Rise Up Designs

Yesterday was my first summer kickoff market of the season, and overall, it was a great day. The weather cooperated, customers stopped by, and I had the opportunity to share some of my favorite products with fellow book lovers and market shoppers. But one interaction stuck with me long after the market ended. A customer stopped by my booth and began asking questions. Lots of questions. How do you make these? Where do the materials come from? How much does it cost to make them? Do you make them yourself? Do you buy them premade and resell them? As creators, we pour so much time, energy, and creativity into what we do. It’s natural to feel protective of our work and wonder why someone is asking so many detailed questions. But as the conversation continued, I learned something important. She wasn’t trying to copy my business. She wasn’t looking for shortcuts. She was trying to raise money for her church and was looking for ideas and inspiration that could help support their ...

If you’ve been following along, you know weekends are usually filled with market prep, product planning, inventory checks, and getting ready for the next event. This weekend looked a little different. After a trip to Waco and a week of feeling under the weather, I found myself doing something I don’t do very often: slowing down. No major crafting projects. No late-night prep sessions. No marathon product-making weekends. Just rest. At first, I felt a little guilty. As a small business ownerl, there’s always something that could be done. A product to create. A display to improve. A social media post to schedule. The to-do list never really ends. But this week reminded me that sometimes rest is part of the work. When we’re constantly moving, creating, and hustling, it’s easy to forget that our energy is one of our most important resources. If we don’t take care of ourselves, eventually our creativity, motivation, and excitement begin to suffer too. My next summer market is com...

This weekend I participated in a smaller market at a local coffeehouse, and honestly? It ended up being a really good reminder that growth doesn’t always happen in the biggest spaces. Usually, I work larger markets with a full 10x10 setup. This time, I had to scale everything down into a much smaller 5x5 space. At first, I worried about how much I’d have to leave behind or whether it would still feel like me . But once everything came together, I realized something important: Sometimes limitations force creativity. The market itself is still growing, and this was only their second event. The first time I participated, it rained most of the day, so there wasn’t much traffic. This weekend was different. The turnout was smaller than some of the larger events I’ve done, but the conversations were meaningful, the atmosphere was relaxed, and it gave me the opportunity to really pay attention to how people interacted with my setup. One thing I consistently hear at markets is how cohesive ...

One of the things you get used to when you run a small business is feedback. It comes from everywhere — customers, friends, family, people at craft fairs, people who see something online. And honestly, most of the time it comes from a good place. People want to help. But if you’ve ever tested a product idea with different people, you know what usually happens. One person will say, “I love it!” Another person will say, “It’s nice, but I’d change this.” Someone else will say, “I like it… but I’d remove that.” And suddenly you’re sitting there thinking, Okay… so what exactly am I supposed to do with all of this? Feedback can be incredibly helpful, but it can also be a little exhausting if you let every opinion pull you in a different direction. What I’ve learned is this: feedback is information, not instruction. Just because someone suggests something doesn’t mean you have to implement it. But it does give you insight. It shows you how people see your work, what catches their at...

  One of the things I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is the experience behind a gift. For a while, my shop focused mainly on individual items — cups, wraps, and other pieces people could purchase on their own. And those are still a big part of what I do. But lately, I’ve been experimenting with something new. Instead of just selling a single item, I’ve been asking myself: How can I turn this into a whole experience for someone? Because the truth is, most of the time when people are buying something from a small shop, they’re buying it for someone else. It’s a birthday gift, a thoughtful surprise, a little something for a friend, or a “just because” moment. So this year I’ve been stretching a little creatively. One thing I’ve been testing is notebooks with custom designs, pairing them with matching glass cups to create a ready-to-gift bundle. Something that someone could pick up and immediately think, This is perfect. I’ve also been experimenting with a few other ideas:...

It’s  the Sunday after the first full week of the new year—and I’m feeling calm, grateful, and ready. Things have definitely slowed down since the holiday hustle, but I’ve been easing into the year in the best way possible. Orders are still coming in steadily (not at November/December pace, but still moving!), and I’ve already started rolling out new products for 2026. That alone feels like a little victory. This week wasn’t about fireworks—it was about the foundation: Reorganizing inventory Restocking essentials Making sure my printer, labels, envelopes, and supplies are all in check Getting my system back in rhythm after the whirlwind It’s not glamorous work, but it’s the kind of behind-the-scenes stuff that sets the tone for the months ahead. And I’ve realized: January isn’t about rushing. It’s about preparing. It’s a reminder that quiet momentum still counts. That checking off the small stuff matters. And that slow, steady steps often lead to the biggest growth. So h...

​ There’s something about a Sunday that just hits different. Maybe it’s the quiet, maybe it’s the coffee, or maybe it’s the chance to slow down and check in — not just with to-do lists, but with yourself. This Sippin’ Sunday, I’ve been thinking about how much we juggle, especially this time of year. Between the full-time job, the side biz hustle, family commitments, wrapping gifts, and wrapping orders (literally), it’s easy to keep pouring into everything except ourselves. But today, I sat in that reminder. ✨ Check on yourself. ✨ Give yourself some credit. ✨ And if you’re feeling drained, maybe that’s your cue to refill. And speaking of refreshing things — I’m so excited to share a sneak peek of my new 2026 UVDTF glass wrap designs! This photo is a little behind-the-scenes moment with me and some of the new wraps I’ll be dropping soon. They’re playful, vibrant, and full of the energy I want to carry into the new year: bold, joyful, and just a little extra (because why not?). Tha...

​ This past week, I sat in church on Christmas Eve with my family. Truth be told, I don’t usually talk about my faith publicly — not because it’s not important to me, but because it’s personal. But something the priest said really stayed with me, and it felt too powerful not to share. He said something like this: “We spend so much time picking out the perfect gifts for everyone we love… but what gift are we giving to Jesus on His birthday?” Whew. That flipped something in me. It wasn’t guilt. It wasn’t pressure. It was a deep, gentle nudge to pause and ask myself: What kind of human am I showing up as? Am I leading with patience? Am I being kind in the quiet moments? Am I giving my best energy to what actually matters — or just checking boxes on a to-do list? December Is a Lot Let’s be real: this season is full. If you’re like me, you’re juggling a full-time job, a side hustle, family events, shopping, shipping orders, wrapping, entertaining, and trying to be a whole human in t...