Blog | Sarah Mattern

YOU

Sign up for occasional notes & doodles.

My Coding Cave

A Web Developer’s Rucksack

February 29, 2016

Ellie and Ben

Portraits + Landscapes

January 31, 2016

Oak Fitness Website Mockups

Share & Show

December 4, 2015

Shedding Light on Images

Illuminating images: 5 basic design tips

September 10, 2015

Creative Marathons

Creative Marathons

July 15, 2015

Visual Eavesdropping

Logos, logos, logos!

June 8, 2015

Bear Valley Map

Whimsical cartography

May 26, 2015

Six Basic Tips to Simplify Your Next Design

April 4, 2015

How to create a custom grid

How to create a column grid

April 4, 2015

Collections

organized mutterings

Creativity

inspiration to fuel your healthy creative habit

Simplicity

thoughts on a simple & sustainable life

Good Work

tips & tools for doing independent creative work you love

Behind the scenes

what's happening around here

One more day left! If you're in the vicinity of Li

One more day left! If you're in the vicinity of Livermore, consider ordering your spring garden veggie seedlings from Fertile GroundWorks and help support their good work feeding people and educating backyard gardeners. Order now and pick up and pay for your seedlings in April. The plant sale is here: fertilegroundworks.org/plant-sale

We had to say goodbye to our beloved Ringo last we

We had to say goodbye to our beloved Ringo last week, and we are feeling a bit lost without him. He was my near-constant companion for the past 13 years. I’ve never been as inspired about anything as I was to find him, and I knew when I saw him that he was ours (or, more aptly, we were his). He was curious, complicated, and loving, and he had a surprising sense of humor. He was far smarter and busier than we were. He would only let us cuddle him when all options for activity were exhausted (so, at midnight). He was shy around most people, but he loved our family and sneaking them kisses. His favorite thing was when we all worked in the garden— he would work too, barking at passing trucks and chasing bees. I know so many are grieving these days, and I don’t have much wisdom to offer, except this: hug your creatures, kiss your people, and plant some seeds. ❤️😘🌱

My New Year’s wish for you is a renewed and vibr

My New Year’s wish for you is a renewed and vibrant perspective that extends into all areas of your life. In that spirit, I’ve created a Vibrant Vision Grid to help you piece together what a beautiful, balanced life might look like. You can find it at sarahmattern.com/blog

This winter calls for blankets and tea on the couc

This winter calls for blankets and tea on the couch with a book that will transport you, calm you, and delight you (bonus points for laugh-out-loud humor and a furry friend by your side). There’s a short list of thoughtful, feel-good reads to cheer your winter at sarahmattern.com/blog. ❤️

Tomorrow morning, please consider giving a gift of

Tomorrow morning, please consider giving a gift of any amount to Fertile GroundWorks through the Community Health & Education Foundation (CHEF) website. CHEF will generously match gifts tomorrow only in honor of Giving Tuesday. Fertile GroundWorks grows 20K pounds of healthy food each year for those in need and, along the way, helps backyard farmers like me have greener thumbs. The garden (and the people in it) create a welcome sanctuary during difficult times. The link for tomorrow is: https://chefgivingcommunity.org/givingtuesday/

In the light of this morning’s full moon, I rece

In the light of this morning’s full moon, I received my first professional book review for Dust and Mud. It is a full, clear, and beautiful tribute to what I was hoping Dust and Mud could be for a reader (link in bio). It also reflects my designer-confusion over the cover! May you honor your own light and shadows today on this full moon eclipse Monday. Thank you @indie_reader!

Ah, this is what hope feels like. Hope for the fut

Ah, this is what hope feels like. Hope for the future of our country with new leaders talking about our hearts and our souls and our better natures…and our planet! (Also, there’s a new note about the endings and beginnings of other things at sarahmattern.com/blog)

If you’re looking for a good diversion during se

If you’re looking for a good diversion during serious times, I’d like to point you in the direction of Dust and Mud. That’s the novel I’ve been working on in my spare time over the past few years. It’s a story about people healing themselves when the world’s falling apart. (It also has an ecoterrorist attack, a corrupt agrochemical company, unlikely heroes, and a possible ghost!) You can find out more and read a preview at sarahmattern.com/dust-mud. And, if you have your own creative dream you’re pursuing, here’s my advice: keep going! You have it in you!

Sign up for occasional notes & doodles.

© 2021 Sarah Mattern