“I want to paint,” I said to my husband Monday night. It had been awhile the last time I painted and just like baking, painting is one of my hobbies I enjoy. Growing up, we were always doing crafts or fun acrylic paintings with friends. Watercolor is something I got into around 2019 with a company (Let’s Make Art) that did monthly subscription boxes, filled with multiple kits. I’d watch the video and follow along the best I could, pausing so many times to mix the paints and carefully add details. I loved how one drop of water would set the direction of the paint and you can really make it your own. I still have some of those paints from then, it lasts a long time! Over time, I would gift my paintings. I entered a few in our county fair–so fun! I always gave away my favorites and now I wish I would have made copies. Sometimes I added embroidery to the paintings or try new techniques. A few years ago, I painted Christmas cards and try to do those every year. During motherhood, I think it’s very important to carve some time out of your day to do your hobbies, especially if it helps fill your cup.
On Tuesday, I started to paint. I really wanted to do pumpkins or anything fall related. I decided to paint thank you cards for my customers who bought at the launch of The Monthly Gathering. Taped off the paper and decided to do a pumpkin related painting for each one, something different. I wanted the pumpkin to tie into the theme of The Monthly Gathering. All the seasonal baked items were pumpkin flavored. During the 3rd or 4th painting, I had the idea of doing it every month, but perhaps the same pattern, still tying into The Monthly Gathering’s seasonal flavor. This idea created something new connected to Gathered and Growing, called The Monthly Gathering Collection.
A series of twelve seasonal watercolor paintings, one for each month. Each will be numbered as part of the collection, beginning with October’s pumpkin themed painting: 01/12. My hope is that these paintings become more than a thank you tucked into an order. Perhaps they’ll find a place on your refrigerator, a shelf, or a favorite little corner of your home (as I have loved to do with mine). It’s a small way to share something handmade, celebrate the changing seasons, and bring a little more beauty into our gatherings.
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