Fun Stuff !
I like to think of myself as a “jack of all trades and master of… some!” There is nothing I love more than learning, experimenting, and diving into new ideas, which means I’ve picked up a wide collection of hobbies and passion projects along the way.
This “Fun Stuff” page is where all my experimental, imperfect, just-for-the-joy-of-it creations get to live. They may not be portfolio-polished, but they’ve brought me so much happiness. So, please, go ahead and explore this little corner of creative chaos!
The Pickles Post
Sep, 2026
While I do love eating pickles, this personalized daily newspaper is actually named after my childhood family nickname: “Nikki Pickles,” AKA “Pickles,” AKA “Pix.” A project from @karenxcheng inspired me to vibe code my own curated, highly-specific, daily newspaper centered around my life, interests, hometown, and good things happening in the world. I connected it to my Scwaps of Sunshine app (see the Creative Technology projects page), so every morning at 6:00 AM, I receive a brand-new edition of the paper. Each edition includes sections like seasonal fun facts, “On This Day” photos from years past, upcoming due dates, schedule changes, CNN 10 global updates, the weather, reviews of the previous day’s NYT Mini Games, and plenty of other fun, personalized content.
Handmade Mixed Media Animation
Dec, 2024
What a fun project this was! I’m a huge fan of traditional, hand-drawn animation, and I’ve always wanted to bring my art and stories into a more dynamic 2D medium. I tried going digital, but software gets expensive, the learning curves get steep, and I just wanted to make. A “Making of Coraline” documentary reminded me that I could create something beautiful, meaningful, and genuinely fun with the tools already on my desk. So I grabbed my supplies, sketched a quick storyboard, fired up my printer, and got to work. Here’s what I have so far - more coming soon!
Archery
Since age… 8ish?
When I was 12, I had to make the tough choice between joining a Junior National Archery team or to joining the 12-1s team at my volleyball club. I ended up pursuing volleyball (which I suppose worked out in the end), but that didn't stop my dad and I from setting up a mini archery range in our yard (see top image). I still love archery and love our reputation as the "crazy hobby house" when the neighbors see us practicing through the fence.
My Graduation Cake (woohoo!)
May, 2023
I interpret any celebration as an excuse to make a new bake! For my high school graduation, I treated my family and friends to this delicious hummingbird cake (a Jamaican banana cake - no actual birds involved, I promise) topped with vanilla cream cheese buttercream and dried pineapple “flowers.” As with most things in my life, the Great British Bake Off was a major source of inspiration. Up next… college grad cake!
Clone Trooper Helmet
December, 2011
When a young, diehard Star Wars fan can't find a satisfactory Clone Trooper costume… she just has to make one! This became my most-worn Halloween costume by far, centered around a custom-built Clone Trooper helmet that my dad and I designed and constructed together. The helmet was built from a kid’s bike helmet base, high-quality cardboard for structure, tinted plexiglass for the visor, and finished with acrylic and spray paint. I’ve never felt cooler than I did on those trick-or-treating nights!
Ted in the Ocean Painting
Spring, 2025
We found several old paint-by-number kits at my house and I couldn't let any fun, pastel, acryllics go to waste! This is a painting of my dog Teddy (aka Ted aka Scrappy Jenkins) playing in the ocean near home. It is created entirely with paint-by-numbers supplies that were repurposed for this new project!
Holiday iPhone Cases
Every month!
How do I kick off each month? With a brand-new themed phone case design, of course. It started as a tiny creative indulgence and somehow turned into one of my favorite personal traditions. With a student-athlete schedule that rarely leaves room for “just-for-fun” projects, this little ritual has become my built-in excuse to pause, unwind, and make something that exists for no reason other than it makes me smile.
Poetry + Creative Writing
Spring, 2025
My family still laughs about the fact that I won the "Excellence in English Literature" award in high school, despite my very STEM-focused path. But, truly, there is nothing I love more than reading and writing. My whole life I planned to be a author and engineer simultaneously, and I still do my best to uphold that goal and write whenever inspiration hits!
1 -Hour Paint
August, 2025
When the DUVB preseason team bonding was a paint-and-sip (sip meaning sodas with our coaches), the competetive athlete in me wanted to push myself to still create a painting worthy of my dorm wall. This painting of the cliffs near my home in Southern California was created on an un-primed canvas with cheap Michaels-brand paint in about an hour… and I love it all the same! Most of my time during this team bonding was spent sharing my "expertise" and helping teammates with their pieces, but in my leftover time I was able to create this nice rendition of home.
Wawona Valley Doodles
Dec, 2023
Every Christmas, the one thing I ask for is a mini family hiking trip! In 2023 we took a road trip up to Wawona Valley, CA (right near Yosemite National Park). It was THE BEST time - lots of nature, hiking, incredible views, coziness, and art. Here are a couple doodles from trip!
Garden Paint
July, 2026
This is a fun gouache piece I created of our garden and shed for my mom's birthday. I wanted to keep the style very loose, natural, and colorful to mimic the joyful energy of our front yard.
