Atiliay noun, a play off the French word “atelier”; a workshop/studio, esp of an artist or designer; my creative space

Notes plural noun, a brief record of facts, topics, thoughts written down as an aid to memory; a short informal letter

 

Throughout the month I collect different stories, songs, ideas, and other things I like that I think you might enjoy as well. As we settle into March, here's February's list and a few updates from some things I'm working on and planning. I hope there's something below that connects with you. I know many of you aren't on social media so I'm trying to make sure I share links from other sources or the entire post going forward!

🧵 QuiltCon 2026 First image above shows Maritza Soto's quilt, "Nobody's Free Until Everybody's Free". I am amazed at the artistry, craftsmanship, and HUGE variety of style and design from QuiltCon! I love finding inspiration from other disciplines and hope you find some in these colors, shapes, lines, and stories. You can view all the winning quilts here--unfortunately the quilter's statements aren't included, but you can look up the title for more info.

 

When I looked up the the winner, Mom Jeans, by Carolyn McKibbon, (second image pictured above) her statement read:"Upcycled denim was the inspiration for this quilt. I cut up 9 old pairs of jeans I wore in early motherhood, ones that were sitting in a box taking up space waiting to be donated. Being aware that much of the clothing we donate ends up in the landfills and waterways of third-world countries, I opted to use this fabric to make a quilt that can provide warmth, comfort, and artistic expression.

 

It gave so much more context and I loved the quilt even more! Be sure to scroll through all the categories including Youth--can you guess which one is my favorite? :)

 

I also found a great blog where Cassandra is starting to recap the show--you can read the latest post here which features 12 quilts mixing black and white with bold color.

 

💔 Words for healing the heart February brought some heartache for me but I found comfort in words--quotes, affirmations, stories. This ended up being the inspiration for the next section in my monthly memories print. Here's how it turned out along with some of my favorite quotes.

 

🥄 World Central Kitchen continues to do life saving work by providing food for people in Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon, and other places that are facing humanitarian, community, and climate crisis. As conflicts continue to worsen and escalate, I wanted to share their organization as a place to support. They are rated 100% on Charity Navigator. Learn more about what they do and donate here.

🙌 "I am and I look exactly 55. Stop telling a woman you look younger or you look good for your age. It's not a compliment it just reinforces the youth obsessed culture. Everyone ages so differently. What are we even supposed to look like at this age? I'm so tired of hearing that she's in her 50s but looks 20 years younger. Why is that the goal? I didn't survive 5 decades to be obsessed with looking 30. How many people never made it to 55? Women don't owe the world youth, beauty frozen in time. Looking my age or even older than my age isn't a failure. Youth isn't a standard it's just a season and the seasons change. We look our age not because we let ourselves go but because we finally let ourselves be. I am so proud to look my age." -Ting Ma / Instagram I have been thinking a lot about beauty standards recently and where they come from, why aging for women has such a bad rep. This perspective is so refreshing! 

 

🎨 Over on the blog ICYMI: 3 Easy Projects To Try For Documenting Your 2026 & How Can We Keep Our Supplies From Feeling Boring?

 

💌 National Letter Writing Month is happening in April and I'm getting some offerings ready for it including a free postcard swap (I haven't hosted one in a minute!) and something snail mail inspired! Stay tuned :)

Wishing you a soft transition into spring and March.

Take good care and talk to you soon,

PS: A few February snapshots from the Bellevue Botanical Garden and the Paramount Theater for a Cat Power show--little signs of life, beauty, and wonder.

 

 

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