Ms. Autumn Rennie
is a sensory sorceress and creator of Chrysanthemum Stories — Sensory Design Studio, a sensory experience design studio that specializes in crafting immersive experiences using a palette of vivid colors, tantalizing scents, and enchanting sounds. With a background in art and a deep understanding of sensory processing challenges, Autumn approaches her work with creativity and empathy, always striving to create inclusive and engaging spaces that inspire self-awareness and emotional growth.
Her passion for designing sensory rooms that are both therapeutic and educational permeates her storytelling and dimensional illustration of magical sensory stories. Her stories are carefully crafted with sensory language, vivid imagery, and cue prompts that fully immerse the reader into the story world. Incorporating various sensory elements such as sounds, textures, scents, and flavors, her stories offer a fully immersive sensory experience that is beneficial for people of all ages and abilities.
Autumn’s Biophilic design philosophy revolves around creating spaces that incorporate the beauty of the natural world, are comfortably inviting, and psychologically functional. She carefully considers the needs of each individual user, creating rooms that are adaptable, comfortable, and calming. Her designs incorporate sensory elements in a thoughtful and intentional way, ensuring that each user’s sensory needs are met.
Autumn’s work endeavors to help people with sensory processing challenges, anxiety, ADHD, and other conditions that can make it difficult to focus and relax. Teachers, therapists, and parents can use her stories and sensory rooms in libraries, classrooms, and homes to create calming and engaging environments that promote learning and well-being. Through her work, Autumn strives to help people connect with their senses and find joy in the world around them.
As a sensory storyteller and designer of sensory rooms, I approach my work with a deep understanding of the power of sensory experiences. When creating stories, I focus on using descriptive and sensory language to transport readers to new and exciting worlds. I also carefully consider the sensory elements that will be incorporated into the story, such as textures, sounds, scents, and flavors, to create a fully immersive experience.
When designing sensory paths and rooms for my stories, I strive to create environments that are safe, welcoming, and engaging for people of all ages and abilities. I carefully choose sensory elements that will enhance the story and create a multi-sensory experience. I also pay close attention to the layout and design of the space to ensure that it is accessible and easy to navigate.
In all aspects of my work, I prioritize the needs and experiences of those who will be engaging with my stories and sensory spaces. I believe that everyone deserves to experience the magic of sensory storytelling, and I am passionate about creating environments that promote learning, growth, and well-being for all.
The Studio
Chrysanthemum Stories — Sensory Design Studio is a unique creative hub that specializes in designing sensory experiences for therapeutic and educational purposes. The mission of the studio is to inspire and engage people of all ages and abilities through immersive sensory storytelling and art.
Using vivid language, imaginative visuals, and sensory input, Chrysanthemum Stories creates a world of exploration and discovery that can be used in sensory rooms for therapeutic and educational purposes. The goal is to help individuals with sensory processing challenges, anxiety, and other conditions to relax, focus, and learn about emotions while stimulating their senses and developing self-awareness.
The studio’s founder, Autumn Rennie, has a degree in architecture, training in human-centered environmental design, and has become immersed in the world of special education. She is passionate about creating inclusive sensory experiences that cater to a diverse range of needs and abilities. Through her studio, she hopes to promote a more sensory-inclusive community where everyone feels welcomed and understood.
Whether it’s through seasonal sensory journals, immersive sensory stories, or sensory art installations and space designs for learning environments, Chrysanthemum Stories strives to provide a safe and stimulating space for individuals to explore and grow. The ultimate goal is to help people feel empowered and inspired by their sensory experiences, both in the sensory room and beyond.
The Stories
Chrysanthemum Stories are enchanting tales that transport you to otherworldly realms, awaken your senses, and ignite your imagination. These unique stories are designed to be experienced in sensory rooms, therapeutic spaces, and educational environments, offering relaxation, focus, learning, and growth to people of all ages and abilities.
Imagine being whisked away to a mystical land filled with mesmerizing sights, sounds, and scents, where you can touch, taste, and feel the story as it unfolds around you. Chrysanthemum Stories are written with sensory language and vivid imagery that envelop you in the story world, with scripts and cue prompts for the storyteller to fully immerse you in the tale.
Whether you’re seeking an escape from the demands of everyday life or an exciting new way to explore your senses, Chrysanthemum Stories are the perfect solution. They are ideal for people with sensory processing challenges, anxiety, ADHD, and other conditions that can make it hard to focus and relax. Teachers, therapists, and parents can use these stories in sensory rooms, libraries, classrooms, and homes to create calming and engaging environments that promote learning and well-being.
Sensory stories can be performed in sensory rooms to engage individuals with sensory processing challenges or disabilities. These rooms are designed to provide a safe and controlled environment that stimulates the senses through various activities and equipment.
In a sensory story performance, the story is read aloud with sensory input incorporated throughout the narrative. For instance, a story might feature descriptions of different textures or scents, with corresponding tactile objects or aroma diffusers available in the sensory room to enhance the sensory experience. The story may also include movement, encouraging participants to act out certain scenes or engage in physical activities that align with the narrative.
Furthermore, music or sounds may be used to immerse participants in the story and create a multi-sensory experience. Sensory stories performed in sensory rooms can be a powerful tool for relaxation, emotional regulation, and learning. They can be used in therapeutic settings for individuals with sensory processing challenges, anxiety, ADHD, and other conditions that can make it difficult to focus and relax. Teachers, therapists, and parents can use our stories in sensory rooms, libraries, classrooms, and homes to create calming and engaging environments that promote learning and well-being.
Whether you’re looking to read a story to your child before bed, incorporate sensory experiences into your therapy sessions, or create a magical sensory environment for your home or classroom, there is something for everyone at Chrysanthemum Stories.
The stories are available in a variety of formats, including printed hard and softcover books, digital downloads, and social media. No matter your preference, you can easily access our stories and bring the magic of sensory experiences into your life.
I believe that everyone deserves to experience the joy and wonder that comes with exploring the senses, and we are committed to making our stories accessible to as many people as possible. That’s why we offer a range of pricing options and formats to fit any budget or need.
So whether you’re a parent, educator, therapist, or simply someone looking to escape into a world of sensory magic, I invite you to join us on this creative journey and discover the joy of immersive sensory stories and performances.
– Autumn
Bio
Mrs. Autumn is a mixed-media artist, Girl Scout Blue Ribbon Troop leader, architectural designer, and Master’s Degree Honors graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology with experience in educational and mixed-use developments in the southeastern United States. She has a special interest in sensory site analysis and environmental design. Her artworks explore dimensional affect and psychological movement through physical space over time. There are also gifs, … many many gifs, involved.
Inspiration
Distant daydreams. Unmet gazes. Contentment in solitude. Evasion of discord. No response. Does he hear me?
I had no idea what the combination of these observations would produce as I was walking into my 3-year-old son’s pediatric office in July of 2013. I was knee deep in diapers and nursery rhymes caring for two sets of twins – and he was the oldest one! I was wondering if the apple juice, the only liquid he’d happily accept, was a healthy-ish option for him or not. The doctor performed a few hearing checks and was picking up on his obsession with the light switch in the room. The questions began. Yes, he lines dozens of his Hot Wheels up on the floor. Yes, he lays on the floor to play with them. No, he doesn’t join the others in the reading circle. No, he sees shapes, not animals, in that book about the zoo. No, I don’t know what his favorite color is – he doesn’t really respond when I ask him….
M-CHAT scores and IEPs. Echolalia. Autism Spectrum Disorder. Will he get the same things the other kids get?
After the rocks in my stomach lifted and took with them the guilt of not automatically knowing what was going with my own son, a resolve to conquer took their place. There were names and research papers and pop-theories for every non-standard behavior he had. Paperwork was piling high in all corners of our home. The doctors were declaring how lucky we were to be in Gwinnett County, apparently. We found the government-sponsored programs and the saintly teachers who had specialized in finding ways to reach young minds like his. My education in all things autism was well underway. I was doing the only thing I knew to do in the beginning, observing. He was taking on the space he needed to be his own self.
Light Fixation. Data songs. An obsession with fans.
He came awake as I pulled a fuzzy blanket over his arm reading about The Lorax‘s Truffula Trees. We were hiding away in the bathrooms with the lights off, armed with a flashlight and a book. I was humming the comfortable sound of the Humming-Fish in his ear with a tiny fan. His focus was sharpening listening to hard data about the planets sung into charmingly repetitive songs: “Twenty four-our hours thirty seven minutes long is a full day on Mars, so you’ve learned in this song…” He was absorbing and reciting entire songs, blind, in a matter of days. We were breaking though the communication barrier between traditional information and autistic spectrum sensory processing. Supporting information in story form with sensory supports and logical connections was giving him the personalized learning style he needed to thrive. This kid was extraordinary.
Stories!
We have been exploring this refreshingly structured world of blended sensing overlaying literal logic together for over 9 years. It inspired me to create and produce Chrysanthemum Stories, sensory-heavy performances and social narratives that can be enjoyed by storyphiles with an extraordinary operating system. We are building a modern story library of fun videos and PDFs with rich details that are easy to find for caregivers on-the-go. Our travelling storytelling services respect ASD and SPD sensory reader space – together. The original stories cover subjects of personal responsibility, self-discovery, inclusive education, and sensory awareness. The heroes are the places we walk through and feel. They all have something to tell us.
All our knowledge begins with the senses.
Immanuel Kant
Come on in.