MY STORY
I have been fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mum.
However, after lockdown and home schooling, I wasn't in the best place mentally. I've always loved crafts, and it really is my happy place. So I brought a Cricut Plotter (didnt everyone in lock down). I made a few things for my daughter and with my daughter. I posted them on facebook, and friends commented then asked me to make them for them. They would pay me etc.
I was just happy to make them so I didn't charge for my cost's and time.
My friends and family were really the ones that told me I needed to start selling things. So that's where Cheska's Crafty Corner started. My daughter used to call her self Cheska when she was little, which is where the name came from.
I started with vinyl and quickly found I wanted to try more, so I looked in to other methods of professional printing, and it blew my mind.
My friends and family supported me, and have been really encouraging, This gave me the confidence to go for it!
Have I made mistakes... of course, however It was still my happy place.
I look back over my first year, and can see myself how far I have come. I take time to make sure the customers are happy before printing, even if it takes a while to get there.
I love the feed back I get from my customer, and it means so much that they are happy with their orders.
Even now I still say wow, as I open the press as it amazes me that little old me made it!
My Nan was my biggest supporter when I started, as nans do she would phone me often to ask what I was making etc.. She always liked to give me little ideas. However sadly she fell ill and passed away early 2022.
I'm not going to lie, I felt like giving up. Although deep down I knew she would be disappointed that I didn't push myself to make this a bigger little business, so here I am......
We had spoken about me getting my own website before she passed away, so I know she would be looking down smiling that I'm doing this. I put on my big girl pants, and pushed myself to get that website that I had spoken about to her.
When I first started, my daughter was at that age where she was a little embarrassed to say "My mum made it!"
That was until, all her friends would say "Where did you get that" or she had a party to go to and wanted a gift no-one else would give. She's now one of my biggest supporters, and tells everyone where she gets it even her teachers.
My drive is to be that role model and show my daughter that, despite not being the most confident in the world, if you put your mind to something and it really does make you happy - then you should go for it, like I Did!
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