My Artist Friend

When I realized that all of my projects were long term and taking foreverrrrr to finish, I figured out a way to turn things around, make some dopamine and keep things rolling when things felt hard.

My Artist Friend with Becky Helms is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Finding Myself Unbalanced

* What projects I had going

* Two quilts that I started last year

* baste, quilt, trim, make binding (least favorite) and hand sew the binding

* 2025 goals

* make clothes, both sewn and crocheted

* make a giant quilt (getting that long-armed at least)

* House projects:

* Dining room renovation

* drywall spackled

* prime and paint

* pick out a light fixture

* call electrician to install

* Fix up office/guest room

* paint

* build a custom built in desk

* build a custom murphey bed

* build custom shelving

* style and organize

* buy a new office chair (huge undertaking by itself)

* Rearrange my kid’s room

* swap out dressers

* new art on the wall

* move all lego bricks and sets back to the basement

* expand library shelving or move some books to the family room

* add storage to closet

* General tidying and downsizing

* All of that was on top of my perpetual to-dos

* laundry

* dishes

* cookies

* cleaning

* keeping my child alive

* Even my crossword puzzles take multiple days to finish!

* How I felt

* My brain will run down the list and rearrange priorities all throughout the day

* Obviously overwhelmed 🫠

* Constantly disappointed in myself for not having these things complete already

* Guilt spiral 🌀

Finding the Balance

* How I started to fix it

* Recognize that it’s happening

* Name how it’s making you feel

* Notice how it makes your body feel

* Go touch grass 🌷

* Get a quick win

* Making earrings was my quick win project

* Small projects, easily completed, start to finish, in one sitting

* Get that hit of dopamine!

* Schedule bits of time to work on your big projects

* Maybe it’s obvious, but my pinball brain needs it on the calendar (even if I move it around)

* Break down the big project into all the little parts. Ambiguity will stall any project for me.

* Bake in rewards for making progress

* Cut out all your quilt pieces? Get a donut! 🍩

* Sanded down all the spackle in your drywall? Buy a book! 📚

* Tidied the family room and it’s ready for a new rug? Go wander the thrift store!

* Reframe and Carry on

* Release yourself from any guilt. Finishing a project doesn’t make you morally better than anyone else, just like not finishing it doesn’t mean a garbage person. Rein in your brain. She’s mean.

* Make a list of quick win projects and dopamine generator or dynamo if you will. Keep this where you can access it easily - notes on your phone, notion doc, post-it in your kitchen - so you can pull from it when you need

* Regularly check-in on your goals to reassess and alter if you need.

Links

* Newsletter: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/shadow-cats-and-realizations

* Personal Projects Update episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/19-personal-project-catch-up-with

* Q1 Goals & Panning episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/14-q1-goals-and-planning-check-in

* Creative Retrospective episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/6-becky-2024-creative-retrospective

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

It’s time to Snart it up with Printmaking! I’m so excited to print and stamp my way through May! Keep reading for inspirational artists and books, plus lots of activities and project ideas to keep you busy all month long.

Also, apologies for saying “little owl workshop” so many times! It’s Yellow Owl!! My brain short-circuited, but all the links are correct below.

My Artist Friend with Becky Helms is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Artists

* Landry McMeans - Uses the stencil technique to create her screen prints.

* https://www.landrymcmeans.com/shop/p/18x-24-bluebonnet-on-fawn-paper

* Renee Fly - Her linocut patterns are modern and can be used on different types of materials: paper, tea towels and fabric

* https://www.instagram.com/studioflygurl/?hl=en

* Kathleen Neely - Her relief printing has such beautiful linework and texture.

* https://www.kathleenneeley.com/

* Callie Barbas - Another relief printer, using linoleum, who makes moon phase calendars and more

* https://www.calliebarbasart.com/shop-block-prints?page=2

* Favianna Rodriguez - Interdisiplinary artist, she combines multiple techniques, including collage and printmaking

* https://favianna.com/

Books

* The Printmaking Bible by Ann D’Arcy Hughes

* https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781797221601

* Silkscreen is Easy by Little Friends of Printmaking

* https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781947322080

* Printmaking by Dana Meachen Rau

* https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781633623736

* https://www.getepic.com/book/26022955/printmaking

* Yellow Owl’s Little Prints: Stamp, Stencil, and Print Projects to Make for Kids by Christine Schmidt

* https://yellowowlworkshop.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopID8_MwyAkjHa-PfphxOXpaTw_jZMzopvUApg3fMgfDf2GAY2Y

* https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9780770433642

* https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/yellow-owls-little-prints-truly-original-kid-friendly-projects-from-yellow-owl-workshop_christine-schmidt/38323253/#edition=7794921&idiq=19215057

* Cats in Ukiyo-E: Japanese Woodblock Print of Utagawa Kinoyoshi by Nobuhisa Kaneko

* https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9784756242877

* Anything Ukiyo-e. Hokusai is my favorite.

Activities

* Visit a Museum or checkout online exhibitions:

* National Museum of Asian Art: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/exhibitions/the-print-generation/

* MoMA: https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1153?

* MoMA: https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1226?

* Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers: https://www.re-printmakers.com/exhibitions/40/works/

* Print together with friends! Great way to used materials and contain the mess.

* Go on a nature walk to gather objects to print with

Projects

* Carve pink rubber eraser stamps. Similar to linocuts!

* https://thisistucson.com/tucsonlife/pink-eraser-art-project-serena-rios-mcrae-cactus-clouds-art-tucson/article_52b018f2-0b9c-11ee-808a-4b04c1c49531.html

* Print with food - apples, or anything you can bisect. Make sure they’re not too juicy

* https://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/summer-ideas/vegetable-stamping/https://pin.it/P7frg09l6

* https://pin.it/P7frg09l6

* Potato printing - Use fabric ink or fabric block ink if you want to print on fabric. Great for tea towels, aprons, tote bags and thicker fabric, but totally fine for shirts as well.

* https://thegreenmadhouse.com/diy/how-to-make-a-potato-stamp-block-print

* https://thehousethatlarsbuilt.com/2020/05/diy-block-printing-with-potato.html/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social

* Foam shapes - use premade foam shapes (or use foam strips to make your own shapes) and glue them to a hard surface, like cardboard or scrap wood and use as a stamp.

* https://www.robenmarie.com/blog/crafting-your-own-custom-foam-stamps-a-diy-tutorial

* https://thegraphicsfairy.com/how-to-make-diy-roller-stamps/

*

* Use everyday objects in your house: sponges cut to shape, brushes, plastic cutlery, bubble wrap, etc. If you don’t mind getting it messy, give it a try.

* https://lyndaheines.com/2019/04/24/printing-with-found-objects/

* Lego Printing! Use a baseplate and small, flat Lego bricks to make a design. Ink them with a roller and use a brayer to transfer the ink. This requires a few more supplies, but you can use them over and over. https://ogdencontemporaryarts.org/oca-artist-factory-the-diy-edition/

* Use wine corks and cut simple, small designs to use as stamps. I got a bunch from Scrap Creative Reuse in Ann Arbor!

* https://designmom.com/perfect-gift-cork-stamps/#more-22188

* Pencil erasers can be used for detail, or rubber-banded together to make little flowers.

* https://www.craftoart.com/2011/10/bundle-pencil-eraser-stamping.html

* Wrap a woodblock in string. That’s it!

* See what you can recycle! Tape tubes and toilet rolls make great circular patterns and you can cut them up and fold them in creative ways for even more shapes/

* https://pin.it/6Msxgektw

Links

* Newsletter: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/s/newsletter

* Previous Snart Episodes:

https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/10-becky-snart-snackart-afterschool

https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/12-snart-theme-for-february-with

https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/16-snart-theme-for-march-with-becky

https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/20-snart-theme-for-april-with-becky

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Let’s get in to Q2! Spring has finally sprung up in Michigan and I’m ready to make good some of these goals that have been haunting me since the beginning of the year.

My Artist Friend with Becky Helms is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Personal Goals for Spring

* Garden

This is my year to really start experimenting with our yard. There’s a lot to clean up and I have no idea what I’m doing, I’m excited to get started.

* Visit a Botanical Garden

There are two beautiful botanical gardens in Ann Arbor and I want to visit them both this spring! https://mbgna.umich.edu/

* Walk Every Day

This is me making a commitment to go outside every day (weather permitting 😬) because I need to touch grass. Also, I’m obsessed with the Merlin App lol: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

* Send Snail Mail

I have a treasure trove of “just because” cards that I’ve been collecting and they’re going in the mail this spring!

Professional Goals for Spring

* Open a Print-on-Demand Shop

I’ve been talking about it long enough, but it’s getting done by the end of May! This is a pretty big undertaking, but I think it could be really fun.

* Create a New Newsletter for Paid Substack Subscribers

Between recording and editing I decided what my new feature is going to be! I’m going to try out do different crafts from our Snart theme for the month. I used to have a DIY blog and this feels like a full circle moment. What do you think?!

Links

* Newsletter: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/s/newsletter

* Tulip Farm Instagram Reel:

* Personal Projects Update episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/19-personal-project-catch-up-with

* Q1 Goals & Panning episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/14-q1-goals-and-planning-check-in

* Creative Retrospective episode: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/6-becky-2024-creative-retrospective

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, we’re talking about some concrete things you can do to support your favorite small businesses and indie artists right now because the tariffs are stressing everyone out.

These feel like obvious things to me, but I wanted to emphasize the importance of each of these things you can do and to just put them in the forefront of your mind. If we do these things with intention, we can make a huge difference in the lives of artists and small businesses. Let’s build them up!!

My Artist Friend with Becky Helms is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

How to Support Small Businesses and Artist Right Now

* Buy their work, duh!

* If you’re looking for anything new right now, think about your local businesses and favorite artists first.

* With the tariffs being so volatile, it’s hard for indie businesses to commit to new inventory or restocks, so buying what they have in stock now is a huge help.

* Subscribe to their Patreon, Pin Clubs, Substack or Ko-Fi!

* Recurring income is so helpful for small businesses and can give them more stability during a difficult time.

* There are also one time tip jars or lower level subscription tiers that can cost you less than $10 a month.

* Follow their shops on social media and engage!

* Like, comment, share - all of that has a HUGE impact on how many folks see your favorite artists’ posts on social media.

* Your engagement can help get a small business in front of folks who might not have seen them otherwise.

* Subscribe to their emails and open them!

* With algorithms being the way that they are, this is the best way to hear about new products and updates.

* And opening and engaging with the emails also helps the business’s deliverability.

* Share their shops with your friends and family!

* Your opinion matters to the people in your life and you know what your people like, so you’re kind of the best person to recommend things to them.

* Word of mouth and building community is an essential way for us all to get through these hard times.

Links

* Newsletter: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/s/newsletter

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, we’re doing a little spring cleaning. This episode is for personal projects and for business owners. If you’re not a business owner, you can skip the last half, but if you are, I’ve got a few good nuggets of info to help you spring clean your shop!

Below is the outline I used while making the podcast. I thought it would be beneficial to include it her on Substack just incase you’d rather read than listen.

My Artist Friend with Becky Helms is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Links

Podcast episodes mentioned:

* Creative Retrospective Episode

* Carla of Shark City Slicker Episode

* Danny Brito Episode

Websites mentioned:

* To compress .jps: https://tinyjpg.com/

* To compress .pngs: https://tinypng.com/

Personal Projects De-Clutter

* Listen to the Creative Retrospective episode #6

* What works, what doesn’t work, what needs some tweaking?

* What is fulfilling to you mentally, physically, spiritually?

* Take time to journal or just think on these questions.

* Decide what projects you want to concentrate on and organize

* Do you have half-finished projects that you want to finally see through?

* Are there half-finished projects you want to let go of? Things you tried that didn’t really click?

* Organize in a way that makes it easy for you to pick up and go.

* Clean out supplies and donate to a reuse store

Basic Product Based Business Audit

* Website Audit

* Do your available products match your inventory?

* Are there new photos you could take? Can you compress your photos? Do your photos have alt tags for accessibility and SEO?

* Are your menus and collections up to date? Can you make it easy for folks to find what they need in three clicks or less?

* Inventory Audit

* Sort your inventory by best to worst sellers and determine what’s moving and what’s stagnant. Can you have a sale? Is there enough for a mystery box promotion? Can you add slow sellers as a ‘free with purchase’ to move it out?

* What do you like making vs. what’s selling well? Gauge your interest with your customers’.

* Space Audit

* Just clean your workspace! Are there products that still need to be packaged? Props from the last photoshoot hanging around? Is your desk a nightmare? Take a day to reset your space. You might even find extra inventory!

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

It’s time to Snart it up, y’all! I think these are my most favorite episodes to make because I get to do research, learn about new artists and brain dump a ton of project ideas. Ideal!

If you’re not sure what Snart is, start here:

* https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/10-becky-snart-snackart-afterschool

* https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/12-snart-theme-for-february-with

* https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/16-snart-theme-for-march-with-becky

This episode is all about paper mâché and I get really stoked about the project ideas at the end lol. I’m determined to do more regular making this month!

Below is the outline I used to make the episode, in case you can’t listen and don’t want to mess the transcript. Plus, it’s nice to see the project list broken down! Enjoy!

(There are a ton of links and some might be affiliate links.)

Why this craft

* I get the newspaper and have been saving it and there’s just so much lol.

* It’s super accessible with just paper, cardboard, cornstarch (or flour or glue) and water.

* There’s no limit to what you can make!

Basic Recipe: https://new.artsmia.org/virtual-open-studios/papier-mache-paste

Artists for Inspiration

* Stephen Hansen - http://www.stephenhansen.com/

* Gemma Toccogna - http://www.papiermache.co.uk/gallery/artist/247/

* corrie beth makes - https://substack.com/@corriebethmakes?r=38zey5&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile & templates: https://www.etsy.com/shop/corriebethmakes

Books for Inspiration

* Paper Mache: The Ultimate Guide to Learning How to Make Paper Mache Sculptures, Animals, Wildlife and More! - by Andrea Gundrum - https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781511415149

* Papier Mache: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating More Than a Dozen Adorable Projects! - by Sarah Hand - https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781633228924

* Paper-Mache Masks - by Jane Yates - https://bookshop.org/a/112122/9781499482355

* Blog posts by Jennifer Perkins - https://jenniferperkins.com/easy-diy-paper-mache-bowls/ & https://jenniferperkins.com/marbling-with-paper-mache/

* Web Resource - http://www.papiermache.co.uk/

Activities To Do

* Visit a museum with paper mâché exhibits.

* Learn about La Cartoneria the traditional Mexican paper art -

* Get together with friends so the mess is more contained and you can collaborate on something big!

Projects to Make

A non-exhaustive list of things you can make with paper mâché!

* Jewelry

* dangle earrings

* brooches

* pendants

* necklaces

* beads

* Home

* wall hangings

* frames

* mobiles

* busts

* vases

* urns

* trinket dishes

* bowls

* platters

* mail or kids art baskets

* paper chain

* Art Pieces / Sculptures

* giant food

* stationery items (Homerunballerina’s pencil)

* animals

* portraits of people

* small art toy like sculptures

* sculpture of your favorite books

* a box in the shape of books to hide your remotes and cords

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, we’re having a chat about some projects I’ve got in the works. Multiple home projects, crafting projects that I want to finish and a couple of work projects that I’ve been mulling over for a good long while. Let’s chat!

LINKS

Some things I mentioned:

Podcast Episode with Taylor Hart: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/17-crochet-pivoting-and-mom-life

Snart theme for March: https://beckyhelms.substack.com/p/16-snart-theme-for-march-with-becky

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thebeckyhelms/_saved/

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, I’m chatting about books that live rent-free in my head. I’ve broken them down into three categories: Creative books, Business/Self-Improvement books, and Personal favorite books. I love to chat about books, even though I might not be a very good reviewer, because I’m just here for the vibes.

LINKS

Books mentioned: (these may be affiliate links, but feel free to find them anywhere!)

* Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

* The Artist Way by Julia Cameron

* Mid-Century Modern Graphic Design by Theo Inglis

* Colorful Living by Rachel Mae Smith

* We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers

* Playing Big by Tara Mohr

* Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

* Graphic Artists Guild Handbook by the Graphic Artists Guild

* The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

* Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

* Alias Grace - by Margaret Atwood

* A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, my artist friend is Taylor Hart! She’s a crochet artist, designer, author and one of my favorite people! We talk about making big moves, motherhood, house projects, chronic and surprise illnesses, and the every changing thing that is life. It’s such a good conversation!

LINKS

Find Taylor:

* Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/nothingbutapigeon

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorhartcrochet/

* e-Book:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/crochet-taxidermy-30-quirky-animal-projects-from-mouse-to-moose-taylor-hart/FbjGWhCx26rHbpnn

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social

Thanks for reading and listening to My Artist Friend with Becky Helms! This post is public so please feel free share it!

Today, I’m beyond excited to chat about March’s Snart (Snack+Art) theme: Photography! My kid chose it and it turns out I’m very enthusiastic about it!

I got so caught up, I didn’t even mention that I managed a team of photographers/photo editors who set up their own studio, did on-site shoots and so much more in downtown DC for a start up yeeeears ago!

Or that my mom is a photographer who took me to the darkroom with her when I was little and even made her own darkroom in our home for a while.

Clearly, I have a lot to say about it and I hope you like the projects I came up with!

LINKS

Books Mentioned:

Photowork: 40 Photographers on Process and Practice - Edited by Sasha Wolf: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/photowork-forty-photographers-on-process-and-practice/20199843/item/34754038/#edition=21483530&idiq=34754038

The Women who Changed Photography by Gemma Padley: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-women-who-changed-photography-and-how-to-master-their-techniques-gemma-padley/21051337

Artists Mentioned:

* Ansel Adams: https://www.anseladams.com/

* Sarah Deregon: https://www.sarahderagonphotography.com/

& https://www.instagram.com/portraitstothepeople

* Cindy Sherman: https://www.moma.org/artists/5392-cindy-sherman

* David Suh: https://david-suh.com/

& https://www.instagram.com/davidsuhphoto/

* Maria Svarbova: https://www.mariasvarbova.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/maria.svarbova/

* Janet Sternburg: https://www.janetsternburgphoto.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/janetsternburg/

* Jessica Watkins: https://tinydeerstudio.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/tinydeerstudio/

Find me all over the place!

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeckyhelms/

* Substack: https://substack.com/@beckyhelms

* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeckyHelms

* Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/beckyhelms.bsky.social