February and Frazzled

January didn’t really happen the way I expected.

There was family time. Christmas back in Nelson with whānau, then Okains Bay with our best friends, where days are shaped by tides, shared meals, and kids who don’t care what day of the week it is.

And then… suddenly it was February.

No gentle return. No slow warm-up. Just straight back into the studio with wholesale orders waiting and kiln schedules already full. As well as usual home life and working 20 Hours in my other day job at Eldernet.

Straight back into it

When I opened the studio door after summer, it looked exactly as you’d expect.

Clay trimmings on the floor.
Tools left mid-thought.
Shelves half-full and already spoken for.

There was one full on “reset” day where I completely emptied the studio and cleaned it within an inch of its life. If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen my full on studio cleaning day!

Before the dust had settled, wholesale orders had landed, which I’m incredibly grateful for and alongside that, I’m already prepping stock for an upcoming two day Easter market.

It meant switching gears fast.

This is what small-batch making looks like sometimes. A bit scrappy. Very real. Slightly frazzled.

The feeling of being full (and stretched)

If I’m honest, February already feels full!

Full of making.
Full of deadlines.
Full of lists that keep rewriting themselves.                      

There’s that strange mix of gratitude and pressure that comes with wholesale — excitement that people want your work, paired with the responsibility of delivering it well and on time.  You can now find my work in Ōtautahi at HapaNZ, Swoon Store, Shopology, The Creatives Edit and soon in Nelson at The Little Beehive.

Some days I feel completely in flow. Other days I feel like I’m constantly one kiln firing behind where I’d like to be.

Both can be true.

No big goals — just momentum

I haven’t sat down and written out big, shiny goals for the year.

Right now, the focus is simpler:

• Keeping promises to my stockists
• Making enough for markets without overdoing it
• Protecting my energy, and my love for the work
• Letting this busy season be what it is…productive, imperfect, and a bit chaotic

If you’re feeling it too

If you’re reading this and feeling a bit behind, a bit rushed, or like the year started without waiting for you — you’re not alone.

February can be a funny month. Summer still lingers, but expectations ramp up fast. Life doesn’t always give us the neat reset we imagine.

For now, I’m leaning into being February-and-frazzled. With clay under my nails, kilns ticking over, and a studio that’s busy in the best possible way.

Thanks for being here, for supporting handmade, and for sticking around even when January quietly slipped past without an email.

More soon — once I’ve unloaded the kiln.

🤍