BYE BYE SUMMER

Hello everyone

With the clocks going backwards, it really does feel like winter now - such a long time to spring.  I understand we are going to have some nice weather over the next few days with unusually high temperatures for this time of year, so all is not yet lost.

How has your week been?  I know for all small businesses, particularly those of us in the world of handmade, this time of year is really hectic.  It's that time of  'I can leave that for a few days' and then realise that was not the best decision to have made.  It's a time when two (or more?) pairs of hands would be good, as well as 48-hour days and, of course, not having anything else to do other than create.

I have split my time this week between event organisation and making stock for my forthcoming events.  Really could have done with one or two 48-hour days or preferably two pairs of hands.

Here is one of my completed wreaths.  It has 11 metres of burgundy-coloured velvet ribbon wrapped the polystyrene ring and a gorgeous glittery peacock fixed to the bottom.  I am not too sure whether (and what) to add to the wreath or just leave it with the peacock adorning it.  I am happy as it it, but do wonder if it is a little bare.

On the event organisation side of my life, I have an Early Christmas Bazaar taking place in the Tongham Village Hall on 1 November and this coming week will see me out delivering flyers, putting up posters and banners and hoping the weather stays good until after next Saturday.  This is anew venue for me, so am anxious about it being successful.  I am always anxious about any of the events I organise, but a new place brings with it new challenges and they are often very ahrd to manage.  I tell myself it is all part of life's rich pattern (although the pattern is sometimes not my choice).

A short post this week as it is back to work and finishing off some more wreaths.  I hope you all have a good week and don't forget to drop in on my fellow crafting bloggers taking part in this week's Handmade Monday.

A WORK-IN-PROGRESS CRAFTER

Hello everyone

Where does the time go?  Do you find that at this time of year the days and weeks disappear much faster than in the summer?  I seem to have so much work-in-progress (WIP) or is it that I just start too many things that I use WIP as an excuse?

I seem to spend a lot of time running to keep up, trying to remember all of the things I have to do, and thinking of all the new things I really must try when I have the time!  It could be that I still suffer from the disease I suffered from when I was a wage slave - an inability to say 'no, I really don't have the time to do that'.  I used to say 'yes, I can do that' and then panic because I knew I was over-committed.  Now, I still have a problem saying no, but justify it by telling myself it is okay because it is my own business that might suffer if I say no.  Oh dear, will I never learn?

The good news for me is that I have actually made (or begun to make) some stock for the events I am taking part in as an exhibitor - and I have really enjoyed getting back in the crafting saddle again.  Yes, it is still work-in-progress, but hey everything has to have a beginning, middle and end.

My trusty glue-gun was used for this - holds the large gold Poinsettia in place and also the fabric centre I added to it.  I still have work to do on this wreath, but at the moment I am not too sure what other embellishments I will add.

More work-in-progress and no, not the beginning of the five Olympic rings.  These have been covered in ribbon and one has had string wrapped around it too.  I have lots of embellishments to add, just need to plan the design.

I had planned to write this blog post yesterday, but WIP got in the way!  The usual things that always take longer than planned: cars to garages for MOTs and repairs, kittens to cuddle, cats to feed and also cuddle, plants to plant out ready for winter and spring, plants to bring into the greenhouse away from winter, family and friends visits to arrange, and life generally.

My 'Me Day' on Thursdays is still very enjoyable.  I feel that I am at long last moving forward with my designs.  They still don;t always resemble what my mind's eye sees, but they are not as disappointing as they used to be.  I have been working on getting to grips with noses, lips and eyes this term and this is my first offering of the new style hat man:

Believe me, it is a big improvement from the Mick Jagger-look-a-like lips I was producing and sticking onto a tube of clay.  The Tate Modern will be on the phone any day now, so watch this space.

Back to WIP now - I was recently invited to take part in a Christmas Market taking place on the evening of 4 December, so I really have to make sure the WIP becomes WIF (work is finished) because my two-day event follows soon after.

Have a great week everyone and I am linking up this week with Handmade Monday and Creative Mondays, so don't forget to check out the bloggers taking part.  

See you next week

Jill

FOUR DOWN, FOUR TO GO

Hello everyone

Yet again, another month has disappeared since my last blog post.  Do you find that the days and weeks whizz by at this time of year?  I just feel this autumnal/winter-like weather has come a little too soon for me and I just want the warm weather to return as soon as possible.

In my time 'away' from blogging I have been on holiday (or rather we have been on holiday) to Malta, another of my Godalming Bazaar events took place on 4 October and I took part in a Wedding Fayre at the Frensham Pond Hotel yesterday.  Our holiday was lovely, very hot and humid but also very relaxing - for most of the time.  It did involve work for me as I took my laptop and various other bits and pieces so that I could keep on top of the event organisations side of my business - my latest event took place two days after we got home (not good planning on my part).  Here are a few photographs from our holiday:

The view from our apartment balcony.  The temperature every day was around 30 degrees, sometimes 34.  Humidity was also very high and this often created a misty appearance.

We visited Gozo, which is a small island off the coats of Malta.  Interestingly, it is much greener than Malta.  I was lucky to find some of my favourite animals, cats and these ones were supported by the local animal charity.

Back home and the weather here wasn’t so good and in fact on the day of the last Godalming Bazaar event, it tipped down until about 30 minutes before closing time.  Despite the weather, we had 354 people through the door.  Some may feel this is not brilliant, but the majority of you who are involved on either side of craft events, know that visitor numbers are often disappointing and I know that the venue I am using does not attract a big footfall for similar type events.  

The results of the day were that some stallholders did very well, some didn’t and some did better this time than last time – the life of a crafter at craft events is an interesting one.  There was plenty going on throughout the day: we had You Ukes playing from late morning to the end of the event, two lots of crafty make-and-take workshops and a face-painter.  Plenty to draw people in, and as the weather was poor, our refreshments people did a roaring trade.  

Here are some photographs of the event taken by Dawn Hart of Stonepit Crafts - thank you Dawn:

As the title of my post says, four down, four to go.  I have four more events that I have organised for this year and it's now on to the next one which takes on 1 November at the Tongham Village Hall.   Tongham is a village not far from me, it has a few shops and well supported activities take place in both the village hall and the community centre.  Fingers crossed this event does well for everyone involved.  The next Godalming Bazaar event is on 22 November - a Christmassy themed one I feel.

And finally......  Yesterday I took part in a wedding fayre at the Frensham Pond Hotel.  We had a steady flow of visitors and it was very successful for me.  I have to prepare 8 quotes for stationery ranging from just invitations to a full range of stationery.  I hope they all turn into confirmed orders - lucky for me they are spread throughout 2015 and 2016 so I will have time to work on them.  The most popular design was a simple one with a scroll at the top and a ribbon across the middle.  Here are a few pics from yesterday:

My lovely new pop-up banner.  The company I now use for my banners and flyers produce double-side pop-up banners.  Great if you are placed where visitors are walking by on both sides (back and front) of your stand.  I need to order one for the Christmas Pie Crafts part of my business, so might go for a double-sided one.

The scroll range of stationery.

I decided to go for a heavy weight A6 flyer rather than a business card - I feel it catches the eye of visitors to the stand more than a business card will.

Purple is still very popular.

One last finally...  I have two new foster kittens, both girls - one is tabby and white and I have named her Ruby and the other one is black and white and I have named her Pearl.  They are only 9-weeks old.  Milly has said she will add some photogrpahs of them to her blog post on Wednessday.

I am off to join up with the Handmade Monday bloggers - I have missed them recently and looking forward to seeing what they have been up to since my last visits to their blogs.

I will, hopefully, be back next weekend with some more bloggy news - have a good week everyone.

Jill