Hi everyone, and welcome to my November newsletter. I write these each month to share seasonal reflections from nature and gentle ideas for sustaining a regular creative practice. You’ll also find details of upcoming workshops and a few seasonal invitations to help you notice, connect and create.
It’s time to look closely and notice the tiny unusual things that normally get missed.
There’s something lovely about this time of year. The leaves are changing, the evenings are drawing in and there’s a definite sense of the year beginning to turn towards winter. It’s a good time to slow down a little and notice what’s around us — the colours, textures and shapes that we might otherwise walk straight past.
I love spotting mushrooms and the warm wet weather suits them at this time of year. Mt favourites are fly agaric and ameythst deceivers and I get ridiculously excited when I spot them!
And a time to enjoy getting out in the dark!
I know it might sound a bit strange as I’m the first one to look forward to lighter evenings but I do also love it when the nights start drawing in. Dark mornings can make it hard to get out of bed admittedly but there is also something quite magical about a misty dark morning, stepping outside in the hush of the morning with dew dripping from leaves and dark shapes of birds swooping by. In the evening, there is the smell of wood smoke which makes it feel even more earthy, slightly spooky and homely at the same time. It can be tempting to start to hibernate at this time of year but getting out for an evening walk can be really rewarding and makes returning home even more enjoyable.
And while I’m appreciating all autumn has to offer, I’m also beginning to look ahead to spring…
Spring workshops are now taking shape
I’m really pleased to be able to share some of my spring workshops with you.
Spring Nature Journalling at Sheffield Botanical Gardens
📅 Tuesday 16 March 2027, 9:30am-12:30pm
A morning of slowing down, looking closely and drawing from the spring growth around us. No drawing experience is needed — just curiosity and a willingness to have a go.
£30 including your own journal to keep, tea, coffee and homemade cake
Spring Lino Printing at Sheffield Botanical Gardens
📅 Saturday 27 February 2027, 9:30am- 3:30pm
A day of designing, carving and printing, using the natural world as inspiration. We’ll explore the process from first ideas through to a small collection of finished prints.
£75 including all materials, tea coffee and homemade cake.
Spring Impressions Lino Printing at My Father’s Heart Kitchen Showroom
📅 Saturday 15th May 2027, 12pm – 3pm
Enjoy an intimate and creative spring afternoon in this luxury kitchen showroom, discovering the art of block printing in a relaxed and inspiring setting.
You will design your own print, carve your individual printing block and use it to create three or four beautiful, handmade greeting cards to take home, along with your carved block.
Throughout the 3 hour workshop, you can take a creative pause to indulge in a delicious selection of homemade cakes:
- Mini Victoria Sponge – vanilla sponge filled with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
- Lemon & Elderflower Drizzle Cake – a light, zesty sponge with fragrant elderflower and a delicate lemon glaze.
- White Chocolate & Raspberry Blondies – buttery blondies with creamy white chocolate and tangy raspberries.
Enjoy your cakes alongside a choice of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea, paired with a refreshing glass of rosé prosecco.
A lovely opportunity to learn a new skill, enjoy a little afternoon indulgence and leave with something beautiful you’ve created yourself.
£32 per person · Just 6 places available
Includes the 3 hour printmaking workshop, all materials, three / four handmade cards, your carved printing block to keep, a selection of cakes, tea and a glass of rosé prosecco.
A little creative gift…
If you’d like to give someone a little creative time rather than another thing to put under the tree, you can buy a voucher for:
£10 – one Art Club session (would make a lovely stocking filler or Secret Santa gift.
£30 – a Nature Journalling workshop
£90 – a full-day Printing workshop
Or choose your own amount.
The voucher can be used towards one of my workshops or Art Club sessions, making it a flexible gift for someone who enjoys making, drawing, noticing or simply having a bit of time to themselves.
Spring Term Art Club
Art Club for the spring term is getting booked up but there are still some places available. Find out more here…
Notice • Connect • Create this November
🍄 Notice – go mushroom hunting!
Autumn is a wonderful time for fungi and you don’t need to know anything about mushrooms to enjoy looking for them. I recommend visiting a wooded area, looking to each side of the path and particularly at the base of tree trunks to see what you can spot. I love going out simply to look – noticing the strange shapes, colours and textures rather than worrying about knowing what everything is. If you do want to start learning more then I’d start with this website and then try this quiz to see what you’ve learnt!
And, of course, don’t eat anything you find unless you know exactly what it is!
Connect –
I love trees and they are really at their best in November. This year, to celebrate National Tree Week (21st-29th November) you can join the wonderful Park Rangers as they walk around the Botanical Gardens and learn about some of their magnificent, rare and unusual trees.
The National Tree Week Public Tour takes place at Sheffield Botanical Gardens on Tuesday 24th November 1-2pm. Meet at the entrance to the Dorothy Fox Education Centre at the top of the slope from the Thompson Road Gates off Ecclesall Road. There’s no need to book, you can just turn up.
🎨 Create –
This November I’m setting myself the challenge of drawing, painting or printing one leaf a day and I’d love it if you could join me. It doesn’t have to be a long complicated painting, even a little 30 second sketch will do and it’s a great way to quickly notice the changing seasons around you, connect with nature and work on your creative practice regularly. Want to get involved? Just find a leaf each day. It could be on a tree, a houseplant, on the ground or in a puddle. Do a quick sketch and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #Leafvember2026 and tag me in too @jennycoatscreated. I really look forward to seeing your leaves!
If you enjoy gentle creative ideas, nature-based inspiration, and invitations to slow art workshops in Sheffield, you’re very welcome to stay subscribed — and to share this with anyone who might enjoy making a little more space for creativity.
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