Granting Yourself Permission to be Quiet in a Noisy World

“Thanksgiving is not just a day, it’s a lifestyle.”

November 2021 in the Garden and an Invitation to a Joyful Seed Exchange

In Wisconsin by the time November rolls around, we’ve usually had our first frost. Sometimes we’ve already had our first snow, too.

Quitting Instagram (for Good) and Why I Adore Blogs and Blogging

In April I wrote about stepping away from Instagram. It felt right for me. Energizing. Freeing.

In June I wandered back.

blogging, business, inspirationAnne ButeraNovember 12, 2021quitting Instagram, social media, artists quitting social media, why I'm quitting Instagram, why I stepped away from Instagram, why I deleted my Instagram account, why I dislike Facebook, alternatives to social media, why i love blogging, why I love reading blogs, blogging, blogging vs. instagram, blogging is not dead, is blogging dead, my favorite blogs, some of my favorite blogs, inspiring blogs, creative dreams, what i love about blogs, creating community, creating community on social media, blogging as an alternative to social media, making connections through blogging, creating a community through blogs, blogging community, being authentic, being intentional, popular posts Comments

2022 Watercolor Calendars: Looking Back at 9 Years of Calendars and Dreaming Big Dreams

Last month I wrote about how creating a tea towel calendar has become a yearly tradition for me*, but it’s not the only tradition for my art.

This is the 9th year I’ve created a desk calendar with my seasonal watercolor paintings.

Open: Setting Intentions and Returning to My Word of the Year

It’s almost November, two more months left in 2021. At this time last year, many of us were ready for 2020 to be over. Ready to have a fresh start with a new year.

life, studio, businessAnne ButeraOctober 29, 2021goal setting, tips for goal setting, intentions, setting intentions, word of the year, Artist Manifesto, My Big Work, how to accomplish your goals, creative encouragement, fresh start, new beginnings Comments

An Exciting Commission: Working With Kickapoo Meadery on Six Botanical Paintings

A few times over the summer I mentioned working on a big commission. I even shared a sneak peek of one of the paintings.

Today I want to share the full story.

art, paintings, gratitudeAnne ButeraOctober 22, 2021watercolor, watercolor paintings, wild bergamot watercolor painting, wild bergamot, Kickapoo Meadery, mead, mead labels, Kickapoo Meadery mead labels, Tim McDonald, Diane Roy, Wisconsin, Wisconsin small businesses, Viroqua Food Co-Op, pollinators, pollinator plantings, pollinator habitat, milkweed, watercolor milkweed painting, bees, beehives, mead and honey production, local food, Staghorn sumac, staghorn sumac mead, staghorn sumac painting, Ohio spiderwort, Ohio spiderwort painting, lance leaf coreopsis, lance leaf coreopsis painting, ginger painting, staghorn sumac watercolor, Ohio spiderwort watercolor, lance leaf coreopsis watercolor, botanical watercolor paintings, ginger watercolor painting, staghorn sumac watercolor painting, lance leaf coreopsis watercolor painting, common milkweed watercolor painting, botanical watercolors, botanical watercolor series, botanical watercolor commissioned paintings, the story behind a commission, creating paintings for Kickapoo Meadery, Kickapoo Meadery in Blue River Wisconsin, farm to table, farm-to-table, popular posts Comments

October 2021 in the Garden, Thoughts on Joy and a Nature-Filled Vacation

I’m never certain if I’ll have flowers blooming in my garden in October or not.

Challenge Yourself This Week: Pay Attention to Beauty and Write Daily Joy Lists

When’s the last time you noticed something that made you pause to look, to think, to wonder? A little moment seemingly outside of time?

joy, life, magicAnne ButeraOctober 8, 2021Joy Lists, writing joy lists, daily challenge, slowing down, paying attention, noticing beauty, wonder Comments

Vining Clematis and Painted Lady Butterflies: Garden Delight for the 2022 Tea Towel Calendar

Designing a tea towel calendar each year has become a tradition for me. This is the 6th year I’ve created one.

Why I Love Sketchbooks and How I Use Them in My Art Practice

This week I finished filling up my 16th sketchbook.

art, art classes, sketchbooks, houseplantsAnne ButeraSeptember 24, 2021sketchbooks, Sketchbook Playground, Dana Barbieri, developing a sketchbook practice, developing a creative habit, developing as an artist, Anne Butera's Sketchbooks, my history with sketchbooks, why I love sketchbooks, how I use sketchbooks, my favorite materials to use in my sketchbooks, about me, my story Comments

September 2021 in the Garden: Delighting in Every Bit of Color as the Season Dwindles

In September in Wisconsin, the gardening season is winding down.

art classes, garden, inspirationAnne ButeraSeptember 17, 2021garden, garden colors, end of summer, savoring my garden, flowers, joy, color, Year in Color Summit, Creative U, garden tour, garden tours, monthly garden tours, what's happening in the garden, what's blooming in the garden Comments

How a Sunflower Painting Brought Back My Creative Joy: Behind the Scenes in the Studio

Right now zinnias, dahlias, cosmos and marigolds color my garden and feed the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

New Beginnings: 10 Ideas for Welcoming a Changing Season and Embracing Your Dreams

September is here and I’m relishing the seasonal shifts.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Sketchbooks! Week 4 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

It’s hard to believe this is the last week of my month of gratitude. August has flown by.

I think back to childhood Augusts with school looming and days of freedom dwindling. Back-to-school was both exciting and welcome but also tinged with sadness for the ending of summer.

Celebrate Summer Joys: August in the Garden, Week 3 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

If July’s garden stars were purple poppies, August’s are sunflowers.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Engage Your Senses, Week 2 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

Noticing beauty needn’t be limited to seeing it. Last week we focused on COLOR, something we experience with our eyesight, but this week I want you to awaken your other senses.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Color, Week 1 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

Did you end up writing a Gratitude List after my post last week?

Are you ready for today’s prompt to help open your eyes to the beauties and joys of summer*?

This week I want you to focus on COLOR.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Inviting You to a Month of Gratitude Practice

Summer is speeding past and before it’s gone I want to make sure I savor all the things I love about it.

To remind me to slow down and savor the days, I’m devoting the month of August to gratitude and joy.

joy, life, seasons, gratitudeAnne ButeraJuly 30, 2021savor summer, savoring each day, savoring summer, Joy Lists, writing joy lists, gratitude practice, gratitude, A month of gratitude, a month of joy, printable art, printable joy list, printable gratitude list Comments

You Can't Do Everything (and Why That's Not a Bad Thing)

Piles of fabric line a shelf in my studio closet. Sewing patterns fill a drawer. I love wearing handmade clothing. I love to sew. Most of my fabric has been matched up with sewing patterns — some bought especially for specific projects — but it’s been a year or more since I’ve done any sewing.

What's Going on in the Garden July 2021

The purple poppies have been stealing the show around here lately.

notes from the studio

“Thanksgiving is not just a day, it’s a lifestyle.”