At the end of each month, I skim through my journal entries and write down the highlights and reflections of the month. I sat down to do this earlier in the week and could not believe that it was already time to do this again. Where did June go when it felt like each week crawled slowly along?! I truly did not feel that I accomplished much this past month but found I was only focusing on comparing my sales from the past couple months with my sales in June. I was being unfair to myself by only look at a single statistic. I realized that I have indeed accomplished quite a bit (including chopping off 10 inches of hair and turning 29 on the 30th)! Since December, when I launched my website, I have had over 100 orders! This may not seem like much until I share that from December-April, I had only 14 total orders. (To be fair and put this in perspective, my plan had been to purchase an existing pottery studio so all of my efforts during that time period were really focused on obtaining that business and not on selling my goods online!) Even though I thought my growth has seemed slow, it has actually been growing steadily thanks to your encouragement and continued support. 

Last month I shared that I started Art for a Cause where up to 100% of proceeds from various artwork and products go to a specified organization. Thanks to our community, we raised $70 for Black Girls Surf, $35 for The Women’s Center for Creative Work, and $16 and counting for The Human Rights Campaign. These might not be a hefty donations, but the love and support that went into these contributions means the world to me and firmly believe that every little bit counts. I feel that it is even more special that we have been able to do this together. I will continue to add more artwork to this page and find ways to raise money for organizations and causes I believe in. If you have any suggestions on additional organizations to donate to please reach out and share with me!

It may not seem like it, but I’ve still been working on sewing face masks each week! I’m not going to lie, finding the motivation to sew continues to come in waves for me. As I have shared before, it is not my craft of choice, but I am proud of the fact that I do not get as nervous and sweaty sewing so that’s something! It is also crazy to me that with the help of my family and friends, we have collectively sewn 498 masks since April! In total, we have donated and gifted a total of 198 face masks during the past two and a half months. During the month of June alone, my mom and I sewed a total of 46 masks that were donated to the People Concern. My mom and I are now working on new masks with elastic straps for both kids and adults! For many reasons, I felt like it was time to start making masks with elastic. I will still offer both masks with ties and elastic. The first batch of elastic masks will start roll out this evening! (If you subscribe to my newsletter, keep an eye out for a discount code!) 

I spent a lot of time doing activities such as gardening and journaling to look after myself and my own well-being. I love gardening because it allows me to be creative and work with my hands, something I’ve been missing since I am still unable to get back to pottery. I spent the month rearranging our small outdoor space to allow for new planters and space for vegetables! Our plumerias have even started to bloom! Spending this time outdoors has really helped me get my creative juices flowing again, giving me some new ideas that will incorporate my love of gardening with crafts!

I’ve reached my year anniversary of journaling for self care and have logged some sort of entry every day this past year! As I’ve shared before, I highly recommend keeping a journal. It’s especially good for those days, or months, when you might feel low or sluggish. Looking back and reading through your entries is a good reminder of the growth and progress that you’ve made. It is also a good reminder to keep a fresh perspective on what you’ve accomplished in a month, whether it is in your job, the work put into a relationship, or remembering small moments of gratitude.

As always, thank you for following along with my journey of building my own business. Your encouragement, support, and love are what helps me stay motivated and find joy in this process.

Love,

Michelle