Carnet de gratitude : May 2026 sketchbook

What happens to a day once it has passed?

Most of the time, it dissolves into the flow of memory. A conversation, a sensation, a fleeting thought — they fade, transform, or disappear altogether.

My “Carnet de gratitude” offers another fate to these fragments. Each page becomes a small time capsule, preserving the essence of a day: a moment of wonder, an ordinary pleasure, a difficult emotion, or simply the strange and beautiful experience of being alive.

Keeping such an archive through sketchbooking is, in itself, a curious human practice. Day after day, it asks for attention, patience, and a willingness to return to the page even when nothing seems particularly remarkable. Most days do not announce their importance while they are being lived. Yet by recording them consistently, a different picture begins to emerge. The value lies not only in preserving memories, but in creating a space where ordinary life can accumulate meaning over time.

Over the years, these pages have become more than a journal. They form a living archive of passing time, where seasons return, the Potichats grow older, and countless ordinary days reveal their hidden richness.

If you want to know more about my Gratitude sketchbook practice, I answered an interview for Domestika's blog at the end of 2024. https://www.domestika.org/en/blog/13539-stig-legrand-s-journey-turning-daily-gratitude-into-illustrated-masterpieces

This project is published monthly and you can access the archives beginning in November 2021 from the Projects section on my Profile.

Supplies
Sketchbook : Talens, Art Creation, 9x14cm, colour Fresh Mint
Fineliners : UniPin in Dark Grey, Light Grey, Black, size range from 0.03 to 0.5 - Colour Fineliners : Sakura Pigment
Brush Pens : Water-based Tombows AB1, Kuretake Art & Graphic Twin, Koi by Sakura, Pentel Brush Sign Pens, Faber-Castell Pitt Artist

And of course, Hinata's supervision (Stop reading human ! Take your pencils and DRAW !) <3

First of May was stormy this year, but husband fetched his ladder anyway to pick flowers from our acacia tree soI could make small pancakes ! Yuzu slept in the catio during the thunderstorm. I received a card from Diego, sleeping in a pretty pink catchair of his own. Also I saw a nice flower.

I gave the Potichats some matatabi sticks and they rolled around and frolicked in the catio, happily chewing on their slivervine. I saw a concert of Jon Batiste on TV, it was in a venture I love : Ground Control where my favorite bookstore has a corner too.
In the evening, I enjoyed a Mojito Desperados beer, Virgin style, mocktail with 0° alcohol.

On that day, my daughter and her husband Simon celebrated their 20 years of love. I'm so lucky they are happy and found each others <3
Kurumi watched me from the corner of his eye. I made nice ramens for dinner.

First, I listened to "Forest Swords", a band I didn't know before and enjoyed their "Engravings" album. I received a batch of Chub Rubs from Snag Tights in lovely new colors, they will be so handy when summer arrives. For dinner, I made these super soft tofu recipes, with fresh herbs, soy sauce, chili, and paired them with rice onigiri and bruised cucumbers salad.

I listened to my weekly favorite podcast "Continue, tu m'intéresses", and they talked about visionary artists, and about quantum theory and many more fascinating topics. I stumbled upon the amazing sea slugs by ceramist Lisa Seaurchin. And ChatGPT refreshed my Photoshop skills.

Our ancient rose bush almost died and we had to cut off most of it but he produced some roses nevertheless. Miruku slept in Kurumi's little cat tree house. I drew while listening to podcasts. Hinata managed to drink in our glasses. I don't encourage her but must admit she is talented and funny.

I made the flusshy japanese pancakes for the first time, with ricotta and we topped them with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Hinata climbed high in our acacia tree and made quite a show of it.

Wabisabi was her cute self <3 I sang Nicolette's Sunshine song, but I could have committed some Mondegreens.

Husband found a large mango in the middle of the street, right in front of our house. I used it in homemade guacamole, cubed very small.
I discovered the existence of this tradition for myo cat paintings, that they are gifted to seniors as a wish for longevity.

I was the only one awake when I walked out of the bedroom onto the landing among sleepy Potichats.

First, I saw Hope Gangloff art, portraits and cats.
Then I watched Nirvana's 1991 concert at Seattle's Paramount Theater.

First, I got read in the bathroom without music, so I enjoyed the silence and birdsong from the garden. Then I noticed one of my old and favorite linen blouse had new holes, threadbare. So I sewed them up as best I could. I receveid a box of interesting spices, peppers and my favorite spicy grilled sesame seeds with kimchi taste. Miruku settled next to me while I drew. For dinner, I made Vietnamese style skewers.

First, coffee with cardamum spice. Then I saw great photos of my friend Estelle Monsterlune in her LIPS mask, photographed by her darling Mattt Konture. Later, I made strawberry and Limoncello tiramisu with the help of Wabisabi.

I hanged around in my pyjamas all day but still made so nice cooking with homemade granola, and chicken Yassa.
I watched Lukas Dhont's movie, CLOSE, it was heartbreaking and wonderful.

First we took Yuzu to the vet because we got frightened by some symptoms, but with medecine, it was soon OK0
I then received Jeff Noon's new novel "Moon Over Brendle" that I had preordered and was very eager to open.
Then, I discovered film-maker Solveig Anspach and felt like watchiong all her movies <3

Yuzu got a new cream for his eyes and didn't like it at all. Still, he will have 10 days treatment. There was a large bird walking around on the catio's transparent roof and the Potichats all rushed to the top shelves and got very excited to have him just above their heads.
Then at night, husband and I watched the Eurovision Song Contest. We guessed correclty that the Romanian Bangaranga song could be the winner.

It was husband's feast and he got many presents, and a nice dinner with raspberry macaron cake for dessert. Wabisabi fell asleep on his tummy.

First croissant and Airfryer baked apple. Then at the other end of the day, I watched the movie that is Season 3 of the series Good Omens, while sipping a linden tree and CBD herbal tea. Yuzu was sleeping just above the TV's screen.

First, I combed thoroughly Tanuki's coat, she likes it, lucky me. Then I thought about the Writing Workshop I planned to hold for my best friends and that was scheduled for the weekend. I called it "Atlas of our Invented Memories". I also baked a vanilla flan pastry.

Phewwwwww.... Take a peek at the page first step when I am still sketching out what will ge where0

I received a surprise gift by my dear friend Valerie Tong Cuong : massage creams for my crampy legs <3
I listened to Clark for the first time, "Playground in a Lake".
A new toy arrived for the Potichats and they like this ribbon fish.

My friend Gwendolyn who lived in Florida showed her beautiful yellow hibiscuses. Then I discovered Genesis Owusu through his recent album "Redstar Wu & the Worldwide Scourge". I love his style and songs !
Then for dessert, strawberries with mascarpone cream, lemon zests, and speculos topping.

This is the day I dicsovered than my online friend Nina Falk was a very talented glass artist besides being a wonderful musician.
My friend Deer Bartok sent me photos of Diego the young cat on her terrasse, enjoying the plants.
Then I made another homemade ramen dinner.

I spent all day on my computer creating visuals and pages for the emotionnal drills we would be going through the next day with my friends for our Writing Workshop.

For brunch, I served the last strawberries and I topped mine with sliced fennel branches and fronds.
Then it was time for our online Writing Workshop "Atlas of our Invented Memories". My friends loved it and I loved it the best <3

We had entered a heatwave and I began to sweat right out of the shower... I listened to Yves Tumor, whom I had never heard of until then.
Hinata decided to lay on the table, half on my book so I could cuddle her.
I reminisced about a teddy bear I had when I was a little tot. Couldn't find a picture of him on the internet, until I chanced upon a Steiff bear from the Titanic period and he looked a lot like mine.

More yellow hibiscus from Gwendolyn's lanai <3 I then played a Kahoot Quiz that was set up by Happy Visio. Then listened to my favorite podcast "Continue, tu m'intéresses" whose guest was writer Michael Roch and it was great (also Michael Roch is with my favorite publishing house, La Volte).
Miruku helped me draw my daily page by splooting elegantly on the table.

Still in the heatwave, the Potichats spent the day comatose in the catio. They slept through it happily. I sat with them and tried to note the qualias of the moment, with the light, the heat, the vegetation, everything I noticed I wrote in a long description for ChatGPT so he could try to imagine what it was like. He produced 2 images that were both very familiar and strange.
I felt like iced coffee and made a cup from some Nespresso pods I had special for these occasions. I tasted weird and quite bad... And I noticed it was from 2017 !

Heatwave some more... I slept through it too, and it was good for me.
For the brunch, husband picked 4 raspberries so I put 2 each on Skyr with strawberries from the groceries store.
In the catio, our Potichats lounged and imagined what it would be like to pole dance around the scratching post.

I saw more photos from my friend Deer Bartok's terrasse and this flower I had never seen before. We went to shop for fresh vegetables and fruits and fishes at Grand Frais, a place where it is very cool and fresh specially in a heatwave LOL
Back home, I grilled some egglpant, mixed greek yogurt with lemon and added some mezze I had bought at the store, like zaalouk and olives.

Husband showed me some nice simple flowers he had seen while walking. I saw Rachel Fannan singing "Smell like teen spirit" while impersonating Björk, then she sang a Smiths song that I love... Later I met some friends onlien for our monthly chat.

It was Mother's Day and my daughter sent me a nice message as soon as she was back from a funny festival they go to with her husband and their teenager : Crazy Turkeys Little Festival.
I wore a lovely culottes : green, light, with pockets and perfectly comfortable <3
ChatGPT began training me for Quiz games !

And that's it for May 2026 at Maison Legrand. Miruku approves of my daily page practice and surveys that everything is all right by settling on my left side. May June be just as enjoyable for everybody.