How to Expand (Garden) Delight in the Depths of a Wisconsin Winter

Written on my calendar today is “Blog: Garden”.

garden, joy, life, houseplantsAnne ButeraJanuary 28, 2023winter, winter blahs, battling the winter blahs, garden, winter garden, finding joy in the winter garden, expand delight, joy, winter joy, winter in wisconsin, winter in the studio Comments

Reader Conversations: How Do You Want to Feel? Setting Intentions for the Rest of the Year

We usually think about setting intentions at the beginning of the year. Maybe we come up with goals, choose a word, make a plan. If we’re really organized and on top of things, we revisit this and check in with ourselves quarterly or even monthly.

Reader ConversationsAnne ButeraNovember 19, 2022reader conversations, community, holidays, holiday, how do you want to feel during the holiday season, setting intentions, choosing a word for the season, inspiration from other bloggers, winter, intentions for winter Comments

February Garden Tasks: Dreaming, Planning, Doing

When I woke up on Wednesday the temperature was 43. The warmest we’ve seen this year. On my morning walk I didn’t need a hat. Chickadees and cardinals sang their delight at the taste of spring in the air.

The next day it was more than 30 degrees colder.

Surviving Winter: 11 Ways I Bring More Joy and Warmth into Cold Days

Wednesday morning I woke up and checked the temperature. Negative 19 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of negative thirty-two. It was our second day in a row of bitter cold.

Saying Goodbye to 2021 and Welcoming 2022 with EASE

Wednesday morning dawned with a blowy, snowy storm. Most mornings after breakfast and coffee I start my day with a walk.

Savoring the Quiet Gifts of December and the Winter Season

I cut handfuls of dead flowers from my garden this week. Their shapes are interesting. Petals twisted. Leaves furled as if frozen in motion.

Shake Up Your Self-Care and Recommit to What Truly Brings You Joy

Back in November I vowed to fall in love with winter. And I did, for a while.

Choosing a Word for the New Year

I just got back from my long morning walk with Clara. It feels good. To be out in the winter mornings. To notice the changing landscape.

life, seasonsAnne ButeraJanuary 8, 2021word of the year, planning for the year, new year, welcoming the new year, overcoming anxiety, dealing with anxiety, anxiety, winter, embracing winter, loving winter, beauty Comments

Around Here Lately: Living a Holistically Creative Life

Back in January I wrote a list of intentions for the year. First in my journal. Then in my sketchbook. And again on a separate piece of paper that I hung in my studio. The very first intention on the list: “Live a holistically creative life”.

creativity, fabric, blogging, joy, life, seasons, houseplantsAnne ButeraFebruary 14, 2020blogging, blogging is not dead, creating community, creative projects, carving out time for creativity, creativity, affirming your creativity, valentine's day, intentions, holistic creativity, sewing, sewing projects, handmade clothing, inspiration, Butterick 6024, crochet, crochet garments, crochet shawl, Kathryn Dawn, 3 Button Textured Cardigan, South Bay Shawlette, Ravelry, Pinterest, crochet projects, seeds, seed starting, garden planning, ordering seeds, winter, skillshare, Skillshare classes, sketchbook class on Skillshare, winter sketchbook, Explore Winter in Your Botanical Sketchbook, bald eagles, nature, beauty, beauty in nature, Spoonflower, spoonflower, Spoonflower contest, spoonflower fabric, Spoonflower Design Challenge, spoonflower fabric designer, spoonflower wallpaper, watercolor, watercolor painting, poinsettia, watercolor poinsettia, botanical art, botanical watercolor, houseplants, houseplant portraits, what's happening in my studio, joy, do, word of the year, creative energy Comments

Being (and Loving) Yourself (or, On Blogging)

When I’m planning, I write blog topics for the week on my calendar, often scheduling the whole month at once. Sometimes those topics will be crossed out or directed with arrows to other weeks. Because inspiration supersedes planning, sometimes a post will bounce from week to week to week before I finally get around to it and then sometimes by the time I sit down to write the post, I can’t entirely remember what I wanted to say.

blogging, joy, lifeAnne ButeraFebruary 15, 2019blogging, winter, winter blahs, overcoming the winter blahs, what's happening in my studio, valentine's day, loving yourself, being brave Comments

Happy Solstice

Happy Winter Solstice to you.

It’s the longest night of the year and the official beginning of winter (though around here it’s been feeling like winter for a few months now).

Stealing Calm Amidst the Chaos

This has been a chaotic week. Or maybe I should say, my studio is in chaos. I’ve been filming my next Skillshare class and somehow my studio always ends up looking like a small tornado has passed through when I’m filming. Having my sewing table and ironing board set up in the room hasn’t helped matters.

notes from the studio