What’s Happening To PaperChicCo?

I recently shared a post about How I Set Up PaperChicCo, my small stationery business that specialised in blogger related products. If you follow my shops Twitter and Instagram then you know that things are looking a little different recently. From a new name and branding to even what I’m selling things have changed and I wanted to explain why. So, what’s happening to PaperChicCo?

PIN IT!Back in October 2015 I started selling printable products on Etsy, these went really well and I had so much inspiration that I was constantly designing new planners whether it be weekly, daily, YouTube or a blog planner, I had ideas popping up everywhere. I then decided to take the plunge and order some physical products to sell in my very own shop www.paperchicco.com. These also went really well and I started to branch out with pencils, washi tape, greeting cards and more planners. I loved doing it and creating these products that I adored but sales were sporadic and it came to a point where I couldn’t afford to buy any new products to keep my site new and fresh.

Like most things ideas catch on and other people start offering similar types of products, I saw another shop selling blog planners as well and this was when my inspiration plummeted. Although I liked it, I couldn’t keep up with promoting it without sounding boring and annoying and I couldn’t afford anything new and inviting so my desire to compete with others faded and I just shared my products here and there.

For the past couple of years I have been interested in something that’s very popular but not that well known at the same time and that’s the planning community. I have a planner called an Erin Condren and the community is basically ways to decorate this planner, people created sticker kits to decorate it so it looks all pretty. There are other planners as well but it’s the Erin Condren I’m interested in. Many of you may know the beauty YouTuber Elle Fowler, well a couple of years ago she started talking about planning and I started to watch those vides, slowly I became obsessed and wanted to do it too. Last year I finally bought an EC planner and bought sticker kits from Etsy shops to decorate it with and my love began to grow even more. I’ve always been a creative person and these kits were so pretty and fun and I wanted to do it too.

Last year I thought about making my own but it was a lot to learn, I looked into it but decided against it. Back in February I decided to take the plunge, taught myself everything from the design software to using the cutting machine, I found all my supplies myself and started with my sticker kits.

It’s quite surprising just how well the stickers have gone, it’s still a little sporadic with sales but whereas before I wouldn’t have a sale in weeks, now it’s just a couple of days but I usually have multiple sales a day. Trying to wiggle into a community that’s already established was hard, but I have managed to get my name out there a little bit. This is why I decided that I would stick to one thing and one thing only.

PIN IT!Most of my time now is around my sticker shop, whether it’s designing a new kit, cutting kits or filling orders, most of my day is in my shop, that is also why my blog has suffered a bit but I’ve realised that this is where my passion is. I love how creative it is and I have so much fun doing it, my job literally involves me testing out my new kits in a planner, I couldn’t be happier. Some people think I create the artwork but I don’t, I buy the artwork from talented people on Etsy and then create the kits. So that’s why I decided to change my shop name and concentrate solely on the planner business. My shop on Etsy is now called Paper Chic Plans, I do still sell my printable planners but that’s it. My main shop, www.paperchicco.com has everything on sale and will remain like that until it’s gone.

It’s not that I failed at it, it’s just my passion was with something else, I prefer my planner side of the shop and want to put all my energy into that. It’s still amazing seeing people use the planners that I have created, it’s still so strange knowing that Zoe Sugg used to use one of my blog planners, but it’s time to stick to what I enjoy the most.

I know the planning community isn’t for everyone, I personally find it really relaxing when I’m planning out my week and I find myself being really motivated because I want to complete my to-do list in my planner. If you are curious about what it’s all about I’d definitely check out Glam Planner (Elle Fowlers’ shop) and Andrea from Scribble Prints Co. You can also check out all my planner related posts here. What I sell aren’t specially for EC planners either, bullet journalling has come quite popular this year and I also make cute little stickers for them as well so it does have a wider audience.

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So PaperChicCo isn’t disappearing completely, just taking a different direction and seeing where it will take me. Thank you so much to everyone who has bought from my stationery shop, your support has been incredible and I’m forever grateful. But for now, here’s to new beginnings.

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