What Lies Ahead
In September of 2008, after prodding from several friends, I created a profile on Etsy and Dragonfly's Hollow was born.
We're coming up on fourteen years! Two weeks from now to be exact. Fourteen years - several moves - thirty plus helpers - a brick and mortar shop - thousands of dolls and critters, and just as many smiling little faces. Whew! What a ride it's been.
Those of you who have been around since the beginning will know that after the passing of my mom in 2015, I decided to slow things down considerably in order to spend more time with my family. The death of a loved one is a time to contemplate, to reassess how we are spending the most precious of our resources. Time.
It was during this period that I stepped back and asked myself some simple questions. Was I spending my precious time doing things I loved like spending time with my children, who were growing older each day? Was I truly happy running a business that was responsible for feeding and housing the families of an entire team of people? Greater scheme of things, was the pressure of it all pushing me toward poor health, both physically and mentally?
As you all know, after much introspection, I made the decision to close the brick and mortar shop, lower production and thus cut back on stress and outside obligations.
This worked well for the past several years. With a skeleton crew, we continued to make dolls and critters. This brings us to where we are today...
Once again, it's time for introspection.
I spent this past summer, taking it easy, focusing on my writing and generally enjoying time with my family. There weren't many dolls made (even fewer critters). This quiet time made me yearn for the days when I was just a little maker of toys. Just me, my supplies and my creativity. No pressure to pay bills, no payroll, no overhead. Just quiet evenings alone, working raw materials into magical creations.
This brings me to my current decision.
I have decided that I will not be ramping up DFH this fall. All my ladies who have been by my side over the years have moved on to other things. Some have moved into the corporate world, others have become teachers, while the rest are busily making their own magic in the world. I am proud to have been a part of their journey and excited to see what the future holds for each of them.
As for me, while I love making my little creations, I have no desire to make large quantities. Deadlines, uploads, expectations of others, no longer appeal to me.
What does appeal to me is the simple act of taking raw material and turning it into something unique, beautiful and precious. I enjoy interacting with you all. I love seeing the photos you share of your littles enjoying something I created.
I want more of this.
Going forward, I will continue to make my little works of art. When they are ready, they will be put up in my shop. There will no longer be set upload days and no previews (unless I decide to share snippets of something I am working on). Things will be much more organic around here.
I intend to continue doing this as long as it brings me joy.
The quiet times working with my hands have enabled my mind to wander, fueling my imagination, thus, allowing me to write three novels (the latest one will be released this November). I'm quite proud of them. And, based on reviews, others have enjoyed them as well. I plan to release the fourth and final book in the series in early spring of next year, followed shortly after with the first book in a whole new series.
It might seem like a grueling pace, but trust me when I say it is anything but. I love creating with my hands almost as much as I love creating compelling stories. This is who I am and I intend to embrace it fully.
If you are interested in a doll or critter, feel free to message me. If it sounds like something I want to make, I will happily add it to my list. I am always here to chat and am open to ideas. I will keep sending out emails about my latest creations, so if advance notification is your thing, might I suggest you join my DFH email list. The link is in the top right corner of my website...
https://www.dragonflyshollow.com
Please feel free to follow me on all my social media accounts as I post fairly regularly - about life, writing, and general silliness. As always, I welcome your interactions.
https://www.nancylmclaughlin.com/
IG
https://www.instagram.com/nlmclaughlinauthor
https://twitter.com/NL_Mclaughlin
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@nlmclaughlin
FB
https://www.facebook.com/NancyLMclaughlin
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21628235.N_L_McLaughlin
Since both my writing and my little Waldorf inspired creations are all me, expect to see more of both going forward.
As I prepare to send my third novel to my editor for his final work over, I will be spending more time quietly working with my hands, contemplating plot holes. In other words, I will have a doll or two next week, possibly even a critter or two. Those kangaroos were so much fun to make.
I look forward to what the future holds. I hope you will stick around for the long haul.
Peace,
Nancy
