Water cools and refreshes all that it encounters. From blooming flowers to splashing puppies…the valley is in balance. Joy blooms unceasingly.

Welcome! Pour yourself a glass of nice, ice-cold water, and set yourself down for a bit. It’s time for a little front porch gossip… not the bad kind, just a little conversation about an incredibly busy and productive week. I hope your week was good too.

Spending time outdoors is good for everyone, but it is something I haven’t had the luxury to do since shoveling snow all last winter—and no I do not miss the snow!  This week, however, my brother stopped by to trim the bushes, and my father finally agreed to sit outside for a while. With two of us keeping watch, I was able to tackle a yard task that had lingered on my list for two summers. It always feels good to cross something off. 

That sense of progress carried into the studio as well. Even minor setbacks opened new avenues of learning. Each week that passes is more grounding, and  every trial overcome is encouraging. Not all negatives turn into positives, but this week was all about positive, forward motion.

One example was untangling outdated Etsy information. I had taken a course two years ago, but much of it was already four years behind Etsy’s changes. I wasn’t aware of those updates…until now.  Etsy changed—the course didn’t.

The problem is fixed, and that knowledge kept me busy with my Etsy listings.  Pixelmator Pro continues to be my go-to program, helping me design consistent mock up backgrounds and thumbnails. That consistency makes the listing process faster and easier. My listings are now structured to better follow Etsy’s current search and listing practices.

Speaking of search and listing practices, I also discovered that auto renewing my Etsy listings was a poor choice.  I’m switching every listing to manual renewal, and creating a fresh listing each time an item expires using the copy feature. This simple change, gives each item a better chance of being seen. Little things really do mean a lot.

And that little change kept me busy! I manually relisted 16 existing listings using the copy feature. It may not sound like the most exciting studio work, but it was an important step forward—and one more thing I’ve learned about running an Etsy shop.

And speaking of little things, I worked on about a half dozen little things! Each one was an autumn leaf…exactly 6 to be precise. Using Sketchbook, I have painted a pretty complete autumn season, from the first change to the end of the season, a kaleidoscope of color.  Each project guides my hand toward new techniques and leaves me eager to learn so much more

On Thursday I finished the very last leaf—the end-of-season leaf. But my heart wouldn’t let that be the end.  Another idea quickly developed: each leaf  is a work of art on its own, but together they tell a story. That story now takes shape as a border.

Pixelmator Pro proved invaluable again. Each time I work within that program I learn so much more. I used it to prepare the files for Etsy downloads, and to  create the beautiful, foliage border.

You can click here to see this autumn leaves bundle. The listing includes downloads for the leaves sized at 3.5 inches and 1.75 inches… useful sizes for crafters. The border sheet will be listed separately, but  I’m also giving it as a free bonus to anyone who purchases the bundle.

As a gift to my Evergreen Yuletide subscribers, the border sheet is available  in your Secret Garden. The leaf border is assembled in three sizes on one sheet of paper. Making your crafting projects simpler is a desire that I keep in my heart with every design. 

Meanwhile, Bernie’s story is moving into production thanks to Apple pages. This program shines in ways that make Microsoft Word look like a typewriter. 

My illustration for the inside cover is placed alongside a simple border designed in Sketchbook. The title page features a beautiful book plate border crafted to reflect both Evergreen Yuletide and Evergreen Valley. I hope to report even greater progress next week as more time will be dedicated to this project.

I love being productively busy, and this week filled that desire. Manually relisting  sixteen Etsy listings, creating studio artwork, learning more about each program that I use, spending one afternoon outdoors, and maintaining the care and time that I spend with my father has made for a very rewarding week. I hope yours was too.

Looking ahead, I have plans to curate some designer artwork to meet your crafting needs. Someday, I hope to paint all of my own artwork, but for now I will carefully curate material to provide you with choice embellishments at affordable prices. I hope to share more with you next week.

Puzzle piece and story card number 17 share a double delight—or perhaps a  double tease! With this piece you see glimpses of the next two dogs along with more pleasant views from the valley. As always, both are available to download, and each piece helps build a beautiful place.

If you’re just joining us, all the pieces are available. At Evergreen Yuletide, we begin whenever you start.

🧩 Puzzle Piece and Story Card

Don’t forget to click below to receive your newest puzzle piece featuring glimpses of two personalities. Your story card is also ready, describing another beautiful vision of the valley and celebrating this week’s tease.

Be sure to visit Inspiration Gallery as well. I’ve decided the gallery will now hold your completed coloring pages — whether they’re colored by you, your child, or another generation of your family. If the page comes from your Secret Garden, you’re welcome to share your finished gift here, adding your touch to the gallery’s growing collection.

📧 Stay in Touch and Claim Your Gifts

Do you have a need for a special product that you cannot find anywhere? My studio awaits your request! You can always send me an email at: paula@evergreenyuletide.com

⛲️ Newsletter and Your Garden Gifts

By signing up to receive my weekly newsletter, if you so choose, you will be given the password that opens Your Secret Garden. You can always access the garden by clicking on the golden key at the bottom of this post. Within that garden, you will find every gift that has been given since the inception of this blog. Nothing ever leaves—it is ready when you are.

Gently tapping the below images brings you to your treasure chest and magical book. The newest button takes you to Inspiration Gallery—a great place to view the work of your Creative Kindred Spirits. Don’t forget, you can always email me a photograph of something you’ve created with one of my products, or send in a colored coloring book page that was shared with you in the garden. I would love to feature it in the gallery.

🌞 Closing Reflection

I’ll be thinking about throughout the week. Meet me here again next week—same porch with new stories to share. Let’s celebrate the joys of last week by embracing new joys this week. Purposely make the most of every perfectly imperfect moment. Until next week…