BookSpines & Thread Is Going to Market!

Excited. Nervous. And Showing Up Anyway.

Okay, y’all… BookSpines & Thread is officially going to market!

On Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 11 AM–4 PM, BookSpines & Thread will be participating in Makers of Maryland’s MY SUNDAY MARKET at The Avenue at White Marsh. And I am SO excited. I’m also nervous. Like… really nervous. There’s something very different about creating things in the comfort of your own space, taking pictures of them, putting them on your website, and sharing them on social media. Then there’s packing everything up, setting up a table, standing behind your products and basically saying:

“Hi. I made this. Do you like it?”

Whew.

What If Nobody Likes My Stuff?

That little voice has definitely been talking.

What if people walk right past my booth?

What if nobody buys anything?

What if everyone else's setup looks better than mine?

What if I bring the wrong products?

And the big one…

What if I end up looking like a fool?

Part of me wants to say, “Girl, you still have time. Tuck your tail, stay home, and save yourself the embarrassment.”😂

But then I think about why I started BookSpines & Thread in the first place.

I didn't start because I knew exactly what I was doing.

I started because I loved the idea of creating things that brought together books, creativity, personality, and a little bit of joy. I started with an idea, learned as I went, made mistakes, changed directions, tried again, and slowly watched BookSpines & Thread become something real.

And maybe this market is simply the next step.

Maybe Success Isn't Selling Everything

Of course I want people to buy. I'm not going to pretend I don't!

I would LOVE to come home with empty bins, tired feet, and a big smile because y'all bought everything I brought. But I'm trying to remind myself that September 13th doesn't have to determine whether BookSpines & Thread is successful.

Maybe success that day looks like someone stopping at my booth and saying, “Oh my goodness, I love this!”

Maybe it's handing someone my business card. Maybe it's meeting another local maker.

Maybe it's someone discovering BookSpines & Thread for the very first time.

Maybe it's learning which products people pick up, which ones make them smile, and which ones they walk right past. And yes, maybe it's making some sales too. 😉

Every bit of that information helps me become better.

So… Am I Going to Tuck My Tail and Run?

Nope. Will I probably be nervous the morning of the market?

Absolutely.

Will I probably rearrange my table 47 times? Very likely.

Will I wonder whether I brought enough inventory, too much inventory, the right inventory, the wrong inventory, and somehow all four at the same time?

You already know.

But I'm going. Because I would rather stand behind my little booth nervous as all get-out than sit at home wondering what might have happened if I had been brave enough to show up. BookSpines & Thread deserves the opportunity.

And I think I owe it to myself to see where this little business can go.

Come See Me!

If you're in the Maryland area, I would absolutely love to see a familiar face.

MY SUNDAY MARKET Hosted by Makers of Maryland

📅 Sunday, September 13, 2026⏰ 11 AM–4 PM📍 The Avenue at White Marsh

I'll be bringing BookSpines & Thread goodies, including literary apparel, cozy reader favorites, mugs, totes, gifts, and a few things I've been working on especially for fall.

Come shop. Come browse. Come say hello.

And if you see me standing behind my booth looking slightly terrified, just smile and remind me: “You showed up.”

Because maybe that's what this next chapter of BookSpines & Thread is really about.

Not knowing exactly how the story is going to turn out…

but being brave enough to turn the page anyway.

Wear Your Words.

BookSpines & Thread