I have an apology to make.
I’m sorry I missed my monthly blog in March.
To be honest, I really didn’t know what to write about. The whole world and our everyday lives were being turned upside down with the spread of coronavirus and we were facing an inevitable and necessary lockdown.
Writing something light-hearted about what I’d been making or what my business was up to just didn’t feel right. Also, just like most of us, I was just trying to get my head around our new normal and cope with the horrors being piped in through the news each day.
I found it best for me to avoid watching or listening to too many reports and I started to just watch the daily briefing.
I cut back on mindlessly scrolling through social media and just checked it at set times for a short while after posting for work.
I also made sure I was only following accounts that made me happy, helped me or improved my mood, and I hid or unfollowed any that stressed me out or were relentlessly sharing misinformation or unhelpful rhetoric and rumour.
But, I didn’t write my March blog.
The UK is now into week four of lockdown and I think the shock of what is happening is slowly beginning to subside. We’re sort of settling into new routines, or lack of, and finding our way in these strange times.
Many of my fellow small business owners and creatives have been under pressure to shut up shop and stop selling as we’re not essential and have thus been accused of putting unnecessary pressure on Royal Mail and other delivery services. While many have decided to pause for a while, as that is best for them, a lot of us don’t have that option and are not eligible to receive financial help from the UK Government. As such, we’re still here and open for business.
While I’m healthy, and Royal Mail are still delivering, I have decided to keep Hannah Kate Makes open and available for you guys as you need me.
I did struggle with how to respond to the situation. Did I not mention it at all and just carry on? Did I go out of my way to talk about it and share information?
What could I do to help my clients and followers as the world turned upside down?
I can’t ignore it, but my posts about coronavirus are kept to a minimum as, to be honest, I am reaching saturation point with it all. I’ve included links to official sources for health guidance and updates at the end of this blog entry and my Insider Club emails so you can read the information directly rather than via my own interpretation.
Hannah Kate Makes has never been overtly political and this will not change during this time. I’m aiming to keep posting happy creations and helpful articles and art-based stories on both my Facebook and Instagram pages daily. If there’s anything in particular you‘d like to see, ping me a message and I’ll work that in as well.
If you’re going a little stir crazy indoors or are full of all the feelings because of everything going on, colouring in can be quite calming. It takes your mind away from the noise and lets you focus on something simple, easy and different. I’ve turned some of my favourite drawings from the past into free downloads that you can print and use at home, for yourselves or your children. I add new colouring pages to the website each week so keep checking back for updates.
If you tag me in your creations on social media I’ll share them on my page or my Instagram stories!
As we’re all staying safe at home I know it’s hard to not see our loved ones as we would usually. I was really sad not to see my Mum on Mothering Sunday and it seems like an age since I saw my parents, my brother or my besties in person. Facetime is great but it’s not quite the same. Fortuitous timing saw me start up with a new pen pal just days before everything began kicking off here in the UK and I was surprised exactly how happy getting a hand written letter from my new friend made me! I highly recommend reaching out and sending a surprise letter or card to your favourite people if it’s safe and easy for you to pop out to a post box.
My Etsy shop is still open and it’s possible for me to post out all cards, ACEOs (unmounted or mounted), writing sets and mini easels via a post box on my daily walk, so I don’t need to come into contact with anyone in order to send them out.
I can even write your message in the card and post it directly to the recipient if that works best for you.
We also have a Post Office van that visits the village once a week and I can walk to that and post any larger items there, so I don’t need to venture into town.
I hope that May’s blog entry will see some change away from our current situation, or an idea of the path we may be taking to exit lockdown.
Until then, keep safe chickens xx
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