May is a month that inspires a lot of reflection for me. 14 years ago, I was fired from my corporate job and it changed the trajectory of pretty much everything: my career, my relationships, my health. It wouldn't be farfetched to say that it was the catalyst I needed to become a totally different person. Okay, that all sounds needlessly dramatic but it's true. As I hoisted dumb bells above my head for my daily strength training regimen after a quick yoga session yesterday, I marveled at this ... Read more
April Tatter Class
Ah…April. The cherry blossoms are waltzing in the winds here in Seattle and my allergies are alive and kicking too. The pollen app tells me that Birch, Ash and Juniper are active right now, and I suspect that Birch is the main source of the symptoms. Fortunately, the snuffling and sneezing seem milder this year. I should be allergy-free by April 30th, the day of my next Tatter class! I’ll be guiding folks through the slightly lesser known version of Japanese Sashiko Embroidery called ... Read more
Sewing Stirrings + Updated Cat Basket Tutorial
Hello, my friends! I’m feeling the familiar stirrings as warmer weather approaches — I’ve mentioned before that I hibernate and don’t sew much in the winter for some reason, but I’ve begun sketching outfits that I want to sew starting this week. Spring is not quite yet here, but my sewing mojo is blossoming! In other news, I created this cat basket tutorial for Making Magazine (RIP) many years ago. Part of the licensing agreement was that I could sell the PDF in my own shop using their ... Read more
Moderate Making
Hello, hello! Here we are, a few weeks into 2026. How’s it going for you? I’m nursing a slight cold, the weather is predictably grey and rainy in Seattle, the global news is afire. When the state of the world threatens to crater my inner realm, I turn to moderate making. The moderate part is important. Just-enough-creating of not too much, not too little. Steady, meditative progress and quiet enjoyment along the way. It’s so grounding. And I can’t be of any use if I’m not grounded first. ... Read more
2025 Free Printable Holiday Tags + Bookmarks
Hello, my friends! Hard as it is to believe, it’s that time of year when Christmas is just around the corner. For this year’s free printable holiday tags, I decided to use some illustrations from my latest book, SHIBUI: THE JAPANESE ART OF FINDING BEAUTY IN AGING. Most of the illustrations didn’t make it into the book, but I enjoyed painting them so much that it seemed a shame not to use them for something. I also doodled a few somewhat more holiday-esque illustrations and made them into tags ... Read more