I've had my Mailchimp newsletter since December 2014. 2014! (Heck. I've had this blog since 2007.) I made a vague and half-hearted attempt to change it up last year (or was it the year before? Time gets weirder as I get older). But now I an actual idea. Yeah, yeah. I'm switching it to Substack. …
I've gotten feedback from some generous readers on stories I'm putting together. Asking for feedback triggers insecurity and guilt ("I'm sorry to bother you and you don't have to read it if you don't want to.") but oh, people's comments are incredibly helpful. The feedback isn't only helpful in the practical sense ("Thanks for catching …
The Year of the Rabbit isn't off to as good a start as I'd hoped. After the ice-storm-tree fiasco, I fatefully said, "Nothing else can go wrong." I even pointed at the dogs. "Here that, y'all? Nothing else can go wrong!" Sigh. I am a foolish human. To further bring that point home, I'm putting …
Recently, I have learned (and will never forget) the sound of tree branches falling to earth. The damage from a snow storm two years ago plus a drought has weakened a lot of trees. The weight of ice snapped branches and in some places pulled trees right out of the ground. That sound sent me …
I've been watching videos about cutting up books. I love cutting paper, my own writing included. I love making things like this paper city in a box and other layered paper concoctions. But then...what do I do with them? Well, that's a problem for another day. In the meantime, what is it about paper that …
It's the Year of the Rabbit (unless you live in Vietnam). If you've followed my art, you know I love rabbits. So, I'm happy to throw myself into rabbitdom for a while. And the Chinese zodiac has encouraging things to say about the Rabbit Year. But... It's the Year of the Rabbit! And I'm excited …
This January I've spent contemplating the year and clearing out spaces. My closet looks so much better! I admit, it makes me happy to look in there and see how everything is in its place. I let go of several projects. Some ideas enchanted, but, gosh, just deciding I wasn't going to do them and …
How is the beginning of the year? I've made a couple of things--a handmade sketch book and an ornament. I've been writing, but that's a mess. And I've been taking time to acknowledge the blue hour. I have an app on my phone to tell me the phase of the moon. I go outside to …
Ah, the New Year begins! The 4th of July waves flags. Halloween carves pumpkins. Christmas decorates trees. The New Year writes resolutions. Sure. You can dismiss the idea, you can dig in your heels and plant your flag in the sands NoImNotGonna Land, but like avoiding red-white-and-blue, candy, and Christmas carols, good luck avoiding the …
I've long felt the week between Christmas and New Year's was weird, unsettled, drifting in some kind of void. Even back in my retail days when this week meant harried hours at work, the time still felt unlike any other. Well, of course I'm not alone. Austin Kleon introduced me to the term Dead Week. …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 