This year cracked everything open.
For the first time in over a decade, I found myself without a store to open, a team to lead, or a clear roadmap for what came next. After 11 years of running Often Wander as a retail-first business, I made the decision to close our brick-and-mortar locations and shift fully to ecommerce.
It was a decision I didn’t take lightly. It’s one that came with grief, fear, and a pretty messy pile of unknowns. I let go of things I built with so much love. I let go of parts of myself. I kept a few people, had to part ways with others, and carried around a heavy guilt through it all. I’ve never been in a more unstable financial place with this business — and that’s hard to say out loud. But it’s the truth.
For a while, I felt lost. Who am I without the stores? Without the schedule, the customers popping in, the buzz of shop life, the constant momentum?
But in the quiet, something unexpected happened: my creative voice got louder.
This past January, I went to the Tucson Gem Show alone — something I haven’t done in years. Usually I bring employees, have a plan, shop for what I “should” be making for retail. But this time, I didn’t do any of that. I showed up raw. A little unsure. Totally overwhelmed.
And then I listened to my gut.
I found myself drawn to new vendors, new textures, and new colors. I bought beads I never would’ve picked before. And when I came home, I did something I hadn’t done in forever: I made things without a sales floor in mind.
I organized my studio — which now, for the first time, has everything in one place. No more three-location shuffle. Just me, my materials, my instincts, and a deep need to make something with my hands.
This is how the Summer Jewelry Collection was born.
Not from trend reports or wholesale deadlines. But from sitting in the mess of it all and letting joy lead me back to myself.
And while I’m proud of what’s here, there’s so much more I wanted to make. So many pieces still living in sketches, half-finished strands, or just waiting to be strung. I had to launch with what I had, because time doesn't always move with creativity — but the spark is still burning. And more is coming.
This collection is full of color. It’s full of contrast. It’s made to layer and stack and wear in a way that feels like you. It’s loud in all the best ways. It’s beachy and bold and maybe a little nostalgic for a life I haven’t quite lived yet — the one with a tiny studio by the sea, selling shells and good vibes in the form of pretty things.
So that’s where we are now. Often Wander is still here. It just looks different. It’s quieter in some ways, louder in others. It’s more personal. More nimble. And honestly? A little closer to the reason I started this business in the first place.
Thanks for sticking around while I figure it all out. I hope this new collection brings you the kind of joy it’s bringing me.
With love, and more to come,
Sarah