What a beautiful Ripple Room gathering today where we talked about our favorite summer memories from childhood, how adulting sucks and how much we wish we could all go to summer camps! This one hour on Zoom surely felt like summer camp for grown-ups.

Nine of us gathered from across time zones—California to Slovenia to the UK—sharing stories that all seemed to center around the same truth: the best summer memories cost nothing.

Ice cream trucks, fishing with clothespins instead of hooks, sliding down hills on cardboard, waiting on curbs with pocket change. The freedom of just running wild.

While we reminisced, we created. I challenged myself to try a new zine format inspired by Diana's gorgeous accordion-fold design she mailed me.

No cutting required—just folding—which means I can't mess up the alignment like I always do. "Popsicles sweet cold sugary for the young and the old" became my summer manifesto, complete with wonky drawings that my 11-year-old critic approved.

Which was a big deal because if you know me, you know I don’t draw or stay contained within the confines of using one medium!

People continued their gel plate journeys (with suspiciously clean pulls that made us all jealous), made Father's Day cards for dogs, prepped peace poles for hospice groups, swatched handmade watercolors, and shared stunning Kokeshi doll bookmarks.

The best part? Learning from each other organically—troubleshooting gel plates, discussing coffee filter printing, getting advice about weatherproofing outdoor art.

Just friends creating together, each in our own creative bubble but somehow connected.

The next Ripple Room is in July with the theme "Permission Granted"—time to explore something we've always been afraid to try.

Plus a weekday zine workshop for those who couldn't make weekends.

Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is make something just for the joy of making it.

Featured