Designed by Sarah: June 2025 Studio Recap

I'm giving away $1500!!!!!!

July 01, 2025

This month I read an article on Creative Boom about what “success” means to creatives (and I relate to this so specifically as a freelancer). I’ve been freelancing for 10 years and so I’ve never gotten a raise… or a promotion… but also really have never been interested in applying for awards (honestly, designer Bobby McKenna’s Awards section speaks to me on a fundamental level). My biggest boosts are seeing things complete; seeing them out in the world, and seeing them have an impact on someone, even if it’s small.

I also read this essay in The Week arguing for a 4-hour workday because basically that’s what Darwin and Dickens and Poincaré did, and it came at a great time as I try to implement a bit of a ‘Summer Fridays’ practice here in the office. Working more hours doesn’t make you more efficient, and getting away from the screen can help you make new creative connections and figure things out in a new way. In 2022-ish, I was dealing with some major burnout and introduced a 4-day workweek as a way to save my own sanity and get some fresh air. It made a big difference, and as I got busier I started scheduling work on Fridays again. I don’t think I could swing a 4-hour workday, but I love trying to find that balance.

Speaking of essays, I am finally going to tell you in advance what paid subscribers are getting this month in the mail: an essay by my talented and smart and beautiful friend Gray Chapman.

I’ve been pestering her to let me print an essay of hers for ages, so I am really excited to work on this one. It’s 2 colors and sixteen pages, so it’s one of the more complicated pieces I’ve designed for the riso yet – it will test my head and my mind… and my brain, too.

Also, I’ll tell you more at the bottom but applications are now open for my 2025 WONDER Grant cycle: that means $1500 to you from me, no strings attached, to work on the project of your dreams. It’s because I believe in you and I believe in paying it forward.

This is a quiet newsletter for sharing work, because a lot of projects are either very nearly done or done but not published yet. I have so much I can’t wait to show you next month!

Warmly,
Sarah 

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This month’s Neat Aminal Fact comes directly from something I experienced: this moth! What I originally thought was a Spotted lanternfly (very scary and invasive, only spotted in Georgia recently) was actually a Citheronia regalis, or a Royal Walnut Moth! If bugs freak you out, do not look up what these look like as caterpillars, but I will give you a hint that they are the largest caterpillar in the United States.

I spotted this guy on the ground last Friday morning and don’t have many additional neat facts besides “wow look how cool this moth looks.” Learn more about this bad boi here.

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Flat Tire Repair Workshop
Alpharetta REI
July 23rd, 2025
5:30-7:30pm
$25

I just got a new bike, and so I was excited to see a flat tire repair workshop – this one is sold out with a wait list, but I noticed REI also has a Bike Chains and Derailleurs workshop that still has availability. Maybe you want to do one or the other? I’ve linked to the main classes page!

Making bouquets and flower arrangements is one of those things that seems so easy until you actually do it and you’re like “wow this looks like shit!” Well, Esther will help you make your beautiful summer flower arrangements look like something out of a boutique.

👉 Earth View from Google Earth
My mentee from AIGA’s Rise Up! mentorship program, Izzy Wootonn, showed me this epic Google Chrome Extension the other week that I’m obsessed with: every time you open a new tab, you see a different snapshot from somewhere in Google Earth. It’s honestly very nice. She and I got coffee and gabbed over our favorite Chrome extensions and I loved that.

  • Bonus: Something special from Izzy is coming to paid subscribers very shortly. Spoiler alert, we made it on the riso.

Honorable Mentions:

  • In June I went snorkeling in the Conasauga River and while talking to my friend Richard about it, he sent me this link to the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail. I didn’t know this was a thing but now I would like to snorkel all the snorkel spots, thank you very much.

  • I’d included a cool mirror I saw in Vienna in my last email - Melissa sent me this extremely cool DIY video where a designer makes something kind of similar, but with lights in the back! Dang!

Ok folks, IT’S TIME for the 2025 DESIGN EMPORIUM WONDER GRANT. Every year I give away $1500 to folks working on projects somewhere in the intersection of experimental art, civic engagement, and technology. Can $1500 help you get your project over the finish line or help it soar to new heights? Please apply.

WONDER Grant application header

I’ve also had people ask over the years if they could contribute funding to the WONDER Grant – I’m looking into this too! If you maybe might want to be a WONDER Grant trustee and help me make this difficult decision, tell me more here???

Did you like this email?

Hey! Thank you for reading. It means a lot to have this email in your inbox.

Want more?

Here’s the totally optional paid tier where you tell me you want to get cool stuff in the mail too!

  • What will it be? It depends. But I have some ideas and this tells me how many things to make or order.

  • When will it happen? When there is something cool to send. I can’t tell you what it’ll be but here’s what people have received this year:

A riso print inspired by a trip to a museum in Vienna, plus the packet that went along with the original exhibit

A custom pierogi hair clip for @beksa_atl before they were even available for sale

Issues of Unfolded, my quarterly-ish newspaper about creativity