Hello, 2019!

Another year has passed and so many things have happened!

My Etsy shop surpassed 50 sales in the fall and had a total of 35 orders. Two of those orders were custom notebooks and a journal--15 custom books in total. April, June, July, and November were my busiest months. And, weirdly enough, catch-all dishes seemed to be the most popular (I'll have to make more at some point in the future!), as I sold all 27 that were listed.

I added a few new items: traveler's notebook inserts, journal kits, printable packs, and pennant banners. My junk journal process also improved immensely. I experimented with new paper types and changed my binding process to be more secure. And I was able to create more journals with altered book covers: 8 Reader's Digest Condensed Books, 4 Little Golden Books, and 2 novels.

Throughout the year I created 35 junk journals, 65 traveler's notebook inserts, and 15 catch-all dishes. During the holiday season I was able to participate in three local events--two craft fairs and one gallery show.

My branding really stepped up this year. My name changed to Home Bound Journals. I ordered professional business cards and made packaging sleeves for some of my notebooks.

I also became more active on social media. My Instagram reached 100 followers and I try to post every single weekday (and some weekend holidays). Joining Pinterest was another big change. I now pin inspiring ephemera and printables that I've come across, as well as products in my Etsy shop.

And the biggest thing of all: launching a real website! It's so easy to just use your own web address, and I'm so glad I was finally able to. Some of it was a huge learning curve, but it's been worth it.

Thank you to everyone that has supported Home Bound Journals in some way. Just by liking a post, reading my blog, or purchasing an item--every little thing means so much. I'm looking forward to the new year and seeing what's in store. Here's to so much more creating and journaling in 2019!

#personal #yearinreview