Life Update Blog 🍂(a full house, miso's dental work, a little escape, summer reading, childhood art)

Autumn Arrives

I can’t believe we’re already in the full swing of autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere. After such a hot summer, the temperature suddenly dropped!

The last time I wrote, I mentioned that I’ve been living in a bit of a liminal space. That is still true. In some ways, I’ve fallen into a sort of routine, but in other ways, I still don’t feel completely adjusted.

A Year Full of Commissions

This really has been the year of commissions. I went a long time without taking many, and even now I don’t accept nearly as many as some artists do. But this year so many authors and publishers have reached out that I ended up more booked than usual.

It has been fun because these projects are all lovely and right in my wheelhouse. I’ll admit, though, that I need to start reserving some “free time.” I miss having space for personal art and don’t want to feel like I’m squeezing it in between deadlines.

It’s just so hard to say no! Haha. Here are a few peeks at commissions from this year so far. (I'm not sure if I actually go them all! haha)

A Full House

This summer was busy. We’re currently staying with my in-laws, and my sister-in-law’s family also needed a place to stay while they sold their house and bought a new one nearby.

It’s a big house, but with ten people and four cats upstairs, plus grandparents and an aunt in the basement, things got a little wild. That made four generations under one roof. It was fun but definitely an adjustment.

As an introvert, I’ll admit the constant flow of people started to wear on me after a while.

A Little Getaway

To recharge, I’m heading to San Diego this month to visit my aunt and uncle for a couple of weeks. Part of the time they’ll be out of town, so I’ll have the house to myself. It will just be me, their cat, and my laptop. I’m really looking forward to some quiet time to work, sketch, and reset.

For my last weekend there, I’ll be at TwitchCon with Kimmysparks. I don’t have my own table, but I’ll be hanging out with her and bringing a few calendars and stickers to sell. So if you’re attending, come find me at Kimmy’s table!

I’ll miss my kitties while I’m away, but I’m hoping the change of scenery will spark some new art ideas and give me time to write about some of the challenges you all shared in the “What’s Hardest About Art for You Right Now” post.

Miso’s Dental Adventure

In other news, Miso had his dental surgery last week and everything went well. He had two teeth pulled because of tooth resorption, which is a common genetic issue in cats. Since he has a heart condition, we took him to the cardiologist beforehand to make sure he was healthy enough for anesthesia. Thankfully, the condition hasn’t progressed.

When he came home, he was very drugged, with no balance at all, but suddenly the most affectionate cat in the world. He kept giving me head butts, rubbing against me, and making endless air biscuits. Why can’t he be that cuddly when he’s not drugged? Haha!

A Birthday in the Mountains

For my birthday at the end of last month, I took a short overnight trip to the mountains. Nothing fancy, just a little getaway with some crisp air and pops of yellow autumn trees. It was lovely and exactly what I needed.

Summer Reads

I managed to do quite a bit of reading and audiobook listening over the summer. Some of the books are ones I did artwork for. It’s not required that I read them, but I love doing it anyway because it makes the art feel more connected to the story.

Have you read any of these, or are they on your TBR?

Rediscovering Childhood Art

You might have seen my middle school sketchbook tour in the last Patreon post. I recently recovered a whole bunch of old artwork from my mom’s storage unit, everything from kindergarten through college. It has been so fun to flip through and see how my art evolved over time.

What’s funny is that some of my youngest drawings are the most inspiring. It made me realize that finding your style is often a circular journey. As a kid, I drew whatever I loved, like goddesses, fairies, and mermaids, without caring what anyone thought. In high school and college, I got more “serious,” and that seriousness stifled my creativity.

Now, as an adult, I’ve come full circle. I’m back to drawing the same kinds of magical subjects I loved as a middle schooler. Maybe that’s what maturity really is, shedding the expectations and judgments you’ve picked up along the way and rediscovering the joy that started it all.

Does that resonate with you too?

Looking Ahead

That feels like a good note to end on. While I’m in San Diego, I’ll be working from my laptop and tablet, so everything here should continue as usual. Honestly, I’m hoping the solitude and change of scenery will spark a new creative flow. We’ll see!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading and sticking around! 💗Love you guys to bits and thank you for coming along on this journey with me!
Hugs hugs everyone and we'll speak more soon!

Chrissa XOXO