Blog Archive
The Power of Pivoting as a Tiny Business
January 15, 2025
Running a tiny business requires flexibility, and sometimes that flexibility shows up in big, life-shaping ways. In 2025, I made the decision to move my business from Washington, DC—where it had been rooted for over eight years—to the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Along with the excitement of a new chapter came the reality of starting fresh in a new community: becoming known again, building new relationships, and re-establishing my work in a different market. Change can feel daunting, but it also opens the door to growth if you’re willing to adapt.
One of the biggest challenges of the move was figuring out what to do with years of DC-centric prints I had created. My work has always been inspired by places and nature, and while there wasn’t much I could realistically change about illustrations tied so specifically to DC, I realized I didn’t need to reinvent everything. As an arborist and lifelong nature lover, I looked closely at my botanical pieces and saw opportunity instead of limitation. Many of the wildflowers and tree blossoms I illustrate are native to a large portion of the Northeast—not just one city.
Enter the power of pivoting. With a thoughtful shift in perspective (and yes, sometimes something as simple as a title change), those nature prints found new relevance in my new home. Suddenly, they spoke to a broader audience while staying true to my inspiration and values. That’s the magic of a good pivot: it doesn’t erase your past work, it builds on it. For tiny businesses especially, pivoting isn’t about abandoning what you’ve made—it’s about allowing it to evolve alongside you.
Celebrating Small Business Saturday with 314 Studio
December 15, 2025
This past Small Business Saturday was such a delight thanks to a special collaboration with 314 Studio, owned by the talented Chihiro. We first connected through our marketing coach, Jiaqi of Media Leveling, who thought our delicate, unique styles—and the fact that we’re both woman-owned businesses—would pair beautifully together. She was absolutely right. From the moment we met, we clicked and began brainstorming ways to bring our creative worlds together.
Since we both create jewelry, our first idea was to design complementary pieces. But ultimately, we decided to highlight a new print I had yet to launch—an abstract illustration inspired by the soft, warm colors of the Scottish Highlands from my recent trip.
Chihiro loved the palette and transformed it into a stunning, colorful jewelry piece for each bundle. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and it was so rewarding to see our collaboration resonate with customers. I can’t wait to work with 314 Studio again and continue offering you more savings and unique, limited-edition finds by partnering with some of my other favorite small business owners in the future!
My Favorite Illustration Supplies
December 8, 2025
This week I thought I'd mix things up a bit and share some of my favorite supplies for creating my delightful hand-illustrated and handmade goodies with you! I get approached at markets all the time with questions like "what do you use to create these prints?" and "how do you get such vibrant color?" After 8+ years creating, I'm happy to share some of my most-loved tools that I find myself reaching for again and again:
- Canson's Bristol Smooth Mixed Media Paper: I find that my alcohol ink markers don't bleed or leave streaks on this paper (unless they are low on ink). I use a paper cutter to cut the XL size down for each project.
- Kimberly 2B Pencils: These soft pencils layer and erase well on the bristol smooth paper.
- Micron Pens: I love tracing pencil lines with Microns, erasing, and then applying alcohol ink markers over top. That's how I get the signature look of my prints.
- Alcohol Ink Markers: The gold standard for alcohol ink markers has always been the Japanese brand Copic, and I still primarily use Copic's "Sketch" markers for my own illustration. However, because they're the best and they're made halfway across the world, Copics are expensive (~$6 per marker). I recently discovered the U.S.-based brand Ohuhu which offers alcohol ink markers for about $1 each. I'm pleased with the quality of Ohuhu alcohol ink markers and always take a small set with me so I can illustrate my travels!