Why I hung up a bulletin board (a year late) + a sugar cookie of a book
We are in the thick of August, which means I’m suddenly aware of two things:
- My summer bucket list is still 80% unchecked.
- Every store in America is already screaming pumpkin spice at me like I’m not still sweating through my linen shorts.
And yet, here I am, trying to paint holiday patterns while the AC is blasting. Seasonal whiplash, anyone? Still, I’m cranking out new paintings and will be sharing them SO SOON—just in time for fall (what, it’s fall??) and definitely in time for the best holiday sales of the year.
Inside My Studio
Friends, the sports series has officially expanded—now featuring gymnastics, track, dance, and skating. My dream? That kids (and parents) can mix and match to make it their sport story—whether that’s a single print over the bed, a duo in the playroom, or the full team lineup.
Up next: butterflies, cars, and dinosaurs (tentative September debut 👀).
My painting process for these pieces is this fun mix of preplanning + freehand. Here’s a peek:
- I start by brainstorming all the elements I want (like “baseball, basketball, track, gymnastics”).
- Then I gather references (to avoid painting a basketball that looks suspiciously like a lumpy softball).
- Light pencil sketch first. No erasing—just layering darker lines until the piece locks in.
- Brush pen on top, so the lines are bold enough to see on my light table.
- Watercolor the main elements while keeping proportions frame-friendly (no oddball sizes for you, promise).
- Finally, I freehand the smaller details so it doesn’t feel stiff.
And voilà. After that it’s just me, my scanner, and 3,000 clicks to make sure the digital file is as crisp as the original and ready for multiple colorways.
What I'm Cooking
We’re still deep in Molly Yeh’s Home is Where the Eggs Are rotation, because if Molly writes it, I know I’m not going to end up Googling “what is pink peppercorn and where do I find it?” at 6 p.m.
This week:
-
Hot dish (freezer + weeknight win)
- Her version of a Sloppy Joe (Martin’s potato buns on busy nights, homemade pita if I’m feeling Ina Garten)
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Curry meatballs + rice (worth the dishes—make extra meatballs and freeze them for your future self)
Quick family favorites when time is short:
- Fish + harissa + broccoli + rice
- Chicken wraps + fruit (assembly line approved—made extras for beach day AND lunches)
- Grilled meat + salad + carb of choice
- Ground beef tacos (always pre-mix this seasoning blend so I’m ready to go)
And yes, the freezer chicken meatballs I’ve mentioned approximately 800 times still save dinner every single week. Toss into spaghetti, serve like nuggets, or slide into a meatball sub situation. Endlessly versatile.
Beach weekend complete with wraps...checking things off our summer bucket list!
Creative Sparks
This week’s reminder: progress is easier to see when you actually look back.
I finally hung up the bulletin board that’s been sitting on my studio floor for a year (a year!!). Now it’s covered in my fabric designs, and honestly? Seeing them all together was such a spark.
It’s so easy to feel stuck, or to compare your journey to someone else’s. But when you pause and look at your own trail of work—it’s inspiring.
P.S. You can see those designs over on Spoonflower. That tomato tablecloth? She’s getting a holiday friend. 🍅✨
What I'm Reading
Our local coffee shop sells funfetti sugar cookies, and they’re dangerous. I mention this because reading One Golden Summer by Carly Fortune was the book equivalent: sweet, addictive, impossible to stop once I started. 5/5.
Hot tip: read Every Summer After first—the books lightly tie together, and it’s more satisfying that way.
Now I’m onto P.S. I Hate You. So far? It’s fine, but feels like a palate cleanser after Carly’s masterclass in falling-in-love writing. Perfect if you need a breather between fantasy reads, less so if you’re looking to be swept away.
Coming Up
By the time this lands in your inbox again, it’ll be nearly September (!!). Which means my holiday tablecloth project is officially underway.
If you’ve been here a while, you’ll remember last spring’s backyard-garden tablecloth sparked a whole dinner party. This time, I’m going classic Christmas: red, green, gold—long enough to cover every leaf of the family table, every chair squeezed in.
Custom size means custom pattern, which I’m painting now. Because if I’m hosting, the table will be dressed to impress—right down to the perfectly pressed (but imperfectly sewn) corners.
<3
Katie
