The Soft Launch: The Start of Something New

The soft launch is officially underway!

What is a soft launch, you ask? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure—but it felt like the best way to describe what’s happening right now. This is my way of easing into something new without the pressure of perfection, just seeing where it takes me.

A Lightbulb Moment

Since starting this blog, an idea has been brewing in the back of my mind. Over the years, I’ve tried my hand at different business ventures. Some were exciting, some promising, but none ever truly took off. No matter how much effort I put in, something was always missing. My heart never fully committed, and eventually, I’d burn out.

It felt like I could only ever manage two out of three crucial things at any given time:
✅ An amazing product
✅ A strong social media presence (which was my main sales generator)
❌ Production & supply—where things always seemed to fall apart

When one piece finally clicked into place, another would slip through my fingers. It became a cycle, and after years of trying, I finally decided to walk away.

But I Couldn’t Let Go

I sold off nearly all my crafting equipment—except for one thing: my CO2 laser machine. Something in me just couldn’t part with it. I wasn’t using it, but I also wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

And thank god I didn’t.

Around the same time, a good friend of mine, Tara, had been growing a similar business (Personalised | Ten4Ireland - Seriously, check her out, she is amazing for everything personalised!) We’d known each other since school and had reconnected over the shared joys (and struggles) of running a creative business. Over the years, our paths diverged into different niche areas, but we both ended up with laser machines.

A Collaboration Was Born

One day, I reached out to Tara and offered her my machine—it was bigger, had more attachments, and I knew she’d make great use of it. Within a few days, we had it moved into her workspace.

At first, I only planned to use it occasionally for small projects. I’d been working on decorating my home (my absolute favorite hobby, as you’ll soon see!), and I thought I’d use the laser for a few DIY touches.

Then, we had an idea.

What if we used this blog as a platform to bring our creations to other homes? We wanted to offer affordable handmade pieces—especially now, when things like Brexit have made it harder (and pricier) to order from places like Etsy. Tara would handle production & shipping, while I focused on the website & marketing—because, let’s be real, I’m still out here trying to be a content creator!

The First Product: A Valentine’s DIY Kit

Even though we haven’t launched our full collection yet, we decided to start small with a Valentine’s DIY Date Night Kit. Originally, we planned to release them weeks ago—maybe even host a crafting event (since my Halloween sessions were a blast!).

But, if you read my last post (The Funeral), you’ll understand that my energy levels have been at an all-time low for a number of reasons.

Still, as time was ticking, I kept asking myself: How should I market these kits? How do I get people interested? Then it hit me—I was overcomplicating it.

I’d lost sight of what this was all about: staying true to myself. Instead of obsessing over strategy, I just needed to put it out there and trust that the right people would find it.

The Lesson: Just Take the First Step

Coming into this year, I made myself a promise: Trust the universe.

I don’t need things to be an overnight success. That’s always been my biggest struggle—I expect immediate results, and when I don’t get them, I give up. But this time, I’m pushing through.

So here we are: Knots & Notions’ first product. The beginning.

And honestly? Part of me hopes it flops. That way, we’ll have gotten our first “failure” out of the way, so when we finally launch what we originally set out to do, we’ll be ready for success.

But then again… what if it doesn’t flop?

What if people actually love it? What if this whole thing could work? Because let’s be real—if I never put it out there, I’d never know.

I struggle so much with believing in myself, yet I somehow keep acting like I know exactly what I’m doing. Maybe that’s the secret—faking it until I actually believe it.

So here’s to the soft launch of something new. Let’s see where it takes us.