A Lazy Day by the River

A Lazy Day by the River

The Woodland Courier No. 9 - September

A lazy day by the river, with nowhere to be and nothing to do.

September marks the 9th edition of The Woodland Courier, my monthly surprise woodland art mail club where I send out illustrated stationery, stickers, stories and little pieces of Willow’s Hedge through the post.

When I first started The Woodland Courier, the mail wasn’t created around an ongoing story. But after nine months of drawing these little creatures, I’ve found myself slowly building a world around them. Each month, I imagine what the creatures of Willow’s Hedge might be getting up to, then create the illustrations and mail around their little adventures.

And for Mail No. 9, everyone has gathered for a lazy day by the river.

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A Day by the River

When I was little, growing up in England, there weren’t many beaches nearby. So whenever the weather finally warmed up, we would spend our days by the river. There was something so lovely about those simple summer days. No plans, no expectations, just finding a patch of grass, jumping in the water and staying until the sun began to fade.

That feeling became the inspiration for September’s mail. All the creatures of Willow’s Hedge have gathered beside the river. Frogs are jumping into the water, three little friends are wobbling along in their rickety boat, and everyone is lending a paw to carry the kayak down to the river. No one minds how big your burrow is or how many acorns you managed to gather before winter. They’re simply happy that you’ve come to spend the day beside the river.

The River A4 Art Print

Each month’s mail includes an A4 illustrated art page, designed to be used for scrapbooking, journaling or simply decorating your little corner of the world. September’s illustration captures all the creatures messing about by the river. Everyone enjoys nature in their own way. Some paddle, some swim, while others simply sit beneath the trees and listen to the water.

There’s no right way to spend a day by the river.

The Brave River Swing

September’s postcard features a brave little river swing.

When I was young, we had a rope swing by the river that we would jump from into the water. I was always far too scared to let go. My sisters would sit giggling on the riverbank because they knew that once I finally jumped, I’d realise the water was much shallower than I thought. I’ve loved bringing little pieces of those childhood memories into Willow’s Hedge. Since moving to Australia, I’ve also really enjoyed incorporating Australian animals into my illustrations. So for this postcard, Little Echidna has gathered every ounce of courage to swing from the old tree, while Possum, Wombat and Kookaburra cheer from the riverbank.

The Wobbly Boat Sticker

Every edition of The Woodland Courier includes a die-cut vinyl sticker, and September’s is the Wobbly Boat. Three little friends have found themselves on an old, rickety raft. It might not be the grandest boat in the world, but they wouldn’t trade it for anything. The stickers are waterproof, making them perfect for water bottles, notebooks and anything else that needs a little Willow’s Hedge adventure.

The Kayak Bookmark

This month’s bookmark shows the creatures carrying a kayak down to the river. Platypus is leading the crew while Mr Badger brings up the rear, making sure nobody gets the wobbles and tumbles into the bushes. They’re a rather clumsy bunch, and some creatures certainly seem to be doing more helping than others. But that’s okay. Perhaps carrying the kayak was never really about getting to the river.

Sometimes the best memories are made on the way there, not at the destination.

A Little More from Willow’s Hedge

Every month’s mail also comes wrapped in custom patterned paper inspired by that edition, along with a letter telling the story of what has been happening around Willow’s Hedge. Each little piece is designed to feel like it has come from the same storybook world, slowly building a collection of characters, memories and adventures as the months go by. September’s Woodland Courier is a little reminder to slow down, find somewhere peaceful, and spend a day doing absolutely nothing in particular.

Just like the creatures of Willow’s Hedge.

Find September’s Mail

The September edition is still available to purchase as Past Mail. If you love whimsical storybook art, illustrated stationery, stickers, letters and little woodland stories, you can discover The Woodland Courier and join the next adventure in Willow’s Hedge.

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