Growing with Intention: An Autumn Update
A Summer of New Ventures and Achievements
What a summer we had in 2026. The weather was beautiful, and it seemed like everyone was in good spirits. Since my last post at the beginning of June, my business adventure as Opal Essence Finery has been in full swing. I’ve spent the summer building the foundation of the business, updating the website, and networking with people throughout Kitsap County, Washington. As a resident, it feels wonderful to be part of the community again instead of leaving it every day.
Taking a breather
Summer has always felt like a collective invitation to step back from the hustle and enjoy ourselves.
While working at the civil engineering firm Kimley-Horn, summers would pass without a single break. This wasn’t the company’s fault; plenty of people were encouraged to take time off. But I didn’t have the bandwidth to allow myself a break. If I wasn’t working, commuting, or spending time with friends or family, I was asleep. After years of living in go-go-go mode, my family told me how stressed and exhausted I seemed. I felt like I had to rush through every part of my life, worrying about being on time, speed-running tasks, and never allowing myself to slow down. It took a family health scare for me to wake up and realize that this wasn’t working for me. In order to grow with intention, I needed to be more present, not only in my own life and well-being, but for my family.
Once I resigned from Kimley-Horn, I was finally able to take a breather. It felt amazing to be myself again, be actually present with my family and friends, and reflect on what I wanted from life. I promised myself that I would (try to) never rush. No more rushing out the door in the morning, racing toward arbitrary deadlines, speed-running activities, or waiting until the end of the day to finally eat something. That pace had taken a toll on my mental health and body, and I don’t recommend living a life full of haste.
With this in mind, I’m selective about the people I work with and intentional about the work I take on. More on that later in this post.
A Few Acknowledgments
During the summer season, I made a lot of connections. And, I wanted to take the time to give a warm thank-you to a few of the wonderful people that have supported me.
To start, Fina of Mindful Minds Marketing has helped me in the spring and offered sound advice before I launched in June. I’m also grateful to Molly of Peachy Designs, who connected with me not only as a designer but also as a friend. I’m thankful to Leslie Cole, who hired me for her agility group, MudPACK, and introduced me to many people I hope to stay in touch with, including Jen from Jen Taylor Consulting, who helped me see that, through my human design, this path is, so to speak, 'written in the stars.’
Nick Johnson, the creative director of Libro.fm sat down with me over coffee to discuss the market, share insights from his past freelance design business, and offer helpful tips I’ve been putting into practice ever since. And finally, Jennifer Zuver, who’s been kind enough to let me tag along with her to networking groups and business events through BNI and Polka Dot Powerhouse.
These are just a few of the wonderful people I met and collaborated with this summer, and I’m grateful for each connection. I can’t wait to see what they all have in store. Please support them, too; they’re helping make this community special.
Being Present in Autumn and Looking Ahead
The Stationery Shop Drop
I’ve always been passionate about traditional art, watercolor illustrations, and stationery. I love tangible things that help us connect with one another and bring joy to everyday life.
Some of you may remember my Etsy shop, “OEF Illustration & Design.” For the final quarter of 2026, I’ve decided to reopen it under the Opal Essence Finery name. I’m taking a slightly different approach this time: I’ll use only images and videos I’ve taken at home and work with my trusted vendor, PrintsWell Fulfillment, to create made-to-order stationery packages. They consistently produce beautiful work, and I’m happy to work with them!
I want the stationery to feel tangible and real in my listings online, so I’m photographing each product myself. There are too many AI-generated images on Etsy (and everywhere, frankly) which can make it difficult for customers to know what they’re actually getting. I don’t use AI in my listing videos or photography; I create everything myself in my living room or backyard!
For the first release on October 1st, I’m introducing a bundle featuring an autumn card, envelopes, and notepads. The Autumn Wreath card is a popular illustration I created during the pandemic. I thought it would be a lovely addition to the refreshed card and envelope design, alongside a newer illustration of a crow in a pumpkin patch for the envelope’s insert.
Those who know me well know that I’m always writing lists and notes, so I’m also introducing notepads as part of the bundle: one featuring my crow illustration and another with a blank design featuring pumpkins I’ve enjoyed painting.
I hope you enjoy these bundles. I’d love to hear your feedback, including ideas for future bundles, ways I can improve, and illustration ideas. After the autumn release, I’ll begin working on a Christmas bundle, so stay tuned for its release around Thanksgiving!
Growing with Intention and Moving Forward
Lastly, I want to share how I’ll move forward with clients as a brand experience partner. When I worked in the corporate world, I saw how strong systems could help protect both parties. Although those systems had flaws and still left room for many last-minute asks, I’m taking a different approach, one I believe will work well for everyone.
That process begins with the pricing list. You can download it from my website and review it at your leisure.
It outlines my full scope of services, process timeline, and FAQ. From there, you can book an alignment call through my client portal, HoneyBook, and we’ll walk through the entire process together.
If you're interested in viewing the pricing list, there's a button at the top next to the site menu to download.
If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to me directly.
As for capacity, I’m very selective and will take on a maximum of 3 clients per quarter, depending on their needs and the services required. People often ask what my niche is and which design services I offer. As a brand experience partner, I focus primarily on print design and the tangible elements that create an elegant brand presence.
Put simply, my ideal client might need custom labels and cards for a vineyard, a refreshed menu for a local restaurant or coffee shop, or a full stationery set for a hospitality service provider or tax professional. I also offer websites and digital components, but my main focus is printed materials.
That said, as of this posting, I’m accepting clients for all of my services next year. If you or someone you know needs printed marketing services, I’m open to chatting!
Thank you for reading
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
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