Aaaaah, it’s autumn! My favorite. I’ve enjoyed my summer break from blogging and social media-ing, but I’ve missed aspects of them too. How are you? This weekend, my little family will fly out to Chicago to drop off K — now 18-years-old — and we are all full of big, big feelings. I am excited for her. I think back to my own first days at UCLA, how I started my journaling habit almost 35 years ago in a little coffee shop tucked into the corner of a weathered campus building. 18-year-old Sanae ... Read more
Tatter Class: Sashiko Summer Slip Ons
Hello, my friends! My brain is extremely full right now, what with K's prom and graduation and big trips (visiting my parents in Japan! Moving K to Chicago!) and other big life upheavals careening towards me. I'm keeping this month's update super mini, and just wanted to let you know about an exciting new class I'll be teaching for the incredible Tatter. The virtual class will be on July 18th and 25th, featuring hand stitched Sashiko slip ons (aka slippers or house shoes). Click here to find out ... Read more
Free Floral Printable Cards + Envelope
Hello! ‘Tis the end of the month, and it occurred to me that Mother’s Day is less than two weeks away. As per usual, I like to offer up a free printable whenever my schedule is flexible enough. You can download the file by clicking here or on the image: I painted the florals using Procreate and making this little stationery set is actually quite easy. My Creativebug Digital Painting Daily Practice launches tomorrow (May 1st!!) and I show you exactly how. We start with the very ... Read more
Sashiko’s Stitches Pub Day and Giveaway!! {CLOSED}
Today is the day! My new book, Sashiko's Stitches (published by WorthyKids / HBG), is out in the wild!! What can I say that I haven't already about making books? It continues to be magical, continues to be a joy. With each book, I try to challenge myself in new ways, and with this one I wanted to see if I could create a traditional watercolor vibe with digital painting. I used Procreate (and even created my own brushes), and it was fun. My kids' books tend to be on the silly side, but this ... Read more
Empty Nest Prepper
Image taken at Luna Liquida Hotel, Puerto Vallarta I am married to a doomsday prepper. Our basement is filled with vats of powdered emergency food stuffs, oxygen bags, industrial outdoor gear, large plastic containers of water, hazmat suits, and more. There’s even an ice pick hanging on the wall, which he used for mountaineering with a friend, but I’m pretty sure that it’s part of his apocalypse arsenal. He’s researched generators and studied blueprints for bunkers. At one point he ordered ... Read more