I've been feeling a bit down recently. Melancholy, I think, is the best word for it.

Our visit to the beach house over the weekend was lovely despite the rain, but there was SO much trash that washed up on Sunday on the tail end of the kona storms. (You can read more about our stay here and here—with pictures, too, of course!) We picked up a lot of the debris, but... it left me feeling heavier than I expected. Proud of the kid for helping, though.

I think part of it, too, is knowing that our time here is coming to an end soon. Leaving the beach house felt like a small preview of what it will be like to leave Hawaii in May. And I already know I'm going to miss it deeply.

(Okay, not the traffic. Or the cost of living!)

But truly, Hawaii has shaped my work in ways I don't fully have words for yet. I feel like this is where I really stepped into being a Fiber Artist and I worry that I may struggle to find new opportunities after our move. But I am trying to stay open to what comes next, even though it feels uncertain right now.

The storm damage across the islands has been weighing on me as well. We've been okay, aside from some power and internet outages, but we saw more evidence of flooding and even a mudslide that blocked off half the road very unexpectedly this weekend while driving through Kailua on the windward side of Oahu.

It's a lot.

At the same time, it's always incredible to see how communities come together to support one another in moments like this.

If you're in a place to give, here are some organizations that are working to support kona storm relief efforts: https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/donate-to-kona-storm-relief​

I wanted to find a small way to contribute as well, so I've added a few project bags and notions pouches to my Etsy shop featuring my ʻōhiʻa lehua painting. I’ll be donating a portion of the proceeds to organizations like Stronger Hawai‘i and the Hawaiʻi Foodbank.

These bags are made through a print-on-demand partner, which allows me to offer them without overproducing, holding extra inventory, or shipping twice. It also means that if there’s a different painting you’d love to see on a bag, I can create that for you. Just send me a message!

I’m starting with the ʻōhiʻa design since I have samples on hand, but you’re welcome to request artwork from my Island Abstracts or Toxic Florals collections as well.

I’ve actually wanted to put my artwork on project bags for a long time, but sewing is… not my thing. 😂 This has been a surprisingly fun way to bring that idea to life without getting overwhelmed by the process.

Some of you might even remember similar pieces from my Society6 days, but I have to say that I really do love how these turned out! The lined urban tote bag is my favorite so far. Though I've used the small and medium project bags the most.

Anyway.

This has been a surprisingly hard newsletter to write!

Everything has felt a little heavy lately.

But the sun is shining again, there are new baby chickens in our backyard, and the birds are singing in the trees.

So I think I'm going to go sit outside and read for a little while before dinner.

Thank you so much for being here with me, through all the ups and downs of trying to live a creative and joyful life. Sometimes the best we can do is to keep going and just try to notice what's still good around us.

(Speaking of which, if you could use a little extra joy in your mailbox, I still have a few hellebore postcards left to send out to new Patrons this month if you'd like to join me!)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, friends. Go find something that makes you smile.

-Connie

P.S. New babieeeeeeeees! Feral chicken babies, that is. I'll miss these little dudes, too. But not the messes they make!