Some of my favorite things...

art supplies, activities, inspirations!

Hello dear readers. Thank you as always for being here. I hope that whatever corner of the world you find yourself in, you are experiencing the shifting of seasons and the beautiful opportunity this time offers for pause and reflection.

We’ve been gifted with incredibly cool weather the past couple of weeks here in Virginia. Usually the humidity and heat doesn’t really let up until October. It’s bringing in a sense of summer ending and autumn beginning, and with it all of the slowing down and reorganizing of nature, rhythms, and daily life.

I was inspired by

Emma Gannon

’s “65 things that have improved my life” list that she shared recently, and so I thought I’d share my own here. This is a non-ranked list of some favorite ways of being recently, favorite art supplies, favorite books, places, etc.

Please share in the comments if any of these happen to resonate with your own tried and true improvements!

I hope you enjoy.

Photo of me taken this summer by my talented friend Kathi

1. GOOD watercolor paint- from Case For Making. This beautiful San Francisco based shop creates all of their colors in a sweet little studio space above the shop. I got to help mix some beautiful colors with them last year, and their paints are my very favorite. If you’d like to get your own, you can use the code MOLLYPAINTS for 15% off your paint order!

1. Sturdy paper for holding layers of paint + colored pencil. These include legion stonehenge and arches hot pressed watercolor paper.

2. Fine brushes like princeton mini detailers for capturing all of those little details!

3. Going to the farmers market every week and seeing the same lovely growers/bakers/makers and community. I love the Birdhouse Farmers Market in Richmond.

4. Morning pages, every single morning for the past 10+ years.

5. Warm lemon water before coffee first thing in the morning.

6. Walks around the river, the parks and the trees everyday. Also, neighborhood walks around my own hood, the Fan.

7. Keeping my cell phone out of the bedroom always. It is a space for rest, not for notifications.

8. Keeping an altar space that I spend time at daily…saying gratitudes/prayers, reflecting on hopes, desires, and my connection to something larger/unseen.

9. Growing sungold tomatoes in my garden this summer. The easiest little tomatoes that just keep producing and are so sweet!

10. An instant pot. My husband and I mainly use it to cook rice and make bone broth, but it really does have so many options and creative opportunities for use.

11. Colored pencils from Prismacolor. I have the big set so I have ALL of the colors.

12. Reading fiction that takes me away from my current day to day. Currently reading The Madonna Secret by Sophie Strand and am OBSESSED.

13. Truly anything that Martha Beck creates. Her books (The Way of Integrity really changed my life), teachings and podcasts.

14. Using flower essences daily (and learning about how to make my own via Asia Suler)

15. Plants! All things plants. They greatly improve my life and bring so much beauty and magic.

16. Making my food look beautiful, no matter what the occasion or how small the meal or snack. Spending time creating a plate of food that feels like art elevates the whole experience and I feel more mindful and grateful as I eat whatever I have prepared.

17. Speaking of mindfulness, any meditations lead by Tara Brach. Her voice is so soothing, her messages so worthwhile.

18. Signing up for a city compost pick up service. I never feel bad about our waste when I know it is going back to the earth. And this service provides a large 5 gallon bucket that is picked up and replaced with a fresh clean one every two weeks. You also receive credits that you can use to get fresh compost for your garden.

19. Nice handmade pottery that I use daily. Coffee mugs like this one.

20. Muji pens. IYKYK.

21. These Midori journals that I use for my morning pages. I love the paper and having blank pages so my words and drawings can move around without the limitation of lines.

22. Creating little bouquets out of herbs from my garden that I keep on my kitchen counter, especially when they start flowering.

23. Whats app voice notes instead of texts…especially for international friend connections, but even for local friends too.

24. This carrying case for my art supplies when I am on the go and traveling.

25. A lightbox for tracing the beginning outline of my paintings with. It saves A TON of time and helps with accuracy of scale (if that is a concern for you).

26. Saunas + cold showers paired together. I also love a good cold plunge pool and wish we had one in my city! But for now I use the sauna at my gym and alternate sessions in the heat with a cold shower. It really does feel incredible.

27. Epsom salt baths at least 3 times a week.

28. Having a women’s circle I meet with regularly. This is not just a little thing but a HUGE thing that has brought major improvement and joy into my life. I do not know who I’d be without the women I love in my life.

29. Cleaning with essential oils. Using them to dust and mop, adding them to cleaning supplies and dryer balls to add nice natural scents. My favorites are eucalyptus and geranium together.

30. Abhyanga self oiling massage. I learned how to do this from my dear friend Charlotte who is an ayurvedic practitioner and the queen of self care.

31. Getting into bed by 9:30. I LOVE getting into bed early.

32. Laying on the bare earth, whether to read or picnic or just rest.

33. Spending time by natural bodies of water, like the river here in Richmond.

34. Humming while I paint. It brings me into a different part of my brain that feels more fluid and soft.

35. The Emerald Podcast and study group.

36. Garth Stevenson’s songs to move and dance to and fall in love with over and over again.

37. Long hugs.

38. Being outside during sunset time, even if I can’t see all of the sunset from the city streets.

39. Yoga, especially hot yoga at Humble Haven here in Richmond.

40. A home espresso machine. It feels like Christmas every morning.

41. Perfecting homemade matcha lattes. My go to is Paromi matcha powder with oatmilk and maple syrup.

42. Homemade extra dirty martinis enjoyed sitting on the front porch with my pup and husband at the golden hour time, between 5-6ish, before cooking dinner.

43. Ruff Canine Dog club. This is a dog park that our pup loves and is really the only space in the city she can run around in and be free with other pups.

44. Celladora Wines. I don’t go here enough, but I love the food more and more every single time.

45. Amy Chaplin’s almond cake recipe with all of the variations. Most recently, the black sesame and plum variation.

46. Ishtara movement practice with Casee. This practice really changed my life and I come back to movement for processing my emotional states over and over again. It is so expressive, permission-giving, and creative.

47. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. She is an incredibly inspiring teacher in my life.

48. Wiser than Me podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Especially the episodes with Jane Fonda and Bonnie Raitt.

49. Bath County + Highland county, Virginia. So many beautiful rivers, walks, spaces, AND some of my closest friends including Troddenvale Cider.

50. Tahini. It’s one of my favorite foods. Specifically this brand from New Zealand, but also this one is great too.

51. Softserve!

52. New Zealand.

53. Hawaii.

54. New Orleans.

55. Coastal Maine.

56. Smoked oysters with good sourdough bread. Can’t beat it.

57. Silk pajamas from Lunya (I got a pair thrifted on poshmark that are soooo lovely).

58. Rose water spray spritzed on my face whenever I need a refresher.

59. A Berkey water filter.

60. Snuggling with my dog. Allowing me to kiss her as many times as I want. :)

61. Poems written by Mary Oliver and John O’Donohue.

62. Monthly horoscopes from Ethereal Culture.

63. Working with a really good scanner to scan my original paintings. It makes such a huge difference for when it comes to making prints.

64. Using fresh spring water to paint with (and drink) from the wayside spring in Richmond. It’s a magical hidden little spring (shhh!).

65. Substack! for getting to connect with you all and read so much good content.

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Some Announcements!

Art Residency

I’ll be heading to Europe in a couple of weeks where I will be visiting Amsterdam for the very first time (with my husband for our anniversary! Please send recs!), and then heading to Tuscany to the Villa Lena Foundation where I will be in residency for the entire month of October. This is a dream come true kind of opportunity. If you happen to be in Tuscany this fall, come take a watercolor workshop with me either at Villa Lena OR! a special half day workshop with Chef Emiko Davies on October 20th! Find out more information about this watercolor workshop + beautiful market visit and lunch here.

Market Produce from the San Miniato Market

During my stay at Villa Lena I will be sharing week to week with you all about my time there. What I am creating, what I am discovering, how I am playing creatively. My normal substack offering will change for October only, so no monthly interview for paid subscribers, and no mini paintings, but instead more shared about the residency experience itself.

*FLASH SALE*

To get ready for my upcoming travels and clear out some of the prints hanging out in my studio, I am holding a flash sale starting today! (9/11) going through tomorrow, Thursday 9/12 at midnight EST. Use the code ILOVEFALL to take 15% off any order. This discount code works on all print purchases.

Apricot Print

Thank you for all of the presale orders coming in for the 2025 illustrated calendar! I recently shared the process that my friend Anna uses for making her letterpress prints in my instagram stories which you can see here in the highlights. For those who ordered on 8/20 you will receive one of these beautiful moon prints with your order. If you are interested in purchasing one of these, reach out to Anna directly, and also I may have a few for sale at some in-person holiday markets coming in November and December.

Moon Prints made by Anna Thompson

Holiday Markets will be announced in October for all of those local to the east coast who want to come out and say hey :)

Thank you for reading through all of this! And thank you again for being here.

xx Molly