Good morning Reader,

I wrote this on Sunday when I escaped to our gym, which has free childcare, because the children won't stop touching each other and arguing! Did you grow up with siblings? Were you like that? The stress level is just nuts. So nuts I ran a red light because I was overstimulated.

(We're all safe... but dang, my heart!)

This is an email soon after my last one, hope you don't mind!
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(Though to the new friends from LinkedIn... hi... you won't know that ;-)).

I will aim not to email more than twice a month. I know life is busy and we all get those weekly JetPens emails that require about an hour of careful study... 🙂

Here's what's going on in my world...

Pen Show Tour!

With my class at the Washington, DC International Pen Show coming up in August, my work friend Laura challenged me to see if I could do some other shows! So, I may be at the 2026 Chicago Show (we'll talk later this year), and I'm waiting to also hear back from:

• Triangle (North Carolina) this year
• Orlando this year
• Baltimore next year
• Philly next year
• Atlanta next year

If I can land two more shows, I'll be at that $10K goal I mentioned in my last email. Which is kind of nuts.

I have some really hardcore programming inside me that art is not viable, art is not worthwhile... it's a constant battle to overpower that. And I also walk a fine line between just loving something and monetizing a hobby, you know?

But I'm just feeling it out one step at a time... Can I do some shows? Can I sell some art? Can I spend some time making beautiful things in this mess of a life?

So far the answer is a resounding yes!

Currently Inked

This week I got a special pen for mother's day! It's the second one down here, a 2014 LE Copper vanishing point.

(And by "for mothers day" I mean I bought a pen that I really can't afford, and I'm going to pass it off as a mother's day present and just get them to not spend money on me, and it will even out. I'd rather get songs and art from them anyway!)

I am pretty obsessed with vanishing points right now, slowly building my collection in a special direction. Right now the yellow/lime decimo is sticking out like a sore thumb, so it may get cut in the next year, but I'll deal with it when the time comes.

Weird thing about my pen hobby? I also really like how it asks me to practice feeling with my gut all the time. There are literally no right answers with what pens to keep and why — it's all intuition and what is going to feel complete. My pen vibes have slowly built in a direction, and I curate and cull... and it's like tending my own little garden. So satisfying.

Right now I like to make pods of 2-3 pens that "go together" and I take them on adventures. All the nibs are F or M, which suit my purposes very well.

Ink-wise, Teranishi has my whole heart. And I don't go anywhere without Birmingham Pen Company Salt Water Taffy. I am also enjoying a sample of Sailor Fuji, which my new friend Jennifer shared with me.

My first product — a greeting card!

And I decided on the first product I'll sell: a custom card I made and printed to celebrate the coaching relationship I love being a part of so much!

This "Mentor Card" is titled "uncharted." It's inspired by my own coach and dedicated to the coaching clients who have trusted me with their journeys and inner worlds and dreams and sometimes hard feelings and experiences.

In my journey of self-employment, I've had several special mentors in the form of business and mindset coaches who have changed my life in significant, fundamental ways. Not only my business but how I see myself and operate in the world as a human being.

Like, before, I was a bit of a crusty, judgy kind of "get shit done" kind of person. I always had a heart for serving people and teaching people, but I didn't extend that grace to myself or others easily, unless I was in a protective relationship with someone.

Very slowly, over the course of several years, coaching blew that wide open. I had to confront fears around visibility, my purpose, my relationship with God, all that stuff. Finding the right people to be vulnerable like that with... it's frankly a dang miracle.

Anyway, for that special relationship, it felt amazing to bring it to the page in a dreamy, chalky medium like pastel. (Though I ended up hating the medium overall). This card lets you commemorate a relationship like that for another person, or simply frame it in a square frame to remember a special relationship of your own.

Here's what the cards look like, and I'm selling them for $3 each or 10/$25, and a $1 shipping fee to cover postage and packing.

There are a couple variations:

These cards are printed with my favorite, high-quality photo printer company Artifact Uprising, and here are the product details:

• Paper type: 5x5" Folded card, blank interior, Mohawk Superfine with warm white, textured finish; FSC Certified; 120 lb
• Envelope type: Mohawk Superfine Eggshell (100 lb). (Please note that square envelopes require extra postage to mail

If you want to be the first purchaser... click here! Thanks for taking a peek either way :). This is thrilling in a WHOLE NEW WAY.

Sarah G.

P.S. I drew two of the inspo pictures I've taken on walks and in the city... did you?

I'll share a fresh challenge in my next email :)