The Curious Magpie

September Issue - a month to let go, accept that I can't do it all and turn towards Autumn with a special creative challenge open to all.

Hello Magpies,

I’m Océane and this is my monthly newsletter. The place where I tell you what I’ve been up to this month - my life unfiltered, highlights and I hope something to inspire you for the month ahead. You can also find out what to expect from me in the coming weeks.

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Life Unfiltered

I took a break in August and actually I didn’t even feel like writing my monthly Newsletter so I didn’t - it’s okay to let go without feeling guilty sometimes.

I’ve been treating September like January so a time to think and daydream. I’ve got a lot on my mind with my day job and what I’m working on creatively for the rest of the year and the future in general. After starting 2025 ready to embrace ALL sides of my creativity, I’m starting to realise it’s not that easy and I can’t do it without burning myself out.

I decided to let go of my website, it was up for renewal and it was getting very little traffic, websites are expensive so it didn’t really make sense to renew it when I’m not sure what I’m going to be focusing on. Not an easy decision but I feel like it was the right decision because this publication is where I spend the most of my time right now.

Amongst all of that soul searching, I’ve done some lovely things this month:

• A trip to the National Gallery where I discovered this painting which I can’t stop thinking about by Impressionist artist John Russell. It’s stunning!

• I attended a Substack meet-up from the wonderful

  Lex Hearth
  and
  Michaella Parkes
  . The panel discussion was so inspiring and honest, I left with a full heart.

  Oversharing in a Tiny Bookshop: Writers IRL, September '25

• I loved my time in

  Lyndsay Kaldor
  ’s co-working space this month.

  Gather & Tend with me in late summer.

September Highlights

I shared some thoughts around spending time away from my children this Summer here:

The Rhythm of Absence

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I introduced a creative challenge for October! It’s going to be great, will you join us?

Introducing Slow & Wild Creative Challenge

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I’m delighted to read your signs of Autumn in the comments of this post which gives you a 5-min Creative Spark:

Creative Spark #04

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We drew the last 6 letters of our animal alphabet in our monthly Draw Together session. We now have a full sketch book of 26 animals! I’m proud of us all.

[SLIDES] Draw Together #16

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Books I read this Month

• The Names by Florence Knapp

  Beautiful, heartbreaking and so layered (I cried several times).

• 1984 by George Orwell

  A re-read and it’s stunning just felt a bit too close to home given the state of the world at the moment.

• A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant

  So much fun, lovable characters and a very original whodunit.

You can find my book recommendations in my virtual bookshop here

Coming Up in October …

Dates for your diary:

It’s the Slow & Wild Creative Challenge month:

• A calendar of 14 drawing/pattern prompts and an image reference moodboard for all of the prompts, 2 lives etc.

• Online Draw Together session Tuesday 14th October at 8.30pm GMT (Paid members only - PDF available if you can’t make it)

• The Curious Magpie Newsletter (October Issue) Friday 31st October

  If you’re part of my paid membership you receive your creative prompt every Wednesday ‘Wednesday Wonder’.

Remember I’m offering a special 20% off yearly membership if you join before 31st October 2025.

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Thank you for reading my words today. I’d love to know if my recommendations were helpful.

As always if you like what you’ve read please consider sharing with others.

Speak soon,

Océane xoxo

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*This email contain affiliate links to Bookshop.org which pays me a small commission, and gives a matching commission to independent bookshops for any purchases made.

Photography by Beth Lavin