One year with Still 11
About a year ago, we started Still 11 with a small Etsy shop called House of Still11. Our website wasn’t open for orders, and we had no plans to advertise on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. We wanted a place to share products we loved and made together with craftspeople.
Looking back on our first year, what has brought us the most joy is the appreciation we’ve received from our customers. Some bought something to try and came back. Some noticed the care in the handmade pieces. Others chose Still 11 as gifts for family and friends. Each time, it gave us a little more encouragement to keep going.
A little about us: we work in e-commerce technology in San Francisco. Our everyday work involves AI, automation, processes, pricing, and changes in the market. In the middle of those busy days, Still 11 is a small joy. We like counting each order, talking with customers, and packing orders ourselves. On many mornings, we pick up a coffee and take our packages to the post office. It has become a part of the day we look forward to. Knowing someone is waiting for what we’re sending is enough to make us happy.
On our trips to Vietnam and other parts of Asia, we spend time meeting craftspeople, learning about materials, and working with them on our products. We try different glaze colors and shapes, making changes until we’re happy with them. We want each piece to be useful in daily life and beautiful in your home. When customers notice and appreciate that care, the joy belongs to the craftspeople too. Sometimes, just one message makes the whole day a little happier.
We care for Still 11 alongside our main work in tech, so it grows slowly. Over the past year, we’ve added just one new product: agarwood incense cones with a glazed clay holder from Bát Tràng. We’re still trying things and looking for products that fit the spirit of Still 11. We look forward to sharing more with you.
On September 24, a customer named Sarah told us she had visited our website to learn more and shop. At the time, it wasn’t officially open. Her message made us decide to open this space, so people who knew us through Etsy could learn more about our products, the people who make them, and the stories behind them.
Thank you to everyone who found House of Still11 in our first year. Thank you for trying our products, coming back, choosing them as gifts, and taking the time to leave a review. Your words bring us joy and encourage us to keep doing better.
We read every review you leave. Some are only a few lines. Others share their experiences in detail. Some customers leave a review every time they come back. Each one makes us happy and gives us encouragement. When you enjoy the scent of the agarwood, notice a detail we’ve worked on, or tell us a piece is beautiful, we feel that the time spent on those little things matters.
We’re also happy that quite a few customers have come back. You’ve used our products and chosen us again. Some of you buy them as gifts, sharing something from Still 11 with someone you care about. We appreciate that trust and want to take good care of every order.
Still 11 is still small. We hope to keep making things that are useful, beautiful, and made with care, and that bring a little peace to your day.
Stillness is a choice.
Team Still 11