Strawberrykitten

Well I broke my blogging promise didn’t I!?! I haven’t yet had chance to take photos of the nursery, the weekend was full of cleaning and visits. I’m hoping to get some computer stuff done tomorrow so
Maybe then!

After a week of tidying I really wanted to get crafting again this week so I finally completed my new dear plush which you can see in my shop and between crafting stints I’ve been working on getting a stock a scarves made. I’ve just started making a pumpkin for a Halloween bear and a silver fish for the polar bear, also a prototype raccoon – excuse the bad photo, my backs hurting so much ive had to stop and have a lay down so I’m blogging from my iPhone.

Well yesterday began with a sale, fantastic! Sales seemed to have slowed over the past week, other than one I sold to a friend and a special one I’m working on for a friend at work, it was good to know they are still selling to the outside world.

So work was brilliant yesterday as we did a ‘stop the track’ day where we did nice little activities all day. I chose to do floristry and life drawing. Floristry was harder than I thought it would be, but really enjoyable, here’s my bouquet

Life drawiing in the afternoon was fantastic, with me trying to draw a lot more at the moment it was one I was really looking forward to. Plus it was with all my old art tutors who made me feel really good and welcome I forgot how hard and exhausting it was, but I’d love to keep it up with an evening course maybe. Here’s my favourite drawing I did

On an annoying note the Market stall has run out of (and might not get more for months) the brown fur I use. So I’m going to have to source it from somewhere else, otherwise I might have to take Frank the bear out of the shop which would be a shame as he’s my favourite.

Turns out this starting up a craft business thing takes time, especially when the room you intend to use is in a state. Were currently ebaying and tipping all our combined rubbish, starting a fresh in our new home, this seems to be taking some time and I’m itching to get sewing and selling!

So last night I have managed to set up my sewing machine, tonight i have just about cut 3 bear patterns out ready for construction before my back gets too painful and i’ve also had to re-bake some birthday cupcakes as I may of dropped last nights attempt on the floor! Oops! Although pipped buttercream and hot weather don’t mix as it just splodged, meaning they look a bit sorry for themselves but they will have to do, hopefully the little flags i’ve made for them will make up for it!

I’m also working on setting up all my businessy type things on the computer, I have sold craft before but wasn’t very organized, I know what pushes sales now and want to start as I mean to go on so while the room has been unusable I’ve been setting my user account on the Mac (a computer I was never previously allowed to touch as it was ‘his’ toy! Lol) I have a few things to help me keep productive…

<>Excel spreadsheet for sales
<>Sticky notes for quick ideas and to do lists
<>Photoshop for blog images and photo editing
<>Illustrator for illustrating
<>Email templates etc
<>Trying to set up ical to keep organised

I think I might need to come up with some kind of rota system too; I work best when I’m on a schedule that way I don’t get distracted. I’m thinking plan in blogging, reading blogs, posting in forums and using etsy, then cutting, constructing and shipping. We shall see anyway, I’m sure I can sell my products but you never know it might all fail; I just would really love to be one of those people featured on etsy for quitting their day job because their craft business has become so successful!

This weekend has been a busy one and all we ever seem to do is make more jobs for ourselves. after deciding i want to jump back on the crafting band wagon i realised we’d need more desk space in the spare room, which involved swapping the whole room around. This has of course meant the room is in even more of a state than before and it kills me knowing how much there is to do and not having the time!

Other than that i did a little baking today, my plan is to take a set of cupcakes into work each week. Here’s this weeks…

They are strawberry flavoured – vanilla sponge with jam and strawberry buttercream. Hopefully the girlies at work will like them!

This weekend we also nipped to our new mothercare that just opened. Although we are getting a lot of baby equipment from friends and family, we still have a lot to get and looking around the shop made us feel even more clueless…we have some serious planning and list making to do…but i love making lists!! I also have a wedding to go to in 2 months and i’ll probably be twice as big as i am now, they had some really nice weddingy dresses, annoyingly not on their website so i can’t show you.

Anyways, i feel i’m slowly getting back into this blogging malarky, as evidenced by this loooong post. i think being able to use the Mac rather than being all squished on the sofa with the macbook helps. And in a few weeks i’ll start posting more piccys of the babies room, crafty stuff etc etc…Also not 100% happy with my blog theme yet so will be tweeking it every now and again, certainly not that bothered that i work none stop on it…it will do.

Right off to rest as i’m being kicked and poked by little hands and feet