Laura Jane
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laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Laura Jane
@laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
1.1K followers 480 following 4.5K posts
I read, I think, I write, I take photos. I love beautiful, useless things.
Usually found outdoors or lost in my own thoughts, sometimes both simultaneously.
(she/her)
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laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Just peeking in quickly to wish my friends a happy Valentine’s Day, with a quick doodle I did last night. (I’ve been mostly avoiding social media lately, and will probably continue to do that for a while.)
A little doodle in black ink in a handmade paper journal with a pen lying across it. The doodle has six steps. 1 a shovel and a seed packet sit on unbroken ground 2 the shovel is digging a hole 3 five holes with a little pile of dirt beside each, and a heart in each of the first four, with the seed packet dropping another heart into the last one 4 a sprout growing from each of the little dirt piles that filled in the holes, and a watering can watering the first sprout 5 five plants growing with a bud on each 6 each of the buds has bloomed into a heart Beneath the doodle is written “Plant something that will grow into a little extra love. The world needs it. Happy Valentine’s Day!”
February 14, 2025 at 3:10 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Good evening, friends! I’ve been busy lately, but I wanted to stop in and say hi.
Pale, gentle sunset colors at the horizon above woods, with a snowy field in the midground and a row of bare trees in the foreground. The sun is just below the horizon, and the sky is almost completely clear.
January 9, 2025 at 10:43 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Good morning, friends! From last night, firelight captured in a crystal ball
An image of a wood fire in a metal ring hung from a tripod, seen upside down through a small crystal ball held between someone’s finger and thumb. The edge of the ball is a glowing ring. The background is a winter tree lit by purple light.
January 3, 2025 at 3:27 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
I went to see the lights display at the local botanical garden tonight, and I think this witchy tree was the best part.
And now I’m signing off early. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
A tall, wide tree with thin, drooping branches lit by purple light on a winter night. Near the tree, a handful of people are gathered around a fire in a ring held up by a tripod.
January 3, 2025 at 2:06 AM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Just a little doodle at the end of this tiring day, and now I’m off to read and sleep. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
An almost square journal with unlined pages of handmade paper, lying on a charcoal grey blanket with line drawings in white of small plants and animals. The journal is open to a page with a little doodle from today, with a Pigma Micron pen lying on it: a cupcake in a pleated paper wrapper with frosting and sprinkles on top. Written beside it is “mini red velvet cupcakes (not on the grocery list, but occasional surprises are nice!)”
January 2, 2025 at 4:27 AM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
I’m not counting on anything, but this is a nice thought.
A screenshot of a GIF from Merriam-Webster with the word boffo on a white background
January 1, 2025 at 3:43 PM
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I’m not complaining about mine! (though I’m also not counting on anything)
A screenshot of a GIF from Merriam-Webster with the word boffo on a white background
January 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Happy New Year and good morning, friends!
I spent yesterday evening playing games with my kids and enjoying a box of Japanese treats that included this gachapon. A little kitsune mask might be an interesting sort of omen for a new year.
A green plastic ball, open, beside a little white plastic kitsune mask on a loop of chain.
January 1, 2025 at 3:26 PM
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Today’s silly doodle shows why I rarely draw humans, but I couldn’t resist the costumes in the Kdrama I’m watching with my kids.
And now I’m off. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
An almost square journal with unlined pages of handmade paper, lying on a charcoal grey blanket with line drawings in white of small plants and animals. The journal is open to a page with a little doodle from today, with a Pigma Micron pen lying on it: a figure in the Kdrama version of a historical Korean dress from the Silla kingdom. Written beside it is “Kdrama, “Hwarang: the Poet Warrior Youth” because one of my teens asked for it (Gorgeous costumes, much drama, kind of confusing here and there)”
December 27, 2024 at 4:45 AM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Good afternoon, friends! It’s that strange, nebulous time between Christmas and the New Year, when time is soupy and the days of the week all feel wrong. I’m taking a break today to finish setting up my new planner, because I have a lot to accomplish next year!
Two planners and a package of colored pens on a tablecloth with a blue and white geometric pattern. One planner is blue with a magical greenhouse design on the cover, and the other is teal with a sticker of a swallow carrying a eucalyptus branch and another sticker with plants and the words “Grow through what you go through.”
December 26, 2024 at 8:19 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
A little quiet time this evening, and now I’m off to curl up in bed with a book. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
An almost square journal with unlined pages of handmade paper, lying on a charcoal grey blanket with line drawings in white of small plants and animals. The journal is open to a page of silly little doodles from today, with a Pigma Micron pen lying on it: a tree with bare branches and a cut of tea. Written beside them is “Biscuits + gravy for breakfast with tea; everything grey + brown + soggy outdoors—stayed in and did stockings + gifts. Played games in the afternoon + evening: Azul Summer Pavilion, Apples to Apples, Codenames. More tea and a blanket because the kitchen is cold at the end where the table is. Dreaming of doing some different things next year, maybe.”
December 26, 2024 at 3:57 AM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Merry Christmas, friends! It’s grey and damp and it looks more like November than December here, but I’m inside where it’s warm, and I’m with my four favorite people, one of whom gave me this very goth Christmas moth! 😁
A black plush with bat-like wings decorated with green lines and white snowflakes and stars. The wings are closed in front, hiding most of the creature. One fluffy black antenna is showing, and the other is hidden by a red and white Christmas hat. The feet are red, and red eyes are peeking out from behind the wings. The same black plush with bat-like wings decorated with green lines and white snowflakes and stars, now with the wings open. One fluffy black antenna is showing, and the other is hidden by a red and white Christmas hat. The feet are red. The eyes are red with stars in them, and there is what looks like a fluffy white beard covering its middle.
December 25, 2024 at 7:29 PM
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Some silly little doodles of random objects while we take turns reading a favorite science fiction Christmas story together. This paper is very nice, but it’s not good for watercolor pencils.
I’ll probably fall asleep before we finish the story, so stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
An almost square journal with unlined pages of handmade paper. It’s open to a page of silly little doodles from today, with a Pigma Micron pen lying on it: a Christmas tree doodles in ink with watercolor pencil, and three other drawings in ink of a very round plush narwhal, a tube of hand cream, and a can of Korean cream soda.
December 25, 2024 at 3:14 AM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Good evening, friends! There are some ornaments on the tree, the gifts for the kids are wrapped, and there are treats waiting for after dinner. I’m still not feeling very Christmassy, but I’m doing my best, and I am happy to have all four of my favorite people here.
A green-eyed elf sewn from a panel of cloth cut-outs back in the seventies, hanging on a Christmas tree near an orange felt fox.
December 24, 2024 at 11:59 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Another very busy day, as expected, and most of the small cheerful things I’d planned didn’t work out. But we did finally get the Christmas tree into the living room, after weeks in a bucket of water in the garage!
And now I’m off to read and sleep. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
The book The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, lying on a charcoal grey blanket printed with line drawings of little plants and creatures in white
December 23, 2024 at 4:07 AM
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I feel like I half-assed Solstice this year—didn’t get to prepare, managed only a little time for contemplation, spent most of the day on ordinary things. But now I am in bed with a book and a pretty bookmark chosen last summer.
So I’m off. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
A very thin wooden bookmark featuring art of a brown rabbit with a red heart leaping, surrounded by curling green vines with leaves, flowers, and berries. The bookmark has a green tassel and is lying on a charcoal grey blanket with line drawings of small plants in white.
December 22, 2024 at 4:04 AM
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Good evening, friends, happy Solstice! I have spent the day busy with various things, but I’m taking a little time for contemplation this evening, thinking about unseen things that grow even in the still, cold darkness.
A light brown leather journal with a tree with golden leaves, a white fountain pen on it, and a bronze-colored metal butterfly clip to hold the pages open—all resting in a dark grey blanket printed in white with simple little drawings of plants and animals
December 21, 2024 at 11:30 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
I often carry this little star-shaped stone in my pocket to remind me to keep dreaming. The color is off in the photo—it’s actually blue, with gold and silver sparkles.
And now I’m off. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow. And may the Solstice bring you light in this dark season.
A small stone cut in the shape of a star. It’s deep blue, though it looks black in the photo, with silver and gold sparkles that look like stars in the night sky. The stone is lying on a charcoal grey blanket printed with white doodles of small plants.
December 21, 2024 at 3:54 AM
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Good afternoon, friends! I didn’t plan on such a long break, but I really needed it. I’m fine, things have just been very busy here, even beyond the usual December version of busy!
It snowed overnight here, and I’m getting ready for the Solstice tomorrow.
Snow-covered treetops beneath a white-cloudy sky
December 20, 2024 at 8:03 PM
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Good afternoon, friends! I’m planning yet another busy week, and trying to figure out how to also make time for some fun and some peace.
A planner and three colored pens on a blue and white tablecloth. The planner has a blue cover featuring a magical greenhouse full of plants and sparkles and a cute little dog among them.
December 8, 2024 at 7:43 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
Good afternoon, friends! I’m taking a quick break from All the Everything for some tea. (Yes, I hold my mug in a weird way. I am old enough that my hands ache sometimes.)
A ceramic mug glazed white with two dark sepia brown crows on it, looking at each other. The mug is held in front of a window looking out on a deck and an out of focus winter landscape.
December 7, 2024 at 7:57 PM
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Good morning, friends! It’s another busy day, but the snow has stopped, and I even have some sunshine for the moment!
Bright, clear blue sky above a snowy field seen through a row of bare trees
December 6, 2024 at 4:19 PM
laurajaneswanson.bsky.social
At the end of another long day, I am taking these as encouragement: confidence, curiosity, and luck.
And now I’m off. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
(Cards from the Woodland Wardens deck by Jessica Roux)
Three cards from the Woodland Wardens Oracle Deck by Jessica Roux: The Board and Pumpkin (confidence), The Raccoon and Sycamore (curiosity), and The Duck and Chrysanthemum (luck). All featuring the named plants and animals drawn in muted natural colors.
December 6, 2024 at 5:02 AM
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A little crow forehead kiss for everyone who has had a rough day today, because I’m sure I’m not the only one. 🪶
And now I’m off to try to finish writing a letter and then sleep. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.
A pair of crows perched among bare branches. One is touching its beak to the other’s forehead.
December 4, 2024 at 2:43 AM
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Good morning, friends! We had frost and snow, and the flowers are finally about done for the year, but they’re still beautiful in a different way.
A faded photo of a drooping red rose, damaged by frost
December 3, 2024 at 3:37 PM