Though it’s the end of March, it doesn’t feel like spring at our place 😅 Two weeks ago we had the first snow of this season 🙈 It held for several days and then melted away, but it’s still pretty cold and windy. We went to Palm Springs for a couple of days to watch a tennis tournament, and it was such a nice break! I had almost forgotten what sunburn feels like 😆 That trip was so inspiring that I started playing tennis again after a year-long break. It feels good to have a sport other than morning walks with my dog 😅
😴 In the Studio
Not much was happening in the studio this month. I’ve realized I always feel like hibernating for a while after finishing an animation. March was also very hectic with a lot going on unrelated to art. I feel like a hamster in a wheel 😅 It drives me crazy that I can’t get even one uninterrupted hour at my desk. I function best with large chunks of time devoted to different projects. If it’s just half an hour here and there, I tend to procrastinate a lot.. But I did manage to make an illustration for a new Yens and Spinny tale! I also did some of the March sketching challenge “One week 100 people”. I didn’t do 100, but it was pretty close 😅
🪴 This Month’s Tale
The Tag Problem Seedlings, labels, and Spinny with a very good idea that needed a little untangling. Read here
💝 Shop Update
Things are quiet in the shop, nothing new there. There is still a calendar with Yens and Spinny illustrations, that you can start any month, and the Birthday Calendars and Flip Book make a nice gift if you’re looking for something for Mother’s or Father’s Day. I’m planning to make several new prints as well, so stay tuned for that!
🧹 News from Yens & Spinny’s World
March arrived quietly, with the first shy patches of bare earth appearing through the melting snow. Yens found his February list of chores and went outside with it, checking things off one by one. The fence looks much better now, ready for a new season!
The seedling pots Yens made in February are now lined up in the sunroom, bathed in the first real warmth of the year. He has already planted the first seeds and checks on them every morning with his gardening book in hand.
The days are noticeably longer now, and the birds are much louder. Yens keeps the window cracked open just to hear them better. Spinny is convinced that they sing specifically for him.
Yens found the first snowdrop near the old apple tree. He was quietly smiling for the rest of the day.
Spring cleaning has officially begun. Spinny's treasure corner survived mostly intact. Yens dusted carefully around it, which Spinny considers a great personal victory. He has since added three new pebbles to the collection, just to make the boundary clearer.
🔖 Quote of the Month
I’m continuing to listen to the Discworld series, it always makes my day a little better 🙂Here is a quote from the recent book:
“He could think in italics. Such people need watching. Preferably from a safe distance.” Terry Pratchett, “Men at Arms“
See you in April
Hopefully with a bit more sun, a little less wind, and something new starting to grow.
All the best,
Nina
(And also Yens, and Spinny, who is keeping a careful watch on the very first seedlings.)
