Carnet de gratitude : November 2024

This is November at Maison Legrand, that's a daily illustration project in a little sketchbook : Carnet de gratitude.
I've been pursuing this project for the last three years, and sharing monthly on Domestika.

Art Creation sketchbook in 19x14cm format, with fineliners, water-based Tombows, crayons...

Listened to The Cure's new album (I'm not a fan), played smart ball with the Potichats (I'm a cat lady), watched the beginning of "Kinds of Kindness" the new Yorgos Lanthimos movie (I'm a fan).

Nothing much happened, but I listened to a very interesting scientific podcast about chemistry and science-fiction, then discussed Miyazaki's Susuwatari with a friend.

Played hide and seek with Kurumi the Potichat, listened to an old favourite album by Talking Heads, received Dordogne, a lovely video game with a watercolour style that's very original and has a strange story, ate some persimmon that felt quite strange, and watched a favourite hero : Dr Strange !

Top of the day : an online class with a pastel artist who led us into a wild drawing of a meadow full of flowers, it was dynamic, fast, very much alive ! I also stumbled against a sweet caterpillar in a photo from a friend's garden, and our darling Nori of the Potichats showed concern when I sneezed <3

I saw pictures of strange mushrooms in a Facebook group and this one bewitched me ! In the scientific podcast, my writer friend Ketty Steward was a guest, and the main topic was the use of psychedelics to treat depression in mainstream medecine. I began playing Dordogne, such a sweet and sad game, so peculiar and beautiful... Then I spent most of the night watching the US elections unfold with mounting dread.

Woke up after 2 and a half hours sleep feeling distraught and PISSTIFIED ! That's the effect of politics on me when they turn sour. Kurumi and Miruku came to cuddle on the bed. Then, I decided to do my best to thwart this nagging anger and fear : I took a shower with Weleda Happiness gel, wore my Hi-Res Zuri dress, applied some fluo make-up, shared large shrimps with the Potichats, published the month of October on Domestika, talked about my feelings in Theater Therapy, had pizza for diner.

Life went on despite what happened the day before ! I made nice salads for brunch, saved a large spider by putting it outside, out of reach from our Potichats, then followed an online yoga lesson wearing my newly found toeless socks.

Nothing much happened : I listened to a crazy rap album in french that made me smile, Miruku cuddled and purred, I managed to sharpen my much shortened highbrow highlighter pen that I love but which is disappearing, a victim of entropy.

I received a nwe book by my friend Ketty Steward : Foodistan. Amazing and sweet <3 Then, I listened to Beth Gibbons concert at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, a wonderful setting for her soulful voice... Then I baked some homemade lasagna in a yellow dish that I love.

I shampooed while listening to Julien Doré new cover album, my favorite song in this album is a kindergarten tune I sang when I was 5 "Ah les crocodiles". Try and listen to it, you will be hooked. Then husband insisted on making a round of all the tins and cans we have in our pantry, so we ate some for dinner as pennance. Hinata, mother of the Potichats (and some dragons), played and played cute in the catio <3 Then I read some more Foodistan while eating cereals.

I began the day with Polyphia, a prog metal band I discovered not long ago. Then I saw some flowers drawn by Machuca and had to include them on my page. Then I finished Dordogne, the great little video game that was too short. Then watched Irène Drésel set of electro in the rose garden.

Woke up early for an online cultural visit at the Musée Guimet, to learn and admire Arts of the East. Then I chanced upon a friends photos from botanical gardens in Japan. We had to run to the vet for shots of the Potichats. He claimed that my Yuzu is too fat ! I was outraged.

I almost missed the online yoga class, but I managed and it was very good ! Wabisabi went to the vet too, she is healthy <3 I'm glad that I have this little tool that husband gave me to help put my shoes on when they are badly designed and couldn't be slipped into any other way.

I sang many Talking Heads songs <3 Nori and Miruku went to the vet and came back with their yearly shots. And WOW : Domestika asked if I would like to do an interview about my sketchbooks !

Isn't it wonderful to be smiling just in front of your car when he wakes up and opens his eyes ? We also ate a little too much chocolates... and I watched two concerts on Arte TV : Siân Pottok and Kompromat.

Nothing much happened, a quiet day when Kurumi didn't chase Wabisabi, Miruku explored the dirty laundry, I wore my Zuri dress Lush and listened to TV On The Radio, then poached some haddock in milk for dinner.

In the bathroom, I tried to listen to Meshuggah but quickly faded back down to classical guitar Thibaut Cauvin. We shared shrimps with the Potichats, husband brought me the last raspberries from our bush, Wabisabi was cute, and I read an amazing poem by James L. Dickey "Falling".

I was awaken by a New Wave playlist, then after I opened the catio for the Potichats, Nori did his wastes on thei mattress ! I saw him and lifted him mi-action, so I didn't notice that he wasn't finished and I stepped into his poo with my cleated soles...! It's supposed to bring good luck.
Then I discovered House of Neko on Youtube, a fantastic house that's completely catified <3

A special day as it was husband's birthday !

I found a portrait that a famous photograph took of me when I was in my twenties, in the last millenium ! Then I saw this lovely frog illustration that I felt like copying, and listened to a selection of concerts in museums <3

Magic ! It snowed ! We showed the snow to the Potichats, they are still young and haven't seen this before. Then in the mailbox, there was a package from a friend that contained present : Moon Cakes !

A new version of a favorite album by TV On The Radio ! My writer friend Delia Sherman helped me by proof reading my Domestika interview <3 She also gave me super kind feedback and I felt more confident. Darling Yuzu slept next to me while I drew.

I made Overnight Oats for the first time. It was yummy ! Yuzu and Miruku joined me on the couch while I drew.

A friend, Otomo de Manuel was traveling Japan and he reminded me of Goa Gil, a DJ I used to listen to before 2000 ;-) He also introduced me to elderly and freaky DJ Sumirock <3 Husband picked some late figs on our tree, and we nibbled chocolate crispy thins all evening long...

In the morning, I listened to Spiritual Transe, an old album by Goa Gil just before changing heart medicine. It went well ! I took photos of my 7 sketchbooks for the Carnet de gratitude interview for Domestika and I got a wonderful present <3

I made another online cultural visit, this time about a painter I didn't know Emile Friant. Yuzu slept next to me, I ate a blueberry Nakd bar. I felt inspired to draw a version of a character by Machuca <3

Second time we had Overnight Oats, I made another recipe this time. The Potichats gor new scratching recliners, I listened to my playlist while baking a tart with our last figs of the season.

I went to have XRays of my hand that's been hurting and unable to open and close for months now... I'm lucky to be left handed !
Then, I watched a nice movie with Yolande Moreau, an actress that I love. As I was aching all over, I used this little massage thingy.

We received our first AirFryer ! I saw many flora and fauna photos from a friend travelling Thailand <3 and best of all : Domestika published my interview on their blog !

Machuca inspired me again and then we met and discussed and he was glad I made his illustrations come alive in my sketchbook <3
I listened to music from youth, and Yuzu looked at me from his favorite spot.

Here are the archives since November 2021 :
- First project for Kate Sutton's "Illustrated Life Journal: A Daily Mindful Practice"
- Follow-up n°1 (november / december)
- Follow-up n°2 (january)
- Follow-up n°3 (february)
- Follow-up n°4 (march)
- Follow-up n°5 (april)
- Follow-up n°6 (may)
- Follow-up n°7 (june)
- Follow-up n°8 (july)
- Follow-up n°9 (august)
- Follow-up n°10 (september)
- Follow-up n°11 (october)
- Follow-up n°12 (november)
- Follow-up n°13 (december 2022)
- Follow-up n°14 (january 2023)
- Follow-up n°15 (february 2023)
- Follow-up n°16 (march 2023)
- Follow-up n°17 (april 2023)
- Follow-up n°18 (may 2023)
- Follow-up n°19 (june 2023)
- Follow-up n°20 (july 2023)
- Follow-up n°21 (august 2023)
- Follow-up n°22 (september 2023)
- Follow-up n°23 (october 2023)
- Follow-up n°24 (november 2023)
- Follow-up n°25 (december 2023)
- Follow-up n°26 (january 2024)
- Follow-up n°27 (february 2024)
- Follow-up n°28 (march 2024)
- Follow-up n°29 (april 2024)
- Follow-up n°30 (may 2024)
- Follow-up n°31 (june 2024)
- Follow-up n°32 (july 2024)
- Follow-up n°33 (august 2024)
- Follow-up n°34 (september 2024)
- Follow-up n°35 (october 2024)

Stig Legrand's Journey: Turning Daily Gratitude into Illustrated Masterpieces