More than a year ago I started cuddlecatstudio, posted on my social media channels, tried out some small animations, designed products, opened my online shop, and was even lucky enough to have a booth at Connichi 2025.

All in all, it was an exciting year with ups and downs, which is why I would like to look back on it and talk about how everything went and what my conclusion is after this year.

 

The beginning

The basic story behind it all started with the real Little Flowers and some ideas from my boyfriend, and that was several years ago. However, I never really found the right starting point for it.

It was only my online studies in graphic design, which I completed in 2024, that gave me something like a push in the right direction.

Even before cuddlecatstudio was even in the planning stages, I had been attending conventions with my own booth for several years, but in a completely different field. However, I hadn't felt comfortable there for several years. The kind and amount of response I had hoped for regarding my stories, characters, and products failed to materialize in the long run—but that was probably also because, especially toward the end, I found my drawings more of a chore than fun.

So I made the cut and completely reoriented myself over the last two years.

The result was cuddlecatstudio.

My thesis was basically based on this idea, with a complete corporate design, and although it wasn't 100% finalized, I was so happy with it at the end of last year that I started with it.

 

My first year

So I started last year, but what has really happened since then?

Social media

I started building my main channel on Instagram, and I also run Ko-fi, TikTok, and YouTube on the side (mainly for free digital goodies and reels/shorts).

It's extremely difficult to grow on social media these days, that's just a fact. If you don't already have some kind of community, a good network of people who support you, or other influences (including being in the right place at the right time or going viral, etc.) that could push you forward, then it takes a long time. On top of that, there's how regularly you post, what kind of content you post, when you post, whether you go to conventions to increase awareness, whether you participate in trends, and so on.

Since I was already familiar with this social media struggle, my expectations were correspondingly low. So I'm incredibly happy that I've currently managed to get to a little over 800 followers on Instagram. That may seem extremely low to some, considering the general numbers across all platforms, but since I know from my own experience how difficult it is to be seen and liked for what you do, especially on social media platforms, I consider it a good goal that I've achieved for my first year. 

And along the way, I've already met many wonderful and super nice other artists this year, and not just on a national level. The exchange, mutual support, and general atmosphere among us is so incredibly warm and great, and even though I don't always find the time to actively keep this exchange going, I try to support others to the best of my ability! That's why I'm incredibly grateful to everyone in these circles, because starting over (not just on social media) is difficult, and when you're welcomed so warmly, as I was, it makes everything even more fun—even in somewhat challenging times!

Online shop

At first, I thought Etsy would be a good place to start (also from a financial point of view), which is what I did at the end of last year. But for various reasons (apart from the fees), I decided to set up my own shop, which offers much better design options and is more in line with what I had in mind.

My conclusion about it: I'm glad I did it, even though it's not financially worthwhile at the moment. I have received a few orders and I am super happy about each and every one of them – but it will take a while for it to really pay off. However, this doesn't surprise me, as I knew what costs I would incur. I am also realistic and know that it can be tough, especially in the first few years. This is particularly true if you don't have the time and financial resources to promote your own shop as effectively as you might like to.

I see it as a good starting point for establishing cuddlecatstudio and everything that goes with it, and for having everything in one place. Not only can I share some information about my characters or myself here, but I can also share basically everything related to cuddlecatstudio on this platform—like this blog post and others. That motivates me a lot!

Conventions

After receiving several rejections, I was so happy to get a booth at Connichi 2025, and the experience was amazing and really difficult to put into words.

As I mentioned earlier, I had attended conventions in other fields, but never once had I received such an incredible amount of positive feedback, which completely overwhelmed me.
Not only about my products and characters, but also about my booth. I had wonderful conversations with all kinds of people about their pets, their interests, which family members and friends would like the characters, and so many other topics.

But that's exactly what I appreciate so much about conventions and creative markets: the exchange. Even though online shops and social media offer opportunities to reach people outside your own country, personal contact at conventions is what motivates you even more. Hearing someone say in person that they like the characters you've designed with so much effort and passion is pure joy. Not to mention the laughter and smiles you receive, which are incredibly contagious!

So if you have the opportunity to go to a convention and buy something directly from the artists you may also follow on social media, then do it! Even if you could buy the products online, take the time to visit the booths, talk to the artists, and share your enthusiasm in person.

 

And now?

It's been a pretty exciting year, and even though I didn't have many opportunities to go to conventions and didn't get too many orders, I'm still happy with what I've achieved this year. I was able to build up my social media account, try things out, and experiment. I implemented ideas, discarded ideas, and found a good base for myself, especially in terms of my characters, but also my products, which I can build on in the next years.

The list of things I still have planned and would like to implement with Little Flowers and his friends is long. In any case, I plan to make more keychain wrists, as they were incredibly well received at Connichi. Similar to what happened with my bookmarks (and I'm still completely blown away by how well they were received). In general, I'm actually planning a few more “book-related” items, as I wanted to read a little more myself in the upcoming year.

I will continue my Cuddly Friends Club – with free digital goodies, as has already been the case in recent months. Anything else is simply not worth the effort, as although my offer is there, there is currently no demand (perhaps that will change again in the future, but of course I don't know that at this point).

My Cuddly Friends Mail is making its debut this month and will continue to appear on the first Sunday of every month going forward—sometimes with more information, sometimes with less, but always with an exclusive discount code for you and, in the case of a convention, exclusive goodies that you can pick up at my booth, so keep your eyes open!

I'm also working on a few small projects for those of you who like to be creative yourselves – so stay tuned for what's to come!

Finally, I wish you all a wonderful few weeks, enjoy the rest of the year, and above all, enjoy the holidays (if you celebrate Christmas). Have a wonderful start to the new year, and maybe I'll meet some of you at a convention in the upcoming year!

 

Cuddly greetings, 

your

cuddlecat