Things don’t always go according to plan – just look at me not posting here for a month! But challenges and technical issues aside, I still enjoy setting up goals and making plans for the future, as you can tell from the title of this post.

And life has been good lately! Spring has caught me into its net of colorful wildflowers and warm afternoon hikes, and I’ve been busy as a bee simply enjoying life. Making memories with loved ones, laying in the sun whenever it showed up between rain showers, smelling peonies and nootka roses every time I found one, sipping iced coffee in my backyard while sketching ideas for my next creative projects.

Today, I’d like to share some of these with you, so let’s sit together for a few minutes, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy a little break while I tell you all about my art projects for the upcoming Summer.

🌿 Tarot of a Forest Witch

It’s always going to be first on the list, and I have some exciting news to share: the freshly printed tarot decks have arrived! The quality is exactly what I hoped for. I’m now in the process of signing and packaging them, and will soon be shipping out your copies. All preorders should be on their way by early July. I’ll change the listing once everything is done, but if you’re still on the fence about purchasing Tarot of a Forest Witch, I suggest you grab one now while they’re available.

The reason I say that is because it ended up being a very small print run (100 copies only). It’s a bit of a bittersweet feeling for me as the launch of this new deck wasn’t as well received as I expected, especially after getting so much enthusiastic feedback about it beforehand. That said, it’s not exactly a surprise either. I knew going in that this Tarot being a ‘Major Arcana’ edition would discourage some people from getting a copy. So yeah, I never expected it to be a big hit, but I thought it would do slightly better than that. Regardless, I’m grateful for each order I received; they’re a huge help on my journey to creating the full 78-card version and publishing it someday.

🌿 Summer Collection

This is what’s been living on my desk for the last few days and I have a feeling that it’s going to be a good one! Should I trust that feeling? I don’t know, but I’m having fun regardless! Anyways, the next seasonal collection is in the works and it’s very much inspired by my recent obsession with Green Witchery and working more and more with herbs and plants as the days get warmer and greenery becomes easier to come by.

Most of my time spent at the altar these days seems to involve plants in one way or another. I found myself crafting flower essences and making amulets while a cup of delicious herbal tea is brewing on the side. No surprise then that this kind of imagery ended up infusing my other work.

And so I’ve got a dozen of new pieces and illustrations in progress right now: several sets of wooden amulets, some quirky divination coins, a set of meditation beads and many new hanging ornaments! These last ones are something I’ve poured my heart into, crafting tiny worlds of magic and wonder that will hopefully bring a little piece of enchantment to anyone who welcomes them into their home.

I can’t wait to show you everything once it’s all finished. I mean, a new witchy collection filled with plants and potions? I couldn’t be more excited about that!

🌿 Moon Messengers Oracle

Meanwhile, I’m also working on my next Oracle project, which is all about the cycles of the Moon. I already hinted at it several times, so I guess I ought to write an official, dedicated post someday (maybe next month?), but for now, a few words about it will have to suffice. I may even repeat myself a little because I don’t exactly remember what I already told you.

In a nutshell, it started as simple ‘Moon phases’ Oracle Deck, into which wildlife and Animal Spirits of all kinds then quickly found their place. Now it seems to have taken an ethereal, dreamy energy along the way and I love it; it’s the kind of vibe I’m always happy to go back to any time I start working on a new card. Plus it’s motivating to see these creatures come to life one after the other, and as I make progress on this project, I’m starting to see how I could integrate the lines of poetry I wrote while painting some of these cards.

Another novelty with this Oracle deck so far is that I added touches of color here and there in the illustrations. This is actually part of a broader transformation in my art process this year, where my intention is to explore beyond what I’m used to making, to step outside of my creative habits and experiment with new tools and art supplies. It doesn’t mean that I’m abandoning my usual and favorite medium of all times, aka Walnut Ink, but so far it’s been interesting to seek a new, slightly different trail, one that isn’t monochromatic for a change.

🌿 Personal Creative Projects

It’s been a while since I shared some art projects that aren’t directly related to my shop – you know, the ones that I have no intention to sell or giveaway. To be honest, it’s been harder to prioritize them these last years. It’s not that the ideas are lacking; I actually started a lot of them but hardly finished a couple. It’s more a matter of organization / procrastination sometimes. But right now, there are two projects that catch my eye and that I really want to focus on. So I hope that by telling you what they are, you will hold me accountable for them.

The first one is my Hiking Stick. Once upon a time, I moved here to beautiful Washington State, where I quickly caught the hiking bug. Infusing spirituality into this activity was a no-brainer, and I started this thing where, for every new trail I set foot on, I would add a symbol or little scene to this wooden stick I harvested in the forest (no tree was hurt in the process, I promise). There was something so deeply satisfying about adding a new mark each time, knowing that it represents a place I’ve been, a trail I’ve walked. Each symbol is like a milestone in my journey, and looking at them brings back memories of the sights and sounds of those micro adventures.

This ongoing project went as planned for a while; I had a lot of time to spare back then, being a fresh expat without a work authorization. But the last doodle I burned on this piece of wood goes back to pre-covid times. I thought many times about scraping this project altogether, letting go of the vision I had in mind when I started, but still to this day, the idea doesn’t sit well with me. I have to do something about it. So it’s time to dust off this Sacred Object of mine and see how it can be transformed.

The second project has to do with my Mildred Payne’s charm casting set and the Wooden Box it lives in. Over the years, the latter has become this magical toolbox filled with strange, dark, and mysterious* treasures that work together really well – not to mention the aesthetic satisfaction when they’re all arranged together for a reading session. My Inner Child loves anything weird and witchy, and Mildred’s universe is the perfect playground for her. So as any good parent would, I’m going to give her even more toys to play with! I already drafted ideas for a new pendulum and a few assorted amulets. I might wait until Fall to give them life though, as I feel coming closer to Samhain would be more appropriate for these kinds of workings.

There’s a certain charm in working on these personal projects, knowing that they’re for my own joy and exploration. It’s a chance to play, to experiment, and to let my imagination run wild without any pressure to produce something for sale. It reminds me of why I fell in love with creating in the first place.

So there you have it! A peek into my current creative chaos and a glimpse of what’s coming up. I hope this inspires you to embrace your own creative projects and to find joy in the process, no matter the outcome.

I realize only now that I wrote a similar post back in Spring, sharing some projects and plans I had (some of them still current). Will it become a seasonal tradition over here? Only time will tell 😉🌿🍂

* If you get the reference here, you're the best, and I obviously listened to too many episodes!