In November I opened an Etsy shop. I had art work I wanted to sell, including the don’t worry dolls I’d just started making. I knew nothing about SEO, product photography, or what relevancy means. As with many things I’ve done with my life, I jumped in and figured out how to swim later. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting myself into, nor did I know what an impact my little Etsy shop would have on the Seed.
By chance I began listening to a podcast called Etsy Conversations (http://convome.com). Each episode is an interview with an Etsy shop owner or someone offering a related service. I found it so interesting to hear different makers’ stories, and one that really caught my attention was episode 21 with Angela J. Holden. Angela has a B.A. in Management & Employment Law, worked as a paralegal, and was invited to Turkey to meet Fasil Say, the gifted Turkish pianist, after organizing a fan club for him. She is currently a WordPress web designer with a Master’s Degree in Technical Communication, which is where the Seed comes in. As I listened to Angela describe her approach to web design and saw her beautiful gallery of projects (https://angelajholden.com), I knew she was the one I wanted to create the Seed’s new site. I was not disappointed.
When we talked initially, Angela mentioned that she and her business partner Jen enjoy working with women entrepreneurs and their practice is to adapt the technology to the client rather than the other way around. We all agreed the Seed was a perfect fit. For the past two months I have been immersed in co-creating our new website with these two talented women. It’s been nothing but pure delight and here’s why.
An initial task I was given was to send links to sites that resonated with my vision for our site (my favorite: https://florabowley.com). It was an excellent way to help focus our attention on what we wanted to create. I could tell they spent considerable time studying our current website and its content, which I deeply appreciated. From the beginning it was clear that both Angela and Jen understood and received the essence of Awakening Seed. Even the color scheme for the new site was drawn from our current one. All along it’s felt like what we brought to the project was honored, then they transformed it into a new and beautiful expression.
Working with Angela and Jen on the Seed’s new site has certainly grown my technology skills. I feel a renewed devotion to my blogging practice. They’ve helped me see the school through new eyes and acknowledge how important it is to keep sharing the Seed’s story. Our work together has created an extraordinary container to hold that story.
A few weeks ago I sent both Angela and Jen one of my don’t worry dolls. After all, it was because of the dolls and my Etsy shop that I was led to these two, who have come to feel a whole lot like kindred spirits. Sending the dolls seemed like a gesture that would bring the project full circle. It’s clear that our new website is surrounded by that circle of light and love. I invite you to take a look: (www.awakeningseedschool.org).
Thank you, Mary! It was so much fun to learn about the Seed and be a part of this amazing project. It’s such a treat for me to design something that really comes to life with your content and images. Websites aren’t anything without words, and your message is so powerful. Cheers!