Sundaze 187

Hello again! It doesn’t seem more than two minutes since we last caught up over a cosy Sundaze, and here we again.

I suppose part of that is because I didn’t post at all this week! Originally it was because I needed to push Monday’s scheduled post back (you’ll get that tomorrow), but then I decided that I wanted to keep everyone’s attention on important events like the US election. This corner could wait. And a wait it was! I stayed up late three nights on the trot to anxiously wait for updates to no avail, and I am SO tired from the missed sleep. I’m over the moon for my US friends about the result, here’s to four years with Kamala freakin’ Harris as Vice-President!! Shatter. That. Glass. Ceiling. ‘Thankfully’ we’re now back in a national lockdown in England, so I’ve got all of today to stay at home and catch up on some rest.

Thank you!!

Well, I am completely blown away by the response to Louise and I’s announcement last weekend. & Chai is now officially one-week-old, and we have already achieved so much more than we’d ever anticipated. In fact, we sold out within seven hours and then spent much of the evening working on restocking. As our Scented Candles series is hand-poured in small batches – the most sustainable way we found for launch – it meant we hastily had to upgrade our ways of working. We’re now restocked, and hope that we’ve learned our lessons in inventory-keeping!

I wanted to extend the biggest ‘thank you’ to you. All of the shares, likes, RTs, orders and comments mean the world to us. It is beyond gratifying to see everything come to fruition after months and months of hobbyist-making to rigorous testing.

Shop our Scented Candles on the & Chai Etsy now >

Lockdown 2.0

As I thought a few months ago, we’re predictably back in lockdown here in England. Not much has changed for me – I’ve been at home approximately 90% of the time since it was lifted in July – but now we have the added stress of running a small business throughout it. Me, personally? I’m not going to pressure myself to be additionally productive, or to tackle my ‘reading list’. If I feel okay and have ticked off tasks at my part-time job and nothing else by 2nd December, I’ll be content. As ever, my ‘Petite joys’ series is ready for your joy-inducing perusal, should you need it. Yet with Lockdown 2.0 comes more things to consider…

So, what’s happening with me then?

I also wanted to reflect, this week, on where I’m at in 2020. With & Chai now out in the big wide world, a few people have wondered what I’m doing. Right now, I have a part-time job as a writer in e-commerce that I’ve very gratefully kept throughout the pandemic – that’s my first priority. I lost all of my freelance writing and editing clients this year, which left me in a low mood for much of the summer. But it was understandable and somewhat expected. I’ve been, instead, working on personal projects that don’t bring any money in. And, & Chai is my second focus. The government’s decision to pay self-employed a lower cut of their usual earnings left my writing business gasping for air. Even now, I’m pondering what will happen to little Tartle Copywriting. But, I’ll be endlessly grateful no matter what comes. Perhaps writing 24/7 hasn’t been the best plan.

Links I’ve Loved

Many of us are feeling overwhelmed at the moment; this letter from The Glitter Guide helps.
I’m a big fan of journalling. Megan Portorreal shares how to find the best journalling style for you.
Looking for a new YouTube channel to subscribe to? Sam at Griff Reads shares regular bookish videos that are engaging and full of brilliant recommendations and insights.
As a long-time lover of the Gossip Girl books, I really enjoyed reading this interview with author Cecily von Ziegesar.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, The Everygirl have shared 23 plant-based recipes that are perfect for the occasion.
Let’s round off with another piece about the power of journalling, especially as we near the pensive last few weeks of the year.