I’m going to keep this post short and sweet as I share some exciting news with you. I just rebranded my Etsy shop, Willow Bloom Wreaths, to Willow Bloom Market. I opened my Etsy shop in 2015 and sold only wreaths for the first year. After that I branched out to burlap table runners, ticking stripe table runners, and then my popular burlap banners. Over the years I’ve added other items including Christmas ornaments and stockings, fabric pumpkins, face masks, and most recently macrame wall hangings. Due to the high cost of shipping wreath-sized packages from Canada, I have scaled back this aspect of my business and have focused on smaller items that I can ship more economically.
New Name
I had been thinking about a new name for about two years and had been unsuccessful in finding one I liked. I should have snapped up Willow Bloom Home on Etsy after my success on Instagram as WillowBloomHome, but I delayed and that name was taken by someone else. On our way back from our camping trip to Algonquin Park, the new name came to me instantly and I knew it was the one. Funny how the best ideas always come to me on vacation when my mind is at rest. Then I forgot about it for a week. After checking that Willow Bloom Market was available on Etsy, I made the change instantly. I hesitated for a second upon seeing the warning “Are you sure you want to change the name of your Etsy shop?” but went ahead and clicked yes.
Why Willow Bloom Market? I have long enjoyed shopping at outdoor farmer’s markets and live craft markets. There is such a diversity of products and a friendly communal feel in the air. I wanted to recreate this feeling in an online setting. I want to be able to showcase my love of ALL the crafts I’ve loved for over three decades. I’ve been knitting and sewing for 35 years, quilting for 30, beading for 20, and am continually learning and expanding my crafting repertoire. I’m glad to have an Etsy shop title that reflects what I offer and what I may choose to offer in the future.
Rebranding
After the initial excitement wore off, I started to panic just a little. All my branding, from my business cards to my shop logo to my thank you notes read Willow Bloom Wreaths. However, within two hours, my assistant and I had created new logos and paper products for the new Willow Bloom Market. Can I just say that this was my assistant’s first day on the job. My new employee is my 15-year old son who is a wiz at photo and video editing and willing to take on any challenge I give him. He exceeded my expectations which is why I’m letting him sleep in today!
New Directions
I plan to continue to make wreaths as I truly love doing this. As I write this post, I have a mudroom full of new designs and crafts supplies waiting to be transformed. I also want to carry on making my fabric decorative items including my popular fabric pumpkins and Christmas ornaments. I’m also working on creating more macrame designs and craft kits.
In terms of new directions, I want to return to my roots of knitting. I’m not sure if that will mean completed projects, custom designs, or pattern making, but I plan to have this in motion by the end of September 2021. I’m also interested in embroidery design, though it’s something I just learned this year. So, any embroidery products would likely be released in 2022 or 2023. At some point, I may include beaded pieces in the shop, though they are very time consuming to make.
End Of An Era
I’m feeling particularly hopeful right now as I get ready to leave the Public Service of Canada permanently on August 4. After 20 years as a hydrogeologist with Natural Resources Canada, I feel excited to be putting both feet into my new life. I guess you could say I’m retiring from one career and slipping into another. I’m certainly not retiring from work as I’m only in my mid-forties and know that there’s so much more I want to do. But it feels good to cut those old ties and move onto something that invigorates me and makes me excited to get up every morning.
Willow Bloom Market
I personally welcome you to drop by my Etsy shop and browse through my offerings. I will be sharing my new fall product line in an upcoming blog post. Last fall, I did a similar post, in case you’re interested in a little behind-the-scenes look at my shop.
Launch Of My Fall Etsy Decor Line
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