It's a crazy time of year for crafters isn't it? Rushing to keep up with orders and replace stock, while trying to make sure you have everything for your own Christmas.
I am about to go into a full week at Secretts - not every day as I am sharing the cover with my cake-making friend. Good really as I am finding it hard to keep on top of orders, etc, so need some free time to make stock. We are both stall-holding on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and really hoping for some great days sales-wise.
It has been a good week so far and in particular the sales my golfing friend managed for me at her club's Christmas Lunch. A great success and lots of lovely compliments, which are always very welcome in our business, aren't they?
Lots of makes this week, lots of forgetting to photograph them, as always, but took some pics today of bags I have made - again poor quality as it is rather dark in the tent where I am selling:
I was disappointed, and a little hurt, at the comment I came across on a crafts forum this week from a fellow crafter - in fact someone I know. As those of you who read my post regularly know, in addition to the extra days I am in the Christmas Tent at Secretts Farm Shop, I also took part in their three-day Christmas Fair in November. The comment made was attributed to someone else, but I wonder about this and it included this: 'the craft stalls at Secrets are a load of tat ........ the garden centre has such lovely stuff to buy why would anyone buy that stuff'. Not only do I think this is grossly unfair and completely wrong, but I am surprised that a fellow crafter would be so harsh in print, particularly if as they say someone else said this and the writer may not have actually checked out the stalls for them self. Oh well, it is Christmas - a time to be charitable and forgiving?
I hope you read week one of Milly's diary? She is settling in very well and it is almost as though she has been with us for ever. I think she and Daisy have signed the first page of a truce, but there are still several chapters to work through before the final sign-off.
I went for Christmas lunch with my pottery group on Friday and we all had a lovely time. Nice to see everyone in clothing that is not covered in smudges, paint spots and bits of clay. We had Christmas crackers and I collected all the 'left-over' bits to use on cards and bags. Beautiful silvery patterned paper that will look lovely when recycled into Christmas cards and bags.
We had a family Christmas meal yesterday with my sister and her husband. They are away for Christmas and we always try to spend a day together before they go that is as near to Christmas as is possible and is a good excuse to begin early the Christmas celebrations. However, it wasn't roast turkey, but beef with pickled walnuts. I know it may sound unusual, but it was gorgeous - even if I do say so myself. We did have crackers and all the other normal Christmassy things.
That's it for today, I have to get back to the grind-stone of making (not really a grind-stone) as I need stock for tomorrow. I hope you all have a good week and don't forget to come back on Wednesday to read Milly's diary, but equally as important is for you to nip over to read the other bloggers taking part in this week's Handmade Monday round - great blogs, great makes and good fun to read and it is the last one before Christmas so a 'must not miss' event.
Jill
