After two very big weekends at Witch School in Melbourne and Handmade Canberra, I am craving rest.
Markets have become a huge part of who I am as an artist and business owner. I love meeting people. I love the conversations. I love watching people’s faces as they walk past my stall and discover a painting, print or little piece of whimsy that catches their eye.
And because everything I create comes from such an intuitive place, there are times when I wonder whether it resonates beyond my studio walls. Social media can be a noisy place, and it can be difficult to tell whether a painting is truly connecting with people or simply disappearing in a doom scroll.
That’s one of the reasons markets are so valuable to me. It’s not just the conversations, the connections and the chance to meet wonderful people. Markets are also a reminder that intuition matters. They help me see that the work I’m creating is finding its people.
Looking back, the only times my art hasn’t felt aligned have been when I wasn’t creating from that intuitive place. When I tried to create trends rather than following my curiosity.
So while I absolutely love being at markets, after two weekends in a row, I was very happy to retreat back into my little studio. The rainy weather this week certainly helped. It gave me the perfect excuse to hibernate, rejuvenate and quietly dream about what comes next.
The day after a market is usually dedicated to practical things: unpacking the car, updating stock levels, sorting paperwork, balancing cash flow and catching up on all the little bits of admin that accumulate while I’m away, clearing out the 100+ emails in my inbox. Nothing too demanding.
The following day, however, was officially designated as a rest day. Unfortunately, it turns out I’m not very good at resting.
I gave myself permission to sit on the couch, binge a television series, read my books and do absolutely nothing productive. Instead, I found myself watching television while planning the next six months of Lillibean Designs.
In fairness, very little actual planning happened. But giving myself permission to sit still was progress.
What did emerge from all that “resting” was a clearer sense of direction. Sometimes I feel as though I’m running around reinventing the wheel over and over again. Perhaps that’s always been part of my creative process, but I don’t think it serves me anymore. Reinventing the wheel may well be one of the things holding me back.
So now I’m trying to focus on building on what already works, creating from intuition, and moving forward with a little more intention.
Thank You
If you visited either market, thank you.
Thank you for stopping by. Thank you for the conversations. Thank you for your support. Thank you for embracing my newest paintings and collections with such enthusiasm.
As promised, I’ve now listed the new hand-painted notebooks and colouring sheets in the shop, although some designs are already running low until I can make more.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that I can never accurately predict what will sell at a market.
Every time I think I know, I’m proven wrong.
These two markets were no exception.
While the new collections were beautifully received, I didn’t sell out of them as I imagined I might. Instead, the surprise bestseller across both weekends was my A5 lined journals.
At Witch School, prints were incredibly popular, along with the wish kits. At Handmade Canberra, bookmarks, witches and sprites flew out the door. And always, whatever was popular on the Saturday will be shunned on the Sunday. 😉
The Best Part
Beyond the sales, there were so many beautiful moments.
People shared stories about their own creativity. Parents proudly showed me their children’s artwork. Others talked about dreams they’d tucked away or projects they hoped to start one day.
I love those conversations.
When you share your creations or creative dreams are often my favourite part of any market.
Every conversation and every connection means the world to me. Thank you for trusting me with your stories and for sharing little pieces of yourselves.
As an introvert, markets can be both energising and exhausting.
Hundreds of conversations in a weekend can leave me completely depleted. Yet somehow those same conversations fill me with inspiration. I leave with notebooks full of ideas, new painting concepts, product possibilities and creative tangents I never would have discovered without meeting you.
What’s Next?
First, more rest. Or at least my version of rest.
I’ll be applying for the September Handmade Market and crossing my fingers for another opportunity to return.
The hand-painted notebooks, colouring pages and new prints are now available online, including prints of If Only She Were Braver.
I’m also trying to corral the ever-growing list of ideas racing around my head into something that feels achievable. There are always more ideas than hours, but this year I’m determined to create in a way that leaves space for joy rather than exhaustion.
There may even be a workshop or two in the future. I’m still exploring what that could look like and how I might best share creativity, whimsy and inspiration with you.
And then there’s the Oracle deck.
After talking with so many of you over the past two weekends, I am more convinced than ever that this project needs to exist in the world and I need to prioritise it for both me and for those eagerly awaiting it.
I cannot wait to share it with you.
From My Whimsy World to Yours
If you came by the stall, stopped for a chat, shared a story, bought a painting, or simply smiled as you walked past, thank you.
Six months away from markets while I recovered from burnout was a scary decision. There were moments when I wondered whether stepping away would mean losing momentum or losing connection.
Instead, it reminded me why I do this in the first place.
Your support, encouragement and kindness have meant more than I can properly express.
So from this slightly tired, deeply grateful artist in her rainy little studio, thank you for being here.
From my whimsy world to yours.
Let’s stay connected
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