Workshop & Craft Fair! - Sunday 20th October

Good Morning Friends!

Yes a double whammy today..and a long one, so hope you'll stick with me!!  I seem to have gotten through the hectic period (relatively) unscathed! First of all though, thank you for all your lovely comments about my spooky wreath - yes I think it was my favourite too! 

I'm sorry I didn't get to visit you all yesterday, but will have a nice leisurely catchup later on..I did actually have what was looking to be a really horrendous week craft-wise but we had a great workshop and to find out what had made the week so "grrrrrrrr-some" (yes I made that up!), read on below the photos!

Workshop

Thursday night was the last of three workshops Amy and I put on using the Indigo Blu 'Stag on a Cliff' Christmas stamp and a design by Linda Warmsley and these are the fabulous cards made by my lovely group of ladies..

Craft Fair

Last week was when I was due to take part in an annual 'have a go' event at the Library, we had a social media event at work, followed by our workshop in the evening and then I had a craft fair on Saturday...by Tuesday I was getting the feeling of 'melt down' so something would have to 'give' and despite having spent quite a while prepping my craft stuff for the Library, it had to be that one because there were a lot of people taking part and it was just a drop in. I wouldn't let down Amy or our group unless (well I'd have to be so poorly I couldn't move!) and the fairs in aid of a Bristol Hospice are the only ones I do now - a) because I support the charity and b) I don't have the time, so I couldn't miss that one.

I was panicking about enough to sell, but although I made a few last minute cards, I had plenty.Then came the first big bug!!! Because I have been so busy this year, I seem to have allowed my craft room and my poor iMac to get very disorganised and have been happily saving digital stamps and images to flash drives that I haven't backed up. I used one of them Monday and it was fine, Tuesday I went back to use it and everything had gone! I tried everything, but the drive was corrupted and there was no replair!!!I had a word with our social media trainer (who also is a bit of a techie) on Thursday and it could be recoverable but a bit of hassle. I know a lot of my Pink Petticoat images are on there and Nitwit papers. I am so annoyed with myself for not bothering to back them up and have learnt my lesson.

Then on Friday, leaving it very late, I had to package the cards I'd made recently. I label the bags with my logo, the price and insert greeting details. I got my labels out, went to print them and my printer said 'NO'....for weeks now it had been flashing up messages saying its own way "Please I'm getting old, I've given you a good service but I need to be sent to the printer graveyard...please!" But in between the coughs and splutters it was still printing beautifully, so I ignored it.... then on Friday morning it just gave up and died...oh dear, I had to put on my best handwriting and do them by hand and today we are out to look for a new printer. I've had this one, an Epson, for 8 years or so and I do use it every day and a lot...I mean a lot, so it has given me great service. The problem with printers is that they cost more to repair than buy new.

Anyway, Tom and I got to the the craft fair and as usual it was great! It's in Chipping Sodbury Town Hall and between now and Christmas there is one every Saturday, but certainly this one is very well supported. It was great to see some of our craft group call in; one was helping a friend of hers on a stall too... and also to see other stall holders that I have got to know over the years.

There was plenty of foot-fall and I sold lots of cards - I was so pleased! Although I'm not taking commissions at the moment, I do have a few Christmas cards to make for a couple of regular customers and a took a couple yesterday from one of my office volunteers who called in and from another stallholder.

I always feel that in between standing and talking to people, encouraging them to have a look through the cards, it's a good idea to actually do some crafting. I like to take some stamped images and colour them and find that House Mouse is good for this; I am used to colouring them and they are fun for people to look at - yesterday I am also it encouraged the sales of the many House Mouse cards I'd made, even though some were from the CD's rather than stamped! The other best seller was cards made using Indigo Blu stamps - remember my George the Bear card from the other day? Well he went within minutes, as did the Elisabeth Bennet cards and the stag Christmas. I also took along a few of the wooden tree ornaments decorated with Indigo Blu and they sold too.

I totally forgot to take photos of the fair, it was so busy, but here is my 'work' from yesterday! I took along my Promarkers and had a good time talking to people about stamping and colouring. I only too a few markers, so some of them are just partially coloured.

Sorry for the lengthy post, catch you all later - now off to find that printer!

Love, Hugs and Happy Sunday!

Carole XX

Pin It