06/14/2026
💜 An Important Announcement About Cauldron Simmer Co. 💜
I’ve had a lot of people ask questions about us closing shop in September when I’ve mentioned I was considering it, so I thought I’d answer them here.
✨ “Why are you closing?”
The short answer? Because I can’t keep doing it the way I’ve been doing it.
The longer answer is that running a small handmade business in today’s economy has become incredibly difficult.
✨ “But your products are so popular!”
Thank you. Seriously. Hearing that means more than you know.
The problem isn’t that people don’t like my products. The problem is that the cost of making them continues to rise while people, understandably, are spending less.
The herbs cost more.
The jars cost more.
The packaging costs more.
The shipping costs more.
The supplies cost more.
Everything costs more.
At the same time, people are tightening their budgets because they’re feeling the effects of the economy too.
✨ “Can’t you just raise your prices?”
I could.
But then I’d price many of my customers out.
Most people don’t see the hours that go into handmade products. They see a simmer pot, a bath soak, a candle, or a sticker.
What they don’t see is the sourcing, measuring, blending, packaging, labeling, designing, ordering supplies, inventory tracking, social media marketing, event preparation, setup, teardown, and all the behind-the-scenes work.
Sometimes something that takes hours to create sells for only a few dollars more than the cost to make it.
At some point you have to ask yourself if your time is worth something too.
✨ “What about markets?”
Markets have become increasingly difficult.
Market fees have gone up.
Gas prices have gone up.
Travel costs have gone up.
I’ve driven long distances, paid vendor fees, spent days preparing inventory, loaded and unloaded my vehicle, sat at events for hours…
…and sometimes barely covered my expenses.
Some markets are wonderful.
Some aren’t.
But after enough bad markets, you start questioning whether it’s sustainable.
✨ “Are you giving up?”
No.
I’m choosing myself.
There is a difference.
For a long time I’ve pushed through exhaustion because I loved this business.
I’ve stayed up late making products.
I’ve spent weekends preparing for events.
I’ve worried about inventory, sales, expenses, and whether I’d make enough to justify the next event.
The truth is that I’m tired.
Not “I need a nap” tired.
Soul tired.
Burnout is real, and I have reached a point where I need to listen to what my mind and body have been telling me for a long time.
✨ “Are you sad about it?”
Absolutely.
Cauldron Simmer Co. has been part of my life for years.
It’s introduced me to amazing customers, fellow vendors, friends, and opportunities I never would have experienced otherwise.
I’ve watched people support my little witchy dream from the very beginning.
That isn’t something I’ll ever forget.
✨ “What’s next?”
Honestly?
I don’t know.
And for the first time in a long time, I’m okay with that.
Right now I’m choosing rest.
I’m choosing less stress.
I’m choosing to reclaim my weekends, my evenings, and my creativity.
Maybe one day that creativity will become something new.
Maybe it won’t.
But I know that what I need right now is a chance to breathe.
✨ “Can we still support you?”
Yes.
Cauldron Simmer Co. will remain open through September, and I plan to spend these final months celebrating everything we’ve built together.
If you’ve ever purchased from me, shared a post, visited my booth, recommended my business, liked a photo, or simply cheered me on from afar…
Thank you.
Every order mattered.
Every conversation mattered.
Every bit of support mattered.
This isn’t the ending I imagined when I started this journey, but it’s the right ending for this chapter.
And while I’m closing the doors to Cauldron Simmer Co., I’ll always be grateful for the magic we created together.
With love,
🖤 Tam
