I can’t believe it’s already been a month since the last newsletter! October just rushed by! Looking back though it was full of beautiful things.

Foggy mornings, leaves in every shades of red and orange - my morning walks continue to bring me joy every day, even the rainy ones.

Autumn always feels like baking season to me - apple pies, pumpkin bread and all the cozy smells that come with it.

Also there were farm visits! I love the atmosphere there, with live music, apple cider, pumpkin patch, and all the fun around. On a quiet weekday I went back with a friend just to enjoy the calm and sketch the animals.

I’m so happy how people seem to enjoy Foundling on YouTube! I’ve never thought it would get so many views and responses, people sharing their own stories, some of them truly brought tears to my eyes. Thank you everyone for your incredible support! All this encourages me to create more Yens and Spinny animation, and I’m working on animating some of the tales.

October is the month of Inktober - a challenge where you are supposed to draw every day using ink and following certain prompts. I tried! I spent some time playing with different inks, and I came up with a nice idea how to combine prompts and city sketching. I didn't manage to draw every day, but I’m happy how some of the pictures turned out.

I also played with oil pastels, and I have a nice idea for the series of pictures about little Mite and his small adventure. I hope I will have time for that in November!

🥧 This Month’s Stories

🍎 The Apple Cake Afternoon
A golden afternoon, the smell of cinnamon, and one very determined spider - what could possibly go wrong with apple cake?
Read here

There are so many new things in the shop! Are you ready for the holiday season? Yens offers a bunch of beautiful gifts! Right now there’s a sale - 25% off when you buy three items.

Calendars are the hot theme right now! This year I made a wider variety - desk, wall, spiral, year-at-a-glance - but in smaller quantities, so don't miss them if you’d like one.
I also created a special calendar for international buyers. The printing services are located all over the world, so shipping cost is much less! Sadly I can’t add any personal touch to those shipments, as they are printed in the country you’re located in, but I promise to send a letter with a personal note from Yens and a couple of small freebies!

I also have a few different sets of holiday greeting cards - made with real foil! They are a real eye candy, bright and glittering, ready to brighten someone’s day :) Buy a pack and send to all your friends!

Holiday edition Yens plushie is my favorite - I put a nice red scarf on him, and he also has a bag with presents, couple of small surprises. It took me a while to figure out his holiday dress code, but I think he looks quite festive! What do you think?

• The last of the apples have been turned into pies. Yens says it’s proper to share, though Spinny insists his apple (the one under the porch) is exempt.

• Yens collects a few acorns each morning, saying it helps him think. Spinny has been quietly moving them to his own secret pile behind the sugar tin.

• The pumpkins by the shed are slowly collapsing into themselves. Yens calls it “composting.” Spinny calls it “mysterious.”

• The first frost visited the garden this week. Yens tucked in the herbs for the night, while Spinny tested the ice on the watering can bravely, and immediately regretted it.

• The evenings are filled with candlelight, quiet pages turning, and the occasional clink of a spoon. Yens says it’s the sound of home.

“When Hodgkins relieved me at dawn, I mentioned in passing the Joxter's strange and total lack of interest in his surroundings. "Well," said Hodgkins, "perhaps he is really interested in everything, only he doesn't overdo it. For ourselves there is always one single interest. You want to become. I want to do. My nephew wants to have. But the Joxter just lives.”
Moominpappa at Sea by Tove Jansson

This month I went on a hike in the mountains, and it was my first time seeing and hearing Pika! That's such an amazing creature, I wish I'd had more time to sit quietly and watch them in their rocky world. It’s definitely going on my bucket list to return one day and just observe them.

There’s a small pile of crumbs and twigs appearing on the windowsill each morning. Yens suspects Spinny is building something again.
The evenings are slower now, full of candlelight and the sound of rain against the window. Wherever you are, I hope you find one small, comforting thing to hold onto this season.

Thank you for reading. I’m so glad you’re here.

With warmth,

Nina

(And also Yens, and Spinny, who is currently keeping watch over the last leaf still clinging to the oak outside)