The first was for another Etsy customer who wanted the perfect Christmas gift for an avid Doctor Who fan. Through the course of conversation, I discovered that the recipient of this hot/cold pack and I both favor the 10th Doctor. (Who doesn't, right?) So, we collaborated on a quote to include in the design: "This is my Timey-Wimey detector. It goes ding when there's stuff." Classic David Tennant.
On a side note, this customer was pure joy to work with. It felt so good to make something that was met with so much appreciation. It is incredibly uplifting to be able to do something I love and have the finished product be so well-received. That experience reminded me why I started this business to begin with. As a result, I've been re-thinking my business strategy. I would love to do more custom, made-to-order items, as they have been the most rewarding part of having an Etsy shop. Long story short, I will be re-vamping my shop this year to feature more one-of-a-kind products. I'll be phasing out some of the products I've made in bulk. That means I need to purge some inventory; so if you've had your eye on any of the ready-to-ship items, get ready for some huge sales!
This second hot/cold pack was more of a personal project. I made it as a gift for one of my own close friends. When we were in high school, we would frequently crochet together. Although she now lives on the opposite side of the country, I still like to think of us as craft buddies. We are both sci-fi geeks, always have been and always will be. More specifically, we both watched and loved all things Stargate when we were in high school. There will always be a special place in my heart for SG-1, partly because of the memories I have of the two of us watching and talking about the show together. Because we share such a fondness for Stargate, I thought it would be appropriate to make her a Teal'c inspired gift.
Happy anniversary, dear friend, and congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter!
