Stay at home

As I've said many a time, I'm really glad to have crafting as an activity to get me through quiet/boring times. It's been a god-send during my pregnancy, and I'm sure that in what tiny little scraps of free time I get after baby is born it'll come in handy too. But it's more than just a hobby, it's also a business...and this side of crafting will be all the more important once maternity pay runs out and we try to survive on Dan's wage alone. Which makes me extremely happy to say that my etsy sales have been steadily, and very quickly, growing over the past few weeks. I've never managed to reach the level where I'm making anything close to a "wage", but over the past 4 weeks I've sold 9 items, one of which was a set of 4 finger puppets so I've sort-of sold 12. Woohoo. It's not going to come close to making up for not doing as many craft fairs, expecially indietracks as last year I managed to make over £400 in 3 days, but it'll hopefully just keep on growing.

One of the best tools I've finally started using is the ability to re-list an item using the same photo, and warning the buyer that I'm making these items to order, it's so much easier than worrying about getting a decent photo over and over. Plus then I can keep track of the most popular designs and concentrate on making more of these.

I've just re-listed this cute set of woodland creature finger puppets, they're one of my favourite things I've made!

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Busy Bee

I've been laid up with pregnancy related back-pain for about 2 months now, and at times it's been pretty much the worst thing ever. Crafting has got me through some dark days! I've been really glad to have something to distract me and to keep busy, and time's flown. I remember when I booked the craft fair I thought that I'd be HUGE and almost ready to pop. Well I am fairly huge, but it's kind of crept up on me and I really can't believe how soon baby will arrive. Some of the bits I've been making for the fair are the smaller/cheaper things that I don't bother listing on etsy (although I might in future when baby comes and craft fairs are off the cards for a while!), such as bookmarks...

and heart badges...


I've also been concentrating on "new designs", mostly because it's more exciting to make new things. I loved the outcome of making a mallard duck for etsy so have been sewing up some more, and I've also been making some more birds to keep the ducks company..


Sullivan (my cat) has been keeping me company a lot of the time (although he does like playing out with his pals), and he LOVES it when I get the type-writer out and insists on siting really close the whole time I type, funny cat...


Handmade is next Saturday, 12th May, at Wharf Chambers, more info here
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