It's been a whole month since I posted an actual update. I've actually had a post open in a tab of my browser with a home office update...but I haven't finished that, either. :P But I really love the layout of my office right now...it's working out so well. The new desk has made a huge difference.
April has started out pretty slow...but about the same as last year. Last April I had 59 orders after the end of the first three weeks (through the 19th), and this year I have 63 orders through the 19th. I keep track of my sales and revenue from all my shops and compare them to the previous year...and so far I've done the same or better each month. I also watch a few of my competitors through eRank and my sales are pretty much on par with them (and they've been selling years longer than I have). When my competitors are also having a slower week as well...it tends to be more of an economy/market thing than an individual shop thing.
As always, when sales are a bit slower I try to get some administrative stuff done or work on new designs and products. I finished my website last month (although I do have some more products that I need to add). I got my CandiMakerDesigns Etsy shop back up and added a graduation cap sticker sheet...which I've already had a sale for. I'm also adding some more custom name designs this weekend and last week I had a request for some specific political stickers, so I added those to my CandiMakerStickers shop. I also added a couple new sticker sheets in my CandiMakerPlanners shop. I keep telling myself that I'm going to take a break from work...but then I find other work stuff to do. :P
I'm also thinking about getting a TikTok shop up and going again. I haven't decided for sure yet, though. The last time I set up a TikTok shop and it was "suspended" the next day because they wanted a lot of paperwork that wasn't relevant. So far I haven't had that problem this time. I got everything set up this weekend, I just haven't added any products yet. I might wait and do that next weekend.
I did take a short break last weekend to make some lemon cookies. I was craving some soft lemon cookies but the ones we got from the store were more chewy than soft...they just didn't satisfy my craving at all. So I did what I do and looked up a whole bunch of recipes online and put together my own recipe using lemon pudding mix...and they were SO yummy and soft. I'm going to make a similar recipe with vanilla pudding and chocolate bar pieces (which melt better than chocolate chips so the whole cookie will still be soft). I'll probably make them sometime this week. I need to come up with some more dinner recipes, too. But this week I'm making crackpot chicken and chicken fajitas.
But...for now I think I'm going to package orders so I can get them mailed out for tomorrow and I might go to bed early. I have a horrible headache tonight. :-/
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