You may have noticed a few changes in the last 24 hours as I’ve been updating my blog look for 2012.
If you are viewing this post in a reader then allow me to give you a preview of my new look….
I hope you will all like the new look as much as I do 🙂
I have been needing to update my shop look & stock for ages, so I thought I would take this opportunity to also update the look of my blog. Hopefully it will give a very clear impression of the types of things I love & love to make upon first impression…
I will still be pottering away on it over the next wee while, adding things and streamlining everything, so watch this space!
My shop also now bears a new sleeker look going into 2012…
Hopefully a bit more of a general appeal look and a bit less kiddy focussed. Which comes from the fact that I am planning to change my product base up quite a lot and expand from just the children focussed market going forward.
In the off chance that you click on over to have a look at my new shop look then yes well, you may notice a small absence of stock at the moment!… That part is still a work in progress lol…
But the bones are at least now there 🙂
So why all the changes?
Well, I have been doing a lot of thinking over the last couple of months and as a result I have decided to regroup & redefine my goals for both my blog & business going forward.
There were a lot of good things about how I ran my blog & business in 2011, but there are also a lot of ways I know I can improve on them and reduce my work (aka stress load) more. Hopefully this will also increase both my enjoyment and profit margin along with that…
You know the saying – “work smarter not harder” and all that…
(Plus I need to afford to get to London for fat quarterly retreat somehow aye girls 😉 )
So here are a few of the changes I am planning to make:
** I am planning to do less one-off, personalised work on a weekly basis, and instead sew/make more of what I enjoy and sell those instead (facebook, website & markets).
– I still plan do do the larger run personalised jobs as usual, just not as many small one-offs that’s all.
** Over the next year I am also planning to move more into the boutique market scene and so far I have scheduled 7-8 market booths already with another 1-2 additional to that possible.
But… the major change (and probably the only one that you will notice) is…
** I would like to focus more this year on teaching and growing my sewing school. – I love taking my classes & writing tutorials and get so much satisfaction from helping others learn to craft!
– However; this is one area that has required some major changes to help everything happen for me as it needs to…
So, while I still plan to continue with doing regular free tutorials, I have decided that it is now time to start charging for some of my patterns too….
I’m sure you can appreciate that I invest a huge amount of time the writing of these, and it is with that consideration that I will now be listing a couple of patterns for sale going forward that have been previously available for free on my blog as tutorials.
I really hope you understand!
So, you may also notice a new icon over to the right of my blog…
That is the link to my very first pattern available for purchase.
This pattern is now available for instant download. As soon as payment is finalised you should receive a link with a unique download code to go and download your very detailed pattern.
The pattern has been upgraded considerably from the free tutorial. It now offers professional writing and the Flutter from.Kat professional brand look. It also now has much higher quality digitally drawn pattern pieces included!
On this note,
I have also taken down my free scrappy zipper pouch tutorial.
I plan to release this as a pattern in my shop very soon, only this time with the addition of 3-4 different size & style variations included along with the pattern instructions.
Don’t panic though, the rest of my free tutorials are safe!!
– Those are the only two I am planing to now redo as patterns in my shop.
And I hope that you’ll agree with me that the price tag offered is very fair. I would be interested to hear your feedback on that.
** I also have a huge amount of new stock scheduled to go live in the coming month. As well as plans for half a dozen never seen before Flutter from.Kat patterns to be available for purchase over the next couple of months.
So I’ll keep you posted as and when those all happen.
As for my blog, I would just like to assure you that there are no other major changes planned here. You may notice a few (relevant) paid display advertisements pop in the right hand column at some stage shortly, but with the exception of those I plan to continue here in the exactly the same tone, frequency and fashion as before. No real change there!
The only other thing to let you know that very temporarily (hopefully), as I implement all the above changes and continue with my regular workload and commitments, I may not be able to reply to your comments as I normally do.
Please know though that as always I really value you taking the time to comment and give me your feedback!
I hope to be back in full answering function as soon as I can!! 🙂
Look forward to hearing your thoughts
Love the new look! Great idea to sell more of your patterns. Jxo
Kat, everything looks fabulous! Very impressive indeed. And I think that you should make some money of your patterns. From experience I know that your patterns are some of the easiest to follow on the internet and I am always recommending them to people. I shall continue to do so – after all it is imperative that you are in London in June!!
Loving the new look! And I’ll buy patterns if it helps bring you to blighty!!! Can’t wait to meet you twinnie 🙂
Loving the new look! Somehow the new year brings a new focus, I’m in the same mindset 🙂 See you in June!
I love the new look of your blog– the old one was great, too– but the new photos across the top are just yummy. I am so amazed that you have two [beautiful] little ones at home and still manage to get so much accomplished!! [And you are able to transition out of Mommy-brain mode when you blog!] It sounds like you have really thought the business part through and have done what you need to do and I hope that it brings you greater financial success. Your plans sound great! I would love to purchase items from you, but right now we have to be very conservative financially. I’m very excited for you about going to about going to the summit in England– it will be so exciting for you to meet so many of the bloggers that were in the swap you hosted and that you have connected with thur blogging. Happy New Year, Kat!!
Good plan missus! Funnily enough I’m heading in a similar direction, although not got stalls booked yet, I need to do some stock building first! Like your new look too, that’s on my list for once I have stock, so I can overhaul my website and blog with the same look/header :o)
Love your new look! I’m trying to figure out a money-making scheme for June too 😉
looks great and good luck to you
You have come up with a lovely new look, and I look forward to seeing all your new patterns.
Also wanted to mention, in reference to one of your recent posts, that I want to do the linky for Nosey Parker in the neighborhood. I keep forgetting to bring my camera with me when I go out!! Better make a mental note to self.
Back again– visited your shop and your prices look very reasonable/competitive. Just wanted to give you some feedback.
You go girl!!!
It’s all so exciting, Kat! Great ideas and a new sleek look. Can’t wait to see where you go from here 🙂
Love the new look Kat! Sleek and modern . Perfect for the New Year.
Nice to see you’re growing your business. Good luck and I hope it’ll be a rip roaring success.