August was on odd month for me. After being so busy with events it was nice to have a moment to refocus and recalibrate and I'm excited to tell you what I've been up to. Read Below for event news, some musing on the importance of taking a break, special sale news, website updates, and read all the way to the bottom for a special subscribers only September Discount Code!

September Events

I've got 5 MARKETS this month all around Ottawa! Come down and say hi to check out new seasonal prints, get ready for the holidays with my Holiday Card collection, and snag special market only promotions like Mystery Bags and a Special Original Art Sale!

Sometimes It's Good to Take a Break

Like I said in the last update. July was a busy month. Between events, markets, and personal milestones... it was a lot. And I knew September was going to be a busy month too so going into August I not only needed a reprieve to regain my energy but to regain my focus.

I've always been a little chaotic, a little flustered, and often disorganized. I'm easily distracted and my mind will fly from topic to topic, project to project, which often leads to me taking on a bit too much and then being exhausted by the end of it. I had a lot of conversations with friends this month about how I have a hard time not being productive. I find it difficult to sit down and play a game or do relax with a book because I "should" be doing something "productive". Even in moments of relaxation just watching TV I'm often still on my laptop working on something or at the very least making something. And while a part of me likes always being busy and my constant need to "do" something, this aspect of myself mixed with my "magpie brain" that likes to jump from project to project often leads to overwhelm and burnout.

So I used this month for 2 things;

1. I took some time to "do" nothing. I'll admit, my fiancé was a bigger help with this than I was. He helped me make a conscious effort to take time to do something fun (unrelated to art) where I couldn't also work. Taking extra time to hang out with friends, going to farmers markets, and spending a good chunk of time playing Baldur's Gate 3 together. Taking this time has helped me recognize how drained I was feeling and how much it helps to sometimes take a step back and just breathe.
2. I took on a lot of projects this summer. I started a bunch of new things, tried a bunch of new things, and found myself at the start of August feeling lost. I was hit with the realization that my to-do list was suddenly full of too many things to do all at once and I was unsure of what things I wanted to continue. Taking a break helped to reset my direction and focus in on the topics and projects I'm most excited about and the direction I want to take my art going forward. The biggest step in this was getting organized and cleaning things up which leads me to my next topic.

New Website Forms

I have new forms on my website to make requests for custom work, prints, purchasing originals, and Licensing inquires much easier! Each form asks specific questions to help the ordering process and allows be to get back to you as soon as possible. Check out the new forms below!

Special Sales This Month?

Redbubble Back To School Sale

Incase you haven't head Redbubble is doing a super short term Back to School Sale and you can get up to 40% OFF SITEWIDE! The sale is super short and is set to end September 1st (That's TOMORROW!) So if you've been eyeing anything now is the time!

Plus I've got lots of new designs up including my Halloween and Holiday Illustrations and New items from my photography portfolio!

Spoonflower Labor Day Sale

From now until September 3rd Spoonflower is offering 30% off Wallpaper, 25% off Fabric, and up to 25% off Home Decor! If you're looking to do a home refresh this fall the time is now!

Reminder For Canadian Shoppers: I have a Canadian Fabric Printer Located in Quebec. I can print any of my Spoonflower designs here in Canada. For Questions or Requests Please DM me on Socials or send me an e-mail for a faster response (gaumonier.freelance@gmail.com)

August Freebie

At the end of every month I do exclusive freebies for my e-mail subscribers! These free items are exclusive to that month only and are a special thank you from me to my subscribers to let you know how much I appreciate you joining in on my journey.

This month all of my subscribers got a subscriber exclusive discount code to use on my Etsy Shop and on my new order forms. If you'd like to get next months exclusive freebie, make sure to join my e-mail list prior to September 30th.

Thanks so much for reading and keep and eye on your inbox or check out my socials to see what's coming up next!

Be Kind and Stay Creative,

Gen Aumonier Art