Writing has become a central theme for me lately. 

As anyone who knows anything about me knows, I love words. I love where a single word can take me. 

Of course a lot of wordy things are happening around the three chapbooks from house of appleton … visualize me bathing in a sea of beautiful words, and you will pretty much get it.

But something else about words and writing has emerged into the forefront for me, and that is copywriting. I’ve always done it … boldly suggesting changes to client copy when I was just supposed to be designing the thing. Oh well, it’s just the way I roll I guess.

So, in honour of this piece of my skill set coming up again, and again … I am going to formally put it out there to do copywriting for other people! As I told a friend recently, I have a lot of words just sitting around the studio that don’t seem to be getting used … so why not share them with other people.
(This is when I wish I could draw and do the cartoon that goes with that imagery.)

One thing I do know for sure is, I have been able to take copy from a client and distill it cleanly to get a point across quickly, and as it turns out, a lot of people can’t do that.

So if you or someone you know are ever at a loss for words, I would love to help you out.

Of course I also updated my website to reflect this, appropriately called “writer” …. HERE.

I am delighted to present the 2023 On a Positive Note Colour Pack. 

At the end of last year, as my stock of colour packs was running out, I decided to take another look at what was there. Of course I have been colouring those particular mandalas for a long time, so some of them felt “done” to me. That’s when I decided to cull the pack for what would stay and what would go. 

The final result was: 24 new mandala frames, and 6 from the original pack. 

I’ve been enjoying the new frames tremendously. 

If you are interested in starting your own daily colouring practice, you will find them in the shop … HERE

These are just a few of the new mandalas that I have already coloured … to “check them out” and see if they really were interesting.

My conclusion is YES, they really are. 

house of appleton has a new book client … yippee! I won’t reveal more than that right now, but let’s just say this: I am honoured to work with another amazing poet whose words make the world a better place!

May your enjoy a week filled with really good words!

~sarah

Yes, the first three books from house of appleton are now at print … ready March 22, 2023!

This is so exciting for me and the three poets represented … together we have embarked on the birth of a whole new entity. It doesn’t get better than that!

Mary Ann Moore, Marlene Dean and MJ Burrows gave me such wonderful words to work with, the designs just flowed from there. That’s when you know things are just meant to be. 

The books can be Pre-Ordered and will be shipped as soon as they arrive in my excited hands. 

Read ALL about each book, take a sneak peak at the inside  and order it HERE

I am so very, very grateful to these three poets for trusting me with their words and allowing me to present them to the world. 

This is an incredibly proud and exciting moment in my life … and I am delighted to share it with you!

~sarah

March is a story month on my calendar.

It starts with “Be Heard Day” on the 7th!

This is followed on the 8th with International Women’s Day, a day to share all of our unqiue stories!

Then on the 14th there is Write Your Own Story Day, the 16th is Everythhing You Do is Right Day … now that is a stellar week.

The 20th gives us World Storytelling Day followed by World Poetry Day. Then finish the month off with Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, Piano Day (88th day of the year), Pencil Day (YAY) and Crayon Day.

Clearly, this is a month to write things down and share them!

And in honour of our own fabulous and unique stories … this month’s desktop wallpaper for you to enjoy. (Just download it from the picture).

I am testing out my NEW Colour Pack … and it is proving to be a lot of fun.

When my current colour pack stock ran out, I decided it was time to refresh it with a host of new designs.  Here are some of the new frames and how I have coloured them. Of course, there are endless possibilities for the way anyone might choose to colour them, each one becomes an original!

I carefully went through the 30 exsisting designs and kept the ones that still had lots of energy in them for me. The rest, I retired.

The new pack has 24 new designs and for the past few days I have been testing them out to see how they “feel” to work with. I like them. They seem to have the ability to remain playful, yet offer depth as well. 

I see in them the chance to simply colour them, or embellish them in any way you see fit. So, not too much design, but enough to give a solid starting point. 

These will be available as soon as I receive the printed copies and the new packaging from the printer. 

what’s happening at house of appleton?

I will do a BIG REVEAL of the covers of the books next week!!! Stay tuned!

This month I would like to encourage you to tell your story, in whatever way suits you. Through drawing or writing or voice … your story is the opportunity to add to the fabric of the human experience in a way that only you can!

~sarah

February is filled with great things to celebrate!

And a whole week dedicated to Random Acts of Kindness … February 14th-20th

On the 7th you can celebrate Send a Card to a Friend.

The 14th offers you two things to celebrate … Library Lovers and Book Giving Day.

February 21st is the birthday of the Peace Symbol … and the 22nd is PINK SHIRT DAY!

And in honour of our own wise hearts … this month’s desktop wallpaper for you to enjoy. (Just download it from the picture).

More journals are being created …

Yes, the journals have been a hit, and I am sure it has something to do with how much joy I feel making them!

I was recently able to secure a rather large stock of the interior paper that I have been using, in just the right size … so the journals will continue for awhile it seems. 

I never knew that sewing together a book would result in such a rich and calm feeling. It’s lovely.

house of appleton has had a logo revamp!

As my calendar tells me … Stillness is not “doing nothing”, it is the gift of listening to our own wise heart. 

May you be a good listener this month, and share you heart with the world. 

~sarah

The beginning of the year is a good time to get grounded. 

I always find the new year needs some sort of an anchor point. Something to stabilize all that is to come. 

This is where a Daily Practice really comes in handy! I know I forget how helpful it can be … when I drift off a bit. Then I return and remember that it is the one thing that sets the tone for the day. 

Even if I am not stopping to colour a mandala in the morning, I do pick the mandala cards from my “on a positive note” deck each morning, and they still surprise and support me in ways that I find amazing. 

The little cards at work …

My partner Mary Ann recently randomly chose a card for a particular purpose, but her reaction was, “no, that’s not a good card for this”, and put it back in the deck. 

She then randomly chose a card again … and … yes, you guessed it, the same card came up!

I have come to understand that as much as we might have thoughts about the cards, the cards have their own thoughts, and the won’t be messed with. 

Of course the same card coming up over and over is not new to me, or anyone who has used the cards. I have always seen it as the card will come up until you understand the reason it is coming up. 

Of the 36 cards in the deck, I am sure there are at least half of them that I rarely get, and some of the remaining ones, I get all the time! 

And let me tell you … this is NOT something you can rush! Even though the principle of it is easy enough, the doing of it requires a slow, thoughtful approach.

It is turning out to be an amazing meditation practice.

And the BIG NEWS for this year is my new venture …
house of appleton!