Christmas Round Up! 🎄

Well well well, this year’s run up to Christmas has been a bit of a rollercoaster…. Four Christmas Markets, one 10 hour trip to the hospital, and 143 painted baubles later ….

So I think Fin would agree that I have taken on too much this Christmas as a one man band small business - baring in mind I have a full time job. I am obviously chuffed that people have trusted me with their Christmas commissions and those who have ordered baubles from me, whether from my painted collection or a custom one. However, next year I will definitely need to manage my expectations a bit better.

My fav wee bauble… how cute is this wee one

Last month I was doing too much (aka lots of sitting at my day job and lots of sitting painting when I got home), which aggravated my sciatica, so much so I hospitalised myself lol. Lesson learnt, however the show must go on, there are presents to be painted after all! I learnt to lie down and paint, managing to paint 85 pre-painted baubles for markets… which I didn’t sell all of but we live and we learn.

My “I shall paint lying down” set up

My first year of Christmas markets came with a lot of lessons. Firstly, you are not always going to be at a market that has the right clientele for your products or price range. Secondly, you can reduce your prices for certain things at markets due to the difference in cost per unit, which may help shift some products due to a more reasonable price point. I did really love my set up at the markets, I thought that turned out very cute, with my new editions of a logo runner, card payments plaque and the jewellery holders for the baubles!

My final Christmas market set up

I am looking forward to my break at Christmas and to spend some time with family, however for now I have 4 commissions still to paint in time for Santa coming so I must dash! ;)