Miss Mustard Seed

Miss Mustard Seed Paint enthusiast, encourager, blogger, author, designer, podcaster, stylist & photographer. And I hope that's what you find!

I like a lot of things, try a lot of things, and share them all with you... I write this blog so that those who read it will feel braver and more inspired when they finish a post and close the browser. They will feel empowered to create or write or take pictures or paint or buy second-hand furniture or start a business or organize. They will be inspired to learn a new skill or travel or make curtains or make soup or think about their own whys.

Earlier this week, I shared more notes from our garden on the blog. I used to feel frustrated and discouraged when it c...
06/04/2026

Earlier this week, I shared more notes from our garden on the blog. I used to feel frustrated and discouraged when it came to gardening. You pull the weeds, and they just come right back! Ugh. Why is this plant dying? I felt bad at it, but I just didn't know what I didn't know. The way you learn is through doing and approaching something new with curiosity and a willingness to be a beginner. While I don't want to make big, expensive landscaping mistakes, I have given myself permission to simply give things a try. If a plant doesn't like where I put it or how I care for it, how can I learn from that? What can I try next? I'm learning my way to a really beautiful garden, and have even surprised myself. When I'm heading home after my morning walk, and round the bend where I can take in the full view of our house, I'm so proud of our hard work and lessons learned along the way.

We have launched a new bonus thank you gift for those who preorder my new book - Move Slow & Make Things: Pursuing the D...
06/02/2026

We have launched a new bonus thank you gift for those who preorder my new book - Move Slow & Make Things: Pursuing the Delightfully Fulfilling Creative Life. It seemed only natural to offer a digital download of one of my paintings as a token of my appreciation, and this is one I selected - a still life painting of blueberries in one of my favorite antique transferware bowls paired with sweet autumn clematis.

When you preorder the book (or if you already have), you can sign up to receive a free high-resolution digital download of this print, along with information on ordering a quality giclee fine art print in my preferred finish. You can order the book and claim your preorder bonuses here -

https://missmustardseed.com/move-slow-make-things/

Today, I started recording the audiobook for my new book, Move Slow & Make Things. If you've followed me for a while,...
06/01/2026

Today, I started recording the audiobook for my new book, Move Slow & Make Things. If you've followed me for a while, you know this is my previous Minnesota studio, not my current one, but it is a nice photo of my recording setup. (Although I moved everything into a walk-in closet when I recorded my last audiobook!) I'm fortunate to have a brother in the music recording industry who told me exactly what to buy and even trained me on professional recording software. It's very convenient that this kind of work can be done at home in this day and age, rather than renting studio space.

I couldn't imagine not reading my own audiobook, but it does pose some interesting moments. While I read passages aloud as part of the writing process, I don't read the entire book out loud! Of course, that has to happen when recording an audiobook, and suddenly, sentences that worked great in my head are awkward to say with expression and intonation. I also have temporary regret about telling stories involving French names that I will butcher. Fortunately, there is a production and editing team that will polish out my mistakes (although I doubt they can make my French pronunciation better than it actually is).

Whenever I start feeling stressed in the process, I take a breath and remind myself to simply talk to the people I wrote the book for. I imagine a friendly face who would be encouraged by my words, and I talk to them.

I can't wait until this book is out in the world. It's available for preorder now.

This book is for all of the artists. Whether you know you're one or not. Whatever your art may be. Move Slow & Make T...
06/01/2026

This book is for all of the artists. Whether you know you're one or not. Whatever your art may be.

Move Slow & Make Things: Pursuing the Delightfully Fulfilling Creative Life. Available September 1, 2026. Preorder now and receive some fun bonuses.

https://missmustardseed.com/move-slow-make-things/

The benefit of packing all of the fine art print orders myself is that I get to see which ones are ordered most! Since ...
05/31/2026

The benefit of packing all of the fine art print orders myself is that I get to see which ones are ordered most! Since opening my new online shop a few weeks ago, I've seen these two more than any others. The Farmhouse on a Hill was based on a photo I took out the car window while picking up chairs for our kitchen, which ended up being a mistake. I do believe in providence, though, and I think that day was about taking this blurry reference photo used for this painting. These limelight hydrangeas were cut from my yard late last summer, and I decided, on a whim, to try them in a ginger jar. It's one of my favorite paintings, too, so I'm glad it's been so well received. Both of these are available in fine art giclee prints from 5 x 7 to 16 x 20...
https://mustardseedfineart.com/collections/fine-art-prints

Sunshine and seashells in the dining room. I still have a couple of bags of shells I collected from Isle of Palms this ...
05/30/2026

Sunshine and seashells in the dining room. I still have a couple of bags of shells I collected from Isle of Palms this summer to distribute around the house and garden. Even as I'm collecting them, I know I don't *need* anymore, but I do enjoy them so much. I admire them often when I walk past or even pick them up, trying to remember the moment when I spotted them in the surf. Some are distinct, and I can recall where and when I found them. Others have blurred into one long memory of walking on the beach, collecting my favorites. Some day, when I die, I'm sure people will roll their eyes at all of the shells left in my wake. But that really is none of my concern.

I know Instagram is all about videos, carousels, stories, and lives these days, but I do still love a single image. Fo...
05/29/2026

I know Instagram is all about videos, carousels, stories, and lives these days, but I do still love a single image. For my fellow old-school lovers of stills, here is a bouquet of snowball viburnum blooms by my kitchen window.

Another snowball viburnum painting... While I love painting pet portrait commissions, I try to strike a balance between...
05/28/2026

Another snowball viburnum painting... While I love painting pet portrait commissions, I try to strike a balance between working on paintings for a specific client and those I do simply because I feel inspired to. That approach, along with giving myself time to play with other mediums and materials, prevents my time at the easel from feeling like work. It also helps me grow, since working on one subject often informs another. I've really enjoyed painting the viburnum blooms and wanted to explore that subject a bit further, so I set the commissions aside and took time to do that. This original oil painting is rendered on a wood panel custom-cut to fit this great antique frame. Swipe to see the full painting and have a closer look at the brushwork.

One of my favorite things about the end of May is when cherries start showing up in the produce section. Cherries have ...
05/27/2026

One of my favorite things about the end of May is when cherries start showing up in the produce section. Cherries have been one of my favorite foods since I was a little girl. I remember eating out of a bag of Bing cherries while on a family vacation, feeling like they were the best treat ever. I eagerly await their arrival each year and then keep them stocked in the fridge all summer to eat out of hand, cut up with strawberries, over vanilla ice cream with shaved dark chocolate, or in cherry galettes, which have become a family favorite. A part of me wishes they were available year-round, but then they wouldn't be as special. I wouldn't get so giddy when fresh cherries are finally in season or savor the last bag as summer fades.

05/26/2026

June’s Pup Club Prints Pup of the Month - Deuce! Join by the 28th to get this month’s print. From picture to original oil painting to fine art 5x7 giclee print. You can subscribe for $10/month or purchase individual prints of past pups if you just want one. (Join through the link in my profile.)

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Washington County, MD
21740-7326

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