11/05/2023
Long post ahead... We are so so sorry we've been so quiet
Since Covid started our sister page Wooden Crafted Gifts, page reach on each post made was only reaching around 10 to 20 people, even with advertising every day in multiple places we were getting just a small number of orders a week with over 16,000 likers/followers, this is our full-time business it's what pays our bills every month, the business that made us be able to purchase our own home, a business we've built up over 12yrs it just didn't seem real to be getting so little reach.
We decided to continue the best we could hoping that things would change and pick up... But unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case! :( We have 1 or 2 orders a week if we are lucky! on Wooden Crafted Gifts page/website.
So we decided to open up a new business venture in 2023, a change is what we thought we needed so Sherwood Crafts was born, and we had that fire back in our belly the feeling of things changing... We had orders :D Lots and lots of them coming in and then all of a sudden we hit a brick wall, no orders, nothing. :( (Although we've had a couple through overnight, thank you! :) )
As you can imagine this started to take its toll not just on finances but our mental health, Luke and myself are suffering from depression and have been for some time now (some of you are aware I also suffer from a severe panic disorder which isn't a great mix with depression), this has taken hold of us to the point we were just wanting to curl up on the sofa and not move all day, not reply to messages, emails just not want to do all of the normal adult things we're all meant to do. :( When you have children it's even harder to put on a brave face and carry on you know you need to but when you have no willpower it's a real struggle.
This post isn't intended to be a sob story but more of a "say it out loud" to realise it's "ok not to be ok". We will get through this and if you are struggling "You will get through this". I keep saying to my hubby Luke it's just a blip in the road and it will pass, it has to.. Nothing stays the same forever does it?!
Almost at the end... We felt we had to let you all know why we've been so quiet and not responding to a couple of emails (sorry to you both, I promise these will be responded to by the end of today) and to let you all know that we are fully open on both pages and we intend to carry on the best we can, we may have some changes in the next few months but nothing that will have any impacts on our work side.
If you've read to this point thank you so much.
Kate & Luke
oxoxoxox
