New business and COVID-19

Sunday 9th February, the week I handed in my notice at the supermarket I was working at. I had decided I wanted to run my Arts and Craft business full time. So, let’s do this!! I was excited and nervous. I had summer festivals and fayres booked. So many different ideas and couldn’t wait to give it my full attention and energy. The virus was just something my father in law mentioned in passing one evening.

Forward to Sunday 8th March, my final week of shifts. There is no toilet paper, hand sanitizer, or hand soap left on the shelves. There is a restriction of 3 items per customer. Antibacterial sprays are being sent in for staff to disinfect surfaces. People are talking about the Coronavirus. But it is either customers just informing me that the “world’s gone mad” or people buying multiple packs of pasta and jarred goods.

Now, Monday 6th April, the date in my diary from the moment I handed my notice in, as the day I would launch myself as self-employed running my art and crafts business full time. Not once did it cross my mind that we would be in week 3 of a UK lockdown.

How can so much change in 3 months?

On the one (disinfected) hand, I am so extremely lucky that I am now able to self isolate and not be in the supermarket coming into contact with so many people. While on the other; all my summer markets have been cancelled, my decision to wait until the new tax year to register as self-employed has left me with no possible financial help, and the UK lockdown has me questioning whether selling online and going to the post office to send deliveries is essential travel.

Please, please, please do not take this as me moaning, I understand how extremely lucky I am to be in this position to be able to self isolate. I just felt that I needed to talk about the virus. I can’t ignore the one thing that we are all living with, and just come out and announce that… Yay, I am now self-employed, buy my products! So, I am going to carry on as normal as I can, and I will keep adjusting to the restrictions as and when they come from the Government.

In this scary time, I am finding some solace in the artists I follow on social media, so I hope I can provide that for you. I will use this time I am not attending art fayres to create new pieces and keep you updated here on my website, Instagram and Facebook.

Thank you for reading and stay safe everyone x