Intro

Ack!

The end of June sneaked up on me! That means it's high time to get crackin' on publishing this newsletter in between dog walks (Mac's splint is finally off, and we got the all-clear to go for strolls and play ball in the yard again) and trips to the rec centers to go paddling 'round the pool. (My honey, Tom, pointed out how when I'm in the water by myself, I actually make an effort to propel myself, but when he's also in there, I just hang on him and let him drag me hither and thither.)

This month, I started volunteering at a local creative reuse center, i.e., a nonprofit that sells donated used and new arts and crafts supplies for a fraction of the price. This is such a great, cost-effective way to try new creative projects. When I visited my aunt Sue at the end of May, we went to the creative reuse center in her town, and it had tie-dye kits, door and cabinet handles, a library of craft books and paper ephemera, beads, candle-making supplies, doll heads, and anything else you could possibly think of to make something. I rode the waves of all the beautiful craft paper and card stock to sweet bliss.

Speaking of visits, I also recently took a little weekend road trip to visit my best friend, Lis, in Pittsburgh, and we popped by the city's arts festival to hear some live music and scope out the wares of local artisans. It was good for the soul to hang out and catch up, as well as help rearrange her deck furniture for optimal cozy conversation. On the road trip to and fro, I listened to the podcast Who Shat On the Floor at Our Wedding? which I really must recommend. The second season about a Tiny Suit/Case is even better, and I really want to write a Nancy Drew parody based on the lead detective, the assistant to the lead detective, et al. (Note: I've been saying I want to write a Nancy Drew story for years.)

And! A surprise lunch date with Miki, another dear friend, was followed by an impromptu pop-in to the Torpedo Art Factory, a collective space of local artists' mini galleries. So there've been plenty of artist dates this past month to fan those creative flames. Of course, it's just a matter of having time to do it all. I've been back and forth about mixing productivity and creativity my whole life (and wrote about it in 2019).

That said, let's get into what I have done and what I'm currently working on!

Behind the scenes

Pop art portraits

To read this section, join the Newsletter tier or Newsletter + Annual Kit tier on Patreon.

Recent projects

Art-a-roni

In addition to the pop art piece, this is what else I've got in the works:

Creating a summer-themed icon kit for computers and phones for the first time
Making an endless pattern featuring junk food (again, for the first time!)
Adding to the Threadless shop (SAD but RAD is the latest design)

SAD but RAD!

I'm also still working on Sweet Valley High cover revamps for fun, and I'm available for pet portraits if you so desire to give one as a present for Christmas in July!