Where the hell have you been, loca?
Yeah….well about that.
I kind of fell in love with a wonderful man and just lived. I took time for myself. I tried to improve my eye health. I learned so many things. And honestly? I went through a lot.
2025 brought multiple deaths in my extended family, the loss of one of my jobs, and a huge cloud of healthcare uncertainty. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I stopped knowing what to write about—or if anyone even cared to read this cute little blog besides me.
(And honestly, that part might still be true.)
But with the new year—and, of course, the new me—it felt like time to rise from the dead.
So… let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?
In July of 2024, I had a really bad plein air painting experience. I felt obligated to paint something—anything—without much of a plan other than documenting the experience. I picked a random location, set up my gear, and started painting…only to have one of the hardest sessions of my life.
I lost my ability to see clearly. I lost motivation. I left feeling completely defeated. I tried to be upbeat, find the light, be positive, ignore my sadness, and find community. (You can find that post here.)
That experience sent me into a bit of a funk. Even though I continued painting afterward—and even sold a piece!—my heart just wasn’t in it. Slowly, I shifted my “fine art” energy into crafts instead.
By 2025, my New Year’s resolution was all about being crafty—and wow, did I lean in. I experimented with new mediums, followed fun crafty trends on social media, and made all kinds of things: folksy painted frames for poems, Christmas nesting dolls, tiny painted peg people of my partner and me. I tried gem art, embroidery, paper marbling, shrinky dinks, quilting, printmaking, sewing, book binding, collage, spirographs, felting, punch needling—you name it.
It was incredibly freeing to explore without pressure. But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking about how long I’d been avoiding oil painting.
I was scared.
The longer I went without painting, the more I compared myself to others, and it was getting out of hand. So I challenged myself to paint something that genuinely excited me: a Carnegie library at a local plein air competition.
I was nervous—and excited—in equal measure. It was stressful and fun all at once. Friends and family came out to support me, and even though I didn’t place, I was proud of the piece. Truly proud.
And that’s where I’m at now.
This next year will be different. I’m reengaging with my fine art side. I’m done comparing myself to others. I’m going to show up, paint what I love, and let that be enough.
Here’s to coming back—brush in hand. 🎨
