SYW336 – The Joy and Heartache of Small Business in 2026 with Rachel Tallman

Rachel Tallman: [00:00:00] this year I was kind of, falling out of love with paper crafting a little bit. Like, I just was like I needed to find my place in it again or find my spark again. So that's when I turned to junk journaling. And I'd seen it a lot online. And I specifically really like junk journaling for documenting my travels and my trips and stuff.

Jennifer Wilson: Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way, the show that explores the breadth of ways to be a memory keeper today. I'm your host, Jennifer Wilson, owner of Simple Scrapper and author of The New Rules of Scrapbooking. This is episode 336.

In this episode, I'm chatting with Canadian paper crafter Rachel Tallman about her journey through scrapbooking, junk journaling, and running a sequin mix subscription business. In our conversation, Rachel shares what it felt like to close that shop and what made the business model no longer workable

Hey, Rachel. Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way.

Rachel Tallman: Hello. [00:01:00] Thank you so much for having me.

Jennifer Wilson: This is going to be a fun conversation I am thinking, and I'm excited to chat with you.

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, I'm very excited to be here. I love chatting all things crafting.

Jennifer Wilson: Can you start by sharing a little bit about yourself?

Rachel Tallman: Sure. So my name is Rachel Tallman. I live in the Niagara region in Ontario, Canada. Um, I often describe it as in between, like, Toronto and Buffalo, so I'm right by the border. I'm, I'm, I'm right along the border there. And, um, great area to live in. I, I... So we don't have Target here, but I, I like to tell people that I kinda get the best of both worlds.

I'm 20 minutes away from Target in the States, but also I have free healthcare, so love that. But that's where my location is. Um, for work is... Yeah. Yeah, I love it. my job is, my day job is I work with adults with disabilities. So I basically just, like, take them to do fun things, go to the movies, [00:02:00] plays, musicals, classes, crafting, baking, all that stuff.

So, so that's what I do for work, kind of split my time between, between crafting and that. And, um, my hobbies, obviously crafting, paper crafting. I'm a huge reader. I'm a big Buffalo Bills fan. I'm a season ticket holder. I love to bake, travel, Disney. And traveling goes, like, great with crafting, because I love documenting my travels.

So yeah, that's a little bit about me.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, wonderful. Yeah, I, that, I love that part of the world, and that is super cool that you do get the best of both locations, so.

Rachel Tallman: Feel very lucky. Yes, I feel lucky.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you have a favorite recent thing that you've created, and why is it a favorite?

Rachel Tallman: Ooh, yes. So this year I kinda made it my goal to fall in love with paper crafting again. And not that I ever disliked it, but I've been paper crafting for maybe about 15 years or so now. [00:03:00] And, I've done scrapbooking, Project Life, happy mail, all sorts of things. And so this year I kinda wanted to try something new in the paper crafting world.

So I've been doing a lot of junk journaling the last couple years. But, um, one of my favorite projects this year is, um, a book journal, like a reading... Basically like a reading log that I've made. That's been really fun. I mean, I didn't invent this or anything. It's all over, like, social media and stuff. But, um, it's kind of a year-long project, and it's simple.

It's in like a traveler's notebook style notebook. And it's, um, just a way to, like, document what I read, but also like the stats of what I'm reading. So there's like book graphs and like a little like hall of fame of the books I'm reading. Um, like a diversity tracker, a book bingo, what I'm reading in my book club, what I, what I buy. And yeah, documenting the books I read each month and the ratings I give them.

So that's my latest favorite project. It's simple, it's easy, it's straightforward, [00:04:00] it's low maintenance, but at the end of the year I'll have a full album of all the books I read.

Jennifer Wilson: I love how that type of project fits in well with your desire to, like, rekindle your love. When, when we need to do that, often a simpler approach can be, um, really helpful.

Rachel Tallman: Exactly. I love it.

Jennifer Wilson: So is there something new you're excited to do, use, or try, either in your hobby or your everyday life?

Rachel Tallman: Yes. So I've actually, in the last month or two kind of been exploring different, um, hobbies or crafts outside of paper. And I've been needle pointing in the last month, which has been really fun. And like with, with scrapbooking there's like that... I don't know if it's like an instant gratification or what it is about finishing a layout in one sitting, and that's great.

But with needle pointing it's like, that takes a while. I've been working on this for, for weeks, hours and hours and hours every week. And it's taking a long time. But it's, [00:05:00] I think it's good for my brain to, to slow down with a project and not get the, the excitement of finishing it until... I don't know. I don't know how long this will take me.

But it, it's been, it's been kinda cool to try something. And that I'm sure I can incorporate in paper crafting somehow eventually. But, um, maybe it's like kind of a cousin to paper crafting. But I do wanna try cross stitching. That's kinda my next thing that's kind of similar to it. So, so those are two things.

Jennifer Wilson: I think those could be really fun for the cover of a mini album.

Rachel Tallman: That would be amazing.

Jennifer Wilson: So I haven't done any kind of, like, fiber crafting in decades. Um, can you remind us, like, what needlepointing is versus embroidery or cross-stitch?

Rachel Tallman: Oh, dear. Okay, I can try. I'm still new to it, but I actually, I just bought like a few different kits from, um, Michaels that were on sale. 'cause I just wanted to try something new. So I bought a few different kits. Um, [00:06:00] and yeah, one of them was needle pointing. And so cross stitching I think is on like a fabric, and then needle pointing is, I don't know if it's like, like a wax kind of thing or what it, what kind of material this is.

But also, um, the needle pointing uses like yarn, and cross stitching uses, um, what is that called?

Jennifer Wilson: Embroidery floss.

Rachel Tallman: Yes, that's the one. Uh, yeah. Um, yeah, so- I am still very new to it, but I am enjoying it, and I'm excited to learn more. And it's good, like, while watching TV. Instead of, like, scrolling my phone, I just find myself on, working on this project.

And I like to read, but, like, reading you don't have anything on in the background. With, with these projects it's kinda nice to have something on in the background and doing something with my hands. So it's good. It's helping me be on my phone less, that's for sure.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, 'cause, you know, sometimes it's really hard to resist the pull of the phone while you're watching TV.

Rachel Tallman: Oh, yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Or a [00:07:00] movie, and then you find yourself like, "Oh gosh, I missed that joke," or, you know, "What did say?

Rachel Tallman: Yes. It's such a bad habit, this... Though this last, like, 10 years or whatever it's been of, of social media and just, like, being so attached to our phones, like, it's so hard for our brains to just simply watch a TV show or movie now without grabbing our phone. It, it's, it's very interesting and something I gotta check myself with, for sure.

Jennifer Wilson: Well and I want all the info, like if I've seen an actor, particularly like those actors that are in everything. You're like, "I have to know where I saw this guy last or the six different things that I saw him in before." Um, and that drives my family nuts, but, um. I ha- I always Google those things.

Rachel Tallman: Yes. I'm like, "Where do I know that actor from? I've seen him or her somewhere. Like, where is this person from?" And you gotta Google it, and then you go in this rabbit hole of like, oh, that movie. Oh, that TV show. That, uh... Oh, they're married to this person, or their child. Yeah, I get it.

Jennifer Wilson: Wanted to chat with you today about paper crafting and the state of small business. Um, [00:08:00] you obviously, as you mentioned, you've crafted a lot of formats over the years, all centered around what I, I'm seeing as like a sense of joy in the products themselves. Um, before we get into more of the business side, can you tell us more about how you shifted from scrapbooking, Project Life, and into junk journaling this year?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah. So I grew up, like, watching my mom's scrapbook, like in the '90s and, and 2000- like early 2000s and stuff like that. Like scrapbooker childhood. Um, and so when I was a teenager I wanted to make scrapbooks for friends, and then when I got married about, uh, 10, 11 years ago I- was actually making... Okay, I wrote it down 'cause I forget what it...

Do you remember, like, there were these, they were almost like junk journals. They sold them at Michaels. I'm sure they sold them at other stores as well. Oh, Smashbooks. That's what they were called. Yeah. So it was, like, almost like junk journal style-ish, but that's kind of where [00:09:00] I started, like, when I... Like, about 10 years ago, like, when I really, really was getting into paper crafting, and that was a lot of fun.

But then I discovered more traditional scrapbooking and Project Life, and I dabbled in that. And about 10 years ago, I got really deeply into pen pals and happy mail and making, like, 3D projects. Um, and then that also, like, just being in the YouTube space and constantly watching YouTube videos got me into mini albums and creating these albums from scratch.

And I document my everyday life, but I'm... At this point, I'm probably like three or four years behind. 'cause I just haven't been keeping up. But hopefully one day I'll catch up. But I was kind of getting bored of scrapbooking and just needed something different. Like I was saying, this year I was kind of, like, falling out of love with paper crafting a little bit. Like, I just was like I needed to find my place in it again or find my [00:10:00] spark again. So that's when I turned to junk journaling. And I'd seen it a lot online. And I specifically really like junk journaling for documenting my travels and my trips and stuff. Um, last year I went to, for my 30th birthday, I went on a solo trip to Disney. And I brought a little, a, a really, really small kit of stuff to...

And a little, a mini printer, uh, to document my trip while I was there, and then I would collect junk as I went. And that was a lot of fun. And so at this point I've kind of combined... I, I know for a lot of people junk journaling is, like, straight up junk. You'll have a notebook and you'll put, like, literally just junk in it. So receipts, tags from, like, clothing that you buy, or like ripping up, like, paper cups or whatever, things like that, and it makes a beautiful spread.

And that's so much fun. It's accessible, it's affordable, it's something anybody can do. Um, but my type of junk journaling is kind of a combination [00:11:00] of that and scrapbooking. In the sense that my pages oftentimes look like scrapbook layouts, but I, from my trips I'll collect and keep everything. And my husband knows to, like, keep all the little paper place mats and the receipts and all the things.

So, um, I have that for my journal. So my type of junk journaling is kind of a combination of, of everything I've, I've tried over the years, and that's what I'm having a lot of fun with now. So it's a mix of memory keeping and journaling and the, the traditional sense of a junk journal. So yeah, I don't know if that answers the question.

Jennifer Wilson: It, it does. It's, it's awesome. I'm curious what size or format of kind of foundation of book you're using this year. Or are you using multiple?

Rachel Tallman: Okay. So for my day-to-day life, I'm still doing the traditional scrapbook. But for my, um, for my travel albums, I... I'm trying to get a ruler here to measure, 'cause I have the book out right in front of me, but it's probably like, um, maybe like, uh, 8 and [00:12:00] a half by 11-ish. Maybe a little bit bigger.

Yeah. So it's, um, the one I'm using for my trips lately are like a spiral bound, um, notebook from, like, the dollar store. Nothing fancy at all. And I usually end up taking out most of the pages 'cause it gets pretty thick. Because I'm adding layers and all that stuff. So, um, yeah, that's the last couple I've used.

Um, my book journal is, like, probably half that size though, so yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: I think it's really cool how junk journaling obviously isn't new. I mean, you could say that that's what my grandmother did in the '40s too, in terms of, like, bringing all those things together. But I love how this provides a different kind of entry point for those kind of your age and then, you know, and even much younger, down to even teenagers these days.

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, absolutely. I love it.

Jennifer Wilson: That excites me a lot about, you know, the future of, of crafting, and especially this whole conversation about grandma hobbies and the analog bag and, [00:13:00] and this kind of rejection of that constant online culture.

Rachel Tallman: Yes. When I first started scrapbooking, I was like, I kept it quiet around my friends 'cause I was kind of insecure about it. Like, who scrapbooks anymore? But, like, I don't know, I love seeing, like, even TikTok videos of young y- young people like teenagers or people in their 20s who are getting into memory keeping and buying little printers so they can print their photos.

I always tell my friends, "Print your photos. Put them around your house. Like, you don't have to make a scrapbook, but print..." Like, they're stuck on our phone. Um, but it, it's cool now to see. Um, in the last year or two I've also seen conversations online in Facebook groups and stuff. Just reminding people to, like, share your projects online so that, like, younger generations can see how fun memory keeping is and that we can...

So we can keep this hobby alive. And, and keep these small businesses alive that we love, 'cause we've seen so many of them close down over the last couple years. And we need to keep them alive. We need, we need more people buying [00:14:00] these fun products.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm, for sure. So it looks like you started playing with sequins and shaker pockets in 2020. So I mean, was this a joy-seeking activity, uh, given that time period?

Rachel Tallman: Yes, absolutely. Sequins are so fun and sparkly and colorful, and I like to think of it kind of like baking. Because I love to bake. And I love like with sequin mixes, you're just taking these sequins that are just one color and you're putting them together and you're making a really pretty mix. And it's like a little recipe that you put together and it makes something completely new.

And I saw a lot of my friends, um, and a lot of people online using sequins in different ways, like making these like shaker pockets or covers or, um, just different like interactive elements or things that like make, made noise or had texture, like made noise when you shake it or have texture. [00:15:00] And that was like exciting to me, like making, um, charms and like just stuff that's like, uh, more than just like flat paper.

So I was kind of intimidated by it and like using sequins and making these like 3D-ish elements or whatever, it kind of intimidated me. But once I tried it, it's easier than it looks, and it adds so much to a page or a mini album or whatever it is.

Jennifer Wilson: I think there's a lot of, like, trial and error. 'cause I've certainly done ones and it's like, oh, that worked out well, and like, oh, that really did not work out well.

Rachel Tallman: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Falling out. The, you know, you made something too thick and so it's not folding properly and.

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, sorry, I used the wrong adhesive or something. Yeah, I get it.

Jennifer Wilson: So how did that, that playfulness lead to a business for you?

Rachel Tallman: Well, I was having so much fun making these sequin mixes, and I, um, was just... I don't know, everything I made had sequins in them. So then I decided, well, I'll make a couple [00:16:00] extras, put it out there on Instagram, see if anyone wants any. If anyone's interested, I'll just put it out there and, um, and just have fun with it and see whatever.

Just share it because I have extra. And yeah, it, it went over really well, and so pretty quickly I decided to turn that into, like, an actual website. And, um, and then quickly after that I started to, um, do my subscription. So every month you would get three brand new sequin mixes. Um, and that w- that was really fun because then that just, like, kept me making sequin mixes every single month 'cause I needed three, three new ones a month.

And one of my favorite things I got to do every year was I did, um, like, a Christmas sequin mix advent calendar. So that was really great. I loved that. Um, that always sold out really fast because everyone loves an advent calendar, and there aren't too many crafty advent [00:17:00] calendars out there. So this was really fun.

I did some Christmas mixes, but then some non-Christmas mixes in case you couldn't go through all your Christmas mixes in the month of December, whatever. So anyway, tha- that was really, really fun for me. So that's kind of how it started. It kinda, it kinda went quickly and I just kinda put it together and, yeah, it was really successful in the beginning and, and just so much fun for me.

I do... Like, I make YouTube videos and, and Patreon videos and, and Instagram. I love all that. Like, obviously I love all of it, but this shop was like my baby. It was so much fun for me and I got to do, um, collaborations with Vicki Boutin and Paige Evans, and, um, other people, like other crafters, people doing crops, different things.

It was just some... I love to collaborate with, with people and businesses because I love to, like, bring our ideas together and, and bring their vision to life. I, I made... I also dabbled in, like, making bookmarks and I made, um, for anyone who is, um, a reader, I... If you know the author [00:18:00] Carley Fortune, we did, like, um, in my town we did, um, a fundraiser where she came and did, like, a little book talk and stuff. And I made some sequin mixes, um, that were in, like, um, acetate bookmarks with, like, a tassel and charm. And I made those to match her newly released book at the time.

So just, like, so many fun opportunities with sequin mixes, and people are always like, "You sell what? Sequin mixes?" Like, if they're a non-crafter they don't understand that, so it's kind of hard to explain. But yeah, it was, it was really, really fun.

Jennifer Wilson: Is there a particular mix that is an all-time fave? Like, this is like the most beautiful thing or the most fun thing I ever created, or do you love all your babies the same?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, there's not necessarily one in particular, but any mix that was like a pink and purple pastel situation with gold in it, those are just my favorite colors to craft with. And there's not a lot of purple in paper crafting I feel like in, in a lot of collections. And I love purple, and pink, and gold. So [00:19:00] anything with that combination was just always so fun for me.

I always tried to do, um, one pink sequin mix at least in each month, and then I'd have like a colorful one and then either like a blue one or whatever. To try. Because lots of, lots of my customers also liked, like pink as well. So, um, I, I always try to incorporate pink as the main focus in at least one of the mixes.

But, um, yeah. And I also, I named, just because I had to, I had to Disneyify it some way. I, I named each of my mixes or most of my mixes after Disney characters. But you run out of Disney characters pretty quickly after like three mixes each month. You kinda, okay, how many like purple dress Disney characters are there?

You kinda run out of them. But anyway, it was fun.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, for sure. And, um, you mentioned the bookmarks. How did you start adding, like, new products to your shop? I know you're doing, um, charms as well.

Rachel Tallman: Yeah. Yeah, that just kind of came naturally just with, [00:20:00] with playing and with, with paper crafting and being inspired by other people. And just trying to figure out, what else can I do with sequin mixes that is maybe something that's more for everyone and not just crafters? And as I got more into junk journaling, I also, um, like repurposed like old Disney books into junk journals and, and was selling those, and charms.

Um, it was just kind of like whatever I'm crafting and feeling inspired by, hopefully like my love for that kind of is, is shown through what I, I make, and other people like that too. Um, so it's just kinda naturally what I am making and what I'm having fun with I just kind of added to the shop.

'Cause sometimes when I get inspired by something or I learn something new or I, I'm just having fun with something, I just can't stop making it and I'm just making like 20 of them. I'm like, "Hmm, what do I do with all of these charms now?" So yeah, it's just naturally what I'm into I guess.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes, yes, for sure. I mean, and that's, that's the natural way, and it comes out of what customers are [00:21:00] asking for too, and then what people are wanting to use.

Rachel Tallman: Yes, I never wanted to force anything. I don't wanna like just because I think this will sell better, I don't wanna make it... 'Cause I want, I wanna make it 'cause I love it, and I don't wanna, I don't wanna force anything I guess.

Jennifer Wilson: So you have such an infectious energy, which makes it all the more sad that you, last month, announced the closure of your shop. Um, what were some of the biggest factors in this decision?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah. So, um, it actually, the start of this decline was about a year and a half ago. There were some- like complicated like tariff things whatever popping up here and there. And some conversations starting. But then also at that time Canada Post went on strike in November. And then I think it was for about five or six weeks from November to beginning or probably about middle of December something like that. And that was kind of the first time I was like [00:22:00] whoa this it shook me a bit. Because um it was during my busiest season of the year like I said with the advent calendar. So I believe that year I either didn't do advent calendars or I just made a small amount. And just and I had a bunch left over. Um but with Black Friday and um like Christmas sales that's just I I depend on that time of year to help during the slow seasons. Usually the beginning of the year like January February is a little bit slower like post Christmas. Winter whatever. Um so I I think like a lot of businesses depend on that busy time of year to help during the slower times. But because Canada Post was on strike it made it really tricky. Um so there were some ways to get around it that I could ship anywhere else besides Canada Post. Like there were other or anywhere besides Canada. Because there were other um like carrier services that I could use. But I just couldn't [00:23:00] in Canada at an affordable price. Um so I was able to get through that. It was it sucked. But I thought it's all right next year next Christmas will be better we'll be back to normal. It's fine. So and then um August I think it's like it was like August 29th or August 30th the end of August of um 2025, um rolls around. And that's kind of when the tariffs came into effect. And I was seeing a lot of like businesses online kind of panicking and I don't know maybe I didn't do enough research into this but I just thought it'll be fine it'll all work out it always works out. Like it it'll be fine it'll work out. Um I yeah and I was just seeing a lot of like paper crafters um online in Facebook groups in their Facebook lives in Instagram uh Instagram lives. I was watching um from like I don't know Australia or [00:24:00] New Zealand and and here in Canada as well in the UK. Like people panicking a little bit because so much of our customer base is American. Um and like just to give a little bit of like perspective I googled this earlier just to make sure I had my numbers right but the Canadian population is 41 million people the American population is 342 million people give or take. So like I rely a lot on my American customers. And they've been so amazing over the years and, like, so supportive and just the absolute best.

I mean, like, just, yeah, I, I would probably say, like, 90% of my customer base was Americans. Um, so anyway, August comes around, these tariffs come into effect, and I just think it, it can't be that difficult. Like, when I drive over the border to, like, do shopping, like, go shopping at, like, Target or whatever 'cause I'm [00:25:00] just right over the border. I...

So if I go into the States and go shopping and buy stuff from Target and come back, a- as long as I don't spend more than $200, then I won't be charged, like, duties or, or not duties, but, like, taxes or whatever. Um, so, like, anyway, it's kind of a lot to explain. I won't go into the, the nitty-gritty, but, like, there is some leeway.

Like, if you spend, um, under a certain amount of money, then it's fine. There's no extra tariffs or duties or taxes or charges or anything like that. But then now, um, for Americans ordering from outside of the US, there's going to... There's now, like, a, like, there's now, like, um, like, a minimum. It's like it doesn't matter how much money you spend.

So anyway, Canada Post came up with this progr- this app, I guess, that you can take a picture of whatever product you're sending over, even if it's a gift. I, I looked into this even over the weekend just to make sure I was correct, but even if it's you're just sending a gift, they're not [00:26:00] purchasing anything, um, you still have to pay the tariff.

So anyway, on this app with Canada Post, I'll make this short, um, you take a picture of whatever you're sending, and the AI thing on the app will, like, determine how much, um, the, the duties, the tariffs will cost. Um, and so when I did that, I took a picture of my products, and you can adjust it if, if the AI thing is incorrect. But the tariffs would cost just as much money as the Sequin Mix subscription would cost.

So it was, um, my subscription was $12 Canadian, which is about $9 USD, um, and the tariffs, because of, like, the charges of, of the, the f- different fees, of course, there's always different fees that come up. Um, it was about the same. And I just, I... So you can still send there, but I just couldn't justify, like, charging my customers that much money for a $9 product.

It [00:27:00] just didn't make sense, and I had some lovely customers say that they will pay the tariffs, they don't care. But then I... A- and that was so nice of them, but I just heard so many nightmare stories from people of, like, like, if something was sent incorrectly or, like, put in the system incorrectly, like, if you input something incorrectly, like, the whole thing would be sent back, and I was just hearing these n- nightmare stories.

So I made the decision to I was thinking temporarily not send to the US anymore. Um, and that was really, really sad. But I thought this can't last forever. It's fine. But here we are and about maybe eight months later, whatever it's been. I just had to make the decision to close it down. And, and the other thing that was hard about it is in this, in August, I'm making like three sequin mix subscriptions ahead.

So I had dozens and dozens and dozens of subscriptions worth that was going to nobody. So, uh, 'cause I [00:28:00] had, I had worked ahead and I didn't see this coming. I didn't see this lasting this long. So anyway, fast-forward to the spring and, um, I just, I had to make the decision and I kind of saw it coming, but I just had hope that like these tariffs wouldn't last forever, and I just thought like there's gotta be a light at the end of the tunnel or at least like maybe like a minimum.

Like, 'cause it's only a $9 USD subscription. Like, it's not like it's I'm sending $9,000. So I thought there's gotta be some changes, but I never saw them, and I was just seeing business after business closing down and I thought that's not gonna... I'm, there's gonna be a way around this. But there, I just couldn't figure out a way around it, and so I had to shut down the shop, and it was heartbreaking and so sad.

And, um, it really sucked. But I knew it was the right thing to do because we couldn't go... Like, I, my, I have my website fees. I have the cost of buying the sequins. I ha- like, I even buy the [00:29:00] sequins from an American company. So like then there's like all of those fees and, and, and, uh, yeah, I just couldn't, I couldn't figure out a way around it.

And, um, I knew I wasn't the only one, so that was like, I guess, comforting in a sense, but it also really sucked 'cause i- it's not like, um, like I was doing something wrong. I, I could see other companies shutting down. So, um, yeah. Anyway, that's kind of long story long of the last number of months.

Jennifer Wilson: How are you feeling about the decision now?

Rachel Tallman: Now I'm feeling good about it. Um, because after every month I was just so worried, like how we're gonna get through the month with this business. Like, I have another job so it's fine. And I feel very lucky that I have another job to rely on. I have a husband who works, so like there's that too. But a lot of people, this is their entire, like, income.

This is what they use to pay their bills. So, um, [00:30:00] makes me much sadder for other people. Um, but it's was the right thing to do. I still ha- I I did a big, um, clearance sale when I closed down the shop, and I just had the most generous people buying so many things, and it, it was so lovely. I still have lots in storage, so maybe I'll do, um, an Instagram sale or something like that one day.

But, um, I still... I'm still around. Just 'cause my shop shut down doesn't mean I'm not playing with sequins. I'm still on YouTube and Patreon and Instagram and, and all the things, and crafting. But, um, it was really hard because this was my favorite thing to do. Out of all the paper crafting things, this was my favorite thing to do, and like this was like my baby.

Like, setting up this website, like it just felt so... It, it was, it was, it... I don't know. The shop just gave me so much life, and it was so much fun for me. So to shut it down really felt like a failure. And like, "What could I have done differently? What did I do wrong?" Like, how... 'Cause I tried for so long to like just make it work, like push through each [00:31:00] and every month.

But I just, reality just hit me, and I just thought, "I, I have to, I have to shut it down." I, the, it, and it's not a failure. I'm still crafting. I'm still in the crafty community. But it just, ugh, it just sucked. But it, uh, I... The emotions of it are, like the, the raw emotions of it are gone now. Like, I've kind of like worked through it.

Um, but you know, it's still like, "Oh, man. I wish I could still be doing that." But I know it's for the better and that I have other adventures ahead of me. And then it's giving me space, like I said, to fall in love with paper crafting again and to try book journaling and junk journaling and, um, needlepointing and whatever.

So giving me time to try other things.

Jennifer Wilson: So do you feel like there was a lot of intersection between what was going on in your business and, like, y- your personal passions in, in crafting, and then that was driving some of this decision to try something different?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Um, and I [00:32:00] think because, like at that point I'd lost 90% of my customers, like it just feels discouraging. Like, it feels like, "What, what am I even doing here?" Like, and then you start like doubting yourself. Like, "Do people even like me?. Whatever. Because like I felt like- I don't know.

These people are gone, but it's not, not by their choice. Like, they would s- like, like I said, some of my customers were like, "I will pay the tariffs. I will pay it." And, and I just, I could, I didn't wanna risk it. But yeah, it definitely felt like I was, like, losing my passion a little bit for paper crafting because it felt like I was failing in the paper crafting world.

So then I thought, "What is the point of all of this anyway?" And it was so discouraging. But, uh, yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Would you ever bring it back if the situation changed, or do you feel like the door is, is closed?

Rachel Tallman: Um, yes, I would love to bring it back eventually, maybe in a different [00:33:00] capacity. I don't know. I, I haven't really thought about that. But the definite- the door is definitely still open if, if that were something that m- yeah, would be an option. It... I would definitely be open to that again.

Jennifer Wilson: Now, you mentioned, you know, the website fees. There's a lot that goes into running a business that the customer side, they don't see, they don't understand. Um, are there other challenges that you wanted to mention of having a product-based small business that our listeners might not realize, even beyond and before, um, these issues were, were making it harder?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I would say, like, all of the other fees, there's even... There's a project I am, I'm working on that I, that we might talk about at the end. But, um, just, like, all of those hidden fees are just quite wild. Like the website and buying the product and then... And, and because I order, um, I order my sequins from the US, I will sometimes get, like, an extra charge because who knows [00:34:00] why, 'cause taxes or whatever.

There's always these extra charges somewhere. And I think the other thing that, um, is challenging in running a business, not necessarily specific to a product-based business, but businesses in general. Is that, and this was at least my experience with the tariffs, but it can be applied to anything, is that it just felt so unpredictable and out of my control.

Like, there was nothing I could do to change it. And it felt like nobody had, um, like, straightforward answers. And, like, everyone was just kind of, like, I was just hearing horror stories from everyone. And I just didn't know what was true, what was accurate. Like, some people saying that, like, if, if one piece of documentation is wrong on, like, somebody's delivery truck, then the whole truck's being turned around.

Like, you just are hearing these horror stories that, um, [00:35:00] again, I just don't wanna... I don't know what's true. And, like, there were so many different, like, tariff, I, I don't wanna say threats, but like so many different like now it's this percentage, now it's this percentage. And there was nothing that was straightforward, um, like which country is it?

My country, is it this, is it my product? Even, I think it was a year and a half ago, uh, before the Canada Post strike that there was, um, a rule where there had to be labels placed on every single product in the package that was being sent of where the product was made. So sequins are manufactured, most of them, in India.

So I went to the office store and I printed out hundreds and hundreds of these labels, I think this was last summer, um, made in India or manufactured in India or whatever it was. Um, because supposedly every single product in the package had to be labeled with the country. I think, um, yeah, there was a crop I went [00:36:00] to last year that had major issues with this and import fees.

And anyway. Um, for me it was easy b- because it's just sequins, but for people who are sending enamel dots and sequins and paper, all of these products are made in different countries. Anyway, I got a hundreds and hundreds of labels printed and then like a month, like three months later the tariffs are in effect. And now I have all of these labels that say made in India that I don't need.

So all of these rules that are just constantly changing is, it, you gotta keep up with it, but it's hard when there's no, um, single resource, I guess, to help guide you with that. So that, that's hard but, um, I guess that's just part of it.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, for sure. So tell us about what parts of the business are you're sticking with, things that you've already been doing that you've been loving and will be continue to do, and how folks can support you in those.

Rachel Tallman: Oh sure, yeah. So, so yeah, the shop is no more. But I'm still like on YouTube making videos [00:37:00] almost every Saturday. And I, I have a Patreon with videos that, more longer videos on Saturdays. And, um, and I think the, the thing... Well, probably a lot of people know this already but like just a reminder to, to anyone and everyone that like even just as simple as like sharing someone's reel or like what, liking a YouTube video or whatever are just, are free ways you can, you can support someone.

Especially for people who this is like their, um, source of income. Again, I have another job so, so it's all good. But, um, there are so many free ways to like support each other. Um, and yeah, so I'm still like in the paper crafting community doing all my things, just, just not the shop.

Jennifer Wilson: Are there any other ideas that you're exploring that you might wanna share?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, sure. So, um, yeah, so I kinda mentioned something earlier that, um, I do have [00:38:00] something new and exciting coming up. And it's, it's pretty cool how things kind of always work out the way they're meant to. Um, but long story short, my mom and I are opening a small craft studio to host, um, classes in person.

So, um, that we're starting in the fall. Um, so it's a project we've been working on. A- and this kind of thing where it's in person is very new to me 'cause all I've ever d- I've done online classes and stuff like that, and things online, but not teaching classes in person. So that has been, um, a really exciting project.

We've been painting the studio and coming up with class ideas, and I'll be doing book journaling and junk journaling, and I would love to do, like, mini album classes as well. But all sorts of, um... My mom, u- um, who I'm doing it with, she, um, is into, like, floral design and, um, sewing and quilting and all that.

So we both, we're both crafty, but crafty in different ways. So I think we [00:39:00] complement each other well. So that's my next project.

Jennifer Wilson: That's so exciting, and I love that you're working with your mom on it and, you know, taking advantage of, of things that perhaps in some ways are easier to do right now in person. Um, and you can get folks across the border to see you as well.

Rachel Tallman: Yeah, I'm, I'm in the Niagara region, so if you're in Buffalo or Niagara Falls in, in the States, I'm just a, like a 20-minute drive away. Or if you're in Toronto or Hamilton or whatever, um, this is, this is a new little, little side project that is opening in the fall. So it's, it's gonna be fun. I'm excited.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, I'm excited for you. Um, b- before

Rachel Tallman: you.

Jennifer Wilson: are there any paper crafting small businesses that you wanna give a shout-out to? Ones that, you know, you would love to see others checking out and supporting?

Rachel Tallman: So I was thinking about this and, like, there are so many. I have so many friends or just, like, people I follow that I love. But, um, instead of naming each and every one of them, I actually last year [00:40:00] made, um, like a Google Doc that is on my Instagram profile that you... It's racheltallmanco. Um, you can...

It's just on my profile there that you, that you can click. And it's... Last year I asked the community to tell me every single paper crafting small shop or brand that you know of, um, to put on this list. So anywhere from... I, I'm working on, like, a US version of it, but we have, like, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, uh, Canada obviously, different parts of Europe.

Um, I don't remember all the countries, but, um, we have this whole Google Doc and with the links of the website of, um, small shops that are paper crafting. So I do have that list if anyone wants to access it. 'cause I, I know that it's, like, so easy and convenient to shop at, like, Amazon and, and these, like, Temu and all these websites, and they're super cheap and all this stuff.

But, like, it, it's, [00:41:00] um... We have to remember that the people who own these small shops are so passionate about what they do, and they love it just as much as you do, and they're, they're crafters making products for crafters. And, like, the people at Amazon or wherever the cheap stuff is from, they're never gonna love paper crafting the same way you do, or they're never gonna get as excited about an order as these small business owners would.

And I know it's more expensive, and I know, like, the status of, like, the world today is not easy to spend an extra few bucks on a, a hobby. Um, but if you have the chance to buy from small shops over these other big stores, I would definitely encourage it. And not saying I never shop at Amazon or any of these things. But, um, maybe if you're looking into something, look at, look at this list and these small shops first before you go to the big ones.

Jennifer Wilson: Thank you so much for sharing that, and we will include the link, um, as well as all the links y- things you mentioned in the show notes for [00:42:00] this episode.

Rachel Tallman: Awesome, you so much. I had such a lovely time chatting with you today.

Jennifer Wilson: Likewise, um, can you remind us again where we can find you online?

Rachel Tallman: Yeah. So, um, my Instagram is racheltallmanco, so you can find me there. And I'm the same on YouTube as well, and Patreon if you're interested. So those are the places you can find me. And for the craft studio, it's called Backdoor Craft Studio. So I did just start an Instagram, but I haven't started a website or anything like that yet.

So that is, that is coming, coming soon. But, um, still kind of in the works. But yeah, I am, I am posting on, on all the social medias my paper crafting products. So you can find me there if you're looking for a little bit of inspiration.

Jennifer Wilson: Wonderful. Yeah, thank you so much. You have such, as I mentioned, just so wonderful energy, and I wish you all the best,

Rachel Tallman: Aw, thank you so much. I appreciate that. It was, it was good chatting with you today.

Jennifer Wilson: And to all of our listeners, please remember that you have permission to scrapbook [00:43:00] and paper craft your way.