Don’t let your creativity dry up in the heat

Keep Your Creativity Flowing This Summer: Pack a Travel Art Kit

Summer is a busy, beautiful blur. School’s out, vacations are in full swing, and schedules go a little haywire. It’s easy for creative routines to slip through the cracks—but this season is actually a perfect time to nurture your creativity in small, meaningful ways.

Instead of pressing pause on your creative practice, I want to encourage you to modify it. A shift in routine doesn’t have to mean giving up your art—it just means adapting it to the rhythms of the season.

One of my favorite ways to stay inspired is by packing a small travel art kit. And no, you don’t have to be jetting off to Bora Bora to use one. A travel kit is just as useful at your local park, on your sofa, or by the pool. Keeping supplies close at hand makes it easy to capture quick creative moments.

Watercolor Kit

This is my go-to kit—and I keep it packed at all times. Some weeks, it just lives in my purse so I can sneak in a creative break wherever I go.

Here’s what’s in my watercolor travel kit:

• A small watercolor palette

• A waterbrush

• A collapsible water cup

• A small watercolor pad or journal

• A pencil

• A black Micron pen

• A folded paper towel

Watercolors are great because they’re low-mess and dry quickly. If the paint dries on your brush? No problem. A little water brings it right back to life.

Collage Kit

Perfect for vacations, especially if you’re looking to unwind with something tactile and playful. All you need is:

• A journal

• Small scissors (check TSA rules if flying)

• A glue stick

You don’t even need to pack paper scraps. Pick up a magazine at the airport or collect interesting paper along the way—receipts, brochures, maps, even boarding passes. These little ephemera become meaningful memories on the page.

Colored Pencil Kit

Clean, compact, and easy to use anywhere. My Prismacolors live in a tin that slides easily into a small zippered pouch.

Add a journal and an eraser, and you’re ready to create vibrant sketches on the go.

Go Back to Basics

Never underestimate the power of a pencil and a journal. Whether you’re sketching the view from your road trip or documenting your stack of pancakes at breakfast, these tools are simple but powerful.

Want to keep it all in one place? A Traveler’s Notebook is a great option—it’s portable, structured, and makes it easy to look back on your trip later.

Pack What You Love

What you keep in your travel kit depends entirely on what you love doing. My only rules? Keep it fairly clean and, if you’re flying, make sure it’s TSA-approved.

Here are a few of my favorite travel art kit ideas to inspire your own:

• Watercolor sketching on the beach

• Collage journaling in a quiet cabin

• Colored pencil doodling on a plane

• Journaling with a good cup of coffee nearby

Your creativity doesn’t need to go on vacation this summer—just take it with you. ✨

Do you have a favorite way to travel with your art?

Camp Craftapolooza!

Our first Camp Craftapolooza was in 2023 and has become my most requested art retreat since then. The idea behind Camp was to make lots of smaller projects that you could then go home and recreate for gift giving. We worked on 10 projects over 3 days, had great food and just enjoyed hanging out with a fun group of creatives.

So, we are back in 2025 with a new Camp Craftapolooza, new projects and a new location!

You’ll create a curated series of holiday-ready projects using paint, fabric, collage, and more — including ornaments, small works of art, and giftable crafts. All projects are designed to be beautiful, meaningful, and easily reproduced at home. Whether you're making for loved ones or building up a stash for holiday markets, you'll leave with a collection of handmade treasures and tons of inspiration.

This year’s Camp will be hosted at Camp Margaritaville in central Florida. Optional on-site lodging is available in well-appointed cabins — and when you’re not crafting, you can enjoy resort amenities like restaurants, bars, a resort-style pool, and live entertainment.

Expect wonderful meals, delightful surprises, and a welcoming community of creatives. Spaces are limited for this intimate retreat — don’t miss your chance to be part of the 2025 Camp Craftapolooza!

Ready to hear more? Check out all the details here.

We all struggle sometimes

Show me an artist, and I’ll show you someone who has struggled to create. It doesn’t matter if you’re brand new to making art or have years of experience—there are always those moments when inspiration dries up and motivation fades. Sometimes life feels too heavy, or the blank page feels too intimidating. It’s part of the creative cycle, even though it’s never easy to sit in.

So, how do we push through those low points in our creative practice?

For me, the answer often lies in returning to something simple—something tactile and familiar that gets my hands moving without the pressure to create something “good.” One of my favorite ways to jumpstart my creativity is by making a collage master sheet.

What’s a Collage Master Sheet?

A collage master sheet is exactly what it sounds like: one large background filled with paper scraps, textures, colors, and bits of visual interest. It's not meant to be precious. It’s meant to be freeing.

All I need is:

• A large sheet of paper (newsprint or drawing paper are my go-to choices)

• A glue stick

• A messy pile of paper scraps

• And often, a TV show or movie playing in the background to take the pressure off

There’s no planning involved. I simply start gluing scraps down—layering, overlapping, covering edges, leaving gaps. Sometimes I work quickly, sometimes slowly. The point isn’t to make a masterpiece—it’s to move my hands and quiet my inner critic.

Why This Works

There’s something magical about busying your hands with repetitive, low-pressure tasks. It gives your creative mind a chance to wander and rest at the same time. This process reintroduces play into my practice, which is often the spark I need to return to more complex or conceptual work.

Also, let’s be honest: we all have those accumulating piles of scraps—cutouts from old magazines, painted paper bits, torn pages, experiments that didn’t quite work. This is the perfect way to use them.

And the best part? These collage sheets can be used later as backgrounds, journal fodder, or cut up for new pieces. It’s a win-win: creative warm-up and future material all in one.

Other Ideas to Try When You’re Stuck

If collage isn’t your thing, here are a few other low-pressure practices to get unstuck:

• Scribble or doodle with your non-dominant hand

• Swatch your paints or inks and label the colors

• Flip through old sketchbooks or art journals for ideas

• Take a walk with your camera and focus on texture or color

• Create a tiny series of 2x2" abstracts just for fun

The key is to lower the stakes. Creativity doesn’t always begin with a burst of brilliance—it often begins with humble, imperfect scraps glued to paper.

So the next time you feel stuck, don’t panic. Pull out your glue stick, turn on a favorite comfort show, and start gluing. Let the act of making guide you back to yourself.

10 minute art practices

Life is full. Between work, family, and all the everyday tasks, making time for your art can feel impossible. But here’s the truth: you don’t need hours to feel creative. In fact, just 10 minutes a day can reconnect you to your practice and bring joy to your routine.

These quick, low-pressure ideas are perfect for everyone who wants to stay creatively engaged — even on busy days.

1. Start a Doodle Journal

Grab a small sketchbook and a pen. Use your 10 minutes to make repetitive marks, contour drawings, or even scribbles that reflect your mood. Doodling isn’t just relaxing — it builds your creative muscle and gives you material for future work.

2. Create a Traveling Art Kit

A zippered pouch filled with just a few basics — scissors, a glue stick, water brush, small watercolors, and some scrap collage bits — means you can create anywhere. Whether you're on your lunch break or waiting at an appointment, you’ll have everything you need to play.

3. Spend 10 Minutes on an Art Journal Page

Think of art journaling as a layering game. Day 1: add a background wash. Day 2: collage one piece. Day 3: add marks or stencils. You’ll be amazed at what you create with tiny, consistent bursts of time.

4. Prep Backgrounds for Later

Set a timer and loosely brush color onto pages, scrape leftover paint across a canvas board, or glue torn paper in random areas. Prepping backgrounds is satisfying and sets you up for longer sessions later.

5. Create a Color Mixing Swatch

Choose two paints and see how many shades you can make by blending them. Tape your swatches into your sketchbook and label them. It’s a relaxing activity that improves your color knowledge and creates future references.

6. Make a Collage Cluster

Use up scraps by making small compositions or embellishments (think: a few torn pieces, some stamping, maybe a focal word). Store them in an envelope or box and use them later to build full pages.

7. Pull a Prompt Card

Prepare a few creative prompt cards or slips in a jar. When you’re stuck, pull one and respond to it for 10 minutes. Ideas: “draw with your non-dominant hand,” “use only circles,” or “glue down 3 random papers.”

8. Stencil or Stamp on Tissue Paper

This is a great way to use up leftover paint. Stencil or stamp patterns onto tissue or deli paper — later, these become beautifully translucent collage layers.

Take 10 minutes to create right now.

You don’t need to wait for the perfect block of time to make art. All you need is 10 minutes and a willingness to show up.

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Step into your main character energy

It’s been quite a few years since I last participated in an art show—2018, to be exact! So, jumping back in feels both exciting and nerve-wracking. There are so many logistics to figure out—setting up a tent, displaying artwork, accepting payments. Needless to say, the past few weeks have been all about preparing, plus painting a lot to make sure I have pieces ready to sell.

Oh, and did I mention I signed up for two shows over back-to-back weekends? I may have lost my mind a little, but if I’m going to do this, I might as well go big!

A few years ago, I came across a creator who talked about “main character energy.” She pointed out how most people—especially women—often take on supporting roles. We’re daughters, moms, wives, caretakers. We pour so much into others that we rarely allow ourselves to be the main character in our own lives.

That hit home for me. For years, I made my art fit around everything else—mastering the art of the 15-minute creative session while my son was younger, squeezing in moments whenever I could.

But over the past year, I’ve started embracing my main character energy. That doesn’t mean abandoning my family or responsibilities, but it does mean being intentional with my time. I ask myself: Is this something I truly need to do, or can I delegate it? (And yes, sometimes it’s still easier to just do it myself!) But by putting systems in place to keep things running smoothly, I’ve made space for what matters—like applying to these art shows.

So, I want to ask you: Do you have main character energy when it comes to your life? Your art?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Hit reply and let me know if this resonates with you!

Check out my article in Strawberry Moon magazine

I am excited to be featured in the upcoming issue of Strawberry Moon magazine.

Copies are available for pre-order now!
https://www.strawberrymoon.art/shop

#strawberrymoon #strawberrymoonmagazine #strawberrymoonmag #publishedartist #artjournalingpractice #artistinspired #artpreneur

Wishing you a Happy and Arty 2025

One Word to Guide My Year

As the new year begins, I love to choose one word that serves as my anchor and compass. It’s a practice I’ve followed for several years, and it helps me stay focused and intentional as I move through the months ahead. I’d love to share the process I use to find my word and why it’s such a meaningful tradition for me.

Why One Word?

Those of you who have been around for awhile know that I love selecting a word for the year. I started this about 8 years ago, and it made me switch my focus from “resolutions” to “intentions.” Traditional resolutions never resounded with me. Once I started thinking about what my intentions were for the year ahead, everything seemed to line up for me. My intentions help me define my goals, which lead me to my word. This is the process that works for me, but you need to find the path that works for you.

My Process for Finding My Word

Reflect on the Past Year

I start by looking back at the previous year. What were the highlights? What challenges did I face? Are there recurring themes or lessons that stand out? For me, this step is about recognizing growth and identifying areas where I want to continue evolving.

Dream About the Year Ahead

Next, I envision the kind of year I want to create. What feelings, experiences, or achievements do I hope to cultivate? I write down words or phrases that capture my aspirations and desires.

Look for Patterns

I review my reflections and brainstormed words to see if any patterns emerge. I start making a list of any words that resonate with me. Each time I look at the list, I mark the ones that speak to me and cross of any that don’t seem like a fit. As the list narrows, I look up the definition of each word and look for synonyms.

If you are struggling with words, there are long lists available with a quick Google search.

Choose My Word

Finally, I make my choice. My word needs to feel inspiring and expansive—something that can grow with me throughout the year. Once I’ve chosen it, I like to journal about why it’s meaningful and how I hope it will guide me.

Living My Word

Once I’ve chosen my word, I look for ways to incorporate it into my daily life. I might:

• Write it on a sticky note and place it where I’ll see it often.

• Create a piece of art inspired by the word.

• Use it as a mantra during meditation or journaling sessions.

• I also check out etsy. In past years I have ordered bracelets, rings and wood cut-outs for my desk.

For me, the magic of this practice lies in its simplicity. My word becomes a touchstone that helps me stay aligned with my intentions, no matter what life throws my way.

My Word for 2024

I spent a few weeks this year making my list of possible words and slowly narrowed it down. ACHIEVE just kept standing out to me. I have been working to put several things in place the past few years and 2025 is all about achieving success with them.

If you’re considering choosing a word for the year, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s a beautiful way to focus your energy and set the tone for what’s to come. Whether your word is about growth, balance, courage, or something entirely different, let it be a light that guides you.

Happy Arting,

Mary

Finding comfort and connection through creativity

 In a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming, creativity has a way of bringing us back to ourselves. This is the heart behind my newest video series, *Handmade Magic: Crafted for the Season*. I created this series as a way to offer a positive distraction—a small, meaningful escape from the heaviness around us. Through hands-on projects you can make at home, I hope to bring a little bit of light, joy, and a sense of connection, both to the craft and to those with whom you’ll share your creations.   

Growing up, I remember the magic of handmade gifts—the ones that still stand out in my memory. They were gifts of time, effort, and thoughtfulness. I want to bring that feeling back, to invite you to make something that matters and to offer a gift that truly lasts.  When I think about the holidays of my childhood, the gifts I treasure most were handmade. I can vividly recall the hand-knitted scarves, painted ornaments, and carefully crafted cards that family members and friends gifted me. These items weren’t flashy or expensive, but they meant everything to me because they felt so personal. 

 There’s something magical about receiving a gift that someone made just for you. Every stitch, brushstroke, or folded paper represents time and care. That’s what makes handmade gifts stand out—they’re about connection, intention, and love. 

 As I’ve gotten older, the value of those handmade moments has only grown. In creating this series, I wanted to bring back that sense of warmth and meaning, helping others discover the joy of crafting gifts with their own hands. 

 This series is all about simplicity and accessibility. Over the course of five videos, I’ll guide you through easy-to-make projects that are perfect for gift-giving. Whether you’re crafting for friends, family, or yourself, these projects are designed to be approachable for all skill levels.  One of my favorite things about these creations is how reproducible they are. You can make several in a short period, which is perfect if you want to spread some handmade magic to multiple people. Plus, most of the supplies are likely already in your home, making these projects both budget-friendly and sustainable. 

 Each video includes clear, step-by-step instructions, so you can follow along at your own pace. I want this process to feel joyful, not stressful. Crafting should be a way to unwind, connect, and add a personal touch to the season.

Want to join me for a Handmade Holiday? Click here