I hope you are well, feeling, being, and all. Really, I’d love to know, so please share in the comments or reply via email!

I have written down a little list of things I have been thinking about lately, because sometimes I get sudden feelings that being an artist won’t work out for me. I can be inconsistent sometimes (ADHD)with all the art things available out there to try, such as creating paintings, books, cards, stickers, working with licensing companies, agents, painting murals, and benches, commissions, and selling your soul to the devil. It’s all available! So it can be really difficult to figure out what works for your art business (and you!), and everyone’s journey is very different.

I don’t like being on the computer, so creating this book has been like someone grabbing my fingernails and lifting them slightly, or stubbing my toe. I loved making the book, don’t get me wrong. But it’s taken hold of me, and I honestly just want to get back to painting!

After some thinks, I created a little list that consists of three things I find very important in my art business. These are things I have circled back to repeatedly on my daily walks with my dog! They are: Simplifying, Consistency, and Connection. And maybe this is something brought to light already, I am not sure, if so, thanks to them and I’m just sharing what helps me, in hopes it may help you too!

Here’s what I have so far in those three categories:

Simplify (In both life and business, because they intertwine)

-Products: I currently offer;

• Paintings

• Fine Art Prints

• Fine Art Greeting Cards (Double as mini prints!)

• A Greeting Card/Snail Mail Membership

• Stickers

• Seed Packets

• And soon-my Book

There’s a chance I may need to start limiting this. I thought, well, the seed packets were originally meant to be gifts for those who bought my book from my website. But people showed interest in purchasing them. (Thank you!) So, for now, I have limited availability; either they sell out, or I stop selling in October, when it’s a little colder outside.

The stickers are great as add-ons. I also created a new discount for stickers: buy 4, get one free! Stickers are tricky because they are a costly purchase upfront! So I have thought about limiting these as well!

I think I have done pretty well with limiting my offerings. I was going to offer tapestry blankets and t-shirts, but I will be putting that effort/brain space into creating more art instead. :) and if a day comes where it is a good time to offer those, I will!

-Time packaging orders. I have set timers for this- it helps!

-Stuff: Art supplies, apps, tools, electronics. I write everything down by hand on paper. I don’t ever use any planners that I have tried, I tried Notion too- just too much. Write it down and pin it to my board.

-Memberships: Memberships can be very costly, and when you become part of one, two, or three, it adds up! Not just money but your time and attention! I am keeping a close eye here too, because I have noticed which I am utilizing and enjoying, and those of which I may not be giving my attention to.

-In-person events: It’s important how you spend your time, right? And sometimes that time is used towards things that just don’t work out. I know sometimes you don’t know until you know, but I have tried a few different things- markets, both art and artisan and farmer’s market (there’s a different audience for each). And I guess I can say I know where I can and shouldn’t spend my time/energy/money.

-Social Media: Do I need LinkedIn? No, probably not. Do I need Facebook? No, probably not. Pinterest? Not surrre. These are things I have been testing out for years. I am paying attention to the platforms I am most engaged with and staying more consistent with as well! (Substack is the best BTW!!!)

-I tried Patreon, while I really liked the app, I soon realized I couldn’t keep my promise of offering new painting classes each month, along with weekly emails, supply list, etc. I don’t think teaching is currently within my offerings!

-I have, however, re-logged into my Milan Art app, where all of my mastery program classes are available to me forever. The app is free too, and I get to connect with other Milan Art students, a few of whom are in my area! It’s really cool to revisit this, and I am finding that I am making more connections with other artists through there! Pretty cool!

Consistency kinda goes hand in hand with simplifying.

-Painting every day, if it’s not working on a painting, it’s practice in a sketchbook. Drawing, doodling, just playing around. No computer stuff until I do one of these things!

-I would love to create a series of paintings, but my brain wanders and I start to want to paint something else! So I am trying to come up with an idea of how to create in a way that I can offer, say, 5 paintings that all have a similar story/vibe/elements/etc. I think if I keep the number of paintings lower, I can make this happen. I just need to stay in that consistent flow!

-Posting every day, but it’s a stretch. I think I have done pretty well with posting here on Substack, and I am paying attention to that. I try to post to Instagram daily as well. The rest seem to fall into the “not really in my brain space right now” zone.

Connection

Well, this one may be what brings everything together!

I am thinking of new ways to connect outside of social media, like penpal letters, art swaps, and maybe something in person. I keep a little list and remember to ask myself, “Can you really keep up with this?” or “Do you really WANT to do that?” “Do you have the capacity for that?”

-Substack has been a great way to connect with others. I have seen other Substackers post “it’s like a breath of fresh air,” and I could not agree more!

-I want to keep sharing more of my art with you, like behind the scenes, maybe a story of why it was born, and the process!

Sometimes I don’t think I give my paintings the glory they may deserve! Or the space, ya know? I am like ok my followers have seen this one already, why re-share it. That’s not true, right? Poor painting left all shut in the dark.

-My greeting card club has been awesome! We are on month 5! Yes! So proud and happy this has been enjoyed by others and has created a connection between us; it’s been such a joy!

So here I am sharing my new painting, The Monarch and Red Roses ~ The name “Winged Messenger” came from a website I came across about Monarch Butterflies in Mexican Culture, which is a great read.

This idea partly came from a new sketchbook I so deliciously love! It’s all black with handmade paper- seriously cool! I also decided to purchase some new paints by Charvin, their paints are divine- like painting with creamy butter. And a brand I love, but it’s a bit tricky to find online and sometimes, depending on the color, it’s costly.

In the sketchbook, I started by painting these lovely roses, which are inspired by the roses in my garden! These are deliciously colored with sunset oranges and pinks! Then, a week, maybe more, ago, a monarch butterfly landed on them (I screamed with excitement), my favorite butterfly on my favorite flowers! Ok, you are meant to be paired together in a painting!

I have long felt a connection with monarch butterflies. When we lived at our old house, the garden of milkweed and wildflowers grew bigger every year! My kids and I slowly started finding little caterpillars and as we learned more we found tiny eggs too! We created an enclosure and soon after, started raising these guys- we wanted to give them a greater chance of surviving!

To see the stages is just so cool! From egg, to caterpillar to chrysalis (which by the way is the most magical little thing, a lime green case complete with golden buttons!) Then to see with your own eyes- the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis, so cool!

“All of Mexico’s Indigenous people thought of the monarchs as sacred in some way. You can see them in Aztec paintings and stone carvings, represented in the way Egyptians would depict cats.” Noemi Hernandez-Balcazar

When I think of monarch butterflies, I don’t just think of a pretty, striking, fluttering creature; I think of their perseverance, their capabilities, and their guidance!

Ok, so why the roses? Besides being my favorite flower, I remember my mom loved them too! She had red roses growing by our back door at our little house in Monee, Illinois.

Another reason, they are tricky to paint! Sometimes I avoid it, not going to lie- like peonies, all those petals can be overwhelming. But I didn’t want to avoid them anymore. Remembering to focus on shapes instead of all the intricate details is very helpful!

If you ever get stuck on all the details, try flipping your source and painting upside down, then your left brain won’t take over and instead you’ll be using your right brain! A great trick I learned from school!

I used images of roses from my garden as my sources, as well as an old photo of a monarch boy. (Though I painted a girl :))

I started by choosing a cotton canvas I have had for years sitting in my closet! Poor thing! Then with “cheap paint” I threw some black and burnt umber on the canvas, moved it around with a palette knife, and painted the entire background and sides this dark chocolate color! Yum! This made for a great process. I was able to utilize this dark background to help me out with shadows!

It also looks awesome, I am such a sucker for deeeeep color backgrounds and vibrant, lush art popping through! It’s this mix of darkness and light that I love so much.

After painting the background, I roughly sketched out my composition- the roses, butterfly, and a few leaves.

For the monarch, I used the colors by Charvin, in yellow ochre, red ochre, and cadmium red. The black of the butterfly is actually a deep brown that I am blanking on the name at the moment, lol. It’s very pretty.

I didn’t use any white at all! The “white” here is Naples yellow. Gorgeous color.

The roses, while they are not red in my source images, I knew I still wanted red roses and to use the same colors as my monarch. Red Ochre and Cad Red- pop- beautiful warm reds! The shadows are a mix of the deep dark brown and a warmer brown called madder brown.

The leaves are painted with quite a mix- reds and greens and a bit of phthalo blue! I tried my hardest not to use blue, but I failed! lol

Lastly, I added the glowing orbs, just a little extra magic to the piece! You can create this effect by using your finger, a little water, and dark paint. I started using a dark color that flows with the painting; it was madder brown with a bit of red ochre. then blending in a circular motion on the canvas, creating a circle shape. and keep going lighter and lighter and lastly using the lightest color as a bit of a “dot” for that lighted orb effect! (This is harder to explain than I realized! And where a video may come in handy!)

I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. I have sent it off on a Friday this time instead of my usual Thursday! So I am interested to see how that goes moving forward! It gave me more time to work on this lengthy letter to you :)

Do you have ways you simplify, stay consistent, and connect with others? I’d love to know! Please do share!

Have a lovely weekend!

Maria

Hello, hope you are doing (and being) well! My brain feels a touch overloaded lately, so I haven’t been posting as often here on Substack or Instagram.

After a long 2 weeks of locking in to finish my book and sending all the finished files to my mentor (former designer), she spotted some errors that could cause odd printing, such as text too close to the spine of the book. I also had to write my copyright page. So I needed to fix a few things. Then I had to split each page into single pages (not an entire spread) for uploading. This brought on a whole new set of painfully tedious tasks. 🫠 Since I had over 100 large files (140), I couldn’t use Adobe Acrobat to compile my book- download all pages in a single file for uploading purposes. Luckily, I found a website to get this done, after many failed attempts, and it’s all good. Phew!

What is the book about, and did you create the art?

The Magic of Flowers is an illustrated guide, with a few personal stories, folklore, symbolism, and diy practices with flowers, like how to create a fresh flower bouquet 💐

While it's not an identification guide or a how-to- care for particular flowers, there are lots of visual, calming, and present moment practices with flowers🌷

It's perfect for people who love art and nature. It's also perfect for those who like to practice being in the present moment ✨️

I have also been asked a few times- did I paint the artwork in the book? The answer is yes! All images were painted by me in watercolors, gouache, acrylics, and oils. They were all scanned or photographed, uploaded, edited, and digitally composed in Photoshop on my laptop. The backgrounds are either painted or digitally painted in Procreate, or a scanned watercolor paper texture of mine. There are also sketches throughout the book, which are hand-drawn by me.

I really wanted this book to be a deliciously sewn together compilation of art- almost like I am sharing a polished sketch book with you!

You may see that I use these two paintings often, forget~me~nots are sweet tiny flowers that are wonderful “fillers” or as I would call- friends of the main character and they show up quite often in my composed paintings! They are on the cover, and of course, they needed an entire spread dedicated just to them, because every sidekick deserves to shine!

Book Interior and Cover Image Fonts

The one thing I wish I could’ve added to the book was my own hand-drawn text! But instead, I used two very beautiful fonts by Nicky Laatz. And making sure, legally, I could use her texts in my book, I emailed her shop, and thankfully, they said yes, I can! And a bonus- these fonts didn’t break the bank, they fit the budget- woot! Thank goodness because little things add up quick, right!?

The two fonts are called Butterscotch and Apothecary. Butterscotch is really beautiful, swirly, cursive-like, and Apothecary feels like a lovely vintage typewriter-like font! I love it!

A few flowers and a recipe didn’t make it to the book.

Originally, I had a recipe for Red Rose, Cinnamon Honey to include in the book! The recipe was for honey infused with rose petals and cinnamon, delicious! Yes. But after making the recipe myself, I noticed how difficult it was to separate the rose petals from the honey, and eating them was kind of weird. So instead, I added a recipe for Rose Honey Sugar scrub! So not edible, but a luxurious feeling at home, scrub for your feet and hands!

My neck, My Back

I also really hurt my neck from being on the computer so much. I ended up taking a Friday off recently to get a massage. And it may have been the best massage I have ever had! Unfortunately, I waited too long to take a break. It’s always a good idea to rest before you start to feel like you’re running on empty!

Being on the computer isn’t my favorite thing. Neither is recording my process. Honestly, when I paint/create, I am so in the flow state that I forget about time. That’s also probably how I hurt my neck; I was likely hunched over my laptop for endless hours, lol. Because I have issues with organization, I couldn’t use my desktop due to, uh, being overloaded with files; it just needs to be organized, and I didn’t have the brain space for it. A learning lesson! Now I am motivated to set up my desktop for proper use and for better posture :)

When will the book be available?

To be very honest, I am not 100%, but my best guess is the end of June or the beginning of July! I have sent in all of my work to my mentor; she just has to give me a check, then hopefully we can begin the uploading phase! After that, IngramSpark (book printing place) will send me a digital proof to go over, then if everything is good to go, it’s print time!

Jacob’s Mother Illustration

When I was “finished-ish” with my book, I was happy to get back to painting and work on my illustration for Jacob’s Mother! Oh, how delightful this was to paint! I recommend Laura’s Novel, it’s free to read here on Substack and a new Chapter is available each week!

You can read Jacob's Mother here!

The Michigan City Bench Project

I am excited to share that my bench design concept was chosen by The Michigan City Art Committee! It’s been really fun (and tricky) to paint so far because of the perspective, angles, and not-so-smooth surface. But it’s working out and looking pretty cool! Brincka Cross Gardens in MC, Indiana, has been called “the hidden gem”. It’s popular for wedding photos, small gatherings, and quiet walks through the woods. It’s located just minutes away from The Indiana Dunes.

I enjoy it most in the early spring when the woods are just starting to burst with life! Snowdrops, daffodils, snowbells, buttercups, and Magnolias!

The architecture of the building (formerly Bill Brincka and Basil Cross’ home) is stunning! I will be incorporating that as well!

New Cards, Prints, and Originals Coming to the Shop Soon!

A shout-out to Jennifer Maki for introducing my art and highlighting the process of this original painting of mine, Emerald Queen, in her Soulfull Way Newsletter Edition~ The Soulfull Collective: A Collaborative Edition. Thanks, Jennifer!

Read This Soulfull Way Edition Here

The Emerald Queen and her reproductions (weird calling them that) will be available very soon!

Shop Original Art and Prints

I’d like to end this newsletter with a very calming video of a new painting I am working on. A chickadee and dogwood flowers 🩵

Enjoy these Nature Sounds along with Beautiful Dappled Lighting Dancing Across the Canvas.

Thank you for reading. I know this was a long one! I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my art world and what’s been happening these past few weeks :)

I’d love for you to share in the comments what you have been working on lately, any fun things happening, or feel free to complain too!

Thanks for being here!

Maria

Good morning!

I hope you are doing (and being) well!

I am really excited to share my book cover design with you and few changes being made to the overall interior design of my book.

This is my first book. I decided to self publish. As you may know me, I very much like my designs a particular way and to have a particular feel. This goes for my paintings, photography, writing and reproductions. Sharing what I know with what I have experienced. Hoping it connects with the readers.

The design phase for the interior of my book took a little turn. When I first decided to work with a book designer, I knew I needed help formatting the book, what to include for necessary printing, how to upload and print, how to upload to sites like Ingramspark and Amazon. I wanted to design the book fully- paint, digitize, design the cover and every page. It’s a lot. But it’s how my brain works. It’s how I know how to visually bring a creation to life!

My designer and I have made the decision and agreed for her to move from her hands on designer role and into her 100% mentoring role! This means I am leading and taking the role a the designer of my book.

With that said, I wanted to share a few of the interior pages I have been working on and where I am at during this design process!

I’ve been working hard at making this a really special, beautiful piece for my readers and I am so proud of the work I have acomplished!

Rachel, my designer gave me so many wonderful ideas to work with too! I just knew there were necessary changes needed to be made by me that would fill my artistic vision and bring you a book that you will (hopefully) love!

This book taught me so many lessons!

1. To Trust Myself and My Artistic Voice.

2. I Do What I Want. This is My Tendency.

3. My Skills Are Improving.

4. Don’t Be Afraid(?) To Ask For Help.

5. No Matter How Perfect You Want It To Be- It Never Will Be.

6. Remembering to Enjoy The Journey!

7. I Can Take The Lead On My Own Projects.

8. I Have Learned About So Many Flowers.

9. I Pay Attention To Nature/Flowers Even More So Than Before!

10. Simplifying (K e e p I t S i m p l e S t u p i d)

11. Keeping The Designs Simple Creates a Calming Experience For The Reader, Which is One of The Reasons For The Book- Yes, it’s about the Magic of Flowers, but Once You Read my DIY Projects, You’ll See How They take you into the present moment, with a creation that is both soothing and enjoyable!

12. My Style Feels Authentic To Me, Whimsy, A Touch Romance and a little Quirky~ Highlighting My Love For Nature and It’s Creatures!

13. It’s Great To Incorperate Fonts That Align With My Work and Vision (Whimsy, romance, nature-y) and Supporting Another Small Business While Doing So. (The two fonts I am using throughout my book are by the artist Nicky Laatz called “Butterscotch” and “Apothecary”)

14. I Space Out A lot Lately~ In a Good Way. If You Ever See An Artist Space Out- Don’t Interrupt :)

15. I feel bad picking my four leaf clovers, my justification is, they will likely get decapatated by a lawn mower anyways, so might as well pick them and invite them to come live in my window as a laminated little find and Good Luck Charm!🍀

What do you think so far? I should be done with my interior designs by the end of next week! I might paint a few small things to add in, like my hosta without leaves, lol… but otherwise we are getting close! 🙌 I imagine my book will be ready to print mid-June, I can ‘t give an exact date, but based on the current time-line, fingers crossed, that’s when it’ll be!

Thank you for reading and your wonderful support!

Have a great week and weekend.

~Maria

✨Original Art

✨Fine Art Prints

✨Greeting Cards

✨Stickers

✨Seeds

No code needed, and the discount applies in your cart! Just an fyi if you don’t see it right away :)

🎀Each Purchase Comes With a Special Little Surprise🎀

Shop The Sale ✨

A little extra info about my shop and what I offer!

✨My Art is Handmade with Paints Ranging from Watercolors, Gouache, Acrylics, and Oils. All Varnished For a Long-Lasting Piece of Artwork

✨All Art is Human-Made

✨ Prints are Printed in Studio on Fine Art Papers, Greeting Cards Double as a Small Print That Can be Framed

✨You Are Supporting a Small Business With Your Purchases

✨My Biz is Woman Owned and Operated

Your Purchases, Support, and Kindness Keep My Business Going! Thank you!

Thanks for reading and taking a look at my artwork available. Let me know if you have any questions!

Have a great weekend!

~Maria

The other night, I had a dream about planting lots of flowers. I woke from it feeling very happy. But then, realizing soon enough it was actually a dream.

In the dream, I was digging in the dirt and planting seeds, covering them, and continuing on. Seeing many flowers all around me,

I knew this dream was somehow symbolic.🌼

With a quick online search, I found that this dream symbolizes hope for the future and personal growth🌱

Well, how perfect is that to align with these new flower seed packet designs- complete with flower seeds!

I am just really proud of my accomplishment: I have come up with designs to make this little thing happen, to make it a reality. And not wait for someone else to give me permission to do so.

These packets have come together so nicely and beautifully, the trial and errors were totally worth it.

I am really excited to be offering these seeds to you! I hope you love them as much as I loved creating them to share with you!

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pollinator Mix💐

A little info about these packets and what they contain! The seed packets are made of matte paper; they are light, not waterproof, and glued together with Mod Podge, which is safe and non-toxic. Each seed variety has the full information, including seed images, on my website.

For my International friends, I cannot ship seeds; it’s a whole thing, I had no idea, I mean, I can ship them, but it would require paperwork and have to be in a larger box (not a standard envelope), and the cost of shipping would not be free- instead, it would be quite high in price.

But good news! I can ship the empty packets! And for a low cost! Because I can ship paper products in a standard envelope! So I can make this happen, and you can add your own seeds to the packet once you recieve them in the mail!

Moonflower Seeds🌙

The DIY project for these packets is headed to the blog very soon. I am working on simple step-by-step instructions. These would be perfect for your event, gifts, and just for fun!

The DIY can be customized in Photoshop, Procreate, or Canva, or printed out and cut into a template to use with, say, colorful scrapbook paper!

I have some simple tips and tricks to help you make these your own!

The idea for The Muse came from my own life, from a product that I wanted but couldn't find anywhere. Sometimes, when you see a need for something in your own life and you can't get it, you feel crazy enough to make it happen yourself. ~Kathryn Minshew

Sunflower Seeds🌻

Lastly, the flower seeds included each contain a certain number of seeds and a shelf life. As well as a warning for the Moonflower Seeds- these seeds, plants, and flowers are toxic to humans and pets, I recommend planting them in an area where they won’t be bitten or chewed on! I also recommend planting all of these guys after the threat of frost. The forget-me-nots can be planted in the early spring or autumn to grow the following spring.

Forget~Me~Not Seeds💙

The packets, including seeds, will be available until mid-October due to temperature drops in my area. I would hate for something to happen to the seeds during their shipment to you due to the cold weather!❄️

The empty packets will be available at any time! :)

Seed Packets🌸

If you really are passionate about it, you're just going to find a way to make it happen.

~Keiynan Lonsdale

I hope you give yourself permission to create something you’ve dreamed of, too.

I’d love to hear from you. What do you want to see come to life?

Leave a comment

On Friday, April 24th, to Monday, April 27th, I am having a Spring Celebration Sale! Every item in my shop will be 25% off! I hope you find something you love!

I will send out a quick email on Friday as a reminder!

Shop The Sale!

Thank you for reading. I hope you have a magical day!

~Maria

Over the weekend, I decided since the sun was shining, to visit one of my favorite gardens that is located close to The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It’s called Brincka Cross Gardens. Currently the daffodils are in bloom (and still lots to bloom) and it’s just so exciting to see them again! There are also magnolias blooming, azaleas and more little flower friends!

It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project.

Napoleon Hill

I am ALL about this!

When the time comes for those who purchase my book from my website, I plan to include a cute flower seed packet I have designed. Just an extra special thank you and a little extra magic to accompany!

I have wanted to design my own seed packets for a long time- I have submitted my art to various seed companies- getting an answer of “no not this time” and then the idea sort of left me a bit, I was thinking, well I guess this is a product I just can’t make happen right now.

I recently worked with a small business to help bring this vision to life. The packets are wonderful, but I still needed more room to explore and curate this vision I have had in mind. So I can make the adjustments, motif placements, color and paper type of my choice. I also wanted the room to grow further in this design- being able to customize based on the seeds in the packet! As well as cost, that plays a big role too, of course. Creating the packets in my studio saved me a bit since I already have all the tools and art to customize these!

So I found a template on Etsy. I uploaded the template to Photoshop, then I created a PNG (it was a JPEG, if you aren’t familiar a PNG file has a transparent background) version so I could add the template over my work to see my guidelines. I placed my images where I wanted them as well as the text. Then used my polygonal lasso tool to “cut” the entire template out and saving as a PNG file.

The paper I used from Red River Paper Co. is called Polar Matte, and it is perfect for the print, glueing the template and holding the precious seeds!

I had to print these multiple times to get them right, size, color and of course I had “Enjoy!” upside down lol. (And still another small fix!) But that’s how we learn- from doing.

Either way, fixes or not- these seed packets are dreamy and extra special! I can’t wait to create more and sell seeds on my website this summer! Also, I would love to share with you steps on this design process through my Blog, very soon in case you might be intrigued to create your own!

Do you like them? I hope to create more, like singular flowers, veggies, herbs!? There’s really no limit!

My Tea Pot paintings are getting some love across socials, and I am working on prints for each tea pot, along with greeting cards and stickers! These tea pots will also be featured in my new book!

Which Tea Pot is your favorite?

Tea Pot IG Reel

I’m excited to be working on a new project idea and plan to submit my art to The Michigan City Public Art Committee’s 190th Anniversary Art Bench Project. They are accepting submissions from artists and are looking for 19 artists to paint 19 wooden benches, all themed around Heritage, Culture, Industry, Faith, and the Lakeshore of Michigan City, Indiana!

My submission concept includes flowers, woodland things, and I hope to include some birds as well! The theme will be Brincka Cross Gardens in Michigan City (as mentioned above) – a true hidden gem.

It’s a beautifully landscaped, magical woodland garden, featuring snowdrops, buttercups, magnolias, azaleas, daffodils, hellebores, crabapples, bluebells, phlox, and so much more! Brincka Cross is also known for its hosta varieties.

My bench concept will feature these flowers, as well as the custom home on the property, once owned by William Brincka and Basil Cross. The home’s Asian Midcentury Modern style architecture is so unique, and I plan to include it on the bench, as it is an important part of the garden’s beauty and story!

Wish me luck! The dealine to Submit is May 4th.

Lastly, this is still just an idea, but I have some scribbles, notes, and saved ideas on my computer. I’m hoping to make this a reality and release watercolor and gouache painting kits! (Release Time TBD)

I experimented with this the other day and printed an outline of my luna moth on watercolor paper. The idea is to have fun and make painting easy and accessible for artists of all levels. Depending on costs- It would probably make sense to include: the paper, outline, paint, a brush and a mini palette. I am trying to keep these affordable all around! But more on that to come soon. I get so excited about new ideas, I can’t help but share!

These ideas, like the Greeting Card Club and Watercolor/Gouache Kits, stemmed from my original idea of offering online watercolor/painting classes. I quickly realized this wasn’t the right fit for me, at least not right now. I also started a monthly paid Substack Newsletter a few months ago, and while I loved it, it’s still not quite what I envisioned.

The watercolor/gouache kits feel a bit like reinventing a wheel that was already turning – I’m not even sure that makes sense! But the same can be said for my Greeting Card Club!

I would love to know your thoughts and ideas!

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

With love and Magic,

Maria

I hope you are well! On Saturday evening, the sky displayed quite a show! Did you see it? I captured this series of lovely moon images that evening. The sunset was so vibrant with the little slice of moon glowing in the sky! That color palette of mauves, tangerines, hot pinks, and indigo mixed with violet! And do you see the robin silhouette in the tree? 😍

There was a little bat flying around too- it was so cool!

Here I am sharing a step-by-step process of what’s involved when I share my paintings across platforms and upload images, information, and all the extra stuff on my website!

1. Finished Painting. Once my painting is finished and even before varnishing, I take too many photos of it, lol! Some on my phone (but those are mainly progress pictures/easy uploads to Instagram Stories). Then, since it’s currently still early spring and we don’t have many flowers or greenery blooming yet, I have been taking a lot of images indoors. So I had to get creative!

   After cleaning out my studio closet, I realized I had forgotten about these large, colorful papers! I was originally going to paint on them, but they were thinner than I expected! So I have been using them as backgrounds! I lay this out on my art table (that’s full of paint markers, very stained).

2. Adding Flare. Then I grab the painting and place it over the paper. I add greenery and dried florals that match the color scheme, and a few extra guys like my gold butterfly, gems, and a little turtle or bee! They make really nice additions to the image’s overall look and don’t take away from the painting, but instead add some nice embellishments!

3. Picture Time. I lower my table a bit and stand on a chair (usually my rolling chair, which is not smart, I am being lazy and do not want to grab an actual normal chair that’s in another room, lol). I stand over the art and take a nice image with my Canon camera. I have my settings set for a softer focus and the color set to how it looks in real life- this saves me a lot of time later in the editing process! You can definitely use your phone to capture your images!

   

4. Uploading Images. After capturing images I am happy with, I upload them to my phone. I have an app that lets me connect my camera to my phone. (I believe it’s called Canon Camera Connect!) I can use my phone to capture images with my camera (like a remote) and import images! It’s a great feature and so helpful, especially if you need images of yourself with your paintings! (Like below- I used my phone+camera to take this image. You gotta get crafty when you work alone! P.s. I am also wearing PJ bottoms in this photo, you can’t even tell!)

   When I upload images from my camera to my phone, they upload as JPEGs, a compressed, smaller file, while a RAW image (which is what I would upload to my computer) keeps all the image’s data. I am not worried here on the size of the image since these photos are used for social media and my website- not for large formatting, like prints or cards or possible licensing products! (That can be a whole other email, and I won’t nerd out too much about file sizes, lol)

   

5. Editing in Lightroom on my Mobile App. I use Adobe Lightroom on my phone for image editing. I pick my favorite image and get to work, but I usually do not have to do much editing, thanks to thinking ahead and typically just crop, maybe rotate a bit, and mess with the lighting with a bit of vibrance. I try to replicate what the paintings looks like in real life, the best I can! I almost always use vignette! Just adds a lovely bit of moodiness to the image!

6. Time Saving Editing. So after editing to my liking- keeping the painting looking as it appears in real life, the best possible - I copied my setting so I can paste it over on the next image- this saves time editing each image! Especially if the image has similar lighting. Sometimes you have to adjust a bit depending on the image. But still, a huge time saver to copy and paste!

7. Posting Online. Then these images are ready for social media- I typically post here on Substack, then schedule on Instagram, which also posts to Facebook, Instagram Stories, and Threads. I occasionally share on my personal FB and LinkedIn (as of late). This newsletter shares the most information across all! YouTube and Pinterest come into play when relevant! I know I have mentioned before that I plan to keep simplifying!

8. Stories and Painting Names. Coming up with a story and a name for the painting. I try to name my painting the first thing that comes to mind, but of course, it isn’t always that easy! The hummingbird painting I named Levitate, because my daughter was listening (loudly) to Dua Lipa’s song Levitating, and it just felt perfect for the painting as I was looking at it, hearing that song!

   Then, below, the koi fish, named “Fire and Water,” the colors and the painting felt pretty symbolic, the rotation and harmonious feel of the fish swimming in their circular direction! I also do research online to see what that animal or flower symbolizes, and that really helps me come up with a unique story!

   And then my teal tea pot full of roses and greenery, along with Mrs. Cardinal- you all helped me name!

   

   

9. Here is an example of a description on my website for my painting “Secret Garden”. I ended up creating a template for my listings so that I do not have to retype every single detail every time I list a new painting. Also, the template gives each listing a cohesive feel and description. I try to add in every detail possible, without the overwhelm :) If you are interested in the template, let me know, and I’ll send it to you! It’s an editable Google Doc!

   

   .

   

10. After all the images, stories, descriptions, and sharing. Then it’s time to take large-scale images (or scans) of the painting (no backgrounds, etc). These images are used for prints and other products. If you’ve seen my yoga mats, those paintings were scanned in and pieced together in Photoshop because the Yoga Mat company needed huuuuge files! I will definitely share the editing process of my paintings in another newsletter or on the blog! 😃

I hope this information may have helped in some way, or maybe it was just interesting to see a little extra behind the scenes!

Have a wonderful day and enjoy the upcoming weekend ahead!

Thank you for reading, with love and magic!

Maria

If you find my letters helpful or inspiring, I’d love to know! Leave me a comment or a Google Review! I am adding new reviews to my website, which helps my business so much! Thanks in advance!

Leave a comment

Leave me a Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Behind The Scenes Book Edition

I have some juicy, messy behind-the-scenes of my book’s creation! It’s still baking in the oven, but we hope to have it ready by the end of April. We don’t want to rush; this is a very heavily illustrated book with words, and we want to take our time with this special creation.

Here is a gallery of my vision board that started the thought process. Originally, I was planning to write about how to live a magical life- or find magic in the everyday, etc. Which, in a sense, the flower book is that- it is just a themed version!

I painted so many small-sized paintings just to get ideas out. I had birds, flowers, moons, and more.

Then, one very hot summer day, after doodling my White Rabbit Cafe doodles (when I first started posting and sharing more here on Substack!) I kept the sketch flow going and created these framed floral sketches. I thought they were so cute. I then researched how to say/write flower in different languages, too.

My daughter saw my sketches and said-you should write a book about flowers! Ding! She’s a genius!

Sometimes I am not great at simplifying. Why not create a book on one specific theme!?

More ideas started to come to me.

Ok, so this got the juices flowing. My original flower book idea had a section of flowers around the world! Which I still love— but that put me in a bit of a box. I felt a little bit confined. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t included, exactly!

Below are some sketches of stamps and research on time-sensitive dates in other countries. For the idea of creating flowers around the world.

Flowers, I believe, are a language we as a whole world can relate to!

Still loving the around-the-world idea—this brought on a new idea. I did a ton of research on folklore and symbolism based in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Greece, England, Japan, Africa, Ukraine, and China (and many more countries) I have learned so many new things about flowers. I feel like this book could go on for centuries—but it won’t, it’s roughly about 180 pages ish.

Time to create!

I started painting flowers in frames just like my mini sketches.

And large-sized stamp style paintings based on the country’s flower. Shown below are Ukraine, Japan, and Italy.

I have painted well over 100 flowers and friends to accompany; some are not shown here because they are everywhere, lol! Sketchbooks, canvas, paper, you name it!

All of these paintings have taught me so much about how I truly love to create, how to digitize my work in an efficient and not dreadful way, and I have shared the love of these paintings with others, again, by adding paintings and prints to my website!

This book has not only been a deep creative practice and journey, but it has also shown me what it is I need (want) to focus on and share.

A Flower Guide

It’s come to be that the book is so far a guide, a way to stop and take notice, maybe add a fun project to your day that involves these beauties! A beautiful quote to inspire you and a fun story or spiritual guide.

I have been researching how to create my own grimoire (and no, not to summon any demons- I like the quiet). And with that, I am feeling a similar resemblance to how my book is going and flowing. Could it be possible that it is a grimoire, but instead of for me, it’s for you?

I imagine my book being found in the Witchy section at the bookstore, maybe in the garden or art section. It’s fairly versatile in readership!

Let’s take a look at some sections and how I have my manuscript laid out in a Google Doc!

I have it flowing so these sections have a bit of a theme; it’s not super obvious, but it’s there for the sake of flow. For example, it starts off with scents and feelings, then moves to “A closer look,” which introduces my field notes in the garden. One summer morning, I sat on my sidewalk by my milkweed and stone crop, just watching and listening. I wrote down everything I observed. There is so much little life happening. Taking a moment to pause and take notice helps us understand, respect, and honor the little lives that often go unnoticed!

As the book continues, there will be a diy project that reflects the theme of that section!

DIY Projects

The projects were so fun to create and write about, and I am so grateful for the help with two of the diy projects—the lantern and the bouquet!

I was taken on a tour of a local flower farm (Hickory Hills Flower Farm), where Emma showed me how they create their recipes for beautiful farm-fresh bouquets! How many colors, themes, etc! It was so cool to get her awesome advice! I was so grateful to have a kind small business owner share their long-learned, experienced tips with me!

The Bouquet Work In Progress

I created the Moon Tea with lots of research and taste testing! It’s super easy to create at home and beneficial. The taste is very earthy, so if you are like me and like sweetness, I added ideas to add lemon, honey, and even cream to create a tea latte! I wanted the tea to be all flowers and easily accessible! I purchased each separate loose tea on Etsy!

The painting to accompany the Moon Tea Recipe!

I wanted each project to be fairly easy, with not many supplies. Things you may have around the house, maybe something you can upcycle or go all out if you’d like, and plant an entire garden for cut flowers ;) They are more for mental stimulation, but with the end result of having a relaxing vibe!

Copyright and Public Domain

Quotes are always a huge inspiration. I love quotes tied in with beautiful art! Words have been my guiding light these past few years. I don’t know what I would have done without learning such inspiration from others’ writing!

This one gets a little tricky! All photographic images, paintings, and writings you see online are likely copyrighted, so using them for monetization without the artist’s permission is illegal. Unless you specifically ask to use their words or images, it’s best not to. There are ways to research what is in the Public Domain—I just did a ton of searches, and fingers crossed I didn’t make a mistake.

I do have a quote by an artist that appears in the book, which is copyrighted, and she gave me permission to use it :) That is always another option too- if you do not know, just ask the artist, a nice email, and explain your project. Most artists are willing to support other artists, and chances are the writer will be happy to let you use their words, or you can likely pay them for the use of their writings, or offer them a free copy of your book once it is printed (that’s what I will be doing!).

I used an image of hellebores for one of my paintings from another photographer. I loved the composition and colors, and I emailed her about it. She kindly said yes and knew I was on a budget; she was kind enough to give me the rights to use her image as a resource for free. So a book of mine will head over to England in the coming months for her as a thank you!

There’s so much information that goes into this topic, it could be an email all on its own!

Once I knew The Book I wanted to Create, Who Was Going To Help Me Design it?

And do I self-publish or submit to a traditional publisher?

I wavered around this a lot in the beginning. I planned to write out a submission and do all the necessary things for it, and to submit to Chronicle Books. After thinking about this for some time, and considering how I work, I knew self-publishing was the way to go!

With a self-published book, I can design my book my way. I knew exactly who I wanted to work with, too, from the beginning, thanks to a fellow Inspired Collective member’s recommendation; she referred me to her sister, Rachel. Rachel Clift is a Graphic Designer, Poet, and Author. She has the experience of writing, designing, and marketing! She knows all the back-end details like paper types, printing, and everything in between!

The cost upfront for a self-published book might be a bit higher than a traditionally published book, but is it? I am not sure, really. I don’t have experience on the other side. Maybe one day.

So, where are we currently?

I have sent Rachel my manuscript and am slowly adding in flower paintings with their section! And Rachel is currently working on Book Cover Design Mock Ups! So exciting! This book feels like it will be really handcrafted, like you look at it and think, “this was created by an artist.” No AI, but two ladies hand-crafting a really delicious, magical book! With the tools, inspiration, and guidance of many others (all human) along the way!

My book is called The Book of Flowers, but ya know, sometimes the title doesn’t feel right. The words The Magic of Flowers keep tapping me on the shoulder. Because that is indeed what they are, magic!

I hope you have enjoyed this behind-the-scenes book edition! I am really excited to keep sharing more with you! I also wanted to share that I will be having an in-person book signing event, a sort of celebration that I will be sharing more about soon!

Thank you for reading, with love and magic!

Maria

Hello,

I hope you are having a great week! It has decided to snow again here in Indiana. After a nice week of warm weather! 60 degrees, sunny to 20s and snow! lol. That’s living in the Midwest for ya!

But I did take advantage of the pretty falling snow and brought my dried bouquet out for a photoshoot! The florals colors against the snowy background look so pretty!

Yesterday, I met with my book designer, Rachel, for our very first design meeting! This is where things start to get really fun and interesting! We talked about the book cover design and the back of the book, the paper types, laying out pages, adding text, and pretty fonts, and more! It all feels really exciting and scary at the same time!

She shared an idea with me about how we can include “hand-written” style notes and other elements to make the book feel even more like it has a really handmade look- like this book will look like it was designed by an artist! She has some whimsical fonts in mind that I can’t wait to see, and I am in the process of sharing my manuscript with her and paintings to add to the book!

I am currently waiting for IngramSpark to send over paper samples so I can get a good feel for what my pages will look and feel like! As well as the hardcover sample! So exciting!

After painting each flower separately for the bouquet that will be included in my book, I finally scanned, uploaded, cut, and edited the bouquet! I also painted a pretty bow for it! Then went a little crazy, started printing cards, and made a pattern. Hey, that’s ok, it was fun to do!!

While still having lots of digitizing to do, I have made sure to keep painting daily, and have created quite a few new mini paintings that I wanted to share with you! Maybe, just maybe, hanging out with a little (my niece) recently inspired the yellow butterfly and unicorn; these paintings have a childlike wonder, don’t you think? 🦋

And I’d love for these new paintings to find their special person to take them home! Use code: WONDER20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase! The coupon is good until March 4th!

Shop Art

Shine Bright~ Yellow Butterfly Painting🦋

This painting is on a small square canvas, and it’s painted with acrylic paint, acrylic gouache, and traditional gouache. The little bit of gold you see is from Holbein’s antique gouache from their Iridori set! Beautiful!

Buttercups💛

Lemon and buttery yellows with these teals, blues, and greens- oh my! With a magical “glow” like appearance.

This buttercup painting was done with acrylic paint and acrylic gouache!

Sapphire~The Serene Unicorn🦄

Using Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, and Prussian Blue paints, this serene nighttime scene came to life. The unicorn looks like she’s lost in a dream among the twinkling stars.

View Originals Here

Things are cooking in the sketchbook!

I have had crows following me lately. When I take my dog, Ruby, on a walk in the afternoon, we have 3 crows following us. Tree to tree, they circle and caw! I think they may know I feed the birds, which makes me wonder if they have been grabbing peanuts from the feeder, though I have yet to see them there. It’s funny, I always think when they see Ruby and I they say something like “look, there’s the lady with the peanuts and her weird little wolf on a rope.”

Anyways, lol, they did inspire me to paint this crow waddling through the morning glories, as I assume they do! :) Just a bit of an idea and practice round to see where things wanted to be in the painting along with colors!

Another teapot has been on my mind to paint. I wanted this one to be teal, with maybe coral or mauve roses, along with Mrs. Cardinal hanging out in the bunch.

The roses are not coral or mauve, but instead a magenta, which looks really pretty with the teals and blues! It’s coming along really well, and I have some detailing to go on everybody, but I am loving it so far!🌹

I hope you enjoyed these new paintings and works in progress! In the next newsletter, I hope to share some really messy behind-the-scenes of the book, from the very first idea to all the in-between! And oh my, it will be printing at the end of April, ah, so exciting! Wanted to share that with you! Thanks for being here! ❤️

Have a great weekend!

Maria

Now, I know the last two emails have featured my Greeting Card Club Membership, but I thought I might share a bit more in-depth about why I decided to start offering this really fun way to collect art.

A few months back, about 6 months, after turning my wheels and getting stuck in the mud more than once, with some help, it finally came to me, my art isn’t just about selling/monetizing, you know, not in that way, it’s about connection! How does my art connect with my collector?

And I thought, well, what do I love to receive when I purchase something from a small business- let’s say a shop on Etsy. It’s just delightful when the seller wraps the items you’ve purchased like a gift or leaves a pretty note. Maybe an extra sticker or two!

It makes me feel like I am buying from a friend- or getting a gift from a friend. And I know that taking a few extra moments to make the purchase a special experience is really beautiful, especially nowadays. And I just love to make things. I try to imagine my Collector and what they’d like to get in the mail. What does my collector like to do for fun? Does she enjoy nature, maybe whimsical stories? Does she like gifting?

I have a name and a bit of a profile for my Collector. Her name is Maggie Rose, and she is a bit of a homebody and a bit wanderlust. She loves nature and hiking, and she collects art for herself and as gifts for her people. She enjoys hot coffee and quiet mornings and loves to help her garden grow.

But also, I wanted to make sure I was keeping things simple (KISS- “Keep It Simple Stupid”-Dwight Schrute). That’s where the greeting cards come in again. How can I offer a super fun snail mail membership without having to reinvent the wheel each month? The greeting cards seem to be well-loved, and they’re priced in a way that’s not a big commitment. And they double as a mini print, you can even frame them!

The help I received from two mentors these past few months really helped me. Julia helped me by reintroducing my prints, and Betsy helped me simplify my business and gain clarity about it and about myself as an artist. I was throwing myself in too many directions, as most artists do. There seem to be opportunities around every corner for artists, but that doesn’t mean those opportunities are the best fit for me. If I am trying to sell on my website, teach classes, write a book, sell on Redbubble, make YouTube videos, all while trying to market all of these different things- it’s a sure way to burn out. I have done it a number of times.

After figuring out that being authentic, simplifying, making connections, and handmade were the top things about me and my business. We knew what my offerings should be. The rest can come later- like licensing work, collaborations, teaching, and even art fairs and markets….maybe.

Here are just a few things I have learned with help in the recent months!

Simplify my offerings- Sell Originals, Prints, and Greeting Cards- Add on the rest later (like enamel pins, bookmarks, t-shirts, anything that was making my brain ping pong). Also, simplifying goes so deep and intertwines with everything here. I also find it important to simplify my personal life. I say NO a lot :) My time is very precious, and it’s really important to me to be mindful and prepared when approaching my practice.

Connections: Here on Substack, on Instagram, and in person are the top 3. The rest come later…maybe… (YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Art Fairs). The snail mail club greeting card club is a great way to connect! Truly conversing with others- even online, a comment, a share- can make a world of difference when you spread the love and kindness.

Handmade- Original Art/Handpainted, lots of learned practices with many media, intertwining my photography with paintings, In-house Printing on high-quality paper (that comes from another small business in Texas!)

Packaged with care and lots of thought.

Authenticity (aesthetic?)- Stay true to what I love and share that with others! The layout and look of my website- I use a lot of lush colors, and squiggly- hand-written fonts because I love them! I pay a little extra for MOO business cards because I love how they look and feel. I love animals and nature and teal and blue, and ribbons and old books with gold fonts, and I think I could paint a million forget-me-nots and luna moths!

Each of us has things we love that make us truly unique, and when we share these things about ourselves, it helps others feel more comfortable doing the same!

Thanks so much to Betsy Cordes for generously offering your mentorship! I really have her to thank for her brand strategy session-it was the clarity I needed as an artist and for my business! I am going to link her website if you are an artist and interested in working with her!

February13 Creative

A little behind the scenes of packaging orders- this is not pretty….😂

Ok, maybe it is, like the tissue paper? Those feathers! Beautiful. But as far as organized, well, that is not my middle name. It’s sort of a compilation of organized chaos; I know where everything is, and that works for me. Though I imagine this may make some of you reading, twitch 😂

It’s important to share because a lot of times we only show the polished versions (or see the polished versions) online, and that’s just not real life. I am running a business, and with that, I wear many hats, the hats are crooked, and not always cute.

I typically take photos with my nails looking nice, but most of the paint is chipped, and the thumbnail shown may or may not be “touched up” with an extra coat of paint for the image. 😂 Smoke and Mirrors

New Art!🎨

New original paintings are in the works! Mostly finished and drying, but the blue jay in this image needs a few minor details. I finished them yesterday, but I didn’t grab any new photos yet. I also decided to add frames to the Blue Jay and Moon Tea Painting as a nice complementary add-on! The blue Jay will be featured at an exhibit in March!

Snowdrops Glowing on a Magical Night

I know many of you across the ocean have your snowdrops popping up! We still have maybe a month? This is my first time planting them in my yard, and I am excited to see them this spring!

Fire and Water

A true mixed media piece involving acrylic paint, acrylic gouache, traditional gouache, nail polish, oil pastes, and oil paints!

Renewal

Sweet little baby bunny. Bunnies represent renewal and new beginnings.

Moon Tea~ Te Della Luna

This painting will be featured in my book along with a “moon tea” recipe! I also painted a special frame for it that I can’t wait to share with you!

Blue Jays are one of my favorite birds! So bold, bright, and not afraid to take up space, which inspires me daily!💙

Every day I watch them from my window, flying into the feeders like wrecking balls, one after another, taking peanuts. If they run out of food, oh, do they let me know!

They are also great alerts to hawks. Hawks are one of the biggest predators for my chickens! So it’s great to have a lookout crew available in case I miss it.💙

Shop Original Art

New Greeting Cards🪻

While editing flower paintings for my upcoming book, I decided to print a couple to see how they would look on greeting cards! They printed so well- this paper is truly magical! It’s a matte paper that feels really smooth! Perfect for capturing the lush colors of the prints, and I like to say very true to the look of the original work of art!

Lupines represent Wild Imagition, and that’s very fitting as they do grow very wildly along the dunes at The Indiana Dunes National Park!

Might lilacs be the most deliciously scented flowers?

Prints and Greeting Cards

Rose Honey Sugar Scrub 💕

My book will feature a few DIY projects, which I am excited to share with readers! This rose honey sugar scrub is a recipe my daughter and I created, and it’s really great because it actually works! I deal with itchy skin that ends in raised marks, so it’s really important I keep my skin hydrated. And this mix does the trick!

Indulge in a self-care routine with flowers to accompany. This rose honey sugar scrub is sure to create a shower or bath routine to help ease the discomfort of dry skin. And it’s customizable! You can add in essential oils that you prefer! Just be sure every ingredient is safe for your skin.

You can check out the entire recipe here:

Rose Honey Sugar Scrub

I hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter. Let me know if you try out the sugar scrub. I thought it was something perfect to add to this week’s letter just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Have a great week and weekend!

~Maria

I created a new and fun way to collect these cards! The Greeting Card Club! A snail mail club that offers a monthly subscription or a one-time purchase to give it a try! Though if you decide on the monthly, you can cancel anytime, there’s no commitment.

Here’s a bit of info about what’s included in the greeting card club!

Find Your Magic Greeting Card Club💌

Each month, you will receive a surprise Greeting Card, along with a handwritten note, a surprise sticker, a paint swatch, and some extra little goodies!

Your monthly subscription purchase is a great way to collect these whimsical greeting cards!! Plus, it’s super fun to get snail mail, isn’t it?

What’s included in your monthly subscription?

✨Surprise Greeting Card +Envelope

✨Surprise Sticker

✨Hand-Written Note

✨A Small Paint Swatch

✨Extra Little Goodies

Fun Ideas for what you can do with your monthly club goodies!

✨You can frame your greeting card- it doubles as a mini print!

✨Gift your card or sticker to a friend!

✨Stick your sticker on your art journal, water bottle, lap top.

✨Get creative and use washi tape, glitter, paints- sticker your new stickers and paint swatches, and add them to your art journal!

✨If inspired to, write me a letter back!❤️

Thank you for your support and for spreading kindness!

❤️The world needs your light❤️

~Pictured are just a few different greeting cards! Each month you’ll get a different card!~

This subscription is $10 (with shipping) for my USA Friends and $12 (with shipping) for my International Friends!

Greeting Card Club!

And then just a little reminder: as a big thank-you for subscribing to my newsletter, I am hosting a giveaway of a greeting card pack! You can enter this giveaway by clicking the button below. The giveaway will end today, Thursday, February 5th, and the winner will be notified this Friday! (February 6th 2026).

Greeting Card Giveaway

Stickers to support! All proceeds of the MN stickers will be donated to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.

The Minnesota stickers, featuring MN’s state bird~ the Loon, and their state flower, the Lady’s Slipper, along with northern lights, are available to purchase! This is currently a pre-order item, but great news- the stickers will arrive at my house this week! So I will be shipping yours out/they will be ready for pick up this weekend! If you’d like to purchase a sticker that supports a great cause, please click on the button below!

Support MN!

Moon Tea~

To sip cozy tea under a moonlit sky~

New Paintings are being finished! This Moon Tea (Te Della Luna~ Italian for Moon Tea) is on its way to dry. First, I collaged tissue paper onto this hardwood panel, then painted it with acrylic gouache and acrylics, and finished it with lovely oil paints! Oils just brought it to life! This painting will be up on my website and available soon! It’s just waiting for its photoshoot, then she’ll be ready!

This is a cute little mini painting that I have been daydreaming about~ of glowing snowdrops! I can’t wait until the snowdrops come up here in Indiana! I think we’ve still got a bit of time, but I am eager to see them and planted many of them along with more tulips and lilies! A vibrant and lovely spring garden is on the way!

This painting was done in acrylic and acrylic gouache. I used a gloss medium to make the paint very painterly and soften the flow. It looks really dreamy and magical, what do you think?

She is now available and ready for her new home!

I like to think

that long ago

there fell to earth

some flakes of snow

which loved this cold

grey of ours

so much they stayed

as snowdrop flowers

~Author Unknown

Snowdrops

Thanks for reading this sort-of impromptu newsletter! It started with a reminder for the Giveaway, then I thought I’d add in a few extra fun things I have been working on and wanted to share! I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!

~Maria

Do you ever feel like reading a certain book at a certain time is bad timing?

After finishing The Secret Garden on Spotify, I tried listening to two other books. The first being:

満月珈琲店の星詠み #1

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)

The book is originally written in Japanese and translated into English in both written and audio formats. Which I find to be amazing and cool. The story itself is great, but as I listened to it, it got me thinking, maybe too much! It was odd, and I think I was listening to it at the wrong time, the wrong time being, maybe, where I am in life? I think it felt too personal. It made me feel a little stuck on painting, too. How interesting! I would, however, recommend this book if it’s the right time for you to read it. Once you read it, you’ll know what I mean. It’s very much a life lesson. :)

The second book was Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, a novel published in 1908 about an orphan mistakenly sent to two middle-aged siblings. They hoped to adopt a boy to help on their farm. The story shares about Anne’s life. It’s a well-known book. I tried listening to Spotify as well, but I found myself not paying attention. Lol. Maybe I should just not listen to a book for a bit?

My third option on my list is/was Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Haven’t listened yet, but may do so! Have you read it?

I try to listen to audiobooks because then I can paint while also listening- it works somehow, being able to paint and listen! Well, when it works, of course, haa.

Would it be so bad if I went and re-listened to The Secret Garden? I kind of want to paint a little mini-series inspired by the book when I am finished with my flower paintings for my book (who are we kidding, I will never be finished!) Another possible choice might be The Wonderful Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum. Hmm, what do you think? :)

New Art..YAY!

These greeting card prints turned out so nicely, and they are now available to purchase!! The great thing about these greeting cards is that they are basically mini prints at 5 inches by 7 inches, and you can display them! This size is large enough to complement the art but not too large, and it doesn’t take up much wall space! Pretty cool! The matte paper is super soft and complements the lush and dark colors I love so much (I hope you do too!). The inside of the card is blank, leaving space for your own personal message. Each comes with a blank white envelope. They are priced at $6.50 per card, or you can buy four for $24.

Hitting a Milestone!

I have reached over 300 subscribers here on Substack! Thank you so much for the follows, subscriptions, likes, and comments about my art and for supporting my work. I feel increasingly relaxed as I find my people in a slow and organic way. So it’s really not about numbers (I mean, really, can you imagine reading this to a room full of 300 people? Eeep), it’s about finding those connections, the deeper meaning behind my art, and why I have chosen this as my way of bringing light into the world.

With all that said, I would love to offer a giveaway! I will be giving away a set of four greeting cards of your choice! All you need to do is opt in to let me know if you are interested! If you don’t opt in, I will assume that’s a no :) This is for anyone, anywhere- US or International, the giveaway winner will be chosen at random.

Just head over to my Google form here and say YES!

Giveawy Opt In

Minnesota Stickers Coming Soon!

In support of Minnesota, I will be offering $5 Minnesota State Stickers, with all proceeds going to the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota.

“We stand united and invested in supporting the immediate need for rights and resources in all targeted immigrant communities.”

A little about this foundation:

The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund (IRRF) is a coalition of philanthropic leaders rooted in communities most impacted by immigration-related harm. IRRF ensures that resources move quickly, responsibly, and with community accountability to trusted organizations responding to immigration-related emergencies across Minnesota.

As enforcement actions, policy changes, and sudden disruptions continue to impact immigrant and refugee families, IRRF provides rapid, community-informed funding to organizations on the frontlines of response, care, and protection.

Your support enables rapid, community-informed decisions with immediate impact.

If you’d like to learn more about this Organization, please do by clicking the button below. Thank you!

Women's Foundation of Minnesota

The stickers will be available on my website mid February. If you’d like to pre-order your sticker, you can do that! I will just be waiting for the sticker to arrive in the mail, and they’ll be ready! This is just one small act of kindness; maybe it won’t make a huge impact, but I believe small acts of kindness go such a long way. “We all have jobs.”

Minnesota Sticker

Clay Ornaments with Dried Florals/Leaves and Tissue Paper.

Lastly, I wanted to share these really just-for-fun ornaments I have been working on slowly! I created these stars and moon shapes from polymer air-drying clay, rolling out the “dough” with a rolling pin like raw cookie dough and then cutting the shapes with little kids’ cookie cutters, which I have held onto since my kids were little. They look all wonky, but I like that! I let them air dry for about 2 days- maybe 3.

Then I painted the moons first with Daniel Smith’s Sparkly watercolor ground. It’s a prep for surfaces that don’t hold watercolors.

Originally, I wanted to paint them with watercolors, but I changed my mind. I took some pretty tissue paper I had saved, full of flowers, and, with Mod Podge, I painted the surface of the moon first. Then I cut a size-appropriate fit for the moon, made sure the flowers were placed so they’d look nice on it, placed the tissue paper on the moon, and painted it with Mod Podge again. It’s like a glue. It dries clear, too, but with a textured finish, which is really cool. They turned out so pretty!

Then I used some dried florals to add to the stars- Originally painted in gouache, then re-did them with a paint prep called gesso. Then, watercolor ground for the sparkles. Glued the florals on and did a layer of Mod Podge over the top- let dry and wow, so cool, right? Then I started adding more- like the typed out encouraging phrases and gold paint, super dreamy!

What do you think? I find it really nice to try new things here and there outside my normal painting routine; it sparks a little extra inspiration!

I hope you enjoyed this newsletter, and thanks so much for your continued support! Have a great weekend!

~Maria

This video time is 4:33.

What a fun way to create! By using gouache on watercolor paper, and painting these almost life like sized flowers, I cut out each flower and ta-da we have multiple flowers to create a paper bouquet! 💐

Originally I was having trouble with the composition of the bouquet- so instead of painting the entire bouquet together I painted each flower separately!

It ended up being really fun and I was able to build my bouquet this way! Pretty cool!

I thought I'd share as maybe inspiration- maybe to try something new! 💐

This project only requires a few supplies- and I imagine the flowers can be created by using any medium!

Maybe I should create a video of the instructions and supplies in greater detail? What do you think? 💐❤️

If you give this project a try, let me know, I'd love to see yours!

Happy Saturday ✨️

~Maria

I wanted to pop over to share the updated Welcome Email that I wrote last night for new subscribers! Since you are a subscriber and already received a welcome email when you subscribed, I wanted to send over the updated version. Since I have a download for new subscribers, I wanted you to have one too! :)

New Welcome Email…

You’re receiving free posts from Find Your Magic, by Maria Overlay.

It’s a wonderful thing you’re here with me on this magical journey! Thank you so much for subscribing!

What to expect from my Studio Letters “Find Your Magic”. You’ll receive a bi-weekly letter in your inbox 🦋Full of Inspiration and Stories, 🎨New Art Releases, 🪻Behind the Scenes, ✨News and Events, and 🌹Special Shop Discounts.

If you are looking for recent or past letters, head on over to my profile and click “posts” on mobile or “archives” on desktop, and you will find all the past letters!

If you’d like to shop for lovely handmade art, please check out my website. Everything I create comes straight from my studio to you! Packaged with care and love. Each painting is a vision and dream of mine, a special creation, and each print and greeting card is printed in my studio and shipped to you.

www.mariaoverlayart.com

Atrached you’ll find a special downloadable print, just for you! Use it as a phone wallpaper or print it out to hang on your wall as a gentle reminder of the magic you carry within you!

Thanks so much for reading and your continued support! Have a great day!

Maria

Hello, I hope you are doing well! There’s quite a snowy storm here by me, after it settles a bit, I hope to get out and take some winter wonderland photos, the lanscape looks so pretty all dusted and sparkled in white!

I just finished a brand-new painting and finished The Book~ The Secret Garden~ (audio narration).

While listening to the book, The Secret Garden, I was able to paint. This story and hearing the narration of the happiness of the children as they take care of the garden— inspired my process. I really loved the character Dickon, I believe he is the one who inspires Mary and Colin most in the book. Dickon, they say, is an animal charmer; he has a pet crow and a fox, and a thick Yorkshire accent, which I find to be so delightful. It makes his character really feel alive. I find his character relatable. 🐦‍⬛

Without giving too much away about the book in case you read it, I recommend it, and yes, to adults. I think adults lose that sense of magic as they grow up, I know I did, but once I had littles of my own, that magic came back.

Then I find myself talking to birds and giving my pets voices. And sometimes I kiss my flowers and plants.

I have always loved this quote by Roald Dahl: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

While listening to the book, I started with this apple painting. These juicy reds, deep purple browns, and the deep teal ribbon made me happy. So did the gold and sparkles!

When I was little, oh, maybe around 8 years old, my favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz. Back then, we had to rent movies at a local video store, and it was one of my favorite things. I loved looking at all the movie covers sitting out on the shelves. My mom would surprise me by saying, “Guess what movie we are going to rent today?” Hmm.. “There’s talking trees…” Oh yes, The Wizard of Oz!

And one Christmas, my mom gave me ruby-red slippers she made herself! She sat there, probably for hours, and glued glitter onto little shoes, because she knew how much I loved the movie!

After painting these fun, whimsical paintings, and still listening to the Secret Garden, my wheels started turning a bit more. I scribbled/sketched an idea on my iPad to get it out of my mind. Then the next day, I painted it.

I just love how it turned out. I have only a few little details left to finish. But it sure came to life, just as the Secret Garden had.

Yesterday I started this painting, a peony with a pretty yellow butterfly! Originally, I was basing the butterfly on an orange sulphur, but I ended up leaving out a lot of the markings and details and just letting it be. I kind of like the idea of the butterfly being more impressionistic rather than going into the details and becoming a specific type of butterfly.

I painted this gold frame by using washi tape to create the lines. It was very satisfying to paint this way and to peel off the tape to reveal the gold frame!

It’s almost done, I need more shading and highlights in the peony, then it’s ready for the scanner!

You can watch a real-time painting reel on Instagram. Just a short video of my brush working slowly with teal paint, coloring down the line next to the gold (and trying not to ruin it, lol)

Instagram

Have a great end to your week and a great start to your weekend! Thank you for reading!

~Maria

"Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

“January. It’s the perfect time to dream, to act, and to grow.” ~Unknown

Read more

While I experienced many failures this year, the failures taught me lessons about what I want to do (and not) with my art and business. A failure is never a bad thing, it just means you’ve tried! Better to know than not.

Next year, I plan to make my daydreams a reality. My daydreams include my book release, signings, and in-person events centered on her and all the art born to make this book happen.

Creating patterns has been back on my radar, primarily because of my book creation! All of this digitizing of my paintings got me inspired to play around with more ideas. This pattern above might look really cute on a notebook. The little mouse is my favorite (I still need to re-add her whiskers:))

I’d love to offer more in-person ways to connect and online as well. I am slowly building my community here on Substack, which has been really great.I have played with the idea of a monthly create meeting/session. Just trying to figure out how I can make that work!

Substack has been a big win for me. I feel less pressure here to be perfect, and I genuinely enjoy seeing other artists share their work. And connecting with them.

I have been doing more home decorating, mainly painting walls- I plan to add a painted pattern on one wonky-shaped wall in my doorway area. The pattern will be scalloped with gold edges and flowers inside each- the Newer Halloween Movie inspired this pattern- lol. Have you seen it? It’s ok, but I couldn’t get over that gorgeous wall in Lori’s house!

I am testing myself by painting an ombre-style wall (thanks to Annie Sloan) that feels like it will transform my dining room into a Mediterranean paradise! Think lots of teals and aquas!

More traveling is in my vision; if you know me well, you know I am terrified of planes! I have been on a plane a good handful of times, but all the anxiety around it shuts my wanderlust down. (I consider myself half wanderlust, half homebody, lol) There is a cool photography tour in January and February in Duluth, Minnesota, which is within driving distance for me! A professional photographer hosts it and includes lots and lots of wildlife. Sounds right up my alley. The only thing really holding me back is the cold weather; it can really bog up some exploring opportunities, more so dilute them. It’s like I want to get out there, but I feel a bit unmotivated, ya know? So if I don’t end up exploring this idea further, I do think a photography tour would be great in the near future! For both my love for nature and animals, and hey- I have some new subjects to paint!

I plan to keep sharing more of my ideas next week. I wanted to say hello and Happy New Year to you. I hope your year is full of wonderful things, lots of nature, creativity, and peaceful moments!

I am having a sale, and if you don’t see something you were hoping for in my shop on my website yet, it’ll be up next week! Just taking these holidays slowly and finding time to relax.

Code to use at checkout: HAPPYNEWYEAR26

Have a warm holiday, everyone! Happy New Year!

Shop Magical Art

“I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories... water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.”

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Women who run with the wolves🐺

Read more

From now until January 1st, I’m collecting donations for the wonderful pets at Humane Indiana. This season, the shelter is in great need of supplies, and together we can make a big difference for animals who deserve safety, comfort, and love.

I am a big believer in adopting pets (all of my pets are from rescues and shelters), and I think it’s essential to support local (and beyond) animal rescues, societies, and sanctuaries. The volunteers work so hard to save pets in need and make sure they are comfortable, healthy, and safe!

The Humane Society shared their top items in need to help care for the pets and the essential items on their list. And I wanted to share that with you, too! If you have a moment to take a look at their list, and you’d like to donate, you can have anything shipped straight to their facility from Amazon or Chewy!

Humane Indiana Wishlist🐾

Their Address:

Humane Indiana

421 45th Street

Munster, IN 46321

Humane Indiana Wish List

If you’re interested in adopting or fostering a pet, you can view and learn more about adoptable pets like Dahlia and Ava! 🐾

Learn About Adoptions Here 🐾

There are many dogs and cats in need of homes. Do you know how we can help? Adopt, foster, volunteer, donate, and share their Facebook or Instagram posts!

A new walking buddy, perhaps? 🐕

They also accept monetary donations! If you would like to make a financial donation, here is the link: (and thank you!)

Make a Donation🐾

Aww, look at these kitties! Snuggle buddies!🐱

Thank you so much for reading this week’s newsletter! I hope you will take a look at Humane Indiana’s website, check out their adoptable pets, and give them some love this holiday season!

If you feel called to help, please consider donating an item from their Holiday Wishlist. Every single contribution,big or small, helps keep these pets fed, warm, healthy, and cared for.

And if you’re ready to open your heart and home to an animal in need, check out the list of adoptable pets waiting for their forever families. Your new best friend might be right there.

Thank you so much for helping us gather much-needed items this Christmas season. Your kindness means the world to these animals. 💛🐾

Take care and stay cozy and warm!

~Maria

Hi! I hope you are having a good week so far! And if you celebrate, a happy holiday today🍂

A few new paintings are ready to find their new homes tomorrow, which also happens to be my birthday! What a special time to introduce these lush ornaments to you!

I originally planned to have more available, but then I changed my mind, and I wasn’t going to offer these at all. Then I changed my mind again and decided to offer them because, well, I love them and I think you might too :) 🎄

I had three more in the works, but honestly, I didn’t get to finish them. My book’s art and writing are a lot of my day’s process- which of course I love, but it leaves little brain space for extra projects! And sometimes I need to slow my roll a bit, lol.

On Tuesday, I worked on this pattern for a long time, letting it sit, then adjusting. I loved it SO much I added it to Spoonflower as my very first fabric pattern! Yay!

It has this moody-cottagecore vibe that I am really loving. With the weather outside right now, dreary, wet, and cold, even though it’s autumn, it reminds me of early spring days exploring the woods, which makes me think of pretty flowers growing in the dappled light of the woods. This pattern gives me that feeling. It has a really calming effect, reminding me that so many beautiful things can bloom in the darkness.

All of these flowers and leaves were painted in my sketchbook, then scanned to my computer. I then edited in Photoshop and also Procreate on my iPad (which is much more soothing!) I thought for sure that Queen Anne’s lace would give me a hell of a time with all of those tiny details, but it might have been the easiest to edit and paint! It just took some simplifying! I also find that when painting something so delicate, it’s a more soothing, calming process to paint over a dark background. I used a dark green. That way, when I edit in PS, I don’t get a weird funky white edge around my flower!

Later, I painted a separate stem for the Queen Anne, because it looked a bit like it was floating and needed a little extra something :)

The bluebells were the trickiest to edit- but I loved painting them, they are so whimsical! Each flower in the pattern will appear in my book-yay!

Let’s talk about these lucious beauties! First, we have Mr. Cardinal- a bold and beautiful red bird against a deep and lovely Prussian blue night sky! His scene also features a full moon and twinkling snowflakes! I added silver marker to complete the magical touches to this beautiful night sky and cardinal ornament!

Next, we have Lush Garden featuring a punchy red rose intertwined with violets and gold! The background has emerald and deep viridian greens along with lime-y green orbs! It’s super magical! Roses are so intricate and are symbolic for passion and love!

The Luna Moth Ornament- ah these cool and warm greens dancing together on a deep teal night sky! Complete with a silver crescent moon, stars, and little orbs! It’s really dreamy!

The crew all together! I love how they complement each other! ✨

I am also offering complimentary gift wrapping for a limited time! If you’d like your purchase wrapped up complete with a ribbon, add that to your cart!

I also have a special coupon for you to use~ It’s valid until December 12th!

Ornaments available Friday, November 28th at 9 am Central Time!

Coupon Code: HOLIDAY20 at checkout :) This coupon code is good for anything in my shop!

Shop🍓

Thank you so much for reading! If you celebrate, have a great holiday, and have a great week and weekend! I appreciate you!🤓

~Maria

My newly reinvented membership is now available! I have been having a lot of fun curating a monthly letter to my paid subscription members. It includes a lot of really cool information- like art-related information I have learned and practiced through the years, beautiful color palette creations (lots of color mixing!), more in-depth behind-the-scenes, business tips, and a monthly wallpaper featuring a beautiful nature scene or animal.

I have created a post explaining everything that is included, if you’re interested!

The Creative Circle