Miller August 2026 Monthly Update
Before I get started with the newsletter, I want to mention that John’s Ribcage Class is coming back in season! If you or a friend are interested, please keep an eye out or shoot us a message to schedule a fun, spooky class! The design has also improved for this year! You’ll also get to fold and hold a little coffin for the ribcage to be in!
We will post the class ad when John is ready. Please keep an eye out!
In August, a lot has happened.
At the beginning of the month, John and I wanted to make something. I decided on this fish-with-legs bookmark idea I had seen and wanted to make. So I made two for my sister, and John made one just for fun.
Michelle went a bit crazy making ATCs—up to 50 or so a day for the first week. She is prepping for the upcoming Art Show with TRE and their ATC art interaction activity there. Then the Trade Boards at Who Gives a SCRAP! and Rainy Day Anime need to be refreshed, with each of those taking at least 25 cards. So she tends to need to make quite a few to provide new cards to trade for. There are actually quite a few events and instances where we need a backstock of cards for trading.
A lot of the “good” cards—cards that take more than 30 minutes to make—tend to be taken by kids who work on their card for all of 30 seconds. Whereas adults often do not want to trade for those cards. Adults generally wouldn’t trade for a child’s card if they don’t know the child, so they end up as “dead” cards when not traded and sit on the trade board for a while.
Not all kid cards are bad, but some just have a little colored scribble that is more abstract than a purposeful design. So Michelle needs to “replace” those cards as a choice for people to trade for. Keep in mind that these “dead” cards don’t get thrown away, but mostly just sit for years. Michelle is currently working on a plan for how to push them into someone’s wanted collection. More on that in the future.
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Earlier in the month, Michelle got into Gelli printing, where you take a jiggly, solid, gel-like chunk that is flat and apply paint to it. You can alter each layer of paint and then pull it up onto paper to create a print. Some people use this to create very specific designs to show off as-is, while others use it to make designed papers to cut up into collages.
A little crazy…but one day turned out 110 painted papers. What are we going to do with these, you ask? Make them into things! This is what rolled Michelle into making 30+ small artworks.
So this new art style is actually a collaboration between Michelle and John! Michelle handmakes the paper for the background and turns the Gelli-printed papers into collage themes. Then everything is assembled into the frames that John both designed and built for Michelle!
So many were made in such a short time. One week produced probably 40 different pieces. Since pictures were going to be taken, some were also turned into stickers that can be purchased! Fun little artworks to decorate your journal, planner, or whatever you want!
John has been making frames...John has been making tons of frames for Michelle as seen above and making 3D low-poly folded animals. He’s made probably about seven of these birds by now. They are adorable and hand-colored, decorating our display in the living room for us to enjoy. Not his design, but he does hand color all of them.
This was also the month Michelle got MRI scans on her ankle after the really bad fall in July. The ankle wasn’t fully healing right—there was still a lot of pain and stiffness, and she was unable to bend it in some directions.
It wasn’t until a bit later that the prognosis really sunk in: two completely torn ligaments that help with stabilization, a level 1 sprain in the back, and tons of other little issues that should heal fine. But the two torn ligaments mean that Michelle will not really be able to walk normally or drive for a while.
So many of the events we have scheduled in the future will have to be minimal and reliant on friends and family to drive us. Keep in contact with us if you’d like updates on whether we will be at certain locations.
Michelle got really depressed for a week or so and, again, went crazy making things. The first one was the Fish Garland!!
The first one was a gift for her little sister, which she took with her. After only a few days of it being gone, Michelle went a little mad with the empty space and spent the next 8–10 hours building the next one—which ended up being TWO full garlands!
So we have one hanging in our apartment for us to enjoy, and the second, smaller one is hanging in our studio if you want to stop by and take a look!
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Michelle also completed the Artist Studio signs for people to see and follow into our studio! We want to share what we have been creating and what we are selling.
We call them “Cheese Signs” because the base layer was a very yellow-orange, cheese-like color. We’re quite proud of these and hope people find them fun, too!
This was also the last month right before the Art Show drop-off. We had to quickly do the last-minute touch-ups on our artwork before dropping it off at The Resource Exchange.
Both of us have learned that we are obsessed with ideas and plans pretty early on, but rarely do those obsessions keep going past a few months. At this point, we are kind of done with all of that and ready for the next project.
But we did complete them! Except Michelle, who replaced one completely. Everything went well, and the preparation for the ATC Trade Board during the event is ready to go!
I'd show a picture but just not sure where it went. Will update it in the next blog then.
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Oh, not sure if you had heard, but we highly recommend that you do NOT use Springs Non-Emergency Medical Transport services.
Here’s the story:
I got the earliest appointment I could to get an X-ray on my ankle, and then right after that, I had a doctor’s appointment to review the scans. John helped me set up the appointment a day and a half in advance. We got the confirmation email stating that they would see me at 1:20 p.m. for pick-up.
Okay, great!
The day rolls around, and we are worried because we got no notification that the driver was on their way. We waited and even decided to stand outside because the time was getting close...only to have the designated pick-up time pass.
I had to call at 1:28 to find out that they had suddenly DECLINED my request because they were full that day and couldn’t take any more rides.
Okay. Well, it would have been nice to be told that earlier so I could see if any friends could quickly drive me. The lady was rude, stating that I “should’ve” gotten an email saying it was canceled. There was no acknowledgment that I didn’t receive one, no acknowledgment that it could have been their fault (human or system error), and no apology.
I had to cancel my appointments and reschedule. The earliest I could get? Three weeks later.
For a cast that I kind of needed a week prior to this appointment to keep me from walking on it or injuring it further, that was extremely frustrating.
So...do NOT use their services. Not only is that my story, but if you skim through the reviews from other people, then you'll read more than half of the people having similar if not the exact same situations as me.
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After that, Michelle decided to go into another obsession with what she calls “Felted Friends ATCs/ACEOs.” She is very proud of them and excited to show them to others. Quite a few of them have already been traded, while the rest are waiting for their next steps.
She’ll work on making more until the joy has moved on to another project.
But until then, look at them! Don’t they make you smile even a little bit?
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Classes & Recommendations
So, as for classes, we will still have some in our studio, but they will be scheduled rather than on a regular schedule. We don’t have reliable transportation on the days we expected to be in when Michelle could drive, so right now we have to adjust things for a few months.
During this next month, we will be working on ads and classes for one to two people at a time at most. We are also thinking that this may work better for us with our social anxiety. Let’s see how things go this next month!
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Back to Some Recommendations!
This past month, we went in and out of some pretty notable topics, so we wanted to share a few of the videos that caught our attention.
You’re Wrong About Medieval Art
AND
Why Does Medieval Art Look So Weird?
Both videos go over Medieval art and its history. While they overlap in their subject matter, they approach Medieval art from different directions.
The videos were quite fascinating because they go into not just the art itself, but also the time period, why the art was created, and what was happening around it. The second video, in particular, wasn’t one I expected to catch my attention. Even opening it and “giving it a chance” left me more intrigued.
I’m sure if you like art—or especially if you’ve ever laughed at how funny Medieval art can look—you’ll want to learn a bit more of the history behind it. It makes the art itself feel much richer and gives you a fuller understanding of what you’re looking at.
VFX Artists React to Bad & Great CGI 240 Ft. Richard Taylor
By Corridor Crew and Wētā WorkshopWatch the video
Okay, so for this next video, we recommend the whole thing, but specifically the section that starts around 9:25 because of the incredible amount of time, effort, and care that went into creating The Lord of the Rings movies.
Movie makers don’t always go through that same level of work anymore, and I think we’ve lost a vast world of storytelling that used to be communicated through all the little details.
The art and love that went into the storytelling of the characters, items, and world can be seen—but also FELT! And this video helps explain why.
I especially love the portion where they mention hiring seven little old ladies to help them knit. I find that adorably funny.
A must-watch if you’ve ever wondered, “How much work did they actually put into this?” Because anything more than that, you’ll be watching this and loving it!
Your Flour Changed and Nobody Told You
This lady is doing some excellent work!
John and I had lightly touched on the idea of this before, but we never went any further with it. Once we saw her video, we became much more interested.
There have been products we’ve purchased for years that suddenly started feeling or producing differently, and we simply switched brands. Now we’re seeing that more is happening across different brands, with some being ones to watch out for versus others to avoid.
We highly recommend this if you—or anyone in your household—cooks. Or even if you want to start cooking! You’ll want to make sure you’re getting reliable ingredients that you can count on to support your cooking results rather than undermine them.
How This “Talentless Author” Sold 2,000,000 Manga
So, we’re going to assume most people do not know the manga or anime Ranking of Kings. We came across it a few years ago and absolutely loved the anime.
Michelle had to stop watching because it was too moving. The characters were incredibly believable in how they acted, spoke, what motivated them, and so much more.
They ACTED and it FELT like a real story.
Michelle would cry too much, and it was just too well written! But we absolutely love the story.
Coming across this video surprised us immensely because of how good the anime was—and then learning that that was his first big hit!
He has quite an inspiring story about following your dreams and accomplishing them. It happened decades later than he expected, but he kept at it, and surprise, surprise—it was extremely well received.
If you have a project or a goal that you’ve always wanted to accomplish, watch this video. Be inspired to try at least ONE more time.
Hard Attack: How English Is Getting More “Choppy”
We really like watching his videos to understand more about language and how it forms, both through the biological process and through societal shifts.
This was an odd observation about the English language over the decades that we have lived through! It’s a short, 13-minute video that starts pointing out things happening around the world—and things that are occurring around you.
You’ll be one of the few people who can suddenly see and point out these changes happening around you.
It’s quite an interesting topic!
The EXACT System That Fixes Any Portrait
This was a quick and surprising process. He was right when he said it was easy and that this system works. It does!
Now we’re going to attempt to use this method when we work on facial portraits to see how well it works for us. If you like art or are interested in art in any way, I highly recommend watching through this video!
Free Government Certifications Nobody Applies For
What a strange video that actually seems legit!
I’m going to be looking into these to see how much truth there is to the claims. But I also have to say, “Why wouldn’t it be?” It does seem very plausible.
So, for now, I’m not 100% certain, and I don’t want to get too far into it when this newsletter needs to be posted...a few days ago. So that’ll be my next goal after this is done.
I was already planning on posting the ones that are valid on Nextdoor to see if people searching for jobs could benefit themselves and the community!
August Was the Month of Gelli Prints!
I came across these video tutorials that put things clearly and simply enough for me to follow. If you’re interested in what Gelli printing is or how the process works, I’d recommend watching these two videos.
Learn Gel Printing: 9 Things Beginners Need to Know
AND
Tips for Creative Gel Plate Magazine Transfer
These will probably be some of the top videos on Gelli printing that you’ll find. So, if these have interested you in making some yourself, bookmark them and come back to them! These are also the ones I looked into before getting more into Gelli prints and making those 30+ little artworks!
This Horror Game Has OVERWHELMINGLY Positive Reviews for a Reason
This is a bit more thriller than horror. I can’t handle the extreme horror or gore-type stuff, so you can be reassured that it won’t be like that.
But the storyline, worldbuilding, characters, and everything else were so well put together. It also gives you a chance to experience some very different endings.
John doesn’t care much for the horror videos I tend to watch, but even he was engrossed and impressed by how well the game was put together.
If you can stomach it, I highly recommend watching—or playing!—the game.
Okay, So These Next Two Videos Are Connected...
I didn’t realize it until now!
Why Creative People Can’t Stick to One Thing
AND
Psychology of Polymaths: Why Having Multiple Interests Is an Unfair Advantage
Both go into how having a wide range of interests can end up building a person because of the WEB or CONNECTION between those interests, rather than simply having expertise in each individual interest.
John and I are more of the “WEB” type of intelligence due to multiple factors. We do believe that much of that was built or reinforced by what we call Trauma Intelligence gained through childhood for survival.
Either way, these videos explained a lot about our own lives—and why we felt like failures for the first 20+ years of our lives.
I really like how one of the guys put it:
“You aren’t broken, you’re loading.”
Some people take longer to gain confidence in their abilities. I didn't gain mine until the age of 34.
I do hope to inspire people to keep going, especially kids who feel like they aren’t worth anything because they don’t stand out at ANYTHING in school. They just need to keep going, and I hope this helps me form a plan for how to do that. (Yes, this will actually be a portion of my Teen Program that I’ve been working on for the past year and a half.)
These two videos did a great job of helping me start to form a structure for approaching the topic. It’s time to put this subject on the research rotation list. Gotta look for those research papers to see what has officially been found about this!
What do you think? Do you see yourself in these videos, or does someone you know immediately come to mind?
Okay, So We Technically Watched This in September...
But I had to add it because part of it infuriated me, and I don’t know how others would respond unless they saw it.
Crayola Failed ANOTHER Product Launch
By Sarah Renae Clark
With this video—and, really, her whole channel—we have been impressed by her level of dedication to testing craft products.
The thought she puts into actually holding and using the tools, along with her challenge to find the truth about each product, is astounding. Unlike the ladies working at Crayola, Sarah cares about what the quality is for the cost.
It wasn’t just that the products failed in quality. It’s that they also failed to listen to the complaints and adjustments that were suggested to them.
You know how their brand likes to say they want to hear all feedback? Well, the two ladies in charge show that, no, they do not want feedback unless it’s praise.
We’re also not sure what is going on with the main lady because her face keeps shifting oddly...until she speaks, and then it’s all under control.
The language she uses...you can tell she isn’t an artist. She doesn’t use the products. She only knows the marketing speak for how to talk ABOUT the products. Nothing she says seems to come from her personal experience.
And that is what greatly frustrates me about the brand.
You put people in charge who should KNOW the products and the experience of using them...only for them to know absolutely nothing about their own products!
Now, I know I’m probably rambling and repeating myself, but this is honestly confusing and upsetting.
Am I overreacting, or do these red flags stand out to you about this company now?
They definitely do to John and me.
We have officially checked Crayola off our list of brands to purchase from, thanks to this.
Star Wars But We Only Had $12
Lastly, to end things off...a funny video that you’ll want to watch!
It’s short, but you’ve gotta admit that they put a lot of effort into it with just “$12.”
Whether you like Star Wars or not—Michelle prefers Star Trek and doesn’t care much for Star Wars—you’ll still be able to appreciate this fun little video.
And That Just About Covers August!
I think that just about covers it for August. Things went well overall!
Our craft groups are still going, though we are having to slow down a bit due to Michelle’s injury. We’ll keep adjusting things as we go and figure out what works best for us over the next few months.
If you’d like to be kept in the loop about what events we will be attending, message us through our email!
That's all we got. See you in the next update!
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