March 2025

Dear First name / friend,

 

I'm so grateful for readers like you, who keep me accountable while I find my way as I go in this world of surface design and other creative acts. This funletter in particular is a way to find my voice and to discern what matters to me and my audience, so thank you for contributing to that!

 

As the end of the first quarter causes me to pause and reflect, I find myself in a happy place with steady progress and many goals met. March has been a whirlwind of creative deadlines, from Spoonflower Challenges to other contest entries. I also hosted a delightful house guest who taught me some basic crochet stitches in between other fun. See @stitched_by_grace to view some of her lovely crochet work. I'm still practicing my stitches and trying to get a better handle on consistent tension but caught a glimpse of getting in the flow with it. Once a rhythm is established, it becomes a deeply calming practice. Part of what I seek and enjoy through art and making in general, is this very centering aspect. Secondarily, it is the satisfaction of producing something functional and beautiful. Yet, it keeps giving beyond this, rewarding me through social connection, sales, personal challenge and growth. I'm curious, what drives you to create?

Florals are getting some time in the spotlight now as we begin Spring. I designed a monochromatic trailing floral (below), a higher volume tossed print with colorful mixed florals and I'm currently attempting a simple floral block print. Botanicals are my personal favorite so these Spoonflower Design Challenges were all appealing to participate in.

Heritage Climbing Camellia in blue on Spoonflower wallpaper

Variety keeps the designing interesting for me. Every combination of rendering technique and pattern style results in a unique effect - and that's before I even play with color. From drawn, painted and carved motifs, to flowing, scattered and geometric repeat designs, each print is like a new adventure. The possibilities are limitless.

 

What rendering technique and pattern style combination would you choose for a custom design? I welcome your ideas!

Left: Bold Spring Floral pattern shown on Spoonflower dinner napkins,

Right: Floral Block Print pattern work in progress

If you're looking for something artsy to watch, this docuseries is entertaining, inspiring and informative. It covers a variety of innovative designers in eight different fields from interiors to automotive to shoes. I loved it for the in depth look at unique design processes and the passionate minds that are driven in their application of creativity. It was inspiring to witness and gain insight into diverse creative paths and the people behind them.

 

This is a mini kit with just the basics for those wanting to try a linocut printmaking process. By carving into it, a design is made in relief, then inked for stamping onto paper. It's an inexpensive way to test out carving and see if it's for you. I started with this kit and then bought additional carving block material as needed. The kit comes with a 4"x6" pink Speedy-Carve block - a soft rubber that is easy to carve into with the wooden handle and two cutter tips provided. I've used the resulting re-useable stamps with ink pads, paints and Tombow brush pens for card making, art journaling, collage papers and now block print patterns (above).

This month's randomly drawn giveaway recipient is: ann.griffith. Please reply with a mailing address to claim your tea towel!

Up next month: "Playful Garden" fat quarter.

Giveaway Fat Quarters and Tea Towel

Until next month, happy creating!

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you know someone who might enjoy this funletter, please pass it along.

 

View past funletters here.

Subscribe to future funletters here.

Lately on Instagram…