When You just didn't see it coming....
Hello Everyone, I hope this new year has started on a positive note although from even the smallest glimpse at social media and the news, it's apparent that 2025 has not started well. Now, as regular readers will know, I rarely (if ever) speak about politics, so if you're hoping for a rant about the new administration in the USA, you're going to be disappointed. As for what's happening here in the UK? Well, much like the current government, I have no clue. So instead, I thought I might share some personal news, which, as the title suggests, was not welcome.
If you have visited this blog regularly, you may have seen the other pages which are included and, sadly, I've had to delete one of them. Back in 2020, I opened an online store with Redbubble and created over 300 designs. Although I never made a fortune, sales were steady, and I was very proud of its progress. All was well until earlier this month; I received an email which said my account had been suspended and so it was no longer possible to access my shop 'Artful Hideaway.' Naturally, I was shocked and immediately contacted Redbubble to ask what had gone wrong. After a few days, their reply came and there was no actual reason given other than my account 'may' have been suspended as there 'may' have been some kind of activity that 'may' have gone against their guidelines. I replied again, asking for some kind of specific information but, at the time of writing to you, I've had nothing but an automated response which told me nothing. I have since researched if this has happened to anyone else, and there are hundreds of other stories- feel free to check out Reddit if you have an hour or three! Allegedly, these emails are sent out using AI and so despite what the original email states, nobody (at least no human), has 'reviewed' anything!
I was genuinely devastated! So much work over nearly five years had gone, my designs cannot be retrieved and so are now permanently lost. The sheer injustice of the whole situation made it even harder to bear, after all, if I had actually done something wrong, surely, they would be able to offer some details? But it would seem, they can't be bothered to show me -and all the others- even the most basic courtesy.
When the initial shock had subsided, I did start to think about opening another store on a similar site but, if I'm honest, my heart really isn't in it anymore. When something that has been established for over four years can simply be wiped away with the click of a button, then I'm left wondering what the point might be of risking a similar disappointment in the future. I do miss the shop far more than I might have imagined, creating such a wide range of designs was extremely enjoyable and fortunately, they were well received.
Anyway, I hope now, the title makes some sense, as obviously, this source of income has disappeared, and I still have no idea of the reason. Amongst the disgruntled community, there is a feeling that Redbubble has opted to delete the smaller shops and focus their energies on the larger ones. Even without my own store being a casualty, if this is their alleged strategy, it would seem remarkably shortsighted as surely, the more diverse the shops, the more likely any shopper will find a product to buy. But whatever their motivation, it's been a heartbreaking and demoralising time for not just me, but all those affected.
Now, I appreciate that very often things happen that take us all by surprise- life can be notoriously unpredictable. We can be going our own sweet way, minding our own business and then suddenly, BAM, we are confronted by some kind of enforced detour in our journey. Sometimes these can be very pleasant, like meeting a new friend/lover, discovering a longed-for pregnancy has finally happened or maybe even an unexpected financial windfall. But equally, it can be not good news at all, and we are left feeling the detour is more of an impassable obstruction to pursuing our dreams. I think when those happen, we have to try and remember, that although the road ahead might be blocked, there may well be another way to go-yes, it might mean retracing our steps but perhaps, if we keep looking, we will find a new path and be able to move forward again.
Now, I'm acutely aware, keeping going is infinitely easier to say than it is to do, so, speaking just for myself, I'm taking some time to sit down by the side of that metaphorical road to just breathe for a moment. I would definitely suggest doing the same, if you're in a similar unexpected situation, as it seems to me, that when I do start walking again, it will be in a more measured direction that will hopefully lead to a better time. Oh, and one last thing, I do know, that the closing of a shop means very little in the grand scheme of things, it could be you're reading this and thinking, 'she just needs to get over it.' Obviously, you're absolutely entitled to that opinion, and I will get past this-just not today.
Well, that's the news chez Turner, I can only hope that times are going better for all of you, as obviously, whatever might be happening here, I am always wishing you well. Please look after yourselves and who knows? Maybe one day our roads will meet, and I'll be able to thank you personally for all the support...until then..
Take very good care xx
