New Normal
Over the past 11 years, Ornament Designs has gone through several changes. As my life evolves and the world changes, so too must my little business. 2020 put a real damper on my plans for growing and now I'm having to change my focus to adjust to the "new normal".
Due to the pandemic, Japan Post suspended international air parcel service for most of 2020. Since all my customers are international and I wasn't able to ship anything, I had to stop selling tools, supplies, and kits. This was really disappointing, especially because I had some beautiful ornament kits in the works and had to put it all on hold. Then just after the suspension was lifted, Japan Post raised its prices significantly for all international mail. More than double the previous rate in some cases. This is another disappointment and I know my items won't be nearly as desirable with another 5 to 10 dollars in shipping cost added on. So in response to all this, I've decided to stop selling physical items in my shop indefinitely. Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel and move on.
I've decided to refocus my attention for the rest of 2021 and concentrate 100% on digital content. I've gotten back into making videos and you may have seen a few short ones on Instagram already. I also hope to start posting to my YouTube channel again soon. I've got so many other great ideas but I hesitate to make promises or announce anything until I'm sure it's going to happen. With 2 young children and a pandemic still hanging around, life can be unpredictable.
If you are interested in keeping in touch and in the loop, make sure you sign up for my email list. You will get a free tutorial with your email sign-up and I promise your inbox won't be constantly flooded with messages from me. I only send out emails when I have something new or exciting to tell you about. You can also follow me on either Facebook or Instagram for updates.
On a personal note, the pandemic has been a source of great anxiety and grief for me. Motivation and creativity have been hard to come by during this dark time, but I'm finally seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Here's hoping. 😊