Things are changing!

Here we are in September - almost October.

It's getting dark earlier and also getting chilly in the evenings even though we seem to be having an Indian Summer.

I may have been quiet here but things have been developing business wise. After I finished at the hospital, I had a couple of weeks before I found another Job ( back at the school where I started!). In that couple of weeks I popped in to a local craft shop just for a nosey. It had recently had a change of ownership and I wanted to see if there was anything different. The new owner is Ruth and we seemed to have lots in  common. I ended up going down to the shop every day during the school hols and just helping out and having fun and a good laugh.

Things have now progressed to the point that she is moving into a bigger building and I have agreed to take some studio and selling space and help run craft classes.

The shop is called Cloth and Craft and it is in Waterfoot, Lancashire.

One small chance meeting and I get the opportunity to do the thing I have been dreaming of doing for a long time.

Watch this space for more details x

One step.........

Christmas has come and gone and here we are in the second month of the New year already.

Christmas was a quiet one - I was working for most of it and even on New years day!

As I expected, someone from the Artists Studios e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago to let me know that they had given the space to someone else. It would already have been decided before they saw me and the other candidates who was getting the space. The rest of us just made the process seem fairer! Sorry if you see that as a rather pessimistic view, but that's how I'm feeling right now.

I am unsure of where I want to go at the moment. Art and 'making things' is going nowhere. I can't even get into my little studio because it has been far too cold to sit in there for any time at all even with the heating on and for the last week and a half, I have been snowed out of it anyway - not even able to get in to get any wool out.

Since November I decided that I was going to try to do a job that I have wanted to do for a while now. I want to become a Healthcare Assistant. Used to be called Auxiliary Nurse. But I can't do that job unless I have six months recent experience as a carer( 14 years ago isn't recent enough) but I am unable to get a carers job as I have no NVQs. And I can't get any NVQs unless I am employed! So what do I do now?

At the moment it just feels like one step forwards and ten back...........

Decisions, decisions

Things are having to change.

Winter is here and Christmas is nearly upon us. It is time to take stock and decide which way to go now.

I have stopped the school job as I can get a lot more hours at the supermarket. It was a hard decision to make as I will miss some of the kids a lot. I've watched some of them grow from little, tiny scraps to confident individuals and hope that I have had a small part in them blossoming. On the other hand, some of the staff made the decision very easy.

As for the shop, it is definitely a non starter. My potential partner really wasn't fully committed to the idea and the one shop we could possibly afford was going to be a big problem. The lady we would be renting off didn't seem too bothered about getting her property agent to call me and would not give me their number. So, it really wasn't worth the hassle and stress!

Last week I was invited for a chat at the same Artists Studio that I went to once before. This time they did seem to like some of my work (the mixed media and the jewellery) but were very 'sniffy' about the rest. Crochet and patchwork just doesn't seem to class as anything like art. But they did kindly give me some constructive criticism. I do intend to narrow down from all the different things I do and have a good clear out.

So, most of the fabric is going and a lot of the wool (except for things I can use in the mixed media) and concentrate on the art and jewellery. They did suggest that I try to step outside my comfort zone and try to expand on some of the ideas I have and to explore them fully before moving on to something else.


I don't think I really stand a chance of getting a space there as they have other people to see and I'm assuming that he others have some sort of formal training and I am self taught. They will let me know sometime after Christmas so we will just have to wait and see! If I don't get in this time, I will just have to keep improving and do better next time.

Keeping confident and fingers crossed!!

New Start?

Things have been rather hectic round here. I have started another job. I still have the school job as well so I have been a bit exhausted! I am  Janitor at a local supermarket. (Four letters, starts with 'A' and has a green logo - you know the one!)

So, working two jobs and still trying to keep things organised at home is testing my sanity a little.The kids are doing little bits to help - but only when I get a little frazzled and grotty! The new job is hard work, always on the go, but I am enjoying it. I've been there about two months now and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Still lots to learn - it's not the brainless job that most people will assume it to be.


I am still finding time to make things and have learned to follow a proper crochet pattern and have managed to spend time in the studio as well.

I need to get my stock built back up as I may possibly have found a friend to share the shop with. She is a fellow crafter and has a small business that she runs from home and has had the same idea as me. She wanted a shop to sell direct but couldn't afford it on her own. So we thought about teaming up and sharing the costs. She has many other plans and we will have to sit down and put it all down on paper to see if it will work out for us.  Fingers crossed !!!!!!

So, I will really have to pull my finger out and actually get something done instead of 'researching ideas' on Pinterest and complaining that my studio is too small to work in!!



Back soon xx

Utter Madness!

I think I must be going a little potty. I have been to view a local empty shop today.

 It has everything I'm looking for in a place to make and sell my things. My (shed) studio is too small and cold to want to spend any length of time in. It will cost me more than at the moment obviously, but it will allow me to have the room to grow.

People will be able to see the things I make if they get displayed in the window and that will let them think about buying items at a time that suits them, not just when I happen to be at a craft fair. They would be able to save and come back later.

There is nothing else like 'My' shop in the local area so my hope is that it will get noticed.

It will be a struggle at first, financially, but I hope to get at least some money back. If I can break even each week at first, I will be happy.

I have to work out all the figures first and Husband-of-mine is behind me 100%  Online promotion will still be important to get the word out there about my creations so I must keep up with my Facebook page and this blog.

I have felt for a while that I am capable of much, much more and that I have been letting life pass me by.

 I have realised that life is too short for 'what if's'.

Decisions, decisions.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR xx

  I know it's been a while since I was here - again!- but I have been busy. A couple of Craft Fairs done (one was actually profitable! first one where I have made my stall money back!) and a bit of a studio redo.

I've also been doing a bit of thinking. I'm not really sure that my heart is in the craft fair business. Don't get me wrong, I love to make things. I really enjoy making my big blankies and all the crochet purses and the fabric brooches and the teddy bears and all the other things I make.
The problem is that it is absolutely soul destroying to stand behind a stall all day, having to smile and be polite and friendly just to have people say that your stuff is too expensive and walk on by then watch them buy something similar to yours from another stall.

My real passion is my Art. My jewellery style has evolved to more of a mixed media style and I love it much more. I'm hoping that it will sell better. My other love is Art Journaling. I have started up with it again today. Even though it is something I love to do, it's not something I find comes easily. Before I ever put paint/cutting to journal I spent a couple of years researching it all because I was afraid to get it wrong. After a few months of sticking and paint slapping, I stopped because I found it stressful. Pages just didn't look like I wanted them to. I just couldn't be relaxed enough with my style. It was difficult to work with no rules.

So today, I got out some old tubes of paint and some cuttings and printed images that I had already laying on my desk from the studio reshuffle. And I did just literally tear, slap and stick with not much thought to what I was putting where on the pages. It felt good. I have had a very relaxing afternoon.

 

 

It felt good to get my hands covered in paint too.

And now that I've worked out how to add photo's taken on my phone, I hope I will be able to drag myself here a bit more often!

 

New year, New start

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! It has been a while (again!) since I last posted.


The few weeks before Christmas was hectic. School plays, works parties, Birthday parties, Pressie shopping and wrapping - oh, and the frantic cleaning and tidying before the family and friends start dropping by!

Christmas was good. Time for us all to be together. And we managed it without too much falling out. But, there did just seem to be 'empty space' where missing parents should have been. Though, I could hear my Mum muttering over my shoulder about the fact we managed to cook the turkey upside down!! New Years Eve was particularly sad. We had a 'wee dram' in my Dads memory, even though I can't stand Whiskey. Being Scottish, Hogmanay was the most important event for my Dad.


So along with remembering and relaxing, we got lots done too. My Studio is now FULL! And I do mean FULL!! All things are now moved out of the kitchen and in the studio and the computer and all its bits are now in residence in the cupboard where they should be. It took Husband-of-mine three days to get it all moved. The hardest part was drilling through the wall to re-route the phone cable for the broadband box. Two new drill bits later, he finally got through the wall! (walls in this house are impossible - even hanging a picture is a challenge!)

Now I just have to sort and clear out all the rubbish that I don't want to keep and then I can get all the books and wools and cottons and fabrics out there too. This year has to be the year I get started properly on making and selling. Husband-of-mine bought me a book for Christmas. 'How to start your online business'. So with having the Studio and the book and the support of my nearest and dearest, I have no excuse now.



NELLIEBRATIONS STUDIO IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!

Pictures to follow if Blogger will let me!

Progress has been made!

The studio is now up!

 Progress!!


The exact time we decided to put it together, the weather took a turn for the worst and it hammered it down! The second we got the roof on, the sun came out and it turned into a really, really hot day! So it took a week to dry out inside before I could start doing anything inside. I was going to add some photos but it won't let me for some reason. I will add some another day and show the progress.

It has now been insulated(we can get some really cold winters here) with the polystyrene boards that you can use in attics. It is real good fun (not!) chasing round sweeping up stray polystyrene bits. And, today I got the underlay and bargain carpet (£4 from B&Q) laid. All by myself - arn't I a clever girl!!!


So I can now start to get the shelves up and furniture in ( this does involve a trip down to our dark, damp cellar *shiver*) and to evict the current residents of some of this furniture.  It's no use asking Son-of-mine to do it for me as he is a real Big Jessie so I will just have to do it myself! Me and spiders are not on good terms at all. I prefer to keep my distance from them. The first thing I will be doing every day I go in will be the 'spider sweep'!


So, now I will go and get myself some food as it is almost lunchtime. I am taking my Dad to Hospital today. His toes went black last weekend and he has had to wait a week for an 'urgent' appointment to see a Vascular Consultant at the local Hospital. We spent all last sunday in an emergency clinic to be told to come back at a later date for another scan. I will report back when I have more news.xx

Moving Done!!

What a week it has been!  I am exhausted and covered in bruises!

We finally got my Dad packed and moved! It was a really busy, hard weekend. It started off being orderly and organised but then my Aunt (who, by the way, has NEVER packed for a house move before)  started to help. She was doing her best and after all, we couldn't have done it all on our own, but it was just the way that things were getting thrown into random boxes. I do love my Aunt to pieces,just to let you know! The past few months,I couldnt have managed without her as she has been the one that sorted things for my Dad when he was in hospital and got things organised for when he came out. I now have the task of finding the neccesary simple everyday things - like his clothes!!

We have most boxes unpacked and the contents found a home. Some things have to be sorted out as he has no need for them anymore - he has an excess of pots, pans, double sheets and duvets. so that is next weeks job. We still have tons of stuff in our living room too. Bags and boxes of stuff to be taken to the charity shop, and that is a job we can get done this weekend.


The shed/studio is in pieces at the back of our house, waiting to be put up this weekend. Then it needs some insulation getting and putting in and then boarding out with some free plastic hoarding we can get from a factory down the road. It should all make it nice and cosy for winter working. Then finding some offcuts of carpet from somewhere and then put my bits of furniture and as much of my craft stuff as possible in there and I am ready to go.  Yay!!


It may seem shallow to some that I am so concerned about getting my studio up and running but to me, having that shed is the difference between going utterly insane and having a complete meltdown  or keeping myself on an even keel and being able to deal with everything else that life happens to want to throw at me. Somewhere I can chill, relax and get back to being me.


Hopefully, I can get some crafting done soon as I have applied to be part of a Christmas craft fayre in a local town as well as the christmas fayre that my mum-in-law has asked me to do. I have tons of ideas but no time to make anything.

Watch this space - I will keep you posted xx

Moving Date

Well, the last few weeks seem to have gone in a blur!


My Dad shocked me last month by telling me that he wants to move down here to be nearer to us. That really came out of the blue! So it has been a non-stop round of phone calls and posting letters. Application forms and Housing Assosiations and supporting letters from GPs and Social Workers!


AND BREATHE......

( I did get a week off when we went to Cornwall for our hols)

.........AND CONTINUE


We found a flat in a block that is sheltered accomodation. All self-contained one bedroom units. It has lovely gardens, right by the river and it also has a communal lounge downstairs where the residents get together and have quizzes, fish and chip lunches, movie nights etc. The Warden is a wonderful Lady. She has been really helpful with all the paperwork that we need to fill in (again).



And we now have a moving-in date! In just two weeks, my Dad will be moved in - even if we have to shove him and his stuff in with a shoehorn! The real hard work starts now though. Organising a van to move his stuff in, contacting District Nurses and Social Workers, him giving his notice for where he is now, changing addresses for his bank and post office account, getting carpets and getting them fitted...... the list goes on and on!


BUT... I am getting a shed out of all this! A big(ish) shed that will become my Art Studio! We have decided (i will rephrase that, Husband-of-mine has decided) where it will go. He will put it up and I will get some 'stuff' (very technical term, that is!)and insulate it as we get damn cold winters round here( 'twill also keep spiders out of the dark corners).

So, once I get my Dad in and settled properly, we will get the shed/studio sorted and I will have my own little place to work in - if I get the chance!

Still Knitting.......

Just thought it was about time I checked in to Blogland.

Still knitting baby blankys. I'm now doing a pinky/white one. I have two blueish ones finished apart from the ends sewing in.

I am also busy crocheting some fingerless gloves. It was an idea I came up with when I was off work earlier in the year. So I thought it was about time I got on and made some more. I'm also crocheting some purses. I made one last year, just to have one to 'road test' myself. It seems to have held up quite well, considering the rough treatment it gets in my bag, so I am making  more. Though I am making one change to the design. I'm going to add a cotton lining to them to stop them from stretching so much.

Though, this does mean that I will HAVE to argue with  start to use my sewing machine! It really doesn't like me. It will work for everyone else, but not for me!

I have so many ideas for things to make, sometimes I really don't know where to start - so I can end up doing nothing at all. My workspace (or lack of it) is also very frustrating. I have things spread all over the house. I know that I have a 'particular something' that I need, but often have absolutely no idea where it might be stored, so I can waste an hour searching for something! Not good.....

 This is my Art space in the corner of the kitchen (or part of it) There are also a 4drawer filing cabinet, wheeled drawers and a chest of drawers  that is piled high on top of it. Then theres the stuff that has to live in the Living Room and the Bedroom. Wool, fabric, cross stich threads and fabric! The list goes on and on..................

I have had my name down on the waiting list at a local Artists Studio for the past 5 years. I go to many of the events and Open Studios that they run and have got to know some of them well.  Last month, completely out of the blue, I was contacted and asked if I was still interested in having a Studio. So, would I like to go in with a selection of my work for an interview?  I was there like a shot!  Thing was, with other things that were going on at the time, I only had 3 days to get things  sorted (and made!). The interview was good, though. I was very nervous( read-terrified!) but I just decided to be myself and it all seemed to go ok. Sadly I didn't get the studio space as the artist that I was going to be sharing the space with, changed her mind about sharing!  Maybe next time x


So, I must go now, my knitting is calling ( not to metion the kids)