Heeeeeey, there, readers. I know what you’re thinking. What the hell is going on? WHERE R TEH POSTS?
I had some pretty grand visions about what this site would be, so it’s frustrating for me to come out now and say that it wasn’t working the way I thought it would. There’s definitely some self-sabotage going on in the background, and I’ll take responsibility for that. My friends stepped up to support and contribute to Happy Valley Crafters at its inception, and have helped me keep it going, but ultimately I’m running the site and focusing its direction. So my sad little foray into self-sabotage affects them as well. When I let HVC fall out of focus, so do they. Blargh! I don’t like disappointing my friends.
So the question is: Am I giving up? My answer, in short: Absolutely not.
One interesting and unexpected thing that came out of the creation of this website involves a different path to creating and sustaining an local underground craft community: the Happy Valley Crafters Etsy Team. Even though I still haven’t officially opened my own Etsy store (time, I need more tiiiiiime!), the three other ladies most invested in Happy Valley Crafters all had stores when we started: Real Pretend Vintage, Faire Sisters, and The Cotton Floozy. Etsy teams are designed for communities to self-organize in a number of ways—and since we’re all in Utah County, it makes the most sense for our team to do things and help promote each other locally.
Without doing any advertising or sending out invitations, there are already 15 members on the Happy Valley Crafters Etsy team. Though there are at least three other teams for Utah Etsians, we are the only team of crafters specifically in Utah County. I’m interpreting that as an opportunity to build a local base of independent crafters who can get into all sorts of trouble together. What sort of trouble? Maybe monthly get-togethers, maybe promoting a team of stores rather than just individual stores, maybe even a row of booths at local fairs… and hopefully some down-and-dirty craftivism.
The trick is that not everyone on the Happy Valley Crafters Etsy Team is going to be of a similar alternative mindset. Rumor has it that there is a subset of somewhat conservative folks in this area. The HVC team is focused on networking and supporting fellow Etsy sellers in Utah County in an equal opportunity manner; it’s open to anyone who lives in Utah County, Utah, and has an active Etsy shop or is planning to open one in the near future.
I guess that means we’re all going to have to work together (which actually could be fun, since we already have something in common) or we’re going to mutually offend each other enough to break it all up rather quickly. Either way, adventure times!
Until that all comes together, my gal pals and I are working on fresh content for this here blog. There are two banners you haven’t even seen yet and I intend to put them to good use. I hope you’ll stay tuned and chime in with comments, because some of the most entertaining and illuminating HVC conversation so far has come from your comments. Thanks, and see you around soon!
