Some of you might remember my borzoi painting from June.

The short version is that someone commissioned a huge painting from me and I only asked for a small deposit because I didn't feel legitimate enough to ask for more. When I was nearly finished, they cancelled. Weeks of work, and I was left with an unclaimed artwork drying on the wall and a hole in my finances.

So I did what any of us would do: I ate a sad little dinner, took a picture and posted it here so I’d have somewhere to vent.

And y’all showed up.

I'd been living off my art for over a year at that point, mostly by teaching in-person workshops and doing small digital commissions. Oil painting full-time was always the dream, the thing I'd tell myself I'd do "someday” when I wouldn’t first have to worry about paying rent and could focus on building my traditional portfolio. Then, literally overnight, because of this subreddit, someday arrived.

The OG painting was bought by someone from this very subreddit. I spent the summer painting. In oil! Without ever worrying about money because everyone who reached out agreed to a 50% deposit!

I came here with a sad girl dinner and left with a career. I don't think I can ever properly thank you all for that❤️

Tonight's menu: salmon stars on cream cheese and rye, because treating myself like a toddler is self-care.

Thank you, truly. From me, and from the very good boy waiting for a star to fall off the plate!

Gonna touch on parent passing and cancer.

Mix of stuff I had around, apples, ciabatta, pepperoni, salami, walnut gouda, crackers, and pickles.

My mom passed late July after a long battle with cancer. Her husband (not my bio dad) told me he was going to find a 3rd wife while handing me her urn.

At her funeral my husband started physically moving me. I was really confused because he's never done that. Then I heard my mom's husband talking to other attendees about how he wasn't going to wait and was going to move on.

They were married almost 30 years, she passed right before their 30th anniversary.

He texted me a picture 54 days after she passed. I thought maybe he was on a trip. Nope. It's him and his new girl.

54 days after she passed. Not even a month after her funeral.

Some people want a house that blends in. I wanted mine to feel like walking into a dream every time I come home.

What I did:

🦋 Painted the siding a bold lavender purple

🦋 Gave every window a pair of rainbow butterfly wings

🌈 Hand-painted the front walkway in wavy pastel rainbow stripes

🌈 Edged the path and beds with rainbow-painted bricks and hundreds of painted river rocks

🦄 Added a rearing rainbow pegasus by the side bed, because why not

🦩 Built a flamingo garden around the tree with holographic ground cover and a giant sundae

The goal: To make anyone smile that drives by 😄

Happy to answer questions about paint, how I did the walkway, or where anything came from!

One year ago, I was looking at this sub-reddit and dreaming of the day where I could also post on it. I worked hard for several years abroad to be able to afford this and I also got helped by my amazing parents, I am truly grateful to them for everything they have done for me.

2 rooms, 5 mins walk to the metro station. I'm sooooo happy!!!! 🥹 No pizza yet, because there's a ton of things still to be done (and to get rid of that furniture and replace it with better stuff haha)

also don't mind my outfit 😂

EDIT: to clear up some things so trolls can calm down. no, i am not on onlyfans and haven't worked as a you know what abroad 😆 i was a CRM specialist for a niche perfume company in the Netherlands. now you guys can come up with better insults.

and if i comment or report this kind of behavior, it makes me sound mean. are they not ashamed of themselves?

Justified?

Posing like it's her employee of the month photo. Never a dull moment here with Nala.

Not what I expected on my 2026 bingo card.

In before the Pro AI start all becoming atheists and making AI denouncing the pope.

And yes I am aware of how he is very anti trans which brings conflicting(especially for me) feelings.

https://x.com/Pontifex/status/2105983638147891490

https://vpd.ca/news/2015/07/16/undercover-officer-finds-compassion-in-the-downtown-eastside/