Wild Things Monthly Field Guide How To

October 21, 2026 | terriaw

You don’t have to be an artist or know how to draw anything. My hope is to encourage people to put down your screen and discover little moments of wonder.

That’s why I write a monthly field guide for my mail club instead of a personal letter about what’s going on in my life or in my head. This is more fun!

How to use the Wild Things monthly field guide:

Step 1. Find something that catches your eye, like a fern.

Step 2. Draw it. Don’t be precious about it, it’s ok to trace around it.

Step 3. Hand write a quick note.

Step 4. Sample some color swatches. (Optional: HINT: this fills in a corner on the page.)

Step 5. Color it with paint or colored pencils or crayons. Messy is good.

Step 6. Add some details.

Step 7. Print a few photos from your field trip, tape them to the facing page.

Step 8. Add some doodles to fill in blank spaces.

A little walk outside can lead to a fun little journal page. Not fancy but it helps you slow down, quiet your brain and busy life with a little meditative moment.

Relax, enjoy a quiet moment in nature or on your back porch or balcony and have fun reflecting on a blank page.

Wild Things Mail Club Philosophy

August 28, 2026August 29, 2026 | terriaw

The vibe of Wild Things Mail Club

For people who still stop to look at mushrooms.

For people who name the squirrels in their backyard.

For people who believe ordinary mail should contain a little magic.

For people who collect tiny things.

For people who take the long way home because there might be something interesting along the way.

For people who find feathers and leaves and acorns and can’t quite bring themselves to throw them away.

For people who are perfectly happy being a little bit curious.

For people who think stories aren’t just for children.

For people who believe a handwritten note is still worth sending.

For people who need a little less screen and a little more wonder.

For people who notice.

Wild Things Mail Club is a little monthly escape into the woods—an envelope filled with illustrated stationery, tiny discoveries, stories, and bits of woodland wonder.

Something fun to open. Something new to notice. Something cherished to keep.

If any of these sound like you, Wild Things Mail Club is for you.

If you’re already a subscriber, thank you! I appreciate you.

If you’re new here, give the Wild Things Mail Club a try. I bet you’ll love receiving something fun in your mail box.

Until next time,

Terri

What Wild Things Mail Club Members Will Discover

July 16, 2026July 15, 2026 | terriaw

Imagine opening your mailbox on an ordinary afternoon and finding an envelope waiting inside.

You carry it indoors, set aside the day’s errands and to-do lists, and carefully open the flap.

Inside are a few small discoveries.

A story card that continues a woodland adventure.

A paper treasure tucked between the pages.

An illustrated keepsake inspired by the natural world.

Perhaps a note, a sticker, or a tiny surprise.

For a few moments, the pace of the day slows.

You find yourself wandering through a story, studying the details of an illustration, or imagining the woodland residents who might have sent the contents your way.

That is the experience I hope to create with Wild Things Mail Club.

Not simply a collection of paper goods, but a monthly invitation to pause, explore, and delight in small wonders.

The first envelopes begin their journey this August.

I can’t wait to share them with you.

— Terri

New Woodland Wreaths

July 8, 2026 | terriaw

I’m so excited to finish illustrating a new set of woodland wreaths.

I love the idea that a tiny illustration can feel like a gentle reminder to step outside, notice something beautiful, or wander a little farther down the trail.

I imagine they could be trail markers or badges from an old field guide—simple, adventurous, and full of quiet optimism.

Wander Often. Stay Curious. Find Your Path. Roam Free.

I have a feeling these little wreaths will find their way into future Wild Things Mail Club letters. Until then… wander often, stay curious.

Print on Demand Shops

Great Lakes Wildlife Gifts by Terri Wilhelm

April 22, 2026April 22, 2026 | terriaw

One of my greatest joys as an illustrator lately has been to see my illustrations printed on products! And then to see people order them from my print-on-demand shops!

I have two shops – one is a pop-up shop called Terri’s Nature Gift Shop.

My other shop is a Zazzle shop which you can find here.

I love shopping at gift shops, especially after a hike or stroll through a botanical gardens. But I struggle to find the types of products I would buy. So I thought it would be fun to create my own products.

I also sell a lot of postcards. Don’t you just love to still receive snail mail?!

I adored this cotton canvas tote bag the moment I opened the package. It’s a stylish way to elevate your everyday style while being environmentally friendly. A go-to accessory for any adventure, beach outings, grocery shopping, or casual days out.

My coasters are a fun way to add style to any surface, and they are popular. Email me if you’re interested!

I’m really looking forward to summer so I can show off my new t-shirt – perfect for nature lovers like me! Embrace your adventurous spirit.

I have so many more products to check out – gift wrap, stickers, zipper pouches, soft cover and spiral notebooks, enamel camp mugs and more.

All my artwork on these products is story-driven, hand drawn, starting with a pencil sketch, human made with traditional art materials. Perfect for every nature lover out there like me!

Mood Board, Color Palette, Motifs

March 30, 2026April 19, 2026 | terriaw

I’m taking Bonnie Christine’s Surface Design Immersion 2026 course to learn how to turn my library of nature-loving, story-driven illustrations into patterns and products to market to the world.

In Module one, our mission was to design a mood board to reflect the inspiration for a collection of patterns we are going to illustrate and design. I love to create whimsical, story-filled wildlife illustrations inspired by the wonder and diversity of the natural world. So my mood board is filled with my own photos I’ve taken on many trails, a trail map from a local forest I love to hike through, color swatches I painted with colors I use frequently in my artwork, trail treasures I’ve collected, and one of my own wreath illustrations. My husband said: “that looks like you!”

Inspired by wandering forest paths and collecting little wonders along the way, this collection will celebrate the textures and colors of the woodlands. Leaves, pinecones, mushrooms, feathers, and bark will become simple illustrated motifs, paired with warm earth tones and mossy greens. The patterns will capture the feeling of slow nature walks and the joy of bringing small forest treasures home.

A woodland-inspired collection based on forest walks and found natural treasures—leaves, pinecones, feathers, and mushrooms. Earthy greens and warm autumn tones translate these organic textures into playful, nature-inspired surface patterns.

Next up are some of the color swatches I painted. A nature-inspired palette that captures the gentle rhythm of woodland wandering, from sunlit clearings to shaded forest floors. Warm earth tones—soft sand, honeyed ochre, and rich bark browns—ground the collection, evoking tree trunks, fallen leaves, and sun-warmed soil.

A few pages of motif sketches. Inspired by forest trails, evergreen botanicals and the magic of slow forest wandering. Earthy textures, delicate natural elements, and whimsical details to create a serene cozy aesthetic roosted in quiet emotion, connection to nature and storytelling – some of my favorite things!

Stay tuned for more progress as I begin to develop a placement pattern and repeat patterns for this collection.

Terri's Notebook

Illustration, Animals + Nature

nature lover