A little while ago, I hosted a giveaway and invited you to ask me anything: about postcards, my dog, running a small shop, sticker hoarding, or life in general. And wow, you really showed up with the sweetest, quirkiest, and most thoughtful questions.
So instead of stuffing all the answers into one loooong blog post, I decided to turn it into a little Q&A series. Four parts, each one exploring a different side of me and my work. This is part one, and it’s all about the behind-the-scenes bits: life, free time, travel, and (of course) Bitė.
Let’s start with the most personal stuff, the kind of things you’d ask over coffee, while surrounded by stationery chaos and a snoring dog under the table.
1️⃣ Life Behind the Scenes
Let’s start personal. These questions made me pause and smile.
- What’s your favorite place that you always like to go to? ☺️
I haven’t seen the whole world (yet!), but I’ve explored quite a bit of Europe, and Estonia has completely stolen my heart. My favorite spot? The islands of Saaremaa. We try to visit at least once a year. It’s the kind of place that just feels right for me. You can drive there in a day, and while it’s not drastically different from Lithuania, the atmosphere is something else. Calm, quiet, grounding. We always come back home recharged. Already missing it.
- How do you balance business and personal life while working for yourself?
Oh… I don’t. 😅 I promised myself not to work on weekends, and I stick to that rule on the weekends we go away somewhere. I don’t pack orders, at least. But if we stay home, I always find some kind of work: designing, planning, reorganizing my to-do lists…
Even when I try to rest and read a book, I catch myself scrolling through clipart galleries looking for new design bits. (In case you didn’t know, I’m not an illustrator, but I do create all my designs using licensed commercial artwork and a lot of patience.)
Sometimes I get an idea and have to make a sticker or postcard right then and there, even if it’s supposed to be my downtime. And let’s be honest: running a small creative business isn’t exactly relaxing when you also need it to pay the bills, rent, and maybe even treat yourself to a new pair of jeans. 😅 Discounts? I rarely can afford big ones, my profit margins are already pretty tight so I always need to think of new ways to get your attention.
So yeah… even when I’m resting, my brain is doing math, marketing, or mood boards. If you’ve discovered the secret to balancing everything, please tell me – I’ll send you a thank-you postcard!
- Do you have any pets? 😊
Oh yes! I was a cat person for many years, at one point, we had two cats and a dog at home. But life changes. Last year, one of our senior cats passed away, and the other one… just never got used to the dog. And I mean never. We tried for a year and a half (we don’t give up easily!), but she was truly, deeply terrified, even after all that time. When the older cat passed, things only got worse.
So now our remaining cat lives like royalty at my mom’s house, where she has an entire home to herself (instead of just the top of our wardrobe!) and even made a feline friend.
P.S. The postcard below shows my cat, who’s no longer with us — it’s her in the illustration, and yes, that’s her actual purring sound recorded and woven into the design.
(Click the image to visit the product page in my shop.)
We now live with just one four-legged companion – Bitė, a Belgian Malinois and our everyday shadow. I’d love to have more cats and dogs in the future, but for now… let’s just say space is limited and working dog Bitė is a big personality all on her own! 🐾
- How did you become interested in search and rescue with your dog?
Alright, this one needs a bit of a backstory. Are you ready?
Our dog, Bitė, is sensitive to the environment and used to be quite reactive toward both people and other dogs. When she was around four months old, we were advised to try mantrailing – a scent-based discipline where the dog follows a person’s unique scent cloud to locate them. It’s not just about searching; it also helps dogs with focus, confidence, and emotional regulation.
At first, we joined the training sessions just for her mental well-being, nothing more. But then something clicked: she was good at it, and more importantly, she loved it. That joy of searching became something we shared.
Eventually, we switched to a different trainer, someone who also runs a volunteer search and rescue organization. After a few months of working with him, we were influenced and officially joined the team. It’s been a year now! We train together regularly and, when needed, we assist in real-life searches for missing people, sometimes with dogs, sometimes with the drone, sometimes just as part of the ground team.
It started as a way to help Bitė feel better. And now, it feels like something bigger. You can check the SAR organisation site here. (It is in Lithuanian, but I think it is no probs in this technical age, and you can find me in the leading photo also:) )
- What was your most memorable search when you’ve gone out to look for someone?
Many people imagine search missions as something dramatic or romantic, but in reality it’s hard, technical, and often emotionally heavy work. Most of the time, by the time we get the call, it’s too late to use dogs. So we search on foot, lining up with other volunteers and methodically sweeping through forest areas. And no, they don’t look like peaceful parks.
The most memorable search for me was one night when we were looking for a missing teenager with mental health challenges. It was dark and tense. We checked every plot of land, field, and other areas we could access. There were many teams involved, and although we didn’t find him that night, the search continued, and he was located safely in the morning.
That operation stuck with me, not just because of the complexity, but because of the powerful cooperation between different teams (Red Cross, K9 Search, Police, local community, etc. Everyone showed up. Everyone gave their all.
- What hobby do you like to do in your free time?
Work! 😂 Okay, okay — I do have hobbies beyond packing postcards and designing stickers.
I love reading. Books are my escape, my inspiration, and sometimes even sneak their way into my product ideas.
And then there’s Bitė, who, let’s be honest, is kind of a full-time hobby all by herself. Between her training sessions, search exercises, and general life as a high-energy Malinois… she keeps my schedule (and my heart) very full.
- Do you like reading books?
Oh yes, but honestly, calling it a “hobby” doesn’t feel right. It’s more of a way of life. I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember, and I even write a book blog (in Lithuanian).
I usually read around 80 to 100 books a year, yep, I’m that kind of reader. My favorite genres? Thrillers, fantasy, family sagas, and romantic comedies. If it has a twist, a bit of magic, or makes me laugh (or cry), I’m in.
- Which countries have you visited so far?
Not a huge list, but a cozy one! I’ve visited Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Spain.
What makes it special is how we travel. Almost all of these trips (except Spain) were done either by car, bicycle or motorcycle. That means slower travel, lots of unexpected stops, and really getting a feel for each place. It’s not about checking countries off a list, it’s about how it feels to roll into a quiet town with your backpack and no strict plan.
- What’s your favourite fika (sweet treat) when you work or doing hobbies? 🎂
Since October, I’ve cut out added sugar, so my sweet treat situation has changed quite a bit!
These days, my go-to favorite while working (or pretending to rest) is Dione Zero Sugar ice cream with nut cream — seriously delicious. If I’m out and about, a coconut OSHEE protein bar is my little pick-me-up. Not exactly grandma’s cake, but hey… it does the trick!
- If you had to give up cakes or crisps, which would you choose?
Well… back in October, I actually gave up both! But if you’d asked me before that, I would’ve said crisps — no hesitation. Cake just has my heart. 🍰💔
Thanks for joining me for this first part of the Q&A series. I loved answering these more personal questions, and I hope you enjoyed this little peek behind the curtain.
If any of my answers made you curious or brought up more questions, feel free to ask in the comments, I’m always happy to chat. 💬
Next time, we’ll dive into all things snail mail and stationery: Postcrossing confessions, favorite postcards, and sticker-saving habits. Stay tuned!
