Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
The last market is over and I am sitting here in a moment of rest, which feel kind of unreal to be honest. There are still things to do, and new adventures await, and it is hard for me right now to let got.
But this season has come to an end.
And what a season it was! Ups and downs... great markets, lovely people but also stress and devastation. I have been vending at 12 events this year, and to be completely honest with you, it has been a lot.
And while I do enjoy seeing you all face to face, talk to you and show you all the treasures I have created for you, I feel a bit exhausted. There was no real time for creativity or for learning new skills. I guess that's the price that comes with a business that mainly focuses on handmade goods.
People always ask: "Do you have an online shop?" Well, it's complicated. You see that there are a few things available, but they are only a fraction of what I usually have available at markets.
Why is this so? Because it takes time and energy to run both a storefront and a market booth. Listing items, photographing, writing text, managing the backend and marketing is a lot to manage additionally. And I want to be honest with you: I get lost online.
I mean, you, my core-crew, know where to find me, but it's almost impossible without a huge marketing budget to get found organically. I was looking at maybe outsource my social media to an agency, but the brutal truth is, I simply can not afford to pay several hundreds for maybe a few online-orders.
And another truth: I find it more and more difficult to sell products online. While people seem to love to buy ebooks and courses who promise you to get quick rich or shady AI slop or drop-shipped products boosted by fake pity-marketing, it's hard to simply and honest sell. Without pressure, without fomo, without weird promises. But that's not me, that's not Wonderlust.
Wonderlust is honest. I want you to genuinely enjoy what you get, and not feeling guilty about your purchase. And every time I hand something to one of you at my booth, and i see your smiles and your genuine excitement, I am happy. But it feels almost impossible to translate what works so well offline into the online world.
Yes, there are other vendors at the markets who sell jewelry. So that shouldn't be my issue. my designs are unique and I stand behind my products.
So I still do not know in what direction I want to go. I would love a regular online-income to maybe be able to do a few less markets and have more time for creative work. But I don't know how to make this happen at the moment.
What I do know will happen in 2026:
- I will move my workshop in the first quarter of 2026
- 2 markets are already confirmed, more to come (watch this space or my Instagram)
- I do have a photography event to honor my studio one last time
Anyways... after all, I just want to say thank you. I am incredibly grateful to have a community filled with so many amazing people. Thank you for coming together for me when I needed you the most. Thank you for not only saving Wonderlust but also for showing me how important Wonderlust is for us all.
See you next year!