There is something about September that has always felt like a fresh start.

Maybe it's the shift in the air, the return to familiar routines, or the quiet reminder that a new season is just around the corner. Even long after the back-to-school years, September still feels a little like opening a brand-new notebook—full of possibility and waiting to see what will fill the pages.

After a slower summer, I'm feeling that same sense of possibility in the studio.

June was an invitation to slow down. July gave me space to reflect. And in August, I began making room for new inspiration and ideas.

Now, September feels like it's time to create.

From Inspiration to Creation

Last month, I shared some of the things that were inspiring me: quiet mornings, late-summer blooms, design books and magazines, earthy colors, an open sketchbook, and the little details I notice in everyday life.

I've been allowing those ideas to collect without immediately asking what they need to become.

That's something I'm learning to appreciate more in my creative practice.

Not every idea needs an immediate purpose.

Sometimes we simply need to notice.

To sketch.

To experiment.

To follow an interesting color combination or shape just because we're curious about where it might lead.

Eventually, though, some of those little sparks begin connecting.

And that's where I find myself now.

I'm ready to take some of the inspiration I've gathered and begin turning it into something new.

Back to the Sketchbook

There's a stage of creating that I especially love—the beginning.

Nothing has been decided yet.

A page of loose sketches might eventually become a pattern. A color palette might completely change. One tiny motif might become the starting point for an entire collection.

There is freedom in this part of the process.

So this month, I'm returning to my sketchbook with curiosity rather than a rigid plan.

I'm drawing.

Exploring.

Playing with color.

Revisiting ideas that caught my attention over the summer.

And slowly beginning to discover what my next collection might want to become.

I'm trying not to rush that discovery.

Creating With Intention

At the beginning of this year, I thought a lot about consistency.

I wanted to create consistently, share consistently, and continue building my creative business one step at a time.

But somewhere along the way, another word began to feel even more important:

Intentional.

I've realized that consistency doesn't have to mean constantly producing something.

Sometimes consistency looks like showing up to sketch.

Sometimes it's learning.

Sometimes it's stepping away long enough to come back with fresh eyes.

And sometimes it's choosing one meaningful project instead of ten things competing for your attention.

That's the energy I'm carrying into this new season.

I still have goals for my artwork and business, but I want the work I create—and the way I build the business around it—to feel thoughtful.

I'd rather create fewer things that feel distinctly mine than rush to create simply for the sake of keeping up.

A New Creative Season

I'm especially excited about the next few months because this is where ideas begin becoming tangible.

Sketches become motifs.

Motifs become patterns.

Patterns become collections.

And eventually, those collections may find their way onto products, into my portfolio, or perhaps into collaborations I can't even imagine yet.

That's one of my favorite things about creativity.

You don't always know where an idea will take you when you begin.

You simply have to begin.

So that's what September is about for me.

Returning to the work.

Not with urgency.

Not because I need to catch up.

But because I'm genuinely excited to create again.

Currently Inspiring Me

A few things I'm noticing, saving, and enjoying as I step into this new season:

🍂 The first hints of fall color

📚 Beautifully designed books, magazines, and stationery

✏️ Loose sketches before they become polished artwork

🎨 Unexpected color combinations

🖼️ Seeing artwork translated onto real products

☕ Quiet mornings with my favorite design assistant

And perhaps most of all, I'm inspired by the possibility of starting something without knowing exactly where it will lead.

New Product Sneak Peek

Exciting news, I'm launching new makeup/travel pouches in the Shop! They've been tested, approved and come in multiple color designs. They are great for makeup, toiletries, pencils/pens or even as a way to corral all of your small purse items. I love them and I'm sure you will too. Take a look.

https://www.shabyareid.com/shop

A Little Reminder for Your September

Maybe you're entering a new season too.

You don't have to know what the finished picture looks like.

You don't need the perfect plan.

And you certainly don't need to do everything at once.

Choose one idea.

Open the notebook.

Make the first sketch.

Take the next small step.

Then see where it leads.

I'll be doing the same here in the studio.

Thank you for spending a few moments with me here in The Studio Journal and for continuing to follow along as Shabya Reid Art grows, changes, and finds its way.

There is much more I'd love to create, and I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with you.

Until next month, may you find beauty in the everyday and inspiration in the little moments. 🌿

September in the Studio: Returning to the Work