completed a fall stitch journal in the community. It was an excellent warm up for the big event beginning next Friday. It was a weekly commitment (one stitched panel per week) as opposed to the daily 15 minute commitment of the 100 day book. I struggled to keep up. It’s a super busy time of year work wise and I had the faceplant situation that messed up a couple weeks of my life but I think the lesson is the small daily thing really works best for me.

You can see my finished book below. I approached the stitching the same way I approach the 100 day book – improvisational, yes and, see what turns up.

Don’t see the video above? Click here to view on youtube.

The binding is “modified coptic” . There are so many cool ways to bind books- I think we’ll try another method in the next mini book.

stitch book challenge 2025

Just like the three previous years I’m excited and also nervous to start. Daily practice is hard. But I can’t resist. Can you? I’ve got some ideas and lessons learned from the previous years to help you get ready.

thinking of the pages in pairs

Totally optional but I have loved having a second chance at compositions by treating 2 pages as one image/idea in previous book. I mostly did not work on the two pages consecutively. When I wasn’t happy with what I’d done, putting the idea aside and letting it percolate helped a lot.

I’m also leaning towards leaving my edges raw again.

Support the 100 day stitch book project and the always growing free pattern library.

Click here to add your support.

make it easy

Make it easy to show up. Have your materials accessible and transportable. 15 minutes is even more doable if everything is already set up.

plan for the bad days

This is so important. There will be some bad days. Some too busy or sick or too something days. The secret to those days is a predetermined, minimally acceptable effort.

Protect the habit, protect the momentum and do something.

and if you do miss a day?

Keep going. Maybe do an extra 15 minutes when you can.

warm up

Putting things in a box is a great way to begin.

I’m putting things in a box now and I’ll be back on the 17th with some ideas and encouragement.

Will you join me in 100 days of stitching? Let us know in the comments.

onward!

ann

PS – LA friends – you are on my mind ❤️❤️❤️❤️

handmade christmas 2024

December 21, 2024

by annwood

Orange slice ornaments are in the oven – 2 weeks later than planned or at the exact right moment…

I’m deeply immersed with a lot of very ambitious last minute Christmas project ideas, it smells like white pine and orange peel, the stick trees are up and it’s snowing the exact right amount.

All the work things are done (at last!) and the coziness here is deep, twinkly and particular.

let’s talk about stick tree number one

An elephant and monkey are merrily attending the base and there’s a happy cat on top this year. The tree is made from several sticks bundled together and wrapped with a fabric scrap. The skirt is a bit of an old crazy quilt.

The whole thing lists significantly to the left and is festooned with:

snowmen in bad moods
jingle stars
a sleepy moon
minimalist chicken
little owl
sheep
scrap trees
and wax paper snowflakes

I wish I had some flies – maybe I’ll add that to the last minute list.

I do like my holiday decor just slightly off kilter – like these cardboard castles with austere little windows. The creature that may or may not be a cat is by my brilliant friends at Codo Experiment. The white pine branches were obtained legally and definitely not in my annual december crime spree under the cover of darkness.

and stick tree number two

Branches in a vase filled with pennies for stability (pebbles or sand work too) The ornaments are the ghosts of Christmas past- my mom’s treasures that sleep the rest of the year in the crumpled tissue she wrapped them in. The big paper star on top is made with the wax paper snowflake method but in vintage paper and tin foil.

My plan for the day is to smell the smells and make the things and bask in the twinkle. I hope you are similarly situated and your holidays are merry and bright!

After the holiday break we have lots to talk about – most importantly the 2025 100 day stitch book!

angry snowmen ornament tutorial

December 13, 2024

by annwood

When life gives you lemons…. Make angry snowman ornaments.

Fun story: just before thanksgiving, while running, in the dark, I took a huge spill. It was the end of the run so I was not at a jog but full middle aged craft lady speed. The momentum was considerable.

I broke the fall with my face. So painful. And smashed my brand new glasses. Two weeks later I’m mostly healed and new glasses finally turned up a couple days ago. The interruption at a busy time is super frustrating and I’m considerably behind on all my wassailing projects.

These little disgruntled snowmen feel like perfect expressions of my holiday rage. Look at this guy – he’s livid.

And so quick and easy to make. Plus you can turn his frown upside down if you feel like it.

let’s make some angry snowmen

you will need

the template
a basic sewing kit
fabric scraps
wool scraps
stuffing
embroidery thread – brown, orange, black

DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE

: 1

: 2

1. Pin the snowman template to doubled fabric- right sides together – and cut out.

2. Separate the pieces and trace the features onto the right side of one piece.

: 3

: 4

3. Pin the pieces right sides together- mark the 1/4 inch seam line – and sew- leaving open where indicated on the pattern.

4. Clip wedges around the curves.

Support free patterns like angry snowmen! It’s been a priority here for years to create high quality free patterns (there are tons) on an ad free site. There are not very many of those left… Help keep the awesome free projects flowing.

Click here to add your support.

5. Turn right side out. Run the large end of a chopstick or similar firmly around the seam inside to push out the curves. Add stuffing.

: 6

: 7

6. Fold in the edges of the opening and whip stitch closed.

7. Embroider the simple eyes and mouth with backstitch. Use this trick to hide your knots.

: 8

: 9

8. Embroider the nose with satin stitch ( I only had sewing thread in orange and that worked)

9. For stick arms – make a knot about 2 and 1/2 inches from the end of brown embroidery thread.

: 10

: 11

10. Insert the needle in the side seam.

11. Bring it out on the opposite side and pull until the knot catches.

: 12

: 13

12. Make a knot at the seam.

13. Trim the arms.

Pro Tip – use wax or starch to stiffen the arms a little. A stiff hair product can work too. It’s all about those arms – lots of rage potential.

Tear a 1/2 inch strip of wool, tie it around his neck and trim. Add a hanging loop to the head. I’m wishing I used red and white bakers twine…

They are silly! Silly is good. Do you know somebody who needs a disgruntled snowman? Let us know in the comments and check back next week for handmade christmas 2024!

customer projects

December 2, 2024

by annwood

projects made by customers and readers

You can find all the patterns for the projects below in the shop or on the free pattern page.

Magical and imaginative work by customers and readers. I’ve added links to the maker wherever possible – check them out – the mushroom below (little mushroom pattern) and gorgeous photo are by Trish.

crow by gill

crow by anni

Crows by Gillian and Anni the wing details are fantastic!

alexandra

gabi

sue

Songbirds by Gabi, blue bird by Alexandra and colorful songbirds by Sue.

handmade textile mushrooms in a variety of vintage scraps

michelle

mushrooms by S arah and Michelle

elegant rag dolls by Marilina

barb

cris

Frogs (find it on the free pattern page) by Barb and Cris.

new sewing tutorial : turkey leg treat bag

November 22, 2024

by annwood

Did you know that the paper things they put on turkey legs are called frills? And/or booties. That’s the official name. I’m a little disappointed, I thought it would be a fancier and more obscure sounding word. If I was in charge of naming them it would be something like bufflenotters or tipplewads or whimploons. I think whimploons is perfect – who do I need to get in touch with to fix this?

This was on my mind while I was making you something fun for the holidays. It’s silly. And super easy and fast to make. It will delight somebody little or somebody big. You probably have everything you need to make it – just some brown for the turkey part and some white for the whimploon.

let’s make turkey leg treat bags

you will need

the template
a basic sewing kit
fabric scraps
ribbon, twill tape or cord
large safety pin
optional – a tiny bit of stuffing

DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE

: 1

: 2

1. Pin the turkey and frill templates to doubled fabric – right sides together – and cut out. Also cut a strip from the turkey fabric that is 2 inches by 12 and 1/4 inches.

2. Mark the seam lines on the turkey and frill.

: 3

: 4

3. Fold the end of the strip 1/4 inch.

4. Fold it 1/4 inch again and stitch along the fold. Repeat the 2 – 1/4 inch folds for the other end but don’t stitch it yet – just press.

Support free patterns like turkey legs! It’s been a priority here for years to create high quality free patterns (there are tons) on an ad free site. There are not very many of those left… Help keep the awesome free projects flowing.

Click here to add your support.

5. Fold the strip in half -wrong sides together – and press. Sew the frill seam– leave it open at the top and sew one side seam on the turkey leg.

: 6

: 7

6. Press the top 2 inches of the seam open.

7. With the right side of the fabric facing you pin the strip to the edge. Begin at the seam line – 1/4 inch in from the edge. The folded edge of the strip is on the bottom and you’r matching the raw edges of the leg to the strip.

8. The other end of the strip needs to end 1/4 inch from the edge. Adjust if needed then stitch the fold in place. Pin it to the edge.

9. Stitch together at 1/4 inch.

: 10

: 11

10. Clip notches around the curves of the frill.

11. Optional – add a little stuffing. If you do it should be pretty minimal and leave the top 3/4 inch empty.

: 12

: 13

12. Pin the frill inside.

13. Fold the turkey leg sides together and pin.

: 14

: 15

14. Stitch the side and bottom seams.

15. Turn right side out and unpin the frill. Run a chopstick firmlyaround the seam to push out the curve.

: 16

: 17

16. Attach a large safety pin to a cord or ribbon. You need about 25 inches.

17. Feed it through the top channel.

Fill your drumstick with treats or treasures and tie shut.

I hope you stitch some drumsticks and happy Thansgiving!

the circus elephant pattern is in the shop

November 16, 2024

by annwood

Sleepy eyes and dimpled knees. The knees are everything… The first in the French Circus ragdoll series is available now as a pdf pattern. There are more than 70 instructional color images, full size templates and an online list of resources.

It’s super easy to make and can be sewn by hand or machine. The construction is simple and perfect for beginners.

FAQ

Will this be available as a booklet?

It will but those take forever to make – hopefully by the end of next year.

How long does it take to make?

Not long at all. Finish it in an afternoon.

How big is the elephant?

About 11 inches tall finished.

What fabric should I use?

Something soft is really nice. I used scraps from an old linen duvet for one. I love Robert Kaufman Essex Linen. It’s s cotton linen blend- washing it first makes it softer. Thrifted clothes are a good source too. I’m working on another now made from an old quilt.

I hope you make elephants!

improvisational stitch and other suggestions for your weekend

November 8, 2024

by annwood

improvisational stitch

Improvisational stitch – find a cozy spot and some scraps- stitch without a plan. One thing leads to another if you let it. This kind of “yes and” stitching always grounds me.

What is it for?

It fuels everything, directly, in generating ideas, and indirectly, in strengthening or revealing connections to intuition.
Watching yourself work like this gives you lots of information about how you think.
Hand stitching is a particularly effective way of recording moments. It creates a time capsule. A snapshot of your process in a particular moment.

Plus it’s a scientific fact:

“A middle aged craft lady at rest tends to stay at rest and a middle aged craft lady in motion tends to stay in motion.”

This kind of stitching is super easy to start and gets you past stuckness and inertia.

Paper mache – all those little pieces of paper, the rhythm and quiet focus. The little boat above or this teacup are both perfect weekend projects.

Or vacuum – is it just me? I find a magic combination of repetition and low key presence.

The same for recreational ironing – not my clothes ( I’m permanently, slightly disheveled)- fabric scraps – all sorts.

Make a gift – the time is upon us. Lot’s of little owls would be nice and they work well in batches.

Smell the November air – it makes such a brief appearance. I’m a such a smell person. If you are too simmer some cloves and orange peels for extra joy – such a cozy aroma.

Play with paint – Artist and Gardener Lorene Edwards makes daily color studies. I love this practice and how much there is to see when you really look. How zooming in changes things. Find her instagram here and checkout her website here. Pick up a leaf or a rock or an acorn etc. and make an appointment with yourself to try it out.

Gratitude is transformative. Always. Annoyingly so. I make a list every single morning. Before coffee even! That’s really saying something… And in challenging moments especially I count my blessings aggressively.

Make some soup. This is a winner.

A couple things to anticipate happily – the circus elephant sewing pattern drops next week (and there is another new pattern coming soon after).

There’s a calendar for 2025 coming soon! Sneak peek here.

Also, buckle up – I’m going to be diving into wassailing this season to a degree you have not witnessed before.

keep on truckin,

ann

foundation quilt – the missing ingredient and a peek at the next sewing pattern

October 25, 2024

by annwood

Let’s start with the foundation quilt. There has been a missing ingredient – something just wasn’t gelling for me. The goal is super simple, a scrap quilt with fleamarket vibes but sturdy enough to really use. I love pulling out random scraps and not thinking much about the composition of the blocks. It’s definitely driven by chance. But some element of texture or color or something was missing. The scraps from making circus animals were the answer – yarn dyes.

I love the mix of yarn dyes and vintage prints. and the washed yarn dyes have a super soft feel. They are a combination of linen and cotton that’s just right. Robert Kaufman – Essex Yarn Dyed – PS this is not an affiliate situation – it’s been a favorite for years.

I gave the quilt a solid chunk of time this week – ironing and stitching on auto pilot. I can see the finish line from here and it will get a couple more chunks this weekend. Still not sure about the size- something throw-ish probably.

the next sewing pattern – sneak peek

To date, all my sewing patterns have seam allowance included in the pattern. The Circus Elephant will not and here’s why: It works better that way. The elephant (as well as the other circus animals) are not gusseted.

The construction is simple so the pieces are cut together and stay together. In the case of birds and owls it’s very important that the edges of the fabric match repeatedly so perfect seam allowance is key. For the circus animals the silhouette is everything so I focus on everybody getting a perfect seam line. The resulting dolls have had 100 % accuracy and it’s faster.

What’s the best way to add allowance? It is a fact that some people just magically have an internal ¼ inch seam allowance. They can just cut. For most of us I think it’s a best practice to measure – make little dots every inch or so to guide cutting. I find it easiest and super quick to use a little paper with a ¼ inch mark. It takes very little time and makes a perfect result.

: mark the dots

: cut the piece

other elephant rag doll supplies

*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link – affiliate links are below and marked with an *asterisks

It really helps to have a turning tube for the trunk. You can use a big straw and chopstick or get a set- *this is the set I have. If you haven’t tried turning tubes check out how they work here.

And disappearing markers for marking the seam line – there are lots of different options- I like all of these. I came to disappearing markers late in life and I’m totally sold on them- so much smoother than a pencil or tailor’s pencil and you get a nice clear line.

*mark be gone – I love the dual option – air and water soluble

*leonis – super handy size and some to give to friends

*sewline air erase – I love this pen – the only downside is it does disappear on its own- but if you’re working quickly it’s great. It was my first and it’s still my favorite.

And fabric- I used Robert Kaufman – Essex Yarn Dyed- Graphite for the body- you can find it in lots of shops. Thrifted clothes are a great source of fabric too. 1/4 yard gets it done but I would get 1/2 yard.

And the elephant uses about 2 and 1/2 ounces of wool stuffing.

the october creative spark

You may recall that there is a new creative prompt every month in the stitch club community. This October prompt was “potion”. I love everything about Pam Q’s hand stitched interpretation.

@cloverwonder

What does potion inspire for you?

And are you ready to make a dancing circus elephant? How do you add your seam allowance? Let us know in the comments and happy October.

PS – I keep thinking that I’ve had my last bouquet of the season and I keep being wrong. The flowers just keep coming.

new DIY – stitch an elizabethan collar and hat

October 4, 2024

by annwood

stitched crow wearing a pointy hat and ruffled collar

It’s the perfect time to make a crow. So Halloweenie! And take your crows next level with a costume, make a super quick and easy ruffled collar and pointy hat. Check out both sewing tutorials below.

Also in the spirit of the season- a brand new note card is in the shop!

make the ruffle

you will need

very light weight fabric
embroidery thread
ribbon
optional – button

: 1.

: 2.

1. Cut a long strip of light weight fabric. The strip should be 2 inches wide. I needed 45 inches to make a ruffle that fit my crow. The piece does not need to be continuous – you can join strips if needed.

2. Fold over the end, make a stitch and knot. I’m using DMC8 embroidery thread. Begin to gather by making large stitches and pulling to ruffle. Back stitch every couple inches to lock in the gather. PRO TIP – You can gather on your sewing machine by turning the stitch size to the largest setting and the tension to the highest setting.

: 3.

: 4.

3. To add to the strip fold over the end of another strip and overlap with the original strip. Make one stitch to knot and keep gathering.

4. Test your ruffle for fit.

: 5.

: 6.

5. When your ruffle is long enough to fit around the crow’s neck trim off the extra, fold the edge over and stitch. Optional- add a button.

6. Fold the ruffle at the seam and press. Trim the edge – trimming is also optional but it does give it a more elizabethan and structured look.

7. Add a ribbon to the the end ( or to both ends if not using a button).

Finished! Wind the ribbon around the button or tie a bow.

sew the pointy hat

DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE

: 1.

: 2.

1. Cut out the template and cut 2 pieces. One will be the lining and the other the exterior. Mark the seam lines on the wrong side of both.

2. Place the pieces – right sides together- and stitch the curved seam. Clip notches along the curve.

moths, medals and september project ideas

September 20, 2024

by annwood

Welcome to cozy season! Sweata weatha! The official beginning of fall (this Sunday). The seasonal shift is real with a big surge in energy and ideas.

It kicked off with Imagination Day Camp – a workshop at The Squam Art Retreat taught by me and Autumn Song.

(click the image for a larger view)

We did a bunch of exercises to spark ideas and connect with imagination. The point is to get past overthinking and judgment and dive right into action. It’s fast paced and playful. Play is creative. Clenching down hard on trying to make something awesome often isn’t and is not usually effective at bringing your personal magic into the world.

The first exercise was a mysterious box… Each person gets a little box of supplies. Everybody had 30 minutes-ish to respond to a prompt and make something. The prompt was – MOTH.

You can use only the things in the box and basic cutting and attaching tools. We had gluesticks needles and threads, scissors and exacto knives.

This is great to do with a friend either in person or by snail mail – you can create supply boxes for each other and do it over zoom or full on correspondence style.

And we made medals – awards, decorations and citations! This is a rich area for inspiration. We offered a bigger variety of materials and time. We had lots of trims and notions, vintage buttons, scraps, crepe streamers, an abundance of collage materials and paints and markers. Plus pins and some charms.

Making the medals dropped me into an imaginary world with all sorts of made up, stodgy and silly honors like : The Moth of Distinction (given only every 14 years), Golden Fungi, Outstanding Cat Lady, National Treasure etc. etc. I could go on forever. I probably deserve a medal for it.

Maybe you know somebody who deserves an award? This is a great group project with everybody contributing supplies and meeting for a couple hours.

more september project ideas

Golden rod dye – like lots of things in life I found it smelly but good. It’s just starting to bloom here and will be in abundance soon. It delivers a beautiful gold color. You can find more about my experience here and here is a tutorial here with all the DIY details.

Bookmarks – get out your wool scraps. I love these flowers and these simple heart corners. Speaking of books – my friend Katy and I are narrowing down the October scary vintage book selection for this year- stay tuned. Currently still reading the epic Pachinko and finishing Night Watch.

Wool pentagon sewing box – another great scrap wool project. Find the huge tutorial here. And while you’re there checkout the wool penny situation.

Mushrooms! I love these scrappy calico fungi by- Sarah.

Sweata Weatha – The frog pattern is free here. I didn’t make the sweater, it was a christmas ornament altered to fit stuffed frog anatomy. I found this super clever tutorial for making a doll sweater from a sock.

Are you ready for fall? Do you deserve a medal?? Reading anything great? Let us know in the comments.

the finished 2024 stitch book and 5 things bringing me joy

September 6, 2024

by annwood

stitch book open to 2 page spread- graphic collage with a vintage feel

finishing the 2024 stitch book

The pages traveled with me all summer and were assembled a little bit at a time by hand. I love the finished book, it feels substantial in my hands, and it’s evidence of how powerful small, consistent daily effort is. I’m already looking forward to the 2025 stitch book challenge. Look for details at the end of this year.

Don’t see the video above? Please click here.

circus doll production work

Circus folk sewing patterns are in the works. The dancing elephant will be the first released this fall. I’m making lots of circus dolls in preparation for the workshops in LA. I learn a ton in the production phase- after the pattern templates are pretty solid – just churning them out and making little adjustments, trying variations etc. It also helps zero in on the best material choices and testing hand sewing and machine sewing. All super valuable for the workshops and sewing patterns.

I also love this kind of production work. In short spurts anyway. I haven’t had any sewing in the shop for ages and some of these dolls will be available in the shop this fall.

bachelor buttons

Bachelor Buttons were the clear winner in the garden this year. Nobody ate them and they didn’t get any weird plagues. The color is unimaginable. They are definitely on my list for next year. I was also delighted by Mexican Sunflowers and Nasturtium leaves.

creative sparks

A place to start. We have a new one in the Stitch Club every month. The creative sparks (prompts) are medicine for stuckness. They give you:

– A place to start, a shape to contain your ideas. The spark gives you a specific starting point, that’s magic when you’re feeling stuck. The little push drops you into the process instead of waiting for inspiration.

– A fresh perspective on ideas you’ve been sitting on but haven’t gotten your hands and head around yet. A completely novel intersection can appear.

– The spark can push you to explore new themes and styles, expanding your creative and visual vocabulary.

– In the community there is a sense of shared experience and energy. The Sparks have been huge for me – the circus patterns, my workshop at Squam all incubated in creative spark work.

Give it a try – last month’s creative spark was MOTH. I’ll show you some moth inspired work when I get back from Squam.

favorite painting supplies

*This post contains affiliate links- meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link. They are marked with an *asteriks.

I’ve got a handful of favorite painting supplies curated over the past 5 + years of making a painting every single day. It’s super easy to travel with and it’s a huge help in the daily habit department that it’s simple and always ready to go.

paint box – I have a *couple of these. I love being able to curate my own colors. I was finding that I only used a few colors in the prefilled boxes. Plus having an extra white is super handy. This box has removable little pans I fill with watercolor from tubes. I use lots of different brands but *Koi is still my favorite watercolor.

paper- I love Fluid 100. Mostly *hotpress (very smooth) but lately I’ve been loving the *cold press (less smooth).

brushes – The *water filled brushes were life changing. I got them for traveling but have been using them all the time for years.

french overalls

Ignore the mess around me and focus on the majesty of my vintage french workman overalls. They turned up at the last flea market I visited in France this July. I’ve been on the hunt for them forever. The joy is real.

What’s bringing you Joy this September? Would you rock these overalls? Will you give the creative spark a try? Let us know in the comments and happy almost Fall!