September 2025 Updates
Fall is coming fast this year. It is hard to believe that summer is already over, partially because our family had an unusually sick season, but also because fall colors seem to be coming in unusually quickly. I am excited to share my new art developments, tips on beginning a nature journal, and free printable Prayer Hike Cards for newsletter subscribers!
Personally, we didn’t get much of a summer this year at our house because July through early September was one long string of illnesses, starting with my youngest getting pneumonia and snowballing into other children and me being ill multiple times, and my thyroid misbehaving. I have an autoimmune thyroid condition that had been under control for a good while. This flare has thrown me for a loop and caused me to cut back on posting/advertising, product development, and just about everything else business related for a little while. Still, God is good and always knows what we need. I appreciate the time I have had to be with family uninterrupted and to reflect on long term goals. Hopefully my thyroid problems will go back into remission soon, but they are at least improving. On a brighter note, we were able to go fishing a lot as a family this summer, as well as hike a little bit. Our family would appreciate your prayers for health as we head into the actual cold season.
I missed both my July and August in-person sales, but was able to work on building and expanding my pattern catalogue for licensing while competing in a couple of design challenges. I also started the school year teaching intermediate drawing for grades 2-12 at Our Lady of Good Help Homeschool Co-op, which I enjoy immensely. I am currently working on making a few durable rosaries and a new card design for the Mary Queen of Heaven Fall Banquet for the Our Lady of Good Success Radio Network (which I created logo graphics for earlier this year). I will be a vendor at the event on Thursday, October 9th. I have also begun preliminary work on a commissioned memorial painting commemorating my friend Heather Kramer and her sons, Ben and Simon, who died in a car crash last year. I am looking forward to the challenge of working at a bigger scale than I usually do.
Upcoming sales - As I stated before, I will be a vendor at the Mary Queen of Heaven 2025 Fall Banquet at the Best Western in Dubuque on Thursday, October 9th at 5:00PM. I also play to be a vendor at the Lancaster Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, November 1st from 9AM - 3PM at Lancaster High School, and other Christmas Markets later this fall. I will send an update with. If you are local and would like to shop my products online but pickup in person, you can email me to let me know. Also let me know if you are interested in custom or large-quantity Christmas cards for the upcoming holiday season.
Use the Promo Code (a free sticker with your order of greeting cards, nature study supplies, vinyl stickers, and art prints) for now through October 31 is FALL25