I'm Teaching You Now

I have two big pieces of news to share.

The first big news is that I am teaching you how to make stumpwork embroidery like I do. (Click the link to see) My shop designs can be yours at home. I started using Skool, which is an online learning platform. It's like using a Facebook group but you learn. Joining is free. Each lesson I teach is $5 or 800 yen. BUT, if you invite a friend and get them to buy a lesson, your next lesson is free.

I already uploaded how to make a hydrangea necklace. Link: https://www.skool.com/stump-hand-embroidery-more-4828/about

It's the easiest one to make. Already I have three members who bought the lesson. I mean, $5, it's not a lot.

The second lesson will teach you how to make sakura stud earrings. I might leave the pearl out. Keep it easy! I will start recording lessons in late March and early April.

The next exciting news is why I started teaching online.

I have had a dream for a while, one that doesn't go away. It's been two decades actually. I want to have my own brick and mortar shop. For a long time I didn't know what kind of shop I wanted. After a long time, I decided I want one that serves my community and focuses on kids.

I want to open an after school art program for kids. In the daytime, it'll be a cafe community space for adults who want to craft together, alone, or need to borrow tools like a sewing machine. After school ends, the studio area will be used for art lessons for kids and also free creating time. And yes, in Tokyo.

I am doing this because creativity is not the forefront of education. With AI generative "art" these days, humanity will rely too much on AI and instead prefer the easy way out. Have you noticed that a lot of text these days sounds the same? I can instantly tell when an article was written by AI. AI art is all homogenous and not interesting. So I want to keep the human creative spark going with Actual Intelligence. Children are easy to be influenced, and I want to teach them the difference between AI generated and human generated work.

In order to do this, I need a minimum of 5 million yen as my capital to help cover the first year of rent, equipment, remodeling etc. That's why I started the Skool lessons. Sales in my shop are at zero. I think inflation is not helping. Tariffs also don't help. I also opened a Go Fund Me to help raise money.

If you don't want lessons, but you want to help and you like my idea please do the following:

• Go to my GoFundMe page

• Donate $5 minimum. I'm ok with $5. I won't be offended. If everyone donated $5 I would have $500 already. Five dollars is the same price as a cup of coffee.

• If you cannot afford $5, and I mean you don't even go to a cafe for a drink kind of unaffordability, then please copy my link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/create-a-cozy-community-space-with-coco-loft and share it on your social media or with someone who can support.

My goal is to have the money raised in 5 years. I really hope that it can be done. If the shop opens and it's successful, and I can open a new after school shop in another place to help more kids... that would be my dream.

Thank you! Mimi