April Newsletter: Shop Update Coming Soon
Learn about the upcoming shop update!
I’ve been working on a shop update!
I had planned on releasing a new Limited Collection for the Spring. For new folks, Limited Collections are seasonal themed collections of prints/products around a Taino story, with a Taino name, and are available for a short period of time. And honestly, it just didn’t come together this season. Along with the Limited Collection, I needed to do some updating for my shop, and I realized with my limited energy, I couldn’t do both. So I’ve focused my efforts on a shop update instead.
In the past, I’ve set a date and worked toward that, but it always ends with me pushing too hard to adhere to the date. So, I’m not doing that this time! Instead, I’m just steadily working on the new designs and products, and the update will be ready when it’s ready. I’ll let you know when it’s getting close. In the meantime to prepare for the update, at the end of this month, I’m going to remove some of the items from my shop:
I’ve sold a few of these here and there, but they aren’t particularly popular. So if you have been eyeing something from these categories, grab them before the end of the month! I may play with these products again in the future, but all of this is about just trying things and seeing what works.
My shop on Ko-fi for Monthly Supporters will have rotating listings for products like these that have been removed from my main shop, as well as single stickers sometimes sent as the monthly art.
So, if I’m removing shirts, single stickers, and totes from the shop, then what’s coming in the update?!
💌 Greeting cards are returning! Including new and redesigned Chronic Cards sets pictured at the beginning of this newsletter (greeting cards with messages for disabled/chronically ill folks)
☕️ More mugs! My personal dedication to the daily sustenance of coffee combined with making art for mugs has apparently resulted in other people liking that combo too.
📒 Stationery bundles with notebooks and pencil cases as well as some carry-all zipper pouches. Going to give these try!
🖼️ New prints. And prints from now on will be framed and ready-to-hang.
꩜ Beautiful Taino pattern designs. 2 years ago I started working on analyzing Taino visual design and considering how to express them in our modern world, and while I’ve incorporated designs into my work, I’ve finally cracked the code for surface patterns using Taino designs and you’ll start seeing them in this shop update.
🎨 Stickers will still be available in packs.
Shipping to Canada
Until now, I’ve had to keep shipping limited to US/territories, but I’ve been working to reorganize my print-on-demand offerings so that most products will be able to also ship to Canada (and strategically avoid customs and tariffs for now, which part of the advantage of print-on-demand). So if all goes well, the shop update will include that also!
I mentioned in my last newsletter that if SSA collapses, that I may have to close up shop. That is still a real possibility, but this shop update is me fighting against that as hard as I can and folks who have supported me since that newsletter has made this fight possible. So thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my tiny black heart 🖤 And thank you to folks who reached out and appreciated the CTAs I included in the newsletter. Those are still applicable, continue mentioning SSA recipients and those in Puerto Rico when you call your representatives.
Ko-fi
A really great way to support me through this shop update and this year is becoming a monthly supporter on Ko-fi. This month, a good bit of funding I’m trying to raise is for hurricane season preparation which starts in a month. Last year’s season was mild, and I can’t assume this year will be. I need to stock up on food and get some supplies like cooling tools for my cats, solar batteries, and plastic tubs. I’m currently at 5% of my April goal, so if you have the means to support, you can do that here. Remember that all supporters- one-time and monthly- get access to free device wallpapers, 5 Minute Breather videos, and all posts.
If you’re not in the position to provide paid support- which I hope it’s obvious that I understand- then sharing my work, my website, my Ko-fi page, my Bluesky with people you think will like it is also incredibly helpful. A wonderful disabled creator, BibiPins, I’ve followed for years often posts this when she promotes her products (disability related pins, compression gloves and garments, IV adapted hoodies, etc. go check her out!): “It costs 0$ to Repost a Black disabled queer small business! It could lead to my next sale.” Sharing and reposting is such an important way to support your favorite artists and makers, especially those of us who aren’t able to command attention the way social media platforms demand us to due to disabilities.
No video newsletter again this month, as you can see
I started doing video newsletters because I wanted to develop some experience with video editing and figure out the process for possibly creating public videos. They take a good amount of time and energy, and while experiencing a lot of health flares lately, I’ve had to do some prioritizing and redirecting that energy toward the shop and website update. So while I’m working on that, I’m considering how I want to approach videos moving forward. I have some ideas for future series that would be public; also considering turning the concept of the video newsletter into a less regular, public video. We’ll see!
Things I’ve been enjoying this month:
41 Ave Fernando L Ribas #458 Utuado, PR 00641