Get better soon.
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Thank you so much
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Really great to read through the thread.
I have few loose plans: looking into how to run some subscription boxes, start a YouTube channel with studio vlogs and taking part in more craft fairs. See how it will go. 
I would like to complete some picture books as well. 
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About craft fairs and being not what they used to be. I started out in 2008 and though I don’t do as many as I used to, I’d say they’re still a great outlet. Yes, I can still make a mistake when I’m trying out a new venue but there are some crackers here (In the Liverpool/Manchester/Preston triangle but not in the city centres) and once I get known, those repeat customers beat anything I ever do online.
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What have you got to lose? But I’d book a few as you as don’t always get in right when you’re new at it (or even when you’ve been doing them as long as I have!) and you can easily be put off by choosing one that doesn’t work. I find the more you get out there and be seen, the more people will remember you.
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I agree about craft fairs/markets, looking back, over 90% of my sales have been made ‘in person’ at events like this.
For my part, my plans for next year are to re-establish in a new area after a protracted and difficult house move - from Telford to Rhosgadfan, just outside Caernarfon. Due to the removals company throwing their hands in the air when they saw my lathe, I’ve had to pack my double garageful workshop into a storage container and then set it all up again after the move. The result is that I have not made anything new since June and have been to no fairs, missing the Christmas period completely.
I’m nearly at the stage where I can start making again and I’m looking forward to getting into the Welsh craft scene (any advice on events around north/mid Wales would be gratefully received, I’ve found one company that looks very promising - but eggs and baskets y’know?…)
To be honest, Folksy has been a bit of a damp squib for me sales wise, the issues for me are lack of advertising and videos, but I do love the very helpful sense of community here in the forums and the fact that Folksy is proudly British, so I’m currently in two minds about my Folksy future.
Happy and Prosperous New Year wishes to all!
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Ive not made any definite plans, but I do need to be more productive. Im currently making new work for an exhibition for March & April.
Im having a Folksy January Sale and will join in the February seconds weekend too.
Ive tried craft fairs and got very disheartened, they don’t really work for me. I always sell much more at exhibitions, but I think it is good to have a couple of in person events. Im going to apply for a couple of Print Fairs for later in the year and fingers crossed will be successful in one of them.
Im hoping Folksy will do something this year to promote Original Art. I really enjoyed seeing the curated Summer exhibitions they’ve done in previous years.
I really do need to promote more but I know I probably wont.
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Really good thread, so interesting to read what everyone’s plans are.
I mostly followed my plans for this past year and streamlined my product ranges, stopping making items that just didn’t sell. I’ll be taking this further in 2026 and concentrating on the likes of my Happy Scrappy range which has really popular items and allows me to indulge in lots of colour and minimal waste.
I didn’t do as many fairs/ in person events as I wanted so will be applying to a lot more in 2026. I’d be interested in what fairs you’d recommend Silvana @SilvanaJewellery as Liverpool/Manchester areas would work for me distance wise.
I’ve also got an opportunity to run some workshops starting in the Spring so need to spend some time planning those sessions and would like to put some kits together too.
I’d like to learn more about making videos/reels as I feel like I’m just winging it mostly! Also would like to dip my toes into the world of TikTok but that is highly likely not to happen!
Phew, it’s going to be a busy year!
Lou x
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I love that you have a ‘scrappy range’. I have 2 bags of end of balls and I’ve been wondering what to do with them. I’ve started a scrap blanket of small solid squares, and hoping to come up with some other ideas
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The 2 biggies that are well worth it for me (but I’ve been doing them for years so have regular customers) is the Stockton Heath Festival weekend in a big marquee in July, applications usually publicised now-ish, and EdgeHill University but that’s notified perhaps in September.
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Thank you Silvana. Both are close to me. Reading up on the Stockton Heath Festival and it sounds perfect. I’ll keep an eye out for applications opening.
Lou x
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Your art work is lovely and yes put your prices up as they are not prints.
Good luck 
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Hi 
My goal is one simple one … Bring more traffic to my shop.
Good luck to everyone for 2026. xx
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I am planning on concentrating on more on the type of fair/market I do this year. I did quite a few different markets last year with varying success but this year I think I will apply to mainly print fairs, and go a bit further afield too. And try to build up my online sales on Folksy of course!
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@teabreaks Hello, I’ve had a look at your paintings and they are lovely and definitely worth more than you’re asking. If you’ll allow me to give a little advice on selling I will say that I think your problem is finding your market. In my experience most people buy art that means something to them, not only because it’s lovely to look at. For instance where I live there are quite a few successful artists because it’s a tourist destination and the artists paint what the visitors have come to see. So the buyers are taking home a memento of their time here. If you were to paint specific places and market them towards the people who love those places I believe you could have more success.
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My plans for 2026 are many and varied and probably won’t be fulfilled 
But here there are nonetheless -
- I’m going to put more effort into social media and selling online
- I’m going to get my own website and expand the amount of 3rd party sites I sell on (recommendations welcome)
- I’m restructuring my work spaces, which basically means turning my large living room into my studio workspace and my second bedroom into a small living room. This is a lot of work, and quite daunting but I know it will be worthwhile.
- Once I have a better workspace I might teach classes, but I’m unsure about that just now.
- I’m going to do one craft fair per month from April until October and then one a week until Christmas.
- I’m expanding my wholesale range to include small hangings, greetings cards, magnets, stickers and pin badges
- I’m considering rebranding as my business name is the same as or too similar to a couple of others that I don’t want to be confused with. It’s requiring a lot of thought though and my old brain is resisting it!
- I’m determined to keep on top of my wholesale orders this year, no more missed sales due to low stock!
That’s plenty I think. I’ll come back here in a few months so see how much I’ve managed to do!
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Hi everyone,
This is such a great thread, I enjoyed reading everyone’s plans. I initially wanted to start by saying that I am giving up my plus account, but I don’t want to sound negative so I won’t get into it.
At the moment, I am working on restructuring my prices to keep things simple, especially for jewellery. I will also change the prices for paintings as well and offer small pieces at lower prices rather that large ones at higher prices. I will also create a sale album so I will add things on there regularly.
I have my own website, but I only use it as a portfolio so this year, I am planning to sell through my website too.
But one important thing is to start treating my business as a business and not a hobby which I am finding hard at the moment.
Many of you mentioned creating videos, so this is on my plan, too. I have been doing quite OK on that front in 2025 but they didn’t bring me more customers sadly. But it was a great learning curve so I am ready to create some more and share them with the world.
I will revisit this thread, for sure and see where I’ll be in a few months time. 
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Thank you @GlasshouseDesigns…I absolutely Hate painting specific places. All my work comes from my imagination and as I am 79 now, I just want to paint for the love of it. I have been selling now for over 60 years so I have tried all different styles and selling platforms …craft fairs,the E and E the dark side…I am very prolific and I appreciate that upping my prices might work but would mean me waiting for the right customer and as I usually paint 3 or 4 items a day, the work would be piling up, so it is better for me to be selling them at lower prices and move them out as quickly as possible.
I cannot slow down I would be SOOOOOO bored…I currently have 560 items in my shop…lol xx
I don’t have a problem as such as I have over 2300 sales on folksy and 3000 on the bay and when I left I think it was 1500 on the dark side…xx
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