Monday Moodboard & New Website!

Hello lovelies! Today's moodboard perfectly reflects my current state of mind. I'm very happy, no...make that thrilled :)

Some of you may have already guessed it or even seen it. I'm talking about my brand new website!

*für alle deutschsprachige LeserInnen habe ich diesen Post auf Deutsch :)

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I've wanted my own online shop forever. A couple of years ago I even went ahead and started building a site with software suitable for my basic programming skills, however, I failed miserably when it came to the checkout and payment modules. So I put that project on the back burner, but it was never quite out of my mind. Then, as some readers might remember, came the difficult years as I had to focus on caring for my ailing mother, who sadly passed end of last year. 

I hadn't expected to fire up this project again this year, but through the lovely Ani I was introduced to a web designer who was willing and able to implement my vision for this new site. After emailing back and forth a few times it was clear that we were on the same page design-wise and basically it was ready-set-go. Which explains my irregular blog schedule. Honestly, with building the new site, endless photo sessions with the little available light and running my business I could only squeeze in so much. 

As many of my regular readers know, my main business revolves around my fabric collections. Locally I'm known as the "rose print specialist":) I started out at the online selling venue, Dawanda, at a time when the handmade movement had just made a huge impact over here. Seeing as Dawanda is the largest and most well-known selling venue in Europe I definitely profited from riding that initial wave. However, over the years Dawanda has restructured and changed its direction dramatically, so much so that their current mission statement doesn't resonate with me at all.

Imagine a cute little specialty fabric store on Main Street (that would be me)... and then a huge chain store like Jo-Ann's opening next door. That's how it's like on Dawanda these days. It was high time for me to make strategic changes and an effort to stand out in the crowd in a unique way. Easier said than done, but I do have one ace up my sleeve. As Dawanda is set to make yet more changes to their terms by the end of this month I'm especially pleased my new site came together quickly in the last few weeks and I was able to officially launch it last Friday! Of course, the site is not static. It will evolve over time plus I still need to figure out how to add social media buttons. But for now I'm super pleased with my virtual shelves!

If you have not yet taken a peek at my new website you'll miss that I have added a completely new category! This is the ace I'm referring to. The April Rose greeting cards and stationery range features original illustrations by designer and artist Siobhan Harrison. This is a quintessentially British brand and I'm a little bit proud that, in Germany, they are exclusively available through my shop. And the second shipment with even more pretty items is on its way. Yay! I love how they fit my aesthetic and complement the rose fabrics perfectly. If you'd like to learn more about this range and meet the designer stay tuned for the interview this week! Siobhan is really lovely and such a talented person. 

You may have noticed the two flags in the upper right corner. Yes! I translated everything into English to the best of my ability and thoughtfully included a currency converter too. Please note, however, that some system related terms can't be changed. Anyway, all the important texts like categories and product descriptions and also the terms and conditions are English. That was by far the hardest work and I had to put in a few night shifts to finish in time! Of course, this website is ever evolving. You'll have noticed the "coming soon" categories. Another shipment is due to arrive any day now and I can't wait to share! Also, I have decided to sell my handmade items here too :)

I find this new site is easy to navigate (one of my priorities). I did a few test buys and everything displayed and calculated correctly. In the left side bar you can sort by collection. The page will automatically display all items from that collection, so this will save time when searching for coordinating fabrics. Plus you can enlarge or zoom the product photo for a closer look! My website is also compatible with viewing on tablets and smart phones. Aside from that I love how the overall design ties in with my blog. This time around I have really made an effort in branding and aiming for a cohesive look right down to my new business cards and flyers as well. 

With my site up and running it's crucial it gets "picked up" by search engines, so I would certainly appreciate if you could help me out with a click or two or perhaps even bookmarking my site :) 

And remember to stop by again when I'll be introducing the wonderful designer of the April Rose greeting cards and stationery brand. Plus I have a sweet giveaway planned the week after. Don't miss!