At the beginning of the year, I made a quiet promise to myself: to begin each morning with a small watercolor painting — nothing grand or complicated — simply a daily ritual to reconnect with creativity, joy, and gratitude.

Twelve months, three hundred and sixty-five paintings, and some very well-loved paintbrush later… I did it.

In a world of instant messages, quick scrolling, and endless distractions, showing up day after day felt like a quietly radical act. But somewhere along the way, this project became more than a checklist. It became an anchor — a creative compass — a reminder that beauty lives in the smallest of moments if we simply slow down long enough to notice them.

A Year in Themes

Each month carried its own story — a different way of seeing the world:

From cozy teacups and jam jars to delicate florals and vintage stamps, these tiny paintings became love letters to everyday life. Each theme opened new possibilities — new palettes, textures, memories, and moments of joy.

Paintings with Heart

Some of my favorite pieces appeared unexpectedly — small compositions that felt deeply personal, often blending my time spent in England with my American roots. A bright red Royal Mail postbox beside a classic American LOVE stamp. A lineup of biscuits and cookies: Jammie Dodgers, Bourbons, chocolate chips — each one a tiny nod to nostalgia.

Painting familiar objects turned into an unexpected kind of storytelling — almost like keeping a visual diary. They weren’t just paintings; they were memories, chapters, and pieces of myself recorded on paper.

Beauty in the Margins

This daily practice changed more than just the pages of my sketchbook. It reminded me that creativity doesn’t always require grand plans or perfect conditions. Often it lives quietly — in margins, rituals, routines — in those peaceful pockets of time that gently hold us together.

That philosophy carries through everything I create at Daydream Paper Studio: thoughtful details, intentional craftsmanship, art that invites you to slow down.

Watercolor — much like letterpress — teaches patience. It asks you to trust the process, work with the medium instead of against it, release perfection, and welcome the unexpected. And perhaps above all, it encourages you to notice the magic tucked inside small things.

What Comes Next

This project grew into something I never initially intended, and I love that about it.

Out of these daily paintings, I’ve created a new exclusive wholesale collection of greeting cards and notecard sets… with plans to introduce mini cards, art prints, and notepads in the future. It wasn’t the direction I expected — my heart still adores letterpress (always will!) — but this journey unfolded naturally, and I followed where it led.

If you’d like to browse some the collection, you can find it over on Faire or more information here.

And yes — I loved it so much that… I’m doing it again next year.

A fresh box of watercolor paper, ready to be painted.
A new season of color.
Another quiet invitation to show up.

Until Next Time…

Whether you’re working toward something big or simply trying to find beauty in the everyday, I hope this year of painting encourages you to create something purely for the pleasure of creating.

Because sometimes, the smallest rituals end up telling the biggest stories.

If you’d like to wander through the year a little more slowly, you can explore a gallery of my favourite paintings from each month — a quiet visual journal of color, seasons, and small moments.

And for the full story behind this daily practice, you can also read back through the earlier reflections from the beginning, through Spring and as Summer turned into Fall.

However you choose to explore, thank you for being part of this year of watercolor with me.