💌 A Bittygram = little notes packed with big love.
💌 Take what you need.

🌟What is Bittygrams and how and why did it start?

A Bittygram is a mini(Bitty) message on Insta(Gram) that's meant to bring you cheer/encouragement/smiles. It's kind of like a fortune cookie, but digital and way more intentional. I also add miniature clipart to accompany my note. Bittygrams vary from silly, sassy, to contemplative and meaningful. I curate a message that means something to me in the moment, and I hope it will mean something to someone else out there too.

—I don't know if you've ever heard of the very old way of sending messages to people called Telegram (not be confused with the modern day app)? In the 1850's you would visit an office of a Telegraph company (Western Union) to compose a message. That message was then conveyed by electric wire in Morse code to its destined office where it would be written or typed, stuck to a form and hand delivered, usually by a boy on a bicycle. The message that was hand delivered was called a Telegram. We've come a long way, haven't we?
Fun fact: Bittygrams is paying homage to that old school way of transmitting messages.

🌟How did it start?

It started by accident! I saw a meme on Instagram about Bob Ross. (I'll post it on my feed tomorrow so you can see the origins) and it was just so wholesome and pure, but the meme was also pixelated and cluttered and I felt that a lot of the message of Bob Ross was missed in the mix of a poorly done meme. So... I decided to remake the meme on Adobe just for personal use. It took me about 20 minutes to make several images. So fast. So simple. When I posted them on my personal page, something just clicked. This. This was it. And to confirm what I felt in my heart, my friends really connected/encouraged me to continue. A day later a new account was born! 😂

More on why (it started) further down...

🌟Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hmm. I'm married. I have a dog-hter 🐶 named Penny. I live a peaceful life Huntsville Alabama, but I'm originally from Puerto Rico/NYC.

🌟How do you think your art reflects the time we live in now?

I wouldn't necessarily say I make art. I suppose you could look at it that way. Because we are so fast paced and consume information in quick bits I think what I create resonates with our time and culture. My goal is that in one of your habitual Instagram check-ins that you would find something to lighten your heart or make you smile. I want to make social media meaningful so that you can walk away with something. I fear being lost in the useless consumption of noise online.

🌟Do you do your art to uplift others or help them in any sort of way?

Yes! I went to a major mental health reset in April of 2019. A part of my mental health and recovery process is finding something purposeful to connect my mind and heart to. This helps my mood and outlook. I hope that by creating something that means something to me it may help other people's moods as well! We are all in this together. I'm so grateful for.
mutual support and encouragement. So it's a positive outlet for me to put my energy into for mental wellness as well as producing something that may help others too! 😍

🌟Your art is very inspirational. Why do you think people can relate with it?

This reminds that sometimes I post a Bittygram message that's a line from pop culture or a meme! When I do I think people can recognize it and instantly feel at home/familiar. Other times I post something inspirational (my definition of inspirational is anything that I personally need to hear to feel uplifted) and the depth of it can really resonate hopefully.

🌟Can you connect to your own art?

Yes! I wouldn't post anything that I can't connect with. That would feel forced and inauthentic. And I think people can sense that and be turned off. I would!

 🌟Why are your designs simplistic?

I have several reasons why:
1. Time. It takes me minutes sometimes to whip out an idea because I have a template and a brand look already in place. I keep it simple.
2. Meaningful messages don't need a lot of fancy trim work to be propped up with. Does this make sense? Lol
3. I want to create a brand that's instantly recognizable. So if you see a Bittygram while thumbing your newsfeed you know it's me and can stop and interact. It's like me waving, hiiii!! Come say hiiiiii! 🖐🏽
4. Lastly, and in total honestly, the simple and duplicatable style really helps my OCD. This is one of the first times where I've created something that hasn't left me paralyzed. I can just rest in the simplicity. The simplicity takes the pressure off and alleviates my OCD and perfectionism. I hope that makes sense!

🌟 How do you find inspiration in your own life and how can other people do the same?

One of my favorite pieces of advice is, "Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and kind." There's so much negativity, corruption, and suffering in the world. It's easy to feel the weight of it if we stare at it for too long—feeling powerless and defeated. I don't know about you, but that's not good for my mental health. Instead I try to actively engage in an exercise of finding the good around me. When I find something good, I want to showcase that to those around me. Like a beggar finding bread—"Here it is, come look! Come away from the noise and negativity and have a slice of something delicious with me."

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Gawh, thank you for these questions. I feel so touched that you reached out to me for this. You asked some really great questions! I feel so valued that you took the time to want to hear and get to know me. Let me know if I need to clarify or if there's anything else I can share/explain. Thank you! Thank you!