It’s been a cold week here in Maryland, and even as I write this, flurries are gently falling.  We’re not having any sticking snow, but it’s been nice to watch little flakes flutter out of my studio window this morning.  I wish we had more snow!  When we moved here from Minnesota, everyone commented on how happy we must be to leave those winters behind.  In truth, I mourn Minnesota winters.  I loved having snow on the ground all winter, and I miss it.  So, I’m over here rooting for at least one big snow event this winter.  That is not happening today, though, or anytime in the current forecast. What we did have today, though, was sunshine!  It was the first time the sun had come out in days.  I do so much of my work in natural light – painting and photography specifically – that it starts to

Between Thanksgiving break spent with family and trying to get my gift guides posted, I didn’t share my four things last week!  It’s that time of year when I start feeling a little crunched to post everything in a timely manner.  But I really love writing this post each week.  It gives me a catch-all place to share bits and pieces of my work and life. Here are my four things for the week: Art & Fear, Dickensian, “they call it art”, and more pet portraits.     what I’m reading Art & Fear by David Bayles and Ted Orland.  Oh my goodness, this book blew my socks off, and I plowed through it in two days, taking copious amounts of notes.  This book was first published in 1994, when I was in high school, but it still felt so relevant.  There were some clues that the book was older,

As a small business owner myself, I love supporting other small business owners.  It takes a lot of work to turn a vision into a reality and a lot of faith to take that big scary step.  While I’m not a huge fan of the post Thanksgiving gauntlet of sales (although it is admittedly  good time to start your Christmas shopping), I love that there is a day to celebrate and encourage support for small businesses, so I thought I would highlight some of my favorites.  Some are personal friends, and all of them I’ve shopped from for years. I have been collecting Linen Bee dresses and tunics for almost 10 years.  All of their clothes are custom made to my measurements, so they fit just how I like them.  Their fabrics wash well and their designs are timeless.  They are my go-to pieces for travel, church, outings, and antique markets. 

The Christmas shopping season is among us, and Black Friday (which seems to last over a month now) Sales are already happening.  As I have in the past, I’ve put together a few gift guides, mostly consisting of things I own and love that might be good for someone on your list.  While I love bargains and good deals, I’ve never been one to shop for or buy something simply because it’s on sale.  Instead, I hope the things I want are included in a sale; if not, I’ll wait for them to go on sale.  So, some of these things are included in Black Friday sales, and some aren’t. Here are my gift guides, of things I curated for cooks, makers, gardeners, Jane Austen fans, writers, readers, and a few guides that include tech accessories. things that are just fun, and some of my favorites from 2025.