Carnet de gratitude : February 2026 sketchbook

Ouch ! February wasn't a very confortable month, in my shoes at Maison Legrand. From February 11th, I lapsed into these very long migraines that last for weeks... Luckily, it was manageable with lots of pills and rest, but I wasn't very active. Still, I drew a page a day anyway, because this is what my sketchbook is for : helping me get through everything, day by day, and keep a trace. There were also nice happy moments, and you will find them in this review of the month, with the Potichats, and lots of nice dishes and niche tidbits... :-)

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.

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

I didn't go to the Art shop (Boesner Champigny) this month - I still have supplies to last quite some times.

When I drew my old shoes, I got the idea that it would be nice for me to draw old objects that I kept because I loved them a lot, but can't use anymore. For these, I devised this label : "Reliques du quotidien". I didn't use it again this month, but it definitely belongs in the graphic identity of my Carnet de gratitude; now.

I began February with memories from the last millenium : my beloved Tigger shoes, and the good music from Urban Dance Squad. It was the time of their first albums, and they brought me along with their new sound to another level. I've been listening to UDS ever since, and it's really cool that I'm now in touch with their amazing singer Rudeboy, who sometimes Likes my pages on Facebook (far-out for the fan girl that still delves inside of me).

Mmmh, flan pies are easy to make and so yummy. I bake large ones and we don't leave a crumb after a couple of days with husband.
I saw a nice flower on the FB wall of a friend's friend that began following my Carnet de Gratitude without knowing me before <3
Yuzu sat in front of the TV and watched the logo bounce around just like good old Pong.

On that day, I began by combing Tanuki on the bed unti thoroughly pleased and knots free, then I plugged into my computer to create a photo album for my grand-daughter's upcoming birthday, with all the emails I sent her this year and that she didn't receive...

First, I got news and photoof of little Diego from my friend Deer Bartok, and he is definitely living his best life in her loving home <3
Then I watched again and again parts of the very good Domestika course "Surreal Illustration with Watercolor and Ink" by Marija Tiurina, because I would love to paint headspace portraits for my friends and first of all, for my grand-daughter Solune (I would love to know what's on her mind).

Husband drove me to my favorite Asian supermarket where I bought large stocks of Kimchi flavored super hot Nori crispy sea snacks ! I love to nibble on those. So back home, I had aperitif with these and white wine Sauternes, while Miruku cuddled next to me on the couch, surrounded by soft pillows that look like wooden logs.
Then my friend Nina and her husband Steven had temporary tattoos made based on my drawing of they beloved deceased cat Claudio. I was moved to my heart.

First we had breakfast with nice bread and croissant just out of the oven, while I looked at the photos my friend Françoise took during her own breakfast while on holidays in Spain, at Torremolinos. There was a beautiful cream-coloured pigeon that tried to share her breakfast !
Then I discovered the sculptures and art of Clementine Bal, I love the softness of her characters.
And I finished the night drawing, while listening to Heilung shamanistic vibes...

Husband brought back a bag of chouquettes from the bakery :-)
I gave us marinated corean eggs for brunch. Wabisabi spent much of the days sleeping next to me on the logs. And I drew a fun character from The Strangest Flea Market (Bralynn who is the curator and artist plans to have strickers made from Fan Art, isn't it cool !?)

I began the day singing in the bathroom with Emily Loizeaux, that's one of my favorites songs.
Kurumi stretched and yawned when I passed by, he loves sleeping on his duvet just like camping.
The web domain lesmotsclefs.com that I own since the beginning of 2000 I think, and that I haven't yet turned into anything at all, was finally transfered to another provider. And I made a tangerine cake to finish fruits that were getting a little old.

I woke upo for the online Pilates lesson, we used an Elastiband. Then I found Yuzu in the bathroom where he had slept in the towels and he felt so good that he began to make biscuits straightaway. I dressed in my favorite blue dress with a yellow dotted grey t-shirt. Then I saw this beautiful Picasso moth that I had never hear of before "Baorisa Hieroglyphica".

My grand-daughter Solune turned 17 on that day <3 Her mother sent me a video where she was singing and dancing with the cat Lunettes on her shoulders. Lunettes also turns 17 ! Solune got a lot of paraphernalia for roleplaying, Dungeons and Dragons. She is going to be a game master and I'm so proud of her <3

I listened to the new Cat Power album, Hinata insisted to settle in the middle of my drawing session and I was touched to see the monks arrive in Washington after their long walk for peace <3
And that's the day when my migraine began.

When I took the picture of this day's page, Nori the Potichat decided he could help : thank you Nori <3

I took headache pills and whent throught the day. Yuzu was helpful by being his usual sweet self. Husband was helpful by bringing back nice breads from the bakery. I settled on the couch and binge-watched the french series ANAON.

I got up for online sport "Happy Balance" and sweated through it but felt quite good afterwards, with headache pills. For dinner, I made lovely asiatic style noodles and fried eggs. Then I tried to fold origami into heart shapes following explanations and plans from ChatGPT, but it turned out impossible. Funny how AI can hallucinate when trying to create tutorials. I managed anyway with the help of old Youtube videos.

On Valentine Day, husband surprised me by gifting me my favorite little bowl that had broken in many pieces, and that he fixed with Kintsugi ! It made me very happy. I had made the Origami hearts and that was my gift. We shared Valentine coffee with nice pistachio chocolate balls and biscuits.
Then I ordered take away shushi from our favorite place but for the first time, it was disappointing.

Headache was still raging so I hung around all day in my warm loungewear. We shared tangerines and husband got at least 20 pips, I got none ! We played a bit with the Potichats, they need this and love it everyday <3 I made asiatic noodles with shrimps, yummy.

Again, a blurry day because of migraine, but I noticed how beautiful Miruku looked, sitting straight and poised on the heater, and I also felt charmed by the photo I saw online of a bookstore's display that used the covers of the book "The cat who saved books" as decor and book-ends <3

Doliprane, Lamaline and Izalgi were my friends all across these migraine days. Still I listened to Patrick Baud's podcast " Continues, tu m'intéresses" and he had Waxx as a guest. Imagine that I had never heard of Waxx before (even though he's very famous since at least 10 years and he is married to a favorite illustrator : Pénélope Bagieu). And I received photos from my daughter, they wer on holydays in Belgium for a special Carnavale and they painted super nice makeups, even on my dad's forehead.

I was so tired drawing this page that I fell asleep and wrote strange alternative text that were from a dream... it happens and it is always fascinating to see stuff written on your page that came from your hand but that you weren't aware of.
Well, still, I made this lovely Flower of Tofu dishes to begin and to end dinner. Yuzu played with his favorite toy, the big red velvet octopus.
I saw lovely Tea art created by Ruby Silvious (I recommend her Domestika course <3) and last, I fell mentally into the Ladybower plughole (a bellmouth spillway). I am attracted to lore and pictures of such syphon spillways.

I love the way the spine of my Carnet de gratitude catches an unexpected color identity as it fills with colored pages. They look so different empty and full... I also spent a long time dispatching all the recipes I have stored in my Drive into directories filing all this. Then Hinata insisted she wanted attention by laying in the middle of my books and supplies.

On the day, I finally found and bought a set of special sewing needles with a specimen long and sturdy enough to run elastic cord into the little stuffed toys for our Potichat's fishing rods games. I fixed them all and felt so proud and happy ! Then after playing, I gave the Potichats silverwine sticks that they love to chew and roll around with. We call them Matatabi.

I had kept a little bell from one of their toys in my pocket so all the Potichats were watching me intently. A little joke and it was lovely to have their attention. I roasted nuts and dry fruits with honey and sea salt crystal in the Airfryer, I recommend it (medium heat with honey else it burns).
Then I watched all the programs I was interested in on TV as I was alone. Feu! Chatterton's concert ! David Lynch documentary ! More ! Great !

For the brunch, I made wraps with a lot of nice raw vegetables <3
We played with the Potichats and their new restored toys <3
Husband kept a tangerine for me that had grown moldy, so that I could draw it !

On that day, I cooked eggs mimosa for the brunch and a wonderful pad thai for dinner.
Meanwhile, I chanced upon the art of a young illustrator that I didn't know : Artanzo. It was lovely drawing his PURE SHORE.
And one of our Potichats left a cat hair on the page when I was taking the pictures.

First, I put some grounded cardamom on my coffee <3
Then after we played, Tanuki coughed for a little while and we worried but it stopped all by itself.
I saw a lovely macro photo of grains of sand, collected into the molted headcap of a jumping spider.
Then I went to Picard, the frozen food store at the end of the street, but I lost one of my earphones and couldn't find in for the life of me. I was distraught and went back inside, explaining what had happen to the cashiers. And then, a lady opened the outside door and handed it back to me : she had found it, then heard me ! I am so lucky.

We were scheduled for our first online writing workshop with some friends, so I created cards for inspiration, based on Simon Stalenhag's universe.
For dinner, I made us some bentos with japonese rice topped with marinated eggs, mungo beans sprouts salad, brocoli stem salad and candied sesame eggplants. So lovely.

On the way to the dentist, we passed by a wonderful tree that was covered in spectacular white flowers with sleder petals. It was a Magnolia Stellata.
Then back home, I had to cook something with a conger eel that husband had brought back, so I asked ChatGPT for a nice soup recipe and (s)he helped me through quite a complicated process that resulted in a beautiful aromatic broth but the fish was so full of bones, needles everywhere and I had the hardest time removing them.

What a strange chaotic day... It was balmy and Kurumi slept peacefuly on his duvet.
Then I had a phone call with an editor who invited me into a very interesting project and my brain was in a turmoil of inspiration.
Husband brought us hamburgers, then everything went haywire and my glasses even landed on the floor, where they didn't break.
And then, in the middle of the night, I tried and managed to make my diabete shot all by myself for the first time (little victory !).

And on the last day of the month, I wore my new red top, very soft, light and intense colour called Litchi.
I saw this endearing and funny photo of my friend Estelle Monsterlune's friendly cat : Fantômette <3

My Carnet de gratitude sketchbook was featured in HappyVisio's Fabruary newsletter ! It's true that I enjoy their online physical activities lessons very often, so they are a regular guest on my pages :-)

Looking at this always makes me happy. So thank you for your interest, and I wish you the drive to start your own sketchbook practice, it is a happy habit.