A Look Back at 2025 and Moving Forward with Intention

A Year of Unexpected Shifts 

December always brings a feeling of warmth, family, and connection — a soft exhale at the end of a long year. When I think back in 2025, my mind goes straight to summer in my North Carolina studio, high up in the mountains with views that still take my breath away. It’s my most magical place to create, and those long, quiet days spent designing artwork were some of my favorite moments of the year. Once I returned to Florida in October and market season took over, creative time became shorter and more squeezed between three shows each week. But even in the rush, small moments of connection reminded me why I do what I do. 

Small Moments That Mattered 

One moment that will stay with me was when a young girl walked up to my booth, picked up a journal, and confidently said, “I want this one.” Her dad shared that it was her third journal from me and that she uses them as sketchbooks. Until this year, I never imagined my work would resonate with kids, but it turns out many do. Watching her excitement — and talking with her about art — touched my heart more than I expected. 

Learning to See the Wins 

This year taught me so much about creativity and business. I learned to be more intentional with my creative time — not just finding hours to create but setting intentions for what I want to make and allowing myself to focus deeply. I also realized how quick I am to skip over my wins. I doubled my sales this year, something I’m incredibly proud of, yet I barely paused to celebrate before wondering why I didn’t do even more. I’m learning to slow down, acknowledge growth, and remember that progress doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. 

Perhaps the biggest shift of all was learning to speak about my art with confidence. After being told years ago that I wasn’t “good enough” to pursue art, it took a long time to heal that wound. This year, I finally found myself saying, “I am an artist,” and truly believing it. The thought that people display my artwork in their homes and look at it daily — and that it brings them joy — still amazes me. 

When the Plan Changed 

This year didn’t unfold the way I thought it would — and looking back, I’m grateful for that. At the beginning of the year, I had clear plans: build a surface pattern design catalog for licensing and work toward becoming a 5-star Etsy seller. But as the months passed, I started to notice something unexpected. I found myself most alive when I was creating greeting cards, stickers, and original art — far more than pattern design. 

Around the same time, it became clear that Etsy simply wasn’t the right long-term home for my business. Letting go of that chapter wasn’t easy, but I leaned into my little stationery business with a full heart and decided to move forward anyway. Building my own Shopify site turned into a much bigger learning curve than I ever imagined — it took more time, patience, and problem-solving than I had planned for — but it also helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. 

And somewhere along the way, something really special happened. Even with the mid-year shift, I doubled my sales compared to last year and found unexpected joy and success at markets in North Carolina, where designs that hadn’t quite found their place in Florida were suddenly welcomed with so much enthusiasm. It was a beautiful reminder that sometimes our work just needs the right place — and the right people — to be truly seen. 

Moving Forward with Intention 

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m craving more creativity, more courage, and more focus — and a lot less indecision and perfectionism. I’m excited to explore new products, take thoughtful steps toward wholesale, and continue building this business with intention rather than urgency. 

As I move forward, I’m grounding myself in a few guiding values: courage, vulnerability, challenge, connection, and encouragement — not just for my customers and my community, but for myself too. I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I’m learning that showing up with heart matters more than having a perfect plan. 

As we close out the year, my hope is that you feel seen in both the struggles and the victories — and that you take a moment to celebrate your own growth. Thank you for supporting me, believing in my work, and letting my art be a small part of your world. As we welcome 2026, may you stay authentic, honor your wins, stay connected, and keep going even when things feel hard. 

With love and gratitude, 
Jen