No Regrets

I am so freaking excited to share this news: I officially launched my Etsy shop!

There isn't a massive inventory yet, but I will get there—or at least always have something beautiful available to sell. If you check out the home page of my website, you'll find the link to my new shop right alongside the link to my published book.

I’ve actually been working behind the scenes on this for almost a year. For a few months, I had four bags ready to list, but finding consistent time to crochet was tough. At one point, I started making a cardigan, which is super time-consuming. Halfway through, I realized I had made one side way bigger than the other! I had just kind of eyeballed the rows, and it definitely didn't work in my favor. But instead of "frogging" (unraveling) the whole thing, I decided to keep both halves. I'll just make two matching opposite sides later—making sure I actually count my rows this time!

Since the weather has been so hot lately, I decided to pivot to summer-friendly pieces. Right now, I am completely focused on two adorable cell phone purse designs.

Authentic, Small-Batch Creations

Everything I make is first-come, first-served. I might remake a design in the same colors, or I might not—it really just depends on the materials I have on hand when it’s time to start a new project. If I start getting specific custom requests down the line, I might take them on, but my main priority right now is guarding my time. I don't want to get overwhelmed with orders or work constantly. I firmly believe I can run a thriving business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and time will tell how my shop evolves.

This is truly only the beginning. My long-term dream is to learn how to sew so I can eventually design and release my own clothing line, which I am even more excited about! I have so many creative ideas to share with the world.

Overcoming the Learning Curve

Looking back, putting this out there is a huge testament to loving myself, because I was terrified to even try crocheting at first. It was a really rough start. I had to watch a mountain of videos just to master the simplest stitches, and I got so frustrated in the beginning that I literally prayed for the understanding and patience to learn if this was meant for me.

The blue tote featured on my website was the very first piece I ever made correctly. I finished it around September 2025 after starting my crochet journey in July 2025. Even though I’m still relatively new to the craft, I’ve really gotten the hang of it this year. Truthfully, I could have started my shop sooner, but I kept telling myself I needed to do "more" first.

Facing the Fear of Being Seen

I realized I was letting fear stop me from launching. I worried: What if everything sells out and I don't have enough stock? But the truth is, if items sell out, they sell out! I’ll just post more when I make them. Everything will be fine because I choose to believe it will be, so I don't need to live in fear of running out.

Then came the deeper fear: What if no one likes my work? What if this fails?

Setting up an Etsy shop filled with my own handmade creations is a massive act of vulnerability. I am displaying pieces that came directly from my heart and soul, which naturally brings up old fears of rejection and being seen. But I've tried things that haven't worked out in the past, and you know what? I survived, moved on, and tried something else.

I refuse to let fear run my life, so I force myself to do the exact things that scare me. If something doesn’t work out, I don’t have room for regrets because at least I went for what I wanted. Failure is just a lesson in disguise—it always redirects me toward something better.

Whenever fear creeps up, I ask myself: "Do I want to live in regret, or do I want to be a woman who goes after what she wants?"

When I look back on my life, I want to say I truly lived, not just survived. So I push myself. And sometimes, I’m lucky enough to have amazing people around me to cheer me on along the way.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

The final push to get this shop live actually came from an unexpected place: my delivery job came to a sudden halt when the transmission went on the car. Fixing it would cost far more than the car is worth, but instead of panicking, I saw it as a divine opportunity to finally step up and launch my business.

I truly believe everything happens for a reason. When negative situations occur, I try not to freak out; instead, I look for the deeper meaning. It isn't always easy, but it gives me an opportunity to release negative emotions, feel what I need to feel, and ask myself: “Where do I go from here?” Changing directions always opens up a new path of self-discovery.

My favorite question to ask myself these days is: "Am I loving myself right now?"

If the answer is "no"—like it was with driving delivery—I ask myself what I’d rather be doing instead. I chose to invest in myself, my shop, and my crafts. If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know how much inner work I’ve done to reach this point. I used to be incredibly stubborn, but I’ve learned to let that go. Whenever old habits pop up now, I recognize them instantly and choose a better behavior.

If there is a career path you’ve been dreaming about or a "crazy" creative idea you want to try, consider this your sign to go for it. No regrets!

I love you

This is love