Hello Again

It's been a wee while since I sat down and wrote something on this blog.
I think  a lot of bloggers take a break during the summer, usually because they are off on holiday, but we are in the throes of our silly season now, and time is a joke.
What have I been doing lately?
Well, a massive clearout for one. Three van loads of "stuff" have been taken to the recycling centre and charity shop and the house seems so much lighter and airier. So is my head, but then that's probably because my brain went in the van too.
Old suitcases, mattresses, videos, computer from a different age, broken furniture, old clothes... you know the kind of thing. Upstairs is now tidy, fresh and clean. Love it.
This is all because daughter is coming home for a few days soon and she is quite badly allergic to dust, as well as cats and pollen.

This is our business van loaded for a craft fair but I borrowed the photo to show just how much stuff can be accommodated in it. And it was three loads this size we got rid of.
Now I've just got to remove the dust of months from the downstairs and we're all ready.
Actually that pic of the van was pinched from last year's blog about the West End Craft Fair.

I can't believe that it's nearly upon us once more. By that I mean the Craft and Design Fair which is held in Edinburgh during the Festival and which is open seven days a week for three weeks.

This was our stand last year just as we were about to start setting it up.

It doesn't look much at this stage - just a shabby little wooden chalet. But after a few hours of hard labour it turns into this.

Then Bob climbs into the cockpit and away we go for three weeks. What I mean is he makes the round trip to Edinburgh each day, rain or shine, and spends the day sitting behind the stand and selling (hopefully). While I am at home making stock for the next day. Team work, and after ten years at least of this routine, we've got it all sussed out.

Yes but I'm not only making stock for the next day, I'm making up orders for our trade customers and keeping our own shop open. Not to mention the website and mail orders.

And Bob isn't just sitting behind the stand either, oh no, he takes piles of cards with him to paint and finish off.

So it's all go.

Despite the panic we're intending taking a couple of days off when Laura is here and having a bit of a life. I hope the weather is decent and we can get away into the hills or coast or somewhere. I think Laura would appreciate that as she misses the scottish hills in Hertfordshire.

Oh and the website....

Mmmm, it's taking longer than I would have liked but already there is a whole host of new designs added. And I've been moving things around a bit to make navigating simpler. Well it will be simpler when it's finished and much needed, as there are now more than three hundred products listed with almost as many again still to be added!

I've had some lovely comments and feedback from some of our regular customers, and they seem to think it's working well. I've added a Craft Market area to the site, where there will be a selection of products not made by ourselves, but chosen to have on display in our own shop.

At the moment we've got -

Fairtrade embroidered bags from India.

Fish Strings from India as well.

And patchwork cushion covers from much closer to home, to mention just a few.

Never a dull moment then.

We were sitting watching a film tonight at 10pm, just winding down for the day, when an email pinged in with a large shop order. 10'clock on a Sunday night!!

Anyway, that's for tomorrow - after we've been to the cinema to see "Inception"! Got to get the priorities right, after all!

Once this crazy month or two is past, we'll have time for our own holiday, and it's going to be a biggie this year, for a certain person's big birthday. That's something to look forward to while burning the midnight oil.