SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME

Hello everyone

It's chilly, it's white and Jazz wants to keep going out into it.  Daisy?  A very sensible lady - 'one doesn't want to get one's paws cold and wet, does one?'  Here is a pic of Jazz who had already been outside several times, making paw prints everywhere so that when he ventured out again he could just tread in them.  However, this one shows him thinking ' well, I have been left, down to the end, now how about I turn right this time'.

One small step for a man and a giant leap for a tabby cat

It's been a very cold week and not surprising that it ended with snow.  However, I am sure you, like me are very thankful it wasn't as much as this time last year.  Roll on spring - please.  Pretty though the snow looks, walking on it frightens the life out of me.  I can drive on (and in) snow without any problems, but when my feet come into contact with snow they turn to slippery, sliding things that seem to deliberately make me fall over.

Last Friday was my first guest blog post day and a great post about Party Plan was delivered by Caroline Nash of Caroleecrafts.  Thank you Caroline.  I know the post had lots of visitors and a big thank you to those who commented - as always your feedback is much appreciated.

A few of the Handmade Monday gang have said they would like to take part in the guest posting adventure, and I am hoping they and others will do so.  Come on you bloggers, your world awaits your guest post.

I celebrated my 21st birthday on Friday too and had a great day.  Okay, okay, I have visited 21 many, many times but it was a great year (I got married then too) and that seems a really good reason to stick with it.  Not a lot of crafting done on that day or over the weekend, but have a card-topper to add to my collection:

A decoupaged train that goes with my growing collection of male card toppers.

Falling behind a little with my new ranges - seem to have got stuck into one, while leaving the others a little behind.  I need to get a move on as I have my first event on 10 March and want to ensure I have all of my new ranges ready (or at least examples from each one) and my website up and running by then.

A mini-post today (mini compared with my normal Sunday/Monday posts).  Off to do some snow-clearing, well to supervise actually.  Have a great week, I will be back on Wednesday, but don't forget to visit the great bloggers taking part in Handmade Monday.

Keep warm

Jill

FAREWELL FROSTY

Hi everyone

No, not farewell Frosty the Snowman, but farewell frosty weather - hopefully gone for a very long time.  The beginning of this week was very cold and very frosty, but nowhere near as cold as this time last year.  Like snow, frost makes the garden look very pretty and when the sun shines on frost-covered leaves, everything seems to sparkle.  That is probably the one good thing about frost is that we are normally guaranteed gorgeous sunny days after a heavy night frost.  Soggy days for most of the remainder of this week, but reasonably mild too.

My craft has been slow going this week as my arm is very painful - so the progress is a short burst of crafting and a long burst of rest.  Very frustrating - despite being right-handed it is surprising how much I need strength in my left hand/arm for crafting.  I need it to hold things down while I work on them, hold bits and pieces together while trying to open or close a tube of glue.  Unfortunately, it is one of those things that will last a long while and I know that aggravating it is not going to speed up the healing process.  One of the Handmade Monday bloggers  recommended Rhus Tox, and I am going to give it a go - thank you Mich.

A big thank you to everyone who posted comments on my Handmade Monday post and your good wishes for my dodgy elbow were very much appreciated.  This week's posts produced some amazing pieces of craft work and as always some really great posts - I look forward to reading them every week.

One of our cats, Jazz, was also poorly earlier this week.  Fully recovered now and think he probably caught something that didn't agree with him.  He was very quiet and as he is a noisy, bouncy tabby cat, you can imagine how strange it was.  He slept for most of the day and didn't eat anything until later evening - he is a piglet normally, so this was very un-Jazz like.

A mini mid-week post, am sure I will have loads more to write about on Sunday when I will be back blogging again.  In the meantime enjoy the rest of the week.

Jill

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS PROBABLY PACKING HIS SLEIGH

Hi everyone

27 days to go to Christmas - with the mild weather we have been having, seems a little strange to be rushing towards a time that we often associate with snow, cold weather.  In fact at the events I attended over the last few days, people were commenting that this time last year travel was difficult, the temperature was bitter and we were knee-deep in snow.  Lovely though it is to look at, please Mr Weather Man, keep the snow away for as long as possible.

It has been a very busy week in Christmas Pie Crafts land.  Three events in four days and I feel very tired.  Events have been busy, but spending is quite sporadic.  Certain items (food produces (pickles, jams, mustards) are always popular) sold well; bought-in items (shoes, handbags, jewellery) also did well; handmade doesn't seem to be doing very well at the moment, although I am not sure if this is UK-wide or just in certain areas.  The events I have attended have been very well organised and the footfall was good, each one had a good selection of products.  A friend emailed me yesterday evening to let me know of another event that took place in Surrey yesterday that only had 30 people through the door.  So, what is the answer?  Handmade items only or a mix of handmade and bought-in?  I have taken part in both and I really don't know the answer - my crystal ball is a bit cloudy recently (must be the snow on the way!).

I have been trying to find out recently what customers actually want or look for when they go shopping.  Most have said they want to buy items made in the UK, quality and value for money are at the top of the list too.  Unfortunately, nobody has yet said why they wouldn't buy handmade - so will keep on trying to track down any possible reasons for low sales.  Has anybody else carried out any sort of survey to find out how people feel about handmade goods?

Several months ago I started a range of mini-cards - they had dual purposes: gift cards (with envelopes) or mini greetings cards.  These have sold really well and this, I am sure, is due to a single price of 60p or 5 for £2.50 - everyone loves a bargain.  I added to the range with Christmas themed cards and these have also proved to be very popular.

Less than four weeks to Christmas which means not many Handmade Mondays left either.  I completed an order over the weekend for a birthday card for a rugby loving penguin fan.  I was going to post a pic on this blog, but the recipient is a possible blog-viewer and as his birthday isn't until later in the week, thought it best not to.  Instead I am including a picture of a butterfly-themed card I made during the week.  I love butterflies in crafting and think they add a gorgeous look to cards.  This is a stepped card and I have used butterfly-flower themed background paper and added silver/glitter decoupaged butterflies as well as butterflies cup form paper I had in stock.  Don't forget to check out the other Handmade Monday bloggers - gorgeous makes that you really must see, and of course read the great blog posts.

I am having a bit of a restful day today - I have two card orders to make up and will spend some time making final items for this weekend's event.

Have a good week everyone - I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week post.

Jill