earthsong9405

Make A Wish (Greeting Card)

Added 2023-12-15 20:22:24 +0000 UTC

With the year slowly but surely coming to an end, I usually take the couple of weeks it takes to get to Jan 1st to reflect on how the year as a whole turned out.

Aaaaand I gotta say, 2023 somehow became the roughest year I've had the pleasure and displeasure of experiencing. I might write a long-winded reflection thing when 2024 arrives, but for now the short of it is I'm callin' this year the Year of Tears. I've cried more in 2023 than I ever have in all my years of living. Many of them were pained tears.

The biggest takeaway I received from this year though, is that people are kind. So much so that it's struck me dumb several times. I've been approached by strangers and been given a laugh, or a smile, or at times even comfort on some of the darkest days this year. My friends and family have been nothing but relentless in allowing me to be vulnerable in ways I haven't been since I was a child. The community's endless support even through my burnout and working through all that came with it.

Even when the world can get dark, people remain so kind in spite of it all. I don't know how I got so lucky to have some of that kindness shown to me, but I'm beyond thankful for it.

I wanted to do something to give back to the people who's impacted me the most this year, hence the creation of this card. There's actually a little more to it, but I don't wanna show off what's in the cards just yet, if only to keep some level of surprise to them.

At any rate, I like how the art came out; originally it was gonna be a bear with the text "I've come BEARING a gift!" but I really like stars, and I like the Ursa Major constellation, so I instead made it star themed and the little critter is my iteration of a living, breathing Ursa (basically a star bear). If the cards turn out good I may still create the normal bear one as merch, but this one will remain special-made for this particular mini-project.

But ye. Ya'll have listened to me long enough; I hope you like the art at least! More to come soon. :)