The giveaway that could change everything at Oh my! Handmade goodness

I am very excited to share with you that I am participating in the fabulous giveaway of Ho my! handmade goodness.
And so I share with you all some of my business and how it has been growing. 

For many years I worked in a museum school (Foundation Ricardo Espirito Santo) of Decorative Arts, where my main job was to restore the old tiles.

For many years I wanted to start a business of mine, where creativity was in the foreground.
When my son was born, was the turning point in my life.

I do not want to lose his growth and be a working 8 hours a day away from home, would cause me to lose the most important moments of his growth.

 I am not a person to be quiet, I like to work, I need to work, and since I can remember, I love creating.
So I threw myself  to my dream.

I was so afraid, I leave from my job and was jumping into the unknown, with a baby son. But at the same time, I was fighting for what I believed, and the life I wanted for us.

In difficult times (yes, there's always difficult moments) I always remember this is for our lives, for our happiness and with commitment and dedication everything is possible.

I started from nothing, had a table, some brushes, and a clay oven...

I started my first collection, opened the shop on Etsy and started searching for specific stores, where I believed that my work fit to put my pieces.

 In 2010 I got three stores in Lisbon, IZZO Chiado and Alma Lusa  (a name with two stores, one being located at Lisbon airport and has a good influx of customers) and sales on Etsy were starting very slowly.
In 2011 the range of stores increase for two more, one is in, the National Tile Museum in Lisbon, and the other (original), also in Lisbon.

The online sales also increased.  This year I sold online, twice what I sold last year.
At this time, despite good sales, income has only been for the studio, materials, equipment,etc..
all this precursor has been accompanied with full dedication, hard work and commitment.

If I have been afraid? yes, a lot! 

If I'm happy? yes very, very happy! I love what I do!
Manage a business alone, and be simultaneously mother and wife, is not easy.
Everything that comes out of the studio is done by me since the creation and design of the piece until its packaging.

My goals for the next year are several:) 

 I'm try to get to put my work on more  two new stores, on the other hand, want to open the door of the studio one day a week to make workshops with groups of adults and another with schools, to provide contact with the clay, glass, and allow freedom of expression and creativity to all.

And above all invest in sales / release online.
Portugal is going through a crisis right now quite large and we have a VAT of 23%, which makes it very difficult  the commercialization and purchasing power within the country.

This next year I have to invest more in sales outside the country.

I also thank everyone who has supported me, without you none of this would be possible!Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....