five-ish things bringing me joy right now

3 fabric collages, scraps and sewing notions on my work table

stitch book 2025 – pages 1-3

percolating ideas – it’s all about the space between

The sensation of an idea percolating in the background is my most favorite thing in all the world. The 100 day stitch book project has the percolation phase built in. The formula is: work on a problem and then give your subconscious a crack at it.

After I add my stitches each day my brain keeps working on it – feeling for the next move. Sometimes this is entirely passive – all the magic work your subconscious does while you’re otherwise engaged. And less passively, but still without conscious effort, there’s a perspective shift – you notice things, colors, shapes, ideas that might inform your page.

Repeat this enough and new connections form. You get better at listening to yourself. Better at pulling out the deeper ideas.

This is the fourth stitch book and my pattern has been pretty consistent – days 1- 3 are more feeling around, less intensely thoughtful. I’m having a beginning and usually creating a problem. On days 4 and 5 I solve the problem. Or try to anyway. I do love having a problem to solve. Even when I fail I get tons of new insight, information and ideas.

And what exactly is a success? It’s a feeling… Something that surprises me. Something that feels balanced, energetic and compelling. The sensation of getting out of my own way. Getting someplace new.

purging

Pretty New Yearsy. I dive into this every year and then fizzle before I get to the level of possession management and relative minimalism I aspire to. This year I’m going to chunk it, make it a recurring time commitment that I can definitely follow through on.

It will be like the refrigerator situation – I review, toss, clean and make my list every Saturday. It’s a habit. The sorting and purging is getting a time slot too. A modest time slot. Let’s say Tuesday morning – 30 minutes.

So doable. I’ll chip away at this forever as opposed to making ambitious plans that run out of steam.

 

an austere work room with pale walls.floor and curtains with a table, chair. task light and utitlty cart. There are also twinkle lights and a haning plant.

the glorious emptiness of my worktable

This was a happy accident new years accident. I had to totally pack up this room for some unplanned maintenance work… That resulted in removing a ton of delightful clutter. I ended up leaving most of it packed up and I’m considering carefully and slowly what I really need and want as I add stuff. Can I maintain this level of  austerity? Absolutely not. But I’m inspired by it and taking a lesson from how good the emptiness felt.

hand drawn calendar featuring cats

The calendar is definitely a keeper and bringing lots of joy. It’s by my remarkable friend Sid.

magnetic bookmarks and a tiny mechanical pencil

This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission you purchase through the link – they are marked with an *asterisk

So much joy. I went back to an old school paper day planner last year and it agrees with me. It’s where I track the aforementioned habits. I’m the sort of person that gets a huge amount of satisfaction checking off a list item. I linked to *this planner last year and took a bunch of heat for it. As planners go it’s small and pricey. But I love everything about it and shelled out for it again this year. I’m particular about the stuff I use everyday and this one was a big win. The paper is deluxe (and very erasable). And it has an awkwardly translated quote for each day.

It’s also a place for recording ideas as soon as possible, in writing. That’s a big part of my process. This little book is always with me. And so is this *tiny mechanical pencil.

“The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.”
Linus Pauling

 

And for finding those ideas later – *mini magnetic book marks. They are magic. And like the little pencil and book they are aesthetically delightful. Which can’t hurt.

What’s bringing you joy right now? Are you trying the stitch book challenge? Do you have a new yearsey project? Did you know magnetic bookmarks are a thing?! Let us know in the comments.

25 Comments

  1. I love my Hobo Cousin. I think it’s worth e wry penny!!! Love your newsletter.

  2. I’m a yarnartist primarily, and this year I finally started a Project Book. Silly me for thinking I could look at something I made years ago and remember the pattern, and from where I printed it. I rarely recall the yarn I used, since I have a terrible habit of ripping off the sleeve as soon as it’s home. I know the system of writing it down is working because my daughter asked this week for yet another “oh Mom could you make me ____” and I immediately reached for my Project Book. I just printed one from a blogger, but for next year, my reward for doing so is to get a nice official project book with lots of lovely art. Also, my greatest joy right now is working on a Book Covers blanket I designed myself. The downside – I’m judging books by their covers! Love your newsletters and your art! Thanks for sharing!

  3. Jessica Y Wang

    I love the perspective of making a problem and then letting the answer percolate. I’m realizing this is a huge part of my process!

  4. have you splurged at jetpens.com yet? it’s dangerous!! the Hibonachi planner is there (and $2 less pricey than the ‘zon!). just for future reference! Lots’ of delicious things are in my home and came from jetpens. like a micro-sized retractable ballpoint pen (it’s the length of a credit card!!!) ANYHOO, thanks for the #alwaysinspiringideas and for the practical steps to purging.
    most gratefully,
    leslie

    https://www.jetpens.com/search?q=Hobonichi+Techo+2025+Planner+Book&v=2

  5. Penny L. Ray

    Ann,
    I find peace and so much joy in creating personal “tributes” for people. I have so much eclectic items, from antique quilts, costume jewelry, crystal beads, I love being able to design all in my mind then graduate to paper for the personal design based on what I glean from conversations with a loved one. It’s difficult to do when it hits close to home, but it’s all done in love.

  6. Hi Ann,

    I just tried out some cyanotype (https://www.jacquardproducts.com/cyanotype-set), and i think you’d love it for your stitch book or just in general! It’s the same stuff that’s on those papers you can get, that you put in the sun and they turn blue, but it’s the chemicals themselves, so you can put it on anything, even fabric!

    I think the usual botanical designs people make would work well for your stitch book. But I also found a way to make cyanotype prints of any drawing/design I wanted. what I did was draw with india ink on some dura-lar (clear paper basically), and use that for the design. It turned out really well when i did it on some plain cotton, and I got better results than I expected, my lines weren’t blurry at all! You could do that with dura-lar like I did, or maybe just a ziploc bag or a clear folder. I also use this technique when screen printing using the speedball diazo photo emulsion.

    You can make cyanotype prints of pretty much any image. The Jacquard website has a program that converts any image into a film negative, that you can then print onto a transparency sheet to use.

    Would you want to try cyanotype printing?

  7. celeste douville

    I too love my Hobonichi Cousin Avec. I did the Cousin the first year I used them, but it got too bulky early on, so started using the half year cousin avec (I carry it everywhere with me, my life lies within). worth every penny. the way it takes fountain ink! (which I use exclusively).

  8. Thanks so much for the idea of purging one day a week for 30 minutes. I had never thought to do it that way and I feel really psyched to try it!

  9. I am trying the stitch book challenge this time – it’s bringing me a lot of calm, I’m appreciative.

    I am about to pack up a cluttered sewing, etc. room, hope the end result is less clutter 🙂

  10. Well look at you! I’m an oldie and live so many crafts and have amassed a huge stash of fabric, wool,paper,paper and more paper,art supplies, books galore, threads, magazines…you name it! This year is a use what I have year and so far so good! I love making junk journals and pack all sorts of extras in them before sealing them in a cellophane bag with an explanatory sticky label note on them and hiding them in public places for people to find…it brings me so much joy. I have no idea who finds them…. Last night I prepared 10 of them to put in my bag ready for ‘ delivery.’ Thank you for your inspiration!

    • I like the idea of making something and then leaving it for someone else to find. I must do this sometime- thank you !

  11. Polly Furr

    I love reading your posts, so thank you. And I have a question about this one in particular: When you say (about your stitch books), “I’m having a beginning and usually creating a problem,” I wonder what that problem looks like. Are you thinking about composition? theme? Or something less related to the actual production. I feel certain it’s not materials! Interested minds would like to know, as we are inspired by you and your work.

  12. Ha, I wrote the word “percolating” in my notes to self last night! I am loving your 100 day stitch book project. I started the new year out, feeling a bit lost and uninspired and thought that I would do the book just to get myself making something every day… it is definitely creating some percolating, connecting, inspiring energy. Thank you!

  13. I, too, enjoy using a paper planner (and pencil) and am using a Moleskin this year. Next time I’m trying the one you link to. And, thank you so much for your blog. I’m always happy to see your newsletter in my inbox and then I get lost in your posts.

  14. Thanks for those tips. I always use a notebook to keep track of projects and things. This year I got one of the small printers that you can print the little photo on sticker paper. I take a photo of the finished project and put it in the notebook with the notes. I also, as mainly a knitter, use Ravelry to keep track of knitting projects. But the notebook is vital to all my other types of projects. I love paper in general and used to get so excited at the start of the school year because it meant new notebooks and paper. I am always looking for new types of journals to optimize my keeping track of things. What works for you with the notebook you indicated? What makes it different than other journals?

  15. Hi Ann, I too was looking at my workspace (sewing/office) and am pondering some ways to clear it out a bit & help it feel more open. I will never be minimalist per se – except in clothes as I like to keep things simple…. ish…. but I do like things tidy & to feel cozy & airy if that is a thing? THAT said, I loved your photos from your place in NYC and the cozy eclectic creative vibe. I love the light & airiness of your place now – I haven’t haunted your blog so much lately, but it just struck me how sometimes different places have different vibes/needs for how they are to be decorated/used. So, nothing concrete to say… one way or the other…. but just interesting how needs/places & our own preferences can shift a bit. Hope you find that happy place that is Just Right! Best, Lynne

  16. Thank you for your newsletters. I enjoy reading them and they inspire me to see and finish projects. Love that you had an unexpected accident to experience less. I think most of us don’t get that experience. Have fun choosing what goes back in your creative space. Happy February!

  17. Thank you for hosting the 100 day stitch book, Ann. I first saw it last year and this year finally dived in. I’m enjoying the process of creating pages without requirements other than page size, and I love your idea of “yes, and…..” Thanks again.

  18. Donna Meyer

    There always seems to be something else besides creating that demands taking care of but I have been gladly collecting my scraps, sorting through my sewing supplies…needles, threads, etc….in preparation to participate in the 52 Tags project. I’m saving the fabric book for after I have explored smaller possibilities. I’ll have some catching up to do but when the individual pieces are so small, I’m sure it won’t take all that long. It has been fun going through my boxes of scraps, unfinished sewing projects, and fabric samples I got from a reupholstery/curtain store and am excited by bits and pieces I had forgotten about…lovely and fun stuff. Hope to be stitching soon!

  19. Donna Meyer

    And I’m very excited to have downloaded your tutorial on fabric bowls. Oh, how I have admired yours and longed to make some of my own. It was a real moment of joy yesterday reading through all 14 pages!

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