News

Friday, 15 September 2023

Social media teeth grinding...

Well this is fun. I had a notice from Instagram today informing me that my account has been suspended and will be permanently deleted if my appeal fails. The appeal consisted of clicking the squares which had a bicycle in, confirming my email address and telephone number. That was it. 10 years of posting on my account (and I dread to imagine the time that took) potentially lost or saved by clicking 4 squares with a bicycle in.

No questions about who I was or what I did for a living or even why I use Instagram, just 4 squares to click and a potential 2 day wait to hear from them. My social media presence hanging by a fragile thread and at the whim of a technological programme.

I went from cross (spitting cross) to resigned in about 5 minutes. All I could think was, my goodness, we are all completely in their hands. I don't want to be in their hands any more. If it comes back and they decide I am not a threat to the wider public with my leather shears and crochet hook then I think I may just leave both meta platforms, Facebook & Instagram.

Imagine the number of shoes I could have made in the time it has taken to run 2 social media platforms. Imagine the amount of time in the future I can claim back before its lost by not continuing!

I abandoned my writing here in my diary for instagram and quickly became drawn into the nonsense of number chasing on the platform, its as if you are only as important as the number of your audience, yet I would rather have one interested person listening / reading than a hundred disinterested. It has been an interesting morning mulling it all over. I think I'm through with social media though. I feel rather 'lighter' even writing that statement.

Right o, I'm off to pop the kettle on and celebrate my new freedom as well as making a list of all the products I can make for the shop instead of posting & reading comments :)

ps. wonderful article here: 

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Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Hibernation
Good morning my dears.
Ive been thinking about how to word this ALL night long, so best to just crack on and tap out the words :)
After our days work was done Mr Fairysteps and I had our usual natter across the kitchen table last night and got down to the nitty gritty of how much work we both had lined up for the start of the year. It’s important when you are both self employed to do this occassionaly so that you don’t accidentally take on enough work for 6 people, when you are in fact only 2. It appears that his work commitments mean that his Fairysteps time will be limited till mid April, and probably beyond. Bearing in mind he is my ‘Sole Man’ this rather puts a spoke in the works.
Rather than make our wonderful customers wait for silly amounts of time for custom shoe orders I shall be closing the ‘Made To Order’ shoes section of the shop till further notice. The full team (that’s us two) have had to have a think about ‘stretching ourselves too thin’ by offering boots, shoes, bags and purses. Im always disappointing someone who is waiting for something that maybe I havent had time to make :( And, I don’t like disappointing customers who are waiting for ‘treasures’ to turn up in stock. Im thinking maybe I do need to specialise a bit more and focus on what I do best. Im a designer, I thrive best when being creative and for me, fairysteps boots are where my real passion lies. Plus, with the other half of the team being here in a limited capacity, I do have think carefully about monitoring just how much and what work I load that way. So… its looking like I may be getting a serious amount of boot making done this year. Woo hoo.
In the meantime… I can of course beaver on with all sorts of treasure making in my workshop, including getting some limited edition specials ready for April, as well as trickling in a few regular new stock items. Did I mention excessive tea drinking? I will also crack on with some more time consuming button making too as you all loved them so much :) I can finish all those WIPs hanging around the workshop as well. I shall tidy my leathers and my patterns (much needed)…
All in all, Im going into a working hibernation mode till Spring, and am going to make sure that the fairysteps shoe elves are primed and ‘well oiled’ so that we will have oodles of in stock limited edition boots and shoes, ready for what will, hopefully, be a glorious summer.
WARNING: 
  • The shop stays open, so all stock items will remain in situ to tempt you…
  • I will still be boring you to death on social media…
  • Peeks of any treasures I am making for listing now and come Spring will be shamelessly flaunted under your noses…
  • Made to Order may well appear next year, do watch out!
Do hope I’ve explained this properly and with the respect my truly wonderful, much valued customers and followers deserve.
As ever, Ren x
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