the Realization of a Dream
The truth is that this creative dream didn’t start yesterday. The urge to create has been with me for as long as I can remember.
As a child, I was constantly writing—filling pages with poems and even writing a full novel that I still carry with me today. Writing was a deep passion, a creative outlet, that need to create that never truly left; life just sidelined it for a while.
In the 1990s, I got my very first computer and immediately wanted to learn how it worked, teaching myself how to program basic games for my kids. Once I upgraded to a more advanced computer, my creative world completely exploded. I discovered the internet and taught myself website design and HTML from scratch, eventually building a website of over 150 pages. I designed my own backgrounds, crafted my own buttons, and built every piece of it myself. I loved every minute of it.
That digital playground was where Pinky the Pink Elephant was born and introduced to the world. She had her own online adventures and made so many friends along the way. I wanted to write, I wanted to design, and I wanted my own shop. But as it so often does, everyday reality stepped in, and Pinky took a backseat for a while.
Bringing Pinky back to Life.
Fast forward through the years, and a few key things shifted. I came to the realization that technology had evolved, times had changed, and I could finally give myself permission to pick up where I left off. With the unwavering encouragement of a super husband who supported me in every way possible, I brought Pinky back into the light.
I fulfilled a long-held dream by writing and self-publishing my children’s books, reigniting that writer’s heart that started back in childhood. But after the books were out, I realized I didn’t have to stop there—I could keep expanding this world.
Using today’s technology, I can do more than I ever thought possible as a non-traditional artist. I started creating new friends for Pinky, updating their look while drawing heavy inspiration from the 3D Pixar art style that I love.
I’ll be completely transparent: I do use AI tools to help extract these visuals from my head and bring them to life. Learning to navigate all this new software has been a genuine challenge, but just like learning HTML or basic programming years ago, it opened up a whole new realm of possibilities.
This blog, the boutique, and these mascots are the culmination of a lifetime of ideas finally coming into the light. It proves that no matter how many years have passed, or how many times life puts things on hold, your creative spirit never truly goes away. You just have to give yourself permission to step back onto the path.
And we’re just getting started.
Is there a childhood passion or long-held talent you had to set aside when life got busy?
What is one small step you could take today to reconnect with it?
What is a way that I can help to encourage you to reach for your dream?
I’d love to hear your story in the comments below!