inspiration Lost in Daiso: A 100-Yen Wonderland in Suburban Chicago I thought I’d pop into Daiso for a quick peek… 90 minutes later, I emerged with a strainer, fridge hacks, and my heart strangely full.
inspiration Googled “Cat” and Accidentally Started a Paw Party I was just messing around and typed “cat” into Google (like always), and somehow ended up with paws all over my screen. Yes, really.
inspiration Street Art Forage in May Went one block further than last time and found a whole new treasure map of stickers, smiles, and surprise mushrooms. Chicago never disappoints.
inspiration The Fountainhead and the Instagram Spiral I was about to start chasing likes again, but a book from 1943 told me to stop—and reminded me to create what I want to see.
inspiration Color Jams & RISO Inspirations in Chicago We wandered into a local risograph event and came out totally inspired by the colors, the quirks, and the amazing artists behind it all.
inspiration An Adventure in Abundance Surrounded by a sea of tulips, I found myself wondering: what is true abundance? A journey into color, the senses, and joy.
inspiration A Sea of Tulips at Richardson Tulip Festival 2025 Wandering through endless fields of tulips in every shade and shape, I felt like I had stepped into a living daydream.
inspiration A Night with Ben Houtkamp's Stained Glass One colorful night, I followed my curiosity to Ben Houtkamp’s stained glass show at Hopewell Brewery — and left with a heart full of light.
inspiration Creative Detour with Steal Like an Artist Sometimes the detour is the way. So here I am, pulling over, catching my breath, and stealing a little inspiration—just like an artist should.
inspiration Color, Chaos, and Comfort: My Go-To Zine for Off Days When I’m feeling off, I reach for How to be alive by Tara Booth—a colorful, chaotic zine that somehow always gets me laughing (and feeling seen).
inspiration Facing the File Pile with Doyo Courage Discover the Japanese “doyo” tradition and how I’m using this seasonal shift to declutter my digital space and reset my creative flow.
inspiration Meet Your Bunny: A Late Introduction to Easter I never celebrated Easter until I moved to the U.S.—and I didn’t really know what it was about. A cheeky podcast helped fill in the gaps, one bunny fact at a time!
inspiration Sardine Love: Can’t Explain It, Just Feel It! Why do I love sardine illustrations so much? No clue. But their deadpan faces, squished charm, and imagined can-life totally spark joy!
inspiration Spring, Delivered! A bundle of cherry blossoms brought spring to my home—and with it, waves of memories, soft petals, and a reminder to savor fleeting beauty.
inspiration Creative Encounters in Skokie Stumbled upon Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park today—public art truly is one of Chicago’s greatest everyday luxuries!
inspiration Wicked Parody, Crafted with Love A lovingly crafted Wicked parody that celebrates the fun of recreating something great, with just the right amount of silliness.
inspiration Coji-Coji: Japan’s Adorably Absurd Fairy Tale Friend A surreal, colorful world where a cosmic child drops truth bombs with a smile—Coji-Coji is as weird as it is wise, and totally lovable.
inspiration Oops! Even AI Doesn’t Know How to Cut a Romanesco Even AI gets it wrong—like when it showed me how to cut a romanesco with a hilariously flawed diagram. Always fact-check your bots!
inspiration AI Is Here—But It Still Needs Our Words Even in the age of AI, our words matter more than ever. The key to using AI well? Keep practicing how to express yourself clearly.
inspiration What The Fountainhead Is Teaching Me About Art & Integrity Howard Roark won’t budge. Peter Keating plays the game. And the clients? Just empty, egg-shaped flesh. I’m deep in The Fountainhead now.
inspiration Street Art Foraging in Chicago Look up from your screen—there’s a whole gallery of tiny wonders waiting on the street.
inspiration Somewhere Out There, a Jelly-Loving Friend Exists I tried to draw jelly but couldn’t capture the shine or wobble—until I found a blog post full of jelly art tips. A lucky little spark!
inspiration Fart Jokes Never Get Old! I stumbled upon an Edo-period fart battle scroll—yes, really! Turns out fart jokes have been making people laugh for centuries. Timeless comedy!
inspiration Sakura Wagashi, a Taste of Early Spring A sakura wagashi set from SUGOi Sweets, a local artisan chocolate shop, brought the gentle feeling of early spring before the blossoms arrived.
inspiration Artist’s Dates: My Way of Saying Yes to Curiosity Still going on Artist’s Dates, even after finishing The Artist’s Way. Every little adventure sparks joy, wonder, and creative energy.
