Why I Am Closing My Etsy Shop

My focus for 2016 has always been less overwhelm. I tend to say "yes" to a lot of projects, but with so many specific goals of my own, I have been practicing on how to say "no" more often (more details in this post). This now officially includes my Etsy shop. 
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I have touched on this subject a bit on Instagram, but this seems to have caused some confusion. When I said I was closing the Etsy shop, many assumed that I was quitting art all together. No no no! Quite the opposite! I am actually growing in my art endeavors, but in many different ways, which unfortunately do not include the Etsy shop. So I decided a blog post was in order to explain all this jazz, using the most common questions to answer it all the best I can. I will be updating the FAQ section as well.

WHY ARE YOU CLOSING YOUR ETSY SHOP? 
As much as I have loved my 5+ years with the site, the shop has been neglected for the past few months due to my heavy workload. New content was rarely being added, there was little to no time to promote it, and I couldn't keep up with the custom order requests. After all, I am still just one person behind the Cozy Reverie brand, so when the shop began to feel like a chore, I knew it was time to close it up. 

WILL IT BE CLOSED FOREVER? LIKE, YOU'RE NEVER COMING BACK? 
I'm a big believer of "never say never". After the official closing, the shop will only available to collaborative partners of Cozy Reverie. There might be a point in time when there will be soft openings open to the public. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know! 

DOES THIS MEAN YOU ARE QUITTING YOUR ARTWORK? 
Not at all! The main reason I am closing my Etsy shop is due to the success with my Redbubble and Spoonflower shops. With these wonderful manufacturers, I am able to continue my artwork while they handle the logistics (i.e. production, shipping and handling, service questions). 

I LOVE YOUR PRINTABLE CARDS, BUT DIDN’T GET THE CHANCE TO PURCHASE MY FAVORITES. ARE THEY GONE FOREVER? 
Once the shop closes, they are gone, baby, GONE!  However, I am currently working on moving the majority of my designs over to the Redbubble shop, so you can order professionally manufactured Cozy Reverie greeting cards (oooh, fancy!). 

WILL YOU STILL CREATE CUSTOM GREETING CARDS/ARTWORK? 
At the moment, custom orders are still on hiatus. However, be sure to sign up for the Cozy Reverie newsletter to know exactly when this is opens up again. I usually love doing these around the holidays (*hint! hint!*). 

WHEN WILL THE SHOP OFFICIALLY CLOSE? 
I marked August 31st as the last day, but it looks like it might be sooner than that. There are only SIX items left in the shop! I think it's because of the awesome 50% off promo. I mean, I never do that! Be sure to use the code BYECOZY at checkout to save big.
Quick tip: If the card you were eyeing is gone, message me through Etsy and I can still hook you up. Just make sure it's before August 31st! 

Shop the Etsy shop here!

Thank you so so much for all the wonderful support you have all sent via texts, comments, DMs, and snaps! It warms my heart that even one person cares so much but there are countless of you out there being absolutely sweet and encouraging to the Cozy Reverie brand. You are THE BEST! Just know I am still working on what I love and hope that you'll all continue to stick around too. Art isn't easy, but it sure is fun. :)