What does the future hold for Chelly Wood? #Goals #Finances

This photograph shows the Chelly Wood doll (a Spin Master Liv doll that has been repainted and had its hair dyed grey to look like the real doll clothing designer and school librarian, Chelly Wood) holding up a tiny handmade miniature book. she wears a checked librarian's apron with large pockets. She holds up a tiny book and stands before an audience of very small, child-like dolls. Behind her is a librarian's circulation with piles of books on it. Farther back in the photograph is a wall-sized (in 1:6 scale) bookshelf with dozens of colorful books on the shelf. The bookshelf appears to end at a little nook, and in the nook stands a bust of William Shakespeare (also in 1:6 scale). The watermark on the photo reminds us that this picture comes from ChellyWood.com, which offers free printable sewing patterns and tutorials for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns and tutorial videos showing how to make doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

I’m getting personal this week, taking a break from patterns while I’m on a business trip. I hope you don’t mind.

So today I’m going to answer the question, “What does the future hold for Chelly Wood?”

In March of 2022, I’ll turn 55, which means I’ll be able to retire from my “day job” as a school librarian, if I want to.

But as I write this, I know that’s not something I can do right away. I won’t be able to claim my pension until I’m 58, and this website doesn’t actually earn any money to supplement my income anyway.

That’s right… You read that correctly… This website doesn’t earn money.

People are always surprised by that fact, when I tell them, so let me explain.

Here’s an overview of how much I’ve earned on YouTube since 2011, when I first started my YouTube channel:

The image shows YouTube analytics for ChellyWood1, the YouTube channel that produces videos for ChellyWood.com, and in the analytics, we see there have been nearly one million views, but only $1324.96 earned in revenues.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable PDF sewing patterns and tutorial videos for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

I know that not everybody is data savvy, so let me interpret this analytics page for you.

In ten years, my channel has gotten nearly one million views (997,438 views so far). I have 7,745 subscribers. And the graph shows that my channel has been steadily growing, with a bit of a dip since February of 2021, but peaking with about 900 views on a single day in April of 2020 (when Covid kept so many people home-bound).

And yet, in ten years’ time, I’ve only earned $1,324.96 TOTAL. In TEN YEARS.

Now, the cost of running my website is almost $250 per year (or $499 every two years), and the software I use to make my videos is another $180 per year. That’s $430 per year in fees.

The image shows a screenshot of Chelly Wood's WordPress renewal fee.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable PDF sewing patterns and tutorial videos for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

You might wonder why I’m paying the “WordPress.com Business” fee when WordPress offers free websites. I used to have a free website, ten years ago, but I’ve uploaded so many patterns that I had to upgrade to a professional level fee. There’s no going back without deleting all the patterns I’ve been sharing with my followers.

So between the costs of the website, my video software, my fabric purchases, snaps, elastic, and advertising, I actually found when I went to pay my taxes last year, that I’d spent more than I had earned — even after I calculated the amount of revenue I made from ads on both YouTube and my website.

What does the future hold for me, then?

Hope.

The image shows the Chelly Wood doll (actually a Spin Master Liv doll of the 1990's era which has been repainted and had her wig dyed grey to look like the real Chelly Wood) standing beside her sewing table with a blue apron on. Behind her on her left is a dress form, and on her sewing table is her tiny sewing machine. The dress form models a pretty party dress in white fabric with colorful polka dots. In one corner of Chelly's sewing table is a basket with fabric, notions, and a pincushion inside. There's also a light blue coffee cup on her desk. The wall behind her is purple and there's a window with glass-looking panes in the wall behind her. The overlay reminds you that this is ChellyWood.com, a website for free printable doll clothes sewing patterns.
Please visit ChellyWood.com for free printable sewing patterns for making doll clothes to fit dolls of many shapes and all different sizes.

I hope lots of people sign up for my classes with Creative Spark.

I hope C&T Publishing offers me a book deal.

I hope people use my affiliate marketing links to purchase sewing products.

I hope I can retire from being a school librarian and work instead as a writer and doll clothing designer — if you can call that work (because I enjoy writing and creating doll clothes patterns so much, that it doesn’t feel like work at all).

On Friday, November 12th, I’m going to announce a brief change to the format on this website, and when I do, please bear with me. I’m embracing my hope!

It’s almost like I can feel the abundance moving toward me like a shooting star. I’ve given and given, and then given some more. This type of generosity doesn’t go unnoticed by the universe.

Soon, I hope, I’ll be able to reap the rewards of ten years of dedication to this website, my YouTube channel, and the generous interchange between you — my followers — and myself. So yes, it’s time. And I definitely have blessings and HOPE.

8 thoughts on “What does the future hold for Chelly Wood? #Goals #Finances

  1. I love and appreciate all that you do! You are a godsend to everyone in the Doll DIY universe (if there is such a universe LOL). Many blessings to you and your family! PLEASE, keep up the great work!

  2. Thank you for your passionate dedication to the creative world. I hope your dreams come true, sooner than you think. Best of luck.

    1. Yes, my Creative Spark course is scheduled (tentatively) to be available in December of this year or January of 2022.

      If you sign up for their newsletter, they will offer a newsletter feature about my course, shortly after it becomes available for people to sign up.

      Thank you for asking! I hope to see you in the class!

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