Hello, Subscriber First Name,

December is here. The last moth of the year. How are you holding up?

This week when I stepped outside for my walk, the wind stabbed through the earflaps of my hat. The sharp cold made my eyes water and I wished I’d stayed inside, gone up to my studio with my mug of coffee. I chided myself, flipped up my hood and kept walking.

Since Charlie died in October, I’ve made a point of walking everyday.

Coming back to walking has brought me back to myself.

At first I walked with open hands, picking up leaves to bring back to my studio and paint.

I also walked with open eyes, noticing things I hadn’t before. A house with new siding and a bright orange door, a match to the pumpkin on the front steps. Spooked-eyed kittens staring out a window at me. A bald eagle floating motionless on an air current above the town.

It felt good to walk. To notice. To be outside even when wet sloppy snowflakes splatted on my eyelids or cold mist chafed my cheeks. I noticed the beauty of the world. Of nature. Of winter.

By getting outside each day I was opening my heart to the magic of winter.

Everything shifted.

I’ll admit I was dreading these coming months, but now I am welcoming them. I’m vowing to do my best to fall in love with winter. To face my least favorite season with open hands, open eyes and an open heart.

I invite you to do the same.

As my final gift to readers during my 10 Year Painting Celebration I created a new set of Gratitude and Joy Lists. You can find and download them here. Perhaps they’ll help you look for the beauties of the season (even if you’re on the opposite side of the planet and heading into summer).

Some inspiration:

• This beautiful short film by Sarah Mason about the artist Hannah Nunn is an encouragement to find the beauty around you (and save our planet).

• I was so inspired by this post from Katrina Rodabaugh talking about connecting with the seasons and creativity.

• These days are hard. This post from Rachel Wolf will inspire you to keep going, reminding you that we can do hard things.

• Winter means soup! I made this recipe yesterday and it was yummy. I was even able to pop out to the garden and find some parsley and thyme that hadn’t completely succumbed to the frost and snow.

• I’ve made paper clay ornaments in past years and think I might have to try it again this year. This tutorial looks fun.

• This gift wrap idea is so pretty.

• Spoonflower’s fat quarter sale is going on now.

If you haven’t gotten your 2021 calendars, you can still find some in my shop. I’m working on some exciting projects and have new paintings I’ll be adding to my shop soon. I also have a special gift for my Joy Letter subscribers, so stay tuned for my mid-month email.

I am so grateful for you. Whether you’re a student or a customer or a blog reader or simply a Joy Letter subscriber. It means so much to me to have you encouraging and supporting me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Wishing you a peaceful, beautiful and joyful last month of 2020. Keep your hands and your eyes and your hearts open to the magic of the everyday.

Hi, I'm Anne Butera, the artist behind My Giant Strawberry. 

Thank you for inviting me to your inbox!

I'm completely self-taught and my experiences have fueled my passion not only for watercolor, but also for encouraging others to embrace their creativity and discover their joy. (Read more about my journey here).

You can purchase my art including original paintings, fine art prints, fabric and other product designs on my website and elsewhere on the web.

Looking to learn how to paint or find creative inspiration? I teach online. Come join me in class.

In addition to teaching, I love sharing inspiration on my blog. If you want to stay connected, I hope you'll join me there. And if you're on Instagram, let's connect there, too.

With gratitude.
--A

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