Hello and welcome to my website! Bring out the bubblies. Cheers.🍾

I am stoked that the new year brought me to this space. I am so glad this has finally came into fruition. 2020 has been a challenging year for all us, but it turned out differently for some, including me. I never thought that I can extend my creativity to your homes.

The Reboot

I have been an online seller since 2013. It was tough sustaining the business model that I started with. I felt I was not giving enough time to it so I had to close down after a few years. What made me decide to restart is because I truly feel strongly about my passion in handmade. With the kids all grown, I believed I can focus better this time. I operate with intuition and I didn't see 2020 as dark in the beginning. So I did a reboot of my store in February. I was still selling handmade cards, but this time the collection reflected what truly matters - just being myself. I opened an Etsy shop, under What Tess Makes. The name was a hashtag on my socials for all my projects. I really love it and it stuck with me, so might as well use it.

The Blog

I also improved on my digital marketing, so I thought of boosting my Instagram and Facebook feeds. I came up with a stage name, Tita Tess of Melbourne, and named my blog as such. I wanted to share my creative life, being a crafter, and someone who loves to cook and bake. Treat it as a live portfolio, if you may. Plus I got to promote my maker friends and the places I frequented. It was a blessing in disguise, to be honest, by being able to write my stories. I just discovered that I can absolutely write a full-length article. Thanks to my brief stint as Contributor to Smart Parenting PH website last year. It boosted my confidence as a writer and now a blogger.

I appreciate you

I have learned a lot in 2020. I appreciate all the things I was able to do, and most especially the people who gave me their full support. I am forever grateful. This website will be an inclusive space for all our voices, creatives in all abilities.

We have gone through different experiences in the past, and I think whatever we did, it made us stronger and closer to our families. We conquered our fears in a way, and made us closer to the best version of ourselves. I was pursuing a dream and I didn't realize that at my age of 48, I can actually begin again. With my persistence, as surrounded by a positive tribe, I look forward to more beautiful stories, creations and connections. We got this, Mamas. Let's share the love more. Let’s start our year with hope and a brighter outlook.

And lastly, thank you for being here.

❤❤❤

Tess xx