The November Slowdown

Nov 3rd 2021

Happy November!

Oh my goodness time sure has flown by. It seems like just yesterday event season was starting up and now it is coming to an end for the year. I still have a handful of events left for the year but not too many anymore. It feels really weird. I've gotten so used to running around like a chicken with it's head cut off for the last few months. Now that I can start to relax and take my time more it just doesn't feel normal. I'm sure I'll get used to the idea of relaxing and not being so stressed at some point.

Despite things starting to slow down I have been busy at work this last month. The Kickstarter for the Puns of Fun project ended on October 12th and was a success. With the help of some really awesome people, family and friends we were able to get the first 4 enamel pins of the project funded. We even unlocked 2 of the stretch goals. Over the month the samples for everything have arrived and been approved. Now I'm just waiting for the official products to arrive.

As last month was October I also took part in Inktober. I didn't take part as much as I would have liked but I was still doing one sketch a week. I created an adorable crystal troll for the prompt crystal, a fantasy compass for the prompt compass, a plant flowering a cat for the prompt sprout, an ice pick lobotomy for the prompt pick and lastly a fluffy kitten for the prompt fuzzy.

While placing orders for all of the Puns of Fun items I also managed to finally finish that mountain scene I had started a while back. It turned out absolutely gorgeous. Being a smaller piece with everything more in the distance the amount of fine detail wasn't as much as my usual pieces, which was a nice change of pace. It also confused me for a bit because I'm so used to going crazy into detail I kept thinking I was missing things.

Throughout October I continued my work on the Dapper Bastards series. 10 different illustrations featuring animals dressed with top hats, vests, bowler hats, canes, bow ties and more. Each one of these dapper bastards looks amazing. In fact, I'm so in love with the series that I even decided I'll do a sister series to it called Classy Bitches. This series will contain 10 animals different from the Dapper Bastards all dressed up with bonnets, strings of pearls, fancy dresses and bejeweled clutch purses.

One of the events I took part in last month was the Madison Night Market. They had joined forces with Madison Science Fest so I created 3 different science themed items for the big event. They....didn't really sell. :( But that's okay, I'm sure I'll sell them all eventually. I made an adorable card of a plant cell with some party balloons saying, "Let us cell-ebrate." I also made 2 different bookmarks, 1 featuring a mad scientist cat and the other using elements from the periodic table to spell out NERD. If you or anyone you know would be interested in some science themed cards or bookmarks let me know. :D

I also created a few new designs for stickers. I unfortunately haven't gotten them all printed yet because of production costs but I am on the edge of my seat excited to get them made.

Near the end of the month I got contacted to create a logo for an environmental group working to preserve some land by Lake Mendota or Fourth Lake as it was known before. It is still a work in progress but I am so in love with the logo, the project and what this group is working to do. It has brought so many more ideas to my mind and I am so excited to bring them to life.

This month I plan to finish the Dapper Bastards series as well as start the Classy bitches series. I'd like to work on the Three Billy Goats Gruff some more. I'm so close to being done but I just keep putting it on the back burner. I'd like to get back to work on my cat themed coloring book or if I have the time, bring Reggie out of the woodwork too. I also have to get started on my husband's Christmas present. It sounds like a lot but I think I can do it. I only have 4 events lined up for this month so I should have more time to work on projects. :) I hope you all had an awesome October and a spooky Halloween.