Winter Break Hibernation activates December 12! 

What is Winter Break? This is the time when I personally get to take some time off to recharge, relax, work on personal projects, etc. You know- what "normal" people get to do on their days off or vacation time. This year I will be spending most of my time with our new puppy, drinking tea and making art <3

From April to December, time "off" is rare. Winter Break is my reward and my time away from working. I have zero apologies about taking this time off. I realize this is not the consumerist, capiltalist way but if you know me, you know I do things on my terms.

When we first started Tale of the Snail in 2016, I was working full time with my yoga business of 15 years, making a handful of products, and doing a micro-market 2x a month for the summer months. We were a seasonal market business that would close at the end of the season. The next year, added on some holiday events and Spring events. At the end of 2019 I decided to close my yoga business and focus on Tale of the Snail. I wanted to do more soap, less yoga.

I taught for 10 years at the community college where we had winter break in between semesters. I was always pressured to bulk up my schedule and pick up as many clients and classes as I could so I would be working hard and no one would think I was a slacker professor on break. This is not a sustainable way to work and I BURNT the F out, not to mention the disordered eating and body dysmorphia I absorbed being in the toxic Fitness Industry.

When I was in the yoga world I was exhausted and pulled in a million directions, accomodating others and doing whatever I could for other teachers, clients, studio owners, etc. I worked 7 days a week for most of my 15 year yoga career. Holidays? I was the go to sub teacher because I "don't have kids". Someone had to do something at the last minute? No prob, Stef is here to fill in because she teaches full time and is here to help everyone all the time. Total people pleaser and I was miserable. 

Here it is,10 years later and Tale of the Snail is what I do 100% of the time, full time, all the time. It is not a hobby, nor is it something I "whip up in my kitchen". I work 40 plus hours a week, and most weekends. I have a dedicated workshop space, regular markets year round, weekly markets all summer, events & monthly markets, private label customers, retail clients and an ever growing online customer base. I make ALL of our products myself, by hand. I set up and attend all of our events. I do all of the social media, marketing, website, emails, customer interaction, delivery, shipping & whatever else gets thrown at me. I work. A LOT. 

Being available 24/7 is not my way. I am not a multi million dollar corporation.  As a one Snail operation, I require work/life boundaries, production schedules, event management and most important, rest. So that is what Winter Break is all about. I do not subscribe to the Grind World, I am a member of the Rest World, especially during winter. 

Thanks for stopping by, I should be waking up sometime in early January to wish everyone Happy New Year. 

stef