So any one who has followed me for a while will have noticed a bit of a change in the landscape around here. The page is all floral, clean and a beautiful tidy place to be.
I'd hated my old blog design for a long time, I tried to play with the design but it was never want I completely envisioned. I can make pretty things with my hands but I always miss the mark when it comes to computer design. I know what I want but can't make it appear, it drives me mad.
My blog was starting to feel like the room in your house that you find the time to decorate, you just don't want to spend time there, or keep the lighting dim.
That's where Jen from Magic Feather Designs came in, we'd already met at a Cumbria Bloggers meet up and I'd seen lots of her fabulous designs appear on blogs. I booked her services and it was worth every penny to rejoice in my lovely blog, it still needs some extra work on my part but love it.
Being the doofus I am I didn't take a before screenshot, but hears a picture of my old signature just to show the difference.
The actual design process is very easy (well I wasn't doing it) as you get sent a questionnaire style document to run through, which covers all parts of your blog. Once that's done she came up with a rough design to work from, she was very patient with my ramblings of and I'd like flowers here and badges there and oh can we add this, and this, and do this....
And then poof it's all yours, done and wonderful and just want you wanted.
So if you're feeling like your blog is the shabby room in your life, I would hesitate to get Jen in for the job.
So you may(or may not) have noticed an absence of new posts since July. That's because in July I came to
the discussion to start a new business, it's something which has been kicking around in my head for some time, like those shiny balls in a pinball machine.
When I stated selling my craft items on-line under Maisielu I had no start up capital, and everything I needed to learn such as marketing, website sites, promotions etc... I had to figure out myself and with that learnt what works best for my sector. I was asked by my networking group at the start of the year to do a little talk on social media to the group, and was super nervous (as it was my first time public speaking) but got such a great response.
People really were interested in the way I put it across, although with the nerves I forgot to introduce myself(head slap) and implemented my hints and tips. The leader of the networking group suggested that this is what I should be doing as my business, and it was as if all the lights lit up on the pinball machine in my head, jackpot.
But were to start?
Well not by researching other social media companies that's for sure, they terrified me, and almost put me off starting at all. However I remembered what it was like first starting Maisielu and this blog, you automatically look at the famous and greatest crafters and bloggers, but they are several years down the line.
Don't compare yourself with someone who's further down the road when you may take a different path anyway, you need to take the slow road to learn what you need to know.
So in July I started Social-Elf. I choose the name with the saying "the elves will do it" in mind, as one of my services is providing social media on companies behalf. I thought it would take a long time to get clients and I'd have plenty of time to tinker with websites, logos, social media sites and the like.
I had a perfect client in mind as part of my business plan, a crafter like me starting from scratch, looking to develop their on-line presence, so far this is the client I've not managed to get. I picked up my first client in a week and since then it's snowballed, my client books are now full and I'm working on developing training courses to give to small businesses. I have not even created my website or worked on social media myself yet, so word of mouth really is the best form of advertising.
Maisielu has taken a bit of a back seat, which is a real shame as I love it too but I still work during the day at Monsoon and have a family to take care of, something has to give and that was the simplest. I have not picked up my crochet hook in months and feel totally depressed at the fact, but I have a week off soon and have promised myself time, for just me and the yarn and fabric. My mental health needs it.
I seemed to have missed putting so much on here, which has only been glimpsed through instagram photographs, and will put on backdated updates as this blog is for my children to read thorough at a later date and see their progress to, a diary of our family life.
Also I need to discuss the beautiful site I now write from, a wonder in blogging design, but more on the new amandauniquely branding soon.
So that's where I am, thanks for sticking around, no photos I'm afraid as I'm writing from a coffee shop waiting on a new client. This is my life now and I kinda love it.
