I've been very quiet as life has changed quite a bit since my last post and it's been very emotional too. For the last 6 years I have been running two businesses, one a bricks and mortar pet store and the other my stitch marker business. The pet business did very well but if I'm entirely honest my I fell out of love with it. Although I had been in the pet trade for almost 20 years I found myself not quite as interested in new products as I did thinking about my craft business.
After last Christmas it all got very stressful and I realised that for my own health and sanity I needed to only run one business and I had to choose. I chose stitch markers and had to tell an awful lot of very faithful pet store customers that from August 31st it would be no more.
It was a very difficult 6 weeks telling people every day why you had decided to do something. I had no idea if I was making the right choice either and I had built up a store that was part of the local pet community and suddenly I was taking it away from them. Most had no idea about the stitch marker business so were utterly bemused as they thought of me as just the crazy cat and pet food lady. Some days it was more traumatic than emotional after lots of explaining!
But my lovely customers were amazing as pet owners are and very supportive of my choice. I had flowers and cards on that last day which meant so much to me as I cried from 9am till we closed the door for the last time.
So the store went from looking like the above photos to these below. It only took 2 weeks to clear through the stock and remove everything and take it home.
My old pet/ craft workspace...see all the markers hanging from their board above my PC...what a mess it looks now!
Maumau moved too!
Empty
How fast you can change your life around when you put your mind to it. At first I missed it so much but some days it's like it never happened.
The hardest part was leaving Mr Thomas. Where the store was on a small industrial estate there was a colony of feral cats that were fed and looked after. Mr Tom who was King cat of the colony decided to adopt us and move in when he wasn't out fighting or seeing the ladies. We had to warn customers not to touch him as he was feral and not very nice but we looked after him and there were long discussions with several friends and customers about the right thing to do with him when we left. Was it fair to neuter and leave him, he's still a feral cat and doesn't like being shut in so rehoming wasn't an option. We didn't think he would fit in with our 15 cats at home and would upset their colony. Rehoming to stable or outbuilding...would he still wander as he has a very big patch even neutered? In the end we had no option but to leave him there knowing he would be fed and an eye kept on him, but it was still hard letting him go.
On one of the last days he jumped in the car determined to come with me and I wish he could have, grumpy old thing he is. I know he's OK as I've had reports.
So my new storage cupboard full of crafty goodness.
That cat again enjoying her new window view. Lovely Maumau is still the office cat just in a new place. The introduction to the other 14 is a very slow progress.
My new desk space with this actual post up on the screen!
So it's been a very emotional few months and I can finally feel myself letting go of all the stresses and I'm much happier now and excited to have time to devote to one business fully. I also have time for projects for me
Long scarf wip, pattern on Ravelry soon.
Cat face garland hanging above my desk. I saw one for sale online somewhere and spent 2 whole days looking for it. Couldn't find it again...(maybe I dreamt it) so I made one.
Dog walks in the middle of the day
and you get to work in your slippers and stare at cats staring at you!
Suddenly all seems good with the world and I wish I had made the decision earlier!
