Hello, friends— new & old! I thought the new year would be a good time to let everyone who's following my journey know what they can expect here in 2014— I have some plans & changes up my sleeve so I just want to make sure we're still a good fit for each other.
I've been blogging on various platforms for awhile now, and a lot has changed since I first started out. If you've been following me from the beginning then you probably know that Kitty Cat Stevens began as a way for me to chronicle all the things I make. At that time, it was mostly vegan baking and cake decorating with the occasional handmade book, thrifted goodness, or outfit thrown in.
After I graduated college, I studied paper and bookmaking at an art school intensive for 12 weeks. I always wanted to open a shop to sell my books, but I didn't think I had the money, time, space, or knowledge to do that. So I decided to follow my other passion— baking! After all, people would always have an incurable sweet tooth, so it seemed as stable a career as any (and one that I could at least find joy in!).
So I accepted the first job that would take me and I worked at a jewelry boutique for four months while I sold enough treats on the side to pay for local cake decorating classes. I shared my progress on my blog and once I had enough confidence, I applied to a bakery in town and attached pictures of my work (which I conveniently had— thanks to blogging, yay!). I got hired a month after I applied as a frosting maker and it was the best feeling ever.
After that, dominoes kept falling and I transferred to Nashville to be a head baker, then eventually accepted a job as a candy maker in October of 2012. At the same time, I started thinking I would like to start my own business creating dessert tables for events, so I started working with Stockroom Vintage as a stylist so I could learn to create beautiful styled photoshoots and tablescapes. And this is when everything changed.
I had two amazing jobs, and more importantly, two amazing mentors. Being around two smart, funny, talented entrepreneurial women made me realize that I did have what it takes to start my own handmade business. And working at various local vintage and handmade markets for each job sparked a fire that's only grown over the last year or so.
Since I started blogging, I've met amazing people and learned new skills. I've picked up a lot of the essential skills necessary to run the sort of business I'd like to own. I know enough HTML to tweak a free blog template, I learned to take and edit product photos, to efficiently "mass produce" handmade goods, to ship and fulfill online items, to work with custom orders, to find and setup at local markets. . .
But I also learned that I didn't wanna make sweets or dessert tables for a living. One day I woke up and realized that all these different paths were converging. . . and pushing me towards one conclusion: to open my own bookbinding business.
So here we are at the start of a new year: I am now taking on custom book orders and I will be opening an online shop filled with ready to ship books this spring. I am so excited / nervous / overwhelmed / happy to be sharing this news with all of you!
So, what does this mean for the blog? For starters, I have a brand new shiny design— so if you're in a reader then please pop-out and take a look around! I wouldn't really call this a "rebrand" because I do a new blog layout every year, but I wanted an update so new and old visitors would know what to expect from me now.
I will be narrowing in a little on the topics I write about, but this will by no means become a bookmaking only or a impersonal blog for my business. I've tried a lot of different features and posts in my time, and I've got a pretty good idea of what I like the most and what doesn't work for me. So here's a little preview of the subjects I will be focusing on in the future:
"Bookcraft & Stitchery" will be a huge focus for me. I've learned that the more I share my handmade books and the process behind them— the more this blog feels like "me." I've also recently learned to use a sewing machine and have really enjoyed sharing that on the blog, too. Since both of those are kinda made up words, this is what they consist of:
- Bookcraft: handmade books in progress, techniques, custom orders, tutorials
- Stitchery: my embroidery, hand-sewn / altered / up-cycled clothes and items
Sketchbook Sunday, one of my favorite old features, will be back! I have plans to not only share peeks into my own sketchbook, but you will get to see into other people's, too— as well as submit your own to share.
The Cat's Meow: A Collection of Things to Purr Over, is a monthly round up that I love to do and will definitely be starting up again and staying.
I'll still be sprinkling in some behind the scenes daily happenings such as what I'm up to with Stockroom Vintage, neat things I've thrifted, or recent adventures I've gone on. The newest thing for me to share will be business updates— eep! The good, the bad, the ugly! I don't wanna gloss over anything because I know a lot of you are interested in starting a business some day— so I am here to cheer you on! I've had a lot of help to get to this point and I have a lot to learn, so really I just want this to be an inspirational place where we can all learn from one another.
Things I don't plan to do anymore are "What I Wore" posts, Giveaways, or Ad Swaps. As much as I really loved to share thrifted clothes that I found, I just don't wanna be a fashion blogger. However, I've really enjoyed sharing the different items I have sewn or altered, so any "outfits" I share will be because it's something I have made that you can make, too! I think that diy standpoint is more congruent with my lifestyle anyway. I've also done giveaways in the past and I'm not really sure they are for me. I loved finding new blogs to read, but again, just not for me. Lastly, I won't have anymore buttons on my sidebar. It's not my goal to make money from blogging or be sponsored or to have a huge "following" or whatever (though I think it's great if people can make a living blogging— it's just not my goal). I am, however, inspired by tons of women and so I've created a "Meet My Friends" page that you can check out if you'd like to see the blogs I love.
Whew— I think that's it! I know this is a long post but I really value honesty and transparency, so I wanted to setup expectations in case you are like me and use the new year as an excuse to clean out your blog subscriptions ;) I just don't feel like it's okay for those of you who want to get recipes, cake decorating posts, free things, or outfit posts regularly to feel like you are cheated when I will mostly be posting about books and sewing and diy!
So if you're into handmade books, embroidery, and all things paper (with some tales from a first time entrepreneur)— then you're in the right place! I can't wait to start this new chapter with all of you <3 -jenna
Pictured: Handbound "coptic stitch" blank journal made from a vintage children's book. Includes original illustrated pages throughout, along with scalloped spacers so additional pictures, pages, and mementos can be glued in without adding bulk. Also pictured: Olive the cat because she photobombs everything!
