All Daisies Are Different.

Inside: a new art piece, a ghost story, a country song on repeat, and a big personal milestone—One Red Arrow is done (!!). This newsletter is all about embracing your weird, honoring your past selves, and digging into what makes you you (sometimes literally—with a mini excavator). Plus, a reminder from Harold & Maude that even in a field of daisies, no two are exactly alike.

Author

Caitlyn Grabenstein
June 10, 2025

Hi Friends,

Inspired by one of my favorite scenes from Harold & Maude, I’ve been holding onto the idea that “all daisies are different.” It’s a reminder to stay true to yourself, even when the world tries to nudge you into sameness.

In this newsletter you’ll find what I’ve been working on, watching, collecting, and learning lately—and a bonus spooky story!

Let’s get into it!

♡ Caitlyn

🎨 Title: Haunted by Who I’ve Been

I don’t usually start with a super clear idea when I’m making art, but with Haunted by Who I’ve Been, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I kept picturing someone staring at a pile of their old selves—like all the versions of you that you’ve outgrown or tried to forget. The sheet ghost felt like the perfect illustration of that, just quietly looking at a mess of dirty, abandoned sheets. To me, it shows how we cast aside parts of ourselves, or past versions of ourselves, we’re not proud of. But eventually, you’ve gotta do the laundry. Eventually you’ve gotta face who you are, and who you’ve been.

I recently watched The Fire Inside (2024) and wow, what a powerful story. It is based on the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun..

It’s one of those rare films that leaves you in awe of human resilience. If you need a reminder of what’s possible when we refuse to give up, this is it. I highly recommend. It’s streaming now on Amazon Prime.

For the thriller lovers I had to include Drop (2025). This one had us on the edge of our seats from start to finish. Talk about engaging storytelling! If you’re in the mood for a fun, high-stakes popcorn thriller this weekend, queue it up.

If you’ve followed my art for a while, you know I am fascinated by the supernatural and I love a good spooky moment. Recently, I shared the photo above from out trailcam in my Instagram story and asked: bug or orb? That question sparked a wave of responses—videos, photos, and real-life stories from so many of you.

One of my favorite stories came from a follower who kindly gave me permission to share it. Here’s what she wrote:

“My mother-in-law went into the hospital with COVID when my son was 3 months old. They took her off of the ventilator just after 21 days, therefore passing away when my son was around 4 months old. It was her first and only grandbaby, that she wanted so badly. She was robbed of that experience—we all were.

But after that, we moved to an old farmhouse from the ’30s. Kind of a creepy place, but I loved that about it. It was 2 a.m. on what would have been my mother-in-law’s birthday, and my son was not sleeping well. I could hear him stirring on the baby monitor. I grabbed it, half asleep, and I see him in his crib kind of whining and rolling around, and I see this ball of light floating in front of his crib.

I thought for sure I was tripping, so I sat up on the edge of my bed to make sure I was awake, and I watched it float there, right in front of the crib—and then it disappeared, and he went right back to sleep.

I, of course, checked on him and the house.”

Chills. Keep the stories coming—I love hearing them.

I’ve had Morgan Wallen’s “I’m a Little Crazy” on repeat. I’ve always been a sucker for a good country song—maybe it’s in my roots, thanks to some Appalachian mountain ancestors. Maybe it’s because I spent years living in Nashville, the epicenter of country music, and working on Music Row.

Still this song hit me right in the heart.

My favorite lines are:
“I’m screamin’ at a TV that ain’t got ears
On anti-depressants and lukewarm beers
And I do it every night, but the news don’t change
Guess I’m a little crazy, but the world’s insane.”

This song reminded me that great songs (and art) reflect who you are… and that you’re not the only one who feels that way. Listen at the video above.

Creative Lesson: All Daisies Are Different.

Above is one of my favorite movie clips ever—a scene from Harold & Maude where Maude reminds Harold that even in a field of daisies, no two are exactly alike. It’s about being yourself, especially when you don’t feel all that special. I have been re-learning this lesson a lot lately.

The world constantly pushes us to fit in, to play it safe, to follow what “works.” But while writing my novel, I’ve been reminded how important it is to stay true to your voice—even when it feels vulnerable or scary. Being an author is totally new to me. I’m tempted to listen to all the videos and blogs about what I should do as a writer.

This novel, One Red Arrow, is very me. It’s weird and different, it doesn’t exactly color inside the lines, and that makes me nervous to share it. But I want to show up fully as myself in life and in my work. I never regret being honestly and wholly who I am (even if my book doesn’t end up being a best seller or my art isn’t popular).

If I had listened to the people who told me my alien and sci-fi art was too weird, this newsletter wouldn’t even exist.

So here’s your reminder: be yourself. Share the thing that only you can make. You’ve got something original and valuable to offer. Don’t let routine or the pressure to conform dull what makes you shine. It’s a little corny, but it’s true.

Here are some photos from life lately on our small Connecticut farm. Over the weekend, we rented a mini excavator to start working on the shed and new art studio we’re building. And let me just say—digging post holes with an excavator is way easier (and way more fun) than doing it by hand with a shovel and post hole digger.

Baby Brooks is somehow already nine months old (how did that happen?!) and standing on his own! The animals and plants are soaking up the sunshine, and everything’s feeling pretty alive out here.

Also, for those of you who know about my action figure and nostalgia collection, I snagged some new treasures: original X-Files Barbie dolls, Arkham Asylum Batman, glow-in-the-dark Xenomorph eggs, and some vintage gum and trading card packs.

More updates on the construction projects to come!

The mini excavator

I’m all about heavy machinery now

Hubs on the excavator, reppin’ Cult Class gear!

Our peonies are happy :)

Our goats - masters of chill

New treasures for my collection!

In case you missed it—my novel, One Red Arrow is officially done, and I received the first print proof in the mail! I’m overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude. I can’t wait to share this book (and the audiobook!) with you all.

More updates are coming soon, but… psst… the pre-sale link is live! I’m not officially promoting it yet, but if you’d like to be one of the first to pre-order, you can do that at the link below.