A Quick Catch Up + Sketchtober Plans?
Lets start again because well...
Hello there, and welcome back, or maybe TO Seashells & Sketchbooks!
Earlier this year I started this Substack as a way to share my sketchbook and my obsession with the ocean.
I had fun plans on sharing on here regularly, and like lots of fun intentions…. But best laid plans, don’t always go as planned. So I’m giving this another go!
If you are indeed new here…
Hi! I’m Sarah, the artist behind 25 Sweetpeas by Sarah!
I create ocean inspired in art, and have it available in my shop as art prints, cards, stickers, bookmarks, recipe cards, and more! A few summers ago I designed beach guides to help you ID all of your beach finds, and after that things started to pick up in my art world!
Now you can find 25 Sweetpeas paper goods in about 85ish stores across the United States, and you can find me on always sharing new things in my Studio Notes weekly newsletter, and on Instagram. It might be new art of a pretty ocean scene, an endangered species, or I may be sharing ways to help protect our ocean. It seems as if there is always something going on!
I created this Substack earlier in 2025 as a way to get more into sketch booking while sharing it and my passion for the ocean.
I wanted this space to be a place where I wasn’t always thinking how does this relate to the “shop” part of 25 Sweetpeas. (Granted they always overlap) A place to obsess over art supplies, paper, random ocean facts, and share ways to help the ocean when possible.
I started off pretty well, but then things got busy and one of the first things to go was Substack.
Restarting something is always harder than it really needs to be, which is why I didn’t restart this all sooner.
However October is going to be the restart!
I’ve just had the busiest September ever, and I’m SO thankful for it, and have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately though I’ve neglected the practice of making art. 🙃
My iPad had actual problems, and I’ve just had to replace it, and turns out setting up a new iPad/Procreate at the same time of a new Procreate Update and busy work times is hard. Its like breaking in a new sketchbook, it doesn’t feel comfy yet.
Then there is just the fact I’ve literally not had time to play in my sketchbook, or paint on paper.
SO October plans…
As you probably know, October is THE month of art challenges.
Inktober. Peachtober. Mosstober. Birdtober.
There appears to be a lot of challenges going on so my brilliant idea to get back to creating art regularly is to take the concept of all of those challenges and make my own version.
Sketchtober.
Maybe that’s already a thing, like it has to be right?
Well for me it’s literally just going to mean spending SOME time in my sketchbook daily or almost daily (I like to be flexible on weekends).
To keep myself accountable I want to share it all here.
Right now I’m thinking I’ll post daily updates via the Notes Posting on here. Then each Sunday there will be a lil post like this!
I’ll write it daily so it will be ready on Sundays, and there will be a little entry from each day!
In my head this is like a really fun attainable idea, so we shall see! If you want to join in too PLEASE do! Let me know below, or share what you have been planning!
We can have a lil chat on here or you can share your art in the comments! I feel like this could just be a great way to create a daily habit.
Well, I have to go get some things done so I can prepare for all of the potential! Looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you more here this October!
🌊Sea You Later!
~Sarah