Hi All and welcome to Natasha Miller Creates! It’s just like Natasha Miller Letters but with feeling less bad about not niching down. That’s right! I have taken some time (3 years roughly) and decided that niching down is not for me and I am taking a different road. This road looks a lot like the road we’re already on but now I’ll have less sleepless nights. I will get more into my reasoning and thinking down below. There is a YouTube video you can check out too. I talk about the same stuff but honestly, it’s easier for me to be more expressive in writing. So let’s get into it!
The Background
When I first started Natasha Miller Letters 6 years ago, my intention was to focus more on lettering and lettering in my bullet journal. Therefore, Natasha Miller Letters made a lot of sense. In the last 6 years, I had a second child, lived in 3 different cities, went through the pandemic, and many, many, many breakdowns and crises not knowing what I want to do. I LOVED creative journaling and incorporating my background in paper crafts (I still do!), but something unexpected happened along the way.
The Early Years
Before I get in to that, I want to talk about my varies hobbies. Growing up, I wanted to draw and do art. My ogre of an art teacher who basically said my art wasn’t good enough (I was 10 years old – this woman was a piece of work). Nevertheless, I persisted and in High School, chose Business Economics and Art as my electives. This apparently, back in my day (LOL), didn’t make sense and was coerced into taking Business Economics and Accounting instead.
Business Economics was spent lettering with a friend and colouring with pretty pens – the Pentel Milkies and Metallic pens! I still have my diary with lettering and art in it, as well as a book of quotes I loved at the time. Found a new all consuming hobby, and didn’t start artistic endeavours again until University when I got my first Cricut. I made so many cards and had a blast doing so. When I started my corporate job (before kids), I made fun halloween treat bags and holiday crafts for my coworkers. I’ve made wedding invitations, and diaper cakes. Dabbled in sewing and jewelry making, stamping and scrapbooking. And then 2017, I found myself with no job, no work visa (we moved temporarily for my husband’s work), and ample time (somewhat – I had a 3 year old). And that’s where we find ourselves at the beginning of this section.
Niching Down
By 2019, I wanted to start making money doing what I loved. I was lucky enough to get a mentor and I learned a lot. BUT! My heart wasn’t really in it. It didn’t feel quite right. One of her biggest things was to niche down – bullet journaling being the easiest topic. She actually suggested I change my name, but nope! I dug my heels in!
Then Covid hit and just like everyone, kind of shut down and did what I needed to manage. It was around this time that I started to realize my drawing had improved A LOT! This opened so many new doors for me and I realized the direction I want to go in. I LOVE scrapbook paper pads and, when I was card making, would always play with the different designs and textures to make cards. Because of my creative journaling, I had multiple notebooks FULL of ideas and images to build patterns. So I started working on patterns and pattern collections.
It didn’t feel right sharing that on my Letters account since I was primarily sharing bullet journal content and trying to niche down. I used some of the patterns in my layouts but it wasn’t enough. I felt like I was doing myself a disservice not sharing what I wanted on my account. And whenever I wasn’t sharing bullet journal content, I felt guilt and stressed out that I was going to lose followers because this wasn’t what people wanted to see.
Niching Up
I’ve slowly started to realize how much anxiety and discomfort this was causing me. It basically feels like I am hiding parts of who I am. In this toxic social media cesspool, it’s so important to share your story and who you are, and I’ve struggled doing that knowing who I am is fragmented across various platforms, in various names.
I had decided, probably 3 months ago, that I was going to change my name. With one contract pending, I promised myself I would rebrand when it was done. This thought too was paralyzing! Changing names, intros, graphics, videos – then of course logo, and colours. Thankfully, I’d completed a mini revamp a couple of months ago. So, deciding to keep the fonts, and reduce the colour palette, all that was left was a logo. The dreaded logo! I love the coffee cup but it is WAY to Rae Dunn-esque so it had to go! Decided on something simple and something I could grow into. Once I had my logo, everything else fell into place, and literally overnight, it all changed.
So yes okay, a minor name change, slight colour adjustment, what’s the big deal?! The big deal is my mindset shift!
What’s in a Name
I’ve been lucky enough to meet some incredible artists and creators. A HUGE chunk of them have/are struggling with the concept of niching down. Of course we are! As artists/creatives, we are hard wired to think outside of the box. So I ask you, why is some tech bro the one that gets to put us in a box to pander to an algorithm?! An algorithm that changes whenever and however it wants, but we’re expected to stay in a box?! Make it make sense!
So, my fellow creatives, if you’ve made it this far, welcome! Welcome to Natasha Miller Creates. A space where we will be doing all sorts of crafty and creative things! Lettering, painting, journaling, reviews, tutorials, digital art, where ever the wind may take us. Now, I know this won’t be for everyone. You’re not going to like everything all the time, but I will be posting on a schedule so you will be able to find your favourite thing easily. I have also made search topics easier to find and will expand on those as I expand this blog. I am hoping to have more guest bloggers too so stay tuned for that. And my Newsletter will be WAY more robust and fun.
If there is anything in particular you want to see, let me know! I LOVE learning and experimenting so bring it on! The From Blank to Brilliant Library will be growing and changing. That is my next big project that is already underway so sign up to be apart of creative chaos and fun!
If you made it all the way through, thank you so much! I am so immensely grateful that you are here and so excited to share my whole creative self!
Talk soon!
