Sweet Pea turned eight this week. The whole week has been about celebrating our incredible human being!!! So get ready for a Sweet Pea filled Field Notes. Collaborating on her vision (purple! pink! sugary treats!), making 100 love notes, crafting for her party, and watching her eyes light up at the gallery opening. This week reminded me what success actually means, and it's not what I thought it would be.

At the EHCC gallery opening, standing in front of my piece, Focus, with Sweet Pea. My biggest takeaway from that night was how my views of success have really changed throughout my life. Getting into this gallery show, being there at opening night, connecting with my peers, all of the highs at work feel incredible. But the most successful I felt was when we were walking out and Sweet Pea told me how proud she was of me. I could tell just by looking into her eyes how deeply she felt it, and it meant more to me than all the other accolades combined. I'm so proud to have her along for the journey of being a professional artist. I love that she gets to see these highs, but she's also there seeing all the back end realities tooo. She sees the effort, the confusion, the frustration, the delight. She sees it all.

Embroidering mini volcanoes was such a grounding treat during a active time. I wanted to try to see if I could use the same materials I use for the tufted textile pieces in mini form, and this appliqué technique was something that was really exciting to play with and explore on this mini scale. It's expanding my abilities in new directions.

The textures on this piece are enchanting. The loops are so fluid but tight at the same time. They kind of remind me of curly textured hair. What draws me to hand tufting is that each loop has its own personality and rhythm. This texture could have been identical and unified (if I would have used an electric tufting gun + store bought yarn) but I love how one of a kind it is, the piece feels like free form Jazz.

My bestie and I have been obsessing over quilting lately. I've been watching a lot of quilt content on Youtube and dabbling into Substack, and I found a lot of really exciting content over there regarding quilting. (If you want, I'll share more about that!)

What I really appreciate about Trust is how it reflects how active and full and vibrant and textured and complex this season of life and making is. It feels really rooted in where I am right now. The juxtaposition of structure and fluidity happening at the same time, and how there's really room for both to coexist in unison.

Sugary treats wrapped in plastic, all the flavors and visuals that are not my vibe. One of the funnest parts of this week has been collaborating with Sweet Pea and seeing someone who is so creatively clear in her vision and it being so vastly different than my own. Purple and pink are her favorite colors at the moment, and purple is one I don't gravitate toward. It's one of the cooler colors, and I really prefer warm tones. As a solo artist it's been really a fun experience collaborating with someone whose vision is so different and so confident. It's been such a creative treat.

Sweet Pea woke to the birthday banner I made and a pile of balloons Bubba blew up on her bed. It was such a magical morning filled with giggles and this childlike wonder that I tap into from time to time with her. It feels so nostalgic and joyful and light. It's my absolute favorite.

This year, instead of a card, Sweet Pea asked for a love box, like the one daddy made me. My husband travels a lot for work, when Bubba leaves, he refills the box with love notes. When I'm missing him, I can grab a love note he wrote before the trip. Sweet Pea wanted one from me for her birthday this year. A total treat for Sweet Pea and also for me to have a morning filled with reflection and love.

I made 100 love notes and cut them all out. It was so easy to make this project happen because I am so deeply grateful and in love with this journey of parenting such an incredible kid. Thinking of 100 things I love about her is the easiest. I have a million trillion bazillion left in me still. Everything from how strong and funny and golden hearted and resilient and thoughtful and curious and gorgeous and really fun to be around, she is. She's our total dream come true!

Sweet Pea and I have been crafting for her party that's coming up. I'll share so much more on all the things we created, but this week is not so much about all the fun crafty bits (although there have been so many, and I'm so happy I got to share a few of them today). It's more about celebrating this incredible human being turning eight and how enchanted we are with her. The greatest joy has been watching her grow!

I loved getting to pause this 2x speed week and take a moment to document, and share. Life moves by so quickly, I find myself cherishing these reflective moments more and more. I think thats what success really is. Delighting in the moments, being truly present with what matters most to us.

Love,

Coco