Hello Crafties! It's been some time since I've been active on YouTube and other social media and for those of you who like to keep up with my content consistently, I'm sure you're wondering why. There's been just a lot going on since December 2021 and by mid-February, I'd absolutely freaking had it so, I've taken some time off to clear my head and re-route... like everything.
It started with the usual frustrations of a small business owner... well in my case, it was just the general sense that maybe, just maybe, I suck at this whole crochet/knit business thing. For this reason or that I just don't bring in the sales I'd like to have (we're talking 4 orders a year lol). And while I'm always grateful to those who do support my content, I think that it's a normal desire for an entrepreneur to want to expand their brand. When I looked back on it, I'd been deeply in the red since I opened my Etsy shop on May 8th, 2020. And it wasn't something that I understood the "why's" of, ya know?
I was theoretically doing all the "right" things from market research and targeting, I started doing reels and all of that social media jazz, and of course I work around the clock on SEO... which the SEO thing seems to be working out pretty great now because I now get a few hundred hits in a week from Google now. Anyhoo, because I felt that I was lacking and because my university full on blindsided me, I decided to take the Spring '22 semester to focus on business courses such as marketing and management.
In December, some savory individual decided to relieve my grandmother and I of our A/C unit. I was only able to link the odd sound I'd heard a few days prior with the theft after I went out for photos in the back yard. I talked about it a bit toward the end of my Craft Corner Episode #4. To that end, I know it's just been the enemy trying to pick at me but I brushed it off and made new plans to now try and cover a $1200+ expense on my own. Missouri summers aren't kind and neither of us fair well in the heat so this became a high priority for me; and it seemed like things could get done by the end of April.
Once things had settled with that, in February this year, we had a snow storm at the beginning of the month. That wasn't so bad until we realized that the gutters were frozen over. How did we find that out, you ask? Water from the melting snow and ice started dripping into my craft studio along the wall where one of the drain spouts is located. This, paired with some old construction, caused the ceiling above my shipping station to because soggy and collapse later that evening. I was understandably irked by this point and I put out an announcement about a potentially month-long hiatus from uploads and shipping physical orders.
So that's what initially had me out of commission and you all were quite understanding of that! A few days later, after getting some stuff cleaned up, I was considering at least going over and recording some tutorials for the month but first I had to get some homework out of the way. That was completely derailed by the sudden passing of my mother on February 10th. I'd gotten up early that Thursday morning because I'd procrastinated on assignments the day before and I had a noon deadline to meet in my marketing class. By 7:45am, I'd snuggled up with my textbook and was ready to hunker down when I'd discovered a missed call from my stepdad 6 minute prior.
I didn't think much of it because he never called a lot and my mind just equated it to a butt dial and didn't call back. Boy... I wish it had been an accidental call. It wasn't until I smelled the coffee
at 8, that I made my way upstairs. I thought it was odd however that my grandma had left the kitchen so quickly so, I went to pester her as I normally do in the mornings. It was then that she broke the news and thus started the day. We had to travel out of town to settle affairs and make other arrangements; with the way my emotions work, it was a full 12 hours before reality set in and those first three days were rough.
My mother and I had an odd relationship for the entirety of my life but it'd probably been the best in the last three years or so. And I believe that I honored her as God said to honor our parents so, in that regard, I was at peace with her passing. It's just that I've always been a sucker for a sad story and sentimental values so for a while, the thoughts were swimming in my head about how she wouldn't see my brother turn 16 this year nor I at 25. She'd never see me graduate or my business take off or even meet my first boyfriend.
Logically, I know that these are worldly desires on my part. She new the Lord Jesus and is for sure resting in heaven. She'd fought with various ailments over my lifetime but, she was one who could be described as too fiesty to die... not in a bad way, she was just a tough cookie. Nevertheless, my family has shrunk in such an unexpected way.
And that is ultimately why I took such a long break.
I didn't really want to get on camera and explain any of this because...well obvious reasons. I also didn't want to have to unsuccessfully edit out ugly crying. At the end of the day, my family and I are doing well given the circumstances and we're doing even more to support one another. I think that's the beautiful thing right now because I've never had a close knit, traditional type of family and now it's becoming more that way.
So what's next here?
Well. I went ahead and finished out February in silence though I was itching to do things for the channel and the brand. But I realized that this was one of my coping mechanisms, rote mechanical operation that keeps one busy and moving. For better or for worse, that got me to totally clean the studio. Once I go onto summer hiatus (yes I'm disappearing in June), I have some big plans in store for the studio, God willing. I'll be covering these changes on Hey Craftepreneur!, my paid subscriber podcast because these shifts will be directly affecting production going forward. Hopefully, by the time I come back in July, I'll be able to knock the socks off my Youtube and other non-subscriber audiences.
I really want to just overhaul everything and come back at it with 110% of everything I've got. So let me reassure y'all, I'm not quitting anything here. I've got a lot of work to do beyond this period now in order to support my family going forward. I'm going to continue my YouTube career and college. I'm going to also continue pattern writing and designing (and art) because it's what I love to do. My mom really enjoyed seeing my designs and my grandmother is really proud of how I'm building my life. So with the Lord's continued help, I'm going to stay the path and realize the dreams that He placed in me.
I hope you'll stick around and see what all I have in store. Thanks for the continued support of me and Infiniti Crafting Co.
Until next time,
Happy Making
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