Hello Reader!

I'm coming at you with something new -- a newsletter, to be exact! I've wanted to do a monthly newsletter for years, but I didn't really know where to begin. It wasn't until recently that I saw Peggy's newsletter (of The Pigeon Letters fame) that I was inspired to give it a try.

So here we are! I want to use this monthly newsletter to connect with you on a more human-to-human level. You can expect this to be a place where I share all the nonsense that tickles my fancy as well as more business-minded updates.

So without further ado, let's jump in!

First, let's take a look at the month ahead.

We have a busy month for live classes! With three free classes, four Foxsy members-only classes, and two members-only Q&As, there are lots of opportunities to join me in July.

The first free live class is tomorrow, July 9th at 2pm CDT, where I'll be showing you the complete basics of watercolors. You can still register right here if you want to come!

If you want to get access to ALL these live classes, become a Foxsy member today!​

If you want to register for any of the other free classes, just keep an eye on your inbox. We're getting the registration pages set up now.

It's no secret that I'm a multi passionate artist, but I have never been entirely sure how to share my weird little creative side quests with you. This segment is dedicated to fixing that! I just finished an impromptu wedding-related lettering project for my sister in law, who got married a few days ago. If you want to see this tall, skinny sign get painted in the middle of the night, you can watch the whole crazy process on my Instagram. A few weeks ago, I began two acrylic portraits on rather large canvases. It was incredibly fun to bounce between the two and really apply my skills in a challenging way. They still remain unfinished and in a very rough stage, but hopefully I'll be digging into them again soon. Beyond all that, I've been pushing more into drawing comics. I've done some kind of sketch-diary with a comic twist for years now, but I want to use this style to explore tutorials, memories, and my own personal musings. I actually posted a mini drawing tutorial in a comic style a few weeks ago here if you want to see what I'm talking about! Oh, last thing! The illustration at the top of this email is something I whipped up yesterday in Procreate and I am in love with it 😍. Isn't it cute?? I think I'm going to draw more of this lil fox character.

One of my very favorite things about Chicago is that the thrifting scene is HOT. Right now is moving season, and that means lots of spectacular stuff is ending up on FB Marketplace, local thrift stores, and even just sitting on the sidewalk with a "free" sign. I am a firm believer in reusing perfectly good stuff, so this wonderland of gently used junk delights me.

A few days ago, I found a free box of exquisite items, such as: beautiful handmade ceramics, trendy ceramic decor, rope baskets in great condition, and one unused boob candle. You know, the candles that are molded after real breasts and the wick is the nipple. I often wonder who she is (the model to whom the boob belongs), but I thank her for her contribution to my home decor. After doing a little searching, this candle was almost certainly made by the Candletit company, which appears to be based in Chicago!

I also found the weirdest boxy leather hair-hide backpack that was almost too ugly to bring home -- but it was also too interesting to leave behind. We looked it up when we got home and it appears to be a Swiss Army med kit bag from WWII. How unexpected! I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, but I can tell you one thing: the city of Chicago never disappoints. We have the best junk.

We've been all kinds of busy with projects here at Foxsy. First and foremost, we've been working with Peggy of the aforementioned The Pigeon Letters! I'm going to be one of the presenters at her annual Summer Creative Retreat, which is coming up very soon! I'll tell you more about it in a few days, but know that it's on the horizon! We've also been messing with the livestream workflow, which is already quite complex. We currently use a small switchboard that connects our DSLR cameras to the computer so we can have the highest quality stream possible, but we're looking to upgrade to a new model that will give us more flexibility with video editing. Jon bought a new switchboard, but we unfortunately had to return it because it didn't have one small feature that we absolutely need. Neither of us are techies, so this is an uphill battle for both of us. Wish us luck figuring it out! I'm also quietly beginning to plot out the next Foxsy Academy -- this one is on drawing for beginners! I don't have anything exciting to report on it yet, but it's in the works.

Chicago is home to a thriving population of peregrine falcons, which is a fascinating bird of prey. A family of at least five of these predators are regulars in my neighborhood. I see them perched in trees as they munch on their meals or soaring overhead (while getting harassed by angry songbirds).

Did you know that the peregrine falcon can reach the fastest speed of any animal on earth? When it performs its spectacular dive, called a stoop, it can reach speeds of over 200 mph, with the fasted recorded speed clocking out at 242 mph!

I know that if I don't cut myself off somewhere, I'll keep going on and on about all kinds of things. What can I say? I like to share!

I hope you enjoyed this little slice of my world -- there is certainly more to come in the future. Now I'm off to head home and enjoy a lazy evening at home after many days of hectic travel.

Now I want to hear from you: What's the weirdest item you've found while thrifting? Hit reply and tell me -- bonus points if you send in a picture!

Catch you in tomorrow's free live class!

Cheers,

Shelby