🏈 23–20 and Other Life Updates 🚸

This week has been a little quiet on the creative front — I haven’t made much since my last post. But there have still been these little highlights that kept me going.

Lucy had such a proud moment at school today when she got her citizenship award 🥹 Yesterday, she was cracking me up in the car singing, “Somebody’s watching me, it’s my anxiety.” The girl really knows how to mix humor with honesty already.

I also had a proud moment of my own — during the Cardinal game yesterday, I put my phone away, stayed present, and really enjoyed myself. Even though Seattle beat Arizona 23 to 20, I didn’t let the final score take away from how good it felt to just be in the moment.

On the harder side, mornings continue to be my struggle. Getting out of bed and functioning without coffee feels like climbing a mountain. But small wins help me push through. Completing that one tote bag gave me a much-needed creative boost. And I’ve been keeping an eye on Facebook vendor opportunities, thinking about trying a few for October.

It’s been a mix of slow starts and little sparks — but those sparks matter. They’re the reminders that I’m moving forward, even when it feels like I’m standing still.

Fuzzy Files and Little Wins 🤓

This week has been such a mix of little laughs, small frustrations, cozy family moments, and of course—craft table chaos.

Sara always has her funny one-liners, and even when I can’t recall them on the spot, she keeps us laughing with the way her words tumble out. The words she chooses—and the way she says them—are just hilarious. Lucy, on the other hand, is suddenly this big kid. Today she asked me to fix her hair like Zoey from the KPop Demon Hunters movie, and at her parent-teacher conference we found out she’s rocking Bs and Cs and just how amazingly kind, talkative, and also shy she is with her classmates. Earlier that day she casually used the phrase “a couple days ago” in a sentence. I don’t even know if she fully understands it yet, but the way she said it so naturally cracked me up. She’s sounding more grown-up by the day.

On the cozy side of things, my favorite moments have been laying in bed with my family and just listening. Sara with her silly words, Lucy sounding so grown-up—it’s the kind of background chatter that fills the whole room with warmth.

Of course, not everything is smooth sailing. I almost had a meltdown with my Cricut Design Space when my artwork was looking fuzzy. I was so nervous to cut, but after switching up how I saved my files, everything finally looked clear again. A small win that saved me from pulling my hair out.

That leads me to my Alesha Made update: I finished one tote bag featuring my “fight me, you little b*tch” cat design and I’ve got two more blank totes waiting for the same treatment—so soon there will be a whole little squad of them. I also made some custom birthday shirts this past weekend: a Batman design for my nephew and a Barbie-themed shirt for my niece Keilani. Seeing those come to life made me so happy. 

I still haven’t ordered stickers for my pop-up shop yet—funds are feeling a little tight. And yet, this evening we are heading to another Cardinals game where Lawrence and I will probably spend without blinking, then later look at each other like, “Where did all our money go?” 😅 I keep going back and forth on little display details too, like whether I want my sticker holders to sit flat on the table or stand up vertically, but I know I won’t really figure out what works until I see all my products laid out on the table together. The ideas are there, it’s just about getting everything lined up in time.

And in the middle of all this everyday chaos, I’ve been daydreaming. New York keeps calling me back—I want at least once in my life to rent an Airbnb for a week or two and just live there. Not as a tourist, but like a local—grocery shopping, cooking, walking around the city every day. And if not New York, then maybe another Alaska cruise, this time with our girls, showing them the mountains and the ocean that Lawrence and I fell in love with on our honeymoon.

Life feels like it’s always a mix—little meltdowns, big dreams, and everything in between. And somewhere in the middle of it all, Alesha Made keeps growing, piece by piece.

Thank You Spells & School Day Meltdowns 😅

Hey there!

If you’re checking in because you got a thank-you note with your delivery today, welcome! I just wanted to share a little update from my world. Earlier I was reflecting on some fun ideas—like how I always think of my crafting space as my little magic table, where all my tools are like ingredients for creating spells and enchantments. If I could hand out a magical surprise with each delivery, I’d give every cat lover a little sampler of my stickers or a printout of The Craft Table Report. Fun fact, while delivering I usually try to guess who’d enjoy Alesha Made based on their names or the number of cats I spot at their house!

To be honest, today started out a little rough and not so magical. We had a bit of a morning meltdown with Lucy not wanting to go to school, especially after we kept her home yesterday since we had an ill-case of the itchy-eye, we were all a little on edge. But hey, it’s the last full day before her half-days kick in and her fall break begins, so we’re counting down to the fun stuff.

Today’s little giggle: I literally had a moment where I cracked myself up in the car and now I can’t even remember what was so funny, but hey, that’s just how today is going!

I hope this little update makes you smile and thanks so much for being part of my day! I’ll be taking a little break from Ubering this evening to dive into some crafting magic and work on some new goodies, so stay tune💛

Life Lately ✨

It’s been a second since my last post, so here’s a little catch-up on where life has me right now.

Sara had her 3-year-old check-up today and was so brave for her flu shot. Afterwards she picked out a treat—not just for herself but for Lucy too 🥹 Moments like that remind me what a sweet sister she is.

This past Sunday me and Lawrence went to the first Cardinals home game of the season, and the energy in the stadium was everything 🏈 He even grabbed a new jersey at the team store and couldn’t stop smiling—it was definitely one of those “kid me would’ve never believed this… surreal in the best way” moments.

Lucy’s been busy with school and just started learning fractions, stepping into big girl math territory. She’s growing up so fast, and I’m just trying to keep up.

Creatively, I’ve been in a slump. No new drawings since my Frankenstein candy bucket, and Etsy is still on pause. For now, Ubering is my escape—to zone out, listen to royal documentaries, and sip on either a caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks or a cherry Icee from Circle K. Small things, but they help.

I picked up a few Halloween decorations, but most are still sitting in boxes or piled on the dining room table. I’ve been stuck on how to decorate this year, so for now everyone’s waiting for me.

On a heavier note, I’ve come to realize that one of my biggest fears is leaving this world and my daughters having to struggle financially. That weight has been sitting with me a lot. The other night while Ubering with Lawrence, I broke down, feeling like it’s all work with no end in sight. And when I say “all work,” I mean our obligatory jobs, which includes (though grateful) Ubering—putting in so much effort just to scrape by. If I’m going to work this hard, I’d rather it go into Alesha Made, building something real for my family’s future. After talking it through with Lawrence, I ended the night feeling a whole lot lighter ❤️ Which is what makes Lawrence so amazing, he embraces my crazy.

So for now, life is a mix of scraping by, juggling bills, and holding onto the hope of making family memories—like our upcoming San Diego trip in October.

A Week of Stickers, Naps, and Spelling Tests

Last Friday tested my patience — my printer wouldn’t grip the sticker sheets, and after only 12 cuts, my Cricut shut down. That left me with 160 stickers to cut by hand. My hand was cramping, I squeezed a stress ball between breaks, and eventually took an edible for the pain. The last 11 stickers were a struggle, but I laughed through them.

By Saturday, my first ever attempt at stickers made their debut on fruit cups, cookie bags, and snacks for a baby shower. No one said much, but I caught people noticing them — and that felt good.

The rest of the week was a blur. Monday I spent half the day with one of my sisters and the other half taking a six-hour nap. Lawrence gave me the “okay” to rest, which always feels like a ditch day with a permission slip, though guilt snuck in later. A couple of Uber runs happened in between days of exhaustion, like Wednesday when I took a nap in my car outside of Lucy’s school because I’d stayed up too late making a travel TikTok video the night before.

I posted a new TikTok video of an affordable Twilight Tour through Oregon and Washington for anyone willing. Reliving my own trip from 2013.— the filming locations, the nostalgia — reminded me why I love blending my travels, my art, and my stories online.

Yesterday we pulled out all of our Halloween decorations and even made a trip to some stores to grab a few more things. It felt good adding new touches to our home decor and setting the spooky mood early.

Today I squeezed in a 10-minute Halloween hunt at Goodwill. Lucy wants us all to be The Little Mermaid characters this year — her as Ariel, me as Ursula, Sara as Flounder, and Lawrence as King Triton. I spotted some Ariel costumes and even a Snow White Evil Queen dress that I might be able to transform into Ursula.

Today’s reality? I’m at Starbucks again, trying to get Lucy through 30 spelling words while she tests every ounce of my patience. Meanwhile, I feel like I haven’t done much for Alesha Made this week — no new Thank You notes, no fresh progress. Some weeks are productive, others are just about keeping up. This one? Definitely the latter.

Orange Mood 🚗✨

So, this morning had a bit of a slow start — I mean, we were celebrating me and Lawrence’s anniversary last night with a few Coronas (okay, maybe six 😂), so rolling out of bed wasn’t exactly a breeze. But after a good shower and getting Lucy ready, I actually felt a little excited to go Uber. I always joke that driving around is like my mini workout, and by the first delivery, I was feeling way better.

In between drop-offs, I’ve got some celebrity drama playing on YouTube and a daydream running in the background: just chilling at Starbucks, sketching without a single worry about money. That’s the dream, right?

I’m also a bit nervous because Halloween is creeping up, and I want all my new products ready by mid-September for a pop-up attempt. But hey, tiny win for the day: I got out of bed, got moving, and I’m out here making it happen. Today’s mood color is definitely orange — a little chaotic, a little energized, and full of “let’s see where today goes.” 🧡

Issue No. 3 - September 2025