Seasonal Cycles, Sharing Indoor Gardening Inspiration and Why I Grow Houseplants

Every time I went into the kitchen this week, I visited spring.

My baby* Hoya lacunosa is blooming on a shelf above the sink.

joy, studio, books, life, houseplantsAnne ButeraJanuary 27, 2024houseplants, botanical artist, artist gardener, artist studios, plant filled studio, seasonal cycles, Hoya lacunosa, growing houseplants, growing plants indoors, a studio filled with plants, poinsettia painting, watercolor poinsettia, painting process, art inspiration, painting inspiration, gardening inspiration, gardening books, garden books, houseplant books, spider plants, Thanksgiving cactus, Anne Butera, my development as an artist, my development as a gardener, my favorite garden books, Tovah Martin, Elvin McDonald, James Underwood Crockett, night-blooming cereus, plant stories, connections to plants, sharing plants, growing plants from cuttings, rooting cuttings in water, fiddle leaf figs, pothos, pothos cuttings, impatiens, growing impatiens inside, scented geraniums, growing scented geraniums inside Comments

Coming Back to Myself as the Season Changes and Invites a Fresh Start

Earlier this week I sat in my studio with a steaming mug of Dragonwell tea and watched my garden through my new sliding doors.

seasons, studio, life, gratitude, joyAnne ButeraSeptember 9, 2023in the studio, change of season, savoring each day, gratitude, gratitude for art, gratitude for creativity, gratitude for gardens, joy, gratitude practice, daily gratitude Comments

Painting in the Garden, A Fun and Different Project: Barn Quilts

Some projects live in my head for a very long time before I get around to bringing them into the world. Painting a series of “barn” quilts for my house and garden is one of those projects.

art, books, joy, gardenAnne ButeraAugust 12, 2023barn quilts, quilts, quilt blocks, garden decor, art in the garden, painted quilts, flying geese painted quilt, projects, art projects, books, quilt books Comments

June 2023 In the Garden: Nostalgia, Growth and Letting Plants Have Their Way

Ah, June in the garden. What a beautiful month.

Reminders About Life and Art and Recommitting to Noticing and Savoring Joy

Today on my blog, I planned to share about the Winding Roads Art Tour, but as I was driving home on Sunday evening I realized I hadn’t taken a single photo all weekend.

How to Expand (Garden) Delight in the Depths of a Wisconsin Winter

Written on my calendar today is “Blog: Garden”.

garden, joy, life, houseplantsAnne ButeraJanuary 28, 2023winter, winter blahs, battling the winter blahs, garden, winter garden, finding joy in the winter garden, expand delight, joy, winter joy, winter in wisconsin, winter in the studio Comments

20 Daily Delights: Writing a Joy List as a Reminder to Focus on Gratitude

I sat in the dining room with my coffee, cereal and journal.

“I’m crabby. Crabby. Crabby. Crabby,” I wrote.

gratitude, joyAnne ButeraOctober 8, 2022joy, Joy Lists, Joy List, joy list, writing joy lists, gratitude practice, gratitude, joy is a choice, joy as a habit Comments

August 2022 in the Garden

In June when I wrote to my Joy Letter subscribers I said that June was my favorite month. Right now, though, I’m thinking August might be.

12 Things Bringing Me Joy Right Now

I’ve been in a bit of a creative funk. I know it’s just a natural part of the ebb and flow of my creativity. It’s taken me years to be able to recognize this and let the funk happen.

creativity, joy, lifeAnne ButeraJuly 9, 2022Joy Lists, Joy List, creative ebbs, creative cycle, savor summer Comments

June 2022 in the Garden and an Invitation to My Readers

We’re more than half-way through June. The solstice is just a few days away. Summer is well and truly here.

garden, joyAnne ButeraJune 18, 2022garden, gardening, June garden, June garden tour, garden tour, garden tours, in the garden, violas, pansies and violas, sketching violas and pansies, colored pencil, garden experiments Comments

The Winding Roads Art Tour and Another Reader Conversation

Last weekend was the Winding Roads Art Tour.

I keep trying to write about it, but nothing I write truly captures the experience.

joy, inspiration, Reader ConversationsAnne ButeraJune 11, 2022reader conversations, Winding Roads Art Tour, 2022 Winding Roads Art Tour, making connections through blogging, Kathleen Aaker, Deborah Conlon, making connections, bringing people together, bringing people together around beauty and joy Comments

May 2022 in the Garden

Not much was happening in the garden in April, but now things are really starting to take off.

garden, joy, life, seasonsAnne ButeraMay 21, 2022garden, garden tour, garden tours, monthly garden tours, spring in the garden, spring, garden dog, gardening, gardening season, spring bulbs, May garden tour, May in the garden Comments

Surviving Winter: 11 Ways I Bring More Joy and Warmth into Cold Days

Wednesday morning I woke up and checked the temperature. Negative 19 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of negative thirty-two. It was our second day in a row of bitter cold.

How to Discover Joy in Subtle Colors: Lessons from the Winter Garden

The sun is shining, warm and bright. The garden is humming with bees and I catch the scent of roses, mint and spicy tulsi. I step among the blooms with my scissors at the ready,

10 Ways to Invite More Ease into Your Days and Why it Matters

When I think about the word EASE, I imagine serenity and calm. I picture being able to do hard things with confidence. I see myself flowing through my days with lightness, finesse, grace.