Happy First of December

I can't quite believe we've got to this time of the year already. Last time I looked up it was still trying to be summer.
But here we are, our Christmas rush beginning to calm down and suddenly I can draw breath and think about things other than getting orders out and keeping stock levels up.
The website is still busy with orders which is great, but the shop orders are getting smaller as the Christmas card demand always tails off in December.
Last night was one of those sleepless ones where my brain was buzzing with ideas and projects which have been on the back burner for months. Everything from rearranging my workspace to planning new designs, new products even - not just cards. And I had to resist the temptation in the early hours to get up and start shifting furniture! I definitely wouldn't have been popular!
So I'm going to be a grown up and start by making a list - and tidying up I think should come top today.
This is my work table after yesterday's orders were dispatched.
And as it's that season here is Ewan and a little red breasted friend. Can you spot him?

I Need Matchsticks...

to prop my eyes open. It's yet another ridiculously late night. (Why do I punish myself with these? It's plain crazy and I'm too old for this nonsense!) But here I am again, four minutes before midnight precisely and I'm zipping around the time wasting "social network"- Twitter and now Facebook. Gawd.
Social networking is supposed to good for promoting your business. Hmmm, well I'm sure it is for those dedicated to keeping their name up there. But it is soooo time consuming. I don't believe they can be tweeting and facebooking all day long and still be producing their work at the same rate. Either that or they are superman/woman and I'm a mere mortal.
Anyway, I think I'll wean myself off Twitter for a bit and concentrate my attention back here in my little virtual home.
Today was a real busy one with a lot of shop orders coming in for our new Christmas cards, so there's PLENTY of work to done in the next few weeks.
I've also started adding the Christmas cards to our website and you will find them here. I'd love to know what you think of them, by the way.
And that MAJOR business change I hinted at in the last post.... I'll tell all soon but I want to have some photos to go with the revelation so please be patient.

Plethora of Patchwork

I have a good customer, a local lady, who decided this year to give all of her friends and family one of our patchwork cards for Christmas. She started weeks ago in a small way, buying about 10 each week to spread the cost, because at £2.00 a pop it would soon become a hefty bill for Christmas cards. All was going well until yesterday when she turned up in a bit of a lather because she had seriously underestimated the number of cards she needed. ( She must have a LOT of friends). I had 25 in stock which she snapped up and begged for another 50 more by tomorrow.

So.... I had thought that things were slowing down and I could at last start my Christmas preparations. But that was shelved tonight while I made up these little darlings - 60 of them so she can have a choice.

It's not finished yet though. Because I now have to paint them. I outline them with gold and paint a little motif in the middle square - holly, tree, bauble, whatever I think suits the card. Another late night I suppose.

And this is my business Christmas card for this year. The one I send out to trade customers, suppliers etc. That job is done at least - Christmas cards written and posted.

First of December

The first day of advent calendars, the countdown has started if you are less than 12 years old. Well even if you are older than twelve - what the heck.

I sent little advent calendars to my nephew and niece, 13 and 10 respectively, and also to my Mum, who last was 12 seventy one years ago.

I've got a rather posh one for our house this year too, which I found at Country Living. It is made of felt with lovely embroidered birds and other motifs, and quite generous pockets for sweet treats. That might entice my 26 year old son home for the weekend!

We're still working our socks off to get the orders filled in time for Christmas, but there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Bob was at the Perth Christmas Street Fair last weekend while I stayed home and manned the shop. And for once it was a dry sunny day, albeit freezing. We're well equipped to ward off the cold at outdoor fairs though - a thick tarpaulin to cover the stand on three sides and an indispensable fan heater blowing out hot air all day. Another tip is to make sure you have a thick mat to stand on and of course the obligatory thermals!

Lastly, and most importantly bright lights. If you know there is going to be power available at the fair, make sure you take advantage. We had no less than three large halogens illuminating the stand and it makes it look very inviting as the daylight fades so quickly in the winter afternoons. There are always one or two stands who don't bring lights, and they might as well pack up and go home at two o'clock. I don't understand it.

So Bob coped well, and the crowds obligingly turned out to make it an excellent selling day. Smiles all round with the other sellers doing well too.

I read in the paper on Sunday that it was the allegedly the busiest day of the year for online shopping, and we had our share of the orders. Brisk business in Christmas cards and decorations even though I still haven't managed to put all of our new products on the website yet!

So Monday saw us back to working on shop orders. Another four finished and away yesterday - so as I say the end is in sight.

What then? Feet up, relax, do a bit of couch potato-ing? No not yet. There is the small matter of the house to get to grips with. I say this every year - the cobwebs are so huge I could spray them silver and they would make instant Christmas decorations. The kitchen needs a good to do, as well as the bathroom, bedrooms, living room, hall, garden, workshop, etc etc etc. All in good time.

I spent today getting the mail and website orders up to date and these two cards were among the specials. Ordered by a granny for her two little grandsons.

Pardon the picture quality - they were scanned.

Right, back to work. Ther's a bit of embroidery to do before bed.

Christmas....

I know it's only September but we have to be prepared. Our trade customers have already started ordering and we have our Christmas cards on display in the farm shop. One lady bought six yesterday!

These two are actually from last year's collection, but they were such winners they'll be staying for this year.

The new designs are still under wraps, meaning I've not got them finished yet!

I did design a New Year card yesterday which I think is going to do well, but it's still a prototype and could be subject to a tweak here and there, so I'll not reveal it yet.

I'm going to set a few hours aside over the next few days to update the website - very overdue I'm sorry to say, and I'll add the Christmas cards then.

I just wish there were 36 hours in a day - maybe I'd catch up with myself .

Right I'm off to make an applique picture for a 90 year old, euphonium playing, football supporter. I've just had a look at a euphonium on Google and I think the shape of it will lend itself to intertwining a large number 90, and I'll have to incorporate yellow and black somewhere ( the football team's colours).
If I'm successful, I'll post a photo tomorrow.