In September in Wisconsin, the gardening season is winding down.

Right now zinnias, dahlias, cosmos and marigolds color my garden and feed the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

September is here and I’m relishing the seasonal shifts.

It’s hard to believe this is the last week of my month of gratitude. August has flown by.

I think back to childhood Augusts with school looming and days of freedom dwindling. Back-to-school was both exciting and welcome but also tinged with sadness for the ending of summer.

Did you end up writing a Gratitude List after my post last week?

Are you ready for today’s prompt to help open your eyes to the beauties and joys of summer*?

This week I want you to focus on COLOR.

Piles of fabric line a shelf in my studio closet. Sewing patterns fill a drawer. I love wearing handmade clothing. I love to sew. Most of my fabric has been matched up with sewing patterns — some bought especially for specific projects — but it’s been a year or more since I’ve done any sewing.

For me, springtime in the garden always means violas and pansies. They’re some of the first things to show up at garden centers and one of the first things to bloom in my garden.

I recently purchased Sarah Greenman’s Oracle Deck and this is the first card I pulled: “Prioritize Your Big Work.”

Today I was supposed to be wrapping up the Get Re-Inspired Creative Retreat. I planned to share my finished papier-mache pieces and sum up the lessons I learned over the course of the month.

But as this week approached, I realized I wasn’t finished with the retreat. So I’m giving it one more week.

Sun streams in through the window and I curl up on a comfy chair in my studio, a book balanced on my lap.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

In reality…

When you hear the words “Creative Retreat” what do they bring to mind? Perhaps you envision a cabin in the woods, light streaming through the windows and a fire crackling in the hearth.

On February 16 before I did anything else in my studio, I sat down and worked on a page in my sketchbook. Since then I’ve started every workday with sketchbook play and have only missed one non-work day because of a migraine.

When I was 16, a newly-minted driver’s license in my wallet, where did I go on my first solo drive?

I love Valentine’s Day. It’s probably not cool to admit this, but I do.

The shop was a jumble of art, jewelry and funky secondhand furniture. Although the town’s population was tiny, it was crowded with people attending the local art festival. I browsed, more curious about what was for sale than because I wanted to purchase anything.

Today’s Sips of Inspiration conversation is with my long-time blogging friend Karen Lowry Reed.

Bright sunshine and warm breezes. Clear blue skies and crisp snow. Cold, dark, wet days. This month I’ve tried to be present for it all.

November has been a gift. A strange month, but a gift, too.

I’ve been giddily anticipating posting it and I’m so happy to finally be able to announce this month’s guest: Dana Barbieri.

You’ve quieted your mind and listened to the whispers. Your heart longs to learn something new, to be creative, to craft a different life.

Now what?

My heart raced and I held my breath. I felt a flutter in my stomach as I sat down with a set of watercolors, some paper and a brush to paint for the first time.