Hey hey Reader!

I have been deep in illustration mode the last few days (you gotta do it when the inspiration hits, right?) and I had to pop in and share what I've been working on as well as something I think could genuinely change how you approach product creation. Bear with me for a sec because there's a little lesson in here that I think is worth your time. 😊

That video up there is me drawing anchors, crabs, lighthouse illustrations, and lettering at approximately one million miles an hour. 😂 More on that in a sec!

First, can I share something that shifted how I think about creating products?

If you've ever felt like you're always a step behind, you know, like you just missed a holiday, or your listing went live right as the search traffic was already dying down 🫠 there's usually one of two things going on:

You're either creating products that are too trend-dependent (they spike once and disappear), OR you're creating great evergreen products but listing them at the wrong time with no seasonal hook to drive traffic. We've all been there (and I'll have more to tell you about this next week!).

The sweet spot is pairing an evergreen product with a seasonal trend. And, of course, starting early enough for it to actually make a difference. 😉

Here's what I mean. A mug is an evergreen product. People buy them for birthdays, holidays, and everything in between all year long. But pair that mug with the right seasonal moment and list it with enough lead time? That's when an already-solid product gets a serious traffic boost right when buyers are actively shopping.

The details of how to do that, in other words, which keywords to use, what themes are trending right now, and exactly when to list, that's what's inside this month's Brief. But the concept itself is simple: evergreen + seasonal + enough lead time = a product that earns at the holiday AND keeps working long after.

This is exactly the thinking behind my Creative Briefs. Every month I pick one product, do all the keyword research and trend digging for you, and deliver it with enough lead time that you can create AND market it before the peak hits. No guessing what to make or feeling like you missed the window. Just open your Brief and get to work. 💛

If that sounds like something you need, come take a look 👉 yourcreativebriefs.com​

Now back to those illustrations! 🦀

All that drawing you saw in that timelapse became this and I'm so proud of it because I stepped a little out of my comfort zone on this one but I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Meet the Coastal Dad Illustration Set — 40 hand-drawn vector illustrations and lettering motifs in SVG, PNG, and JPG so you can use them in Canva, Illustrator, Cricut Design Space, or wherever you create. Anchors, lighthouses, crabs, a grill master apron, Father's Day lettering, a sailboat, a ship's wheel... I went all "Dad" crazy with and skewed Coastal with a bright, fun palette.

I made this set specifically to pair with this month's Brief but it works beautifully for any summer, nautical, or Father's Day project and I made it available in the shop now for just $12 so you can grab it if you want. Comes with a commercial use license so you can sell whatever you make. 💛

👉 Grab the Coastal Dad Illustration Set here​

Ok that's everything from me for now—back to drawing! Or probably some crochet now... 🧶

xx Design delightful products with the best tools & training for product creation. Learn more about the Creative Lab and Creative Briefs!

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ps. If you do want the full Brief that goes with this illustration set, complete with keyword research, a step-by-step to-do list, and a coastal color palette Canva template, that's inside Creative Briefs and it's ready for you here. 💛