The Making of The Red Envelope

The Red Envelope is both a tradition and a design exercise. In this video, I share how I made it and the materials that brought it to life. Become a member to watch for free.

Working Small, Thinking Large

Winter sharpens attention. Working small does not feel like making less. It feels like making room. Room for ideas to stay provisional, for repetition to do its work, and for thinking to take shape before it has to decide. Sign up for free to read more at The Studio Window. :)

Border Play #3 (Finale): The Frame That Changes with the Story

Borders don’t always stay still. In this final Border Play essay, I look at frames that shift with the story, using Where the Wild Things Are and What Is a River? to explore how changing edges carry emotion, time, and transformation. Read more at The Spread Table.

New Year, New Sketchbook Routine

A new year, a new sketchbook routine. I’m sharing how I’m approaching daily drawing this year, what I’m focusing on, and what I’m learning along the way.

Portfolio Reset: Clearing Space for the Work Ahead

I’m taking stock at the end of the year. Letting go of work that’s finished its job, carrying forward what still feels alive, and noticing what’s missing. This isn’t about reinventing anything. It’s about alignment, direction, and making space for what comes next.

The Christmas Shelf 2025

A video on what's on my Christmas shelf

A Small Press for Small Joys

I’ve been making greeting cards for a long time, quietly and imperfectly. This post is about returning to that work with care: Folkwell Press, small experiments, and why making things gently, without a grand plan, feels right to me right now.

Border Play #2: When the Frame is a Cage

If you make picture books, borders are never neutral. Sometimes they guide; sometimes they trap on purpose. In this essay, I break down what happens when the frame becomes a cage. Subscribe to The Spread Table to read more.

The Fold (Gutter) Between Pages

Every picture book hinges on a fold, the space where pacing, balance, and emotion live. An essay on how design and story meet in the quiet middle.

First Frost in the Garden, First Pause in the Studio

When frost touches the garden, the work in my studio changes too. Subscribe for free to read more.

My Autumn Sketching Kit + Sketchbook Process

Changing my palette to Fall (Video) Subscribe to read and watch at The Spread Table to receive new essays, insights and PB notes.

Silent Storytelling: How Silence Lives on the Picture Book Page

A long-form essay on silence, space, and storytelling in picture books — from the PB studio and the field. Subscribe to read more at The Spread Table to receive new essays and PB notes.