Tiptoe through the Tulips

 
 

A springtime pattern, inspired by my mom’s garden. This is the first year in recent memory that the deer haven’t mowed down the tulips and the bulbs are glorious.

And because I can never say no to a mockup, here’s some flowery tennis shoes.

A Wander in the Woods

 
 

A new year calls for a new pattern. And a mockup. To be fair, I actually did make sea salt chocolate chip cookies last weekend, but they didn’t last long enough for a photoshoot…

 
 

A mossy pattern and a fairy maid. The above-average-temperatures have me prematurely thinking spring. And while that’s a ways off yet, the longer days and the brighter mornings are very much welcome.

Assorted Things:

  • I just finished watching the first season of Astrid et Raphaëlle and it’s absolutely charming (streaming stateside on Amazon and airing on PBS affiliates).

  • If you’re local to seacoast New Hampshire, Two Bees Café is splendid. I popped in for a carrot cake and a coffee this week. Days later, I’m still obsessing over the wallpaper.

  • Wildcat, a new Flannery O’Connor biopic is in the works.

  • This London-loving sweater pattern went straight into my Ravelry queue.

Rosa Rugosa

 
 

A new pattern I’ve been working on, inspired by beach roses. At my first job out of school, I used to park in the free spots and walk the half mile to the office. Summer mornings, a stretch of the road would be lined with beach roses. If it was low tide, this helped improve the walk exponentially (the smell of the tide going out on a hot day isn’t for the faint of heart).

I worked in a windowless office and usually spent summers bundled up in sweaters, fighting a losing battle against the air-conditioning. But those roses always signified summer, even if indoors it felt like January.

And maybe that’s why I have a soft spot for Rosa Rugosa, even now.

Marchness

 
 

March, in a nutshell:

  • I sewed the Tova dress from Wiksten, using a print from my Cozy Up fabric line. This was my third time sewing this dress - it’s a great everyday garment and a thorough, well-written pattern. The shawl is this free pattern on Ravelry.com and the book matched it all (and let’s be honest, is hiding a less-than-stellar bang trim).

  • I gave up donuts for Lent (womp, womp). But, St. Joseph’s Day was Saturday, which meant a break for zeppole, so off to Enzo Benzo donuts. If you’re in southern Maine or seacoast New Hampshire, run, don’t walk in the direction of these delights.

  • This Flannery O’Connor documentary is stupendous - I saw it last year and just noticed it’s popped up for viewing on Amazon. This one’s worth it alone for the illustrated A Good Man is Hard to Find segment.

  • I’m going full-tilt on sketches for a new installment in the Anne of Green Gables series and finishing endpapers for Mouseboat at the moment. And I’m giving myself a deadline of June to hammer out a picture book dummy outline. Send coffee. And donuts, but after Easter.

Things Being Painted

 
 

A new pattern I’ve been working on, inspired by traditional Polish paper cutting, Wycinanki.

And some news about a new picture book (scroll way, way down for the announcement). I’m painting the cover for this one at the moment, the last bit of art I have left to do. Larissa Theule’s manuscript moved me to tears on the very first read through and it feels bittersweet to be finishing this book, a story that I have loved so much.