Hi Everyone!!
It's been a hot moment since I updated the blog... but let me get through everything first in the recent few weeks...

Firstly, thank you for visiting me at Yume Art Mart's debut market! I admit I was pretty nervous as I was put in the very front right at the entrance, but the organiser Mia and volunteers made it a very cosy and well organised event. The whole day ran smoothly and for some of you who may have never attended an art market, you were well surprised at the energy and how the general vibes were. While it was a busy day, we all got plenty of breaks and rest throughout, so it was just the right amount of hustle and chill. Congratulations on Yume Art Mart and a great pat on the back! I look forward to the next Yume Art Mart ^^

Re: Scarves
I don't want to leave you all hanging, but in the past 2-3 months, I've been quite unwell on and off. We've had a sick family member on rotation for these few months, and when I am sick, I'm usually either just functioning, or barely here. I could sit down and then my mind will blank out and I just can't do anything. I'm usually not like this, but this virus has been really hitting us hard. In between normal every day tasks (which I am thankful a bulk of them I don't need to do as I am very lucky to have someone help me clear them), I'm still caring for a baby of less than one year of age, as well as a child of primary school age. I also need to handle Mochi La Vie single handedly.

I want to make it clear that this year, my priorities have shifted somewhat due to family responsibilities, and also due to a change in my approach to popping up in person. Each event I do takes up a lot of time for me - I can't say 100% it's worth it haha, BUT in person events are very important to me as I am that kind of person to give and return. I want my events to run well, so in return, if you have a great event and I am tabling at that event, I will give my 110% to do my best because by offering an amazing experience at a pop up for my customers/ your attendees, the event overall will be much more successful. At least this is the way I approach things. So yes, in person pop ups are taking up a lot of my preparation time. ALSO, the nature of events I am now appearing at are at a much larger and crazier scale than I have ever previously thought. The largest art event I previously attended, I felt like I "just had enough" stock despite ramping up my stock levels. After I changed my pop ups in 2023, it changed to "I was never prepared enough for this". Thus, most of my time and energy now is switched to preparing for these large scale events.

On the note about scarves, I know each and every year some of you look forward to this. I still have materials. I still have my skills (they don't disappear, they stay with me). However due to having an extra child and needing every moment I can to prepare, I don't really have the time or energy (especially being hit with illness again- it's been three times since the beginning of 2024, with each bout of illness lasting at least 3 weeks) to sit down and make scarves as they are a very large scale item compared to the rest of my offerings. Making scarves is a dedicated 2-3 week project. I don't want you to get the wrong idea and believe that I just need to sit down and make them. Oh dear no, I really need to source the lining, get things right, mix and match and I only make things when I am well and truly well, energetic and think, yes! This is the perfect scarf, perfect mix and it can't get better than this.

As you can appreciate, I don't really have 2-3 weeks on hand right now, as I need to prepare for 2 very large scale back to back events in June. I also have a very large event in July which I have not announced. However - I will not say scarves are not possible/ on offer... they have been postponed. If I manage to get time in the next 2 months, they will appear! However please note, the pricing will be very different to previously, as I need to account for the time and actual material costs (which silk is not meant to be cheap... a full sized kimono is several hundred dollars and scarves are about... 1/5 of a kimono? If that is a good comparison as to how much material is being used). Medley/ patchwork is also labour/ time consuming. Scarves are due for a price adjustment and I want you all to be ready for this, because they take a lot more time and effort than you'd expect. I thank you for your patience and understanding!!

Mochi La Vie goes... interstate!

Heya QLD! I'm coming for ya!

Statistically (which surprises me), the biggest number of orders going out aside from NSW is orders to QLD!
I wasn't expecting to go interstate so early, and I would have sworn Melbourne would have been first, but the opportunity to go to Brisbane came up first - and so here I am!

I'll see you at Kaicon in June! Tickets are now available, please visit the Kaicon website/ socials and follow the links. I'll be catching a plane so I might not have my full range, but I have like 6 weeks to sort this out and I'll try my best! ALSO if you're not, please follow me on Instagram @mochilavie. I update my stories quite frequently, and once I am ready with a catalogue and all, I will open reservations for pick up at Kaicon Brisbane. What this means is that your pick up order is guaranteed as I set it aside! Especially for popular or items that are limited in stock, you won't miss out. It also helps me when you place a pick up order, as I will make more items if they are in demand so I get my stock levels right. No prepayment required, pay upon pick up ;)

On that note about Melbourne, I'm currently waiting for the right opportunity to come along... but I'd like to do Kaicon first to see how well I can handle travelling.

That's it for today, it's a long post. I hope this post provides more clarity and what's going on. I know my website updates have been quiet and well... things are slow. However they are for a reason and it's for progress, I'm not going backwards, I promise!