2025 Year in Review

2025: Celebrating a full decade of self-employment

December 2025 marks a big milestone for me. Ten years ago this month, I walked out of my last full-time job and officially became self-employed.

CatCoq began as a side hustle and grew into a full-fledged business, and along the way it reshaped far more than my career. It changed how I live, how I work, and how I move through the world. Ten years later, I’m still here, still building, still learning, and still deeply grateful that I chose the more uncertain path, one that ultimately gave me so. much. freedom.

2025 felt adventurous in a way that contrasted pretty sharply with the year before. While 2024 was rooted and slow (mostly in Thailand for Adam’s knee surgery/recovery), this year the pendulum swung back toward movement. I traveled a lot: New Zealand, the USA, Europe, and two trips to China. Through it all, Thailand remained my true home base, the place I kept returning to between trips.

I pack a lot into my life, especially over the past decade of traveling the world while building a business. Sometimes it feels like everything moves so fast that entire seasons could blur together if I didn’t stop and capture them. The last ten years somehow feel like a blink and a lifetime at the same time. Writing this is my way of holding onto the experiences instead of letting them rush past.

This is why I write these Year in Review posts. They’re for me, a personal passion project. I consider this my annual diary. I add to it throughout the year, then sit down in December and give it my full attention. I love being able to look back on past years and see where I was, what I was building, who I was spending time with, how I felt, and how things evolved.

And yep, 2025 also came with a plot twist. I got married! 💍

Let’s roll. ↓

This marks my 9th year of carrying on this tradition. Here’s a little peek into the past “Years in Review”:

2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017

I’ve split the year into two parts:
professional and personal

🍄 Brand Collaborations 🍄

CatCoq x Transpac: From One Mushroom to a Full Giftware Collection

This collaboration with Transpac has been a looooong time in the making! Transpac is a leader in the giftware industry, known for creating beautiful home and tabletop products.

They first reached out in fall 2023 after spotting one of my mushroom illustrations. They loved it so much that they wanted to build an entire product line around it and asked if I had any coordinating designs or patterns that would fit within the same aesthetic. (My answer: You betcha!)

From there, the collaboration really took shape. They shared a product list that included everything from tableware and kitchen goods to planters, salt and pepper shakers, napkins, tumblers, figurines, and even those little decorative stakes you place in potted plants.

I pulled together a full collection of coordinating artwork that felt cohesive with the original mushroom artwork and worked with Transpac to develop their full Spring 2025 line.

This was a very collaborative process. We spent much of 2024 refining the collection to make sure every detail aligned with Transpac’s product vision. I adjusted artwork to fit circular and rectangular product formats, refined color palettes to match the materials, and even edited a few designs to make them more brand-appropriate.

One example: they loved one of my more psychedelic mushroom illustrations but asked me to remove the eyes on the mushroom caps. (I get it… the original art is a little too trippy for most corporate clients.) I swapped the psychedelic eyes for daisies instead, and just like that, the artwork became perfectly suited for the mainstream market. It’s a great example of how being flexible, collaborative, and easy to work with can lead to stronger partnerships and recurring opportunities.

The collection debuted at the Atlanta Gift Market in late 2024, with my “Retro Flower Power” apron quickly becoming a standout design. (Giftshop Magazine even included it in their Editor’s Picks!)

The full line includes aprons, melamine plates, ceramic dishes, tumblers, kitchen towels, planters, and more, all featuring my artwork. Seeing how these pieces came to life on real products was such a rewarding moment after more than a year of development.

By April 2025, I finally got to see it all in person when a box of product samples arrived at my brother’s house in Kansas City.

I unwrapped everything with my four-year-old niece, Aurora, who was thrilled to help. She immediately claimed the apron skirts as her favorite and joined me for a fun photo shoot, posing in her matching apron. It was such a special way to celebrate the collection’s launch and share that excitement with family.

Some of my licensing deals move quickly, going from signed contract to store shelves within a month. Others, like this one, take longer but allow for deeper creative development and collaboration. Transpac first selected my artwork in 2023, we refined the collection throughout 2024, it debuted at market later that year, and 2025 marks the full launch.

It’s been a thoughtful, well-paced process that shows how one illustration can grow into a full product line when you build strong, professional relationships with your licensing partners.

🐅 Brand Collaborations 🐅

Buvanha x CatCoq: a Thailand-inspired collaboration with heart

I’ve been sitting on this secret for an entire year, and I’m finally able to share it. I partnered with Buvanha to create a limited-edition travel towel inspired by Thailand, one of the most meaningful places in the world to me.

This collaboration has been such a special journey. In this post, I want to pull back the curtain and share why I said yes to this project, what inspired the design, and the nonprofit it supports. Plus, this tiger towel has literally traveled the world with me over the past year.

This piece is part of the Buvanha x Artists series, a global collection spotlighting artists from around the world through one-of-a-kind travel towels. I’m honored to be the fifth artist featured, following an incredible lineup of creators who each designed a towel inspired by a place close to their heart.

Thailand was an easy choice for inspiration. It’s where I’ve chosen to make my home base, and it holds my heart. We chose the tiger as the central motif, symbolizing strength, courage, and wild beauty, paired with lotus blossoms representing resilience and grace. Together, they capture the contrast I love so much about this country.

I don’t take on commissions very often.

A decade ago, I was doing a lot of freelance work, but I made a conscious shift toward licensing and education. Commissions are time-intensive, and I’m selective about where I invest my energy.

That said, I do believe commission work is an important creative muscle to flex occasionally. I work with a very small number of carefully chosen partners, and Buvanha is exactly the kind of company I look for.

When they reached out last October, the timing was intense. I had just launched The Art of Collections, and it was the program’s very first month. I was busy, excited, and stretched thin. Even so, I knew this was an opportunity I wouldn’t regret saying yes to. I was right.

What truly drew me in was Buvanha’s artist-first approach. They highlight the artist behind the artwork, include our stories, and give proper credit on the product itself.

I’ve turned down licensing opportunities in the past when brands didn’t want to credit artists. That’s a dealbreaker for me. Buvanha’s values align deeply with mine, especially in a time when artist recognition matters more than ever.

Another reason I said yes is because this collaboration gives back. With every towel sold, a portion of proceeds supports a nonprofit. I asked if I could choose the organization, and Buvanha immediately said yes.

That’s how Hand to Paw became part of this story.

Hand to Paw is an animal welfare nonprofit here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Each towel sold provides a meal, deworming, and a rabies shot for a dog or cat in need. I’ve supported Hand to Paw for several years through monthly donations and contributions from my business launches. I even celebrated my 38th birthday with a $1K donation that helped fund a mass cat sterilization event.

Animal welfare has become one of my greatest passions outside of art, so being able to blend these worlds felt incredibly meaningful.

I’ve traveled with this towel everywhere over the past year. From hiking in New Zealand and soaking in outdoor onsens to beaches in Thailand, mountain trails in Italy, and thermal baths in Budapest, it’s been my constant companion.

This towel is a limited edition, available only while supplies last. It represents art, travel, and giving back, beautifully combined. If you’re looking for a functional travel essential with heart, I’d love for you to check it out!

🕶️ Brand Collaborations 🕶️

Loftex x CatCoq: beach towels at Sam’s Club

Another highlight this year was teaming up with Loftex to bring my artwork to their oversized beach towels, now available through Sam’s Club.

This project had quite the behind-the-scenes adventure: Loftex shipped the product samples to my apartment in Thailand, but they got stuck in customs. I was just a few days out from leaving the country, so it turned into a race against the clock. The package finally arrived on my very last full day there.

I wanted to photograph everything while the morning light was still soft, so I woke up before sunrise and headed to the pool for a quick photoshoot. Adam snapped the photos while the water was glassy and the sun was just coming up. By the way, these towels are massive, and I wound up checking an extra suitcase just to bring all my samples home for friends and family.

One detail I really love is the artist callout on the tag. Loftex and Jewel Branding always make sure artists are acknowledged in a way that feels meaningful. It’s such a good feeling to work with partners who prioritize that.

👛 Brand Collaborations 👛

La Chic x CatCoq: artwork reimagined in beadwork

This year brought a totally new kind of collaboration. La Chic, a brand known for their playful beaded bags and clutches, licensed several of my designs and transformed them into these bright, sparkly accessories.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen my artwork translated into beadwork, and the result is adorable. Over the years I’ve seen my illustrations applied to all sorts of unexpected surfaces, like my wool-hooked pillows with Maker’s Collective or the mushroom salt & pepper shakers I designed for Transpac. But watching a painting that started as watercolor, acrylic, or Procreate get distilled into simple shapes for beadwork feels like pure magic. The craftsmanship is impressive, and it gives the art a fresh personality that still feels true to the original. This partnership was such a fun surprise and a reminder of how many creative directions licensing can take!

🥤 Brand Collaborations 🥤

Elite Global Brands x CatCoq: summer tumblers with a tropical twist

A fun licensing moment this year came through Go! for Elite Global Brands. They were looking for bright, summery designs that felt tropical and warm, and they landed on two pieces from my portfolio that have been around for years but still feel fresh.

The first pick was my watercolor seahorse illustration from 2014. I actually painted it back when I was still an art director at a design agency in Kansas City. It’s one of my older pieces, but it has a long history of getting licensed over and over again. This project was another reminder that older artwork can still find new life if it’s the right fit for the season and the retailer.

Their second selection was my Orange Blooms design, which I created in Procreate in 2020. It’s also become a repeat favorite for buyers. Both designs continue to pop up in new collaborations, which always feels like a little celebration every time it happens.

When the samples arrived, I photographed them first in my home setup, which is really just a table with a few backdrops and some lights. The shots were fine, but I felt like the products deserved more atmosphere. So when Adam and I booked a weekend at a resort about 20 minutes from our apartment, I turned the trip into a mini content shoot. I stuffed a big duffel bag full of product samples and we spent the weekend photographing everything around the property. If you ever need good lifestyle photos, blending them into a getaway is a solid strategy.

The Orange Blooms tumbler landed at Albertsons and the Seahorse tumbler found placement at Belk. Both look adorable on shelf and it’s been fun to see these older pieces find a new audience in a new season.

🍌 Brand Collaborations 🍌

Berkshire Blanket & Home Co x CatCoq: banana prints on the softest throws ever

One of the things I value most in licensing is working with brands that truly champion the artists behind the work, and Berkshire Blanket & Home Co does this beautifully.

They’re part of the growing movement toward artist-forward products, something my agents at Jewel Branding and Licensing have been advocating for across the industry. Consumers want to know who created the designs they bring into their homes, and when a brand spotlights the artist, it builds connection, trust, and excitement. It also gives artists wider visibility, which helps our work find an even bigger audience. Everyone benefits.

This made my collaboration with Berkshire feel especially meaningful. They licensed my banana watercolor pattern for a line of decorative throw blankets, and the moment I opened the sample I was over the moon. These blankets are unbelievably soft and cozy.

Berkshire went all in on artist recognition. My logo, bio, and photo were featured right on the packaging, and my logo was even embroidered into the tag. Details like this make the partnership feel special and reinforce why I love collaborating with brands that support and celebrate the creators behind the art.

🌸 Brand Collaborations 🌸

CellHelmet x CatCoq: a full capsule collection packed with color

This year I teamed up with CellHelmet for a full capsule collection. Instead of licensing just one or two designs, they went all in on a full CatCoq-branded assortment with more than a dozen pieces. It was incredible to see such a wide range of my artwork come together in one cohesive launch.

One thing that made this project especially fun is how many mediums were represented. Watercolor, acrylic, Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, even India ink. Literally every medium I use found a place in this collection. It’s a good reminder that the medium matters far less than the content and appeal of the artwork itself.

I also had a blast photographing the samples. Some shots were taken inside my apartment in Thailand using whatever props I had on hand, like my disco ball or one of my zip pouches from a previous collaboration. Other photos were taken around the city. It turned into a creative little scavenger hunt for good backdrops

This collaboration was also a nostalgic one for me. Back in 2014 when my licensing career first took off, tech accessories were my biggest category by far. I was licensing phone cases left and right and even did celebrity capsule collections with Lucy Hale and Hilary Duff. A decade later, it felt full circle to dive back into a major tech accessories partnership. CellHelmet really embraced the vision for this collection and brought it to life in such a fun, vibrant way.

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The Art of Collections… one and a half years in!

In 2024, I launched my signature program, The Art of Collections. This has been the most ambitious thing I had ever built in my business. Now, a year and a half later, I can say with complete certainty that it has also become one of the most meaningful, fulfilling chapters of my entire career.

When I launched The Art of Collections, my goal was to create the definitive resource for artists who wanted real success in art licensing. I wanted to give my students not just inspiration, but a clear roadmap. Something practical, strategic, and grounded in real experience. Everything I had learned through my own licensing career, every lesson, every hard earned insight, went into that program.

What I didn’t fully anticipate was just how personal the experience would become. I’ve spent a long time being a teacher (8 years!), and it’s been such a deep breath of fresh air to be with a community of artists.

Over the last year and a half, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know an incredible group of artists from all over the world through the CatCoq Collective, the private community that accompanies The Art of Collections. This was the first time in my teaching career that I was not just speaking to a camera or publishing a class and moving on. Instead, I was having deep convos, answering questions in real time, and watching artists grow over months, not minutes. At times this feels more a mastermind than a Zoom call, because these are my industry peers.

It’s been such an honor to watch members organize and form relationships on their own, supporting each other, and sharing success because this is what happens when you weave creativity with community.  

Our monthly live Zoom calls, the daily conversations inside the Collective, and the long term relationships that have formed there have been deeply meaningful to me. I’ve seen artists gain confidence, find clarity, and start showing up differently in their work and their businesses.

I’ve also been lucky enough to meet a few members in person when my travels overlapped, including a memorable meetup with Jenn in Hong Kong this year. She surprised me with one of her stationery cards, the very first piece of art she created inside the CatCoq Collective that went on to land a licensing deal! Even more fun, that deal was with one of the same companies I license with, so we got to swap stories and talk shop. It was a really special moment.

Those moments have been an unexpected and very special bonus. Meeting my community members in person gives me so much more depth into who they are as artists and people. In a creative industry its so rewarding to share experiences together over lunch or coffee and realize how lucky we are to have each other to connect with in an otherwise isolating career path. 

One of the most rewarding parts of running The Art of Collections has been watching students sign their first licensing deals.

Seeing someone post in the community that they just landed a contract, or that their artwork is going to appear on real products, never gets old. These moments are proof of concept in the best possible way. They’re reminders that the strategies taught inside the program work, and that artists truly can build licensing careers when they have the right tools and support.

The celebration of wins inside the CatCoq Collective has become one of my favorite things. The encouragement, shared knowledge, and collective momentum are powerful. When one artist succeeds, it lifts the entire community.

In 2025, the program and community continued to grow in exciting ways. I introduced guest speakers for the first time, bringing in experienced voices from the industry to share insights and perspectives with our members. I also launched scholarships for The Art of Collections for the first time ever. During the July launch, I awarded six full ride, financial need based scholarships, along with an additional scholarship for the winner of the #CreateWithCatCoq Challenge in June. Being able to remove financial barriers and welcome more artists into the program is incredibly important to me, and it’s something I plan to continue in future launches.

Those scholarship recipients are already doing incredible things. They’re building strong, market ready portfolios, gaining clarity around their direction, and landing licensing opportunities with real companies. Watching that momentum build never gets old, and it reinforces why this program exists in the first place. Supporting artists through this process, seeing their confidence grow, and watching their work come together over six months has been one of the most meaningful parts of my year. It’s a reminder of what’s possible when artists have structure, strategy, and the right kind of guidance behind them. 💪

This year, the Collective continues to grow in more ways that I thought possible. It was my goal last year to make this community as interactive and valuable as possible and the good news is, I didn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. By bringing in industry experts, successful listeners, even my own art agent, we successfully created many more touchpoints for community members to learn, ask questions, and most importantly, create success for Collective members in new ways. And when it pays off for members in the form of licensing deals, then that's all the inspiration I need to keep finding new ways for us to connect on calls, collab on ideas, and continue to find success as a community.

We also introduced CatCoq Collective Voices, a new initiative that invites members to present during our monthly calls. This has become a supportive space for artists to practice public speaking, share their experiences, and step into leadership within the community. Watching members teach and inspire one another has been incredibly rewarding.

Another favorite addition this year was Donut Buddies, a monthly opt in that pairs members for one on one conversations. These casual connections have helped deepen relationships inside the Collective and encouraged artists to build real friendships, not just professional networks.

The Art of Collections has grown into something far bigger than a course. It is a living, evolving ecosystem of artists supporting artists. It has challenged me to grow as a teacher, a leader, and a business owner, and it has given me a level of connection with my students that I didn’t even realize I was missing before.

The feedback I continue to receive from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Looking back on the last year and a half, I feel incredibly grateful. The Art of Collections is not just a program I teach, it’s something I’m a part of and something I deeply believe in. It represents my commitment to helping artists build real careers, with clarity, confidence, and community.

If you are an artist who wants /looking for structure, strategy, connection and an incredible community of artists to support you as you work toward licensing your artwork, The Art of Collections was built for you.

Our 2025 Guest Speakers

In 2025, I introduced guest speakers into the CatCoq Collective as a brand new initiative. The intention was simple and very intentional: I am one voice, and while I teach deeply from my own experience, I believe real growth comes from learning through many perspectives. I wanted members to hear directly from other professionals in our industry, and from adjacent industries, who could offer insight, clarity, and lived experience that supports long-term success.

I’m quite open about what I know, and I’m just as committed to bringing in diverse voices so the community can learn, expand, and think bigger together. That is truly the power of the Collective. This year, we welcomed eight incredible guest speakers into our monthly calls, and I was blown away by the depth of knowledge, talent, and generosity they shared. I am deeply grateful to each of these women for showing up so openly and contributing so meaningfully to my community. 🙏

Carol White

VP of Art Licensing | Jewel Branding & Licensing

This was a really big deal for the community. I brought in my own art agent to speak directly to CatCoq Collective members, and Carol absolutely delivered! With 27+ years in art licensing at Jewel Branding & Licensing, she gave an inside look that artists rarely get to hear, straight from one of the most aspirational agencies in the industry.

Carol broke down exactly what works, what does not, and what agencies like Jewel actually want to see when reviewing artist submissions. For a community full of artists actively pitching to agencies, hearing this level of clarity and honesty directly from the source was invaluable. She dropped nonstop value bombs around portfolios, collections, contracts, social media, and long-term strategy, and this session gave members real, actionable insight they can apply immediately to their licensing goals and long-term career growth.

Charly Clements

Artist • Teacher • Co-Founder | Fun with Drawing

Charly has built a hugely successful education brand, Fun With Drawing, where she teaches illustration and drawing skills in Procreate to tens of thousands of students around the world. Beyond teaching, she has found success across many creative avenues, including licensing, greeting cards, commissions, freelance work, and digital products, and she spoke openly about how those different income streams have evolved over time.

What made this session especially powerful was how practical and honest it was. She talked candidly about setbacks, including major income loss, and how those moments forced her to rebuild in smarter, more sustainable ways. Charly’s biggest value to my community was showing that there is no single “right” path, and that long-term success comes from removing friction, building systems that support your energy, and showing up in ways that feel genuine and fun. This was a big-picture, deeply reassuring conversation for artists who want both creative fulfillment and a sustainable business.

Krissy Mast

Illustrator & Surface Pattern Designer | Krissy Mast Art

I invited Krissy to speak because she’s a successful licensing artist whose growth has happened recently, which makes her journey especially meaningful and relatable for our community. She only began licensing in 2023 and has built incredible momentum in just a few years, and we are also represented by the same agency, so I knew her insights would be directly relevant to artists navigating this exact stage.

Krissy walked us through the real, behind-the-scenes strategy that took her from brand-new surface designer to full-time licensing income. The biggest value bombs centered on pitching with consistency, following up without fear, and staying in motion even when rejection is high. She shared how sending over 125 pitches (in her first year!), tracking outreach simply, and committing to not quitting changed everything. Her breakdown of building a recognizable portfolio through cohesive color palettes, playful concepts, and smart repurposing gave students a clear, actionable roadmap. This session was both grounding and motivating for artists who want proof that focused effort and persistence really do pay off.

Bärbel Dressler

Artist, Pattern Historian & Educator | Bear Bell Productions

Bärbel’s session unlocked something a lot of artists struggle with but rarely get clear guidance on: how to develop more sophisticated, confident work without losing your own voice. She showed exactly how studying historical patterns can become a powerful creative resource, helping you understand composition, flow, and visual hierarchy at a much deeper level, instead of guessing or repeating the same motifs over and over.

What really resonated was how practical and empowering this felt. Bärbel gave artists permission to slow down, study with intention, and trust that skill builds through repetition and refinement. Her insights around advanced pattern composition, wallpaper-scale thinking, and avoiding flat, stamped repeats helped demystify why some work feels elevated and some doesn’t. I was so inspired by this conversation that I personally enrolled in her signature course, Repertoire! Learning not just the history behind patterns, but how to actually draw and construct them myself, was transformative. She is an exceptional teacher, and this session gave artists tools to level up their work with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Audra King

Founder & Creative Director | She Loves Her Biz

Audra’s session brought something incredibly important into the community that artists rarely get real support around: money. She led us through personal finance foundations specifically tailored for creative entrepreneurs, breaking down what can often feel overwhelming into something calm, clear, and genuinely empowering.

What made this talk especially valuable was how grounded and practical it was. Audra helped members understand where their money is actually going, how to align financial decisions with personal values, and how small, consistent steps can create long-term stability and freedom. This session gave artists the tools and confidence to start reading the numbers, making informed choices, and building financial systems that support their creative lives, not restrict them. For a community focused on sustainable, licensing-driven careers, this was an essential and deeply impactful conversation.

On a personal note, Audra and I first met in 2021 when she attended a watercolor retreat I hosted in France. For the past four years, we’ve made a point to catch up on monthly Zoom calls, talking through life, business, her chickens, and everything in between. It’s pretty special that what started as a retreat connection has turned into a friendship that’s become such an important part of my life.

Alayna Perrault

Founder & Creative Strategist | Alayna Creative

This session was especially meaningful for me. Alayna was the very first guest speaker we ever brought into the CatCoq Collective, and she is also a core part of my team. When I first started talking about the idea of bringing guest speakers into the community, Alayna stepped forward and offered to be the first so we could see how it felt, how it worked, and to gauge how our community could benefit from this new guest speaker idea. Alayna’s willingness to go first laid the foundation for our guest speaker series and set the tone for everything that followed.

From a value standpoint, her presentation was packed. Alayna broke down email marketing and cold pitching in a way that made both feel far more approachable and doable for artists. She walked members through how to build and use an email list with confidence, how to pitch consistently without getting derailed, and how to research companies step by step so pitching feels strategic instead of overwhelming. She even shared real workflows using the Pitch Tracker and ChatGPT to save time and stay organized. This session mattered not just because of the tactical takeaways, but because Alayna’s thinking and support sit at the foundation of how we approach outreach, pitching, and growth inside the community. So grateful for you, Alayna! No surprise that you nailed it.

Melissa Johnson

Watercolor Artist & Surface Pattern Designer | Melissa Johnson Design

Melissa’s session was a total masterclass in attracting licensing opportunities without cold pitching. She shared how she built a successful licensing career organically through Instagram by showing up consistently, treating her feed like a professional portfolio, and being intentional about the work she puts into the world. For artists who feel stuck or resistant around pitching, this was a huge mindset shift and a very real, actionable alternative.

Melissa broke down how passive pitching actually works, how to build relationships with brands over time, and how professionalism, confidence, and small value adds can lead to repeat licensing opportunities. She offered practical guidance on presenting your work, moving conversations off DMs and into email, and making yourself easy and enjoyable to work with. This session was packed with clarity, encouragement, and concrete strategies for turning visibility into real licensing deals.

Meagan Williamson

Pinterest Marketing Expert | Pin Potential

Meagan’s session hit on something artists care deeply about right now: how to get visible without burning out on social media. She broke down why Pinterest is not a social platform, but a search engine, and why that distinction matters so much for artists building long-term, sustainable careers. For many members, this reframed Pinterest from “one more thing to manage” into a powerful, low-pressure system that works quietly in the background.

The biggest value bombs were around using Pinterest intentionally to attract the right eyes, including art buyers, licensing directors, and product developers. Meagan showed how small, consistent actions like keyword-rich pins, hyper-niche descriptions, and linking directly to your portfolio can create real momentum without constant content creation. She demystified how Pinterest actually works, explained content loops, and gave artists a clear path to building evergreen traffic that compounds over time. This session gave members a practical, calmer alternative to chasing algorithms, and a strategy they can stick with for the long haul.

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More resources I launched for my fellow artists in 2024:

CatCoq 2026 Trend Report

Every year, I publish a trend report based on up and coming trends I’ve identified in the art and surface pattern design space. Dive into the colorful and ever-evolving landscape trend forecasting with my 2025 trend report, where I share the latest and coolest trends just waiting to spark your creativity!

Weekly drawing prompts– straight to your inbox!

The #CreateWithCatCoq challenge started back in May of 2021, and I’ve been sharing a drawing prompt with my email subscribers every week since. These free prompts are designed to help you build a portfolio of trend-forward work that you’ll feel proud to share with the world. I also like to pepper in art tutorials, tips, and free resources along the way.

Art Licensing Insiders

I launched a new email series called Art Licensing Insiders exclusively for The Art of Collections waitlist. This was a behind-the-scenes, no-fluff series where I shared a more honest, unfiltered look at my career as a professional licensing artist. Each week throughout November and December, I sent value-packed emails covering topics like the biggest mistakes I’ve made, the most important lessons I learned as an art director, what really happened the first time my artwork was stolen (and led to a $30,000 settlement) and my candid perspective on print-on-demand and outdated advice that no longer works.

What made this series especially meaningful was the two-way connection. Readers replied, sharing their questions, struggles, and curiosities, and I shaped future emails based directly on what they wanted to learn next. It became a powerful way to connect more deeply with my waitlist, address real pain points, and create timely, relevant content that reflected exactly where artists were in their journey.

CatCoq Collective – live Zoom calls

Every month, I host live calls with our CatCoq Collective community where we dive deep into surface pattern design and art licensing. These casual, intimate sessions are packed with industry insights, real-time artwork critiques, and authentic conversations about the creative journey.

I love highlighting our community's wins and sharing behind-the-scenes peeks at what's happening in our monthly collection challenges. Students often tell me these calls are one of their favorite parts of the program because of the mix of practical advice and supportive energy.

These like calls are like having coffee with creative friends while learning exactly what it takes to succeed in this art licensing and surface pattern design industry! ✨

2025 Highlights from the CatCoq Blog:

Speaking Events, Interviews, and Press Coverage:

The Profitable Artist Summit

I was invited to be a guest speaker at the very first Profitable Artist Summit, created and hosted by Vanessa Stoilova of Art Business with Ness, and it was such a meaningful experience to be part of. Vanessa took a bold initiative by building an entirely free, week-long summit and curating an incredible lineup of artists and educators to share real, actionable insight on how to monetize artwork and build sustainable creative careers. I admired that she didn’t wait for permission, she simply made it happen.

I joined Vanessa for a live keynote Q&A that turned into a 90-minute conversation packed with transparency and value. We talked through my full journey, from uploading watercolor paintings to Society6 to licensing with brands like Target, Anthropologie, Crayola, and Urban Outfitters. I shared openly about collections, evergreen trends, pitching and passive pitching, storytelling, and why some of my designs are still earning royalties more than a decade later. It felt really good to have a platform where I could be that open and generous with what I’ve learned.

I took the call from a co-working space in Ljubljana, Slovenia, which felt like a full-circle moment while talking about building a global, location-independent creative career. I’m incredibly grateful to Vanessa for the invitation and for creating a resource that made high-level education accessible to artists everywhere.

Two Cranky Creatives podcast

I was invited as a guest speaker on the Two Cranky Creatives podcast, and our conversation went on to become their most-listened-to episode of 2025. What unfolded was an honest, energizing, and slightly spicy deep dive into the art world, the kind of conversation artists are craving but don’t always hear out loud.

Co-hosts Carrie Cantwell & Toni Federico and I spoke candidly about why “trendy” is not a dirty word, why commercial art is still art, and why earning a living from your creativity is not selling out, it’s success. I shared the stories behind my work, from pilfering lemons off a neighbor’s tree in Italy to the deeper motivations that drive my career, especially my desire for freedom and control over my time. We also dug into AI, why real, human-made art still matters, and why not every artist is meant to serve fast-fashion, bottom-dollar brands, and that is okay.

The response was overwhelming. The hosts later told me that the episode tripled their downloads in the first seven days and became their most popular episode of the year. Because of that, we recorded a second episode together later in 2025, which will be released in 2026. This experience reinforced how powerful it is to speak honestly about creativity, strategy, and the real path to building a sustainable art career, without gatekeeping or sugarcoating.

Feature in UPPERCASE Magazine

In 2025, my work was featured in UPPERCASE Magazine’s annual Surface Pattern Design issue, which felt incredibly meaningful on so many levels. I shared my African Safari collection (inspired by my trip to Tanzania for a safari and our hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro) and it was especially validating to see that collection gain traction so quickly. Within a month of adding it to my portfolio, it was selected for a licensing deal, a reminder of how powerful a well-timed, intentional collection can be.

What made this feature even more special was that Adam had been featured the year before in UPPERCASE’s Mark Makers issue for his abstract murals painted around the world. It felt like a proud creative power couple moment. On top of that, several of my students were also selected for UPPERCASE after I encouraged them to apply, which was awesome to see. Getting to celebrate their work alongside mine and see them gain that level of exposure was incredibly rewarding.

Guest interview with the Honest Art Podcast

In December, I guest-appeared on the Honest Art Podcast, which meant me waking up super early in Thailand while the host, Jodi King, stayed up late in the US. (One of those very real Asia time zone moments.) We ended up having the best, most honest conversation about art licensing, creativity, and building a life around freedom.

I shared how my licensing journey actually unfolded, the slow build, the uncertainty, and the moments where timing and visibility made all the difference. We also talked about how to know if your work is a good fit for licensing, common misconceptions that keep artists stuck, and what really matters when it comes to pitching, contracts, and working with an agency. It was a candid, no-gatekeeping conversation about what I’ve learned over the past decade, and why intentional, well-timed collections can truly change everything.

Guest Speaker at Immersion 2025: Trend Forecasting for Creatives

In 2025, I was invited to guest speak inside Immersion, Bonnie Christine’s flagship program, where I delivered a 60-minute presentation on trend forecasting for creatives. The session focused on helping artists understand how to use trends strategically while staying true to their artistic voice, and it was very well received.

Using real examples from my own licensing career, I shared how trends function in commercial art and licensing, especially the difference between evergreen themes and short-lived fads, and why market awareness matters when artwork is often created years before products launch.

We also talked about why storytelling is more important than ever in an AI-driven world, and how lived experience gives artwork depth and longevity. Artists walked away with clear, practical next steps, including reviewing their portfolios through a trend lens and refreshing existing work instead of starting from scratch. The core takeaway was that trends are tools, not rules, and can support both creative integrity and long-term success when used intentionally.

Featured Interview: Bold Journey Magazine

In 2025, I was featured in an in-depth interview with Bold Journey Magazine, where the conversation went far beyond surface-level success stories. We talked honestly about what it actually looks like to build a creative life on your own terms, from daily routines and mindset to redefining success as an artist and entrepreneur.

I shared the realities behind my licensing career, including dismantling the “starving artist” myth, how being strategic with creativity changed everything for me, and why artists deserve both financial stability and freedom. We explored how travel, nature, and caring for animals shape my work, why intention matters more than hustle, and how building a business around the life you want leads to more meaningful, sustainable success.

What made this interview special was the depth. It wasn’t about quick tips or highlight reels, but about values, long-term thinking, and choosing a path that supports creativity, purpose, and independence. It offered readers a candid look at the personal and professional decisions behind my work, and the philosophies I now pass on to the artists inside The Art of Collections.

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A Love Letter to Thailand

I spent more time in Thailand this year than anywhere else. And every moment here reinforced what I’ve known for nearly a decade: this place is home. 

I remember having a conversation with my dad a couple years ago over Christmas back in the States when I was recovering from pneumonia. I was lamenting that I just couldn't wait to get back to Thailand. I remember telling Dad: I’m ready to get back to Thailand! That's where I eat the healthiest and feel the healthiest. My little evening walk places like the Buddhist temple near my house, the lake at the university, and the Chinese cemetery. I also get to hike in the mountains that are literally a ten-minute scooter ride from my front door to the trailhead. I get massages multiple times a week. My gym is here with the workouts I love doing. My parking lot kitty cats. This place brings me so. much. fulfillment. It feels like it's my happy place, the place I'm meant to be.

But to back up a bit: At the end of 2015, I quit my job and decided to do something I'd never had the time, money, or freedom to do: a solo six-week backpacking trip through Southeast Asia. (Spoiler: that trip was 10 years ago and never really ended.)

Chiang Mai was my final stop on that 5-country trip. Something about this place just stuck with me. When I returned to the US, I packed up my life, put my things into storage, ended my apartment lease, and flew back to Chiang Mai. Over the years, Chiang Mai became a place I returned to again and again, until eventually it shifted from a place I visited into the place I live. This is my place for creativity, healing, recharge, friends, and adventure. It's got it all for me, and it makes me so happy.

My street kitties: lil love balls in the parking lot

One of the most meaningful parts of my life here is something very small and very local: the cats in my parking lot. These are cats that live in my neighborhood that don't have owners. They're not quite feral, although a lot of them started out that way. I like to say I've turned them from feral animals into little lap kitties. …though unfortunately, they're only bonded to me, so they're not lap kitties with everyone else. But I'm working on it! Any time people come up to me in the parking lot, I scoop up the kitties and carry them over so new people can pet them and they can be socialized. (Yep, I am officially the crazy cat lady in the neighborhood.)

I've really fallen in love with these kitties. Each one is so special to me. I’ve gotten them sterilized, vaccinated, treated, and cared for. I have a veterinarian in Chiang Mai on speed dial, and I probably message them at least once a week for one cat issue or another. This cat welfare project has brought me so much purpose, fulfillment, and love.

I was describing these little kitties to a friend the other day, and I call them my little balls of love. They're down there in the parking lot, just these little love balls that I get to go see on whenever I want a break in my workday. 

Here's a funny story: When I first moved into this apartment complex back in 2017, I tried to sneakily put out a bowl of cat food outside. One of the staff members saw me, and I thought I was about to be told off. Instead, he showed me the official feeding station he’d already set up. Turns out, he’d been caring for these cats loooong before I arrived. Fast-forward to today: now, we tag team it. The cats run to him. They run to me. Knowing they’re cared for even when I’m gone gives me so much peace of mind.

Over the summer, I was away from Thailand for four months and eight days (not like I’m counting), and I thought about these kitties literally every single day. When I finally came back, the first thing I did was run outside to see everybody. Odie (my favorite) came sprinting across the parking lot, tail straight up, meowing at full volume. He jumped into my lap …aaaaaaand I started bawling out of relief and happiness. Odie was born in this parking lot and he’s known me his entire life.

Caring for animals has become a real source of purpose in my life here. I have a morning routine here that I absolutely love. I go down to the parking lot with cat food, a foldable camp chair, and my coffee mug. I get to feed the kitties while I drink my morning coffee and check my emails. It's so peaceful. I've gotten in the habit of turning on my Merlin bird app and just letting it run to see how many bird calls can be identified. My record was 22 different species of birds in an hour! It's been cool to see the changes throughout the year and watch different migratory birds come through, many of them from Siberia. (Can you tell I got really into birding this year?)

Outside of animals, life here is deeply nourishing. About once a week, Adam and I walk to a temple in our neighborhood that we call Cobra Temple. It’s 700 years and is dedicated to those born in the year of the snake, so there are hundreds of cobra statues and figurines placed all around the temple complex.

We like to walk over around sunset, just as the monks begin their evening chants. The temple is ancient and quiet and overgrown with jungle. It smells like damp earth and smoky incense. These walks are some of my favorite moments of the week.

I also cut through this temple complex on my evening walk to the gym. When I get to the entrance, I pull a sarong out of my backpack and wrap it around my legs for modesty. (Exercise shorts = not appropriate around the monks.)

Friendship is another huge part of why Thailand feels like home. One of my closest friends lives just down the street from me. I met Charly in Bangkok back in 2018. We were two of the only artists at an entrepreneur conference. (Spoiler alert, I married the other one!) So it's definitely a close-knit circle.

Speaking of, I’ve been attending this conference in Bangkok every year since 2017. I get to catch up with friends and other founders that I really only see once a year in Bangkok. It’s a packed week: mainstage keynote speakers (I was one in 2019!), meetups, happy hours in the exec lounge, rooftop parties, dinners. I love getting to connect with other founders who have the same priorities. My annual pilgrimage to Bangkok feels like a homecoming.

This conference is particularly special for me because it's where I met Adam in 2017. We’d attended the same breakout session (Pinterest marketing) and got to chatting about our art. But what really cemented Adam in my brain was later on that week when I accidentally dropped my gin & tonic at a rooftop bar in Bangkok. Adam happened to be standing near me, heard the glass shattering, turned and took one look at my mortified face, and loudly apologized to the crowd for dropping his drink. I whispered to my friend, “Hey what that guy’s name again?” Haven’t forgotten it since. 😉

Since I stayed in Thailand all fall and winter, I got to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas here. One perk of being 12 hours ahead of my family in the US is the built-in grace period: If I forget a holiday or birthday, they’re usually still celebrating back home.

My goal with Adam this year was to do something new regularly, even in a place we know well. That intention changed how present we were. Some nights, instead of following familiar walking routes, we take a bike to a random part of the city and wander until we feel ready to go home. Pretty much every single time I walk outside, I wind up spotting something new and different: a crumbling stupa tucked into a residential neighborhood, trailing paw prints dried into concrete, a giant tokay gecko chilling on a tree branch. Safe to say, I’ve never really experienced boredom here.

Thailand has given me so much: a sense of purpose through caring for my street kitties, deep friendships with people like Charly, daily rituals that ground me, affordable healthcare, incredible food, natural beauty at my doorstep, and a community that feels like family. The staff at my apartment complex who tag-team cat care with me, the veterinarians who know me by name, the friends I celebrate holidays with... this is home.

Weekend getaways, Thai-style

Thailand makes it easy to get away without going far. One of my favorite places to go is a little beach bungalow in Krabi. (I originally found it on Airbnb, but now I book directly through the owners via WhatsApp.)

Krabi’s only a 2-hour direct flight from Chiang Mai, so Adam and I occasionally treat ourselves to long weekends lounging on the deck watching the tide come in and out all day. No computers, no work. We absolutely melt when we’re down there.

What makes this bungalow so appealing is the setting: its built right on the shoreline, so during high tide, the waves lap right under the wraparound front porch. At low tide, I like to poke around in the tide pools and see what I can spot. There’s always loads of squishy sea cucumbers, and I’ll see starfish if I’m lucky. Plus about a million teeny tiny crabs. Low tide exposes the trunks and roots of a small mangrove forest, about 100 meters from the shoreline. Next time, I’m bringing my jeweler’s loupe for even better peeping.

Every night at sunset, we sink into our lounge chairs and watch flying foxes soar overhead. Adam and I are winding down our day just as they’re starting theirs. They wake in the caves on the nearby islands, and once the sun dips, hundreds of them cross the bay, heading for the jungle behind us to feed. These guys are massive, like footballs with wings, feet, and ears. Some have wingspans reaching five to six feet. It’s an absolutely surreal experience.

I came to Thailand once as a traveler. Somewhere along the way, my life took root.

Thailand keeps meeting me where I am, again and again. It asks nothing of me except to show up and be present. And every year, it gives me more than I ever knew I needed. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know this chapter matters. And I’m endlessly grateful I get to live it here.

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New Zealand: Six weeks of late summer/autumn, friends & fresh mountain air

Last year's burning season in Chiang Mai taught us we needed an escape plan. This February, that plan had a name: six glorious weeks in Wanaka, New Zealand.

In mid‑February, Adam and I escaped the air pollution that takes over Chiang Mai this time of year and flew down to New Zealand. (Last year we endured burning season because of Adam's surgery, so this year we prioritized getting out before the air pollution gets unbearable.)

I’d been to New Zealand before, but this was Adam’s first time. For the first month, a bunch of our friends also converged from different pockets all over the world. We were all reuniting for Logan and Mackenzie's wedding, which became the perfect occasion for a month-long friend reunion. (Adam and I tacked on an extra couple weeks at the end for some solo time.)

This is the same friend group I road-tripped with all over New Zealand's South Island back in 2020. That trip was go-go-go non-stop, exhilarating but exhausting, ending with a week at KiwiBurn (NZ’s regional Burning Man). Five years later, this trip was much more chill. We basically didn't leave Wanaka for the first month.

Something funny happened right when we arrived: Adam and I got complimented by border control for how pristine our hiking boots were. We'd gotten them professionally cleaned and bagged in Thailand because New Zealand is among the strictest countries in the world when it comes to preventing invasive species. They actually check your shoes for soil remnants, and we passed with flying colors. ✌🏻

Wanaka is one of the most stunning towns I've ever visited. It’s built right against the lake and is surrounded by nature, hills, mountains, and evergreens. Every inhale feels crisp and fresh. We arrived at the tail end of (southern hemisphere) summer entering fall, so the last two weeks we got to experience fall weather, which I never get living in Thailand.

We spent the first month hanging out with friends nearly every day. Our days were wonderfully chill: lots of outdoor time because the weather was gorgeous, playing lawn games in the yard, fabulous meals together (Adam did tons of cooking), day camping and picnics where we'd bring blankets and coolers down to the lake and river, sprawling under trees for hours just chatting and enjoying the sound of rushing water.

Adam and I wanted more privacy, so we had our own Airbnb by the lake. Nearly every evening, the two of us would walk along the lakeshore together, watching the light shift over the mountains. (Bonus: our Airbnb was a convenient 5-min walk to our favorite taco stand.) For our wooded walks, my favorite discovery was mushroom season. We saw tons of those classic red-and-white Mario mushrooms (toxic, but photogenic).

The wedding was special for so many reasons. Within our group of friends, four couples have all gotten married within the last year and a half (myself included). When Adam and I attended this wedding in April, we had no idea we'd be the fourth couple to tie the knot just a few months later in August. Fun little surprise that would evolve over the next year.

Of those weddings, only Logan and Mackenzie's was a full-blown traditional celebration. (Thank god, because we were due for a big party!) Adam and I did the same as Ethan and Erin, who chose to elope. And Aga and Connor had the tiniest wedding in Colorado last year with just Adam, Zak, and me in attendance. It's been cool watching all of us all choose to settle down around the same time in our own preferred ways.

The final two weeks, just me and Adam, were for exploring and road‑tripping. One of the coolest experiences was renting a car and driving about an hour to Queenstown for a hiking/pampering weekend. It was our first big hike since Adam’s knee surgery 12 months prior and… no pain, baby! And that’s saying something since we tackled a 10-miler with 3,500 ft elevation gain. We hiked through landscapes that felt straight out of Lord of the Rings (we'd watched the extended trilogy in preparation).

While in Queenstown for the weekend, I surprised Adam with a booking at a private outdoor onsen overlooking a river valley and mountains.

I’d been here before back in 2020 with friends. We crammed as many of us as possible in the whirlpool. It was muuuuuuch more romantic this time around with just Adam and me sipping champagne and listening to the birds. We polished off our onsen time with 90-minute couples massages. (They were just as good as we get in Thailand, but not nearly as economical.)

Another sweet date was visiting a lavender farm. Lavender is probably my number one favorite floral scent, beating out jasmine by the tiniest margin. They'd harvested about half the lavender before we arrived, so part of it looked like we were at a "bush farm" instead of a flower farm, which had us laughing.

One evening, Adam and I caught a movie at the Wanaka Theater, which I remembered from five years ago for having the best intermission cookies of my life. More theaters should implement this genius move: halfway through every movie, they give you a break to eat freshly baked, warm-out-of-the-oven cookies.

One of the movie trailers promoted a Via Ferrata just outside Wanaka over a waterfall. I absolutely love Via Ferratas (more on that when I get to the Dolomites later), and Adam wanted to try his first one. I gave him about 20 outs, but he was determined to push himself.

For me, the Via Ferrata was like spending five hours on a jungle gym: swinging, laughing, testing cable strength, leaning off cliffs, seeing how much I could do hands-free on the cable bridges.

Pure adrenaline rush in the best way. Adam had a much tougher time mentally with his fear of heights, but I cannot emphasize enough how impressed I am with him getting through it. Most of the time he was clinging to the cliff wall, working through it with our guide Rocky's encouragement. He crushed it, and we polished off the day with beers on our balcony overlooking the mountains.

After six glorious weeks, we headed back to Thailand for a short three weeks before continuing our travels. New Zealand delivered exactly what we needed: friend time, fall weather, fresh air, hiking (without pain!), evening walks along the lake, and the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. It was rest. It was adventure. It was love.

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Kicking Off European Summer in Rome

Rome is hands down one of my favorite cities in the world, so when Adam and I were planning our European summer, it was an obvious pick for a place to start.

I’ve visited Rome around half a dozen times, sometimes solo, other times with company, and it’s a familiar city I feel comfortable navigating. Still, I was a little anxious about visiting during a Jubilee year… and then the new pope was elected literally the day before we arrived. Talk about timing. We were definitely bracing ourselves for massive crowds.

We took a red-eye out of New York and landed in Rome at 7 a.m., which brings me to one of my best travel hacks: if you’ve got an early arrival, book your accommodations starting the day before. No more killing time until check-in, anchored down with all your bags. This strategy was a lifesaver this trip, especially since we only had a few hours to rest and freshen up before our time slot at the Caravaggio exhibit at Palazzo Barberini.

I'd bought tickets months in advance as soon as I heard about this exhibition. Twenty-four Caravaggio masterpieces in one place? Unheard of. As someone who studied art history, I couldn't miss it. I grabbed tickets for myself, Adam, and our friends Ed and Zak, who we were meeting in Rome. (Glad I did, because it sold out FAST.)

The exhibit was absolutely awe-inspiring. I'd only ever seen Caravaggio's paintings in the Vatican before, but never so many pieces together. (Again, we got a whopping twenty-four!)

What really struck me was how grimy he painted his subjects: dirt under fingernails and toenails, raw and real expressions that felt startlingly contemporary. Seeing David with the Head of Goliath up close was haunting, especially knowing Caravaggio painted his own self-portrait as the severed head of Goliath.

Fun side note: when I got married later this year, I chose a green sapphire bezel-set and it’s named the Caravaggio Ring. 💍

We spent the weekend eating as the Romans do. Our final dinner together didn't start until 11 p.m., and I don't think I got home until well past 2. (My memory is foggy… I was in a chianti + limoncello haze.)

Adam and I actually chose our Airbnb in Trastevere based on proximity to our favorite pizza place, but we were so busy hanging out with friends that we only managed to eat there once. Classic… but it gives us another reason to return.

The real joy was just wandering through Trastevere with friends, getting delightfully lost in those winding cobblestone streets. I loved spotting all the cats and cat lover signs around the neighborhood… you know my heart. On our way up Janiculum Hill, we stopped at the Botanical Garden of Rome. It’s a peaceful and quiet spot to escape the crowds and cool down in the late afternoon shade. (While walking through the bamboo grove, Ed enlightened me about the Southeast Asian medieval practice of execution via young bamboo shoots. Look it up if you’re curious and can handle gore.) Despite Ed’s horror story, the views of the city from the gardens were super dreamy, and it was a much-appreciated break from the chaotic city.

On our final night, Adam and I did something completely indulgent. I'd asked ChatGPT for unique spa experiences in Rome (because why not?) and it delivered: a hotel spa where we could book our own private grotto with a jet pool, steam room, sauna, and lounge area.

We had the whole space to ourselves for hours. We had three options of rooms to book (Mayan, Roman, and Moon). We proooobably should have chosen the Roman-themed room (we were in Rome, after all), but the Mayan room looked absolutely spectacular. Plus, it felt like a little homage to our pandemic years we spent living in the Yucatan.

Rome really is a city where just a few days is enough to recharge your soul. Our friends headed their separate ways, and Adam and I caught a train to Naples to begin the next chapter of our Italian summer. (Leftover pizza in tow.)

Positano: When Reality Beats Instagram

Positano was our next stop and a first for both of us. The draw was the hiking. We wanted to tackle some of those dramatic Amalfi Coast trails that wind between villages perched impossibly high above the Mediterranean. Positano became the perfect base camp for exploring these coastal trails.

Full disclosure: I booked this absolutely epic Airbnb from a shoebox apartment in New Zealand when I was feeling extra cooped up. I went a liiiiittle overboard with the splurge, but this whole Italy trip was my treat-yourself moment after launching The Art of Collections so successfully last year. Gotta celebrate the wins!

Our favorite thing to do in Positano was honestly just hanging out on our balcony. Coffee and laptops in the morning. Illustration happy hour at 5 p.m. on our iPads. Charcuterie boards at sunset with local cheeses, prosciutto, olives, truffle olive oil, and local Sorrento lemons (tasted like sunshine).

At night the hillside twinkled and boats bobbed below. We kept saying, “Whyyyy didn’t we pack binoculars?”

Adam and I also started a 5 p.m. illustration happy hour tradition, drawing on our iPads while soaking everything in. We went down to the beach exactly once, got overwhelmed by the crowds (mostly Americans), and never went back.

Best local advice we got all week: if you want the real Positano, walk up. So we did. Stairs, terraces, more stairs. Calves turned to jelly and we slept like rocks.

Random laugh: While window shopping, I spotted a tiger-bust vase that looked suspiciously familiar. Turns out, I own the exact same vase; bought it off Lazada (Thailand's Amazon) for like eight bucks. In Positano, it was marked up to 85 euros. Same. exact. vase. Consider me entertained.

But hiking was the real highlight. We enjoyed lots of little hikes all week, but we planned our big hike to be a village-to-village 10-miler along the Amalfi Coast.

We took an early morning bus along the winding coastline to Praiano (despite the curves, the driver’s foot was lead… luckily, I managed to hold in my puke until I’d stepped off the bus), but I recovered quickly in the fresh air as we made our way up the path to an old monastery.

From there, we climbed higher to connect with the main artery of the Path of the Gods. The first half of the hike took us to a little village along the coast called Nocelle, but at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, this part of the trail was slammed. Luckily, the crowds vanished once we passed Nocelle. Just us, sheer drop-offs, and ridiculous views that were hard to put into words.

This was easily one of the top three most breathtaking hikes of my life, right up there with Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (2022) and a village-to-village trek along the Banaue Rice Terraces in northern Philippines (2016).

All that hiking up and down left our calves absolutely demolished, but it was so worth it. Adam almost always packs his hammock for our hikes, and like usual, he found the most stunning viewpoints you could imagine.

Food highlights were simple and perfect. Clam spaghetti for Adam. Octopus salad (as always) for me. And the thing I will dream about forever: Sorrento lemon sorbet served in an actual lemon peel. (Day 1 in Positano, a woman walked past me eating one and I immediately turned to Adam: “I. Need. That.”)

Suuuuuper creamy and ridiculously delicious. I started buying three or four at a time and hoarding them in our freezer like a dragon guarding citrus treasure.

We spent hours just wandering the streets, looking at everything, taking it all in. Mostly, we just lived on that epic balcony. We worked, drew, snacked, read our books, and lounged in the hammock on trail days with those killer views that barely looked real.

Positano is one of those places you see on Instagram and assume it’s filters. It isn’t. It’s exactly that stunning.

Lake Como: Art Nouveau Dreams & Cat Cuddles

After the sensory overload (in a good way) of Positano, Lake Como gave us space to breathe, wander, work, and settle into a slower rhythm.

After leaving Positano, we took the train from Naples to Milan, picked up a rental car, and drove into Como. Day one was a reality check. In my rose-colored vacation brain, that drive along the lake was supposed to be super scenic and chill… but it turned out there was a fancy car show happening that weekend. And it’s Italy. Soooo traffic was absolutely wild. Every few seconds, we’d get passed on a narrow winding road by a Ferrari going at least 50 mph faster than us. It was pure chaos. After that first day, we parked the car and didn’t touch it again until we left.

Our Airbnb was tucked up high into the hillside above the lake, with panoramic views of the water, surrounding mountains, and the town itself. Just like in Positano, we spent most of our time on the balcony drinking coffee, drawing, working, chatting, and watching the light change on the lake. We did have to climb 174 stairs (I counted every time) to reach the Airbnb from the road, but honestly, the views made it all worth it.

Also, the real reason I booked this Airbnb? The co-host is a literal cat. Her name is Prezzemolina, which means “feminine parsley” in Italian. Are. You. Kidding. Me. She is perfect. We got lots of cuddle time with her during our stay, which definitely made it feel like home.

In addition to hiking time and balcony hangs, Adam and I did tons of walking around Como itself. We explored the cobblestone streets (love the emphasis on pedestrian-only city centers in Europe), admired the ornate facades, and scoped out the lakeside villas (dream houses). I collect photos of nature, color palettes, textures, architectural details, (anything that catches my eye really) to use as reference photos for future illustrations. Como was a goldmine of inspo.

One of the highlights was visiting a silk shop in the city where we got to meet Davide, the designer who illustrates all of the scarves. He hand-draws every single design, then scans and digitizes them in Photoshop to prep for production. We had a fab artist-to-artist convo and he invited us back to his desk to show us his workflow in Photoshop. It was surprisingly similar to how I digitize my own art for licensing. It's funny because one of my best-selling classes is called Digitize Your Art to Sell Online but I didn't mention that. He seemed to be doing juuuuust fine on his own. 😜

We geeked out for awhile over Photoshop tricks, designing for products, and the printing process for silk. (Davide showed us a video of the factory where the silk is printed on giant rolls and cut. Very cool.) It was a total highlight, just getting to nerd out over art with a fellow illustrator. I usually go for prints when I buy art while traveling, but I splurged this time and got a few of Davide’s scarves. They’re basically a wearable pieces of art. Now I just have to figure out how to display it when I get home.

We spent a lot of time exploring down by the lake, looking at all the insanely beautiful villas and winding cobblestone streets. Adam and I are really into secondhand and vintage stores, so we did some hunting through those as well. I found a really cool vintage caramel tin as a gift for my brother.

I've been collecting photos of building facades and decorative embellishments as illustration inspiration throughout this trip. In Como, I was particularly obsessed with scallop patterns, one of my current pattern fixations. Looking forward to incorporating those into some artwork later.

Hiking was a big priority for us here, just like in Positano.

There’s a neighborhood of Art Nouveau houses right behind (and directly uphill) from where we stayed, so we started with lots of wandering through those streets. Gawking at the architecture, peeking through fences, soaking it all in.

Our biggest hike was no joke: 3,000 feet straight up and about a dozen miles total. But at the top, we got sweeping views of the rolling mountains. Even my knees (waaaay better than Adam’s) ached a little after that one.

One afternoon, we visited the Tempio Voltiano, a science museum dedicated to Alessandro Volta (the guy who invented the electric battery). It’s a small neoclassical temple right on the lake, packed with early electrical experiments and Volta’s original instruments. The craftsmanship in the marble, walls, ceilings, and decorative embellishments was absolutely incredible. Everything about that museum was beautifully designed.

I was also working on a big new licensing project. I had my onboarding Zoom call with one of the most high-profile clients I’ve ever worked with. I can't share too much about it now, but my product line with them launches in 2027. I took the call from my balcony and they got to see the view and meet Prezzemolina.

10/10, Como. It was one of those weeks where nothing felt routine and everything felt earned. Balance of adventure with relaxation, all with a very friendly feline co-host staked out on our patio (because we secretly fed her cat treats that Adam picked up at the grocery store so we could buy her love).

The Dolomites: Bucket List Item Checked ✔️

Tucked in northern Italy, the Dolomites have been at the very top of my bucket list for years. These are the kind of mountains that don’t even look real until you’re standing in front of them.

But lemme back up. Back in college, my friend Tiffany and I were roommates, gym buddies, and climbing partners at our campus rock wall. A few years after college graduation, in 2015, Tiff quit her job and accepted a position as an engineer in Denver around the same time that I quit being an art director in Kansas City so I could grow my own business instead. I spent most of that summer/fall bouncing around Colorado enjoying the freedom. Towards the end of that summer, Tiff and I road-tripped to Telluride and she introduced me to my very first via ferrata. We slept at the trailhead in the back of her pickup truck and were the first ones to hit the rock wall come sunrise. It was magical.

A via ferrata (Italian for “iron path”) is a climbing route built into the side of a mountain. It’s this wild blend of hiking and rock climbing where you clip into steel cables bolted into the rock face and make your way across iron rungs, ladders, and sometimes suspension bridges. I was instantly hooked. Hiking has always been a big part of my life, but climbing opportunities only pop up once in a while, so via ferratas let me scratch both itches at the same time.

I’ve been dreaming of coming to the Italian Dolomites for years. This is the birthplace of via ferratas. These routes were first developed here during World War I to help soldiers move quickly through the mountains. Fast forward eight years, and this summer, I finally made it. Gratitude moment. 🖤

(Still grateful for Tiff, too. We’ve stayed adventure buddies throughout the years. Hiking together in the Philippines, Thailand, New Mexico, Colorado and Tanzania. Our last biggie was hiking Mount Kilimanjaro in 2023 and we’re brainstorming our next big trip together. In between our global hikes, we keep it pretty tame… catching up over backyard barbecues when we’re both home in KC. These friendships matter so much to me: the kind where you grow through all the life stages together. We’re definitely not the same people we were back in college, and that makes it even more meaningful. Love ya, Tiff!)

Thanks to some poor calculations, Adam and I ended up with an eight-hour drive from Como all the way to Cortina d'Ampezzo in the tiniest Fiat Panda imaginable. Picture me gripping the steering wheel, shifting gears around cliffside drop-offs, while Ferraris whipped past. Adam doesn’t drive manual, so it was all on me.

Lesson learned: Next time, I'm not cheaping out. I’m upgrading to an automatic so Adam can share the driving burden.The first thing we did when we finally reached Cortina was grab a beer to calm our nerves after those sheer cliffs and drop-offs. But once we settled in, everything was perfect.

Our Airbnb turned out to be its own slice of paradise. It sat in a private lot with no one else around, so our “patio happy hours” basically meant dragging out the dining chairs and some blankets to soak in a 360° panorama of jagged peaks. Absolutely unreal.

We came during the lowest of the low season. Cortina’s population sits around 7,000 in summer, but swells to nearly 40,000 in ski season, so it felt super empty while we were there.

There was tons of preparation happening for the Winter Olympics, so we got this behind-the-scenes peek into what goes into making a major event like this happen. Six months from then, it’d be packed with tons of people, athletes and snow. But in early summer, we had the town practically to ourselves.

The hiking was incredible. You're already so high up that you don't have to work that hard to get to amazing views. Most trailheads started practically at our front door. No cars, no lifts (they didn’t open for another week or so), just us walking straight into the mountains. We hiked, hammocked, and strolled through meadows with views that didn’t even look real.

The town itself was charming, too. I kept stopping to photograph the intricately hand-painted facades. (Awesome inspo for future illustrations.) Evenings were pretty chill: just the two of us sipping wine on our dining room chairs that we’d dragged outside to our dual-purpose (and totally lucky that it happened to be low season) private parking lot / patio. The grocery store was just down the street and had incredibly high-quality produce, so we kept it chill at home and Adam cooked most of our dinners.

And finally, I got to do two via ferratas in. the. Dolomites, and it was everything I'd dreamed of. There's something magical about tracing the very footsteps where this style of mountaineering was born. Clipping into steel cables bolted into the rock face, climbing iron rungs and ladders, crossing suspension bridges… it’s such a high-thrill, full-body experience. Equal parts rest and intensity, it’s engaging on every level, physically and mentally. It’s just so satisfying.

This was the highlight of our Italy trip for me.

I’m a mountain girl at heart, and the Dolomites gave me the kinda stuff I crave: crisp weather, breathtaking nature, peace, and space to reset. By the end of the week I was already scheming about coming back, this time with friends and stay even longer. The mountains are calling, baby.

Venice: Logistical Stop Turned Love Letter to the City 💌

Venice wasn't on our must-see list. It was just where we needed to return our rental car. But three days later, a stop we chose for convenience turned into one of the most romantic, art-filled, and unexpectedly meaningful parts of our trip. I became completely smitten with a city I thought I already knew.

Venice was honestly just a logistical destination for us. After the Dolomites, Adam and I needed to drop off our rental car within Italy before heading to Slovenia. Venice, location-wise, made the most sense. Plus, it was Adam’s first time.

But here's the thing… what followed was more than just a practical handoff. Venice pleasantly surprised me. We spent three mid-week (bonus: low tourism) nights exploring the lagoon, and it was an incredibly special backdrop to mark five years together.

Most of what we did was just meandering. Venice has this incredible decadence everywhere you look (remnants of when it was such a wealthy autonomous region… Venice was literally the wealthiest city-state in Europe and maybe the world at one point). The galleries, the artisans, the museums… I felt like we barely scratched the surface, but what we did see was stunning.

The real highlight was going to our very first opera together.

The performance was at Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto, a 15th-century palace along the Grand Canal. What made it so special was that each act was performed in a different room of this refurbished palazzo, so we got to move through some pretty gorgeous historical spaces throughout the night. Champagne served between acts. Everything was decadently furnished and there was soooo much to take in. At one point I looked up and realized we’d been sitting under an immaculate ceiling fresco. I looked it up later and it was the original!

Something I found pretty cool: The opera we saw, La Traviata, was originally written in Venice in the 1850s and intentionally composed to be performed in an intimate setting like this. (Private palazzos, not massive opera houses.) Experiencing it in this authentic way felt like stepping back in time, seeing the performance as 19th-century Venetians would have. Such a magical way to celebrate five years together.

We spent most evenings wandering around the canals and taking it all in. For window shopping lovers (guilty) it’s hard to beat Venice. The decadence, the fashion, the art, the glass (sup, Murano), the mix of antique and modern. I was in visual creative heaven. At one small boutique, Adam bought me a pair of pants that he said reminded him of my preferred color palette and his painting style. Got to wear those around San Marco Square, which felt really special.

Speaking of San Marco Square… major full-circle moment: The first time I was here, I was days away from my 17th birthday on a high school Latin Club trip. Venice was actually the first European city I'd ever visited. Now here I was at 37, exactly 20 years later, seeing everything through my modern-day eyes. I remembered the awe I felt as a teenager experiencing old-world Europe for the first time. Venice is magical.

It was really cool getting to see the city through Adam's first-timer perspective too. We had some super fun date nights, lots of late evenings wandering the streets. We got street pizza two of the three nights because it was so delicious and we didn't want to stop walking. We just wanted to stay up and take everything in.

I’ve been getting more into creative AI prompts lately and I came up with a fun one in Venice. Here’s what I asked ChatGPT:

Create a self-guided walking ghost tour in Venice, Italy, starting from my hotel. Include 5–7 walkable stops, each with a specific haunted location, dark historical event, or eerie legend tied to Venice. Provide immersive but concise storytelling at each stop with exact place names and addresses. Total walking time should be 1–2 hours. End the tour near a recommended dinner spot. Octopus salad should be on the menu. Generate a Google Maps link with all stops in order so I can follow the route on foot.

…that was a fun evening!

The cherry on top: when we mentioned our five-year anniversary to the hotel receptionist during check-in. The clerk upgraded us to a two-story suite with a private indoor whirlpool overlooking the canal. That felt like Venice gifting us a wink. Being friendly and sociable really does pay off.

Short and sweet trip to Venice, but it perfectly captured five years of adventures together and gave us a taste of something entirely new. 🖤

Ljubljana, Slovenia

After the indulgent whirlwind of Italy, arriving in Slovenia felt like shifting gears. From Venice, Adam and I took a bus to Ljubljana, marking a massive change of pace for us.

Our Italy trip had been pure vacation mode: exploring, eating, drinking, hiking, indulging all our senses. But we'd also been working the entire time, basically lighting the candle at both ends and getting pretty exhausted in the process.

Slovenia became our perfect in-between: not vacation, not full-on socializing, but the essential pause we both needed. We had three and a half weeks here, and the plan was simple: chill, rest, recharge, and massively catch up on work.

I'd been to Ljubljana once before when I was 23 as a college student at the tail end of my German study abroad trip with basically no money left. Back then it was youth hostels, street food, and free museums. Coming back now 14 years later with more disposable income was a completely different experience.

The super cool thing about Ljubljana is how they've optimized their river. In my opinion, this is one of the most peaceful and charming capitol cities in Europe. Urban planners here did a phenomenal job utilizing their waterway for pedestrian access, parks, beauty, and charming shops and cafes. (I’d say Oslo is #2 for walkability.) As someone who walks pretty much everywhere, this didn’t go overlooked. I could walk for hours in Ljubljana without worrying about cars or motorcycles.

The city feels charming and low-key, kinda suburban rather than towering skyscrapers. The pedestrian areas are so well-designed that you can go on hours-long walks without even hearing a car honk. We booked an Airbnb right off the river access and close to the Ljubljana Castle trailhead. The location was perfect for both work and play.

Things kicked off with us arriving the same day as my friend Kate. Kate and I are friends from Thailand (she's Australian but lives in Montenegro now). Kate’s a globe‑trotting friend I usually see only when we’re both in Bangkok around conference season. Instead, here we were, in mid‑summer Slovenia, catching up over wine and strolling through the riverfront. Seeing old friends in a new place made this stop feel even more meaningful.

Kate left after the weekend, and it was just Adam and me for the next three weeks. I joined Impact Hub, one of the best coworking spaces I've ever been to worldwide. The internet was incredible, people were kind, and it had different rooms for different vibes. (I booked the conference room for the group Zoom calls I hosted while there.) I was busy prepping for my upcoming launch and wanted to front-load as much work as possible before Budapest, knowing I'd be completely slammed once I got there.

Ljubljana is known as the City of Dragons, and we spent evenings wandering around playing I Spy, looking for dragons tucked into facades, buildings, and even masonry.

The city’s most iconic dragons are the famous double dragons at the entrance to the Dragon Bridge. According to local lore, they wag their tails if a virgin walks past, which I think is hilarious.

When we weren't working our nine-to-five (me at the coworking space), Adam and I spent evenings and weekends exploring. Ljubljana is absolutely perfect for aimless wandering: beautiful parks, shade trees, running water, and countless cafes with alfresco dining. We had a favorite local bar where we'd hang out in the evenings. It was fun watching loud, demanding tourists get scoffed at by the same table of locals who were there every night.

From our Airbnb doorstep, we could access hiking trails that took us up into the hills and mountains around the city. We did lots of castle visits and happy hours up at Ljubljana Castle, which looms above the city. The castle dates back to the 11th century and has gone through many renovations over its long history but what's really cool is that it's been thoughtfully restored with a museum, cafe, and great viewpoints. You'd think drinks would be crazy expensive since it's the only spot up there, but they're just as affordable as down in the city. Ljubljana, please don't ever change.

Something special happened in Ljubljana: I turned 38 here! Adam made my "cake" by taping a match to a box of my favorite lemon-flavored wafer sticks so I could blow it out like birthday candles. So sweet and so him.

We celebrated with a sunset boat cruise on the river where we were the only passengers, which felt like a fun birthday surprise. We had the whole boat to ourselves cruising up and down the river.

A huge practical win: my primary laptop hadn't been working since day one in Como, so I'd been surviving on my backup MacBook Air for a few weeks. Ljubljana had an Apple service center where I could get my logic board replaced under AppleCare for free. Another little tip: if work is non-negotiable while traveling, bring redundancy. My second laptop was an absolute life saver, especially since I had a non-negotiable tight client deadline while in Venice.

Ljubljana was exactly what we needed: a calm before the storm. The storm being Budapest with friends: a lot more energy and chaos, but the good kind. We were about to walk into a completely different pace, and Ljubljana gave us the perfect recharge time.

Budapest: BFFs / Digital Nomad Reunion

After Slovenia, Adam and I hopped a bus to Budapest. I’d been here once before (seven years ago) but it was a short trip then. This time was all about reuniting with friends, most of whom I hadn’t seen since New Zealand back in April.

We all happened to be in Europe over the summer for different reasons and carved out a full month to hang out together. (We were honestly torn between Munich and Budapest, but Budapest won by the slimmest margin because it was cheaper.) Plus, Budapest has this grittiness and charm that's pretty unique.

Lesson learned from New Zealand: I booked an Airbnb literally on the same block as my friends instead of a 20-25 minute walk away like last time. Three minutes door-to-door, though both of our places were on top floors, so it was lots of stairs (felt just like Italy all over again).

We stayed in the Jewish Quarter, the same area I'd stayed in before. It's one of the coolest neighborhoods in Budapest with so much going on. Our Airbnb had this traditional Budapest setup with a big overflowing courtyard in the middle, so our windows looked down into the courtyard instead of out to the busy street.

The first thing we did after arriving in Budapest was hit the grocery store. (One of my favorite activities in any new place.) I got waaaaaay too excited finding what I thought was the same salty/smoked string cheese that my friend Aga and I got addicted to in Tbilisi, Georgia back in 2019. (We ate it every single day and were bloated the entire time.) My first thought was "oh my god, this is gonna taste so good," immediately followed by "…uh oh, not again." Luckily, the cheese didn't taste as good as the Georgian version, so I didn’t buy any more. Disaster averted.

I was still working a lot during the days, sometimes co-working with friends, sometimes alone in the Airbnb. I was prepping for the relaunch of The Art of Collections and I'd front-loaded as much as possible in Ljubljana because I wanted to prioritize friend time. I arrived with the goal of wrapping up as much of launch prep for The Art of Collections as possible so I could devote more time to spending time with friends.

The group was me, Aga, Connor, baby Kai, Zak, Ed, and Adam. These are some of my closest friends on earth. I met most of them originally in Thailand (except Ed, who I met during one of Aga's volcano retreats in Italy back in 2018). We've done a really good job over the years prioritizing spending time together, and it meant everything that we all took a month out of our lives to reunite here.

One of the first things we did was soak in the Széchenyi Thermal Baths: old, sprawling, ornate, decadent sulfur‑steamy, etc.

The different pools’ temperatures range from scalding to tepid depending on how close they are to the water source. I accidentally forgot I left a silver ring on and it turned black as soon as I got into the first sulfur bath. (Added "jewelry cloth" to my list of things I wish I'd brought to Europe.)

Aga, Zak, and I went into the hottest sauna called the Volcano room. I could only make it a few minutes before my earrings (that I never take out) were literally heating up and burning the skin around my ears. That's how hot it was. Aga and I tapped out at the same time, but Zak lasted a few more minutes because he’s either a masochist or a total trooper.

One evening, we went to the W Budapest Hotel (literally across the street from our Airbnbs) for happy hour. Pricey drinks, so we milked them for an hour, but we were really there just to take in the gorgeous architecture and feel bougie for a while. Kai did amazing! All smiles the whole time.

It felt incredible hanging out with friends I've known for so long. We've been present together through some incredibly high highs and low lows: therapy, breakups, new relationships, business burnout/breakthroughs, family drama, processing death, marriage, babies, the works. We've visited each other in hospitals, seen each other laugh and cry and be vulnerable. These are the kinds of deep friendship that go waaaaaay beyond small talk.

Being in the same city meant we got all these little pockets of time. Some of the sweetest times were just co‑working next to Ed, walking through parks with Zak, or cracking up with Aga and Connor over dinner.

Halfway through our month, we all booked a private winery tour. Our guide could quickly tell we weren't there to strengthen our wine knowledge (only Ed knows about wine) but just to hang out. When our guide asked how we all knew each other, we explained we were all different nationalities (Poland, UK, American) who originally met in Thailand as digital nomads, and since then we've just prioritized traveling the world together. He seemed intrigued by this atypical friendship and lifestyle. And Kai absolutely crushed his first vineyard tour before age one.

I launched The Art of Collections during my time here. Nothing says faith in your team like being completely offline for a full day of international travel in the middle of a launch, which is exactly what I did when Adam and I flew from Budapest to Chicago on July 27th.

Budapest was the final leg of our European summer. We'd arrived in Rome in early May. Now in late July, it was crazy to think how much we'd packed into those few months. It was incredible and exhausting and exhilarating and gratifying all mixed into one.

Leaving was bittersweet. Saying goodbye to friends always is. But at least I'd see most of them in a few weeks in Colorado for some cabin time.

This wrapped up our Euro trip! Next chapter = back in the USA.

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Chicago: Friends, Murals, and a Reset

After three months bouncing around Europe, Adam and I landed in Chicago at the end of July and officially kicked off our late summer in the States. It felt like closing one chapter and opening another.

We stayed with our friends Ethan and Erin, who we last saw back in April in New Zealand. They opened their home to us for the week. Major gratitude for the hospitality. The visit served double duty: quality time with friends, plus Adam had been commissioned by Ethan's family to paint murals on their property. Adam spent the week painting, including a big piece in Ethan’s office to give him a killer backdrop for Zoom calls.

I hadn't been to Chicago in over a decade, so coming back with good friends made the city feel entirely new. Our days were pretty low-key: everyone worked. After so long on East Asian and European time zones, it was awesome to be back working on U.S. time zones because that schedule matches a lot of my students and clients. During the day, we all did our own thing. Adam painted. I was deep in the final days of The Art of Collections launch, then hosting my introductory Zoom call with the new batch of students who'd just joined.

That moment marked a hard shift for me. I went from weeks of nonstop launch energy into the part I actually love: welcoming students and getting excited for what comes next. It was like turning off a faucet of stress and turning on something that gives energy back.

Evenings and weekends were for exploring. We wandered their neighborhood, checking out cute wine bars and local restaurants. We saw a Second City show, ate at some fabulous restaurants, and got to eat incredible Mexican food for the first time since I was last in the US. (After years of global travel, I have yet to find a Mexican restaurant outside of the Americas that hits the spot. Especially in Asia… big struggle over there to find good Mexican food!) So any time I’m in the US or south of the border, I prioritize Mexican food over all others.

One of the best nights was when Adam cooked dinner for all of us. Adam and I hadn't had access to a grill the entire time we were traveling through Europe, so getting to use theirs was something we'd been looking forward to. Adam grilled shrimp and steaks, and it was mouth-watering. I grew up with my parents making summer dinners on the grill (salmon, veggie shish kabobs, steaks, caramelized onions, grilled peaches), so this felt like such a nostalgic Americana throwback.

Another highlight was going out on Ethan and Erin's sailboat. We sailed on Lake Michigan with a crystal clear skyline view of Chicago. Adam and I both got a turn driving (or whatever the correct boat term is, I know nothing about boats). Ethan's dad kept telling me to lean into my intuition, which made me feel pretty inadequate because my intuition was screaming at me to jump off the boat and start swimming, anything to relieve my sea sickness. I realized I have zero feel for the waves or wind whatsoever. But hey, first time. Maybe it gets better.

Ethan and Erin are child-free like Adam and me, recently married, and just genuinely great hangs. They're funny, smart, and we're at similar life stages. It was awesome to spend an adults-only week together.

They were also the first people we told about our own marriage plans. Adam and I had decided in Budapest that we were going to get married when we got back to the States. We hadn't told anyone yet. Ethan and Erin became our soft launch. They got married last year, so it was nice to hear their newlywed perspective. It felt good to say it out loud to friends who know us well and are in a similar place in life. Getting to announce our marriage plans at our own pace, starting with Ethan and Erin, felt exactly right. Just good talks and easy company.

This week symbolized a massive transition for me. First, it closed the chapter on our indulgent European summer. We got over jet lag pretty easily. Second, it marked the end of launch mode. I'd been in full launch mode basically all summer, building in intensity through Budapest. Launch mode is all-consuming and honestly not something I particularly enjoy. But by midweek in Chicago, I closed the doors on the launch, hit my goal numbers, and got to welcome in the new students. That's the part I love. Not the stress and buildup, but meeting new artists, welcoming eager students ready to learn and dive in. That brings me joy and energy and reminds me why I created the program in the first place.

Chicago gave us exactly what we needed: a calm week with good friends at a slow pace before the rest of our US summer kicked in (which was going to be a lot).

The week went by way too fast. We packed up, hugged our friends, and caught a flight to Montana for a Coquillette family reunion in Red Lodge. But Chicago will always be the place where we officially landed back home, closed a big work chapter, and shared our biggest personal news with our first two people.

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Red Lodge, Montana: Coquillette Family Reunion

Earlier in the year, I'd instigated a reunion with the Coquillette side of the fam to gauge interest in another Red Lodge gathering. The answer? A resounding YES.

I love my dad's side of the family. My cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone. They're hilarious, outdoorsy, kind, and everyone genuinely looks out for each other. It's just a warm, cozy, funny family. This was Adam's first time in Red Lodge and his first time meeting the Coquillette extended fam.

If I had to sum up the week in two activities, it would be hiking and eating. Every day, some mix of cousins, aunts, uncles, and kids laced up for either a big hike or a little wander. We split into our usual three groups on trail: the fast hikers, the medium hikers, and the slow hikers. I floated between groups, catching up with different people and getting those one-on-one conversations that never really happen over a big dinner table.

We really got to experience the beauty of Montana. On one notable hike along the Beartooth Pass, we saw a grizzly bear within the first hour of being on the trail. Pretty intense since we still had five more hours of hiking ahead of us. My head was on a swivel looking for more bears the rest of the day. First time I've ever seen a grizzly in the wild! The name Beartooth Pass suddenly made a lot more sense. 🐻

Family dinners were for the other half of the equation. We all took turns cooking throughout the week. My Uncle Bill brought his legendary smoked salmon. He fishes, smokes, and has been perfecting his technique for years. Uncle Bill's smoked salmon is honestly one of the best foods I've ever eaten in my entire life. I pretty much devoured all of it last time I saw him in 2019. He and my Aunt Claudia have even shipped it to me a few times in Kansas and Colorado. Uncle Bill and I nerded out over recipes, techniques, and wood chips. I actually wound up ordering the exact same smoker he owns and had it shipped to my friend's cabin in Colorado (where I was headed at the end of the month) so Adam could follow Uncle Bill's recipe to a tee and we could recreate the same smoked salmon deliciousness.

We all stayed in a big lodge on the outskirts of Red Lodge. It overlooked the mountains and offered such a wide-open view. Big Montana sky, moonrise, everything.

My niece and nephew were there, and my cousin Jake brought his two girls as well, so it was fun having the kids around. I came prepared. First up was a Skittles manicure session with a dozen bottles of nail polish. (Each kid picked ten colors for ten nails.) I’d also packed a couple face glitter decal sheets I found in Budapest, which turned into a sticky, sparkly masterpiece situation with the girls. Later in the week, Adam made cinnamon rolls from scratch and I brought out tubes of colorful icing and rainbow sprinkles so all the kids could decorate their own. Breakfast turned into an art project.

We also attended the pig races. They're basically exactly what they sound like. There are pigs. They wear little jerseys. They race around a track. And you can bet money on them!

I'd been before, but it was really fun to watch Aurora and Apollo's reaction to the pig races. They went from confused bewilderment to really getting into it to just acceptance. Fun to watch that full turnaround.

One fun thing is Adam was introduced to the Coquillette family programs. This is something my dad and his four siblings did when they were growing up in Iowa in the 1950s and 60s. They would put on little programs for their parents and their parents' friends when they had dinner parties. Everything from singing and skits to improv to rehearsed bits. It's a little bit of everything.

I didn’t give Adam any warning leading up to this. Honestly, I just forgot. So the first night when we had our family dinner and everyone starts passing around the programs to sing together, Adam looked bewildered and I couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard. It was so fun to see his reaction coming in blind.

Adam actually got involved in the final night's program. My aunt invited the two newcomers to the family (Adam and my cousin's new wife Amanda) to contribute. Since they both have comedy backgrounds (Amanda doing improv in L.A. and Adam doing stand-up around the world), they were asked to do an improv program. They were given a box of props and had to improvise around it. And then Adam used his closing beat as his moment. Adam ended the improv set by proposing to me in front of the whole family.

It was a beautiful way to fold everyone in. We’d told my parents five minutes beforehand so they wouldn’t be blindsided. The rest of the fam got the surprise live. We’re not doing a wedding, so this was our version of bringing everyone into the circle. A room full of family, a box of props, and a very easy yes.

From here, Adam and I went in different directions. He flew back to Buffalo to see his family and I flew to Kansas City. I basically crammed five days of cleaning out my childhood bedroom and attic at my parents' house. We moved to that house when I was in fifth grade, so this was everything I'd accumulated from age 11 onwards. Report cards, old art projects, everything. It was a lot. Pretty physically and emotionally draining, but I'm relieved to have completely finished it.

From there, I flew to Colorado for two weeks of recharge time (and an elopement!) in the Colorado Rockies.

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Colorado: Where We Got Married (Surprise!)

From Kansas City, I flew to Colorado to spend two weeks with some of my closest friends at one of their family's cabins in the Colorado Rockies.

The cabin holds a lot of history for us. The first time I came here was March 2020. My friends and I converged here during lockdowns from all different parts of the world where we were living at the time (Bali, Manila, and Medellin). We spent a good chunk of 2020 here. Since then, we've returned every year for little mountain getaway friend reunions.

This time was no exception. We all got to get together for a few weeks of “summer camp”. But what our friends didn’t know was that Adam and I were going to get married there as well.

Last year, my friends Aga and Connor decided to elope when the five of us were hanging out at the cabin in January, right after Christmas. They had a little ceremony on the property, then we all went to the courthouse together to be witnesses as they signed their marriage license.

This time around, Aga and Connor needed to go back to the courthouse to get a new marriage license copy for their baby's Polish passport. We offered to go with them and came up with some excuse that we needed to pick up real estate information at the courthouse (Adam and I have been looking for property near them, so our ruse went unquestioned).

We got everybody on board. We all went to the courthouse together. After Aga and Connor finished their paperwork for their second marriage license, we turned it around on them and said, “Hey, would you two mind being our witnesses while we get ours?”

Adam did his third and final proposal to me in front of our friends, and I’m honestly not sure when they realized this was real and not a prank. Aga, Connor, and Zak all signed our marriage license as witnesses. The clerk even got an ink pad out so baby Kai could leave a finger print as our 4th witness.

Afterward, we celebrated with a grocery run. We picked up steaks to grill for dinner, came back to the cabin, and we called our families to celebrate with them. That evening, Adam and Zak handled the grill, and our “wedding cake” was a bowl of raw cookie dough mixed with cream cheese frosting. Oh my god, it was so delicious.

We were rewarded with an absolutely beautiful sunset that evening over the Neversummer Mountains. It was the best elopement I could have imagined. It was low-key and casual and I got to spend the day with the man I love and some of my closest friends on earth. Plus, we were all together at one of my favorite places on earth, the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It could not have been a better wedding day.

I'm so glad that Adam and I got to do this on our own terms. I’ve built most of my adult life that way: quitting my job to pursue art full time, moving to Asia, designing a life that fits me instead of fitting into one. This marriage followed that same pattern. This marriage with Adam was kind of the embodiment of that as well.

It was so special to have such a stress-free, enjoyable, happy, calm, celebratory day with close friends. We'd just celebrated recently with loved ones in Montana. I'm really excited to see Adam's family next year to celebrate in person.

People keep asking if marriage feels different, and honestly, yes. I didn’t think it would. I thought it would just be a piece of paper since we already saw each other as life partners. But there is a difference. The day-to-day hasn’t changed, but the weight of the commitment has added something grounding. It made me feel really, really excited to get to spend the rest of my life with Adam and build our futures together.

I'm so glad we started our two weeks at the cabin with the surprise elopement, because then we got to bask in that glow for the rest of our time there.

We spent our days hiking, hammocking, and hanging out at our favorite creekside spot in the nearby state park. We’d bring camp chairs, hammocks, drinks, and snacks, then stay for hours listening to birds and water. Evenings were for homemade dinners on the deck. The cabin is remote (the nearest grocery store is a 45-minute drive), so we were mostly self-sufficient. Adam cooked almost every meal (because he loves it), Aga and I took salad duty, and there were always jars of her latest pickled veggies on the table.

One day, Adam and I tackled our favorite hike up toward the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s about ten miles round-trip with huge elevation gains and panoramic views. This was our 4th attempt to complete the loop, but jus like the previous three, we got chased off the ridgeline by a thunderstorm before finishing the loop. Maybe fifth time’s the charm. Along the way, we spotted steaming fresh bear scat, which kept things interesting. A solo camper at our turnaround spot told us the bear had been hanging around at night but hadn’t caused trouble. Always good to know.

The two weeks flew by. We spent them doing the things we love most: hanging out together, being in nature, cooking, laughing, connecting. When it was time to leave, it was hard to say goodbye. These friends are chosen family, and we never quite know when the next reunion will be.

We left the cabin full of love and gratitude. Married, happy, and ready to finally start our journey back home to Chiang Mai.

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China… twice!

2025 = my first time in China! Even though Shenzhen and Hong Kong are sister cities and right next to each other, this trip did not happen sequentially like it was supposed to.

The original plan was to do both cities in one trip, but our Chinese business visas didn’t come through in time. We discovered this literally the morning of our flight. The visa-free entry we had for Shenzhen wouldn’t allow us to cross into Hong Kong, so right before leaving for the airport, we had to change our flight home and remove Hong Kong entirely. It was stressful and chaotic, but we managed to sort it out.

Shenzhen = THE FUTURE.

The reason we were in Shenzhen in the first place was because Adam was emceeing the Shenzhen SEO Conference. It was a big deal and the first time there’s really been an east-meets-west SEO conference in China. This was also my first time ever attending a business conference purely as a plus one. Normally when I go to conferences, I am networking, attending meetups, and trying to maximize everything. This time, I just got to be the trophy wife. 😜

The thing that stood out most to me almost immediately was how advanced the city felt. Shenzhen is easily the most technologically advanced city I’ve ever been to. Advanced tech is just how daily life works here. Electric vehicles are standard, digital payments are universal. Face scanning, QR codes, and app-based systems are built into transportation, buildings, and services. The whole city was clean, efficient, and futuristic.

Shenzhen was just a small fishing and farming area before the late 1970s. In only a few decades, it grew into a massive city with a population now close to 20 million people. Seeing that kind of transformation in one place was wild.

While Adam was busy prepping for the conference, I spent time wandering the city alone, which is my favorite way to explore. My mission was to find fancy teas to bring back as gifts for friends and family, plus a special tea for my Thai friend who feeds my street cats when I am gone.

The conference itself was interesting, especially from a cultural perspective. I know the basics of SEO, but it is not my area, so what stood out most to me were the differences in communication styles. Western speakers tended to be more direct, especially with criticism and feedback. Chinese speakers were much more careful and subtle. Audience interaction was also very different. I’m used to seeing Adam get crowds energized and highly interactive. Here, the audience was quieter, more reserved, and very polite.

One of the people I really enjoyed meeting was Terry Kyle. Terry is successful in SEO, but his real passion is using that income to support dogs. He runs Every Dog Matters, a dog sanctuary in Bulgaria, and hearing him talk about the impact he has been able to make really stuck with me. I felt a strong sense of alignment there, since animal welfare is something I care deeply about as well.

One fun side trip with some new conference friends was visiting Luohu Commercial City, the massive market known for selling knockoff designer goods. I love ogling over designer purses, but I’ve never have the appetite to actually splurge on one. So… when in Rome, right? I asked around, but unfortunately, none of the sellers had a knockoff of the exact Saint Laurent crossbody bag I’ve been drooling over. (They showed me the leather version, but I’m suede or bust for this particular bag.)

I also saw some absolutely stunning lavender jade bangles (another luxury item I’ve coveted for years), but decided that a counterfeit market was probably not the best place to buy authentic jade. 😉 It was still fascinating to walk through and see it all.

We were only in Shenzhen for a few days, and while it was a short trip, it was intense and fast-paced. We were disappointed that we couldn’t cross into Hong Kong, especially knowing it was so close. But the FOMO was real, we decided to go back two months later just for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong = FOODIE HEAVEN

A couple months after Shenzhen, we returned to China. Hong Kong felt completely different: older, louder, much more vibrant. Hong Kong was a new experience in every way.

One of the biggest highlights was the food. (That alone was a huge reason for going.) The first thing I ate was grilled squid on a stick while sitting on Temple Street, watching people walk by. One night, we opted for a full Chinese buffet dinner. There were countless food stations, but I ignored almost everything and focused pretty much entirely on crab. I don’t get to eat crab very often, so I fully committed. I must’ve devoured 20 crab legs, minimum. The servers cleared my plates multiple times. Zero regrets, it was delicious.

We spent most of our days walking, easily ten miles a day, just wandering and taking things in. One thing that surprised me was how many cats we saw in one of the parks we visited. There were signs everywhere saying not to feed the wildlife, with pictures of cats included. All of the cats had ear tips, meaning they had been trapped, sterilized, and released. They looked healthy and well fed, which made me really happy to see.

We also did some vintage and secondhand shopping. I found a beautiful emerald necklace that perfectly matched an emerald ring I bought the year before in Chiang Mai, even though they came from completely different places. I also bought a vintage wooden box that I now use to store hair ties. Adam bought old posters off the street and later turned them into an art project by painting over them.

One of the most meaningful parts of Hong Kong for me was meeting my student, Jenn, from my Art of Collections community. She lives there, and we met for coffee and lunch. It was really special to finally meet in person and talk licensing together. One fun detail is that the first collection she created inside my program landed a licensing deal with the same French brand I work with. Art licensing twinsies, baby! 👯‍♀️

We also visited the Goldfish Market, where entire streets are dedicated to selling fish. I learned that eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture, and that having eight orange plus one black fish is believed to bring good fortune, with the black fish absorbing negative energy.

Another highlight was doing a food tasting tour that took us to several local spots, including tiny, hole-in-the-wall restaurants that have Michelin star ratings. One standout meal was at Sister Wah in Tin Hau, known for its beef brisket served in a deliciously rich broth. I’m drooling as I write this btw.

Hong Kong felt like a constant contrast between old and new. Towering skyscrapers right next to historic temples. Ultra-modern infrastructure layered over long-standing traditions. Public transportation was incredibly easy, including the iconic trams. On our final morning, we squeezed in a visit to the M+ museum before our afternoon flight.

It was a whirlwind three days, packed with walking, eating, and exploring. It felt special to experience it together, especially after having to miss it the first time.

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Kansas City

In 2025, I visited Kansas City on three separate trips, which felt especially meaningful as more of my life now happens far from where I grew up. Each visit centered around time with family and long-standing friendships.

A big part of what made these trips so special was time with my niece and nephew, Apollo and Aurora, who are now three and five. As they get older, our time together feels deeper and more interactive. We play games, draw on my iPad, make pancakes, paint our nails, and invent little rituals that are quickly becoming traditions. Aurora’s favorite activity is our jewelry sessions. We sit together while she sorts through my collection, asks questions about different pieces, and chooses a few favorites to keep. Jewelry is something I love, and sharing that hobby with her feels unexpectedly meaningful. It is one of our little bonding rituals now.

Both kids are also big fans of manicures. Their favorite is what I taught them to call a Skittles manicure. I bring out about a dozen bottles of nail polish, and they get to choose which colors go on each fingernail. We talk about favorites, color combinations, and which shade deserves the biggest fingernail. Along the way, we invent our own names for the colors, not the names on the bottles, just ones we make up together. These kids have a surprisingly good memory! When I returned after a few months away, Aurora immediately announced she wanted to use Beetle, my favorite green-gold shade.

I also loved introducing Apollo and Aurora to my work in a tangible way. I brought some of my product samples and gave them my gilded floral notebooks. Watching them draw and create inside something I designed was unexpectedly emotional. Seeing my art become part of their everyday play felt incredibly full circle.

Kansas City is also where my longest friendships live. I spent time with friends who have known me since childhood, including my oldest friend, Lauren, who I have literally known since I was a baby. (We were born 18 days apart.)

Early in the year, we went thrift store holiday shopping together and decided to get friendship bracelets welded onto our wrists. Permanent little markers of lifelong friendships. After Lauren got hers zapped to her wrist, I pretended I’d changed my mind and didn’t want one anymore, just to see her reaction. That kind of silly, kid-energy humor always comes out when I’m with her. She brings out my goofing around side, and we’re always cracking up over something, and laughing until it hurts.

It’s a rare thing to have a friend who has known you literally your entire life, all 38 years of it, and even rarer to have grown together through so many changes. Life took us in different directions, but this friendship has always remained. I admire Lauren deeply, and I’m so grateful that we both continue to prioritize being in each other’s lives. She’s a keeper!

And then there are the Katies, two of my closest friends since we were fourteen. We have grown up together through middle school, high school, college, first jobs, marriages, and countless life transitions. I have never really felt alone in my life, and a huge reason for that is friendships like these.

This year, the three of us spent time together going through a time capsule we made in the summer of 2002, the summer we turned fifteen.

Inside were movie ticket stubs, Jones soda bottle caps, Starbucks Frappuccino lids, doll arms we used as inside jokes during school presentations (I’d stick them on my fingers and wiggle them around to make Katie Lindy laugh when she had to give a presentation in front of the class), a Cleopatra headband from a seventh grade project, and even a homemade chapstick we white labeled with our own branding and a selfie. Most of the jokes inside the box no longer made sense, but that somehow made it even sweeter. It was a snapshot of that in between moment of childhood and adolescence, and sharing it together over wine and snacks was one of my favorite nights of the year.

Being back also meant soaking up time with my brother, Kelly, and their animals. Juju, also known as Orange Julius, joined their family at the end of last year. He is a big, chunky orange cat with a creamy white belly and an endless appetite for affection. His favorite thing in the world is being pet, and we are constantly discovering new spots that make him react in hilarious ways, including one patch on his back that makes him lick the air when you rub it just right. Sparky, their dog, is half German Shepherd and half Pit Bull and fully a cuddle bug. He is getting older and has arthritis, but he is still the sweetest, gentlest presence. Walks with him, quiet evenings together, and sneaking him leftovers all felt like small, perfect moments.

One visit included house sitting for my brother and Kelly while they took the kids to Florida. Their hundred year old house is a little spooky, but I felt completely safe with Sparky and Juju sleeping in bed with me every night. We watched movies together at night, co-worked in the kitchen during the day, and kept each other company. It was so cozy and full of love.

Even when I am not physically in Kansas City, I stay connected through FaceTime. Aurora is now fully aware that FaceTime is real life, not just TV. She loves showing me her stuffed animals, her vacuum cleaner, and anything else she can find. Sometimes she grabs the phone and gives me little “tours” around her surroundings, which usually means I see a lot of stampy feet and blurry floors. Those calls mean more to me than she probably realizes. 🥹

I also enjoyed spending time with my parents, including a meaningful trip to the Brookside Art Fair. It was a big moment because my mom had knee surgery earlier in the year, and this was one of her first major outings. It was wonderful to get together and be outside with gorgeous weather while checking out artwork.

One of the biggest and hardest things I did this year happened in Kansas City. I cleaned out my childhood bedroom, closets, and attic at my parents’ house. Everything that had accumulated since fifth grade. I did it alone, countless trips up and down the stairs, sorting, remembering, letting go. It was physically exhausting and emotionally heavy, but also necessary. I found old artwork from high school, art projects, cheeky illustrations, and pieces of myself I had almost forgotten. It felt like closing a chapter with intention.

We did about eight separate carloads of stuff to the donation center, just completely filled up the back of my dad's SUV. It was a lot of work. I probably went up and down the stairs a hundred times, if not more, just carrying bins and boxes and garbage and donation stuff. I'm so glad my stuff is completely out of the house. It's no longer a burden for them or for me. I felt a lot lighter afterwards. I'm glad I was able to get it done, but I was absolutely exhausted. Completely spent by the time I wrapped up my short five days in Kansas City.

Kansas City is where my family is. It is where my oldest friendships live. It is where so many foundational versions of me were shaped. I am deeply grateful that 2025 gave me three chances to return, reconnect, and remember just how much this place still matters to me.

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Giving back to animals this year

Animal welfare is one cause that’s especially close to my heart. Living abroad and spending time around street animals has made the need impossible to ignore.

So, in the spirit of giving back, I want to highlight a few animal welfare organizations that I personally support and deeply believe in. If you’re looking for ways to help animals in meaningful, tangible ways, these are places I trust and hope you’ll consider supporting too.

Impact with Hand to Paw

Hand to Paw is an organization here in Thailand that is very near and dear to my heart. For the past few years, I’ve donated to fund a few mass spay/neuter events. But this year, I took it a step further and started volunteering at these events, too.

It brings me so much joy to know that these cats and dogs will live longer, happier, and less stressful lives after they’re sterilized. (Not to mention the prevention of more future animals suffering life on the streets.)

These events provide free spay, neuter, and vaccination services to locals, and are funded entirely by donors. Seeing everything unfold firsthand was pretty powerful. I spent hours washing surgical tools as cats and dogs moved through the process, assembly-line style. It felt pretty grounding to contribute not just financially, but physically, with my time and energy. Despite being exhausted, I felt like I was glowing afterwards.

Finding a cause that brings me so much passion and fulfillment has been incredible. I care about animals so much. For most of my adult life over the last 10 years of traveling, I haven't been in one place long enough to form strong animal bonds. Most of the impact I've made has been donation-based, which is great and obviously moves the needle. But actually getting to volunteer on the ground and do both (donations and hands-on work) felt really powerful this year.

Mee Boon’s Story

There were a lot of cat stories this year. One of the most intense involved a kitten found stuck under the hood of a car. I was feeding her the first thing she’d eaten in three days (a creamy treat out of a tube) and she was understandably ravenous. I wasn’t paying close attention and the kitten wound up chomping down on my finger, hard. So I made two phone calls: one to my veterinarian to see if they could come pick her up and a second to my doctor to see if I could drop by for a rabies shot.

The kitten spent about a week and a half at the veterinarian clinic. On her first night there, I was absolutely gutted when they texted me to tell me she was blind. My mind was spinning wondering how the hell I could ever find a home for a blind kitten. It’s hard enough finding forever homes for stray animals here, let alone one with a disability. (Also, turns out this is why she bit my finger. She couldn’t see and thought it was food.)

But to my absolute relief, the kitten began recovering her vision day-by-day. She has made a full recovery at the vet’s office and then, the best news possible happened: Om, the woman who rescued the kitten from the car engine, decided to adopt her. She named her Mee Boon, which means to have good merit or good karma. Om said that Mee Boon is clearly lucky because she found people who would care for her and love her. I sponsor Mee Boon, which means I'll pay for all her ongoing veterinary care and food. Now she's a healthy little kitten with a brand new owner!

Crouton, Crumb & Sprinkle

There were a lot of cat stories this year. One of the most memorable started quietly, with a very timid street cat slipping into the open-air lobby of my apartment complex. She was scared, skittish, and clearly feral, but over time she started to trust me. Around the same time, I noticed her belly was getting rounder. It turned out she was pregnant, which probably explained the sudden increase in affection. In early April, she gave birth to three kittens.

Two of them were healthy. One wasn’t. A friend of mine who helps care for the cats here told me one of the kittens wasn’t eating or drinking. They were trying to bottle-feed her, but something was clearly wrong. I offered to come take a look, and the moment I did, my stomach dropped. I called my vet, and they were there within 20 minutes. The kitten had a severe cleft palate. There was no way she was going to survive.

I brought her back home and nestled her with Crouton, but she didn’t make it through the night. We had a tiny kitten funeral. Om, her granddaughter, Adam, and I buried her together on the property. It was a really hard day.

But this isn’t a sad story. It’s actually a hopeful one! The two surviving kittens spent the first three months of their lives growing up in the lobby of my apartment building. Picture kittens tearing around a marble floor, one little stripy guy named Sprinkle and one two-tone kitten named Crumb. Their mom was Crouton. Adam named her because her face looked a little crunchy. It felt fitting.

As adorable as it was, it obviously wasn’t sustainable to have rambunctious kittens living in a lobby. I promised the staff I would find them a proper home. I connected with a local organization called AdoptMeow, made a contribution, and the kittens went into foster care for a few weeks.

Then the best possible thing happened. Because Crumb and Sprinkle were bonded, they were adopted together into their forever home. And it gets better. Crouton, once a feral, terrified street cat, was adopted by one of the staff members in my building. A few months later, he showed me a photo of her. She had absolutely blown up. Chunky. Lazy. Thriving. No longer a skinny street cat, but a very well-fed house cat living a life of luxury. I love seeing it.

Having easy access to a great veterinary clinic here has changed everything. Every single one of my cats in the parking lot is now spayed or neutered, all on their own timeline. When they need surgery, I board them at the vet. (I pack a goodie bag for them with their favorite treats and beds.) Every three months, they get flea and tick meds. They’re vaccinated. They get two meals of wet food every day. They actually eat better than most house cats here.

So even though the cats in my neighborhood are technically street cats, they’re fully cared for. They have everything they need. And Crouton, Crumb, and Sprinkle are proof that sometimes a story that starts out messy and heartbreaking can still land exactly where it’s supposed to.

Giving back this year.

Although I work very hard, I’ve also gotta admit that I live an incredibly privileged life and I have so much gratitude for that. I get to combine two of my passions, art and travel, and make a living as an artist.

So, I want to take a moment and, in the spirit of giving back, highlight a few organizations that are very dear to me. Here are the non-profits that I support and hope you will, too.

I’ve spent 14 years and lended 709 loans with Kiva

Kiva is a nonprofit that allows you to lend money to low-income entrepreneurs. Every month for the past thirteen years, I choose a woman from a developing nation and contribute a small amount to help her grow her business.

Each micro loan is as small as $25 each, but with enough lenders pooling money together, these women can reach their larger business goals.

Kiva harnessed the power of microlending and made it accessible to everyone. Help someone help themselves, too. Lend here.

10 years and with Unbound

Sponsor a child in need. Unbound allows you to sponsor a child anywhere in the world. At $40/month per child, you can help a family lift themselves out of poverty.

Your contribution directly benefits the specific individual you choose to sponsor and helps meet their basic needs. Plus, you get to engage with your child through letters, photos, and birthday cards.

I’ve been able to watch my “kids” grow up over the years and pursue their dreams of higher education from India to the Philippines.

4 years with Kotor Kitties

I first visited Kotor, Montenegro back in 2018 to visit my friend, Kate. Kate introduced me to the coastal town of Kotor, a medieval fortified port town in the Mediterranean. I fell in love with the Old City and returned only a few weeks after I left for more hiking trails, epic views, and cats.

I returned again in 2021, which is when I learned about Kotor Kitties, an organization that helps the homeless cats of Montenegro live healthier lives and reduces the homeless population through spaying and neutering.

3 years and 728 trees planted with Ecologi

Offset your carbon footprint. When you donate to Ecologi, you’re supporting a fairly broad range of projects geared at reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions.

One aspect that really resonates with me is the heavy emphasis on reforestation projects. It’s now common knowledge that one of the best tools to tackle the climate crisis and keep our temperatures from rising above 1.5C is to plant trees. They are also crucial in preventing ecological collapse. Ecologi supports partners who grow millions of trees per month.

3 years with Children of Medellín

While we were living in Medellín in 2023, Adam donated a mural to Children of Medellín. When he finished painting his mural and came back home, he told me about the organization and the incredible work they do for over 500 children and their families in the city center and in the barrios of Medellín.

I found their organization online and set up monthly donations through PayPal to contribute to their cause. I’m grateful for how easy it is for me to give back to the community in a place that I had the privilege of calling “home” for a couple months this year.

3 years with Thai Freedom House

Support refugees from Burma and minority peoples of Thailand. In the aftermath of 2021’s military coup d'état in Myanmar, Burmese refugees streaming over the Thai border need support now more than ever.

Thai Freedom House is one of the only full resource centers that addresses the varied needs of Thailand’s population of refugees. Your donation will directly support displaced people who are struggling to survive.

4 years with Animal Welfare Institute

Reduce Animal Suffering. Animal Welfare Institute seeks better treatment of animals everywhere— in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild. Here’s some of what your donation helps AWI accomplish:

• Abolish factory farms, support high-welfare family farms, and achieve humane slaughter for animals raised for food

• Improve the housing and handling of animals in research, and encourage alternatives to experimentation on live animals

• Preserve species threatened with extinction, and protect wildlife from harmful exploitation and destruction of critical habitat

4 years with Wildlife Conservation Society

Save Wildlife & Wild Places. Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS works with local people and governments in over 40 of the best wild places on the planet.

WCS's goal is to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions, home to more than 50% of the world's biodiversity.

Their goal is a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth.

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Blasts from the past: