Whoa!

So, what do you do when you realize that your handmade gifts that you make only because you enjoy creating are suddenly in demand?  Whoa!

I have come out with several new products this year.  My Seat Belt Pillow was the one item that shocked me with it's popularity.  Originally, I made one of these for a friend (her daughter actually) to say thank you for watching my daughter during a long weekend while I was away.  (I knew my husband couldn't watch her younger brothers AND take her to several planned events that weekend).  My friend had mentioned wanting one for her daughter and wondered if I could make one.  I thought, Aha! A perfect way to say thanks!

So, after a little research - I created my first seat belt pillow with great ease.  I hoped she would like it.  The reception was fantastic.  She loved it, used it and I saw it in use in her car.  What a wonderful feeling.

So, she asked me if I was going to sell them on my site.  I thought about it.  I normally sell baby gifts and the seat belt pillow is mainly for older kids - the ones that are out of the 5 point harness.....not my usual Etsy demographic.  But, I figured, why not?  If she likes it, maybe someone else will too.

Whoa!  What an immediate positive response.  My seat belt pillow design is the only of it's kind on Etsy.  A clear market maker.  Now what?

Almost 20 orders later, I am still having to look back at my own scribbled handwritten pattern/instructions to make sure I make them correctly.  I am still new at making the seat belt pillow but am happy to say that because of it, I hit over 1,000 views in a week.  My best ever. 

The rush has died down almost as fast as it went up but I am still trying to catch up on the orders I already have.  Hopefully, I will just keep a steady stream of orders coming in from now on....and hopefully, some of those moms/dads-of-older-children will purchase some of my other lovely baby gifts for the people in their lives that are now having newborns....this way, I can create a relationship with those new moms and dads too...

Full circle.