And then it didn't work anymore...

If you've been following me for a while, you know that besides being an illustrator, I also have a chronic illness. I have very limited energy and can only "work" for about three hours a day. While I started my Etsy shop three years ago and was happy with 10 orders a week, it's grown enormously in recent years. It's fantastic, and I wouldn't have it any other way, but it was time for adjustments. To be honest, it wasn't working anymore...

I was only busy packing orders and couldn't do anything else. I was constantly exhausted and couldn't even paint anymore! And then there comes a moment when you break down. Somehow I saw it coming, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I was proud of what I'd accomplished and didn't want to admit that I'd gotten myself into trouble. Because that's how it felt to me.

Then came the day when all I could do was cry. I was walking outside with the dogs and suddenly didn't know how to get home. Miraculously, Edwin came to meet me and caught me. But this was the moment I had to acknowledge that I couldn't do it anymore. Things had to change.

Now that I'd spoken and acknowledged this, I could finally get back to basics. Figure out how I truly wanted to live. Health first, enjoying what I do, and creating space to embrace "slow living" again. Because that last part was so good for me and my health, I wanted to get back to it! Days where I'd go for walks, sketch, paint, and spontaneously do something other than just pack, recover, and sleep.

Time to start looking for solutions. I mainly wanted to get back to creating, enjoy painting, develop products, and work on commissions as little as possible (unless I absolutely love it, of course, but I usually prefer my own work). The thing that was also the most energy-consuming for me was packing orders. So, it was time to find a solution for that.

Finally, it worked out. Last week, I moved my inventory to a really nice, small family business started by two brothers in their 20s. They'll be packing orders for me (and therefore for you!). Did I have to overcome any hurdles? Absolutely! Because it's less cozy, less snug, and that's why I didn't want it for so long (I was fiercely opposed, haha). Also, the fear that people would stop ordering from me if they saw I wasn't packing my own things anymore (so people around me advised me to keep it a secret, but that's not my style). But after that afternoon when I was crying in the street, it became clear to me that I had to do something else. And let's be honest: this is a better idea than quitting the webshop altogether, right?

The past few weeks have been intense, very intense. I also feel like I need to recover for a bit. But I've done it in the sense of drawing, cuddling the dogs, walking, pottering in the garden, and living slowly. Perhaps it's also a bit of processing (that's why I felt the need to write this blog, I think). Once I've recovered a bit, I'll come up with something fun ( sign up for the newsletter if you want to be kept informed!) for you, because you, as a follower/customer/supporter, have certainly noticed this too, and I'm incredibly grateful that you're still here; we're going to celebrate! To be continued, we'll say, and you can order again!