Building my dream creative business in my 30s living in a Colorado mountain town.
Studio vlogs and small biz chats for the adventurous creative...a behind-the-scenes peek at my creative biz, outdoor adventures, and travels.
Hi! I'm Chereen aka Smeeny...on this channel, you'll find studio vlogs, creative business tips, and outdoors lifestyle content. I hope you feel inspired to get outside while creating a business and life you love!
Thank you for coming along on the journey ☺️#staywildsquad
Hello. Late to the comment party. I just wanted to say I love your content and I can see the care you put into it through the quality of your product. Also Edinburgh is my favorite place in the world. I hadn't watch the last couple minutes of the video when I commented. Was that Ragamuffin? I use to work there about 20 years ago.
Loved your vlog! I hope to see Scotland & Ireland one day too! ALSO your sweater main body color is the same stunning shade of purple/magenta of those Scottish wildflowers throughout the video! Also the yarn you bought from the wool shop. Fun! It's really special to have those fun travel memories literally knit up into your new sweater :)
Thank you Melissa! It was so fun looking back on this trip in this way☺️ I hope you get a chance to go to Ireland and Scotland too! It was truly so magical!
Ahhhh thank you!! You've got this! I'm definitely a novice sweater knitter too and it's not as scary as you think! Also...RU-vid has taught me everything I know hahaha!
Hey hi! Yes! I see so many small businesses wanting to make these shifts too! Thank you for being here and so nice to meet another creative on this journey!
Letting go of something that has defined us in our lives is very hard to do. It takes a brave heart and open arms walking forward. I have been making soooo many of your scrappy beanies for market prep this fall. I love your creativity and gifted soul. Carry on with all your dreams! Mama K Knits (Karen Vesely)
Hi! Most of my patterns take one skein! For the patterns using two colors (like my Winterfell Beanie pattern), you should be able to make two hats with one skein of MC and one skein of CC!
I don't comment as much as I should, but I always enjoy your videos! I SO wish I could go on the epic Iceland trip; your adventures look so fun. I reached supreme biz burnout the past ~3 years coupled with a life change that left less time for me to work on my business, and I'm just now slowly picking it back up and strategizing what a sustainable biz approach is for my life now.
Hi Melissa! I'm so glad you've been enjoying the videos! Burnout is so hard and so real! Especially when coupled with life changing events. I hope you're on the journey back to yourself and are finding a way to get back to it! It sounds like you're on a similar journey with trying to build a more sustainable way of business-ing! I'm right here with ya. Dang I wish you could join in Iceland too! Don't worry...my goal is to host an annual trip to a new place!
Wow! The video quality with your new camera is fantastic!! I know it sucks to have lost your old one into the river - or wherever it ended up! - but what a blessing in disguise!
Yes I totally agree! I'm so so happy with it so far! It's definitely taking a little getting used to, but the quality is great! Plus its a lot smaller and more discreet!
Oh no! The camera!!! I felt that pain! Haha I’m really curious about that DJI camera, it’ll be fun to see the footage 👏🏻 I’ve heard great things about that camera too!
Love the vibe of all your videos and I really look forward to watching them every time! Also wish I could go to Iceland but my kids are still too young for me to leave on such an epic adventure !! Maybe one day , it sounds like it’s going to be amazing ❤
💛💛💛I totally get it! Hopefully this becomes an annual thing and you can join one of these days! It would be a dream to host a trip in a different place each year!
I'm glad you mentioned your patterns, it hadn't occurred to me before (doh!)😂so I just bought a Winterfell 2.0 one for my next knitting project from Etsy. Thank you, I love the colours ☺
I am so sorry about the loss of your Grandma and all of the the grief you are experiencing. It is tough but you sharing helps us and I hope helps you too! Appreciate you always! I can’t wait to watch the linked niche vid too!
💛💛Thanks Tessa! I appreciate you too!! And yes! That was SO thought provoking and such a cool exercise especially for us as creatives! Did it bring up anything for you??
@@smeenymadewildYES! When you said you don’t necessarily obsess over talking about knitting and yarn mainly…. My first thought was I DO! I love talking about the actual craft and process. I love diving deep into the yarn and processes. I watch all knitting / crochet / yarny podcasts and feel confident in that realm. So it really helped me and I plan to sit with this and marinate to how to share this love again.
Sending you love in your vulnerability and grief. And truly loving all the beautiful & unique colors with the scraps and the resulting beanie!! Curious, the wood bins are really nice. Do they have a sealer/finish so they don't catch the yarn?
💛💛thank you! Gah I’m so excited about the scrappy beanies too!! Yes! The wood crates are from Michael’s and I basically sanded them down and did a light stain on them!
Yes yes yes to videos about the business! Even if you incorporated a segment or little bit in each vlog, that would be amazing. Things like sourcing materials at the best price and making contact to get wholesale prices, marketing emails, figuring out quantities (both of materials and finished products), pricing items, selling on consignment....you have so much knowledge after so long in the business. Any instruction would be welcome by many I'm sure. P. S giiiiiiirl your hair when you take out the bun to try on the zero waste beanie is fire! 🔥
Bawww thank you so much Erin!! Yes! I’ll definitely start weaving in more specific details like that into more of the vlogs. I have a few vlogs where I talk about pricing or whatever but these are great topics that I’ll be sure to include! Thank you!!💛
Yes! I’m using Malabrigo Rasta! Most yarn stores and online retailers carry it! My friend has an online yarn shop called dearedgardesigns.com with lots of options!
So sorry for your loss, sending big hugs while you are going through this time! I think if you uploaded any time of video people would love it ! It’s such a joy to watch all of your videos whether it be business or just going along with you on a trip! You remind us to take a step back and do what we need to do to stay sane! Also those beanies are so beautiful and so unique no one will ever have the same beanie because of the unique colors! Excited to see your next video as always! ❤
😭😭awww thank you so much for your kind words Jessica..it really means a lot! I’m so glad you love the videos…it’s certainly been a joy making them! Thank you for being on the journey with me!
I love all your videos, and love that you can do what you love without feeling pressured to go by what other peoples standers are for running your own handmade business! ❤❤❤
Thank you so much for your kind words! There is definitely a lot of pressure to do things a certain way and can be scary when you veer off on your own journey. Definitely feeling so grateful for this community and support from people like you! It's part of what makes the small business journey fun, creative, and exciting!
I don’t think you need to worry about where you “fit in”… I think one of your best qualities is being authentic and unique. People want to follow you because of it. Your combination of passions, skills, and interests is what sets you apart! Go with your gut and do what feels right, and be ok with changing directions when you want or need to! ❤
💛🥹thanks Em! It’s been such a journey with this pivot and trying to find what fits now! It’s funny because in doing the vlogs and talking it out, it has actually helped!
Love the new beanie! I purchased your fireside beanie and fireside cowl and love it!! I can’t wait to try this one too! Also love the vlog as per usual they are always super fun to watch and learn from !! 😊
At the beginning I was thinking 'she's quite different, not just a knitter etc.' and then you went on to talk about it! So I can see your dilemma, but I enjoy your videos because it's not ALL about knitting (I already follow some great knitters), but you are just very transparent and genuine so that's nice. I know society wants people to 'niche themselves down' but...yeah...it can feel limiting too. It's an ongoing process I guess😉
Yes! Thank you for being here🥰 I totally agree that it’s an ongoing process! I’ve had my business for 6 years and done it full time for 4 and am constantly learning and growing within this space!
Thank you for another great vlog. Your authenticity and openness is appreciated. I was thinking at the start, I wonder if Chereen has to look at her own patterns or if it's all just automatic in your hands now.... glad to see you still have to double check every now and then like us mortals 🙃 All the best for the planning of the trip and the next phase of the business. 💛
🥹🥹thank you for being here and for watching!! Omg yes I definitely need to reference my own patterns too😂 So excited to share more about the trip and new things in the biz with you!
Hello, thank you for sharing such great content on your video. We will be praying for your recovery. I also love to knit, sew, and crochet, oh, and my plants. My daughter and I enjoyed a few of your videos as we just found your channel! Keep up the great work, and take good care of your health. Blessings,
I always love watching your vlogs and was hoping to see another hut trip this winter - looks like a dream! Thanks again for letting me test knit....so fun to see your process of releasing a pattern!
