A Free Buzzing Bee for August

Plus - why I was asking about iPads last week 😁

Happy Almost-August!

I got stalled on my applique samples last week because I didn’t have the fabric I needed.

(How is that even possible given the amount of fabric I have?)

So instead of sharing the new and improved lion/lioness/leopard/jaguar/cougar pattern or the new and improved horse/unicorn pattern, I’m sharing the new wallpaper for August a couple of days early. 😁

As always, it’s available in wide and tall formats (so you can use it for all your devices), and with or without the August calendar (so you can use it other months as well). Get your free downloads here.

Thanks so everyone who voted in the poll a few weeks ago! Bellamy Bee just barely edged out Colby Cat, so Colby will definitely be an option again in the poll for next month’s wallpaper. 🥰

As a little thank you, paid subscribers to this newsletter get to download free printable versions of this sweet queen bee. (That link will be in the special newsletter that you get on Thursday.) You get JPGs in four different sizes, plus a PNG with a transparent background so you can drop it onto any background you like. There’s getting to be quite a nice little library of these goodies 🥰 and when you become a paid subscriber you get access to all of them - plus a special discount code to get 20% off everything in the shop all month long.

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My iPad Question

Speaking of surveys and digital downloads, thanks to everyone who responded to my iPad survey last week! I got a bunch of questions about why I was asking, so here’s a little bit of additional info.

My iPad absolutely revolutionized the way I draw. I’ve always been very intimated by The Blank Page (especially in bound sketchbooks - even cheap ones). I started drawing my patterns for Shiny Happy World on basic copy paper, but even that felt really intimidating. The iPad (and the Procreate app in particular) made drawing feel effortless and fun - and nowhere near as intimidating. I love it! And because I love it, I draw more, which of course makes me better at it, which makes me love it more. . . it’s a lovely loop.

I hear from a lot of you that you “can’t draw” and I TOTALLY understand that feeling - and really, really want to help you overcome it, if you want to! I want to put together some simple tutorials showing you how I use Procreate on my iPad, and also some simple tools (like shape stamps) that will make drawing (and designing your own applique patterns!) extra easy and fun in a very Ed-Emberley-inspired way.

I’d also love to show you how to use things like the free calendar downloads to make greeting cards, invitations, and more. For those I’ll be showing you how to do it on the iPad, but also how to use the free version of Canva. I’m going to try to have the Canva tutorial ready by the beginning of next month.

I’m not shifting into a drawing website, but I read something this weekend that put it beautifully. She recommended putting all your creativity in one place instead of separate boxes. “Let it steep together and mingle, like a magical floral tea.” I just love that image! I follow many, many people who make things I will never make and write about how to use media I will never use - and it’s all because I love reading about the creative process. I’m a magpie, gleaning bits and pieces from all kinds of creative people and incorporating them into my own practice - and I want to share that with you!

So stay tuned. . . 😁

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I read two extremely disappointing books last week, so no new books to share. 🙁 But I did make a fabulous recipe!

Smitten Kitchen’s Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad is a summertime favorite, which I had somehow not made yet this summer! It’s got lemon and garlic and broccolini or broccoli, and deliciously nutty, chewy farro. I love this one at room temperature or just a little bit warm. Serve it with an egg on top and you have a complete dinner! It’s also terrific for taking on picnics.

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Awesomeness from the Shiny Happy People group!

Sharon made a beautiful quilt with the Woodland Critters pattern - plus a couple of added cats. It’s so fun!!!

Head over to the Shiny Happy People group on Facebook to see lots more wonderfulness people are making with my patterns—and to ask questions and share photos of your own projects. It’s my favorite place on the internet!

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The archives and sale now have their own newsletter every Friday. Last week this free pattern got a whopping four times as many clicks as the next most popular link. 😁 No surprise at all! It’s a super fun way to add a little extra to any quilt pattern!

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If you know someone who’d like to read this newsletter, please share! 🥰

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Happy stitching!

I hope you have a fabulous week!

Best,
Wendi
🥰

PS - This house is just amazing! I wouldn’t want to live in it - but that’s kind of exactly the point. It doesn’t look like a showplace where anyone could live. It looks like a very personal home, a reflection of one amazing individual. I wish more homes were like this! (My favorite room is the cinema.)