Getting WoodWork by Wood Off the Ground
We started this site just short of a year ago with the intention of using it to follow along with the woodworking I was getting into, and that hobby along with Angela's crafting has started to slowly blossom. Both of us work full time jobs and we were never intending this to turn into a business but did mention more than a few times that we would just let it do its thing. If all it ever was, was a hobby that was fine and if it became more than that, that was fine as well. Lately it seems to have been growing on its own and while I wouldn't say it's a small business yet, I would classify it as a side hustle or maybe a micro business that at the very least helps offset some of the hobby's cost. We are good with that, but as mentioned above we'll continue to go with the flow.
Starting mid 2021, Angela started selling small craft items in our Etsy store and had a few sales but nothing significant. Then in the Fall, things started to pick up a little more. The Etsy store was getting an order or two every few days, people locally started asking for custom cutting, charcuterie, or serving boards (you pick the name you want them to go by) either for themselves or as gifts for Christmas and we had a few requests for some custom signs and other handcrafted items.
Then about a month ago, we had a vendor (buffalogalsco) for a local brick and mortar shop called The Grand Project Shoppe that sells local hand-crafted items, reach out to us to ask if we would take part as a vendor in their showcase event they had coming up. That is taking place this weekend as I write this blog (February 11-14, 2022), and we are pretty excited about it. The showcase is our first dip into the water outside of Etsy and the first time that my woodwork is available to people outside of people we know. We won't really know how it ends up for a few days. We may sell everything, and we may end up selling nothing that we submitted, but either way it's been a fun and I am sure it will be a learning experience as well.
Once the showcase is over, we are planning on listing more here for sale on this site. We haven't figured out all of the details yet, but I am sure we will continue to share the journey on our social media accounts, and I am hoping here in this blog too. Fair warning, I have tried to start blogging a couple different times and never been very good at keeping up with it, hoping this time is different.
Finally, but maybe most important, I will say thank you! The feedback we have been getting, the requests for items, comments in passing and interest in items we make from everyone has been a huge encouragement and we both appreciate it!