I’m Jess, an illustrator and writer muddling my way through midlife. I grew up in rural Norfolk with a typically outdoors-y 70s childhood - if I wasn't bike-riding, strawberry-picking or den-building, I was helping my mum in the kitchen or my dad in the garden. In between I was usually found with my head in a book or a pencil in my hand.
The things I loved then have stayed with me through adulthood (with slightly less den-building…) but they’ve often taken a back seat as life got in the way. As I’ve got older, I’ve found myself drawn back to them. It’s a cliché for a reason: the simple things - good books and food, quiet time in nature, creativity and self-care - really are the things that keep us grounded, in tough times as well as good.
Second Leaf is my attempt to gather the small joys, the reflections and things I’ve learnt (and am still learning) into a creative journal that’s honest, comforting and not too serious. I’m cautiously excited to see where this new path leads me and looking forward to sharing it.