Packaging

so with the launch of our new site creeping closer and closer I've been thinking a lot about packaging and supplying an over all LOOK of my items when posting and for selling at crafts fairs.
Ive finally decided i will be creating more season ranges instead of one off items for the new shop too as i do think i miss sales because people come back looking for an item I've already sold and even though the opportunity is there to have it custom made people tend to go for the easy option!
i will do a few items as one offs for trials etc to see how they sell and the custom design feature will still be available ON ALL items but i think i will find it easier to work with as well as shoppers to find what they are looking for.
Now the big thing is packaging.. I've tried so much already, cards, pillow boxes, jewellery boxes, pouches, organza bags.. you name it I've tried it but for the new shop i need to choose something and stick with it.
I have however decided that there will be a deluxe gift wrap service available where you will get a tag, card and a fancy box/bag/whatever! For craft fairs i think I've settled with the jewellery mounted onto branded jewellery cards inside a plastic clear bag with a business card attached, so can be passed on as it for a gift or just for yourself. But for general sales through the website i still have NO idea where to start. Needs to be practical to post, strong or sturdy so it doesn't get damaged in the post. Ive been using little cardboard boxes wrapped in brown paper so the contents don't get damaged but from time to time they still do even using teddy bear stuffing as a filler! I've also used jewellery boxes in jiffy bags so you don't need to be home to receive your package but there was more damaged items than good ones that way!

So with that in mind i set you, my readers a challenge..
The best packaging idea will win an item of their choice
Now go... u have 1 week!!!

to enter simply comment below :)

L xx

Moaning

At present i seem to do a LOT of moaning.. yesterday was the kids with chicken pox and before now I've had a good old rant about well ANYTHING but today has seriously got my goat!!
I can hear you all now sighing deeply but my two pet hates for the day have been none paying customers and none returning of emails!!
I'm not a name and shame sort of person (plus they may read my blog and that would totally be ARKWARD!!)
But i often get asked to make special customer requests which are usually for holidays or a special occasion and i ALWAYS jump through hoops to make sure its EXACTLY as they want it, if not ill change it!! So when you get the go ahead on a design to make it WITH matching items its exciting but you also expect to be paid for this work! i don't charge a fortune and ALWAYS double check with the customer before going ahead with anything so off i went made this AMAZING set and well I'm still waiting for payment, this goes right back to the beginning of the year and despite 4 promises of payment in the post tomorrow it still hasn't arrived and now I'm being completely ignored. I wouldn't mind so much but she is a crafter herself, I'm sure she wouldn't tolerate this if it was her goods she was waiting payment for!
So would you just pop it on the website and sell it or hold onto it indefinitely? I hate the idea of selling it to someone else but i also know that's the BUSINESS way of doing things, if it had been in a shop it would of been up for sale the following day... (grow some balls woman!!)
Now none returning of emails... i don't always have access to the mac during the day with the kids and what not under my feet but i have one of these new fangled devises where u can pick your emails up any time of the day, and best of all it TELLS you when you've got one! so can someone explain to me why some people find it impossible to return your emails? i mean you wouldn't pick up the phone and just say nothing would you? You wouldn't open the front door and just stare blankly with your gob open to your visitor like some sort of pig ignorant zombie?
So as you can see I'm kinda riled by today, I've had nothing but bullshit, ignorance and brick walls! i even had the strangest convo regards a sale item...not mine there's... totally wasn't the response i expected but for once i kinda just said it how it was! i mean FFS! (was that to cryptic?) also GREEDY FUCKER came to mind to but i wasn't quite THAT honest!
Sometimes i just don't GET people, why they do and say the things they do and why everyone is after making others feel shit or after ripping them off.

I TOTALLY worry I'm not cut out for this.....

L xx

Day 23

The last 48 hours haven't been my finest hour at all. Yesterday was supposed to be the summer fair of all fairs... we go along to this massive high school gym full to the rafters of gifts, crafts and goodies. doors open at 11.30 and.... well nothing!! Not a sausage... tumble weed for 4 hours then i loose my temper and we leave!! The general consensus was RIP OFF CENTRAL! For me though i felt incredibly done over! Now i know you shouldn't take these things personally but i jumped through hoops to get that spot and for what? 3 nosey old ladies and someone offering spots at another fair!
This however seems to be more to my liking, Urban Craft Fairs and stalls are only £10 and they are quite regular so 23rd July we will be at Thornton Methodist Church. Fingers crossed there wont be tumble weed this time!! The silver lining to my monstrous FAIL of a fair was a 4 hour catch up with my best friend, yes there was laughter, there was tears but most of all it was adult conversation! A whole day with no TV, tears, tantrums and dirty nappies! That in itself was worth the £12 i paid to spend the day sat in a freezing cold gym with no customers! Maybe sometimes you just have to see beyond your initial disappointment and make the most of a bad situation :)
Coming home to  smothering cuddles was also a total plus point to my day! If only i could get that once a week...id be a new person in no time!!
You may have noticed my mood has lightened its about to turn...
Monday morning comes and low and behold Lis has whacking great big red itchy spots on her back... me and MR Geek Pants debate their origin for half an hour then i call the school. School shriek and ban her from the premises! Slightly over reacting but i often feel like that about my kids too ;)
Come lunch time they have bred under a rock and are as scary as earlier. I thoroughly check the other kids, Zoe has one whack bag in the middle of her chest... GREAT!
Several websites later and a consult from Mr Geek Pants colleague....CHICKEN POX!
Fucking marvelous!!! There goes my relaxing holiday at the weekend and under house arrest for a WHOLE FRIGGIN WEEK!!
Now you would think this isn't so bad... that thought had crossed my mind a few times over already today BUT... by Wednesday they are gonna be bored, fed up, tired and all round grumpy and with MR Geek Pants working the whole week as we go away on Fri i have no time to run screaming for the hills to regain my sanity!
At the moment they are eating me out of house and home and enjoying CBeebies reruns and i sneaked in an afternoon snooze while Emma napped on my knee... this wont last.... I'm terrified!

Now i know before you all shout at me.. i missed my Saturday makes and yes i did make pretty things for the girls bathroom I'm in the process of redecorating, BUT i did paint the stairs and the banister THEN in a delirious state deleted ALL the pics i took of the personalised towels and the mini beach hut wreath i made. yes GUTTED but ya know its set the mood for the week!

AND to top all this off i am SERIOUSLY considering selling Chic Unique and starting over!! MENTAL was what the majority of twitted shouted at me but i will continue to sell wholesale to my loyal little outlets and have a few more lined up but i spend so long working and designing and for very little return if I'm honest. i spend more time giving away for this that and the other than i do selling. Now custom orders however sell by the bucket load, but i spend a fortune on branding etc and the website doesn't really pull in enough sales to renew in Nov.
Ive been considering just reselling for pennies and focus on my sewing...bonnets are going by the truck load and i have done the odd little project here and there at wholesale which is really exciting especially as i haven't even set up shop so to speak yet. I just don't know whats best for me...I'm having a "WHO THE HELL AM I"episode and someone really needs to slap me in the face!!!

L xx

Living with Emma

As some of you may know our middle daughter Emma has a rare genetic condition called Prader Willi Syndrome, and tonight's post is dedicated to her...
When Emma was born, at 3.30am weighing 5lb 14oz i was as happy as any mother could be but it soon became clear that there was a problem. She didn't feed the whole time we where at the hospital and she was really limp. i mean babies are, obviously, but differently floppy if that makes sense. But at 23 and with a 2 1/2 yr old already i tried to put it out of my mind, the doctors ok'ed us to leave and i went home to my simple life. But she was increasing hard but easy work. She fed consistently every hour or so throughout the day, and slept the rest of the time, sure its fine during waking hours but at night it was a killer and even after being released from the midwife etc it wasn't getting any easier so after endless upsetting trips to the health visitor and funny looks every time i said she was feeding this way yet her weight gain wasn't supporting that we took her to the doctors to be checked over for the millionth time.
The doctors couldn't find a reason for her behaviour so we where transfered to the hospital under specialist consultants, 9 pain staking months of screaming blood tests, sweat tests and any bloody tests they could find we where still at a dead end.
Finally we where transferred in Pendlebury children's hospital for a second opinion and praise the lord after one more blood test they found a reason... prader-Willi syndrome. Like you are now i googled it, yes i cried too, then took stock and figured, shes beautiful and shes mine who cares what labels they stick on her she will always be special to me.
Then 2 years of physio therapy, occupational therapy, dietitians, specialists and equipment later and this is who she became..

here she is about 3, she was sitting, crawling, feeding herself but couldn't stand for longer than a few seconds and wasn't talking. It was a painful time, more for me than her, she cruised along without a care in the world, nothing fazed her and with each new mile stone a glimmer of hope that she wouldn't be severely effected by her "label".
Emma is now 4 and 3/4, shes walking but it causes her pain in her upper thighs, she gets tired so easily when playing, she has amazing social skills and laughs uncontrollably over the stupidest things! She loves books and dolls and has a huge love of fashion like mummy. Shoes are her fave and she has a massive soft spot on Mr tumble, she isn't talking but tries very hard and has taught herself sign language and has made up her own too :) she surprises me every day with what and how she learns and really enjoys nursery. She has the brightest eyes and has a big smile for everyone. She also loves cuddles and having her hair stroked, she could also spend half her life in the bath!!!
But there is another side to Emma that has been slowly rearing its head more and more and even though i want to say its an overwhelming urge to eat its not, its her constant repetition, obsessive compulsions, strict routine, aggression and general naughtiness.
Its getting to the point where i cant cope with it, for hours she will repeat the same signs and gestures over and over again, her constant yearning for the next part of her routine is so painful and if you dare say something along the lines of NO then all hell breaks loose. She will cry and scream uncontrollably and hits and kicks. Now i don't know if this has anything to do with PWS or whether its something that she has picked up. Shes spoilt, especially by daddy, hes always over compensated for her. She cant do no wrong and for all the things he THINKS she wont be able to have or do he gives her now. Don't get me wrong all the girls are spoilt daddy's girls, (in a nice unbratty way!) and i do understand but shes such hard work! Can i break these habits for her, does she need to start seeing the specialist again for more support? Am i just doing to much and not spending enough time on her? I just feel like a ball of over worked under appreciated emotion right now i cant see the wood for the trees?? Are all 4 yo bossy gits? am i just blowing it all out of proportion because she has a "label"? would i treat her differently if she didn't have this hanging over her?
Every child is indeed different, labeled or not and 9 times out of 10 shes an angel but at others she reduces me to uncontrollable tears, more for failure than anything else. I don't care what she has or doesn't have and i really appreciate how her nursery have accepted her and worked with her to make it accessible for her, i love how she has friends and they all make such a huge fuss of her i just wish we had more of that at home instead of the anger and frustration.
i can only imagine what its like for her in that little body wanting so badly to do what all the other kids do but even through all the tears and pain i wouldn't change her for the world!

So this is for all the mums and dads and brothers and sister of very special people...

L xx