When I started my business it began as a blog. A teeny tiny little blog.
It wasn't much of anything really, just a few posts here and there about my work and my life. As my work and my life got busier so did my blog. My work became more interesting so my blog became more interesting and I started to find my groove. You could almost say that my business grew out of my blog - an organic process almost.
And I loved every second of it.
Until one day I didn't. I totally and utterly fell out of love with my blog. My business took over and my blog just became another chore in the never ending list of things to get done by the end of the week. And that's not what blogging is about is it?
So I took a break. A pretty long break. And to be honest I wasn't sure if I would ever properly blog again. Except that a day came when I had an email from one of my most favourite inspirations - April Bowles. An incredible blogger with no end of energy and amazingness. It made me reassess. How on earth had I let myself fall out of love with one of my very favourite things? Something that was good for me and good for my business and gave me the sense of community that only writing a blog can. How could I do that? What kind of idiot was I?!
So I got a cup of tea (obviously) and thought about it for a while. And a while more. And then I got scared. What if I've fallen so out of love with blogging that I can never do it again? And then I started writing. I started writing this. And as I'm writing this my brain is starting to hum, ideas are starting to pop into my head, blog posts are almost writing themselves somewhere in my mind palace, and I can feel it. I'm falling in love all over again.
That's the beauty of blogging - a post about one thing can so easily become about another. It can transform and be organic and inspire and make you fall in love with something you thought had disappeared forever.
You just have to find your spark.
Your little bit of the world that excites you. It can be so teeny tiny that you might almost not even notice it exists - like the frantic tapping of your keyboard and your ideas grow. Or realising that the email asking you to participate in a blog hop has actually just sparked the ignition of falling back in love with your blog. And that is quite exciting.
It's pretty lucky that April contacted me that day wouldn't you say?
~
And thank-flipping-goodness she's sticking around with some more awesome inspiration. Not just for me, but for you too. April's new workshop is all about blogging and getting your voice heard and finding your spark.
Learn how to write engaging headlines {you know, the kind that actually make you click}, take pretty pictures, develop a solid content strategy {bye bye writer's block}, monetize your blog {yes, actual money} and so much more in April Bowles Olin's workshop on creativeLIVE May 1st to May 3rd.
RSVP to watch it live for FREE. Because, free things are pretty awesome. (High-fives, wine samples at the grocery store, library books, birthday desserts at your fav restaurant, Pinterest. All pretty awesome.) On a tad more serious note, you've got to tune in for this course. It won't disappoint.
If you fancy having a look at some of the other blog hoppers then definitely take a little visit to Mayi Carles', Coral's, and Sage Grayson's blogs. And look out for Emily Thopson's blog tomorrow. Pretty inspirational stuff.
I am ridiculously excited to tell you that my very first proper and official wholesale catalogue is finished! There are 26 pages of Clara and Macy goodness - including some really rather fancy Christmas goodies.
I'm so so so pleased to have finished it!
It's only a digital version at the moment until I can get around to working on the printed versions - which judging by how long this has taken might be some time in 2022. Hmmm.
So grab a cuppa and have a browse. And if you are interested in stocking Clara & Macy products in your fine establishment (or know someone that might) please do get in touch for a pricelist.
You can email me at [email protected] or use the contact form above. Either way is good with me!
I really, really hope you like it. Please do let me know what you think (or if you spot any errors) - I'm ever so nervous about it.
But it's done and it's out there and I think that means maybe I can have a cup of tea now too.
About a month ago I had a phone call from Noths HQ to tell me some very exciting news...
My personalised doll kits were chosen as one of the three winners of their annual catalogue competition.
That means that not only will my doll kits feature in the 2013 Christmas catalogue and marketing campaign, I get all of that extra promotion for free! Usually commission is slightly increased for catalogue products but not for these kits! I am beyond excited - and completely terrified!
I am so in love with the doll kits. They have been a bit of a planning nightmare but I'm nearly there with them!
Boxes and boxes of materials have been arriving, and I just have the instructions to write before they can go live on the site. So exciting!
The packaging will be completely personalised, and the kits come with four hair colour options and four dress fabric options. So you really can make a little doll version of yourself!
Noths asked me to send down three full kits with finished dolls for the photo shoot. It was a long full nighter to make that little lot in time!
I cannot wait to see what they do with them and how they are featured in the catalogue.
Then a couple of weeks later I had another phonecall from Noths HQ. They also want to feature my bamboo stars in the catalogue! Woo hoo!
I am so so thrilled!
And completely scared about just how busy Christmas might be!
The stars will be available in various formats - large, small, family sets, and cards. They will all be personalisable and come with a choice of ribbons.
I have taken a huge scary leap by ordering thousands of the bamboo stars in an attempt to be prepared.
I thought that I had completely overestimated the amount I would need but then Noths said "hmmm... we're not sure that will be enough".
What?????!!!!!
I almost collapsed in a heap when I read that!
So, this is me. Two products in the Christmas catalogue, tons of stock arriving, and a huge panic surrounding my every thought!
I am simply over the moon especially as I'm only just into my second year of the business as it is now. But keep your fingers crossed I can get at least a couple of hours sleep before January!!
Today is a pretty special day. It's just an ordinary Thursday really, but for me it's special. A day that feels good. Feels right. And a day where I am right now feeling really quite proud of myself.
Today marks my one year anniversary since going live on Not On The High Street. And without knowing it at the time that day changed my life.
It started with this grumpy little lady. It was and is always about her. Clara. The grumpiest little character that seems to have captured so many hearts. I am truly, truly overwhelmed with how many of you adore her.
I never started this journey to make millions or even run my own business really. I wanted to show publishers that I had a character people could fall in love with. One with merchandise potential. I wanted to pitch a series of Clara and Macy picture books to them, and knowing how tough the industry is in today's market I knew it wouldn't be easy. So I thought if I could prove to them that the characters already had interest, that merchandise was already selling, then they might just take a chance on them.
But you know what, it kind of backfired. The business has taken off so well that I haven't even had time to finish the picture book proposals never mind contact publishers!
When I joined Noths a year ago I was terribly nervous. It felt like a huge leap. And a lot of money that I didn't really have. Tom and I sat down and talked about it, and decided that if I made my joining fee back after twelve months then it would be a success and a good decision.
Well, I have turned over 67 times that amount in the first year. I think I might be able to consider it a good decision!
When I went live on the 25th July 2012 I had no expectations of how much I might make or how much I would sell. And when I was invited to have my products featured in the Christmas catalogue six days later I had even less of an idea about how things might go.
I think it's safe to say that they went very well!
Being featured in both Christmas catalogues and numberous magazines led to this...
Throughout November and December last year this was a regular sight in our dining room. Stacks and stacks of boxes as the orders just kept pinging through. It was amazing. I couldn't believe it. And it's fair to say I was completely overwhelmed. I just hadn't expected it to take off in the way it did.
I seemed to hit milestone after milestone without really pausing for breath, and kept expecting it all to disappear from under my feet any minute. But it didn't. It stayed strong, and it grew.
In the new year I qualified for a Royal Mail business account, which felt like another huge step.
Another rather large step was being commissioned by several magazines to create projects for them including two cover projects for Crafty. And I even worked with Disney & Pixar on a super special promotional project for Monster's University (more about that soon!).
Spring brought new product launches and a packaging redesign. And I was filmed by printed.com for their customer campaign.
Then I was lucky enough to be featured in the Noths Spring catalogue too which was just brilliant.
The support from family, friends, and Noths has been amazing. It's a strange thing to say but I think I finally feel as though I belong somewhere. I've always been a bit of an outsider and haven't quite fit in anywhere as well as other people seemed to. But since joining Noths things have changed. I've found a group of people who are just like me and who are so generous with advice, help, support, and everything else you could imagine.
Running your own business is hard work, especially when you work alone with no one around to bounce ideas off or to help you get through the trickier days. But having this connection with other Noths sellers and creative folk across the web changes all that. Making some wonderful new friends has definitely been one of the more unexpected delights of this year.
Another very unexpected delight was winning one of the prestigious Make Awards. Little over nine months after I had joined Noths I won the award for Storefront Success 2013.
It was amazing. Like seriously amazing.
I didn't in any possible way expect to win, and still today it doesn't quite feel real.
I've launched several new product ranges over the past year, including the very popular bamboo hearts. When I launched them I thought they might sell well as people seemed very positive with their feedback, but crikey I didn't expect them to do quite so well!
They were a huge success for Father's Day and even without any extra promotion I ended up as busy as at Christmas. Now that really was unexpected!
I can feel my own style developing and growing in confidence as I design each product. I used to be quite nervous about doing things wrong (and I still am really) but now I just enjoy it so much. I love the whole process from designing to photographing the finished product. I don't love accounts so much, but hey who does?!
Recently I took the huge step of changing my business name. Out with the cupcakes and in with Macy. I have to admit that I was terrified about changing the name, which is silly really. But I had been putting it off for so long - despite Jo Fairley (founder of Green & Blacks who mentored me for a while) recommending that I do it asap last year.
It just felt like such a big thing to do. But you know what, it really wasn't. And I love it. I feel like I've gained a whole new level of confidence since changing the name.
I am so excited about what this next year will bring. The future is feeling very bright and I really can't wait to get started.
Lots of new products will be launching over the next few months as we head towards Christmas.
Again I have absolutely no idea what to expect this Christmas. It could be ten times as busy or I might not sell a thing. Who knows. It's not always super busy and that's scary too. As much as I need a break sometimes, we still need to eat. I think sometimes it's just a case of being brave and ploughing through.
It's hard work, and it's stressful, and I panic about it every day. But I also get to create every day, and make people happy, and inspire them, and do what I love. I think it's safe to say that joining Noths has changed my life. In a very good way.
I truly am so, so proud of what I have achieved since this day last year, and if I can do it so can any of you.
But you know what I'm most proud of...
Managing to actually do any of it with these two little monkeys around!
I'm so excited that my new baby range is now available. I've been picturing, designing, testing and working on these illustrations for ages.
Don't you think they would make a lovely "welcome to the world" gift for a special new little one? I hope so.
The personalised prints are available unframed or framed as a complete gift.
I'm so thrilled with the frames I've sourced too. They're made by a family run British company from solid FSC wood and the print is mounted in an acid free mount with safety styrene glazing. The glazing is ideal for use in a child's bedroom as it is much safer, but totally indistinguishable from glass.
I don't know about you but I think there is something really special about those teeny tiny baby clothes drying on a washing line. I remember the first time I hung Matilda's tiny clothes out, it felt so special, and then when I hung out Theo's even tinier clothes I was terrified of them getting germs!
The prints are printed onto beautiful creamy 190gsm FSC certified paper. It's a really luxurious paper, and the watercolour texture really highlights the charm of the original illustrations.
Don't you love the cross stitch style font?
And matching tags are available in this colour scheme too.
All of these newbies are available on notonthehighstreet.com and etsy. Ooh by the way my etsy shop and facebook page have now changed over to the new name.
And take a peek at the "welcoming new little ones" pinterest board I've created, which is full of gift ideas for celebrating new babies and a few helpful things too. What's your favourite new baby gift?
Today I turn thirty one. I love that. When I was younger I always thought my thirties would be the best time of my life. So far it's definitely true. It has been an amazing year. The past few years have certainly had their ups and downs, some of the downs were very difficult to bear but we made it through, and this year has certainly been a bit more even! It's been amazing really.
I can step back today and look at all I have achieved since turning thirty. I hadn't even joined notonthehighstreet.com this time last year, and that alone has changed my life. Our children are close to being five and three, with one in school already. I've been married for almost six years. How did this happen?!
So to celebrate this day of awesomeness I'm offering 30% off my entire product range. Both noths and etsy shops have got 30% off for today only. Use the code "hellothirtyone" on etsy and just buy as usual on noths.
The offer finishes at midnight so if you've had your eye on something for a while, today is the day!
Happy shopping!
P.S. How lovely are my presents? And how bizarre that they are so colour co-ordinated!
P.P.S. How unbelievably cute are the insides of my new Toms?
P.P.P.S. But even more adorable was this card from Matilda which totally made up for the card she made me last week...
Oh my dearest readers. I am so ever so sorry for disappearing for a while. I'm fine, we're all fine. I think I just got burnt out for a while with all of the Father's Day madness, kids, and the general work-life balance, and something had to give. Unfortunately that something was this something.
But I'm back. Refreshed and ready to get my blogging groove back. I think the break did me good. I was losing my confidence, focus, and finding my way with it all felt tricky. But now I feel ready to make the leap forward.
Thank you so much for sticking with me.
Anyone following me on facebook or twitter will know that I'm also in the process of changing my business name. Cupcakes for Clara is becoming Clara and Macy. Not much of a change really but dropping the Cupcakes part of the name is something I have needed to do for a while. You know, because I don't actually sell cupcakes!
So other than the name changing, the only other difference will be the proper introduction of little miss Macy, and a fancy pants new website. A few things have changed already, and others will be changing over the summer.
These are my new logos which you may have spotted around already. And these are the new links you need to keep with Clara and Macy...
Facebook is a little trickier to change, and etsy will be changing soon too.
Gosh, I've missed blogging so much. It's only now that I realised what a huge part of my business it is. I really love it. My blog will soon be changing over to the new name soon too, but as with big things like this it always takes more time than you think it will.
I'll be sure to keep you posted as to what changes when, but I really hope you'll follow me along with the new name.
P.S. I'll be doing a few posts over the next week to catch up up on some of the incredibly exciting things that have been going on around here lately. I can't wait to share!
Recently I have been thinking a lot about the future of my business. Wondering about the way forward and how to bring the plans I have for everything into existence. It's kind of scary to think about the big things, but really exciting too.
A lot of long time followers will know that one thing I have been trying to decide about for a long time is whether or not to change my business name. I've always gone back and forth and back and forth on whether to make a change and never really felt comfortable with the decision. But last weekend I did make a decision. One that I'm a little bit giddy about. It feels like the future has opened up, like the confidence I need to have in my business is getting stronger, and like the possiblities really are endless.
So the image above might give you a little clue as to the way I'm going to move forward with things. The name change will come with a fancy pants new website full of fun, downloads and my very own online shop. Nothing will change too much but I think this decision will make the business better, stronger, and with more room for growth.
I have been doodling logos and website layouts over the past couple of days. I haven't got any finished designs yet but I'm absolutely loving working towards them. It isn't going to happen overnight but if you receive an order one day and label says "claraandmacy.com" instead of "cupcakesforclara.com" well now you know why!
The Not On The High Street spring gift guide began landing on doormats and in mailboxes this morning.
I am thrilled that my chick and rabbit kits have been included in it. I had seen the photograph Noths took a couple of weeks ago, and I loved it, so was really excited to see the printed catalogue.
I got my preview copy on Tuesday and before it arrived my friend Gabrielle had said she thought I might squeal when I saw it. I wondered what she meant and nervously waited for my copy to pop through the letterbox.
The cover is beautiful, and the paper is all thick and luxurious. Was this what she meant I wondered? I opened it up and saw my kits right there on the first page. I did let out a happy little "ooh" but not quite a squeal. And then I turned to page 21...
And squealed! A big loud with a happy dance whilst I was at it kind of squeal.
I couldn't believe it. I still can't. And I'm so proud to see them there looking so adorable. I'm so thankful to Noths for showcasing them so beautifully.
I had really wanted to launch the new range of six (yes six!!) new kits in time for the catalogue, but sometimes when you have two little ones as well as a new business plans don't always work out. But they will be hitting the virtual shops next week for sure. Along with their fancy pants new packaging. So keep your eyes peeled, I think you're going to love them.
I'm so sorry for not being around lately here on the blog, things have been more than a little hectic. It's only now that the crazy Christmas orders have finished I've found a moment to sit down and write a post.
I would never have believed those short months ago when I joined Not On The High Street just what I was letting myself in for. People warned me that Christmas would be crazy. I'm not sure I really believed them. And then when my products went into both of their catalogues, people sent even more warnings of even more craziness. And still I wasn't really taking it in.
Well now I can say with absolute certainty... it was completely crazy!!
I honestly still can't believe it.
Orders went from a bag full a day to several bags full. Then mail sacks full.
Reaching the milestone of sending orders out in mail sacks felt amazing. I couldn't believe that so many people were buying Clara goodies.
Two mail sacks quickly became four mail sacks.
And then the order piles started to look like this, and I got a little bit scared!
For just over two months I was working until between 1am and 5.30am every night, and then getting up with the little ones in the morning for school or toddler classes.
Rather than putting kits together in batches of ten, we were making fifty or a hundred at a time.
The dining table was covered in work almost all of the time, and the dining room itself quickly looked like this...
I was spending hundreds of pounds in the post office every week, and getting to know the post office staff very well.
I feel incredibly lucky, and incredibly tired, and so very very glad that I joined Noths when I did. At the time it felt like a huge risk, but really it was the best decision I've ever made.
It seems that people might quite like Clara products. Especially when one weekend the order pile looked like this...
Craziness!
Since joining Not On The High Street five months ago, I've sent out 1150 orders. And 550 of those were in December.
There is absolutely no way I could have done all of this by myself mind you, a lot of people helped and supported me throughout the whole journey. I am very lucky to be surrounded by such lovely people.
My parents, brothers and sisters took kit components home to make, came round at all hours to pack orders, and were generally amazing. Thank you xx
Some old and new friends were incredibly supportive, especially in the middle of the night when energy and confidence was lacking. Gabrielle, Elise, and Sue were particularly amazing. Thank you xx
Our local post office staff who didn't need to be so kind every day when I took in several mail sacks which in all honesty they must have dreaded. Thank you xx
The really lovely staff at Not On The High Street who were very supportive, helpful, and always there with virtual tea and lion hugs. Thank you xx
Matilda and Theo were patient and understanding (most of the time) when Mummy couldn't play or join in all the time, or the ever increasing piles of work were in the way of your toys. You're both such sweethearts. Thank you xx
And Tom. My never ending support. You are incredible. I would never have been able to do it without you. Thank you so very very much xx
