2011 :: in pictures :: July - December

July :: the first weekend of July was the first weekend I started working 7 days a week....little was I to know then that I'd still be doing them at Christmas!!

...of course, evenings were and still are my favourite time for hand sewing!This month I had to find a box supplier to custom make boxes for me...that was easier said than done!
...but I found one in the end and my first ever delivery to John Lewis was boxed and ready to leave ::August :: This month got off to a flying start...piling felt for kits......dyeing buttons for stock...re-negotiating with my suppliers so I could lower my felt prices...which meant I could offer mini rolls, now a best selling line!My first delivery of my kits hit the John Lewis shop floorand I had a stock room full of kits ready for the next delivery...then we received the awful news that Nan had had a fall and been rushed to hospital.......I'm glad we all got to see you one last time....I miss you every day Nan xxx September ::I signed up for an account with Royal Mail and received my own Post Office in a box!my first item appeared on the John Lewis website wholesale customers were stocked upand the box making started in earnestOctober ::the start of the month saw me celebrating my 34th birthdaylots of lovely new supplies were added to the shop & Christmas designs were worked on ... along with free Halloween patterns. making and packing website orders, and making kits for John Lewis started to take over all my time.. November :: John & some friends went on the Monte Carlo Rally (I lost my kit helper for a week!! I certainly had to work hard to keep my head above water!!) I squeezed in lots of late night sewing to make 40 Woodland Friends for a display in John Lewis December ::With one last rush of hard work John and I finished the final John Lewis order plus the emergency fill-up orders they'd requested!!My Woodland Friends went on display in Oxford Street...and I was able to tidy up the chaotic workshop ready for a New Year!

Phew! Just compiling all the 2011 highlights has been hard work!! What a year we've had here...here's hoping 2012 is just as much fun!