Toooo Long!

Its been way to long since I last blogged. I have been painting up my studio and getting it ready for 'work'. My youngest will be starting school this year and I wanted the studio to be completely different from the rest of the house.

At one time the studio was the kitchen to the cottage, 10 years ago we extended and had a new kitchen so the old room became redundant, its been an office and a snug, now its my studio/office.

As the old kitchen it also has its own little external door which is wonderful on sunny days and when local customers come to visit.

As room that has been rarely used, I really do feel like I am out of the house, I'm thinking perhaps a kettle will be rather useful too.

Yesterday, I had a photographer come for a mini photoshoot, as part of a feature in Wiltshire Society Magazine (part of the Salisbury Journal). The journalist was here last week, did my usual, talking non stop, I was actually rather nervous!  The circulation of the magazine is fab, so here's hoping.

The postcards are still proving very popular which is wonderful.  I am so fortunate to get to know my customers, there is a story behind everyone that I do.  I recently undertook a commission for a photo transfer cushion with embroidered message (in Portugese) on reverse side.

I have also opened an Ebay shop.  Its a little more expensive than I would like, but I'm going to give it a couple of months and see how we go - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Thesewingcroft

Look what I found at a carboot sale - aren't the just lovely! 

       

Still no further forward with #SBS, I will not give up! One day, Mr Paphitis will RT me!

I'm going to sign off for now. Thanks for reading

Zoe
                                                                

Wild flowers, Jubilee Fever and Business Cards

Well, at long last, the British weather has sorted itself out, stopped trying to drown us and is now currently baking us :-)   Son and I went for a lovely walk along the lanes and we picked these gorgeous wild flowers

A couple of weeks ago I was asked for my business card, WOW I thought, im on my way, rushed home and got some ordered from Moo.com, they were doing a special deal for Folksy sellers. I could choose up to 50 photographs for the front and any text plus logo for the back.  They are really very lovely, brilliant quality, lovely thick card. Sooo pleased.  Now, to figure out what on earth to do with them now?  If you reading this, do you have business cards? when do you distribute them? ect Leave a comment!                                

With the Jubilee coming on really soon now and the gorgeous weather it feels like the whole country is gearing up for the massive celebrations.  Its all very exicting!  This has really inspired me to make these two cushions.  Really enjoyed making them as well. Can be purchased from my Etsy or Folksy shops.

Both of these items were featured on www.cuteable.com which is a really lovely site and my goodness it has helped with internet traffic for the much needed sales! 

Just recently son has been a little curious about size, specifically, adults.  Yesterday, whilst in the barbers shop getting his haircut, he pointed directly at another mum, looked her straight in the eye, and said 'She is very big isnt she Mummy'?  Now, I thought this was bad enough, told him that was rude ect.  A little later, we went into a little toy shop, son picked up a rhino, said he wanted to buy it, took it to the counter, looked at the shop assistant and said 'your not as big as a rhino yet are you'?

On that note I shall blog off. 

p.s take a look at the poll im doing on craft magazines, be interested in your views.

Dirty children are happy children

Dirty children are happy children.  Thats what my mother always says. Funny, very funny! Wasnt often dirty as a child, and my children are often so mud spattered that she comments on a regular basis.  My son seems to think that pjs and wellies are his day clothes these days and my 7 yr old daughter has taken to doing her own hair - oops!

Both my children attend a gym club, its very popular where I live, and very expensive.  This week, I totally lost my son there, looked up stairs and down, grabbed children to check the bathrooms, not anywhere.  Finally found him, outside, he was caked in muddy splatters from bare feet to knees.  'What on earth are you doing?' I demanded 'splashing mummy, its much more fun without my wellies'.  Not much could be said about that.  The look on the yummy mummys faces when I brought him back inside, and the look of yearning from their children = very very funny.

I also uploaded a photograph of my kitchen to Pinterest the other day, if your not sure what Pinterest is, its FAB. Like a massive mood board for all the stuff you love or want, to buy, to make, to look at - from all over the internet.

Rather vain of me really, but I do so love my kitchen, I sew for hours in that chair.

Then I noticed a mistake, can you spot it....

Clue: new (self build) extension above, lots of banging going on....

I sent off the commissioned cushions this week too, the customer was so delighted and left me the most amazing feedback! Ive put it on my website - http://www.thesewingcroft.co.uk/commissions-feedback.php,.  Im now working on another two commissions.  Also decided to list this in my Etsy shop, which I have yet to get my first sale from, very frustrating. www.etsy.com/shops/thesewingcroft. 

Have you heard of Mollie Makes? Absolutely brilliant craft magazine - http://molliemakes.themakingspot.com/ if you love craft, unique items and general home chit chat then take a look, im addicted.  Have somehow managed to challenge a fellow twitter user to make the Mollie doll that has been featured, (full instructions too!) desperate to get started!

Ive got a new idea too for the embroidered message/photo transfer but hush hush, all will be revealed.

Zoe

Shoplifting, PR and Gardening(ish)

Intersting blog title ay?  Its been a very busy few weeks, as always.  Isnt family life just nuts? do you ever look back at your own mum when you were a child and think "oh I get it now", I do, then I find myself sounding exactly like her, sometimes its amusing, sometimes its rather horrifying!! Anyway, shoplifting.....trip to Tesco recently with 4 year old son, as usual he bounced around most of the store, I said his name at least 50 times, forgot lots of things but finally made it to the chekout, the only one free was right opposite a pick n mix.  Whilst destracted packing the shopping, son snuck over to the sweets and stuffed as many into his mouth as possible, I caught him on the second time around, Tesco caught him on the third....he had so many jammed into his mouth the dribble could not be contained, so as he was trying to say sorry, not only did saliva pour from his mouth like a waterfall, he managed to splutter half chewed sweets at the Tesco lady, who had, very nicely come down to his level. 

I hit apon a new idea too, photo transfer. After our little trip to Badbury Rings (see previous blog post) we took a lovely pic, my house is already full of photographs as it is, so I wanted to transfer it to a cushion.

After some failure,(NEVER use the glue stuff!) I finally managed to make myself this gorgeous cushion that now sits very happily on my kitchen barstool chair.  I love it. It was such a funny moment, setting up the auto pic on the camera and running back to squash everyone! 

Then I had another idea...Oh yes im full of 'em. I needed a present for my mums birthday, and whilst sitting on my kitchen chair and looking at the many pictures the children have drawn, I thought 'EUREKA' how about the kids draw a pic for grandma and I transfer to a cushion.  First attempt drawn with pencils was not so good, but second attempt with crayons was this rather lovely item.  My mum adores it! I adore it! Infact its now a range to the business as everyone adores the idea!  I do have a confession tho, I did direct the children in exactly what was required for such a cute pic. But looks great dosent it? £15? bargain!

Having now learnt photo and picture transfer I figured it was time to turn my hand to PR.  I dont want my business to be all about facebook, I dont think it is the direction I want to go. I genuinely feel I can offer something special to people, I WANT to do something special for people. I WANT to be different. Sooooo, PR! I totally and utterly revamped by website.  Have taken a lot of items OFF. redesigned, everything!  I certainly think it feels fresher and so much nicer www.thesewingcroft.co.uk   Then of course there is the blog, which I am still also working on revamping.  I have also sorted out my Folksy shop and listed lots of items on there, sorted out Etsy also.  In case you dont know, Folksy and Etsy are shopping sites for handcrafted, individual items. Stuff you wont find on the high street. Speaking of Not on the High Street.  I applied to there site, was knocked back. I am determined to make them regret that.  Next on my mission has been a press release, so I did one of those too, spent hours researching who to send it too.  I shall now wait for hoards of media moguls clambering to get the first editorial.

At long last I also have sewed all seeds in the vegetable garden - hooray! Roll on summer. Altho looking out the window at the hailstones pouring down, it seems a long way off.

Funny, with a blog, I put it off and put it off and then when I get started I cant stop! BUT I do have some work to do so I will blog off for now.

Zoe