My Creations this Month || May 2026
May 31, 2026 2:21 pm
Hey there ,
Welcome back to my monthly newsletter! I hope you've had a wonderful month. This May, I had the opportunity to visit family and friends in California. We spent time at the Renaissance Faire, explored the Huntington Library, and enjoyed plenty of other adventures along the way. It was a very fun, much needed vacation.
Time Well Spent
This trip gave me a lot of time to reflect on what matters most.
I know it sounds cliché, but time with the people you love is one of the most valuable things in the world. Since moving across the country, visiting family hasn't always been easy, especially with my work schedule. Because of that, I've learned not to take those moments for granted whenever I get the chance to be there.
Adventures in California
The Renaissance Faire was such a special experience. There's something inspiring about being surrounded by so many creative and passionate people. I even dressed up as Mizu from Blue Eye Samurai, which was a lot of fun!
We also visited the Huntington Library for the first time. If you've never heard of it, it's home to beautiful gardens inspired by cultures from around the world. It was an incredible place to explore, and honestly, I barely scratched the surface. I'd love to go back someday and see more.
Back to Reality
Coming home from vacation brought some unexpected news. My job is requiring us to work six days a week for the next six to eight months. I'll be honest, that hit me pretty hard. I've been investing so much time and energy into my art, and my first thought was: "How am I supposed to find time now?"
But after sitting with it for a while, I keep coming back to the same answer: Just keep going.
Progress may be slower than I'd like, but it's still progress. Obstacles don't mean the journey is over. Sometimes they just force us to take smaller steps. That mindset brings me to this month's art update. The pieces you'll see below are still works in progress, but I wanted to share where things currently stand.
Riley/Slim (Work in Progress)
I started working on my original character, Riley/Slim before I left for vacation. I would like to get one more character sketch in before I begin color, but I just haven't had the energy to do so. I do hope I can finish her this coming month though. I'm very happy with how she's turning out.
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
Tasty Sticker Sheets (Work in Progress)
With these longer work weeks, I've found a bit of peace in spending my mornings drawing stickers. Unlike some of my larger art projects, stickers don't require quite as much planning or mental energy. They're small, fun, and easier to focus on when my time and energy are limited. Creating them has become a nice way to start the day and keep my creative spark alive. That brings me to a decision I've been thinking about for a while.
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏
A Creative Shift and a New Name
Because my free time is becoming more limited, I'm planning to shift my creative focus away from character artwork for the time being and put more energy into sticker design. I've been slowly laying the groundwork for a future sticker and craft business. It's still in the very early stages, and I know it will take time to build, but I'm excited to start creating a foundation for it.
My vision is to create products centered around journaling, scrapbooking, and creative self-expression. I've always loved the idea of helping people tell their own stories, and I hope my stickers can become small pieces of that creative process.
One of the first steps has been exploring branding ideas.
These are a few logo thumbnails that my partner and I put together while brainstorming. Right now, I'm really drawn to Lender's Splendors. It feels playful, memorable, and open-ended enough to grow alongside whatever creative projects I decide to pursue in the future. I'll probably continue experimenting with different designs and concepts, but for now I'm letting the idea simmer before making any final decisions. Sometimes the best creative choices come after giving them a little room to breathe.
Until Next time
Even through these challenging times, I'm committed to continuing to create, even on the days when my energy is running low. I know that working through difficult periods is part of the journey. Each obstacle is an opportunity to build resilience, develop grit, and learn how to adapt without losing sight of what matters most. Thank you for following along and supporting my creative journey. It truly means a lot. I'll see you again next month.
Want to be a part of the process?
Catch me live on Twitch
Monday–Thursday mornings
3:30 AM EST | 1-hour streams
Want to support me on my art journey?
Follow my socials, grab some stickers on Redbubble, and join our Discord to create and share your art with me 🎨
Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter! I'm looking forward to creating more art with you soon. <3