How Drawing Dogs and Brewing Coffee Kept Me (Sort of) Sane in My Café Madness

A Caffeine-Fueled Creative Journey: How I Kept Drawing While Running a Café

Running a family-owned café can be a lot like running a marathon—except it’s more about coffee beans than running shoes, and there’s a much higher chance of spilled milk. From 7:30 AM when I picked up the bread, to the coffee machine being turned on at 8:00, I had about fifteen minutes before the staff started to turn in. It was a whirlwind of customers from 9 am until 5 pm with the never-ending rush of customers. But, tucked between the bustle, I found a little creative oasis.

You see, I’ve always loved drawing. From sketching on napkins as a kid to doodling on my iPad today, art has been my secret escape. But juggling a busy café schedule with my passion for drawing? That was the real challenge. So, I had to get creative.

My favourite part of the day was the quiet 15 minutes before the first staff member arrived. Where the real Sprocket and my lovely Collie dog Edison would sit next to me on the sofa and snuggle. It wasn’t the smell of fresh coffee brewing or dishing out the lovely food — it was the calm before the storm. In this brief but precious window, I could lose myself in the adventures of Sprocket, my ever-curious dog character who never seemed tired of chasing squirrels (or occasionally, a sausage roll).

With my iPad in hand, I’d sketch furiously. No time for detailed shading or fancy backgrounds, just pure unfiltered imagination. Sprocket might be climbing a mountain one day, and the next he is off in his campervan exploring the world. It was like hitting pause on my café life for a few moments of joy—and sometimes a little chaos (after all, it’s Sprocket’s world, and I’m just drawing it).

Even as the café grew busier, I never lost that 15-minute ritual. The rest of the world could wait. My digital pencil hovered across the screen as Sprocket’s adventures unfolded, and I’d emerge just in time to put the coffee machine to good use and I'd feel a lot happier with the world. They never knew about Sprocket’s latest escapade, but I did. And honestly, it was the highlight of my day.

So yes, running a café is hard work. But with a little creativity, a trusty iPad, and a dog with a big imagination, you’d be surprised how much art you can create in the middle of a whirlwind.

Here's to the quiet moments, the caffeine, and the joy of a good drawing—and of course, Sprocket, the dog who saved my life.