Tag Archives: art

New Service Offering :: Gift of Happiness!

Hello friends!

I hope your 2015 is off to a good start.  I had very nice holidays and am feeling energized for another year full of adventures in creativity!

Many of you know that I’m pursuing my dream of making a living doing what I love, i.e. being an illustrator, while working at my non-profit day job.  This year, my goal is to “do more.”  I tend to be a “planning” person and prefer to know what to expect and the details before I act on something.  It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can sometimes keep me from “doing” it.  Doing nothing may feel “safe,” but it would not help me achieve my goal.

Last spring, I started my 365 day happiness drawing challenge to practice art and putting myself out there every day. I will continue the practice until I hit the 365 day mark! I also wanted to have a new project which will challenge me to grow in different ways.

As I mentioned in my blog post before the New Year, I’m launching a new subscription service this year!!  I’m calling it a “Gift of Happiness.”  It is available to purchase now on my Etsy store!

gift of happiness

Here is FAQ on this new offering!

Q: What is Gift of Happiness subscription?
A: It is a year-long subscription to receive something from me every month from January through December 2015.

Q: What do I get?
A: All kinds of things! It could be my art prints, a pack of greeting cards, a pretty tea towel, a mug, an original drawing, etc. I would also love to send you a personalized postcard or a note when I’m traveling! I don’t have a specific plan yet because it also depends on what I’m inspired to create throughout the year.

↓Sneak peek for January – you will receive an 8×10 print of “Terrarium Dream”

pictured in 11x14 matted frame. (mat & frame not included in the listing.)
pictured in 11×14 matted frame. (mat & frame not included in the listing.)

Q: What benefits do I get by subscribing to this service?
A: There are many 🙂 For one, you will have something to look forward to every month – you will receive adorable, unique, and high-quality product you can use or give away as a gift (last minute birthday party invite anyone?). By getting an annual subscription, you’re also getting a discount on individual products – this is my way of saying thank you for supporting an independent artist 🙂

Q: Can I sign up after January?
A: Yes, as long as there is a spot open! If you subscribe later, you will receive past months’ items, or equivalent, grouped with your first month’s shipping.

Q: How many spots are available for 2015?
A: Because of the personalized nature of this service, I’m limiting this service to 20 spots this year.

Q: What if I really like what I get and want to order more?
A: Most of the items will be available to purchase individually on my Etsy shop!

Q: How much is the 12-month subscription?
A: $215 for a 12-month subscription including free US shipping! It is also available to ship overseas with additional shipping fee. You will receive a thank you gift if you purchase by Friday January 9, 2015!

*I’m also offering a limited number of bi-monthly subscription (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept, Nov) for $120. Please see the listing here.

Q. Can I purchase the subscription as a gift?
A: Absolutely! Please add a note when you purchase the subscription and let me know their name and shipping address.

Please feel free to contact me  if you have any questions!

Looking forward to connecting with you more in the coming year!

Yuko

 

 

My Mini Weekend Art Retreat

make-time-for-art-color_webMy life has been pretty busy for the past couple of months with multiple projects at my day job and planning a big event for a group I volunteer for.  It’s all good stuff, but I have been feeling stressed and a bit burned out.  The stress was definitely depleting my energy to do anything creative.  After all of my major projects were done, I’ve decided to take  a long weekend and focus on making art for a couple of days.

You may have noticed already, but I’m a homebody.  If I don’t have to leave the house for the entire weekend, I’d be happy.  So that is what I was going to do for the long weekend.  But then I started thinking about all the disruptions I’m going to have at home – the chores, kitties, birds, and the husband – although I love all of them dearly (ok, not the chores), they often take my focus away from art-making. What I really needed was to be somewhere quiet and peaceful where I didn’t have to worry about all that stuff.

yes, I'm a bit like hermit crab...
yes, I’m a bit like a hermit crab…

I booked this cozy cottage on airbnb on lovely Whidbey Island, Washington, which is about 2 hours away from Seattle, for a couple of nights over the weekend. I packed my bag with food, art and crochet supplies and left home with anticipation of the mega relaxation that was for sure to come!!

One my favorite snacks.  Chips.
One my favorite snacks: Chips.

It was raining.  And that was perfect.  The cottage was  so sweet and cozy.  All I could hear was the sound of rain and occasional bird chirping.  I doodled and drew without any special purposes.  I made tea and ate when I got hungry, and I slept when I got sleepy.  I went to bed without setting the alarm.

lovely chair & a pillow
lovely chair & the pillow
I finished crocheting these gloves.
I finished crocheting these gloves!
Random things I found and sketched.
Random things I found and sketched.

I also explored different medium and techniques which you will see in my future works 🙂  I enjoy making art for other people, but taking the time to make something just for yourself is so important!  I often get new ideas for my art through experimentation and exploration.  Having a mini retreat like this also allows you to relax and refill your creative energy reserve.  I think I’m going to have these mini “retreats” more regularly from now on!  So good!

 

Happiness is: Day 177

Happiness is an inspirational art talk.
Happiness is an inspirational art talk.

I went to the SkechXchange event in Portland, OR this evening, where artist/illustrator Lisa Congdon spoke about her creative process and her use of sketchbooks.  She mentioned my daily “Happiness is” project in her presentation, and that was really cool!  I feel so happy and inspired 🙂