Autumn colors, christmas whispers and some spoiler alerts

My sketchbook and desk are anything but quiet. I’m currently working on a “save the date” and a wedding invitation for a client. A very special project to be part of. At the same time, Christmas has already found it's way into my Atelier: I’ve designed a personal holiday card for a client, and I am experimenting with an idea thats already a few years with me: Sets of illustrated Christmas postcards that will be available for sale. Think woodland animals in festive settings, cozy details, and a touch of winter magic. More on that soon!

Autumn has arrived

But I don’t want to skip over the season we’re in right now: autumn has officially begun and is slowly making its entrance. Untill last week it seemed as if it was in competition with summer. Starting the day with cold mornings and then in the afternoon you could still go outside in shorts and a T-shirt. But since this weekend, I think autumn has defenitly won: stormy weather has arrived.

Fall has its very own charm, and honestly, it might be my favorite. The warm colors, the last blooms in the garden, misty mornings and even stormy walks through muddy forests spark new ideas. I picture palettes of yellow, orange, and deep browns. And also steaming mugs of tea while sketching inside. Time to go inside, get comfy and create! And that is what we did during the weekend. A young visitor came over to have some creative time in the Atelier. We had fun drawing together. She found a very nice Pinterest tutorial on how to draw a penguin using an '8' as a starting point, and I made my own version of a cute hedgehog I found next to it using oil pastels.

As I write, my harp catches my eye in the corner of the room. On the stand rests Danses d’automne by Bernard Andrès, a piece of music that instantly captures this season for me (logical given the titel... but stil). I once saw a YouTube performance playing No.2 in a candlelit autumn setting, surrounded by pumpkins, a little haunting, a little magical. My favorite. I should dust off my technique and muscle memory and start playing it again. That’s the vibe I love: autumn as a season that’s both grounding and inspiring.

So, lots of ideas brewing here. Some are nearly finished, others are still just whispers on paper. Soon I’ll be able to show you the T-shirt in all its glory, and a bit later—hopefully—my first collection of Christmas cards ready to order. Until then: I’m soaking up the season and letting its colors and moods shape what’s next.