I was cleaning and organizing my studio the other day, sorting through old pens and supplies, when I realized that most of my pens no longer worked. The only ones that consistently showed up were my Sharpies and Grabie pens—including the black and white ones I reach for all the time.

Of course, that sent me down a rabbit hole.

I started searching online for the best paint pens and markers, reading reviews and watching comparisons. Interestingly, Sharpie and Grabie kept coming out on top. Along the way, I even discovered a new black and white pen with different tip sizes that received glowing reviews. Needless to say, I added it to my list to try.

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of organizing, cleaning, and simply exploring my supplies. It’s what I find myself doing when creating feels a little too heavy or when life feels overwhelming.

As I shared last week, when creating seems hard—or life feels hard—the best thing we can do is the easiest thing.

Don’t worry about what might come from the playing you’re doing. Just play.

If an idea begins to emerge, follow it. Explore it. Don’t worry about the outcome. Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to plan every step. Just create.

That’s exactly what happened on this journal page.

I made dots and dashes. I splashed watercolor. I added marks and layers. I could have kept going and made a million more marks, but instead I simply stayed with the process until everything that was swirling around in my heart had a chance to work its way through my hands and onto the page.

This little Molly journal is teaching me so much—not just about art, but about my own creative process.

These pages don’t look like my typical style, and yet I have needed every single moment spent creating in this journal. Each page has become a small act of showing up. A small act of healing.

And when I finish a page, I feel a sense of accomplishment.

When life feels like too much, getting one thing done can feel incredibly meaningful. It gives me something to hold onto. It helps me focus for a little while. And often, it gives me enough momentum to take the next step.

So if you’re feeling stagnant in your art, or overwhelmed by life, give yourself permission to play.

Don’t worry about making something beautiful.

Instead, ask yourself what sounds fun. What makes you curious. What brings you a little bit of joy.

Then follow that.

I hope you enjoy the process.

Always remember you are so LOVED. 🩷

Stencils used: These will be on sale

• Stepping Stones 5×8
• Stars 2 5×8
• Cobblestone 5×8