It’s hard to believe we are already waking up to beautiful September mornings! Before the summer glow fades, I thought a summer wrap up was in order. Previously, my son went to a tiny private school - and their school year ended (gulp) June 3rd. At the time I was panicking - a full month with no childcare, a busy show schedule, and a to do list a mile long…. and somehow it passed in the blink of an eye!
When I reflect back on the summer, truthfully it’s with a lot of mixed emotions. Business wise, it’s been harder than ever before…. sales have been down, yet the bills keep coming in. It’s difficult to prepare for Fall and Holiday with so little money coming in. It’s a sentiment I’ve been hearing across the board from the small business community - and with the closing of so many small businesses, it has me considering what my plans will be if this continues. This spring and summer, the shows we travelled to saved us! If you shopped with us at the store, online, or elsewhere - please know how incredibly grateful I am for your support.
We started out the summer by venturing all the way to Chevy Chase, MD and then next to South Salem, NY for back to back Fine Day Fairs. I’m always in awe of the incredible small businesses at these events - it’s inspiring! I even had a *very* famous actress’s kids shop in my booth! (My first brush with fame! LOL). TBH, I don’t know much about her, but her children were absolutely lovely. Friendly, well-mannered, and with that twinkle in their eyes that kids get from being allowed to be authentically themself. After South Salem, we did a few dates at our favorite weekly open market, SoWa! We won the lottery with beautiful weather and wonderful customers. Setting up a mini-shop under a tent in a parking lot in the middle of Boston can be HOT (IYKYK) - so we were truly lucky! Next we dipped down to the Cape and hit up the Falmouth Street Fair, which is always fun and even managed to jump in the ocean after a long hot workday! Finally we rounded out the season with our first trip to the Yarmouth Clam Festival in Maine! I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this small town festival, but to say I was charmed would be an understatement. From the parade on Friday night to the bike race on Sunday morning, the live music, and the generations of attendees wearing their Clam Festival shirts from decades past - I really loved the small town vibes and hope I get to go back next year! I also had my second brush with fame (look at me go!) - Ashley from Maine Cabin Masters followed me on Instagram and I can only determine that she must have stopped by the booth during one of my bathroom runs! 🤣 (If you’re reading this Ashley, hi, you’re my first celebrity follower!)
Personally, I think that having a rough summer business-wise has given me a little bit more perspective about the life I live, and the people I get to share it with. I’ve been really trying to savor the little things that make me happy - being out in the yard with my family at dusk, the fresh air early in the morning as I’m on my way to the gym, driving with all the windows down and the music loud with Max, the feeling of lush grass under my bare feet as I walk to the garden followed by my little shadow (Gus), floating in the Monomoy sound with my son, hand fulls of garden raspberries, family time in Maine, combing the beach where I spent my childhood summers with our dog, road trips, discovering the perfect lobster roll, drinking the perfect iced coffee, weekend getaways, crafting massive summer flower bouquets from my (slightly wild) garden, spending time with my family and more. I have a lot to be stressed about, but I also have so much to be grateful for. 
As summer winds down for you, if it’s been stressful or hard, I hope you’re able find comfort in some of the little things in life that add a twinkle of magic to your days.
We’ll soon be enveloped in the hustle and bustle of fall - so let’s enjoy these last summery moments while they’re still fresh! If you want to check out more photos from our summer - check out our Summer Wrap Up (in photos) on Instagram!
