(belated) 5th blogiversary
Better late than never: my blogiversary was a over week ago and I’ve been so busy and unwell that I totally missed it! Still, I want to note this milestone: I can’t believe that I’ve been blogging for 5 years now. I owe so much to this blog; I wouldn’t have my crafty career without it…
Year 5 Review
This was a year of turmoil. Between finding out we’d be moving to South Africa, preparing to move, 2 months of bronchitis, selling the house, actually moving, living out of a suitcase in temporary accommodation for months, and a second bout of bronchitis, I’ve been forced to spend far less time on PlanetJune than I would have liked.
Despite all that, I have had some accomplishments in Year 5:
- I designed and published 16 new amigurumi crochet patterns.
- I launched the PlanetJune Accessories pattern range with 6 published designs.
- My first crochet book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi, was published and very well received (4.9 out of 5 stars on amazon!)
- My kingfisher was published in Inside Crochet magazine in the UK, and, in the US, Create and Decorate magazine ran a feature on PlanetJune.
- I completed two major art projects: my punchneedle-embroidered 3D globe, and an amigurumi Reepicheep (from The Chronicles of Narnia), who won the Craftster Fantasy Crochet Challenge.
- I started the PlanetJune YouTube channel to create high quality crochet tutorial videos, and it won the Flamie award for Best Crochet Video (Amateur)!
- I also received Flamie nominations for Best Crochet Blog (for this blog) and Best Instructional/Technical Crochet Book (for The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi).
Hmmm, it doesn’t seem so bad when I look at my work all together like this… Imagine what I could do without sickness and international moves occupying all my time!
Goal Review
Last year, I had grand plans for Year 5:
My goal for the coming year is to build my business to the point where I no longer have that niggling feeling that I should really go and get myself a ‘real’ job – a feeling that comes down to the grim reality of earning enough money to continue to support myself.
…and I’d taken significant steps along that road before I hit the major roadblock of moving to another continent and having months and months (still in process) with very little time to devote to the business.
Here’s a very clear illustration of that: of my 22 new patterns this year, 16 were released in the half-year before Christmas, and only 6 in the half-year since then! But, looking on the bright side, that was a pretty good record until my life took its detour, so I know I can get back to being prolific once things settle down here.
What’s Next?
For the upcoming year, I’m not going to set any real goals, as so much is still unknown at this point. I need to figure out the logistics of operating from here and how to get myself back on track under such different conditions. It’s certainly going to be a challenge! For starters, it may be another month or more before I can get internet hooked up at our new house, and that obviously makes a huge difference to how I operate.
I need to prioritise getting settled into my new life and getting my health back. Only then can I really focus on making PlanetJune everything I know it could be if I only had the time… It will happen – I am determined to keep moving forward, no matter how hard this road is to travel. Losing the past few months (and maybe one more) isn’t going to ruin me. My ideas aren’t going anywhere – I just have to have the patience to keep them on the back burner until I have time to fulfill them to the standard I expect from myself.
Thanks!
I just wanted to add a thank you to you, my readers, for all your support and for following on my journey. This has been the hardest and loneliest time of my entire life, and knowing that you’re out there means a lot to me. I’d never have made it this far without you!
Now, onto Year 6…
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Jeannine said
I really hope that you don’t give up! I like your work–very neat and creative. When I can afford to, I will buy more of your patterns.
June said
Thanks Jeannine! Don’t worry, I’ll never give up! And I’ve fixed the problems you found – thank you 🙂
Jeannine said
Your Website is EXCELLENT, and your log in page is a NIGHTMARE. I don’t need to give your EVERYTHING ABOUT ME just to log in. When I want to buy, I will give you my address and payment info. Separate the purchase/buy info from the log in page info.
June said
Oh no! Thanks so much for letting me know, Jeannine! That stuff is NOT supposed to be on the sign-up screen 🙁
I changed my shopping cart to make a faster (one-screen) checkout process a few months ago, just before moving to South Africa, and the plugin must have auto-“improved” the signup page too. Nobody told me until now!
I don’t need all those details (address etc) AT ALL – all you’re supposed to have to give me is your name and email! I’m so sorry for the inconvenience – I’ll fix up the shop as soon as I have an internet connection for my computer (I can’t do code updates on my phone).
Thanks again for letting me know.
Anastacia said
Wow, that seems like a pretty impressive list to me! I’m actually writing up a halfway review post right now, my list is pretty lame compared to yours!
Eve said
Oh my! 5 Years already!! Congratulations June and please take it easy, it takes a little time to get used to living in another country. I am positive year 6 will be even more spectacular.
Eve x
futuregirl said
That’s a pretty incredible year, even without the complications! 🙂 Wishing you all the best for the next 12 months. 🙂
Lindy said
I should have also said: Fantastic achievements during this last year! Love, Lindy xx
Lindy said
Congratulations on your 5th year anniversary! Wishing you all the best, & love, Lindy xx
Resmi said
Congrats June! I would say you are MARVELOUS. And all the best for the coming years.
Regards,
Resmi
Susan said
Congrats on five years! After discovering you via futuregirl I went to your acheives and read your blog from the beginning in one fell swoop! Made me feel like I know you. Ohhh you are so talented and very adept at the tute’s. Not many can teach as well as do, even more impressive. I hope you really enjoy your time in South Africa and that you find (more) inspiration in your new home. Blessings to you on your fantastic journey.
Jana said
Hi June- Congrats on 5 great years with the blog! That is something to be very proud of! I hope you are feeling better soon. Please be careful with bronchitis. My daughter (who has a immune deficiency) gets it at least 4 times a year and at least one of those generally turns into pneumonia. So, take all of your meds and be a good patient!
April said
Congratulations on 5 years and all of your accomplishments. I hope you get to feeling better very soon, and that your move will be wonderful after the dust has settled. I look forward to watching for your accomplishments in the upcaoming year. Thank you for everything that you share on your blog!
maryanne @ mama smiles said
Happy Blogiversary! I discovered your blog via your book. I love the designs you dream up, and your little dinosaurs are my favorite! =)
Margo said
Congratulations on five years. Best wishes for an even better sixth year.
Becky said
COngrats, and I don’t know where I would be without your blog and patterns, they are my favorite and you are always the first site I check out for anything I might be struggling with. I can’t wait to see what you bring next year 😀
Jean said
Congratulations!!
You have really a nice blog, and I can’t believe it exist already 5 years!
Again : congratulations!
Silverlotus said
Congratulations on five fabulous years, June. I just know that once things are back to “normal” you are going to surpass yourself.