Balancing Act

As I mentioned in my first post, I'm currently running two businesses side by side. My main job is the day to day running of my little gallery and haberdashery. I opened Hawthorn in 2010 originally on a bit of a whim and I'm glad to say we're still here almost 2 years later, on the high street promoting handmade all the way! 

Hawthorn Contemporary Craft Gallery and Haberdashery

After we opened, I was looking around on the internet for a craft to have a go at whilst in the gallery. Somewhere amongst my wanders I found a little needle felting starter kit for about £14 and after watching a video on youtube thought it looked like something I could do. The kit arrived and I pretty much haven't stopped felting since. I've tried numerous crafts before and never quite found my calling. One go at needle felting and I was entirely hooked. I think I've come a long way since I started, but my very first little piece, a little hare is still sat proudly on a shelf at home, keeping an eye on proceedings. 

Then and Now

I think he'd be rather proud of what he's turned into over time!


During the last few months, my felting has started to become a bigger thing. This is in part due to my pushing it a bit harder, but there's also been a bit of luck thrown in. What I'm now faced with is a delicate balancing act. The gallery needs a lot of care and attention, but now that my own craft is generating some interest I'm finding myself a little torn as to how best to use my time. I'm very lucky in that I can sit and felt in the gallery inbetween customers and chores, and this has its advantages, not least the instant feedback from customers. But I'm an awful one for procrastinating, and when there's a gallery full of things to do, I'll often get to the end of a day having been nowhere near my needles and wool. And now I'm also looking at how to fit craft fairs and workshops in... Some days I really do need to be two people!


If I'm to make more of a thing of my felting, I need to look at better ways to balance both businesses, and to stop myself from wandering off task! I find it fascinating and humbling that people are willing and happy to pay money for my animals and can't wait to see where this might lead. In the meantime, I've got a gallery to run...!


Are you juggling two businesses, or two lives? I'd love to hear how you manage things, of if you've had to be ruthless and focus on one thing only.