Two colours

Its been a busy week this week, but sadly not very creative, work has been really busy, which is good as time goes quicker and would much rather be busy, but has meant I haven't had chance to do some of things I some times do at quiet moments.

Evenings have been taken up with stuff too, so haven't made anything this week.

Went to see the Low Anthem on Wednesday, they were great, I love going to gigs, but it been ages. Going to see Black Mountain in a couple of weeks as well. Very exciting.

But I have made some progress this, like stocking up on fabric, cushions pads, wadding and felting fibres and sketching out some new ideas for more cushions and hot water bottle covers. Although I am fairly pleased with the cushions I have made, I think some of them lack something. Maybe I am just not used to only using two colours, I often use as many as possible, but perhaps its a less is more thing. Maybe some of them look a bit flat. Not sure what it is, but its fine as I have loads of new ideas. I just need some time to make them, hopefully I will get more time next week.

My new year plan .... coming soon...maybe

I suppose you are meant to reflect and review your year before the start of the new year, so you are raring to go on new years day, but I am a little behind and have been too busy chilling out to think too deeply about life.

2009 has been a good year and actually when I think about it I have achieved alot. This time last year I was just making for friends and was just crafting for fun, so its been a big step to start start selling, and considering I have only really been doing this for a few months I have done quite well.

Its been a lot harder than I thought, not just the finding time to make things ( Hard when you work full time), but the business and promotion side is difficult and has taken more time than I thought it would. If I look at the really successful crafters they probably spend as much time promoting as they do making.

I think I some times forget that this is a new venture and that things take time (I am not the most patient person in the world), I am not sure what I was expecting, but I suppose I was hoping that selling would be easier, especially online.

At the same time as wanting Petal Textiles to be a success and trying to move this forward I have also be trying to remember that I do this before its fun, its what I enjoy and what I do to relax. Some times when you have loads to do and have a big deadline its really easy to forget this and I really don't want this to feel like another job.

I have been thinking about setting myself some goals for 2010, but I am not sure this is a good idea, as it makes everything sound a bit too serious and do I really want to be stressing out as I haven't met these goals or targets? Maybe I just need to call it something else! I suppose first I need to decide what they are, but I think for now its time to do some more chilling out.

So I am going into 2010, happy, chilled out, but completely directionless. Time for a sherry!

(The photo's are of my new living room cushions, want to make a few more too!)

Behind already

I have written myself a big long list of things to do and make before my next craft fairs on the 26th Nov (Carrington School, Notts) and 28th Nov (Craft Candy Sheffield). Its only Wednesday and I am already behind.

I don't need to make loads, but just wanted to re-stock on some items, so need to make some more sausage dog draught excluders, more Christmas decorations and more tea cosies, as well as finish some of the things I didn't manage to get done in time and start some of the orders I took on Saturday.

I have the day off Friday as I am working in the Nottingham Craft Mafia Shop (Get Made, St James St, Notts), so should get lots done, but its fairly limiting what you can do there, so I need to try and make enough felt to take with me so I have a productive day sewing.

I have also been neglecting my Folksy shop http://www.folksy.com/shops/Petaltextiles , this is partly as I don't seem to be having many sales, but also as I have been concentrating on making stock for the fairs, but think I probably need to start listing some new items. So this morning I have re-listed a couple of applique cushions and this afternoon I will start listing some peg bags.

http://www.folksy.com/items/106866-Appliqu-cushion-cover-summer-scene

http://www.folksy.com/items/106862-Appliqu-cushion-cover-Red-flower-