Yesterday I finally fell into work in the studio. I set all projects aside and simply created from my heart, created for you and for this post.

I love improvisational work, nothing feels better or truer.

It can be hard to let go, to be free, to be true. This kind of work is dangerous. What if people don’t like it? What if you…who are so important to me and so in my heart… what if you don’t like it? But it’s the purest offering I can give you.

Let’s talk about this insane thing we did. A year ago this April, we came together, complete strangers, over a challenge to grow our on-line presence at Robert Brewer’s My name is not Bob blog.
We took a chance. We built our platforms, we circled each other, we followed each other, we read each other and we liked each other…but then we found out that we really did like each other and we started to support each other, to share more than just our work.

We come from different corners of the world and every walk of life, but when we are asked what are we doing this for, our answers are:
Because it makes us happy.
Because it makes others happy.
Because, as our skills develop, we can feel ourselves developing as writers, as poets, as artists, as photographers.
Because the language of our art is ancient and we want to speak it proficiently.
Because we always knew we would do creative work.
Because at one point in our lives we decided to finally do what we wanted to do all along.
Because we never want to give up.
Because what we do takes courage.
Because we believe there is value in being vulnerable.
Because sharing is good.
Because it makes us laugh and cry.
Because it’s good for our soul.
Because we believe in each other.
Because we love to and because we want to, and each time we are asked we think of seventeen more reasons.

And sometimes the work is not a joy, sometimes it is forced and no one, including our own brave little heart, believes we can do it, but we carry on.

Here we all are together, birds of a feather.
And tomorrow we will be braver and work on, and tomorrow we will be less tired and tomorrow we will share some more of our hearts with each other.

And we will create.

In the end it’s the best way we know how to give.
A careless unveiling and then, and then we will stand in the light and shine.

And to my heart we belong together in our group.

In my heart you are worthy of belonging and you are beloved.

Among all the wonderful things about Britain there is one thing in particular I absolutely love: the idea to buy local. This is something both my countries have in common and it just makes so much sense on so many fronts, don’t you think?

Here in Britain there are so many wonderful artists and crafts people that you don’t ever need to look over seas.

I found a small handful of the most wonderful artists recently and it all started with this little owl on Facebook:

Well of course the minute I saw this I wanted to know all about the artist responsible: Kaitlyn Pearson (Kate) of Cornish Bird in the Sticks. I took a peek at her site, liked her page on Facebook and guess what happened?

Yup, one for me and one for C’s phone. I’m afraid so, am totally addicted to her lovely, friendly graphics.

I think you would all do really well to like her FB page because Kate has a knack for finding more lovely artists to like.

Now look at this lovely:

This is the work of artist Jane Ryan (who Kate posted about).

Jane makes the loveliest movable toys for adults from bits and pieces and beautiful reclaimed wood.

Stop by her site and her FB page to see dozens more beautiful moveable sculptures. I love, LOVE the ones with poetry and, since I love gardening, those quirky ladies watering their flowers make me laugh.

Now here’s something:

Helen Bottrill works these simple and stunning appliqué designs. I first heard about Helen thru Kate and then found a feature about her and her cozy, charming studio in my Dec issue of Country Living magazine.

Come check out her site Kindred Rose and her FB page to see so much more. Helen’s happy, little robin appliqués are my absolute favorite.

When I came across my new friend Charlotte Trimm the first image that caught my attention was this one:

Well, it’s easy to see how that can happen when you see her beautiful work:

Charlie says that all one needs is “a desk with a scalpel, lots of patience, endless cups of tea, a pinch of love, a smidge of imagination, an epic coloured paper collection and a little bit of OCD.” I think her incredible talent also helps. Check out Charlie’s FB page here. Charlie makes wonderful family trees. I’m already planning my commission.

Special note for this post!

All but one of these images here are the property of the artists who have kindly given me permission to show you. Please be kind and respect the copyright, but go ahead to any other of my posts and borrow to your heart’s content.