5-September-2026

Sakura pigma microns (plus a graphic for space fill and the… outside? outline? I don’t know what to call it) on a 8.5 by 11. I wasn’t particularly happy with this one while making it, lines didn’t go how I wanted them to, and the paper got bent a couple times. But now that I’ve had time to step back from it, I’m pretty happy with the overall look of it, if I don’t look at it too long.

I’ve gotten two new followers on Instagram! I’m trying to curb my excitement and expectations, because I don’t want to accidentally crash my self by trying to do much or expecting things to go a certain way, but it is difficult. I am trying to recognize it as an improvement and a step towards where I want to be, because I’m apparently doing well enough at putting myself out there for someone to take notice, which is kinda big for me. I also got a “send me this post” comment, which is apparently a bot or scam, so I will probably not be interacting with it anytime soon.

My knee is doing better. I stood on it a little long the other day, and the weather is cooling, so it’s a little stiff right now and some regular movements are uncomfortable, but it’s not too bad. Two more weeks and I think I’ll be good to go back to normal! I’ve been adding some things of my usual routine back, but I still haven’t braved the stairs to do laundry yet (family has been helping me get it done) or done many out of house activities (I try to, but just getting ready tends to push it), because just the normal wandering around the house still puts a strain on it most days. Healing requires rest and patience, which is hard to give myself, but things will be worse in the long run if I don’t, so I’m trying me best.

Hope you all have wonderful week, and safe travels!

29-August-2026

Sakura pigma pens (mostly microns, plus a graphic 1 for space fill) on a 3 by 5 index card. My hands were not the steadiest when working on this one for some reason, so there’s some wonkiness that i’m unsure

… I am once again reminded that I don’t like editing this with a tablet/phone, because it won’t let me work on the section above. So, to continue what I was trying to say, there’s some wonkiness and I’m unsure if it makes it better or not.

This post is late today because I forgot about it yesterday. I also forgot to do some other things as well, so I’m currently hoping that a little notebook full of the things I forget like that will help, which I know sounds like a no brainer, and it is, I was just making it too complicated for myself by trying to break it down into day, week, month, and so on. My current plan is just a little notebook with a list that gets added to whenever I forget to do a regular thing. Will it make it so this never happens again? No. It will hopefully reduce the amount of times I run into this problem though.

I still haven’t made anything that I feel like entering into the exhibit, and I think my dad is right in that, if I’m not ready than I’m not ready and that’s ok, there’s always next year. And think it’s because I tend to, as I call it, “percolate” on things till I’m ready and then just do them. So, in the meantime, I’m going to try to make art more of a priority and work on my skills so I will hopefully feel ready next year.

As for Instagram… I’m still figuring it out. I’ve decided to share the stages of what I post here, and I’m trying to share the other things I make. Getting myself to post has proven difficult, but that’s kind of why I’m doing it in the first place, so it’s not unexpected, just a little frustrating.

My knee is still recovering, and I did some pet sitting this week, which was interesting. I felt a couple twinges that concerned me, felt the strain of being on feet a little too long at times, and figuring out how to sleep was interesting, but overall I think it was ok!

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

22-August-2026

Pentel pointliners and a Sakura pigma brush pen (much better for filling spaces!) on a 8.5 by 11 paper. Still working on my shading skills, and I probably should have given things a little more perspective/dimension, but I didn’t think about that until after I had put the layout ink, so I think I did alright with what I gave myself to work with! (one of my brothers got me a pack of Sakura pens)

One of my brothers heard about my struggle with my phone (It was very old by phone standards and didn’t have space for all the things I was trying to do), and was so kind as to get me a new one. The timing was great too, because I probably would have kept using it until it died (becoming more and more frustrated along the way), and I was thinking of hanging on to it for other uses, however my nieces device died, so it went to her. So, now that I have a new phone that can handle all that I was doing with plenty of room to spare, I should have a much easier time with Instagram, and I might play around with short form videos.

I’m now in week three of knee recovery, could be fine at the end of week four, could take week 6 or more, knee recovery is long and annoying. And while I try to do my best every time something happens to them, I don’t think I’m that great at it, and I worry that I may be making things worse at times. I still get little aches and pains from using it a little too much wandering the house, but my mom was so kind as to get me a brace, which is hopefully helping with strain and stability (especially since I plan on being out of the house for the majority of today on a girls trip. The last time I was out of the house was over a week ago, and it’s been even longer since I’ve seen these most of them, I should be ok as long as I take things slow). It has gotten easier to sleep as I don’t need to prop it up as high for it to be comfortable, and sometimes it’s fine for side sleeping as well, which I think helps me a lot.

I should probably ask this more often, or at least a variant, if I’m looking for more engagement. What do you think is going on in this picture? and please let me know! It helps me want to keep doing this.

And as always, I hope you all have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

15-August-2026

I made a bigger one! Pentel pointliners on a 8.5 by 11 paper (not printer paper!). I’m pretty happy with it. Should probably plan out the background and then put it in pen next time. Shading is ok, however it looks like I missed a little on the pointy face considering angles, and round head looks like they have a weird five o clock shadow, so more learning to be done. I’m really happy with the dark filled spaces, but I need to get a bigger pen for them, because I used the same one for outlining the heads and bodies, it took a while, and I think it might be starting to die already.

As for my knee… I’m in that weird state where I feel ok most of the time, but it’s WAY too easy to push it too far, so I’m still not back to my usual level of activity. If I have learned at least one thing from this bout, it’s that I should get a comfier desk chair. I should probably also adjust the air-conditioner because it’s harder to take a shower. If you are wondering what I did for my knee to go out, the answer is walk. In my house. In my living room… I didn’t trip. I didn’t step on anything. I just… walked, and my knee said no. The anxiety these things give me is not helpful.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

8-August-2026

Pentel Pointliners on a 3 by 5 index card. Finally bought myself some nicer pens! And am already feeling better about my drawings. Hopefully I can do a bigger drawing soon, so the tiny bits of bleeding aren’t as noticable.

I’m feeling a bit frustrated, as I’m now going to be behind on somethings I was making good progress on and I’m missing out on a family reunion I was really looking forward to, because my knee went out on me pretty bad this week. Not a full dislocation, but still much worse than it usually is. Usually it is very minor and I can walk around without pain or stiffness immediately after, maybe a few hours if it’s a bad one, and the last one like that was almost a year ago. This one is in the days category, and the last time I was in that was almost 4 years ago, and I had to travel on that one. Therefore, since I am unsure how long it will be until things reach a more normal level, I’m resting it as much as I can and being so very thankful for my family and their willingness to help so I don’t push myself too hard or go stir-crazy. Still frustrated, but thankful.

Don’t think I’m going to manage entering something into the County Fair, due to how I’m currently feeling, and the fire near the place. I am hoping to find it in myself to make something for the juried exhibit, especially considering the nice pens I just got, and how much time is now on my hands.

Other than all that… It is hot and I wish for rain.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, stay hydrated, and safe travels!

1-August-2026

A dying Sakura pigma micron 005 and a BIC grip roller on a 3 by 5 index card. I’ve had both for years. The Sakura was part of a set I got when making coloring books, but forgot to throw away this one away once it wasn’t working for what I needed (which I am currently thankful for), however I hope to get some new pens like them again soon. The BIC I got at a job fair and it has always had trouble with flow consistency, at least after years of disuse it doesn’t bleed through paper in spots anymore!

There’s a county Fair coming up, and I’m hoping to enter some things in it, but there’s some logistical things to figure out first, and I’d need to figure out what to enter.

There’s also a juried art exhibit I’d like to be a part of, which would be nerve-racking (the Fair would be too, but this would even more so), and while I know that I am capable of making nicer things on occasion, I’m not sure anything I’ve made in that last two years would do well. Especially when I look at what was entered last year, and considering that most of what I’ve made in the past two years have been on little 3 by 5 index cards. I did do a little painting at the beginning of the year (and then found out how to make the paint work better after) but there are two of them I’m fairly happy with, so maybe they’ll be ok? I don’t think it helps that I can see things that I feel I’m lacking in my art right now… In many ways it feels childish, and worse than when I started. And I currently lack the wherewithal to change it… you know… I’m not sure I’ve made a plan to change it either, so I know where to start now! because failure to plan is planning for failure.

Anyway. Hope you all have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

25-July-2026

A Crayola marker and some dying Sakura micron pens on a 3 by 5 index card… you can also still see some pencil marks.

In honor of Learn Nothing Day being yesterday (and therefore the day I am making this post), here is how I failed!

Some things learned about: Instagram hashtags (I haven’t used any yet, but I really should). State encouragements to move to them. When the dog gets walked. Google AI does not know the point of Learn Nothing Day. How to use a yarn winder. Some near-ish fires (planes were flying over to help deal with them).

Hope you all have a wonderful week, safe travels, and don’t stop learning (It can affect your perception of time!)!

18-July-2026

Crayola and Sharpie on a 3 by 5 index card. At some point the yellow problem will be fixed, but that’s still a long way off. The blue Crayola marker was dying.

Streams last week went alright. I’m a lot better at Halo than I thought I would be, had a little trouble with Wandersong not wanting to work right (and I forgot to take note of the settings that fixed it), and the only person watching was my little brother (I’m very thankful for his support, and having a person there is so much better than being alone when doing something like this). My state of mind on it right now is that, while I would love more people to be there, I don’t expect it, because I’m pretty much starting at 0. Same goes for pretty much everything I’m doing.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

11-July-2026

Crayola, Sharpie and other markers on a 3 by 5 index card. Scanner turned the yellow peachy again, and a peril of not planning what your drawing is that sometimes you have to confirm that the things on the sides are counterweights. Also, I know nobody asked, but I am not sponsored, it’s just the materials on hand right now.

Finally figured out a link to go to Instagram! It’s under the links section on the right, and where I will be sharing other things I make. So far it’s mostly abstract little things, but I hope to add more verity as I learn more things, and what I may have crafted (because I also do crochet and other things!) once I figure out a camera or something.

I’m a little worried about burning myself out, as there are so many things I’m doing, and I can already see some things being pushed aside because I don’t have the energy. I do think I’m doing better than before, I don’t get as down when I’m feel like I’m behind on something, and try to remind myself that it’s ok to rest and not think about all the things that I could be doing. But it doesn’t help when there are things that I feel NEED to get done, or I SHOULD be doing, and I don’t have the time or energy for them. Thankfully I’m still a long way off from needing to really drop anything, but I do feel like I need to examine some rough spots with getting things done and see if I can smooth them out a little.

Hope you have a wonderful week, and safe travels!

4-July-2026

Sharpie, Crayola, and a random fine tip marker on a 3 by 5 index card. Also, my scanner turned the yellow into a peachy color… 😑

Currently thinking to share the other things I draw on Instagram, because creatures are not the only things make, and it doesn’t really make sense to draw something and not share it when I’m trying to put myself out there.

I’m also thinking to do some live streams this month, as I only have a small stretch of pet sitting towards the end of it. I’m pretty sure I’ve explained in a previous post about why the live streams, but just in case. The reason is because I am hoping to combat the facts that I only interact with a rather small group of people on the regular, have practically no presence online, and I’m not particularly comfortable being in the public eye. And while they may game related right now, I also hope to eventually have the wherewithal to do art ones, because I like sharing what I make and learning what people think about it. And while I know that for some people just watching the process itself can be fascinating or even soothing, I also know that people are curious and may have questions about how or why I did something that I won’t have the answer for later. For example, while I’m pretty sure I started with the big eye feather, I’m not sure why it’s a bird thing, or why it’s pupil is shaped like that.

Now I just have to find the courage to do these things… ugh… Ok. I will post to Instagram, and put a schedule of live streams this week on YouTube. I just need to remember to do so, and not let myself get too worked up about it. Wish me luck.

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and independence day if you celebrate one, and safe travels!!!