My Mid-Year Check-In: What I’ve Made, What I’ve Learned

I’m officially halfway through 2025—market season is in full swing, new collections are flowing through my sewing machine, and I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately.

At the beginning of the year, I chose the word “Create” to guide me. Not just to create products—but to create space for growth, momentum, and maybe even a little magic. And now, with six months behind me, I wanted to take a moment to look back, take stock, and see how far I’ve come.

What I’ve Made

This year so far has been packed with product development, market prep, and collection launches. Here’s a quick peek at some of the highlights:

• New Collections Released: 

  Petal Rush, Sweet & Wild, Say It With Flowers, Besties, and Farmhouse Picnic

  (Not all of these collections have made it to the website yet, but they’ve each launched at markets—and I’m working on getting them added to the online shop soon.)

• Products I’ve Added: 

  Dog bandanas, lip balm holders, puffy bow keychains, acrylic keychains, and button earrings

  All brand-new product types this year, each one adding something fresh and joyful to my market table.

• Restocks & Customer Favorites: 

  Wristlet keychains, headbands, scrunchies, hand creams, and button earrings have all been in regular rotation—especially for spring gifts, summer events, and just-because shopping.

  Of all the new things I’ve made this year, the earrings and acrylic keychains surprised me the most—in the best way. The earrings were so quick and fun to make I had to actually stop myself from going overboard. And the process of applying vinyl decals to the acrylic keychains, while a bit tedious, was incredibly satisfying. There’s just something magical about peeling back the backing sheet and seeing the finished design pop on that glossy surface.

I’ve also been working behind the scenes on candle production, experimenting with new scent ideas, and refining my booth setup to make each market feel fresh, organized, and fun.

What I’ve Learned

Running a handmade business solo means learning never stops. Some lessons are small, others shift your entire mindset. Here are a few that have stood out:

• Blogging has become a space for clarity. I committed to one blog post a month this year, and what I didn’t expect was how much I’d uncover about myself through writing. My story—the real one—started to take shape in ways I hadn’t seen before.

• Email is more powerful than I realized. I’ve shifted how I approach marketing, focusing more on my email list and finding better ways to stay consistent and intentional with how I show up.

• Creating consistently matters more than perfect timing. Not every collection launched on the date I imagined, and not every plan worked out. But I kept making. I kept showing up. And that momentum is something I’m really proud of.

• Joy matters. What I make is meant to bring happiness into someone else’s day—but I’ve learned this year that it brings joy into mine too. And that’s something worth holding onto.

Where I’m Headed

Looking ahead to the second half of the year, I’ve got more collections coming, more markets on the calendar, and more ideas than I probably have time for. But that’s part of the fun.

My goals now are simple:

• Keep showing up with heart

• Stay rooted in the joy of making

• Focus on meaningful connection—through products, through storytelling, and through every little package that leaves my studio

Every one of these products started as a little idea in my head—and now they’re part of someone’s day. That’s still the most magical part of this work for me. Looking back, I’ve created more than just products—I’ve built momentum, sparked new ideas, and reminded myself why I love this work in the first place.