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!

The New Year, a new look for the calendar,
and the desktop version for your screen!

The theme of 2023 is: Be Who You Are … and I might add to that, Trust Your Own Wise Self!

I am getting very, very close to launching my new project … but I have to make sure I have all of the essentials right before releasing it into the world.
I am less scared than I was before about it, because more of the pieces are falling into place and I am making friends with all the ghosts and gremlins that show up daily.

Small, intentional steps. This is what I have been doing. Trying not to fuss with things, but let them “arrive” and settle in their own good timing and fashion.

Yes, I will make the official announcement in early January … but I didn’t want to delay the new year’s desktop wallpaper, to get you off to a rockin’ start!

Wishing you the most wondrous and delight-filled
year ahead. 
May you follow your dreams, wishes and desires,
and stay connected to what really matters!

~sarah