Welcome, October!

Here in Albuquerque, fall is in the air. With fall comes a variety of feelings for me -- as well as a physical reminder of the passage of time, and the end of summer.

Though summers are hot here in the desert, I love this time. My flower garden is in full swing, weekends are full with camping trips and farmers' markets, and hanging out on the patio with friends well into the evenings is commonplace.

When fall arrives, a sense of urgency appears for me. I feel compelled to wrap up yard projects and get the inside of the house cozy for winter.

And, for me, fall coincides with the beginning of the fourth quarter. In the world of small business, this is a make it or break it time of year, which brings its own share of anxiety.

I like to think that I'm slowly learning how to stay balanced, though. In years past, I stretched myself so thin by signing up for every local pop-up shop I could find. I took on custom orders, I personally delivered packages all over town, and I sacrificed my own well-being to make a sale.

Ya know what? This year, my promise to myself (and to you) is different. People over packages. My personal well-being over profit. This time of year is supposed to be JOYFUL and life-giving. It should be about community and supporting one another.

I hope you don't mind my saying that this upcoming holiday season is a critical time of year for so many small businesses like mine. This year, supply chain hiccups and shipping delays mean that it's all the more important to place orders early - both for your sake & for mine!

So, keep your eyes out for what's new very soon & please consider shopping small this year! 

All that said, I am prepared for the season this year -- I have SO MUCH GOOD STUFF heading your way so soon. I cannot wait to share everything I've been working on!! Let's just say I've been planning and prepping for these months since at least May :)

A few personal highlights of the past couple months:

• Went mushroom hunting in nearby mountains and came home with a massive haul of porcinis
• Celebrated my 2nd year anniversary of marriage to my husband
• Hiked the Grand Canyon, north rim to south rim, in one day with my dad, brother, and husband
• Canoed for 5 days on a river in southeastern Utah

And some biz-related recent highlights:

• I officially pivoted this business to focus on my own artwork! 
• You responded to this pivot with SUCH kindness & encouragement
• My limited edition bag collection was a hit!
• I've continued to develop new artwork, including art prints for the first time
• I'm not going to be scrambling to make things in time for Christmas this quarter - I planned way ahead, and I'm ready! 

PS - I really love doing these little blog posts as a round up of goings-on around here. It feels a bit like a scrapbook! I hope you like reading them, too?