My First Blog

Technically, the title of this post is misleading, as I had a xanga in middle school (I don't know if that's still a thing, but I think it counts), but when I say "My First Blog," I mean "My First Blog about Etsy and Business and Knitting and Crocheting and Making Jewelry." But that's a bit of a mouthful.

Me

So to start, I want to introduce myself and my Etsy business: My name is Rachel Schmidt, and I am the owner of SchmidtyBracelets, an Etsy shop originally devoted entirely to my friendship bracelet hobby. I am currently trying to turn my hobby into a real live business.  From what I've read, it seems like a lot of work, but I like it so far.  The hardest thing for me is branding.  I like making so many different things (knitting, crocheting, making jewelry, etc.), and I can't understand why people wouldn't like a shop just because it sells all different kinds of products.  JC Penney sells shoes, clothes, appliances, and other random stuff and they seem to do okay. So for now I'm just listing everything and hoping somebody likes it. I've always kind of had an "Hakuna Matata" mentality, so this strategy works for me.

Blogging was probably the thing I was most hesitant about when it came to my Etsy business. For such a young person, I have a senior citizen's fear of social media. But the more I looked into it, the more excited I became. I just started and I already have a set schedule in mind for posting, and a ton of ideas for future posts. I don't really have the attention span for Wordless Wednesday, Friday Finds or other catchy, alliterative, themed posts, but I like the sound of Tutorial Tuesday, so that'll probably happen every now and then. I also hope to gain enough readers that I can get feedback on some of the things that I sell, and eventually do a giveaway or two! 

And unfortunately, I do run a business, so I will have to sell myself a little every now and then as well: 

Diagonal Lines Friendship Bracelet

Diamond Triangle Holiday Friendship Bracelet

I'll probably be blogging about my other hobbies and interests now and then, too. Reading, volleyball, movies, volleyball, music.. and did I mention volleyball? All of those things will probably find their way into this blog occasionally. I'll try to find a way to tie them in so that they make sense, but as I've mentioned already, I'm all about the randomness. 

Please feel free to comment, I need all the feedback I can get! If you made it all the way through, thanks for reading, and I'll be posting again on Friday!