I am writing this post in opposition to every other post I’ve read recently. I don’t consider myself a pesimist, but I feel like I can’t do anything as good as anyone else. The more I read about marketing through social media and successfully running an online store, the more I feel like I don’t have what it takes.
At the risk of looking incapable on my company blog allow me to pontificate. I have a website. I have an etsy site, as well as an indiepublic site. I am part of three etsy teams. Two of which I check in with. I signed on for Etsy’s bootcamp. I have a buddy. I belong to handmade spark. I have a blog, obviously. I don’t blog everyday, probably more like weekly. I am a member of independant fashion bloggers. I have a facebook and a fan page. I have donated pieces to charities and received promotion because of the effort. I have google analytics, but I rarely look at it…..the list may go on, but I can’t think of anything else off the top of my head.
I handmake 85% of the items I sell. I have brought on a few other girls to sew a few pieces each season. This project was designed to get me more stock without working through the night, and get the art of these girls more exposure. Each piece is all handmade, sometimes right down to the button, and one of a kind.
I find it is impossible to spend as much time at the computer as one would spend creating. Besides, the creating is more fun. It’s why I started this whole business.
It seems to me that I am starting to flood. So I am going to cut this off and ask, “Is there anyone out there like me?”
The only thing I know I do really well is make interesting scarves and hoods. I don’t know how to keep up with every other aspect. I am all over the place. Just when I designed a new banner for my Etsy Store everyone is talking about a banner for the holidays. Ahhhh! Just when I may have my shipping down, now we’re talking sales tax! I barely keep up with my blog how can I tweet?
I had a nightmare last night. I made my own Christmas stocking and it was really ornate. It was so beautiful because it was patchwork and embroidery- to the max. When it got close to Christmas it was filled with items before it was hung. This was when the dream started to get weird. Then when it was hung, it got put upside down. Everything started falling out. I couldn’t catch everything, prevent it from falling out, and put anything back in it. And I woke up in a cold sweat.
Thanks guys. I just had to get that out. Maybe things will be on the up from here. I don’t even have kids, pets, or live in the same town as my family. I don’t know how real women do it. God bless you all. You deserve a fabulous holiday season.
I was going to write a post about how people should make, or buy handmade, gifts this season. I guess I’ll save it for next week. That is, if I don’t drown in my to-do list.
Oh, wow. Sarah, this is such a great post. Thank you for taking the time to share just how incredibly impossible it is to ever keep up with all of the things we *should* be doing. The simple fact is that each day comes to us fresh with possibility and goes away from us filled with as much as we were meant to put into it. Take life at its own pace, keep focused on creating and enjoying the process, make a mental note of any mistakes you don’t really want to make again, breathe. Try not to be too hard on yourself. I certainly get it–we will have to repeat these words back and forth often! You are awesome. This post was so honest–thank you.
I am SO there with you! How can one person possibly do everything and do it with utter perfection? It’s impossible, yet we still try. As I was sewing dolls together today, my young son (who insists on playing RIGHT on my feet) exclaimed, “I can’t get my damn drill to work!” and he proceeded to cry. So much for setting a good example…..
I love this post, and it’s the first time I’ve visited your blog, thanks to Alex :o) I can totally sympathize with you. I don’t think I’m having nightmares because I take Tylonol PM just to make sure I stay asleep… Here I am…I etsy, I tweet, I blog, I website, I sell in 3 galleries, I make about every damn thing I sell (kidding, not damn. I love them, truly) It’s just hard sometimes, but especially hard right now… 3 craft shows in the next two weeks, we just moved houses and offices, AND I just found pot in my 14 year old’s backpack… where, oh where can I find the energy to deal with THIS? Please tell me it isn’t so… but I know it is, and I have to dredge up the energy and emotion to not want to whop him upside the head. Thank God I have a caring and committed husband. Thank God I have a helper to keep me going getting ready for the shows. Thank God I have the blessings I do have, for they give me the strength and energy to keep going, keep creating, keep smiling. Even when it’s tough to do just that…
xx to you, keep going, you won’t drown. I promise, just one day, one minute at a time.
x, Val
Thanks for the honest post. No one can do it all, all the time – the tweeting, the blog, the facebook, the teams, etc. Lord knows I try. The people who look like they do it all so gracefully and wonderfully and all the time, certainly cannot be. Otherwise they would never sleep or eat.
oh my goodness. Sarah–these awesome ladies who posted comments are all sellers at Hello Bluebird just like you. I am so grateful that they took the time to let you know that you are not alone. These three are all awesome, committed overachievers, too! Kuddos to all of you (us!) for the long hours and the short nights…This holiday season will be all of our reward!! 🙂