Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 33
Posted on February 10, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Tree of Hope… stand firm.” (Árbol de la esperanza mantente firme.)
-Frida Kahlo
Inspirational Artist of the week… Marilo Carral
Marilo Carral is an internationally recognized artist, dedicating her entire life to painting since childhood. With the use of her bright color palette and the invention of her own mixed media, her paintings embody pure joy. Color is a key element in her work, whether representational or abstract. Her paintings, full of passion, evoke tangible emotions. Recognized by famous critics and international collectors, her art has been exhibited around the world for the last 40 years.




Handlettering inspiration of the week… signage from San Miguel de Allende




Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 32
Posted on February 3, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.”
~Twyla Tharp, dancer, choreographer, and author
Inspiring artist of the week… Sunae Sugimoto
Sunae Sugimoto is an illustrator based in Kyoto, Japan. Her work uses traditional Japanese orange and black inks and fine pen work to create beautifully detailed illustrations.
Growing up surrounded by sea and mountains, Sanae was born in Tottori, Japan in 1975. Having attended art college in Kyoto, she now lives and works there as an illustrator working commercially for packaging, logos and magazines.
More recently, her interest has turned to using Japanese traditional black and orange inks. This process uses fine pen work to create beautifully detailed pieces.





Handlettering inspiration of the week…outsider artist, August Walla





Four Findings-Issue 151
Posted on January 31, 2025


Live Courageously: Rebloom Celebration-May 5-8 this year.
Use discount code REBLOOM305 when you sign up for over $300.00 off!! The list of presenters and all details can be found here!! Hope you can join us!
Helen Dealtry
I’ve been binge watching this show on YouTube tv. Loving her lessons. I’m learning some good new tips!


Brandi Hofer
Just discovered Brandi. She has some great hacks and tips for art making!! And I love her murals!
Ode à Primavera
Loving this project… the creation of large painted sparrows from all over the world. Very cool!!!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 31
Posted on January 27, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Every small, unselfish action nudges the world into a better path.”
– Robin Hobb
Inspiration of the week… Károly Reich
Károly Reich (8 August 1922 – 7 September 1988; also written Karoly Reich) was a Hungarian artist, best known for his children’s books illustrations and for his original draughtsmanship. His illustrations were popular among Hungarian children throughout his 40-year career, during which he illustrated around 500 books. He was also a graphic artist and poster designer. His style is child-like, charming, and irresistible. You just have to smile when looking at his pictures.





Hand lettering inspiration of the week… Paul Klee
Paul Klee (German: [paʊ̯l ˈkleː]; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist. His highly individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Klee was a natural draftsman who experimented with and eventually deeply explored color theory, writing about it extensively; his lectures Writings on Form and Design Theory (Schriften zur Form und Gestaltungslehre), published in English as the Paul Klee Notebooks, are held to be as important for modern art as Leonardo da Vinci’s A Treatise on Painting was for the Renaissance. He and his colleague, Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky, both taught at the Bauhaus school of art, design and architecture in Germany. His works reflect his dry humor and his sometimes childlike perspective, his personal moods and beliefs, and his musicality.




An early VALENTINES gift to yourself!!! Let’s make memories together!!!
Posted on January 24, 2025

Join Kenzie and I for a whimsical art retreat this October 17-24 2025 set against the stunning backdrop of southern Portugal.
Explore the beauty of florals and lettering through a mix of fun and playful techniques and creative challenges. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, you’ll walk away with a deeper connection to your craft, new skills in mixed media, and a portfolio filled with stunning florals and expressive lettering.




Throughout the retreat, you’ll dive into engaging mixed media techniques, using watercolor, acrylics, cut foam stamps, pens, and markers. Lori and Kenzie will hold daily classes, demonstrations, and hands-on practice sessions, where you may experiment with bold color palettes, playful textures, and fluid forms.




The first half of the week will be dedicated to exploring florals in depth. Learn various approaches to creating vibrant blooms and delicate abstract designs. As the week progresses, the focus shifts to lettering. Study techniques for crafting expressive, flowing letterforms that pair beautifully with your floral work. On the final morning, bring florals and lettering together in a harmonious composition and blend the skills developed into unique pieces. The retreat culminates in a mini-exhibition, where you’ll have the opportunity to share your work with fellow artists and celebrate your creative journey.




By the end of the week, you’ll leave with new techniques, a personal collection of floral and lettering creations, and memories of an unforgettable artistic adventure.
What’s included:
- Art classes, individual tuition, and demonstrations with artists Lori Siebert and Kenzie Elston
- 7 nights of accommodation at a Portuguese Quinta
- Exclusive use of the entire property with living quarters, art studio, 2.5 acres of botanical gardens, terraces, swimming pool, and common areas
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 7 dinners (all meals) carefully prepared by your private chef. All dietary requirements catered for, except life-threatening allergies
- Local wine during dinner service
- Snacks, coffee, tea, and infused water available throughout the day
- Sailing trip in a traditional boat to nearby grottoes
- Trip to the Lagos historic town with a walking tour and time for shopping, sketching, and a beach visit
- Private transportation for all planned activities
- Round-trip transfers from/to Faro Airport (FAO) at pre-arranged times
- Fully-staffed venue, experienced UpTrek host available throughout the week
- All local tourist taxes and fees
- Access to a private Facebook group with Lori Siebert, Kenzie Elston, and the other retreat participants four months before the retreat
Not included:
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Art materials—a list of art materials recommended by artists Lori Siebert and Kenzie Elston will be provided five months before the retreat
- Tips for staff (tipping is customary in Portugal)
- Other expenses guests might incur on their own
Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 30
Posted on January 20, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos.”
— Martin Luther King
Inspiration of the week… the florals of the 60’s






Hand lettering inspiration of the week… the fonts from the 60’s





Four Findings-Issue 150
Posted on January 17, 2025


Shishi San
How cool and unique! This artists uses rug tufting to create her unique vessels. I love how she uses this technique in an unexpected way.
Mabel Johnson
I am IN LOVE with the way this designer uses color blocking and pleating techniques in her creations. Such beautiful fabric manipulation!!


Dr. Livingood
My friend, Angela, recommended this doctor of natural medicine for lots of great health tips and information.
Kirsty Elson
Really LOVING the way this artist uses found, discarded and upcycled materials to create her creatures!!!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 29
Posted on January 13, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Some things I cannot change, but ’til I try I’ll never know.”
—Stephen Schwartz
Inspiration of the week… Tuija Heikkinen
Tuija Heikkinen is from Rovaniemi, northern Finland, which is very close to the Arctic Circle. She studied fashion and textile design, but loves a variety of arts and crafts. She works as a teacher at an arts and crafts school, and at the same time, runs a small company which focuses on printed textiles.
Her crochet hobby started by chance, when she was looking for a new form of expression besides her main work with the printed textiles. To satisfy her creative urge, she one day decided to use a crochet hook like a pen and the yarns as paints. Her grandmother was a skillful, industrious crocheter, and Tuija picked up that enthusiasm in her childhood. She uses simple techniques, and knows the limits and possibilities of what a crochet hook can create.





Handlettering inspiration of the week…Mogu Takahashi
Mogu Takahashi is a playful and creative self-taught artist based in Tokyo. Mogu studied architecture, but it didn’t really capture her attention. She started skipping classes, using that time to draw instead. In 2005 one thing led to another and she was invited to participate in a group exhibition in New York. That experience introduced her to the art world, then she decided to become an artist. Her childhood dream was to deliver mail because she loved writing letters and would check the mailbox many times a day. Now, for her, drawing is like writing a letter to someone dear. She sometimes hides a secret message in her paintings.







Four Findings-Issue 149
Posted on January 10, 2025


Debra Rapoport
She is a woman after my own heart. She crafts fabulous hats and jewelry out of what others have discarded. I love her spirit!
Giant Robot
I just discovered this annual show of Post it Art!! I would have LOVED to have seen this.


Sarah Rowe… Miss Moresby
Sarah has the most beautiful fabrics on her site!!! I love the spirit and uniqueness of her patterns!
Gut Health
Just watched this show on Netflix and it was very enlightening. There is also a book. Many important take aways!



Words and Wildflowers Creative Prompts – Issue 28
Posted on January 6, 2025
We LOVE research and learning as a way to get inspired and boost ideas and creativity!! So, Kenzie and I are going to be sharing the inspiration that we collect here in our second newsletter…. once a week!!!
Here’s how it works:
We provide the inspiration. You interpret it however you wish… any medium, any size. It is meant to inspire lettering and floral art combined together. But, you can:
- Just do the florals, just do the lettering, or combine them together.
- Use the provided quote for your piece or select your own.
- Use colors from one of the inspiration images or select your own favorites
- Create the floral art… as a still life in a vase, a single flower, a border, a pattern, a bouquet
Hope you will create with us and post your work at #wordsandwildflowers2024 and tag @lorisiebert.studio and @snippetsofwhimsy
Quote of the week…
“Art opens the closets, airs out the cellars and attics. It brings healing.”
– Julia Cameron
Inspirational artist of the week… Hung Tung
Hung Tung was born in 1920, in a small fishing village near Tainan, in the south of Taiwan. The land was poor and people’s lives were very hard. Hung Tung’s father was dead when he was born and his mother died when he was four. With no money in the family he could not go to school, and began working at a very young age, keeping cows, carrying water, doing any small job to earn money. At 17 or 18 he left the village to find a job in Kaohsiung, the biggest city in South Taiwan. He went back to the village in 1945, after the island was handed over by Japan to China. He married and had three sons and two daughters, but continued to rely on small jobs in the village to earn a living and support his family. When Hung Tung was fifty years old, he decided he would become an artist. One day, he simply told his wife he was going to devote his life to painting. His wife did not understand his motives and others in his village simply thought he was mad.






Hand lettering inspiration of the week… Carlo Zinelli
Born in the rural Italian countryside near Verona, Carlo Zinelli worked as a farm laborer and a butcher’s apprentice until he was conscripted into the Italian army in 1936. It was during his military service that he first began showing symptoms of mental illness and was eventually discharged in 1941 after attacking his captain. After the war, Zinelli’s mental condition worsened, and in 1947 his family committed him to the San Giacomo psychiatric hospital in Verona. He drew graffiti on the walls of the hospital, and in 1957 a studio for artistic expression was established in the hospital. Zinelli painted in the studio every day for fourteen years. His works, often double-sided, are filled with boldly painted human and animal figures that bear no apparent spatial relation to one another. Letters and words fill the composition as well, but they do not have any meaning. After the hospital closed in 1971, Zinelli was transferred to another facility, but his creative activity all but stopped.





