🐱 From Sketch to Shelf: Mini Cat-endar 2026 is Done

There are some moments in this creative journey where I honestly stop and just stare at what I made. Not because it’s perfect. Not because it went smoothly. But because it finally exists outside of my head.

Today is one of those moments.

I’m SO excited to share that my Mini Cat-endar 2026 is officially complete. I don’t just mean printed. I don’t just mean “almost done.” I mean—cut, packaged, boxed, sealed. Finished. In my hand.

This little business card-sized calendar started as a doodle in my sketchbook, then lived in my mind as one of those “someday I’ll make this” ideas. And now? It’s a real product—ready to be gifted, collected, displayed, or slipped into an order as the cutest surprise.

🧷 What It Includes: 

• 12 custom-illustrated monthly cards starring my lineup of weird, dramatic, and expressive cats
• A custom-cut yellow tray box made with my Cricut
• A foldable paper stand included inside the tray, so the calendar can sit upright on your desk or shelf without needing any extras
• Sealed packaging, ready for gifting or showing off on a desk

And yes—I drew the cats. I designed the calendar. I cut the tray. I made it all by hand.

I only made five full sets to start (because let’s be honest, these took some time and love), but I’m already planning more. And when I showed my husband the printed product, he was proud of me, because he’s been watching me wrestle with printers and settings and tech all week—and I know his first words are basically gonna be, “Yeah… you need to open that Etsy shop. Today.” 😆 I haven’t shown him the final product yet since he’s asleep right now and I’ve been up since midnight designing the stand for this, which I completely forgot to account for until I was holding the calendars after the printing was done.

💭 What This Means to Me

There’s something powerful about taking a stuck idea and finally turning it into a finished product. I’ve been sitting on SO many plans lately—2026 calendar sets, blog layouts, planner lines, sticker drops—and for a while it felt like none of them were moving. But this? This was the one that pushed through.

This was the reminder that yes, I can finish what I start.
That my ideas are worth making.
And that I don’t have to wait for “someday” to make things real.

Even just holding this calendar in my hand was enough to remind me:
Alesha Made is already happening. I’m not just planning anymore. I’m producing.

💸 Soft Launch Pricing

I’ll be selling the Mini Cat-endar 2026 for:

• $14 full retail price
• $12 soft launch intro for the first few

Only 5 available in this first round! (Unless I find a rhythm and make more. We’ll see 😅)

Etsy shop coming soon (promise)—and when it’s live, you’ll hear it here first.
Until then… I’m just soaking in this moment.

—
Lesh
Product in hand. Joy in heart. More to come.

✂️ Mini Cat-endar 2026 Has Arrived

Posted in: Behind the Scenes, Product Launches, The Craft Table Report

I’m sitting here still in a little bit of shock that I get to write this blog post today.

After weeks (okay, let’s be real—months) of dreaming, drawing, tweaking, restarting, printing, troubleshooting, and fighting with tech gremlins, I finally held the very first cut of my Mini Cat-endar 2026 in my hand—and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that feeling. 

It’s tiny—about the size of a business card. But it’s loud with personality. Each month features a lineup of my hand-drawn cat characters, all dressed in different moods, costumes, and chaos. Some are annoyed, some are smug, a couple are trying to keep it together… basically, it’s a visual representation of how I feel across the year 😅

I’ve been working on this calendar series as part of my 2026 product line. It’s something I’ve been planning for a long time, and I always pictured it being a fun add-on at pop-up shops or something I could slide into packaging as a gift. But seeing it printed—properly cut, clean, and in my actual hand? That hit different.

💻 But let’s talk about what almost didn’t happen…

This calendar almost didn’t get made. Like, truly.

My printer wouldn’t connect. My Cricut wouldn’t register the lines correctly. My iPad was flipping between devices like it was possessed. I had a moment (more than one, honestly) where I stared at my screen, ready to give up. You know that moment where you feel like, “Why is this so hard? Maybe I’m not meant to do this”?

That’s when my husband—quiet, steady, brilliant—stepped in. He told me, like he always does, “Step away from your desk.” He sat down, messed with a few settings, and within minutes had the whole thing working.

He didn’t need to fix it. He didn’t even say much. But he always shows up when I hit that point where I want to crumble. He never lets me quit. And because of him, the Mini Cat-endar is officially born.

So yeah. This little calendar? It’s not just cardstock and ink. It’s proof that this dream is still alive. That even when things feel like they’re moving slow, they’re moving. That even when you’re a one-woman studio (with a one-man tech crew), you can still make things real.

🐾 What’s Next

• The Mini Cat-endar 2026 will be available soon in my shop, as both a standalone item and a bonus insert for select orders.
• I’ll be designing a few sleeve options and cute packaging ideas to go with it—because obviously.
• This also kicks off a line of 2026 desk and pocket-sized designs I’ve been sitting on. More on those soon!

Thanks for being part of this process. If you’re building something slowly too, if you’re creating in between errands and breakdowns and work and family and the entire chaos of life—I see you. And I hope this calendar reminds you that a tiny win is still a very big deal.

—
Lesh
Founder & Chaos Coordinator, Alesha Made

The Craft Table Report: Alesha Made Progress Update

Since my last update, Alesha Made has been quietly but steadily growing behind the scenes—and I’m finally starting to feel like things are moving forward in a real way.

Right now, I’m preparing to design 10 shirts that I’ll be adding to my Etsy shop. Most of them will likely be cat-themed (because honestly, I can’t stop drawing these little jerks), but I’m still playing with a few final ideas before locking them in. Either way, I’m excited to finally bring more of my designs to life and start building out the shop I’ve been dreaming of.

 

One design I’ve decided to release as a limited edition is my Pizza Planet-inspired tour shirt. It’s fun, nostalgic, and makes me smile every time I see it—but because of copyright risks, I’ll be producing it entirely by hand: cutting the vinyl, weeding the designs, and pressing each shirt myself. It’s a lot of work, and honestly, I’m a little anxious about how much time it’ll take… but it also feels right. These shirts will be made with intention and care, and I think that makes them special. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

I’m also starting something new this month that I’ve been wanting to do for a while: monthly newspaper-style postcards. These will be short updates from the Alesha Made desk—filled with behind-the-scenes peeks, product launches, upcoming events, and fun little extras. I’ll be handing them out at pop-up shops and slipping them into local deliveries and Uber orders too. It’s a small way to connect and keep you in the loop, and I think it’ll be a fun collectible piece as Alesha Made grows.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Big things are coming 🖤

Still Figuring It Out (But Making It Cute)

It’s been a whole ride since my last post — creatively, emotionally, and just… life-wise. Some days I’m on fire. Other days, I’m more like a burnt-out sparkler buried under laundry piles and half-drunk coffee mugs.

Let’s start with the creative chaos: I finished a custom order of Lego-themed shirts — two adults, one kid — and they turned out adorable, even after I totally messed up and put the dad’s design on the mom’s shirt 😅. That mistake led to another trip to Michael’s and a redo, but also a silver lining: now I’ve got my first display shirt! I even made a Lego-head shaped thank-you tag too, because of course I did. 

Somewhere in the middle of all that, I also wrapped up my Jerk Cats 2026 calendar series — the mini version, I’ll get to the full-sized version next. Every month features a very annoyed cat being forced to do something seasonal. It’s ridiculous. It’s funny. It’s exactly the kind of product I’ve always wanted to make.

But behind all this, real life is still doing its thing. I live in a full house with my amazing husband, our kids, and my in-laws. My mother-in-law? She’s a machine. Always cleaning, always doing something productive — meanwhile, I’m staring at a cluttered corner wondering where to even begin. I get stuck in my own head. My OCD makes me overthink every task, and sometimes I just give up before I start. Honestly? I wish I was more willing. But if I’m being real? I’m just lazy, it is what it is, and I am reminding myself every moment to be better.

Thankfully, my husband gets me. Like, really gets me. He lets me be this chaotic, overthinking, dream-chasing, half-crying-half-crafting person, and he never makes me feel like I’m too much. That kind of quiet support? It’s everything.

So yeah, between grumpy cats, vinyl scraps, and trying to clean my desk for the fifth time this month, I’m still figuring things out. I’m building a business, raising babies, and trying not to drown in guilt every time I sit down instead of cleaning my bathroom.

Also, my daughter started school this week — which has completely thrown my already silly schedule into a new level of chaos. I’m suddenly living in a world of early alarms, forgotten water bottles, and trying to remember what day it is. It’s exciting and exhausting all at once, and I swear I’ve been late to everything since 1987 🤪

But I’m still here. Still trying. Still making it all a little more me.

Thanks for sticking around — especially through the messy parts.

We’re getting there. Slowly. But with style.

🛁 Lazy Isn’t the Right Word, But It’s the First One I Think Of

Some days I feel like I’m constantly falling behind. The house isn’t spotless. I didn’t cook. The laundry might be halfway done—or still in the basket from three days ago. I’m not always on top of bedtime routines or quick to jump when a diaper needs changing. And yet… I have so much help. My husband is hands-on, my mother-in-law is a literal angel, and still, I sit here feeling like I’m lazy.

But the truth? Lazy isn’t the right word. It’s just the first one I think of.

I don’t wake up intending to slack off. I don’t ignore things because I don’t care. Sometimes, I’m overwhelmed. Sometimes, I just want to do things on my own terms. And sometimes, I really am just mentally tired—even if my to-do list isn’t long.

What triggered this post?

It was a bath. A simple bath. My husband, who can’t do much physically right now because of a torn Achilles, told my daughter to get ready for her bath—knowing that I’d be the one finishing it. And I get it. He was trying to help in the way he could. But in that moment, it didn’t feel like help. It felt like another decision made for me, that I had to carry out. And that’s where the frustration crept in.

We talked about it. He apologized, because he’s amazing. And I felt better… but also still kind of annoyed.

I hate that I don’t always feel like I can speak up—especially in front of his mom, who does so much for us already. I hate that I push things off and then feel bad for not doing them. I hate the inner dialogue that whispers, “If you were better, this wouldn’t even be a thing.”

But I’m working on it. I’m learning that being tired doesn’t mean I don’t care. That needing rest or space or even just five more minutes doesn’t make me a bad mom or partner. It makes me human.

So no, lazy isn’t the right word. But today, it was the one that showed up.

And tomorrow, I’ll show up too. Hopefully with a little more grace.

Progress in the Mess: A Week of Alesha Made & Just Alesha

Since last Friday, I’ve had this restless feeling. Like I’ve been floating between “I need to do more” and “Wait… did I actually do a lot?” And the truth is—I did. It just didn’t always look the way I expected.

Let me back up. Alesha Made has lived in my head for years. She’s been doodled in notebooks, dreamed about during road trips, and whispered about late at night when I imagined the kind of future I want for my family. But over the last seven days, something shifted: I started doing.

I finally published my first blog posts. Not just one, but two—one for Alesha Made, and one for Just Alesha. For the first time, my creative world and personal world have a home. Alesha Made is the brand, the vision, the legacy I’m building. Just Alesha is where I get to talk about the life behind the making. The fears. The lazy mornings. The 10-hour TikTok that flopped. The moments where I doubt everything—and the ones where I feel unstoppable.

I also sorted my skincare. Sounds random, but stay with me. I organized all my creams and serums, figured out what to use and when, and now I’ve got a schedule. And maybe that tiny act of self-care is what cracked something open—because suddenly I felt lighter, clearer, more ready to show up. I told myself that taking care of me is taking care of my business. A face that feels good can film a reel, write a blog, sketch a cat sticker. A drained version of me can’t do any of that. So yeah—skincare counts.

Creatively, my biggest win was Jerk Cats. I drew them. All of them. Seven hours at Starbucks, fueled by caffeine and hyperfocus. No second-guessing. No deleting. Just me, my iPad, and some very judgmental cartoon cats. I decided not to name them because they’re perfect just how they are: little chaotic personalities that speak for themselves. I think they’ll be my first official sticker drop, which is both exciting and terrifying. But mostly exciting.

Once I broke that creative wall, the ideas started flowing again—calendar cats, cat royalty, crafting cats. I even thought about how to design my booth if I finally do a pop-up. (Think French stripes and pastel chic meets sticker wonderland.) I’ve been picturing tote bags, journals, and little “not-for-sale” displays of random creations—just to show what Alesha Madeis all about.

On the Just Alesha side, I’ve been asking myself bigger questions. What do I want to leave behind? How do I balance motherhood, marriage, creativity, and mental health without burning out? Can I build something beautiful even if it’s messy and slow? The answer so far is yes. But only if I give myself grace.

And honestly, I’ve started letting go of the idea that success has to look fast or loud. This past week has been full of little wins that add up: writing my blog, sticking to my skincare, finishing a collection, planning my content, even uploading my first real site photos. It all counts.

So here I am, one week later, still figuring it out, but finally doing it. Not perfectly. Not all at once. But piece by piece, I’m building the world I’ve been dreaming about.

And if you’ve been dreaming about something too—just know, it doesn’t have to look finished to be real. Progress is progress, even when it’s quiet.

—Alesha

Artist, dreamer, mama, and the heart behind Alesha Made & Just Alesha

Balancing Big Dreams and Family Chaos

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but chasing your dreams while raising a family feels like playing tug-of-war with your own brain. Some days I feel like a visionary, a future CEO, a creative powerhouse. Other days I feel like I’m barely holding it together while scrubbing cat poop out of the litter box and trying to convince myself to Uber for a few hours.

This blog isn’t about having it all figured out. Just Alesha is me—raw, real, and a little scattered. I’ve always had a big imagination. I daydream about building a magical town, giving back to the Navajo Nation, and creating a business that provides free daycare and flexible jobs for moms like me. But sometimes those daydreams feel a million miles away when the laundry pile is giving me the side eye.

What helps? Writing. Talking it out. Reminding myself that the mess is part of the journey. That even if today wasn’t productive, it doesn’t mean the dream is dead. That sometimes rest is part of the plan. And that showing up as myself—flaws, fears, and all—is its own kind of progress.

So if you’re here, welcome to my thoughts, both big and small. Sometimes I’ll share how I’m pushing through doubt, sometimes I’ll rant about my latest obsession (cats, probably), and sometimes I’ll just write to feel less alone. You don’t need a perfect plan to build a beautiful life—you just need the guts to start where you are.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Starting From Scratch (Literally)

When I say Alesha Made, I mean it—every sticker, journal, tote, and idea starts at my desk as a small thought, and usually a cup of coffee that’s been reheated three times. This isn’t a big brand with a warehouse or a marketing team—it’s just me, crafting one thing at a time, with my two hands and all my heart.

I’ve dreamed about starting this for over a decade. I used to hoard cute papers and sketch out logos in the corners of my notebooks, but I never had the confidence to really go for it. Between jobs, kids, and life, the idea of starting a business always felt too big. But recently I realized—if I keep waiting for the “perfect time,” I’ll miss the magic of starting messy.

Alesha Made is my way of turning my love for crafting into something bigger. It’s where creativity meets intention. I want every product I make to feel personal, like it was made just for you. Whether it’s custom vacation shirts or a planner that helps you organize your chaos, it’s all coming from the same place: love and imagination.

This is just the beginning. There’s so much I want to create—seasonal drops, custom gifts, pop-up booths, and a little online shop filled with charm. If you’re here reading this, you’re part of it now. And I hope you stick around (pun fully intended).

Issue No. 1 - July 2025