Remember when I mentioned I was building something?
Published 8 days ago • 3 min read
A NOTE FROM KATE
Hi!
If we've crossed paths recently, there's a good chance I've chatted about something I've been building organically. You asked a thoughtful question when we met networking, and I probably talked too long, and then we exchanged cards. Or maybe we had a coffee-fueled conversation that inspired me to continue on this path. Either way, this is me following through.
Sprig + Stone is a guided watercolor experience designed as a creative reset. It's not an art class, and it's not a workshop in the traditional sense. Instead it's a deliberate pause from cognitive overload, one for people who forgot that their brain needs one.
You know how your best ideas come in the shower, or on a walk? Somewhere your mind finally gets a break from the noise? That's what these sessions create on purpose and with intention.
Low pressure, freedom to explore. It felt good to not have control for once.
- Workshop participant
This newsletter is part of that same idea. Each issue will bring you something to read, something to try, and something to sit with. Think of it as a gentle nudge to take a moment for yourself, once a month. Hopefully this will inspire you to find a moment of stillness in your day.
I'm happy you're here!
WHAT I'M INTO LATELY
This section changes every issue. It's a small window into what's feeding me creatively right now. It could be a book, a recipe, a local find, or something that just caught my attention.
Right now I'm reading Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. It's a library book, so I'm even more motivated to find snippets of time to read it. I highly recommend it if you're feeling overcommitted or overwhelmed and want to prioritize ways to make the most of your time.
I had a window in between meetings, so I swung by Coffee Wizardz to soak in 10 minutes of morning sunshine. That was much more enjoyable than checking emails!
THIS MONTH'S RESET | AN INVITATION TO PAUSE
A 5-10 minute creative meditation where the only thing required is your presence.
Each issue I will include something to do, not just something you read about doing. It's a small, low-stakes invitation to be present for a few minutes. I invite you to try it in the morning or as an afternoon break, and I encourage you to make it a daily practice.
This month, we try mark-making as a grounding practice. All you need is something to draw or paint with and a piece of paper.
Five Minutes of No Wrong Answers
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Put your phone face-down.
Pick up any pen, marker, crayon, or brush and find some paper. You don't need watercolor paper and paint specifically, just something to mark paper with.
Find some paper: scratch paper, a Post-It, or even a napkin.
Make marks that match how your body feels right now. Don't overthink it.
When the timer goes off, look at what you made. Are your marks curvy or more linear? Are they rough scratch marks? Are they short or long and continuous? Don't judge it, just notice it.
There is no wrong version of this. If you felt nothing, that's information. If you felt something unexpected, that's the whole point. Many times while painting I feel like giving up after a few brush strokes, but then I allow myself to let it unfold.
Don't overthink it, just go with it. You could also try this while using your non-dominant hand.
SOMETHING TO SIT WITH - THIS MONTH'S STILL POINT
“At the still point of the turning world, there the dance is.”
T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
You don't have to stop moving to find stillness. You just have to find the place inside the movement where you're not being pulled to the next thing. This month, I challenge you to notice once when you find that place, even briefly.
It could be a moment in the car before you go inside. Or a big, deep calming breath before a meeting. Maybe it's the first sip of something warm or icy cold. Or feeling a gentle breeze on your face.
Now just notice it, and let it count.
Talk soon!
Kate
UPCOMING EVENTS
Aug 06 — Make Your Mark, A Book Launch Celebration Join us at The Nest for an evening with author Julia Rowlen as she launches First Ride and Second Home. Create your own hand-painted bookmark to take home. Details coming soon.
