WELCOME TO MY WORLD

[VOL. 1]

HI!!!

I’m Valentin, a girl from San Francisco who loves art and design. Valville is a monthly documentation of my life updates, musings, and inspirations—basically, all the things happening in my world lately.

Since graduating college and moving back home last summer, my life felt like it has slowed down a ton. My friendships and relationships have become a bit distant, and it’s challenging to stay connected when everyone is in different places and living in their own bubbles, both geographically and in life.

My hope with Valville is to keep and nurture my connection with you, reader, by sharing bits of my life every month. And if you’d like, you can leave a comment sharing your own life updates too. I’d love to know what you’ve been thinking about lately!

Without further ado, I present to you the first edition of Valville. Enjoy!

WHAT’S NEW

SoCal Adventures

This month, my family and I flew to Southern California. We make this trip at least once a year to visit family and feel the sun. Adam, my boyfriend of almost three years now (!!), joined us as well.

We went to Universal Studios where we toured the studio lot, met Toad, and ate churros. It was the most awesome time.

The next day, Adam and I visited our good friends Nicholas and Sydney. They welcomed us into their shiny new apartment, which was bare and beautiful. Afterward, we met up with our other friend, Benjamin, to see his charming apartment and handsome dog, Schmutz.

Together, the five of us went off to eat karaage, did some shopping, and caught up like the good ol’ days. Fun times! It stopped being fun when we had to say goodbye. 😔 

WORKING AWAY

I have been working at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) as a graphic designer for four months now. I work from home, which actually means that I have turned into even more of a homebody than I was before. I hope to change that soon… 😅

This month, I got an exciting project to illustrate Halloween cards! The cards were printed and hand-delivered to patients at the hospital on Halloween day. They ended up printing over 41,000 of these cards! How crazy is that! I never thought I would end up drawing for my job, but here we are. Dreams do come true.

Before joining CHLA, I worked as an interactive designer at the California Academy of Sciences. The last project I completed there was a digital memory game for BigPicture, their annual photography exhibition.

The game just launched this month, and it looks so cool and real! The goal of this game is to engage younger visitors by providing an interactive game that allows them to play while learning about the photos in the exhibit. I haven’t had a chance to see it in person yet, but I’m hoping to soon!

SCREEN TIME

I spend a lot of time looking at the screen. Here are some movies and TV shows that I have consumed this month:

The Wild Robot

My Rating: 10/10

I cried three times during this movie. It tells an honest and wholesome story about friendship, community, and belonging, making it resonate with viewers of all ages. Plus, the stunning visuals felt like I was watching a moving painting. I highly recommend!

How I Met Your Mother

My rating: 7/10

I love romantic comedies and sitcoms. Three weeks ago, when I saw that HIMYM was available on Netflix, I started watching it every day since then. While the humor feels a bit outdated for me, the anticipation of what will happen to each of the characters has kept me hooked.

Abbott Elementary

My rating: 8/10

I started watching Abbott Elementary on a whim. The premise intrigued me: public school teachers determined to help their students succeed in life. I don’t usually watch mockumentaries, but I ended up loving this series! It’s kind of funny, a bit dramatic, and I overall think it has a really entertaining plot.

SPLENDOR SPENDS

I believe being financially responsible is one of the most important habits anyone can keep. To keep track of my spending, here are my top three biggest (unnecessary) expenses for October:

A SURI Electric Toothbrush = $126

I bought a SURI electric toothbrush after using a manual one for travel for far too long. It comes with a UV-light cleaning case and is super sleek and compact. I used it during my trip to Anaheim, and my teeth have never felt cleaner while on vacation!

Coloring book ($12) and markers ($40) = $52

I’ve noticed a new trend on my social media feed lately: coloring books. I’ve been wanting to scratch my creative itch, so I couldn’t resist caving in. It’s also a great excuse to buy new markers because I have been using the same Crayola markers since middle school. Ever since I got these in the mail, it has been very difficult to not color all the time.

(4) Smiskis = $40

I buy my Smiskis from a specific shop in San Francisco because they sell them for just $10, which is an amazing deal! Whenever I get a new Smiski blind box, I resist the urge to open it until the end of the week. That way, it feels like a reward 🎁.

AESTHETICALLY PLEASING

Lastly but not leastly, this section is where I share a trend or art/design style that I find aesthetically pleasing. This month, I found Bobbie Goods.

Bobbie Goods is known for their delightful and nostalgic illustrations. They pretty much pioneered the coloring book style that is trending so much right now. I love how soft, cute, and colorful their illustrations are!

There you have it—the first of many Valville newsletters! Rest assured, many more will come on the first Sundays of every month.

Remember to do what makes you happy. In the meantime, I will see you on the internet! 🌐

VALENTIN

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