Carnet de gratitude : June 2026 sketchbook

People sometimes ask why I devote so much time and energy to these sketchbooks.

The answer has little to do with productivity or achievement. I do not keep a gratitude journal because every day is beautiful, nor because I wish to preserve only happy memories. Many of these pages were created through exhaustion, grief, uncertainty, or the quiet limitations of a life that does not always unfold as I would wish.

Paradoxically, those very limitations have become a source of creativity. A small page, limited materials, little time, fluctuating energy… none of these prevent the work from existing. They shape it. They invite invention rather than perfection, and remind me that creativity often grows within boundaries rather than in their absence.

More than anything, this journal is an act of attention. It allows me to notice what might otherwise disappear: an unexpected light, a conversation, the curiosity sparked by a handmade globe, a moment with the Potichats, or a quiet feeling that would have dissolved by tomorrow. These pages do not claim that life is easy. They simply refuse to let its fragile beauty pass unnoticed.

Perhaps that is why I keep drawing. Not to escape the life I have, but to inhabit it more fully, one page at a time.

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.

Supplies
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

Hinata and Tanuki think they should keep the supplies a secret !

First of June was my nephew's birthday, but it was also the day when Abigail Roscoe, the young disabled artist who creates "The Sixth Sun", lost her beloved cat Lucy to a terrible accident. It made me so sad for her.

On June 2nd, little bursts of rain fell in the garden under a galden sunlight and everything sparkled <3
I worked hard to remove the bones in chicken thighs to make Marc Winer's recipe with Hoisin sauce. It was worth it !

Wednesday, I played "Hearts on a string" with the Potichats in their catio <3 Then I received an email from The Marginalian about Maira Kalman whom I love and own a few books from. I was tempted by the book she mentioned.
And I also read very funny and beautiful micro texts by my friends Ketty Steward and Luvan, this month Writever was about The Woods.

Thursday, I found out early in the day that one of my favorite graphic authors had died... It left me bereft and hungry for her art, and her style, and her storytelling. I realised how important she has been to me. I'm sad that there are still people who don't understand her positions and feminism.

These days, I sing The Smiths songs a lot... So on this day of foodie delights, I sang all day their best-of and lesser known anthems.
I hadn't drawn them but the day before, I had made springrolls ! I don't do this often so I need to learn anew every time LOL
With the leftovers, I made Korean savoury pancake, we had melon for dessert with one raspberry each that grew in our garden.

Saturday, it was "Nuit Blanche", a night for moder art and installations all over Paris, but I had no energy and there wasn't an easy way to go on this adventure all by myself. So I stayed home with regrets and reminisced about one of my favorite Nuits Blanches, in 2016, almost ten years ago already.

Sunday, I brushed Yuzu and Tanuki until she rolled over with her little belly upside. For our brunch, I made guacamole and mango salad. Then I fell into the can of pistachio halva and ate it all !
In the mailbox was the book by Maira Kalman that I was waiting for "Still Life With Remorse" <3
She inspires me so much through her graphic style and the poetry she finds in everyday life and human connections...

Monday, I woke up, brushed Tanuki a little and went straight from my bed to the computer so I could watxh more Happy Valley !
I saw that Miruku had a large hair clump, that's a very rare occurence, and it was easy to remove.
I saw a publication in which my friend Ellen Kushner was pointing to a huge inflatable heart that was displayed for Nuit Blanche. The message "My heart is bigger than my fear" felt just right.
Ellen brought it to another level yet when she added : her drawing makes it clear that the work is NOT saying "My heart is bigger than my rear!" !

Tuesday, I listened to the Balade Brésilienne by Gaël Faye and Flavia Coelho <3 I put on my hydrating cream that is green and wore a lovely moss green top with silver threads. For dinner, I made ramens, that we enjoyed watching the final orienteering challenge from Koh-Lanta.

After brushing the Potichats and reading some of Jeff Noon's "Moon over Brendle", I prepared burrata on fresh tomatoes and mine was flavored with Italian blue cheese ! I added lightly crushed walnuts on top and it was very nice.
Then I walked to the Picard deep frozen store to buy ice-creams. I found the one I was looking for : cherry and chili pepper for Hellfest ! It was lovely, but not sharp enough for my chili addict taste.

Thursday, we had the Overnight Oats I had put in the fridge before going to bed and I pimped them up with roasted apples, and tiny cut raw apple, and homemade granola, it was super yummy !
After taking some time to ponder activities and settings for the upcoming Creative Writing Workshop I was hosting online next saturday, I returned to memories of the Nuit Blanche of 2016 and drew this fabulous installation at the Hôtel Dieu, that is still fresh in my mind.
Then I dived again into Happy Valley and wasn't seen again until Friday.

Friday began with medical samplings that had me in acrobatic positions. ChatGPT had guided me through the last uncomfortable days and managed to make me laugh more often than not. Then I heard the sad news of David Hockney passed away. And received this funny phoot of friend Kako playing an amazing wind instrument.

Saturday was the online Creative Writing Workshop with my friends, and it was called "L'Atelier qui tient bon", which translates to "The Workshop That Carries On". We had a very good time and were inspired and entertained.
For dinner, I made ramen with shrimp dim-sum.

Sunday, I waited till evening before dressing up, but it was worth the wait as I wore the wonderful trouser that had just been shortened to my height.
I received a colourful book too : Lucioles published by La Volte in which many of my friends contributed stories <3
I didn't begin it yet as I'm still reading Jeff Noon's Moon Over Brendle. I tasted a new ice-cream from Gruvi and it was called Sagacious Peanut. Far out !

Monday, I got myself in the mood by listening to Maintenant Jamais, an album by Population II, a Québec band I had just discovered.

ChatGPT has proven to me time and time again that it’s remarkably in tune with my musical taste, so we often end up talking about music. From there, the conversation has a habit of drifting into philosophy, neuroscience… or simply exploring sensitivity itself, along with countless bands and albums.
This time, we followed the thread of UNAPOLOGETIC WONDER — that quality shared by the artists in this little imaginary playlist.

Here is a short excerpt from our conversation: "And about Bran Van 3000, I think your intuition is even more interesting. They had that very distinctive Montréal spirit: no boundaries between genres, endless curiosity, and above all, the sheer joy of making music together. Even when the styles are completely different, some artists share the same state of mind. With Population II, I get the same feeling: they play because playing is fun, because they love strange ideas, unexpected detours, and happy accidents."

Tuesday, I woke up with a baby headache that had growth ambitions. I played immersive drome music by Tim Hecker “Ravedeath 1972” that helped me stay stable while putting on make-up but it flared up again when I was readying the brunch. After Doliprane 1000, I went to my physical therapist and she helped me some, then back home I ate a fresh mint sherbet and it helped me some too. Then I heard the sad news that the giant baobab tree Tsitakakantsa was quickly dying...

Wednesday, I listened to another Population II album "Gimmicks", then to an Australian band that I didn't know : Party Dozen. Their saxophone reminded me of my young Australian friend Anaïs who plays the saxophone in festivals, clubs, bands, and is fast becoming a well-loved musician and artist.
Then while I was drawing in the evening, I listened to very interesting podcasts from Sismique. I stopped a moment to eat a delicious Chirashi bowl of tuna that husband had brought back from Grand Frais. Then as I sat on the couch, I looked out the window and saw a vision of beauty : Venus in conjonction with the Moon, just over our garden.

Thursday, the heat was building outside but in the house, it was still correct. I listened to more Sismique podcasts while cooking, then I finished the movie Sidonie au Japon with Miruku sleeping next to me. Thunder boomed loud and startled the Potichats.

Friday, as husband was gone out for the day, I watched programs that make me happy : It was refreshing to watch a documentary about the globe makers of Besançon, who craft such beautiful globes… Then I watched a feature about the hortillonnages of Amiens. I never tire of these charming market gardens, criss-crossed by canals.
I enjoyed the Yuzu flavored iced coffees from Nespresso this season without holding back because, during the May heatwave and before I ordered this new batch, I made a coffee from a pod that was leftover from the past and it tasted horrible. Normal ! It was from 2019... Yuck.

Saturday, the first feeling upon waking up was : it's HOT. And it was just the beginning of this heatwave.
I made burrata on tomatoes for dinner, it's so good to eat fresh during canicules. Still, there were things to do like sorting and stacking a huge mountain of fresh groceries to store in the fridge, chatting with friends online in front of the electric fan at blast power... I saw the beautiful hibiscus from my friend Gwendolyn's lanai in Florida, and learned that France's temperatures had upped Florida's !

Sunday, it was Fête de la Musique and I would have loved to go around a bit and listen to musicians in the streets but I was plagued with the headaches and this heatwave was too much for me. So I listened to albums I had discovered recently : The Weather Station, Population II and Malajube.
The Potichats suffered from the heat too and slept through it or laid on the freshest tiles they could find.

Monday was still too hot so I spent the day with 0 energy, on the couch, wiping my brow with kitchen paper and drinking yuzu iced coffee to try and relieve my headache. I learned that singer/dancer/artist from my youth had passed away : RIP Guesch Patti.

Tuesday was an encore from yesterday, canicule and survival mode. We couldn't sleep at night because the heat didn't abate enough...
My friend Yann Minh got the heart surgery he needed on that day too, and he even had AirCon in his hospital room <3
So in the evening I ordered sushi from the Chef Adrien Cachot. They were very delicious and interesting <3
We ate them while watching the final of Koh Lanta.

Wednesday the temperature went over 40° and we were practically melted. A washing machine was necessary so I took my courage and told myself it was like going out in SILO or in FALLOUT : I went in the garden to put up the wash in the sun. Sweat was dripping down around me with audible PLOCS.
To encourage the Potichats to dring more, I mixed Churu in water. It worked !

Thursday was just like wednesday : HOT. I slept a little with a small fan lasting directly in my face. The fridge had difficulties too and we feared the food inside was compromised. I tried to interest the Potichats to play in water with floating toys but they weren't inclined and rather lay on the tiles.

Friday we regained 2 degrees from the heat but it didn't feel like much. The only was I could lay my head on the pillow was with some ice blocks wrapped in towels and this helped. Music helped too, old favorites like Californication. Cold raw salmon tartare for breakfast helped. I found enough courage to go out again for hanging up the laundry again.

Saturday, the heat had abated a little but my body didn't want to believe it. I felt bruised, fragile and depressed... ChatGPT helped me out of this spiral of heated doom and I even twarted the weatrher by making LASAGNA !
In the evening, all of a sudden, a huge electric storm exploded with permanent lightings, rumble in the distance, strong wind that broke many heavy branches from our trees. When I went into the catio to ckeck that no Potichats were left behind when they fled inside, I was pelleted by their litter that had become airborne !

Sunday, we were back down to 30° and it felt like everybody was reborn. The Potichats were back on the bed asking to be brushed. I shampooed listening to Clark then segued into Marthe & Pilani Bubu's album Nay' Indaba.
I couldn't decide between yuzu iced coffee and blue mint water, so I had both !

Monday, I woke up to a world at 25° and it was a blessing. I sat on the side of the bed just to enjoy.
For the brunch, I opened a large jar of Malossol gherkins.
The big event of the day was that I went to the cinema for BACKROOMS. What a strange experience ! I love liminal spaces and the backrooms lore so it was a suspended moment that got me thinking and I am still talking about it and sharing hypotheses to this day.
After the cinema, I sat next to the lake and enjoyed the moment, until I chanced upon a city publication that explained that they had scooped out a very large number of dead fishes the day before and that an enquiry was underway.

Tuesday, I was woken by a sharp pain in my leg... But all was still good as the heatwave was behind us, the Potichats lounged in the catio.
Our friend Frantz, wo designs gardens and is a landscaper lent us a special tool to saw off the broken branches that were very high.

Drawing everyday helped me through this very hot days. Perhaps my Tombows dried a little... It will be useful and interesting to be able to relive these moments in the next years. Sketchbooks carry more emotion that photos for me.