Tuesday 2 December 2008

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!




That song keeps buzzing round my head at the moment, though truthfully I only repeat that one line and hum the rest as I haven't the foggiest what the words are. Foggy is another word that repeats in my head with an endless persistence, much like the never-ending cycle of the merry-go-round, slowing, slowing and then building up with the next quick push from an unexpected corner. In my case, the corner isn't really so very unexpected as it takes the form of emails and orders...by the barrow load. If I thought last year was anything to go by, my very first Christmas as a small business woman (gosh, that sounds good) then I was wrong. I thought I was busy then, but when I look back it was busy because it was new to me. I had only been 'open' for a month or so and was so surprised to receive orders, any orders, that I felt that I must be as busy as it was possible to be, bless my poor naive soul.



I had no idea how much I should have in stock or what to stock in all honesty. What I liked and had made for my own family over the years - the basis I have built this business on - suddenly seemed not good enough, amateurish even, to my nervous eye. The wonders of self-confidence or lack of never cease to amaze me. On the one hand, there I was the exhausted mother of a one and a half year old, fairly demanding baby who couldn't seem to finish anything she started before one of the somewhat large brood needed something, and on the other was this determined yet foggy-brained me who had worked with dave through the summer to learn all about website building, photography, copy writing, designing, making...oh the list is endless. I can't wuite see what I was doing in hindsight and can only put it down to hormones still not settled post baby! If ever there was a way to make yourself feel like you're messing up, I think I found it.



This year I built stock ready for the Christmas rush I hoped would come, listened with an ever-depressed ear - if there can be such a thing - to the doom and gloom of the credit crunch and crossed my fingers as hard as I could. I have been amazed how busy I have been and how quickly stock has needed replenishing (a lesson for next year - there is no such thing as enough!). My confidence has certainly had a little boost as I must be doing something right. I have also been so thrilled to see that the items ordered have been across the entire range from bags to babbits, lavender hearts to lavender sachets, door hangings for children to door hangings for adults. It isn't always easy to have a wide range of goods on the site, but it is what I wanted it to be and so far, touch wood, it seems to work snd if it isn't broke as they say...



I am lucky as I love what I do and, so far, the fates, gods or whoever have looked after me. Let's just hope it continues this way and that I somehow manage to lose the foggy feeling that has resulted from not being able to switch off at night, the lists of 'things to do' running past my eyes as I stare into the dark and that blasted song milling around my almost addled brain....It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!



Bye from me and The Angel Gadriel who is now in her 21st year of sitting on our tree (thanks Tom x) xx

18 comments:

  1. Gosh - have you been going a whole year already? That's amazing. And I have to say, I'm not at all surprised things are going so well - your things are lovely and you photograph them beautifully. Long may it continue (and I just LOVE Angel Gabriel). xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Pip,
    Happy December Greetings to you.. off to work now but just saw your post and wanted to say hi... will email you soon.
    love Gabriel x

    ginny xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've got the same one line of the same song constantly in my head too at the moment! Well done on the success of the business - it's a huge learning curve which you seem to have cracked. No small achievement!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It has been a busy year for you but you are so very talented I am not surprised.

    CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations Pipany, you have done so well in a year!

    ReplyDelete
  6. How great it's all going well for you....and what a busy life you have.

    Good luck with the Christmas Orders!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello Pipany,

    Hoping that you will have a continuing celebration of your very well deserved success. Embrace that fog!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  8. it is so nice to hear that you are doing so well, I am not surprised as your things are so beautiful. Very well done you must feel very proud of yourself.
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lovely - a visual feast as always, and encouraging too - DevonBears is now 6 months old, and I'm on my 1st Christmas - your comments from last year echo my thoughts now!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You give me hope! This being hortensia's first year, where everything is so new, and every day is me climbing a very steep learning curve.
    P x

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm so glad that you are busy...but looking at your creations I'm not surprised. I think when there is a credit crunch people are much more discerning where they spend their hard earned pennies and buy quality items that will last, and the way to do that is go straight to the creator!

    Well done on your first year and here's to many more.

    Kx

    ReplyDelete
  12. WELL DONE Pipany you have done really fantastically - very pleased it's working out for you.

    You should make that Angel Gabriel in fabric - better that would sell too - he is so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Well done, your things are beautiful..you should not be surprised ! Nice to see the credit crunch isn't affecting thing too much.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Two things leap out from this Pip, 1) to trust your instincts as they're clearly sound and 2) that you love what you're doing. No owonder it's been a successful year - it's that sincerity about what you're doing that shines through, people know when it's not there!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I would echo Chris's comments 100% - it is the love you feel for what you are doing that makes your things so special. congratulations on having been going a whole year.
    Now, repeat after me, I must take time to take care of myself, 15 stolen minutes a day minimum! Go on.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello there Pipany. I love the Christmas images appearing on your blog - very atmospheric. I've created a list of inspirational blogs over at my page and added yours - hope that's okay. Happy weekend. Denise

    ReplyDelete
  17. You have given me that song now!
    I think that you have done so well over the past year.
    You are a great inspiriation. You should feel confident, you have achieved, even if you have the odd foggy head day, a big well done to you.
    I think ALL your things are beautiful.
    Carol xxx

    ReplyDelete
  18. Well done in your first year and long may it continue, always daunting at first isn't it but like you despite the 'crunch' I seem to have a rush of enquiries.

    ReplyDelete