I took more time between cons (and after this con) and it paid off. While my booth is still not up to my current standards, it's definitely much better than it has been. And the sales reflected this. The numbers weren't quite at the level of the first AWA I did, but much closer and the best con I did this year.

I was right across from the crunchy roll booth and front and center. It was rather nice honestly! I believe that helped with sales in addition to just a better booth show than previous cons.

The only time I've done Anthrocon. I'd love to do it again. I was ill prepared because I had no idea what to even expect at a furry con and was quite intimidated, but it was an amazing experience and I had such a good time.

I opted to just do big plush here. As it was also a dealer's booth, I had a cube dedicated to things I hadn't made but no longer wanted for sale. Michael made a candy dish designed to look like a bear trap and it was great fun for everyone. Not the most detailed booth and not much product. I did do a good job making what I did, but it was lacking.

Pittsburgh itself was absolutely beautiful and I fell in love with the city. Honestly, all of Pennsylvania is quite beautiful.

Everyone was so nice at this con. The atmosphere was the most family friendly one I've experience which was surprising to me. And the city loved the furries. No surprise because anthrocon brings in such revenue. I pretty much broke even at this con and it was more like a vacation for me. I didn't mind because it was so much fun and a nice break from anime cons. We also ate at the most amazing indian food restaurant while there. The city itself was magical. It's situated in the middle of a bowl of mountains. You come through a tunnel and BAM city. Pittsburgh loves its baseball, so their stadium faces the city and there's such a fun energy when there's a game. I can't wait to go back one day.

One of my worst booths honestly. I'm not sugar coating it. Realizing your short comings is how you grow and improve. I still turned a good profit here, but was down about a third. I'm honestly surprised it wasn't more. As I said, I was burning out and not allowing myself time to recover or recognize the burn out so it continued. As you can tell, I don't have much to say because everything from this time is such a blur. One thing I can say is that our friend was at this convention, so he was able to watch the booth and so Michael and I actually got to walk around the dealer's room together for the first time!

This was the first con where I used fishnet for the Jelly display. The main notable thing about this con was this was the first con when My Hero was just starting to get popular and the first one I saw merch for the show! I really love that series.

Another Segway. Before Animazement 2017, we went to the NSP concert and it was amazing! I love all three of those bands so it was an absolute treat! That is all!

This year, Triad moved to Greensboro while they waited for a new convention center to get constructed. The move to Greensboro halved attendance and sales, That's really understandable, though. I was able to stay with my fiance, so cost was nothing. This also began a period of time in my life that lasted nearly a year where I was in a bit of a slump. Mostly worn out but not letting myself rest and my art suffered for it.

This was the first con I had buttons! It was really exciting and they did very well! Buttons continue to be a small dollar staple. It's great to find a way to have low dollar items without worry or taking time from other projects. This was also the launch weekend for the switch, so most of my time was spent ENGROSSED in Breath of the Wild. It was a blast!

Not a con, but this is my blog, so we're talking about it haha. In February, Michael and I went to Gatlinburg to celebrate our first official Valentines day as well as my birthday. It was an amazing experience. We picked this location because everything else was closed or too far away. This was only about three hours away. Michael drove when we went to Georgia, so it was my first time driving out of state. First stop was the aquarium. We got to pet the tops of Jellyfish! I never realized how solid they are. When you touch them, they try to reach your fingers like they're just little balls of a nervous system and anger haha The aquarium was a bit too pricey, but it was a lot of fun, so it was worth it.

We didn't realize that Gatlinburg was just a tourist trap strip mall type of thing. So there was actually a lot to do right there, but it wasn't the best sort of fare. Still, we made the most of it and had a blast. The strip is still really beautiful. Michael loves to go Mini golfing, so we did that. There was an indoor one that was adventurer themed (Indiana Jones) and it was so silly, but a lot of fun. We still have the golf score card on our fridge. He wanted me to keep it because he kicked my butt so hard >:C

We ate dinner at a steak house at the end of the strip and it was awful service. Our server forgot about us because she was talking to her friends for an hour. We eventually got served by another woman who was apologetic. I've never not left a tip before, but after begging to have our receipt brought to us so we could pay and her getting mad she had to leave the conversation with her friends, I felt it justified. The food was good, but the service leaves a LOT to be desired. After that, we checked out a few gift shops with some strange goods and headed back to the hotel. It was in the strip and the hotel had black bears all over the sign which was cute. It wasn't the nicest, but a perfect place to lay your head for the night and it was an excellent location. Definitely worth the price!

The next morning, we grabbed breakfast at Starbucks. We had seen advertising the entire drive up and all while walking the strip about Christ in the Smokies. We aren't very religious people, but we were dying to find out why this wax museum was so heavily advertised. It was really silly and interesting, but very much a tourist trap. Still a lot of fond memories from our time there haha. It took itself so seriously and that's why it was so amusing when you stepped back and realized these dramatic narrations were to still wax sculptures. It was a tour that you walked along and listened to a narrator. No disrespect meant of course, the religion isn't silly, the wax museum and garden was what was silly. It was a fun end to the trip.

On the way home, we stopped at the Asheville mall since I didn't get a chance to look around it when I had gone to ARAC. I picked up the Azumanga Daoh omnibus and devoured it after the trip. Also picked up a candle from bath and body works. It's my weakness. During the trip I also got to try a chocolate covered strawberry for the first time at a candy shop there with home made fudge. It was SO GOOD! I have a magnet collection. I get a magnet from everywhere I've gone to on vacation or just traveled through and it's a good way to remember things by. I put them all on the fridge. My parents did this and I'm carrying on the tradition.

This was my first "planned on my own" vacation. Even if it was just overnight, it was an amazing experience and a good segway into many future trips down the road!

So began 2017! It was my second year doing cons, I had moved out and was finally on my own, I was an assistant manager at Gamestop now, and life was going much better, So many changes with moving and everything didn't leave me much time to sew, but I did my best!

This was the first con I completely sold out of product at even despite going back to the room to make more each night. It was the first post sun and moon con and I was prepared with Nebby in tow! But that about ends my preparedness, honestly. Like I said, I had just finished moving. I was next to another plush artist who was much better prepared than I. Despite all that, I did really good. It was a good way to start the year! Ichibancon is on point as always.

Back to one of my con staples. Anime Weekend Atlanta. I hate Atlanta for the traffic but love the cons here. This was my first out of state con, so it was a big gamble, but it paid off. Now I travel for cons all the time!

Mimikyu had just been revealed, so I capitalized on that. I had slightly improved the jellyfish designs here and I expanded on the undertale stuff from napstablooks. I was more prepared than I had been since Animazement and I was ready to mingle.

This was a huge con and I was rather unprepared for how big the con was. I also was clinging to some designs I should have retired (poros and cookie cats) since they were no longer the hits they were. It's a big lesson to know when to move on and when to keep on. Luckily I learned it pretty fast. The con was great, good profits and good people. Met a few friends here that I still have and enjoy seeing grow! Also this is the first con (I think) with decoration. Michael got some seaweed for the jellyfish plush and it looks great!

AWA is just a good con. It's huge, Crunchyroll goes to it so you know it's good. It's honestly one of my favorites. I really have nothing bad to say about it. This is a lacking review I know, but it's good. If you make anime products, you're good! Always do good at this one.

Oh boy, this con right here was a lot of things. Things with my family at home were at an all time low. I arrived at Michael's apartment the night before with the intention of us driving up together. I had barely gotten anything done for it due to issues at home and when I got to the con, I ended up drinking all the beer I had gotten for Michael and I to share that night. One of the lower moments of my life. Michael and I got in a huge fight because I was so depressed and not doing anything about it and had just drank my issues away and so he declined to go with me. Which meant I had a nearly three hour drive to make on very little sleep while slightly hungover and all by myself. Driving through the mountains, though, really cleared my head up and I knew I had to move into my own place again ahead of schedule. Moving back in with my family was supposed to help me recoup after losing my roommate and my previous car on the same day and having to pay to end my lease early (so there were no repercussions). I know this is getting personal, but this was to show that I cannot accurately review this convention. And to partly excuse this poor display.

This is the lowest point for me convention wise. How I turned a profit with this is still a mystery to me. This is a con I've not done since because of all the memories associated and because of so many poor reviews from fellow sellers. The artist alley is poorly placed in a weird location away from the rest of the con. Downtown Asheville is beautiful and there is electricity included, but the convention center is very old feeling and the artist alley is practically hidden from the rest of the con. I don't think having a good booth would have really benefited me much in the end either way. Probably would have made slightly more.

If you're local absolutely do this con, but if you have to travel, just avoid it. It's a two day con now (was a one day when I went) and the change to two days didn't do it any favors. Also a good excuse to take a vacation in the mountains.

This con helped me realize what I needed to do in order to improve my life due to the long drive. I got a lot of sewing for commissions done while I was at the table. I also had time to properly plan and prepare for AWA which was my next con. I'm very glad I got to do this con, but it's an experience I'm not looking to do again. Its' weird reflecting when you're in such a good place in life when you were at one of your lowest, but it's a good way to appreciate what you have now. So let's move on from this and now to the future.

It's the first con post Pokemon Go. So much Instinct, Valor, and Mystic merch that only sold at this one con and then never again. This con is also the con that Michael and I count as the official start of our relationship so yay for that. Also RIP Hoshicon, destroyed by embezzlement. Gone too soon, but it opened the way for Queen City Anime Convention, so all things considered, not a bad change honestly.

This con and the next con started a con slump for me. I was getting burnt out but due to a lot of issues at home, I had to keep pushing myself. I got a hotel for this con despite not needing it. It was partially because it's a long commute for Michael and partially because I didn't want to be home due to issues at home. I also saw Secret Life of Pets during this con. What an awful movie. Sales were about the same as Heroescon, so good but not great, but good enough to return (which I had planned on, but again, RIP).

I don't have too much to say about this con as most of the good times were hanging out with my significant other. A fun con gone too soon. This was the first con I got an autograph. Eric Stuart was there and he is my childhood.