3 Things for 2026
We're 3 weeks in... how are we feeling gang?
Happy New Year everyone! Greetings from a rainy Vancouver. Yes, I am in Canada once again, this time for a couple days visiting my best friend Yejee and her family. My sister from another mister! So sweet of her to fly me out after a turbulent couple of months. Life is still turbulent but now full of that tempting 2026 potential… so let’s chat!
December is always a tricky month as people are scrambling to both find work and finish work. I spent the last couple weeks of 2025 applying to jobs and reflecting on the year. Then came the holidays, and then that sneaky interim period after the holidays, where it feels like time stops. Lots of gathering, indulgence, and cozy nights in watching tv. Not a lot of art was made, but it felt good to take a break and spend time with loved ones. I feel especially lucky to live in New York, where old friends will visit their families and find an excuse to take a break from them. ;0)
And now it’s 2026! Is it me or does it always feel so good to flip the page? Usually, the idea of a fresh start is so enticing that it makes me jump into optimizing my life straightaway, goal setting and becoming an #productive girly. Well! After last year, I think it’s pointless to stack on so many expectations, but I have some things I’d like to focus on more in 2026:
1.) Sharing Behind-the-Scenes
It’s been great to recap the previous months but I want to make some separate posts about past projects, share my process and show what’s going on behind-the-scenes.
I used to be pretty diligent about this, especially when sharing portfolio pieces on my website, but I haven’t shared much behind-the-scenes on my socials. This is largely because it’s annoying to deal with how instagram handles video, and also my desire to curate a “nice” and “polished” grid. Substack is the perfect place for this though. Anyways, I really enjoy learning how other people work so maybe this is something you guys would be interested in too!
2.) Crafting
Something I want to do is craft more in 2026 rather than buying things. Making zines and books this past year has got me scratching the itch to build things with my hands — honestly I think a lot of us are feeling this way with the rise of AI and just after being fatigued with our screens.
It’s also just been so nice to do something that has nothing to do with work. So far I’ve made cookie boxes, christmas ornaments, a custom sketchbook, and keychains… the possibilities are endless. And the key here is that I am not trying to monetize this!
Some other crafts I want to explore are:
Beaded coasters
Foil Embossing
Quilting
Knitting
Woodworking
3.) Smaller Projects
Whereabouts was my most ambitious project yet, and I learned so much from making it. But it also took up my whole year, and I wish I had time and energy to focus on smaller projects. With burning out, coming to terms with our industry, and talking to my peers, I think this is one way where I can be more sustainable in my art practice.
Even so, I have a couple ideas brewing, including another film that I want to chip away at…but I want to test out my ideas before I commit to them, and focus less on perfection. And ideally, less stress. :)
How about you, what do you want to focus on this year?
Instead of favorites this month, I’ll share my INS/OUTS for 2026! Some are trends I’m seeing, some are personal things I want to see/let go of. It’s not that serious :P
Ins:
Fiber Arts
Morning walks
Physical media
Poetcore (writer as an aesthetic)
Hobbies you don’t monetize
Maximalism
Finishing our leftovers
Nina Park make up
Lace
Opulence
Flossing
Whimsy
Yearning
Outs:
Generative AI
The idea of “cringe”
Nicki Minaj
6 7
Owning more than 2 water bottles
Contrarians
Orange Wine
Constantly listening to a podcast
Surveillance culture
Uncomfortable shoes
Labubu
Being too polite
FOMO
Greenpoint
And that’s the first post of 2026! Thank you so much for reading, and stay warm. Let’s take care of each other ❤️
LOVEEEE!!! Lets knit together! I’ll teach you the basics and we can be silly old ladies together ❤️