Tag : banbury
Tag : banbury
I am pretty sure that 99% of my blog posts start about how busy I have been. But, it’s true…! That – and/or, I am knackered… And, the year flies by… the featured image is over 15 months ago – what?!
Anyone who tells you that the self-employment route is easy, is LYING! Yes, I am my own boss, yes, I don’t dread Monday’s and yes, I have flexibility to change my day around when required – but – it is never easy.
Today, I woke up to the start of the week – ready for ambition, to get stuff done! I was working by 7am with a cup of tea whilst little man very happily played. And, I even posted to say ‘Today will be fabulous’. End quote.
Got in the car, ready for lots of tasks to be achieved at 9am. Got to Brackley (a 30 minute car journey via a diversion) for the start of tasks being completed… and my little one was violently ill…
I am not really one for ‘change’. I had a plan, and this needed to change dramatically due to the circumstances – E.g. cancel everything and return home. BUT – when it is this sort of situation, instinct kicks in. You don’t think of anything else, other than making sure they are OK and happy, and warm and safe and just not – sick. BUT – if this was about answering to a boss, and circumstances made me call my work to apologise for the change of plans – that would be even more of a stressful situation than it was. And, most people – most women and men too, this is just the norm and reality of life. Kids, you cannot plan for them – and absolutely hats off to anyone that has to balance full time work, with their children. My boss was OK about today’s changes… (:me.)
Coming home, and laying in bed with my child – is not the relaxing situation you would envisage. They wriggle. They kick. He doesn’t talk as much as you would hope – so he cannot tell you if he is tired, hungry, thirsty, upset, just wants a specific item – so I opted for cuddles, cartoons, and the hope he would be a normal happy chappy again soon. Which – he was, and is absolutely fine! Great! But, as much as you are super relieved – it now means the day is gone, and the planned work is not achieved. Instead, it is now 9pm and I am ‘working’ – a glass of red in hand and ‘trying’ to work and ‘relax’ at the same time…
On a completely separate note – today I did manage to achieve something different and out of my ‘comfort zone’ – and entered a local Business Women of the Year competition in the area of Business Communicator. Nothing may come of this – and a panel of judges need to check through this, short list the applicants and then the awards ceremony is later in September. Writing the application was actually quite a shock. It is isn’t often I truly ‘stop’ and look at where the last year has taken me, the business, the different achievements and actually life goals ticked off – I *may* have shed a tear! Anyway, having read the criteria – I feel like I do meet the requirements… but, you never know. It is nice for me to have been even asked to enter! Wish me luck!
Life has generally been quite busy recently and I did originally blog a few weeks and months ago to say August was OFF – but it hasn’t worked out as planned. Now, in reality I am NEVER OFF – even if I have a break, I answer emails and am constantly THINKING about the next steps for the business, but I haven’t even switched off to the level that I anticipated – BUT there is a difference, I am ok with this as everything is very exciting! Products being designed, 1-1 craft workshops being held, awards to enter and plans for Christmas to be put in place!
20th August… I am already in mega Christmas mode. Some very exciting things ahead, I don’t blame myself for getting caught up in everything when I am ‘meant’ to be on holiday… However, the true countdown is on for Thursday of this week! I don’t need to say much more than: #SpaDay.
It. Is. Needed.
I did think I wouldn’t even take my phone, but who am I kidding?!
But – my phone will certainly be switched off for my 50 minute booked back massage… #GoAwayWhoeverYouAre
Categories: Business, Crafty Kids, Places to Go & Things to See, Workshops
I don’t like rollercoasters. In fact I hate them!
I am that one that will gladly wait at the finish with the coats and bags.
I just don’t see the point of them! WHY would you allow yourself to be transported through the air by metal and engineering to feel sick and full of adrenaline?! Perhaps for exactly that reason… Strange. The Husband LOVES rollercoasters. And he MADE me go on one once at Alton Towers to show him I was deadly serious how much I hated them. He learnt his lesson and I will never go on one again! Side note – why did I go to Alton Towers if I hate rollercoasters… I actually have NO IDEA. WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY! I did get to see my friends of course, but mainly whilst holding all their stuff…
However, The Crafty Lass is certainly on a rollercoaster right now. But this one I will gladly stay on for the ride. So far it’s been a lovely and pleasant journey – with quite a few more highs than lows. This rollercoaster I am staying firmly ON.
In the last two weeks since my last blog post, we have finally been able to announce several pieces of very exciting news!
Firstly, I am becoming an official tutor at The Women’s Institute college – Denman, in Marcham near Abingdon. There are selected dates now live on their website to book in for 2019 and I will be teaching paper flower making, wood block printing and lampshade making! Denman college is the most beautiful quintessentially British building and I feel honoured to be able to teach there and for the WI. The courses are often residential and so the ‘higher’ price point – isn’t just for me teaching! It includes your accommodation and your (delicious!) food and drink too. A craft retreat – what more could you want?!
Additionally and unexpectedly we have also WON the former ‘Dragon’ Theo Paphitis’ SBS (Small Business Sunday) competition! Well I say ‘unexpectedly’… I had been entering The Crafty Lass ‘on and off’ for about 3 years with a weekly ‘tweet’ pitch so I certainly hoped to win one day – but, it still came as a shock to be selected! So… just what is SBS? And what does that actually mean?! The SBS website explains it probably a lot better than I can, so see all about it HERE should you so wish to know more!
Press wise – on the back of the SBS win, we featured in the local paper: The Banbury Guardian, and on their website. We are also going to have a brief Autumnal ‘crafty mention’ in Mother & Baby magazine in their September issue. And, if you are a WI member – keep your eyes peeled for an exciting feature in the October edition of WI LIFE magazine. This time, not about how to make anything – but all on The Crafty Lass! We also have some guest blog posts coming up featuring on the lovely Craft Cotton Co blog!
Today – was a VERY exciting day. Today, we shared that I have been working on my own The Crafty Lass craft products over the last YEAR! And, it is now all happening in collaboration with the brilliant company – Craft Buddy. The first product will certainly be an ADVENTure… in fact it will be The Crafty Lass ADVENTure!
Yes – that IS a CRAFT ADVENT CALENDAR! If you would like to know about this in regards to this – please visit www.thecraftylass.com/thecraftylassadventure to sign up to our mailing list for the latest news and updates.
All these things have been shared within just the last 2 weeks… and, in addition to this believe it or not, there are also several other projects bubbling away under the surface that I am yet able to reveal… so watch this space!
This rollercoaster isn’t over yet…
Categories: Business, Christmas, General Craft, Places to Go & Things to See, The Crafty Lass does..., Workshops
