Thoughts about 2013

Time is passing incredibly quickly at the moment, between juggling the Christmas rush, & the kids activities, is making my days just zoom by.

It has got me thinking of my business, about what I plan to do with myself next year.
My goals.
My ideas.
My business model. 
How will I change & freshen it up.
What new things will I create. 
What look or trend will I be inspired by.

I have grown so much this year, I feel the need to sit back & have a look at where everything is going. Thinking about it all makes me so excited. I love the ida of reinventing a product, making it better than before. Initially I find this process daunting, & suffer from almost stage fright. Over the next few weeks it's time to start drawing from inspiration I have found throughout the year. Think about my colours & start creating some mood boards. Giving base to some solid story collections. Doing this will keep me on track. I have to think about 2 ranges, one for Tiges and Weince, and the other for Quirky and Quaint. I know next year I want to separate them a fraction, so they have their own look. How I will do it I am not sure yet, but it will be part of my exciting journey.

Have you been thinking about what, where, & how you will plan 2013. I know one thing for sure this year I will be making far more use of my monthly calendars  I will make sure the squares are large & pinning it up on my wall so I can plan & project through out the year. I didn't do it this year very well, & suffered a bit for it at times.

While I think & jot down my goals I look forward to sharing them.

In the meantime I was so completely inspired about the delicious colour palette of these shoes. I know they are completely irrelevant, as this is summer, I am needing to think about winter 2013.
regardless, I was so inspired I bought them.

It's important my feet are happy.

Have a great day,

Christmas Stocking Winner

Thanks so much for those who entered my 2 large Christmas stocking giveaway.
I decided to ask a question, "what is your favourite thing about Christmas", instead of a generic number draw, it just felt more personal.

Anyway the winner is.....

Here is her answer;

I loved this answer, it made me smile immediately as I am in that place at the moment with my kids. Especially Hudson, as he completely understands. Not that's he is terrible but when he is getting bratty, or forgets his manners, the constant reminder that Santa is watching, & if he isn't happy with his behaviour, Santa just might not bring his presents on his wish list. Not so much Charlotte at this stage, she is a little too young still. 

Crystal can you contact me & let me know which designs & names you would like. Thanks & congratulations.

Gotta love it, have a great day everyone.

BRAND NEW ART HOOPS

I am so excited to have finally completed my brand new embroidery hoops!! They had been delayed a couple of days due to bad weather, making good photos almost unachievable. But nevertheless, they are here & I am thrilled.

I have put my illustrations to work and have placed them in delicate wooden 20cm wooden embroidery hoops. I have made them a bit more 'special', by adding a lovely decorative ruffle around the edge. The print & ruffle is perfectly coordinated, and also coordinates with other items in my shop. The print is one complete print, and not separate pieces sewn together. 

The hoop can hang easily on a small hook even a tack.

All hoops are 20cm or 7 7/8 inches
Price $24 plus shipping.

Here they are;

Hello Birdie

Love and Rainbows

Sweet Dreams 

Whimsy Garden

Transport

For one week only buy 1 hoop & the second half price. 

There are 2 ways to take advantage of this, please email me directly with the designs you would like, & I can then forward you with a PayPal invoice. 

Or please order via my shop & in the message box please advise which 2 designs you would like, but remember to tick OTHER for payment options. I will then forward you a PayPal invoice.

Have a great day!

My Christmas time management & working with my kids

I am feeling like a machine at the moment, I am certainly on auto pilot, but that's to be expected considering the time of year it is.

Below is literally what this last 2 weeks has been like & I will admit I have been finding it hard to fit it all in. I love my work, & always have the crazy attitude, "where there's a will there's a way". Regardless of attitude there is no negotiation, I need to get my stockings & cushions & other odds & bobs ordered made in time for my customers.

I have had a few people ask me, & say to me constantly, I don't know how you do it. Well here it goes, for the moment anyway......I have been getting up at about 5.30/6 am, generally closer to 6 am, even 6.15, but hey at least my intentions are there for a 5:30am rise. I have about an hour before the kids wake, on a good day an hour and a half. During this time it's beautiful, quiet, & peaceful & just me and my cup of coffee. This is when I answer my emails, write my emails, write my to do list for the day, as I find I am clearer & more logical at this time of the morning. I check Facebook, my blog, and any other addictive social media I can't live without. In saying that it's a quick few minute look over, that's it. I have had to become strict or I could waste hours looking around. I know I am not the only one haha. Once that's done I start my work.

When the kids are up it's all about them, & we eat our breakfast together, talk about what we are doing for the day, then it's time to get dressed, & off we go depending on whats on. It is usually my gym twice a week, kinder, errands & dancing for Charlotte. If we are home & the suns out, outside they go.

It looks like I work quite a lot during the day, but I actually don't. I just can't as I am constantly interrupted by both of the kids. I find it so worth while to work in pockets of time during the day. That being if the kids are outside, & I can see them from my office I will most likely get 30mins to an hours worth done. Sometimes it could be 20 minutes while they are eating their lunch, or when they are colouring or playing with their toys. Mind you while they are doing that I am also always doing loads of washing or other household chores. Working within your precious pockets of time can be so incredibly valuable if you use it wisely. Don't sit on Facebook, or twitter, or start ooohing & ahhhing at Pinterest. Do some solid work, answer some emails, write that letter, sew that small order, pack a couple of orders, send some invoices out. You will be amazed how much more you can actually do, & reduce your workload by the end of the day.

By the time the kids are bathed & dinners been eaten, its time for their bed. This is very routine at my house, they both have some milk before bed & we then read a book. After that I may sit & unwind for half an hour, chat with hubby & then I am into it. I used to stay up to all hours of the night, but wont allow myself to do that anymore. lack of sleeps results in a snitchy mummy. Midnight is my limit & lights out.

It's been a very full on routine at the moment & I will admit I am looking forward to it slowing down. I am also at the same time very grateful for all of the orders I am receiving as it keeps me dream alive & home with the kids.

I hope that some of my hints help you out & thanks to those who asked me to write something.

What I am pinning - decor that hangs

Have a look at these beautiful decorations that hang delicately to adorn your special space. All found of course on Pinterest.

1. How lovely is the paper bunting, it almost look like text book, or pages from a novel. 

2. These look so soft and pretty. Being placed in front of a mirror is so effective, there looks to be so many more of them.

3. The paper tress, they look like so much fun. Imagine those at birthday parties, even created in Christmas colours. 

4. The birds are perfect. Whoever made those is beyond talented.

5. These little cones so cure are't they? Perfect for parties & wouldn't they make perfect lolly bags for leaving guests?

All references for images can be found via my decorations board. There is a link to each selection.

Christmas Stocking Giveaway

With Christmas so close I thought I would be lovely to have a giveaway. I love doing this at this time of year, it's such an exciting time the build up, the decorations, the food, & I have to admit I love a pressie.

I have also been really busy here working away in my dedicated working space, some call it HQ, but me it's my own small & busy space. I am printing cushions, stockings, more cushions, and even more stockings. This year I offered stockings in a newer larger size which has been a real success, & will be returning next year. They are  approximately 28x38xm, big enough to make a statement & certainly large enough to pop some small gifts from Santa in there. I have even offered free post worldwide.

So here is the giveaway, 2 large Christmas stockings, any design & of course personalising.

All you have to do is be a follower of my blog. If you already are let me know, & if you're new say hi & let me know. Also I'd love to know your most favourite thing about Christmas & I will pick a winner. I love creative answers, or things to make me giggle.

I will announce the winner next Thursday 22nd November so you will definitely have your stockings in time to hang for Christmas. This competition is open world wide.



Have fun & good luck.

Bugger of a week..I really mean it!!

Ever just had one of those weeks that truly disrupt your routine & balance? I had one of those just recently & have just come up for air. Crazy thing was, it had nothing to do with the kids, it was my work it involved, & my couriers were to blame!!!

It all started just over a week ago when routinely I posted three orders.
The first to one of my consultants who sell in my Quirk and Quaint business.
The second other was a wholesale order.
The third was for my lovely machinist who makes my products.

My first order was worth a significant value & lucky me, this parcel was in a van that had been robbed. Mind you I wasn't advised this until my consultant started asking where it was, & I started tracking it. Yes I know it was bad luck, & trust me such an inconvenience. All the customers had to be called to advise them what had happened, & I was hoping they were happy enough for them to wait for it to be replaced. Thankfully they were, & being a handmade business I don't have a warehouse where I can repack orders quickly, they all had to be made again. Then I have had to submit invoices for insurance purposes. So damn time consuming.

The second and third were lost together. The driver who does my pick up run suddenly resigned & was yet to be replaced. Again, I wasn't told so when my 2 parcels had been sitting there all day & not collected, I called & was soon advised of this. Not impressed with the delayed updated, but anyway they were collected & I thought all was good. They had an external collector pick them up & when they still had not arrived 4 days later, again panic struck. The wholesale order was only 2 cushions, so that didn't freak me out at all too much, it was just an inconvenience again. However the order going to my machinist had A LOT of work in there to be sew, & it's value & time was worth a lot also. Personalised products take time to prepare & organise, & this parcel took me just over 2 days to do so. When I tracked it & called the courier company several times, & there was no record of it, I FREAKED out & felt ill!!! I was finally advised it was lost, which didn't make me feel any better.  Eventually it was found, the external courier didn't put the right ticket on it to resend it back to the correct depot for dispatch. A week later it arrived. I am so lucky that Aileen who sews for me, was so helpful & managed to have it all sew for me almost on time, as well as the current weeks work. If it was for her I would have been stuffed, I really mean that.

I just wanted to scream & blame everyone, be an angry hippo, but that was just my helplessness coming out in me, as there was literally nothing I could do. I will admit to crying, & felt so much better when Charlotte heard me & I got lots of cuddles, which was so beautiful.

The catchup has been horrendous as I had to repack a lost orders, as well as current ones, I literally packed all day last Thursday & Friday. Trying to do it around kids is so challenging at the best of times, so I had to bribe them a lot, let some extra iPad time happen, & I threw in a few movies & I got it done. I am sort of up to date, but still behind as I had my normal "to do" list for that week, but I just had to not worry about it. Mind you it's still waiting for me. It was just an absolute nightmare week.

For someone who works for themselves, especially handmade, with kids at home, it wasn't even the money I was worried about in the end, but more the time & hours that are involved. Fingers crossed never again.

This week is a new week, & I won't let it scar me (I hope), time to move forward, reward myself for doing what I though was impossible & have a great week this week.

What I am pinning - colour inpiration, home decor

Here are some of the gorgeous images I have been pinning away. You can find in my home inspiration board. I am so drawn to all of the colours.

The frames are amazing.

I love yellow desk, it's so happy & cheerful.

Words can't describe those chairs, breath taking.

The wire vases so simple colourful & they look so delicate.

The dip dyed sheer curtains... perfectly coordinated with the mint coloured chair. So fresh & summery.

image source 1 - pinterest via http://www.etsy.com/listing/69279275/spring-fling-collection-10-pieces

image source 2 - pintetest via - http://seilamuitascoisas.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-07-16T07%3A52%3A

image source 3 - pinterest via - http://charlottelovey.blogspot.nl/2012/09/pastel-neon-91-magazine.html

image source 4 - pinterest via - http://night-onthe-run.tumblr.com/post/19129864969?scmmusicplayer=adrianshum

image source 5 - pinterest via http://www.designocd.com/page/3/

New product coming soon

Most people world wide are watching the very famous Melbourne Cup today, an event that literally stops this nation, and one that happen about 35 minutes from my house. It's also a public holiday & which means hubby is home.

I am not into horse racing, & not really fussed with who wins either. Is that shameful of me?? Instead I am taking this opportunity to work on a new line of products I have been busting to get starting. I have shipped hubby off to take the kids to see their cousins, & I am working hard trying to get this together as I would like to be selling it at a market I am exhibiting at this coming Sunday.

No hints at this stage as to what it is, just a new way of hanging my artwork is all I will say.

I hope you're having a great holiday today if you're living in Australia.

DIY Project - Revamping old cork boards to hang kids artwork

I am not a huge DIYer, I am a total fan, I am an absolute wanna be DIYer & have a long list of tasks I eventually would like to have a go at. I popped some time aside last weekend to have a go at something I have been wanting to do for a long time. I have had some large cork boards and thought they would be great to use to hand the kids artwork. Having a 4yr old and 2yr old you can imagine a fair bit of artwork comes through this house.

This is what I completed (above), & below is my step my step (below), on how I got there. Be warned, this is basic stuff for the professional DIYer, but for me an accomplishment that I actual started & completed something.

Step 1 - My cork boards, 2 of them which will be one for each of the kids.

Step 2 - I covered the board with some junk mail to protect the cork from the paint. Mind you, I should have used masking tape, but didn't have any, so improvisation was a necessity. 

Step 3 - Colour selections of red & green. A lot of basic bold primary colours are used in the kids playroom, catering for both boys & girls tastes.

Step 4 - I painted a coat of white paint first to make sure the colours looked bright & bold. This was just in case the colour of the wood altered the colours of the final result. Oh I am also using Hudson's Spider Man gumboots as paperweights!!

Step 5 - Paint on the colour. I did one nice thick layer of each colour as it was a warm day & new it would only take a couple of hours to dry completely.

Step 6 -  I mentioned these boards were old. As you can see they are a bit bowed around the frame, so hubby bought some hanging wire for me, which was attached with a staple gun on each side & pulled tight to bring the shape back together. Also it was now ready for hanging. 

Step 7 - Hang them. I always use command hanging strips so if I make a boo boo it can be fixed.

I hung them up above the kids couch, & popped the number wall decals in between them, just to create some space & add some interested. I think by the looks on their faces they like them.

Lastly the most important component.....their artwork. Hudson's board is the green board & Charlotte's is the red board.

As I said it was a very simple task which didn't coast me a cent really except the hanging wire. I used the kids water based poster paints, to pain them & that's it. There is definitely a lot of satisfaction for me doing this, as I think about things I want to complete all the time but never get around to doing it.

Now that I have accomplished this, it has got me thinking what I can do next?????

OMG 1st Nov...Christmas is coming

Pinch punch first day of the month. I simply can not believe it's the 1st of November  which means one thing for me....Christmas is coming. Since having the kids Christmas has taken on a how new level of excitement. I love seeing everything through their eyes, amazement, beauty and innocence.

I just couldn't help myself today I needed a break from some work & fluffed around on Pinterest for a while pinning some loveliness to my Christmas board.

I found all of these images shown here on a gorgeous board called Christmas  - Shabby Chic. I loved everything, & was oohing and ahhhhing the whole time. There is something amazing about vintage style Christmas decorations. They look so soft, whimsical, pretty and delicate.

So much too look forward to, I can't wait.

I love pinterest & love looking at everything, while you're there you can find me here.  I'd love to see your boards too.