Maternity Leave

October 17, 2022 9 Comments

UPDATE: Landon Baxter was born on Friday, November 17th. He's a beautiful, healthy and big baby boy! When I have a moment I'll post more info and pictures...

Dear reader,
It is nearly time for me to introduce 3B2 (Baby Boy Baxter #2) to the world!

I am approaching my due date and baby watch has officially begun! Fun fact: my due date (November 11th) is my first son's birthday. Liam is very excited to get a baby brother for his fourth birthday! Though...he still wonders sometimes if it will be a sister. He REALLY wants a sister. He gendered all his stuffed animals as female (including Ralph and Beauregard) in hopes of a sister. (It is 100% a brother.) We'll see how he feels once the reality of a sibling sets in!

3B2 has really slowed me down, even more than expected, in the last few weeks. I anticipate that will continue to be true, but so far everything I've anticipated for this pregnancy have been WRONG. The good news is, I'm healthy (even if my back and joints and extraordinarily distended belly fully disagree) and 3B2 is healthy and VERY active. Hopefully all goes well with delivery.

The other thing slowing me down is inventory. With everything else going on, it didn't occur to me that the turnaround on purchasing inventory would be as delayed as it is. I've been following small business entrepreneurial groups throughout this pandemic struggle with this, and somehow it didn't occur to me that I would have the same issue! I am nearly completely out of Tencel™ yarn, and won't receive my next shipment until mid-January.

Since I can't predict exactly how the next weeks will go, and undyed inventory is running very low, I am going to declare a sort of "maternity leave" from working on Shiny Dime Fibers. My studio assistant Catherine and my virtual assistant Jenna have been helping me as they can as I've slowed down, and will continue to do so as they can through the coming months. But I expect there to be a major slowdown in business until early next year.

Starting November 1st, I am declaring "Maternity Leave."

I will still be around as I can, and will fulfill orders until delivery makes that impossible. I'll do my best to make that announcement when the time arrives, and will pick up sending orders as soon as feasible. We will be taking a slowdown/total pause in dyeing yarn, but will continue to sell what yarn is in stock. If something is sold out, it likely will be for a while.

I wanted to tell you this because I am NOT going out of business. I am simply taking a pause and slowing down as I move through these new transitions, and navigating my way through how to continue to run this business while raising two small children. You may see less of me in the next few months, but I fully intend to continue to dye yarn and grow this business. I'm not sure how it's all going to play out, I'm simply taking it one step at a time.

Thank you all for continuing to follow me on my journey! If you haven't signed up for my newsletter yet, it's the best way to keep up with news and changes at SDF. On occasion there may be baby photos :)

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