Another full week

It's been a week of events this week. Last week, my mother who lives in Cyprus, flew back to the UK and stayed for a week with her friend in Bury St Edmunds. On Tuesday, she took the train up to Edinburgh to stay with another friend so I dragged the husband and kids over to visit for a while. Tomorrow she and I are hitting Glasgow for some much needed catchup and retail therapy.

I also got my roller banner finally delivered and it's fantastic - huge, but brilliant.

I also got an unexpected email inviting me to take a stall at the Scottish Deer Centre in Cupar, Fife on bank holiday monday, so a nice trip upcountry is planned for Monday. I'm hoping it'll be busy (and profitable), but even if it's not, it's another venue to get myself out there.

Interesting day

Roughly six months ago I lost my keys - couldn't find them anywhere and suspected the dogs had taken them and buried them as they're wont to do. On the keyring was my memory stick with some of my templates etc for my cards. Anyway, this morning I found them!!!! What are the chances of that happening? Then my daughter came downstairs and told me she'd got a commission for me from her boyfriend's mother and then.........I got an email inviting me to take a stand at a craft fair next Monday. Well they do say things come in threes

Website and other fun stuff

Well, considering I've had the house to myself for two days and therefore plenty time to make cards, I've come up with nothing - no inspiration whatsoever. Ah well, I'm sure it'll come at some point. So I've spent the time updating here and tidying my website up. I've added a few more dates for the year and my calendar's looking quite healthy for the year so far. I've a few more things I want to do with the site, but that'll have to wait until I've taken some advice. Keep an eye out here though, and I'll post the changes as they happen.

Pets

Well, I broke down this morning and cleaned!!! One of the cats woke me up at seven this morning(woohoo, a long lie in), and since I had the downstairs to myself I thought I might as well make a start. So now it's quarter to ten, the house is sparkling and smelling lovely, all the windows are open to let the fresh air in and the sun is shining - glorious day. I now feel completely non-guilty about sitting down and making some new cards.

So here's the reason I got up so early today.... Kai


The reason I have to do so much housework...Rosie & Logan, and my old man - he's been with me the longest... Oscar

Friday at last!

It's been an awful long week. No idea why because I've been really busy and that usually makes the days go quickly, but this week seems to have dragged. Anyway, I've got a free weekend for once - no fairs, no commissions (all done and dusted), paperwork is all up to date so I get to play this weekend. I've got a couple of family birthdays coming up so I'll be able to get those cards done this weekend and I really need to update the website. I'll need to find something to do to keep me busy or I'll have no excuse not to do the dreaded housework!

Long day

I was up at omg it's early (read 5:30am) this morning to finish off a commission before going to work this morning. Highly confused the dogs!! Spent all day at work wishing I was at home making cards or outside enjoying the sunshine and now I have to have a quick meal and then I'm out again to a meeting of the Dunfermline Wedding Co-op. I enjoy these meetings, but my brain's fried by 8:30 so not a lot goes in my brain by then - thank goodness we get copies of the minutes! I've also realised I've got to do some artwork for an advert I've signed up for, make up some templates because the dogs ate my memory stick which had all my templates stored on it. Memo to all crafters.......don't have mischevious dogs or hide stuff really, really well. On the upside, I got an email to tell me there is a space at my regular craft fair next month if I want it......yes I do!!! So I'll be out at Balerno on 9th May.....maybe see you there.

Commissions, commissions...

I had a commission to do a handbag card for a lady who lives in Balerno last week. She received it and was so pleased with it, she's ordered another card from me.....yay!!! I've also got to tweak a wedding invitation proof, so, I'll be busy today working out designs........I can think of worse ways to survive a Sunday.

Craft Fair, Dunfermline cont....

Wow, what a fantastic day yesterday was - fabulous footfall, who'd have known so many people lived in Dunfermline. We were packed all day long even after we'd finished for the day and were packing away, there was still people coming in. I've booked up for the November one too now and here's hoping it's, if not as busy, busier than yesterday. I came home on a high but absolutely knackered and was asleep in bed by 10......rock'n'roll lifestyle me lol. My friend, Carol, who shared a stall with me yesterday has a new business line too - encaustic art. Absolutley fantastic work and I've commissioned her to do a painting for me for a member of my family. I've seen a photo of it, now can't wait to get the real thing!!! As soon as she gets her website up and running, I'll post a link to it.

Craft Fair, Dunfermline

Well, going to an Arts & Crafts fair tomorrow and this time it's in my home town. You'd think it'd be easier since there's minimal travel but no.....there's no free parking, infact there's no parking at the venue so my choices are, take the car and pay for all day parking, take the bus and lug all my stuff on and off or walk lugging my stuff all the way there. I've decided I'm too thrifty to pay for the parking so I'll either be walking or busing it...weather dependent. I've also realised that I really don't need to take as much stuff as I usually do to craft fairs....so all in all not a bad thing. Here's hoping we have a good day tomorrow.

My friend Andrea

is such a fantastic friend. After driving myself almost demented trying to put a slideshow on my blog here, she stepped in and made it happen within minutes. She didn't have to, she has tons of things that keep her busy and has enough on her plate as it is without me and my witterings. Yet, she did and you can see the results to the side there. She's always there for me, a friendly, non-judgmental ear and a shoulder to cry on when necessary. She's also one of my biggest fans when it comes to my cards, but will tell me honestly when something isn't quite right......in the nicest possible way! We don't see each other nearly enough as we live quite far apart, but we talk most days - usually over the internet (what a fantastic invention lol).

So Twinnie.........thank you for being there to boost me up, a shoulder to cry on and just being a good mate!

The sun is shining and ....

It's such a beautiful day today - the sun has some heat to it and there's not much wind for a change, seems a shame to stay indoors but I've got loads to do today. Good thing I don't have work today! I had a bit of a panic this weekend. I got a commission to make one of my handbag cards for a lady and I couldn't remember what supplier I got the paper from..........help!!!! After much googling i finally found it, but it taught me a lesson. So today I'm going to organise myself. I've got a notebook and I'm going to take scraps of all my papers and note down the name and supplier of each one so I don't have this problem again. A little pendantic? Maybe, but I don't want to be caught out again. I've also realised I really need to stock up on 'out of season' papers when I use them in projects that are not necessarilly 'seasonal' projects. For example, this handbag card was made using a Christmas paper - not so easy to get in April! I also need to sort out my receipts for this month....the taxman sent me my paperwork and although it doesn't need to go back to him until October, i don't want to be sitting for hours working out my expenses for the year all in one go. I really need to get myself more organised.

T-shirt

I've just been online and ordered some new business cards and while I was on there, I got myself one of these

Rather sporadic blogging

I seem to be rather sporadic in my blogging lately but I've just been so busy with...............well life really. Had my first craft fair of the year yesterday (I was supposed to be attending one in February, but I was ill so had to cancel). I love doing the Balerno Farmers Market and Craft Fair - it's such a nice atmousphere and the stall holders are all very friendly. I don't usually make much, but tend to cover my costs and make a little profit. Yesterday was quiet, although I made a few sales and got a commission (yay!!). I sent Ben out to hand out leaflets during the first half of the morning and made three sales through that alone - wish I'd thought of it sooner and wish I'd taken more leaflets (we ran out after two hours). I also got the chance of some advertising at a really reasonable price, so hopefully that will bring in some custom.

I also got a wedding commission......I love doing wedding stationery.....and this one is going to look lovely, all chocolate brown and pale gold. An added bonus, I'm going to the wedding as a guest too :-)

After the craft fair, Ben and I popped up to Leven to visit Blacketyside Farm - if you live in the Fife area, do go visit and grab some lunch while you're there - the toasties alone are well worth the drive!