Dear Reader,

If you’ve been reading my newsletter from the beginning, then you know that as of October I now have a studio/showroom space where customers can make an appointment to shop. This was a very big step for me and something that I never considered before. But, when I saw the space, and met the folks who owned the building, I knew it was where I needed to be. Last week I was reminded of just how happy I am to be there, and what it means for the future of my business.

Last month I started the process of applying to art shows for the spring/summer season. Thus far, I’ve only applied to two shows. The one show, which I love, I’ve been doing for at least ten years consistently, and I know that it’s a given that I’ll be accepted. It tends to take the pressure off. Did you know that some shows will often turn you away if you applied the year before because they want to change up the vendors all the time? So, basically if you do well at a show like that, you probably won’t be accepted again. And, if you don’t do well you won’t want to come back anyway. It seems like a lose-lose situation to me. I understand the desire to change things up, but what the organizers of these shows don’t realize, is that customers often look for their favorite vendors at shows. What they also aren’t taking into consideration is the fact that they will organically have different vendors each year due to the fact that some artists won’t do the show again if they didn’t do well, and new people will always apply.

Dear Reader,

Last week’s newsletter was all about how artists view the world, and why it’s ok to call yourself an artist. So, this week I thought I’d talk about my process and how I make art. I was inspired by a book I picked up in the free library by Ann Lamott called, Bird by Bird. It’s a wonderful book that gives you practical, easy to manage tips on writing. The title of the book comes from an anecdote that she shares about her father and her brother, which was about breaking down large tasks into small, manageable steps. The book is highly informative, humorous, and down-to-earth. Even though, the book focuses on writing, some of the information could be applicable for other forms of art as well. In reading it, I realized that the way she approaches her writing is similar to what I do in my creative practice.

Dear Reader,

When you meet new people, they often tend to ask what you do for a living. Most people answer that by saying various professions that everyone is quite familiar with, so further explanation is not often required. However, when you tell someone that you’re an artist, folks can often look quite confused or generally not know what to say to that. So you usually follow that up by telling them what type of art you do. If the look of confusion persists or even veers on the cusp incredulity, you might even add how long you’ve been working as an artist or feel that you need to qualify your abilities by listing events and shows you’ve participated in over the years. I have been guilty of over-explaining what I do to people who have not seemed receptive. But, the question is, why do artists feel the need to explain themselves? I’ve even known artists who actually felt shame about even referring to themselves as an artist because in some way they thought it might sound pretentious. I’m sure this is possible, depending on the person. But, if you’re worrying about sounding pretentious, something tells me that you probably won’t sound that way.

Dear Reader,

This week I’m going to talk about doing things for myself and what that means as a woman. Young girls are often conditioned to be aware of how their behavior affects others. Which, while empathy is a good thing, this over-apologizing often continues through to adulthood. As women we often struggle with how society views us in terms of confidence, intelligence, ambition, and how we assert ourselves in the world. Let’s stop over-prioritizing politeness and realize that we can lead with directness and still be polite. I did two simple things last week that were just for me. One of those things involved saying yes, and one of those things involved saying no. It’s ok to do things just for ourselves, and it’s also ok to politely say no to an invitation without feeling guilty or saying I’m sorry. When the situation calls for it, real, heartfelt apologies are good, and necessary. But, saying I’m sorry out of habit is not.

Saying yes

Dear Reader,

Recently, I watched my children face a difficult decision in their peer group, which they both navigated in such a mature way, the likes of which most middle-aged adults couldn’t have pulled off. When you’re a parent, you hope that your kids are listening to you when you talk, even when they’re otherwise engaged and/or rolling their eyes at you. My dad always told me that actions speak louder than words, and when I was a kid, I just chalked this up to another lecture that I wasn’t going to listen to. But, as an adult, I see how true it is. Children mirror their parents’ behaviors and it’s how they navigate the world. In our house, we always taught our kids to stand up for what was right, but the important thing is that we showed them that as well. When you think your kids aren’t listening or paying attention, trust me, they are.

My kids were part of a situation where one of the friends in their group was emotionally abusing two of their other friends and their mother. They were unaware of this behavior, because they hadn’t been present to experience it, and this friend wasn’t abusive to them. At some point, they saw the behavior happening to their friends in real time, and learned that it had been going on for far too long. They confronted the friend who was being abusive and asked for an apology. When this we met with further abuse and a lack of accountability, they decided to end the friendship. This was a very difficult and emotional experience for them both, which encompassed more than I will discuss here. But, as a result of their refusal to tolerate this treatment of their friends, and the confrontation that ensued, they gave their other friends and their mother who had been the victims of this abuse for so long, the strength to walk away from this abusive relationship. To say that I’m proud of them is an understatement. Not only did they face a difficult situation and stand up for what was right, but they helped their friends and their mom do the same.

Dear Reader,

When I was little, every year my grandmother would get me a subscription to National Geographic World. I loved the magazine, and I was fascinated with any article or photos that showed people building earthship homes and making art from “trash”. My mind would race, thinking about all of the sculptures I could make if I only had a welding torch. Just looking at the photos made me want to run out and collect all the cans and metal scraps I could find. But, as little kid who didn’t have the resources or skills to make the grand sculptures of my dreams, I settled for glueing any objects I could find onto wood. My mind saw possibilities in everything I could get my hands on, but since I didn’t have adventurous elementary school art teachers, I was often relegated to very specific projects, which is something that didn’t inspire me then, and it still doesn’t now.

When you look around at what gets thrown away on a daily basis, it’s astounding. So, now as an adult, I not only save all of my fabric scraps when I work, but I also save paper, cardboard, and plastic. At some point, I started looking outside of all of my fabric and yarn scraps, wandering what else I could do. First, I worked with plastic bags, then plastic containers. Of course, I did my research, making sure that I was only using certain types of plastic that I could safely melt. While I love working with plastic, I don’t love the fact that I can only work outside. What if the mood strikes to make something and it’s 15 degrees? I don’t like to let that creative energy go to waste.

Making paper clay was the answer for me. Even though I have to sand it outside, I can do the rest of the work inside. It took me a long time to develop a great paper clay recipe that works well, but all that trial and error was worth it. I started out making small things like beads and pendants that I use for jewelry, and before long I was also making small vessels as well. Recently, I started to delve into making larger decorative/functional pieces using armatures and sculpting. Right now the pieces I’m working on can sit on a table or hang on the wall. As I continue to explore with paper clay I plan on making even larger scale pieces and seeing what happens. Paper clay is both extremely light and durable. Even though the process of making the clay is a bit tedious, I love the fact that I’m reusing something (recycled shredded paper) to create art. That always makes me happy.

Dear Reader,

On Friday, my family and friends went to go see The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (extended edition) in the theater. This year is the 25th anniversary of the first film, so they’re re-releasing them all in theaters. I remember seeing all of the films when they came out, and it was great to share that experience with my kids. We’ve watched all of the movies on tv, but there’s certainly something special about seeing an epic film like that on the big screen. Even though I’ve read the books, this is one of the few situations where I’ll say that I liked the movies better. It was so magical to sit in the theater once again and to be transported into Tolkien’s world. It also made me think about where I was and what I was doing 25 years ago.

Dear Reader,

My oldest turned eighteen on the 6th, and since that’s a pretty significant birthday, I thought I’d do some reflection. Most of you probably remember when you were a kid how people would often tell you that they couldn’t believe that you were. . . (fill in the blank age). Well, when you have kids, you often hear that from others about your kids, and sometimes you’re the one saying it. Yes, it does seem impossible that I have an eighteen year old kid. On the other hand, it seems totally plausible that eighteen years have come and gone, with so much life happening in-between.

As an introvert who mostly lived inside of her head (and often still does), I thought there was no way that I could ever be truly present enough to be a parent. Consequently, having kids was something I never really thought about. But, that all changed when I became pregnant. I’m never one to shy away from a challenge, but rather someone who is prepared to go all-in when the need arises. I wasn’t necessarily ready, but I knew that I would be.

During the time that I was pregnant with my oldest, my grandmother was planning on moving out of her house. My grandfather had passed away a number of years ago, and my nanny had been living in the house alone. Even though my grandfather had died in the house, she found comfort there with her memories. She was in her nineties and still doing quite well, but the house had just become too much for her to care for. As I’ve mentioned here before, my grandparents were everything to me. And, their house was a living entity of warmth, love, and acceptance to all who entered. My favorite cousin and I spent summers there from the time we were little kids until we both had jobs as teenagers. Both he and I were in need of a special place where we could be held by special people, and we landed with both feet, forever changed for the better.

Big News: The first intuitive crochet class is happening.

When: Friday, February 6 - 5:30-6:30

Dear Reader,

I hope you are enjoying your holiday season.

I’ve been allowing myself time to relax over the holidays, which means that I haven’t been fervently making things on a daily basis like I normally do. After the whirlwind of art shows throughout the holiday shopping season, I was feeling a bit burned out, so a creative rest was definitely in order. Even if I’m not creating with my hands, I’m always creating with my brain. During my holiday break I’ve been figuring out when I want to teach my first crochet class of 2026 and what that will be. The first class I plan on teaching is Intuitive Crochet, which will happen some time in early February.

Dear Reader,

Dear Reader,

First of all let me start with some newsletter housekeeping. Last week after publishing my newsletter I realized that there were some typos. Usually, I write whenever I have time throughout the week and edit as I go. Last week, I was so busy that I wrote only one draft of my newsletter about an hour before I published it. For those of you who are new around here, I wanted to let you know that typos are not the norm for a final draft.

I had high hopes to have multiple drafts complete for the newsletter this week. And, I even managed to complete a rough draft at a very slow show on Saturday. But, alas, I seemed to have lost my notebook. So here I sit, writing my one and only draft hours before I publish it. This week I will guarantee no typos though.

My last show for 2025 was on Sunday the 14th at Thistle Finch Distillery. I was asked to do the show, and I’m so glad that I did. Thanks to everyone who came out to show their support for the local art community. It was a lovely show, and I hope to do it again next year.

Dear Reader,

I’d like to welcome all of my new subscribers. If you don’t see my newsletter in your inboxes, then shoot me an email to make sure I entered your email address properly.

-Thank you-

Dear Reader,

Welcome to all of my new subscribers. Thank you for being here.

Now, let’s talk about gratitude. When I was younger, I really feel like beyond the definition of the word, I didn’t even know what gratitude meant. I was mostly an attitudinal, angst-ridden teenager who felt like the world owed me something. I grew up in a home where I wasn’t seen or understood. Fortunately, I’ve managed to unpack all of those experiences (or at least most of them) in the decades that have followed. While I know there’s always room for improvement, I have become wiser and more mindful over the years. And, I’ve certainly become more grateful.

Dear Reader,

Since I was very little, I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum whenever possible, eschewing directions and rules along the way. I was a good student, but extremely talkative, and even though I got good grades, my elementary school report cards always said, “does not follow directions.” It’s no surprise that any traditional jobs I’ve ever had left me unfulfilled, and I always knew that I had to find my own way in the world.

It’s infinitely easier to work for yourself now more than it ever was before. The main reason for this is the internet. While the internet can be overwhelming, if you find your own little corner, it isn’t. For me, the internet world that I’ve created consists of my website and my newsletter. These spaces feel like independent environments on the internet that belong to me, where I get to make my own rules. This is where I like to focus my energy, because it nourishes me. These worlds that I have created for myself on the internet are where I share my work. When you build a website, it doesn’t come with an audience, and it can feel like you’re languishing in obscurity. But making art with no direct audience feedback forces you to see yourself. When someone signs up for my newsletter, I recognize that it’s a big investment, much bigger than following me on social media. But doesn’t this allow me the opportunity to focus my energy to build deeper connections? I feel like the people who have to go much more out of their way to find my website or sign up for my newsletter are my people. The folks who get what I’m doing in my littler corner of the world, and it resonates with them. I’m grateful for these people.

When you share work on a platform you know that there are people on the other side receiving what you share. In the process, you might get a like, a comment, or possibly a reshare. These dopamine hits are immediate and it can certainly be a boost for your self esteem. But, when I share new work on my website and when I write my newsletter each week, there’s often a silence. It feels more personal and almost private, like I’m sharing a notebook filled with ideas. Maybe you might hear something back or maybe not. Without the feedback, I am centered in my process and my own practice, separate from the validation of being on a platform. I don’t have a model to follow because I have defined my own. The experience of creating in my own little corner of the internet feels infinite, but not draining. In direct contrast with sharing my creations on platforms which feels limited and exhausting, because the world is not my own.

Dear Reader,

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I find myself feverishly making things every day. This is my busiest time of year, and it often feels like each week is just a blur. I have seven shows in November and December, and this is where I will make the bulk of my money for the entire year. I love my customers, and I’m grateful that I can provide people with the option to choose local and handmade over the big corporations. Even though I really love to do shows, and I don’t get overwhelmed, I have spent some nights lying awake thinking about how to be a part of all of the holiday chaos while maintaining my authenticity as an artist and a human. On a lighter note, booth display ideas have also kept me awake as well. Booth display ideas are always swirling around in my head, so this is no surprise.

From the time I was a little kid, I loved fashion. First, noticing what all the cool adult family members and people on tv were wearing, then, as I got older, I was interested in thrift store shopping and many different fashion designers. Most notably: Vivienne Westwood, but also Commes des Garçons, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, and Romeo Gigli just to name a few.

I dreamed of making my own clothes, but as a person who was adverse to following directions from the time I could verbalize, I really felt that it wasn’t in the cards for me. As a very small child, my aunt would come over regularly with her sewing machine, and I would watch as she and my mother would sew all day. Often playing with the fabric scraps that fell to the floor and dreaming about outfits for my barbies. As I got older, an overly ambitious junior high Home Ec project, which took me forever to finish put me off of sewing for quite some time. It just seemed to constrained and full of rules with no room for exploration, so even though I desperately wanted to make clothes, I thought there was no way that I could make the process work for me. Of course I would still shop at thrift stores and alter many of the clothes I bought, often lengthening pants that were always way too short for me. But that was about as far as it went, even though I still dreamed of making my own clothes.

Dear Reader,

Dear Reader,

Lately I’ve been doing things that are outside of my comfort zone, and so far that’s been working out great. The new studio is coming together nicely, and while I haven’t had anyone make a shopping appointment yet, that’s ok. I’ve been reminding myself that I’ve only been in the space for a little over two weeks. Although I’m ready for shoppers/visitors, the decorating isn’t completely finished yet. I have beautiful, deep window sills in my studio, so of course I’m going to buy some plants. I’d also like to display my crochet hats on the walls, hang some fiber art collages, and make some pillows for the chairs and the floor. I think that’ll make the space even more cozy, especially for crochet classes.

At first I was thinking that I wouldn’t do any sewing in the space, but I’ve been reconsidering that. It might be nice to put my table in the studio and work there from time to time whenever the mood strikes. I’m thinking a small folding table and chair that I can tuck away in my studio closet when shoppers are there would be perfect. A departure from the heightened activity at my house wouldn’t be so bad either once and awhile. I love the hustle and bustle of teenagers (my kids are amazing) and all of our pets. But, they also often use my space for their own projects (the kids, not the pets). My sewing room/home studio is probably the room that has the most traffic in the house. While that can be aggravating when certain teenagers don’t clean up after themselves, I am grateful that everyone wants to hang out in my space. But. . . a refuge is also nice too.

Dear Reader,

Have you ever thought that you’d really like to create something, but you just don’t know how? Maybe you’re too scared to begin, or you’re afraid that whatever you make won’t be good enough. Well, we all have those feelings when we start out, and some never lose those nagging thoughts of self-doubt in the back of their minds. We’re often our toughest critics.

Back when I used to teach writing as a professor, in writing centers, and as a private tutor, the biggest problem my students faced was getting started. You might think the reason for this was that they truly didn’t know what to write about. But, that wasn’t the case. They were too concerned with perfection. Putting something on the page, even just one sentence couldn’t even happen because the thought that it wouldn’t be good enough was overwhelming.