Climbing the fence
December 2025
“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby.
But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real, you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” ~ Margery Williams from The Velveteen Rabbit
I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions anymore. I had, in my younger years, vowed to accomplish all manner of things but now that I am more experienced? mature? vintage? the turn of the year no longer feels like a gate to a greener pasture, but rather just another fence to climb. And though I may be doing many of the same things next year as I had in this one, I do expect it to be exceptional. Not because of a resolution, but because the pieces I have been putting in place over time, through grief and growth, abundance and drought, are leading me down a path that grows more and more beautiful with every step.
Not necessarily perfect, or easy, but beautiful. And Real.
A few things I am looking forward to.
Imagining the northern lights in wool at Ruttger’s Bay Lake Resort. I’d love to have you join me at the workshop. Visit their site to sign up!
Appearing on the Jolene’s Happy Time Craft Cast in late January.
Sending my newly finished tiny art vending machine out into the community. Big thanks to Lakes Printing for making the cutest mini art prints ever, and to my fellow participating artists for playing along.
Being a vendor and presenter at Back to Basics at Happy Dancing Turtle in Pine River. I’ll be teaching the art of cyanotype. If you plan to go, sign up for the workshops soon. I understand some are filling fast.
Officially opening Lil Fish Studios in studio 101 in the Franklin Arts Center on January 31, and the adventures that will follow. There will be much more to come on this, but I gotta tell ya…it’s going to be an exciting year.
Thank you for being here and for walking along with me. Wishing all the blessings the new year can offer you, and I hope your path leads you to beautiful places too.
~ with gratitude, Lisa
Thank you for reading. It means the world to me.
If you think someone else may enjoy my work, I’d be grateful if you’d share this with them or encourage them to visit my website where they can sign up for my newsletter, consider workshops, and peruse past projects.
Have questions? Email me at lisa@lilfishstudios.com