Cindy is the owner of The Scrapologist ™, a shop that specializes in creating handmade albums and journals.
She defines her products as “legacy paper creations”, and her main goal is to encourage people to get their photos off of their phones and into a beautiful album where they can be enjoyed for generations to come!
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Tell us a little about your shop and who you are.
I’m Cindy, I own The Scrapologist
, and I sell handmade mini albums, journals, mini album kits, and junk journal supplies including digital kits.
How long have you been selling on Etsy?
I have been on Etsy since 2012. I originally started out making scrapbooks and cards, and later became interested in making mini albums and junk journals.
My husband bought me a book press for our anniversary several years ago, so in the near future I will be introducing a line of handmade books made in the traditional bookmaking style with sewn-in signatures.
I was a full-time musician for the past 40 years, but all gigs were cancelled in 2019 & 2020; I knew I would not be happy at a traditional job, so I turned my Etsy business into a full-time venture during that time.
What’s the hardest part about selling online?
Back in 2012 on Etsy, I could just “list it and leave it,” items sold with little to no effort.
To be seen now, I have to be involved in my shop every day in some fashion, and must be very active on social media.
Most recently I became the primary caregiver for my dad who has dementia.
So balancing home/work life has become difficult in recent years. I think this is something that every woman struggles with.
What’s your daily routine like?
I am currently working part-time and caring for my family, so I have to squeeze in time each day whenever I can to care for my shop.
There is never a “normal” day here!
I try to get up at 5am to work on listings, photography, write descriptions, post to social media, etc.
I love the quiet of the morning to do the mundane business stuff. In the evening after dinner is when I head to my studio to create.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to start selling online?
It can be difficult to shift your mindset from doing a hobby to running a business based off of the craft that you love.
Make sure that you want to make that transition before you start.
Think about what it will mean to HAVE to create vs. creating when the mood hits you.
If you decide to make that transition, be prepared to have disappointments along the way, and remember that you will have to focus every day on the business.
Things will take time…there is no immediate gratification. Set little goals that are achievable to set yourself up for success!
Connect with Cindy here:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheScrapologist
Cindy also has a YouTube channel where she offers free tutorials on a variety of paper crafts. https://youtube.com/@TheScrapologist
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