The Breath in Between: Why I Keep Showing Up for Tumbleweed Atelier
Tumbleweed Atelier isn’t just a side hustle. It’s not just a market stall. It’s not even just a creative practice. It’s the part of my life that lets me breathe in between all the other work I do — work that’s heavy, urgent, and close to the bone.
Suicide prevention is my crusade. But TWA is my breath in between. It’s the thing that feeds my soul.
Every item I sell has passed through my hands. Dyed, stitched, curated, pressed, and packed. Every product is a quiet act of care, a tiny declaration that slowness, playfulness, and beauty still matter. That handmade things still hold meaning.
Not everything on my stall is handmade — but everything is handpicked. Whether it’s stitched by me or sourced from faraway marketplaces, every item has been chosen with care and a clear sense of what belongs in the world of Tumbleweed Atelier. A world of whimsy, slowness, soul, and delight.
The magic doesn’t come from where something was made — it comes from how it’s chosen, how it’s paired, how it’s presented. From the quiet little stories each piece can carry.
Tumbleweed Atelier isn’t just a brand. It’s an expression of who I am — the parts that seek meaning, that love colour, that get giddy over texture and pattern and possibility. It’s my creative pulse, stitched together with care and curiosity.
Preparing for a market takes effort, but it's become part of my rhythm. Planning stock. Making new pieces. Printing signs. Tetris-packing the car so it all fits. Loading up in the dark, driving out while the streets are empty, and unfolding my little world in a 3x3 metre square. Then, I wait.
Sometimes markets are buzzing. Sometimes they’re not. Sometimes it’s hot or windy or someone nearby decides that what the moment really needs is a thumping early-2000s playlist. And sometimes, despite the slowness, the weather, and the sore back, I still find magic. A customer who sees the soul in something I’ve made. A child who lights up at the sight of a Lafufu and carries it home like treasure. A conversation about dye, or fabric, or creative practice that reminds me I’m not the only one who cares.
Even on the dead days, I show up. Because every quiet hour is still part of the build. Because every person who lingers, asks a question, or gently touches a piece of fabric is part of something I’m trying to grow.
Tumbleweed Atelier is not a hobby. It’s not a side project. It’s a living, breathing part of me. It carries my care, my curiosity, and my belief in doing things with intention. And while it might not be the loudest stall at the market, it’s mine. It matters. And I’ll keep showing up for it.
If you’ve ever stopped by, bought a piece, asked a question, or just shared a smile across the table — thank you. You’re part of what keeps this magic going.
That handmade things still hold meaning —
and that the magic is made not just in the making,
but in the showing up.
Thanks for being part of it.
Candy – Tumbleweed Atelier 🌾
