• Home
  • shop
  • Illustration Portfolio
  • About
  • My Books

Sanae Ishida

A crafty little atelier in a grey city

Coffee date + The gifts of a decade

March 31, 2022

Hello. How are you? I really want to know. As I sat down to type this month's blog post, I wasn't sure if I had anything of interest to offer up. Not that I do normally, but I've rarely let that stop me from prattling about. This morning I was thinking about how I started this blog 10 years ago, and for the last decade it's been a rather one-sided conversation, hasn't it? I wish that we could have a chat. Let's imagine that we're meeting up at one of my favorite coffee shops and we've settled in ... Read more

Filed in: life • by sanae • 8 Comments

Quieting

January 31, 2022

I've become very good at ratcheting down the pace. I was using my phone to record a video a couple of weeks ago and when I played the video back, I discovered that I had accidentally hit the "Slo-Mo" button while filming. My life feels like it's in perpetual slo-mo these days. I call it "quieting." It's kind of nice. I've even been tiptoeing into the ultimate quieting activity: knitting. When I was a striving bundle of youth, I constantly sought out excitement and novelty. World travel! New ... Read more

Filed in: crafts, life • by sanae • 10 Comments

Uncomfortable

October 31, 2021

Happy Halloween, my friends! If it's a thing in your area, are you dressing up and/or trick-or-treating? That very abstract inky image right above is actually my living room wall when sunshine suddenly burst through the clouds and cast a murky, Halloween-y shadow pattern. Although I want to get more into the spirit of things, my Hallow's Eve zest has been distracted by surreal events happening throughout the month. I've been very, very uncomfortable. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, as it ... Read more

Filed in: illustration, life, Teaching • by sanae • 6 Comments

And time ambles on…

July 30, 2021

Hello, hello! How are you? I've been taking an Instagram break for the last month, so I've been feeling extra disconnected from the online world. As I've stayed offline as much as possible, we've packed other activities into July. It's been good. Better than good, really, and much, much needed. We've been spending time with family and friends. Traveled. I've read so many books. Wrapped up quite a few deadlines. A couple of days ago, I read this thoughtful post by Rebecca Green, an ... Read more

Filed in: life • by sanae • 2 Comments

Summer Celebrations

July 30, 2020

Just a quick check-in to say, "Hey, how are you?" See that cute li'l girl up there? She's 14 today. Fully a teenager, mature as all get-out, yet still a little kid in so many ways. This is what quarantine birthdays are looking like: (A little overexposed, but I love this hasty snap taken just a few minutes ago. It's so very her) K has a few of her closest friends over right now, enjoying a social-distanced hangout session in our yard. I can hear snippets of their conversation and ... Read more

Filed in: life • by sanae • 8 Comments

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address below to get blog posts delivered to your in-box. I'll occasionally include fun digital goodies!

Order My New Book!!

Order My Latest Sewing Book!!

Archives

Categories

Thinking of all the Mama Bear-ish wonders out ther Thinking of all the Mama Bear-ish wonders out there, giving so much to surrounding creatures big and small. I often feel like that little prickly hedgehog inadequately but heartily offering up a single stem of gratitude. So much love for mothers and maternal figures everywhere! 💕💕💕💕#happymothersday
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Theme by Blog Pixie

© 2025 Sanae Ishida