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   I created my blog on June 11th, 2014, between my sophomore and junior year of high school. I was inspired by the likes of Bunny Meyer (Grav3yardgirl) and Zoe Sugg (Zoella) to create various content as a coping mechanism for my mental health struggles.



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​   Around this same time, I was officially diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder—so I found peace in writing about my interests and even opening up about my psych.
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​   For the entire first year of blogging, I kept everything a secret. It felt almost embarrassing, the thought of people reading my posts that felt like journal entries. And maybe embarrassing isn't even the right word. But there's this sheer vulnerability that comes with writing your brain's stream of consciousness and publishing it to the world wide web. At the same time, though, I wanted to be open.

​   When I told my friends, family, and peers about my blog, I knew what I was getting myself into. Because I knew I wanted to have this space where people could see my entries and could possibly relate. I wanted to become what Zoe and Bunny were for me—a safe place. It felt, and still feels important to have that conversation. And I feel like, as I've grown, mental health has become a lot more accepted and a lot less taboo to speak about. And thank goodness for that.

   I think it's fair to say I'm an overall creative person. I have an associate's degree in visual communications. For those who don't really know what that degree is, just think of it as a fusion of graphic design, branding, rendering, photography, marketing, typography, etcetera. One of my main career goals is to create stunning branding concepts for up-and-coming businesses to make people's dreams and visions become a reality. Other than that, I like to create digital portraits and sell some of my printed works. I've also been curious about creating some stationery collections. I've already created a notebook and sticker pack for a pink collection, but now I need to brainstorm what theme I'll use next. With all this said, if you want to custom order anything, you can fill out a form here. And if you want to skim my pre-made works, you can check out my shop here.
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   Through college, I worked on the style team at Target, tended to tropical plants at a local greenhouse, and crafted stunning beverages as a barista. I now work at a company where I was formerly a digital print specialist, running and maintaining a large press. Now I work as a prepress artist at the same company, and I love what I do. Making everything print-ready has given me a lot of practice using Adobe software and even Esko tools (which are lifesavers, by the way). On the side, I volunteer with a nonprofit organization in Dayton, called Gem City Kitties, as a pro-bono graphic designer. I make advertising materials and signage for upcoming projects, as needed.

   Besides volunteering and working, I love fitness. I even have a fitness Instagram account. Finding new ways to be active keeps my mind clear and my mood bright. I also enjoy collecting crystals and spending time with my angel kitties, Goblin and Rice-a-Roni. They're magical little beings. I love them to pieces.

Thank you so much for reading this section. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out at [email protected].

Keep on grinning!

Lydia