Issue 0011 - Editor’s Elocution Edition
The year is (still relatively) new, and I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing those words by now. Or maybe not. Either way, it’s 2026 already and I’m still alive! Barely.
This is a very special issue of the newsletter, so unfortunately there won’t be any of the usual columns, but it will be an extra-long Editor’s Elocution Edition where I’m going to blab about what’s been going on with me, what is upcoming, and essentially say hi again.
So… Hi! 👋 How have you all been? Even if your answer is “barely surviving”, just know that I’m right there with you, and honestly, that in itself is a pretty damn big accomplishment, so let’s celebrate that for all it’s worth.
It may be a cliché, but it’s because it really is so true—December just flew by. Some of the things I had planned for did not happen (both good and bad), some other things came up last-minute that were pretty good, and then the rest was just awash in the tides of time. Still, I managed to do some things that I'd like to note:
🎄 Traded at a Christmas craft fair
Final amounts are still TBA but at the very least, I know I sold a good chunk of the old Christmas card packs that were left over (hopefully all of them, FINALLY). It’s also my first time officially having traded at a location other than my own official channels. Progress!
🎁 Batch order of Christmas cards
With all my cards being at the craft fair, I don’t have any pre-made ones left, but I had someone ask if I could make a whole bunch more, so I did a rush on making 25 extra ones at home. The printer was running hot all day, let me tell ya. It was for a local community group so I didn’t charge much beyond pretty much materials, but it was still nice. Plus, since I was printing these at home, I managed to put some branding on them that means that more people out there are aware. (The old ones I had manufactured were so old that they had my old logo and only my old temp shop name lol.)
📚 Read 36/32 books for the year
And only a couple of them were ‘cheats’! (i.e. picture books LOL but hey, a book is a book!) I’ve covered a few of the books on my shelf over the past newsletter issues, but maybe there will be a longer OnlyBooks edition down the line. According to my GoodReads (don’t judge; as I’m writing this, I am exporting to TheStoryGraph), my average rating was 3.5. I’d like to think that I’ve had a good mix of genres, but this year’s goal is to branch out even more.
🖌️ Second life drawing session
Although, only two people attended, but ah well. We’ll chalk it up to it being the holidays and admittedly I did not do as much marketing as I had for the first because I was just so damn tired. It’s just a part of starting new business endeavours, and I’m taking it as a learning experience.
It doesn’t seem like a whole lot, but there were a bunch of things that I was doing in the meantime that meant I also couldn’t get much time to work on any new drawings as much as I’d wanted to, but that leads us to…
Earlier this week, a friend tipped me off about Year Compass, which at first glance seems like one of millions of ‘new year goals’ setting types of things, but I figured why not at least give it a shot. So far, I’ve only managed to do the past year section because it was a lot more intensive than I’d expected. There certainly were some interesting things that came up as well.
Even if you’re not into these kinds of things, I would actually recommend something like this as a retrospective activity. It really made me notice that a lot more had actually happened than I’d given myself credit for, and on top of that, highlighted things that are likely to block me in the coming year if I don’t deal with them. (What, me? Pushing back on internal emotions and feelings?! Why I never…would deny such an accusation.) I haven’t quite gotten around to doing it just yet so it’s not quite yet clear what I’m going to focus on, but there are at least a few things that I had kicked off last year that will come to fruition soon:
🛍️ Trading at a new craft shop
A lot of happenstance and serendipity led to this kicking off at the beginning of December, so much so that it really knocked me over the head with the “right place, right time” aphorism. Not to mention, the whole “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” one, because if I had just walked by and pretended to forget about this like my past self would have (this and the earlier craft fair), this would have been something that I’d have kicked myself over instead. But praise be, I’ve apparently levelled up enough as an adult human freelancer and sent the cold emails, AND got in at the perfect time to get a primo location within the shop.
Top shelf with extra space behind and facing the window to the high street!
The official opening is actually tomorrow, 10th January, so despite being on the dregs of this nasty cold, you bet I’m gonna haul my ass outta bed to get there and see in person—and share more pictures!
...Plus I need to get out of this house anyway and maybe get some natural light.
🎂 4th Anniversary of my Patreon!
Had to look this up obviously, but apparently I’m out of the Threenager phase and onto the…Fabulous Fours? Fantastic Fours? Whatever it is, let’s hope it is one of those and not Foul! 🤣 I’m sure I’ll wax more poetically when the official anniversary comes around, but in the meantime, I have to thank all of you for helping me get here in the first place. From those who were here in the beginning, to newer folks joining and following (especially those of you who somehow found me organically!), thank you from the bottom of my heart for continuing to support me.
Since I am primarily a visual artist, here’s an overview of the stickers and postcards/colouring sheets I’ve shared with you ✨Shining Stars✨ over the past years! Some are missing and I only theoretically started the sticker/postcard club a year in, but still—there’s quite a few?! So much so that it was actually hard to arrange everything in a pleasing manner.
2023 stickers and art postcards
2024 stickers and art postcards
2025 stickers and art postcards
A lot has changed, and undoubtedly a lot more will change. But I hope that, with your support (not just financial—there are so many free ways to support me and other artists!), I can continue on this journey to figuring out the kind of artist I am and how I give to the world with what I can.
Beyond the things that I already know will be happening, what else is coming up? This has already gotten long because I’m always verbose lol (despite my fingers freezing as I type this). And as mentioned before, I haven’t finished my Year Compass yet, but these are just a couple of the things that are top of mind:
🪿 Make social media work for me.
Fuck the “how to grow your following” and “how to beat the algorithm” tutorials/guides/videos. I’ve been using BlueSky a lot more lately, and even more in a manner that I miss about the olden days of Twitter/Tumblr when I actually felt like I had circles that I actually felt part of, and not just an observer on the outskirts—or worse, being the centre of attention as a personality, not a person.
I’m happy to report that so far, it’s been pretty good, actually! I’ve always been the type to self-curate and meticulously customise damn near almost everything I have, so it’s been a relief to get back to really using technology in a way that I want to use it. (Not to mention, I’m not the only one sick of being fed rubbish by tHe aLgoRitHm.)
🛜 Connect beyond my circles.
This is going to be a hard one, but one I know that I’ve already started on so it’s not impossible. I’ve already sent cold emails and approached local shops—why can’t I do the same with publishers and/or potential clients online as well? Now, this does also mean I need to really LoCk iN on what kind of art I want to make, so I’m thinking of aiming at three areas to start with and go from there:
Book covers (for potentially finding a career path I can follow)
Character commissions (to pay for the roof in my belly and food over my head)
Sharing knowledge (because that is my mission)
Despite really hoping that I could end this by sharing a brand-spankin’-new finished piece, alas, I was down with this sickness — or rather, it took me down. So here are TWO updated WIPs, which usually are only available to RGB Buddies and higher tiers, but consider this my way of reminding myself that everything does not have to anywhere near finished for it to still be worthwhile.
"We've had one WIP, yes, but what about second WIP?"
🎉 Colouring Giveaway Winner!
A huge THANK YOU and FANTASTIC WORK to those who entered the giveaway! There were a total of three entries, which...admittedly kind of made the randomisation a bit tricky lol. But the entries were each so stunning and well done that I was absolutely FLOORED! Please do go check them out on the Discord and once I get permission from the entrants, I may also feature them here because SERIOUSLY. THEY'RE SO GOOD.
🎉 Congratulations, Shield Maiden!! 🎉
You can still get the colouring page and colour it in! Perhaps a mindful exercise for the new year? 🤓
Thank you for 2025 and continuing with me into 2026. 💖