I just got back from Costa Rica, where I spent time in the actual jungle—lush, tangled, and loud with life.

I always thought of the jungle as a place where everything blooms. And it is. But during a drive to the coast, as we wove through layers of cloud forest and birdsong, our guide casually mentioned that the word jungle actually comes from a term meaning something closer to tangle.

That stuck with me.

(Me, ziplining through the jungle of my mind.)

My mind’s always been a bit of a jungle, tangled with ideas, to-do lists, memories, and the occasional howler monkey yelling about things I forgot to do.

But something about being in the jungle—real vines, real howler monkeys—quieted all that noise.

(We were told that howler monkeys are actually the chill monkeys.)

Since coming back, I've wanted to hold onto that quiet. But I’ve also been sloooowly stretching back into studio life.

Like a sloth slooooowly reaching for a leaf snack.

(That's some quality Pura Vida right there.)

And wouldn’t you know it—some of those jungle thoughts have already started to sprout.

The Tiny Beasts I’ve been dreaming up are officially out in the world (find them here!), complete with their very own classified backstory.

If you missed the memo (or just want to see what kind of mischief they’re up to), I made a free digital zine packed with creature lore, cozy chaos, and a peek at what’s coming next.

You can grab it here:

Thanks for being here, even when things get a little tangled. I’m learning to trust that everything grows in its own time. 🌿

Sending you something green and alive,

— Lindsey

Angry Gato Designs
silly art for serious joy