April 8th, 2012

Happy Easter everyone!

Tired after a long but lovely day up in Yorkshire with my future family, fabulous roast dinner, lots of easter egg hunting, and a chocolate medal to prove my team won!

Just got back to my Smarties easter egg...compulsory Smarties easter egg I might add!  No other egg will do - I'd actually rather not have one! - it's been a Smarties egg since I can remember and I don't plan on changing that now. 

They've been fab these past two years, they've done the retro branding so the box and the foil on the egg are exactly like they were when I was little - almost seems a shame to open it! 

Off to bed, got home to find Etsy orders so lots to do!

March 27th, 2012

Today can be summed up in one word - stamps!

Having kept our eyes peeled for weeks today we finally found out the new 2012 stamp prices...oohhh there's some unhappy folks out there!  I suppose 60p for a first class stamp does seem a lot, especially when you ask for a book and it comes in at more than £7.00, but I just think it's such good value!  With fuel prices the way they are can you imagine how much it would cost you to drive your letter from the Scottish Highlands to Cornwall?!  An awful lot more than 60p!!

The one thing I do disagree with is the new scheme for pricing packets.  For those who haven't heard about it, a packet weighing anywhere between 0 and 750g will be one flat price.  It's an absolute winner if you're sending heavier things but for those selling small, light things it's pretty hideous.

It makes me worry about those of us with small, online businesses.  In some cases, especially for those people who make and sell textiles, postage (with packaging) will be at least half the prices of the products.  I have some brooches listed on my Etsy shop which, with the brooch pin on the back, are too big to be Large Letters, so on a £6.50 product you'll be paying £3.00 in P&P - I don't expect to be selling too many of those!!

Who knows, it may work out, but I really don't see this doing anything to boost online sales, for anyone!

March 11th, 2012

If Wendy doesn't mind I'm actually going to use this Handmade Monday post to promote someone else that I feel deserves such a mention!

Today Andy and I went to the Vintage Market in Stockport.  We've been meaning to head down there for ages and just never got around to it so today we finally made it.  For those who don't know what it is, it's a monthly event held in the covered Market Hall in the centre of Stockport, it's primarily vintage (the clue's in the title!) but there's also a scattering of in-keeping handmade in there too, some really beautiful things actually, I'd bought something before I'd got to the second stall!

Anyways, one of the reasons for going was to see an old friend of mine that I know from my former life which was spent trackside at the British Touring Car Championship.  Alistair (now of Come Dine With Me fame, if anyone watches that!) was there working with his partner Stuart who is the proud owner of Stuart Thornley Cake Design - you have got to check this guy out!  I had every intention of taking a pic of the beautiful cakes that we bought to show you but they didnt last long enough! 

All of the products are baked entirely from scratch and Stuart has designed just the most beautiful product range, from cupcakes to push-up cakes, cake lollipops...you name it, he can do it, even down to the packaging it's all finished in the most professional way you can imagine.  Brilliant!

On a side note, may I remind you all that it's Mother's Day one week today!  So be sure to get your orders in before Thursday to guarantee delivery for Sunday!!  You can find most things from me over at Etsy - http://www.etsy.com/shop/LucysDesigns?ref=si_shop - or message me via the Lucy Liz page on Facebook.

February 26th, 2012

Evening all!  Should really be heading to bed, just been looking at the diary and Andy and I have the busiest week ever...we might have an extra day this February but we've filled that too, I think we get to have some sleep some time during next Sunday!

Desperately tried to get as much done as possible before the week started, got a lot done but not nearly as much as I'd have liked.  Did managed to get the Folksy & Etsy shops completely up to date though, so that's something, just got a massive pile of sewing to get through now.  Shouldn't complain, I love to be busy, but sometimes I feel like I could do with a week of February 29th's!!

 

February 25th, 2012

Not one to break with tradition, my other blog posts and pics have been about what I've been up to that day, but today I fear I may have to show you something completely unrelated...we've spent today working on the new site and you're not seeing anything to do with that until it's done!  What I will say is that Andy has worked like a trooper and I'm so so happy with how it's coming along - he's done good!

So I shall give you one of my badges which is about to go on Etsy, because that's all you're allowed to see today!!!