Sick Days

When I was a little girl, five or six years old, I loved being sick. It meant extra special attention, especially from my dad.

We lived in a small town on the Canadian prairies. My dad was the local jeweler and owned a jewelry store. When he came home at lunch, he would sit down beside me as I lay on the sofa, bringing paper doll cutouts bound in a book. It’s fun to imagine him now, stopping at the drugstore on his way home to purchase a book of paper dolls just for me.

Back in the early 1960s, I don’t recall there being perforated edges to punch out the dolls and clothing. Instead, everything was cut by hand, a great sick-day activity that entertained me for hours. It was tedious and oh so creative. I remember having to be extra careful not to cut off the small tabs on the shoulder and arms, as that’s how the clothing attached to the doll.

I also remember a bowl of boiling water with Vicks VapoRub stirred in. My mom would drape a towel over my head and have me breathe in the medicated steam. I’m pretty sure I’d avoid this practice now, opting instead for pure essential oils.

My husband has his own version of being tended to while home sick. Growing up in a two-story house, sick in bed, his mom gave him a bell to ring when he needed her. He caught on fast. Ding-a-ling-a-ling, up she’d come. A few minutes later, ding-a-ling-a-ling again. It didn’t take long before she said, “Give me that bell.”

Different homes, different rituals, but the same thing underneath: being sick as a child meant being looked after, fully and without question. As adults, we mostly have to care for ourselves now. This month’s Guest Creative showed us some ways.

Nourish Your Immune System for the Season Ahead

✨Nance Scott of joined me as September’s Guest Creative, just in time for the arrival of autumn. She demonstrated the method she uses for making elderberry syrup and guided us through simple, hands-on techniques you can use anytime, including thymus tapping and acupressure points for immune and nervous system support (included in the following video and summarized below).

Nance showed us the kind of care I love best: simple enough to do today, and generous enough to carry you through the whole season.✨

The notes that follow were summarized from the Zoom video with the help of AI.

Elderberry Syrup

Nance simmers the berries into a decoction and adds honey once it cools.

• 2 cups water

• 1/2 cup dried black elderberries (1 cup if fresh)

• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon powdered, which leaves a little residue that sinks, so shake the jar)

• 3 whole cloves (up to 5 if you love them)

• Optional: about an inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced, or 1 teaspoon powdered

• 1/2 to 1 cup raw honey, added at the end

Method: Put everything except the honey in a pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. The liquid cooks down to about a cup. Mash the berries with a wooden spoon, then press everything through a mesh strainer. Let the juice cool for about 10 minutes, until it is warm but no longer hot, then stir in the honey. Nance explained that adding honey while the liquid is still at simmering temperature damages the good qualities of the honey. Pour into a mason jar and keep it in the fridge.

Shopping notes: Look for organic, non-irradiated black elderberries (Sambucus nigra on the label). Nance orders hers online and mentioned Frontier and Purify Life.

A note on the simmer: Undercooked elderberries can upset the stomach, so the full 30 minutes matters.

Storage: With honey, the syrup keeps about 2 months in the fridge, even with the smaller half-cup amount. Without honey, expect about a week, maybe two.

Labels: Nance shared label ideas, from a drawing of berries and leaves to a piece of masking tape with the date. Whatever you choose, write the date you made it. The back of the label can hold the ingredients and dosage.

Elderberry Syrup Label Ideas

189KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Dosage (general guidelines from Nance)

• Daily support: about 1 tablespoon for adults, 1 teaspoon for kids. Take it straight, or stir it into juice or tea.

• When something is coming on: about 1 tablespoon every 4 hours for adults, 1 teaspoon for kids.

• Babies under one year: none, because of the raw honey.

Why each ingredient is there

• Elderberry: Nance explained that compounds in the berries coat viruses so they can’t attach to cells and replicate. Other compounds help the body build antibodies. It is also an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. She said it can shorten a cold or flu by about four days, depending on how early you start.

• Cinnamon: warming, anti-inflammatory, and soothing for a dry cough.

• Cloves: help with sore throats and coughs, and offer some pain relief.

• Ginger: warming, eases spasming coughs, and helps loosen mucus.

• Honey: antimicrobial, soothing for the throat, a natural preservative, and it makes the syrup taste good.

• Black pepper: some people add it to boost the other ingredients. Nance skips it for the flavour.

Three practices to go with it

Thymus tapping. The thymus sits just under the breastbone. Make a light fist (or use your fingertips) and tap while you take three slow breaths in and three out, for about 30 seconds. Feel your feet on the floor and close your eyes if you can. Nance does this every morning. She described it as a steady, settled kind of energy that calms the nervous system and supports immunity.

LI11. Bend your arm and find the crease at the elbow. The point is in the soft, fleshy space at the outer end of that crease. Press gently or make small circles for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Nance uses it for general immune support and inflammation.

LU7. Interlock your thumbs and let your index finger rest on the ridge of the other wrist, or find the indent at the base of your thumb and measure two finger widths up. The point sits between two tendons. Nance suggests it for a nagging cough or a stiff neck at the start of a cold.

For all acupressure, keep the pressure gentle and breathe slowly. If a spot feels tender, Nance said that can be a sign of built-up inflammation. Go easy, do 30 seconds, and come back in an hour. A yawn is a good sign that your vagus nerve is relaxing.

Questions from the group

I’m sensitive to sugar. Do I need a full cup of honey?
No. Half a cup still gives you about two months in the fridge, and the syrup will be a little thinner, more like juice. You can also use agave or maple syrup, or leave the sweetener out and use it within a week or so.

Is elderberry only for colds and flu, and only in winter? Do I need to take it every day?
It works against viruses in general. Nance takes it daily when exposure is high, like back-to-school season, and eases off in spring, then increases it again if she has been around someone sick. It is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, though she said other herbs work better for allergies. She often drinks a tea that combines elderberry and echinacea.

Can I use monk fruit?
Yes, but it's very potent, so the amounts differ a lot from honey, and each brand has a different ratio. Add it a little at a time and test as you go until it tastes right to you. Monk fruit isn't a preservative the way honey is, so the syrup will last 10 to 14 days in the fridge. For longer storage, or if you're skipping sweetener altogether, pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, then move the cubes to an airtight freezer bag. It should keep about 6 months that way, and you can pull a cube whenever you need one.

What kind of honey?
Raw, ideally local and organic. If you can’t find the ideal one, use what you have. Nance doesn’t want anyone skipping the syrup over it.

Where do you buy elderberries?
Online. Local health food stores sometimes carry them.

Does it need to steep before I use it?
No. The 30-minute simmer makes it ready right away, so you can take your first serving while you bottle the rest.

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A Barn Warming Celebration

​The Guest Creative Series in October will be included in a very special gathering I’m hosting. One visit, three rooms, the whole nest on full display: a stillness moment in the Garden, a hands-on session in the Creativity Studio with our guest creative, and connection at The Kitchen Table.

​Join me on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm (MT), via Zoom.

Watch for more announcements coming soon.

I LOVE CELEBRATIONS. REGISTER ME NOW!

I hope you enjoyed another peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

🪹August has arrived at The Hummingbird Nest, and with it, a new theme. This month we’ll be making. I’ll be sharing projects I’m working on and revisiting some of the things we’ve made together at The Kitchen Table gatherings. 🪹

An announcement about a schedule change this month!

The Guest Creative Session with Jennifer Zarin won’t be happening on Thursday, August 6th after all. With summer in full swing and many people busy enjoying all that the season has to offer, we’ve decided to bring this session to you in the New Year.

I remember the day.
A market in the city.
A woman with the cutest display.
Stitched pictures were her forte.

She made cards and artwork. I fell in love with her style. She has since moved on to new things, and I’m fortunate to have many of her cards and permission to use this one. Thank you, Caroline Storie, for your creativity.

How I See The Month Unfolding

The theme, Make Something, It Helps, will fall loosely over the month. Things won’t be planned. Unlike July, there isn’t a calendar of dates to reserve or a schedule to follow. I’m letting my creativity take the lead. I plan to write about what I’m working on and how the making is helping me. And, if inspired to do so, I’ll share my process with you.

The one exception is The Kitchen Table. You can always pull up a chair for creativity and connection, with the invitation falling on the second Friday of each month, including August. There are still seats available. And it’s still free to attend.

Save My Seat

Sourdough Bread & Mixed Feelings

Remember the craze during the pandemic? Everyone was making it. I tried it without success, and a few times since then too. Then my daughter shared a starter that is so easy. No feeding for what seems like days on end. Three days from starter to loaf on the cooling rack. Easy, at least that’s what I thought.

The first two times I made it, I was a little more than overwhelmed. Thank goodness for my daughter. She guided me through the steps. I wasn’t convinced bread-making was for me. Until I made it the third time. I made two loaves this time, one to eat ourselves and one to give away.

How making bread helped and what the bread taught me

Before I began on Saturday, I was feeling a little out of sorts. Can’t really explain why. What I do know is that turning my attention to starter, flour, and water gave me something new to focus on. That simple act began clearing the way for new thoughts and ideas to bubble up.

The other thing it taught me: not to give up. With practice, the process becomes so much simpler. And the rewards speak for themselves.

Gardening & Flowers of the Month

How many of you are gardeners? I’ve had gardens of my own over the years, and only have room for a few flower pots on my balcony now. I know others whose gardens are their lifeline, their joy. Veggies and cut flowers, grown by their own hands in the soil, tended with love. Rewards beyond measure.

Whether your garden is a large plot or a balcony pot or even a memory, August hands each of us two flowers of its own. The gladiolus and the poppy.

The gladiolus is the tall one, named for the Latin word for sword because of those blade-shaped leaves. It stands for strength of character and integrity, standing tall through whatever the season brings.

But it’s the poppy I’m keeping close this month. She’s the flower of rest and consolation, of imagination and peaceful sleep. She closes her petals at night and opens them again with the morning sun. And here’s the part I love: poppy seeds can wait in the soil for years, sometimes decades, and bloom when the ground around them is stirred up. A flower that rests until it’s ready. That feels about right for The Hummingbird Nest.

So while our hands are busy making this month, the poppy will be nearby, reminding us that rest is part of the making too.

Just a reminder that my full archive (three years of content) is available to access for free until I officially swing the barn doors open at The Hummingbird Nest in early September.

There, you’ll find:

🌸 personal stories of my own journey, shared in hopes they’ll inspire you on your own - vacation reading

🌻creative invitations - gather a group of friends for some creative fun, or find a simple project to do solo or with your kids

🌷stillness practices - meditations, journaling prompts, and rituals

💐and so much more

Make something if it calls to you. Rest if that’s what you need. Wishing you a beautiful August, full of memories and summer fun.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

On July 20, right in the heart of our In Full Bloom month, The Creativity Studio welcomed its second Guest Creative: Lise-Lotte Loomer, who joined us from her urban flower farm on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. What followed was an hour of flowers, friendship, and the gentle reminder that creativity is about presence, not perfection.

We opened, as we always do, by arriving together, and since we were a cozy group, we went around the circle with a question: if you were a flower, what kind would you be? I’d love for you to think about this question yourself. What flower would you be?

💐Our little bouquet of answers was lovely.

A peony, for being beautiful, scented, and sweet. A stargazer lily, fragrant and simply a favourite. A rose - twice over, once for the way roses come back and bloom again after being cut back, and once for the variety of colours and the softness of the scent. And a chrysanthemum, for all the detail in the petals - no matter how many times you look, there’s always something interesting to see.

One guest arrived partway through. She’s planning an in-person women’s circle for flower arranging at the end of August and came to soak it all in. Watching is always welcome here.

The Arrival Practice

Every gathering at The Hummingbird Nest begins with an arrival practice. Here is the one we shared that day:

You’re welcome to close your eyes, or to soften your gaze.

Imagine you’re standing at the edge of a garden, in the fullness of summer. Behind you is everything that has filled your week. Ahead of you, a path winds between the flower beds.

Take a slow breath in, as if you’re catching the scent of something blooming nearby. And a gentle breath out.

Now picture a single flower. Any flower you love. Notice how it doesn’t hurry. It opened in its own time, petal by petal, and it’s simply here now, being exactly what it is.

Let yourself do the same today. Nothing to tend. Nothing to prove.

One more slow breath in. And out.

Lise-Lotte’s Presentation: Fun with Flowers

Lise-Lotte had wandered her garden that morning, gathering with purpose, and then walked us through it all: how to get more stems from a single cut, why the big leaves are removed, the magic of a tape grid across a vase, cutting stems on an angle so they can drink, playing with shape and scale and scent, and finding beauty in the unexpected - strawberry leaves, seed pods, even a radish gone to seed.

Woven through all of it was her gentle philosophy:

And she explained that there’s nothing to lose with flowers. It’s a flower; you can pull it out if you don’t like it or if it’s placed incorrectly.

You can watch her full presentation here:

A small note about the recording: the video I captured during our session didn’t spotlight Lise-Lotte on screen, so I wasn’t able to use it. Luckily, she had recorded one as well - that’s the version linked above. As you watch, you may need to adjust your volume from time to time, as it varies throughout.

Arranging Alongside Her

The best part. We didn’t just watch, we arranged right along with her. Vases, tape grids, and garden gatherings at the ready, each of us built a bouquet as she guided us, and at the end we shared them in a little show and tell. Here’s what bloomed at our tables:

What Is a Petal Potluck?

The Petal Potluck is Lise-Lotte’s own creation, and it’s just how it sounds - a gathering where friends bring flowers, greens, branches, or seed pods to share, along with a vase they never want to see again. Everyone arranges a bouquet, names are drawn, and each guest gives away the arrangement they made and receives one made by someone else. There’s something about making flowers for somebody, even someone you don’t know yet, and something equally lovely about receiving them. The Petal Potluck captures both.

A few things that make it work so beautifully:

• It’s not a contest. No judgment, no competition - just the freedom to play, so everyone can stay in the relaxed, curious, “what if?” part of the brain where creativity lives.

• The invitation is written for you. The wording is ready to go in her handout, so you can skip the overthinking and get on with the fun.

• The conversation goes deeper. Her guide includes suggested questions to draw out real conversation around the table - the kind where a friend answers questions like, “What’s your favourite thing to make?”

Get the Free Handout Here

Signing up adds you to her lovely weekly newsletter (you can unsubscribe anytime), and the free resource gives you everything you need to host your own - the invitation, the name-draw envelopes, the discussion questions, and all her tips.

The August Guest Creative has been postponed until January, 2027.

Coming in August: Journaling for Creative Nourishment with Jennifer Zarin, Thursday, August 6th, 11:00 am MDT

Join us in The Creativity Studio as Jennifer Zarin leads a session of mindful journaling prompts for creative nourishment.

​Jennifer has spent years witnessing what the page can hold, and she knows the quiet magic of journaling in community.

​There’s no right or wrong way to do this, and no experience is needed.

​Meet Jennifer: ​Jennifer was dubbed a Promptologist by one of her subscribers, and the name fits. She has nearly twenty years of experience as a mindful expressive writing and journaling facilitator, coach, and creative arts therapist. Jennifer is a writer and speaker with a background in theatre, and a singer and songwriter as well. She lives in New York City with her husband and three-year-old son. She is the Founder and Writer at Journal Your Path (journalyourpath.substack.com), a newsletter and intergenerational journaling community. Her work is rooted in connection and compassion, which makes her a natural fit for our August gathering in The Creativity Studio.

What to bring: ​A notebook, a pen you like, and a cozy spot to settle in.

I can’t wait to gather with you at the page. To receive the Zoom link, please register at the link below.

Come Journal with Us!

I hope you enjoyed another peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

✨This letter is for the reader who loves flowers in any form, growing in the garden, tucked in a teacup, or pressed flat and saved for later. And it's for the one who thinks she isn't creative, because I promise this project will change her mind. Everything here is simple on purpose. A few blooms, a hammer, an afternoon, and something beautiful to show for it. That's the kind of creativity I love best: easy on the hands, generous to the heart.✨

I had good intentions of delivering my flower pounding demo live on Substack this morning. Truth be told, I ran into some technical difficulties and decided to deliver it to you in a newsletter instead. I did go live, shared some behind-the-scenes challenges, and spoke about the difficulties I've been having and the Substack Live learning curve. I love going live. It's great practice, and I'll keep at it.

What is Flower Pounding?

Flower pounding is a natural art technique where you gently hammer fresh flowers or leaves onto fabric or paper. With each tap, the plant’s natural pigments are released, leaving behind delicate, one-of-a-kind botanical imprints.

This meditative craft invites us to slow down, connect with nature, and create something beautiful with our hands. No two pieces are ever the same.

You can use your imprints to make heartfelt cards, meaningful wall art, table placecards, gift tags, or simple keepsakes. All you need are a few blooms, some paper or fabric, and something to gently tap with.

🌿 Supplies

• Fresh flowers and leaves (see list below for what works best)

• Watercolor paper, cardstock, or fabric

• Paper towel (to place over the flowers)

• Parchment paper (to place on the cutting board)

• Hammer or mallet

• Hard, flat surface (like a cutting board)

• Tweezers (optional, for removing petal bits after pounding)

🌸 Flowers That Work Well

If gathering flowers ahead of time, here’s a little guidance on what works well:

• Pansies & Violas: high pigment, great detail

• Coreopsis: brilliant orange and yellow

• Cosmos: soft but vibrant imprint

• Ferns & Herbs: lovely shapes and greens

• Roses: juicy, but can bleed heavily

• Petunias: deep color, may need blotting

Flower Pounding on Paper

We tried this activity at one of the Kitchen Table gatherings last year. Each woman created a unique design using various flowers. Here are some samples of what we created. I love them.

Flower Pounding on Fabric

I love to pound flowers on fabric. I mostly use the imprints to make my slow-stitch cards. Here are a few examples.

This piece was made into a card by simply gluing the fabric onto a blank card. It carries so much meaning. I gifted it to my mom’s friend Ruth for her 100th birthday. Pansies are Ruth’s favorite flower. The blue fabric was cut from one of my mom’s wool jackets, and the floral blue from a napkin she lined her makeup basket with. The hearts, of course, signify their friendship and love for one another.

This piece was made for a card gifted to my sister. The yellow background is a vintage quilted piece of fabric that she gifted me. The pansy, her late husband’s favorite flower, was pounded on a piece of our Grandmother’s linen doily, and the lace is also from her stash.

Bonus: Pressed Flower Stickers

As a little bonus, I'm sharing the video from the live where we made pressed flower stickers together. I absolutely love to have a supply of stickers to attach to envelopes when you're sending out mail or giving a special occasion card. They're lovely in journals as well.

And with this letter, we almost wrap up our month of In Full Bloom in The Creativity Studio. What a month it has been. We made flower stickers, pounded petals into paper and fabric, gathered around the screen with Lise-Lotte Loomer to arrange floral bouquets and learn about Petal Potlucks (more on that to come soon). Simple projects, a few blooms, and so much joy along the way. Thank you for blooming right alongside me.

Before You Go: A Short Visualization

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

July 1, the garden asks you to slow down.

A note from The Garden -

A Flower Pause

Before we begin, I invite you to pause for a moment.

Take a look at the flower below.
(And, if you have a flower nearby, bring it close.)

Notice its color. Its shape. The tiny details you might normally rush past.

Take a slow breath in and imagine leaning close enough to catch its fragrance.

Flowers don’t hurry to bloom. They simply open when the time is right.

Take one more breath, and let this be enough, just for a moment. Carry this sense of presence with you as you continue.

Flowers don’t hurry to bloom. They simply open when the time is right.

I’d planned to open the doors this month for my newly remodelled virtual Canadian retreat center, The Hummingbird Nest. During construction, I followed the blueprints, added some beautiful touches along the way, and had my first inspection with Claire Venus of Sparkle on Substack. I’m a member of Claire’s Diamond membership, which offers a personalized annual Substack audit, a fresh set of eyes on everything I’ve built.

Claire had a few suggestions for further revisions, and so the doors will open a little later than planned. I’ve moved the Open House to September.

I’ll still carry the theme I’d chosen for it, In Full Bloom, right through this month instead.

Looking ahead to September, The Hummingbird Nest will open its paid membership. And if you’ve been wondering what that might look like, July is a beautiful preview. A Kitchen Table gathering, a Guest Creative session, Stillness Practices and Creative Invitations.

And as a bonus, the archive is free to visit for the months of July and August. Subscribe now so you don't miss a thing.

Subscribe now

The Kitchen Table, Friday, July 10th - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Our monthly gathering, live and in person around the table.

July at The Kitchen Table

Sharing again, from the archives

I arrived at July’s Kitchen Table theme in a very unusual way. Let me explain…

There’s a place at the table with your name on it. We’d love to have you join us!

Register for July's Kitchen Table

Pressed Flower Stickers, Substack Live, Monday, July 13 at 12:00 noon MDT

Snail mail is making a bit of a comeback. What better way to dress up a letter than with a handmade pressed flower sticker?

Join me live in The Creativity Studio as I demo an easy method for making your own. They’re perfect for decorating journals, envelopes, and anything else that could use a small, pretty touch.

If you’d like to make some along with me, here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies:

• Pressed flowers (Tip: smaller flowers work best)

• Parchment paper

• Packing tape (clear)

• Scissors

You’ll receive a separate email soon with an opportunity to add it to your calendar.

Flower Pounding, Substack Live, Thursday, July 16 at 12:00 noon MDT

I’ll return to The Creativity Studio and show you how to press color straight from petal to paper, an old technique with a lovely, unpredictable result.

If you’d like to make some along with me, here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies:

• Fresh flowers and leaves (see list below for what works best)

• Watercolor paper or cardstock

• Parchment paper (to place over the flowers)

• Hammer or mallet

• Hard, flat surface (like a cutting board)

• Tweezers (for removing petal bits after pounding) optional

• Masking tape (to hold flowers in place before pounding)

If gathering flowers ahead of time, here’s a little guidance on what works well:

🌸 Flowers That Work Well:

• Pansies & Violas, high pigment, great detail

• Coreopsis, brilliant orange/yellow

• Cosmos, soft but vibrant imprint

• Ferns & Herbs, lovely shapes & greens

• Roses, juicy, but can bleed heavily

• Petunias, deep color, may need blotting

You’ll receive a separate email soon with an opportunity to add it to your calendar.

July’s Guest Creative, Lise-Lotte Loomer,
In the Creativity Studio,
Monday, July 20 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm MDT

Lise-Lotte Loomer grows specialty flowers on an urban farm on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and she’s known for helping women find connection through creativity. She’s bringing the Petal Potluck to The Creativity Studio, a simple, beautiful idea for gathering friends around flowers.

Come on your own, learn the idea, and tuck it away for summer. More details coming soon in a separate note.

Register Here!

Flower Pot Cakes, July 23, A Creative Invitation delivered straight to your inbox.

I’ll be whipping up a batch of these special cakes for a July birthday, and on July 23rd I’ll share the tutorial to make your own.

I’m really looking forward to a month together In Full Bloom.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Gatherings in The Hummingbird Nest always begin with an arrival practice. Before you continue, I invite you to press play and join us.

How The Hummingbird Nest Found Its Name

The Hummingbird Nest grew out of research into hummingbirds themselves. They are in constant motion, beating their wings dozens of times per second, yet they still need rest, nourishment, and shelter to survive. That truth became the heart of this work.

Like the hummingbird, we are not meant to live on motion alone. We need places of rest. Moments of nourishment. Spaces where we can pause long enough to hear ourselves again.

The nest image followed naturally. A nest is small, tended, and built with care. It is not a destination you stay in forever, but a place you return to when you need rest. For those of us who have spent years caring for others, in our families, in our careers, in our communities, and who have often forgotten ourselves along the way, it feels like a beautiful place to return to. A space to land, to breathe, and to be nourished, before we take flight again.

The hummingbird also carries personal weight for me. Hummingbirds are often seen as messengers of joy, playfulness, and living life to the fullest, and I have always felt that connection. Two hummingbirds are carved into my wedding band, so the symbol was already woven into my story before it became the name of this retreat center. Using it as the logo connects my own history with the larger purpose, creating something that feels both deeply personal and easy to recognize.

Together, the name and the image carry the whole message. Rest is not the opposite of motion. It is what makes motion sustainable.

About the Guest Creative Series

Once a month, I open the doors of The Creativity Studio and invite a guest artist, maker, or creative practitioner to share with us. A skill to learn. A demo to watch. Something to make together.

Think of it less as a class and more as an afternoon in someone’s studio, where you are welcome to pull up a chair and try.

Some sessions will be live on Zoom, where we gather in real time. Others will arrive as a recorded video you can return to whenever the moment is right. Either way, the studio is open, and something is always being made.

For the creatives who join us, it is also an opportunity to share their work with a warm and growing community of women who appreciate handmade, thoughtful, and beautiful things.

If you are a maker, an artist, a teacher of something creative, and you would love to be a guest in the Studio, I would love to hear from you. Reply below and tell me a little about what you do.

June: We Painted Hummingbirds

This was the very first Guest Creative session at The Hummingbird Nest. And it felt right that we begin with this.

We painted a hummingbird.

Artist and watercolor coach Chris Vabre guided us through a 45-minute watercolor session. We began with the arrival practice, and then I shared the hummingbird story before we picked up our brushes.

Chris has a gift for helping students who don’t think they’re very good become confident painters. She believes your uniqueness is your superpower. And in that room, with brushes in hand and hummingbirds taking shape on the page, that felt entirely true.

Watch the Session

Guest Creative Sessions will eventually be part of The Hummingbird Nest membership. For now, you're warmly welcome to join as our guest.

The recording is available below. Come paint with us at your own pace.

What You’ll Need

Gather these simple supplies before you press play, and you’ll be ready to paint right along with Chris.

1. Watercolor paints

2. Watercolor paper. Chris uses a 5x7 sketchbook, which works beautifully. Any size works, though very small sizes can be tricky for beginners. Look for 140 lb / 300 g paper if you can.

3. A medium round watercolor brush. About three-quarter-inch bristles is a good guide.

4. Pencil and eraser. A polymer or kneaded eraser is ideal as it won’t leave marks on your paper.

5. One or two cups or jars of water for rinsing your brush.

6. Paper towels or a rag to wipe your brush between colors.

Gather a few friends, make a pot of coffee or tea, and paint a hummingbird together. It’s a beautiful way to connect. You might even serve a slice of Rhubarb & Orange Coffee Cake (recipe below).

If this session has sparked something in you and you’d like to explore watercolor painting further, Chris has a wonderful online community called The Watercolor Journey where you can continue at your own pace. You can find more of her work at octopusconnection.com.

Coming in July: Lise-Lotte Loomer

Our July Guest Creative is Lise-Lotte Loomer, a woman who has built her life around helping women find connection through creativity.

She lives with her family on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, on an urban flower farm where she grows specialty flowers for people to show their kindness in the world. She is the founder of Lise-Lotte Design and GEMs (Gathering Experiences that are Meaningful), an online community membership for women who want to be more creative and more connected in their everyday lives. She is the author of the book Greenhouse Hygge and creator of many courses, including her most recent, Creative Again. She also facilitates workshops and makes cyanotypes, a form of sun-printed art that came to her, as she says, Out of the Blue.

She is someone who tends things quietly and beautifully, flowers and women alike. I cannot wait to welcome her into the Studio.

Date and details will be announced soon.

It’s Rhubarb Season Where I Live

My creativity will take me to the kitchen this week; that is just as soon as I find someone willing to gift me some of their rhubarb.

I hope you enjoyed this peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Something is happening in The Creativity Studio next Saturday, June 13, and I wanted to make sure you knew.

This is the very first Guest Creative session at The Hummingbird Nest. And it felt right that we begin with this.

We’re going to paint a hummingbird.

Artist and watercolor coach Chris Vabre will guide us through a 45-minute watercolor session. We’ll begin with a short arrival practice to settle in, and I’ll share a little about the symbolism of the hummingbird before we pick up our brushes. Chris helps students who don’t think they’re very good become confident painters. She believes your uniqueness is your superpower.

You don’t need any experience. You just need to show up.

Saturday, June 13. 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT. Free and open to everyone.

Register Here!

Can’t make it live? The replay will be available afterward.

What to bring

• Watercolor paints. Chris will be using mostly pink and aqua, with some brown or gray.

• Watercolor paper, preferably 140 lb / 300 g. Chris will be using a 5 x 7 sketchbook. Very small sizes can be tricky for beginners.

• A medium round watercolor brush, about three-quarter-inch bristles.

• A pencil and eraser for sketching. A polymer or kneaded eraser works best.

• One or two cups or jars for water rinsing.

• Paper towels or a rag to wipe your brush.

About the Guest Creative Series

Once a month, I open the doors of The Creativity Studio and invite a guest artist, maker, or creative practitioner to lead us through something hands-on. A skill to learn. A process to explore. Something to make together.

Think of it less as a class and more as an afternoon in someone’s studio, where you are welcome to pull up a chair and try.

Some sessions will be live on Zoom, where we gather in real time. Others will arrive as a recorded video you can return to whenever the moment is right. Either way, the studio is open, and something is always being made.

For the creatives who join us, it is also an opportunity to share their work with a warm and growing community of women who appreciate handmade, thoughtful, and beautiful things.

If you are a maker, an artist, a teacher of something creative, and you would love to be a guest in the Studio, I would love to hear from you. Reply below and tell me a little about what you do.

Guest Creative sessions like this one will be a regular, once-a-month offering inside The Hummingbird Nest membership, launching soon. This first one is my gift to everyone.

I hope to see you there.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

A glass jar. A few found words. A tealight. This simple creative project takes less than an hour and leaves you with something luminous to carry into your stillness practice. No experience needed. Just curiosity and a quiet afternoon.

Warmly, Kathy

A Creative Invitation A Light Made Of Words

939KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Come in. Find a comfortable spot.

If you're like me, you have a mountain of journals waiting to hold your thoughts.

Today I gathered mine. Some from a drawer, some from a tote, a whole stack of them by my desk. I really wanted to run out and buy a brand new one, but that seemed silly with so many half-filled pages still waiting. So instead, I paused for an hour and made something.

I chose one journal and gave it a new beginning. A Receiving Journal, in honour of a beautiful practice I've been sitting with, incomplete, and begging for my attention. A 30-day quest to make room in your home, your body, and your life, for everything you've been calling in.

All month, I've been noticing both small and generous receivings already coming my way. Two hamburger buns from our local bakery, given with a smile and "these are on the house." A spa treatment, a gift from my daughter on our weekend away. Imagine what might come if I really leaned in.

Download the tutorial below; it will walk you through making your own. All you need is a journal, a little time, and a willingness to begin again.

Warmly, Kathy

PS.
The studio is always open. Come back whenever you feel like making something.
PSS. Journaling prompts are coming soon to The Garden. This makes the perfect companion. One practice opens the images. The other opens the words.

MY VISION JOURNAL COVER

Vision Journal Cover Tutorial

3.68KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

On a quiet afternoon, when your hands need something to do.

a note from the studio —

Today, I want to give you a little sneak peek inside The Creativity Studio.

Come in. Find a spot at the table.

There’s no agenda here. No project to finish by a certain time. No one watching to see how it turns out. Just an invitation to be creative.

The Creativity Studio is a simple place. A place where your hands get to do something just for the pleasure of it. You don’t need to be creative to be here. You just need to be curious. Or restless. Or in need of an hour that belongs entirely to you.

To begin, I’d like to offer you something I hope becomes a small ritual each time you visit. A glass jar. Some found words. A tealight. And a poem that is entirely yours, lit from within.

Download the PDF below, gather a few simple supplies, and make yourself something luminous.

Warmly, Kathy

PS. The studio is always open. Come back whenever you feel like making something.

A Creative Invitation A Light Made Of Words

939KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

A little of what’s ahead in The Creativity Studio

If something in you wants to make, you’ve come to the right place.

The Creativity Studio is just getting started, and in the weeks ahead I’ll be adding new creative invitations, some seasonal, some to mark the holidays, some for your home and celebrations, some just because. Consider what’s here right now your first taste.

What I’m especially excited about are the Guest Creatives. Once a month, I’ll be welcoming someone in for an up-to-one-hour session, and our first guest is watercolor coach Chris Vabre of Octopus Connection. Chris will be leading us in painting a hummingbird in watercolor. I know. Perfect, right?

Date and time coming very soon.

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website