Blogs Away!

So ! New year. New business. New website and now a new blog ! Well, all the advice seems to be - get out there so here goes!

Christmas has left the building .... ( though to be honest, it's sat on the landing waiting for the loft hatch to open !!) Rosebud Crafts has three months under its belt and, all in all, its not been a bad start.

That's hindsight speaking, because there were moments in a freezing cold marquee in Aylesford when Teah and I really wondered what we were doing ! Not even mulled wine could warm up my toes. And Teah, bless her, had more layers than an onion, hot water bottles and a flask and couldn't keep warm.

But what a learning curve it has been. The craft fairs were hard work. From our first one in Oakwood House, Maidstone to our last one at St Mary's RCP school - there was lots to learn.  In Maidstone, there was the best and most diverse bunch of craftsmen. It was a brilliant collection of real crafters selling beautiful products. Trouble was, there was no one to sell to! Very poor turnout and we had to lug our stuff such a long way from the car park to the conference hall. I remember feeling very tired and tearful packing up. We sold a modest amount. Way under target but it was our first one and I was prepared to accept that maybe I had raised the bar too high.  Some stall holders sold nothing!

Aylesford Priory was outdoors in a marquee but there was a great atmosphere amongst the stall holders. Big problems with condensation dripping over our stuff and a modest attendance. Other traders were saying there were less people coming through the door than in previous years. We did all right and having my friend Verity next to us was fun. But it was so, so cold. I stuck with my original target and was just £20 under target. Getting better.

The following weekend we were at King's Hall, Herne Bay. It was the tail end of the snow. Gillingham was still blanketed in snow but Herne Bay was thawing. The Saturday was DEAD ( people not confident enough to come out in the snow ) but the Sunday made up for it.  The comraderie was terrific. Obviously a lot of the traders did the circuit with Midas Leisure - the organisers and new each other well. My takings were affected by the poor turnout on the Saturday but Sunday's takings took me to target for the WHOLE weekend.  Yippee!!!

The surprise hit for me was a last minute pitch at Teah's school fete which was rescheduled after the snow. Indoors. Just three hours in duration and my best takings. Half the time and more takings !!!  I was delighted.  Haven't covered my outlay yet - what with materials and equipment but it's a start !!!

I have about 24 fairs booked ( or applied for ) for the coming year. I will update my events pages as they are confirmed. I will showcase my Spring range up to June ; my Summer range up to September and then it'll be Autumn and the countdown to Christmas.

I am working on my Spring range. During the Spring, I am targeting Valentine's Day, Mothering Sunday, Lent and Easter. My "Best of British" will celebrate the Royal Wedding and I will have plenty of Spring related stuff - chickens, bunnies, flowers, birds etc.  Following the success of Hunt the Gingerbread Man, I am working on an Easter Egg Hunt with new story characters. Look out for my bespoke scrapbooks - special and unique books for Mums, Brides, Wives etc with lots of secret pockets to hide treasures.

Please continue supporting Teah and I in this venture. If you've got a website, please post my link on your site; if you are on facebook, please "like" my facebook page to improve my rating;  please visit my website often to see what is new - comment on the guest book , order some stuff ( if you are in ME postcode area, I can maybe deliver to cut out postage costs - email me )

I am not getting enough paid work to keep afloat in the day job so am having to look at other jobs so I really hope and pray that I can make something of "Rosebud Crafts". If I have to go back to full time work, that'll mark the end of Rosebud Crafts!

 

Thanks for you support each and everyone of you. Happy New Year xxxx