Life Currently (February 2020)

A happy new year to you! (Is it too late? Pffft there are no rules to this, receive my new year greeting with glee please). I’m hoping 2020 has started with a great big bang. How are we doing with the resolutions? Kapena that’s an area we shouldn’t even talk about? Tiyamba za serious later?

First things first, I would like to apologize for the silence these past two months. There was a problem with the site’s host, so the website was inaccessible. I was equally frustrated by this but there was not much we could do. We just had to sit and wait, and hey, here we are!

I have not yet sat down to reflect on the past year or written down my goals for this new year yet (my 2020 diary is still blank imagine). I was even surprised January was already gone. This year is going way too fast! 2020 is not here to play!

But looking back, 2019 was an interesting year for me. The middle part of the year was when I hit a low, after the ‘high’ from releasing my album went away. I hope one day, I will talk about it in more detail, and the lessons I took from that experience. Anyway, towards the end of the year, I won my first short story prize! When I say I was not expecting to win guys! I remember sending my entry on the closing day, thinking no one would even read it. It came in third on the Makewana’s Daughter’s 2019 Short Story Competition. It’s a story that is inspired by the work we do at Little Big Prints, and highlights the problems girls face in Malawi as they pursue education. You can read “Lily of the Sky”  on their website. I’m planning to get back into writing short stories this year (crossing my fingers I follow through on this). That’s an area I neglected this past year.

I started a business last year, making all sorts of crafts, mainly notebooks and diaries. The good Lord has been so kind to me, I have added more products to my ‘portfolio’. Some days, I want to pinch myself. I cannot believe just how blessed I am to wake up every morning, running a business I am passionate about!

When I look back at the agony I went through in 2019, I really see God. After recording the album, I started job hunting. That on its own was draining. I constantly felt depressed and ‘not good enough’, receiving rejection letters every other day and trying to remain optimistic. But most of all, I just wanted something to keep me busy. Few weeks later, Faith-Victoria Crafts was born.

My main concern with African Print products is the high price that is attached to them. This is mainly because the products have foreigners in mind. I wanted to create products that were affordable and showcased our gorgeous African print fabrics. With that in mind, I decided to make more products. I am learning as I go and very open to try new things, usually suggested by customers. I actually feel excited when I have to try something new.

Diaries and journals from K2500

Money boxes from K2000

Picture frames – this is K5000

Picture frame, size A4 at K6000

Picture frame, 15×10 cms at K3500

Wall decor pieces from K3000

All custom made.

Large, medium and small Chitenje bookmarks, K200, K300 and K400 respectively.

Here’s what I started with: notebooks. I make sizes A7-A4 from K800.

You can send us a message on WhatsApp to enquire about any of the products and choose from our range of beautiful African Print fabric on wa.me/265994494241.

Looking back, I see why God closed the doors that I was desperately trying to open. I wouldn’t be where I am, building what I am building, if I hadn’t gone through what I went through. So if you are ever in doubt that God is cooking something GREAT for you, remember my story. Remember that God’s grace is sufficient for you and that He is not blind – He can see how much you have struggled and He has good things in store for you.

I am not sure whether I will go back to job hunting or whether I will pursue further education… I honestly don’t know what God has prepared for me tomorrow, but I am assured I will be alright because I have placed it all in His hands. Whatever may come, all I want is to be safe in His perfect will.

Lastly, I have a very big announcement to make in the next few months (let me save you from guessing – no, it is not another album; neither is it an announcement of a “brother” in my life lol not to my knowledge at least). It’s great news that I am dying to tell y’all, but I have to be a little more patient before I do. Praying that all comes into place soon.

OK, this is the last thing for real for real, we will be updating the website very soon (my bio still says I’m 25 😂🤧) I’ll also have more posts to make up for the time the website was down (again, crossing my fingers I follow through on this 😭).

I wish you a memorable 2020, full of breakthroughs and wins; and lessons from any loses you make so you can be a better, stronger and prosperous you.

Until next time,

Faith-Victoria xx