2024 in Review
Need to start with a huge appreciation shout out to all my customers; people who gave my makes their forever home or bought them as gifts for others. A heart felt Thank you!
It was a great 3 months leading up to Christmas! It appears that everyone who was tightening their belts during the spring and summer, let it out a notch at Christmas! Or, I started making what people wanted…. Hmm, that’s a thought and why these outpouring reflections are so helpful.
What went well;
My wooden robins were such a success this year and the woodstock that I used leant themselves to them, both in size and colour. Light wood doesnt work as robins are brown and red , but the apple and rowan wood from neighbours retired trees a few years back was the perfect colour and ticked the local/salvaged/up cycled/reused environmental boxes. Home seasoning both trees meant my makes have a low environmental impact. It seemed to resonate with purchasers that I could tell them the name of the wood used as well as where the tree grew!
My collaboration with New Hall Wines has also served us both well. Using their retired vines to make upcycled bottle stoppers as a optional addition to a English bottle of wine for tasting room attendees in Maldon. Whether the stoppers are or the purchaser themselves or passed on as a gift, they have been well received.
I booked in 10 events around Christmas festivities and was very busy, almost too busy! So,was it the ‘being out there factor’ that helped? Maybe, but I also chose more local to me events and found markers markets rather than fairs were more likely to be attended by ‘my people’ who were looking for bespoke, handcrafted, individual and unusual pieces to trade for their well-earned coin. Lovely to see some old friends, especially returning customers, and good to meet new customers and make new contacts.
What I’ll do differently;
Whilst I love making bowls and seem to make every variety there is.( message me if there’s one I haven’t made and as long as its ‘essentially round’ – I’ll likely give it a go!) Unfortunately, bowls don’t seem to sell. Maybe it’s because unlike a china /glass bowl they tend to bounce better and/or because they don’t wear out. Either way, I plan to make less bowls in 2025 ( although I’ve made 4 already!!)
Instead, I propose to make more animals as once you give a piece of wood a face it seems to become endearing ( Hmm, maybe I should consider putting faces on bowls… )
Colour will continue to play its part , but the natural colouring of wood sometimes/most times is best left be!
Accuracy and precision, again has its place in boxes and production turns, but my preferred way remains and always will be ‘to let the wood lead the way’
Hope to see you at a markers market sometime soon and the website is always open.
Thanks you for reading to the end of my 2024 reflections and hope to make you your perfect jackimundymakes in 2025