TLDR: Rematch Secret Santa Blows it Out of the Park to Deliver an Artist's Extravaganza, including multiple gifts, and a $250 gift card to Amazon so I can buy art supplies!

Hey there! My name is Kymba and I work for Blizzard Entertainment. I'm a gamer and creative soul at heart. I went from being a Blizzard Community Manager ("Vaeflare") for six years to an artist on the Blizzard Cinematics team, and have really been enjoying the opportunity to stretch my creative muscles on a more regular basis!

I spend a lot of my spare time either creating art or writing. I'm always on a search to improve myself and the breadth of creative stuff I'm crafting and sharing with others, and I love connecting with people online and sharing experiences! This year I hosted a Crafty Secret Santa and also participated in the Reddit Secret Santa for the first time! I enjoyed picking out some custom stuff for my giftees and also making them something crafty. :)

Unfortunately, I never heard from my own Reddit Secret Santa, but my Rematch Secret Santa got in contact with me right after we were paired (which I really appreciated), and has been absolutely on top of communication. They were extremely complimentary about my sculpting, and wanted to get me something I would use and enjoy! How cool is that?

Let me start by saying: it has been an absolutely crazy roller-coaster of a last year for me, and it was in part the death of a close artist friend of mine that prompted me to really sit down and reexamine my professional career in late 2014 and early 2015. In truth, I was content and I certainly enjoyed a lot of the work I was doing as a Community Manager for Blizzard, but I kept finding myself wondering if I was selling myself short by not even letting myself consider the possibility of a more creative career in the arts.

The thought was terrifying, and then after a time, it was inspiring. What could my life be like in another five or ten years if I let myself pursue the arts? Would I even be capable, qualified, or skilled enough to change careers and find success in something so different? Would I have to leave Blizzard to progress?

In the early half of 2015, I didn't talk about it, but behind the scenes, I gave it my all, and eventually landed the job I have now. :) As a direct result, I've had even more creative energy in the months since my transition, and have been loving trying to learn how I can improve my personal art, such as my sculpture, as well.

Along the way I have undoubtedly had incredible support from friends and family, but to have a complete stranger from a Reddit Secret Santa exchange reach out and show support was just...it was completely and utterly humbling. I didn't know what my Rematch Secret Santa might gift me, but their interest in learning more about what sort of tools I might need and such just really made me smile. Sculpture can be an absolutely grueling and often lonely past-time, and having someone, especially a complete stranger, reach out to offer to help the creative process...it just meant so much. It was like someone reaching through RedditGifts and going "I believe in you too! You can do it, and I want to help!"

So when my Rematch Santa said they were sending two packages, I was floored. But when I opened the first package I've received, it just got better and better... (The rest of the story continues on the descriptions of each photo.)

I want to thank my Rematch Santa from the bottom of my creative little heart. Thank you for your generosity, and for believing in me. Thank you for helping to give me the tools I need to soar. :)

I will update this post when the second package arrives, but I can't even imagine what else might be in store.

-Kymba

If you're curious, you can see some of my recent work on My Portfolio, Vaeflare Twitter, KleCrone Twitter, and My Website/Blog :)