A reset and an updated ever-evolving vision
I write this with a sense of renewed energy and clarity after an extended Easter break. This year, the challenges of daily life began to really weigh heavily on me, impacting my sense of balance and well-being. A partner in and out of hospital, a relative going into a nursing home and a fairly intense work period to start the year. A reset was not just beneficial, but truly necessary for my overall state of mind.
I come back from a cabin overlooking the hills near Barrington tops with new ideas, sun kissed skin, sketches in the notepad and a slightly clearer vision on what the rest of this year will hold.
Here’s the breakdown of what’s been happening!
Leaving Bluebird Collective was a tough choice. However, after looking at the numbers, it was clear that expanding into retail in this instance was not sustainable. My recent busyness made things harder; when I was selling stock, I didn't have time to make more. Considering the current sales and market conditions, it was no longer practical to keep going. Moving on will let me focus on updating my website when it works for me and choosing markets that fit my customers. I will be wrapping up my time there on the 7th May, please visit the store if you have your eye on something!
My application for the Make it Big market at the Gosford Regional Gallery on May 25th has been accepted, and I'm excited to share that the event is fully booked for vendors! I am preparing my table for this event. This week, I'm making a unique jewelry stand and a beautiful natural edge vessel for worry rocks. In the coming weeks, I will focus on completing more bowls to provide a varied selection of products on the day. I'm looking forward to showcasing my wooden creations and engaging with the community at this hopefully lively inaugural market.
We recently welcomed the talented Frankie, also known as Spoon Gal, to Ourlittleshed and our ever-growing “shed friends” category on the website. Frankie hails from the picturesque northern rivers region and specializes in creating stunning, heirloom-quality spoons, elegant bangles, and a variety of hand-carved goodies that reflect her artistic flair and commitment to craftsmanship! See here!
Next in line to join the Ourlittleshed family and the offerings of our shed friends is the talented Damien Brand, better known in the crafting world as the remarkably generous human behind Little Warrior Shields. His hand-crafted creations, which include beautifully designed bowls, functional bottle openers, and unique jewellery pieces, all emphasize the use of recycled materials, particularly skateboards. These delightful items are set to make their debut on our website next week, and we couldn't be more excited to showcase his work. I hope we can be successful and continue to add value to Little Warrior Shields work and well being.
Conversations with my brand partners continue to flow freely and productively, and there have been many instances in this line of work where I have had the opportunity to accept partnerships with brands that may or may not suit my personal values and the ethos of my business completely. However, this is certainly not the case with my brand partners and friends, Pops Shed and Orange Tung Company. In my dealings with the owners directly, I have discovered that we share a deep set of common beliefs and values. We actively pay it forward, we are committed family men, and we take pride in being good people who genuinely stand by our products and the services we provide. Therefore, I have absolutely no hesitation in using their high-quality products and services or recommending them to others, and as a result, our partnerships are able to flourish naturally and authentically. Jim from Pops Shed has recently started stocking some incredibly rare Wenge and is bringing in more exotic timbers into the range with a vision to expand further, Tommy from Orange Tung continues to work behind the scenes supplying me with such a versatile and user friendly finish and improve their network across Australia under the highly esteemed Howards Products brand. Visit them here Pops Shed or Orange Tung
To all of my friends reading this, See you at the market on the 25th! I look forward to talking to you all directly.
All the best
Nathan
