October 2025

Dear First name / friend,

 

First and foremost I'd like to thank you so much for reading and commenting on my newsletter. Since I started writing one we've already made a whole trip around the sun. Now, after a year of creative adventures, I have a new perspective and some thoughts on the process and content. Writing a newsletter has been a great exercise for me in accountability, celebrating progress and a unique way to give back. I have truly enjoyed reflecting and sharing in this non-social media format and I hope you've found some of it inspiring, useful or at least interesting.

 

Like in any small business, cost cutting is critical and decisions on how and where to pivot are made continually. While Flodesk is my newsletter service of choice for its ease of use, functionality and aesthetics, the fee structure is changing and the rates are not practical for my purposes and reach at this point. As my subscription ends next month I will wrap this final funletter up with a little gift below.

 

So what's next? With free services like Substack available, it seems my best option is to post there. I've also had requests for more watercolor tutorials on my WordPress blog so that has been buzzing in my mind as well. I may write more specifically about topics but, not necessarily in a monthly format. I haven't ironed out the details yet but if you'd like to follow my future musings, you are welcome to subscribe here so you'll be notified when I share something. My Substack handle is @stephaniefielden.

 

So thank you again and here you go! As promised, I'm providing a printable 2026 calendar-at-a-glance, sized for copy paper. Pin it in your office or use it as a fold-out/insert in your daily planner or journal.

I used this alternate version of my calendar to enter the tea towel design challenge on Spoonflower. You can vote for your favorite tea towels at this link until October 21st. I'm crossing my fingers for a place in the Top 100!

For fans of royal blue and white, I've created a collection based on my Tulip Block Print. The pattern style just seemed to call out for this colorway. I'm still working on uploading the different combinations and sizes of each pattern to Spoonflower. I'd love to see these used on wallpapers in historic homes, a reupholstered antique chair, or mix and matched in a quilted accessory. Gift wrap would be fun too!

I'd love your input! In the case of fabric and wallpaper, what other colors would you like to see these prints in?

Making time just for fun is a priority for me, as I hope it is for you. Like with any job there are some tedious aspects to working as an independent surface designer. Keeping a portfolio updated, researching licensing opportunities, marketing and uploading work to various sites with good practices in SEO can be time consuming and boring. So to balance things, I try to do a weekly activity in the studio that helps me enjoy just playing in there. Lately I've been collaging and doodling while listening to podcasts. Sometimes it leads to pattern inspiration and sometimes just a smile. You can see my hand made creations sprinkled among pattern posts on Instagram @stephanie_fielden.

 

Does your schedule need some balancing? If so, are there ways you could introduce doing something just for fun? You'll know it's helping if it gives you energy to manage the rest. If your inner critic starts babbling, you might try watching the video below for comic relief.

 

No matter your medium, as a creative person you will likely relate to this entertaining and insightful presentation complete with humorous illustrations. You can watch it here.

 

Christoph's presentation made me laugh. It rang true and reminded me that I do the work because it's hard. It isn't always fun. In fact, I find it very challenging but, in a good way. It's necessary to embrace it all. Any win I achieve is all the more satisfying as a result.

 

A great source of creative inspiration can be found in some beautiful publications. These are two that I enjoy in particular and have had the pleasure of personally contributing to.

Art Journaling, available at Barnes & Noble in the US and internationally by subscription. Art making within a book format is the focus. Peek inside the creations of artists around the world and discover a treasure trove of ideas and stories. Find everything from raw experimentation, re-cycled materials, novel mixed media combinations and deeply personal expressions of creativity.

 

Uppercase, available by subscription, at independent retailers in Canada, the US and specialty on-line marketplaces. Each issue celebrates a different topic/form of art, craft or design with a plethora of well curated content about creatives, their spaces and processes from far and wide.

*Tip: If these magazines are not available in your area, check eBay or Amazon for previously owned copies.

White Poinsettia, the final fat quarter in my quarterly giveaway series goes out to: gail_terry2001@… as determined by a random number generator. I hope you'll have fun with it! Please respond with your mailing address to claim it within 30 days.

Giveaway Fat Quarters

If you'd like to stay in touch, you can always reach me through the contact form on my website or through Instagram. Wishing you all the best in your own creative endeavors!

P.S. Hope to see you on Substack.

Lately on Instagram…