17/11/2025
Done and dusted - two stationery markets back to back, 3,000+ miles apart. This marks my 3rd market of the year & honestly, it’s way over the “quota” I tell myself I can handle. After every single market or pop-up, I always say, “Okay, this is the last one. I’m not doing this again.” And yet… somehow I still find myself showing up.
The preparation alone is a marathon - the packing, the logistics, the planning, the last-minute scrambling. But if I’m honest, the hardest part isn’t the physical work. It’s the mental & emotional stretch of putting myself out there again & again. The social anxiety is real, and I know many designers & artists feel the same. Creating is one thing... showing up publicly with your heart on display is another level altogether.
But there’s something about the vibe, the atmosphere, the unspoken warmth that I can’t quite capture in words. It’s the way the community shows up - the kindness, the encouragement, the genuine support that wraps around you like a quiet hug. The ‘strangers’ that bring gifts & food to fuel & cheer you on (u know who u are & from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU). The smiles, the conversations, the connections that remind me why I started creating in the first place. Every time I stand behind a booth, tired but grateful, I’m reminded that this journey isnt just about selling art. It’s about the people who beliv in handmade, who appreciate heart work, who see us - really see us. So even tho I tell myself “last one”… the truth is, it’s the community that pulls me back, fills me up, and makes all the exhaustion worth it.
Thank you for being the reason I keep showing up. ❤️
