well wishes

I'm extremely touched by all the well wishes I (and paper-and-string) has received since announcing the quitting of the day job...

... I've saved all the lovely comments & emails in a folder to look back over from time to time (p'raps some time in miserable February when I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing!!)(which I am, but February is often miserable isn't it!)....

and I've put all my gorgeous gifts in pride of place on my felt display....looking down on me whilst I work.

I am one lucky girl, that's for sure!

winners

without further ado ....... Mr Random Number machine has picked comment number 66

which was ::

Julia who said :: you are always so generous Sarah! Thanks for the chance of winning some yummy ribbon and hope you have a fab holiday all ready to start your new job ;0) xx

****************************************************

well done Julia...I'll email you in a mo!

****************************************************

today I turned a pile of orders in to piles of picked goodies

and Piff Paff Poof! with a little bit of magic......

(does anyone else remember him???)

they turned into Purple Parcels ready for the Post Office!

**************************************************

I'm all caught up ... so now it's time for some sewing!

a brief catch up!

last Tuesday :: 2 bunches of flowers, 1 lunch with the Big Bosses, 1 evening dinner with the girls from the shop, 1 cry when I handed back my key for the shop door

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday :: 2 nights in Devon with my parents, 2 evening meals with family, 1 trip to the Hoe, 1 outing to Dartmoor wildlife park, 1 made-by-Mum chocolate cake eaten! (photo of Smeaton's Tower, Plymouth Hoe)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday :: 2 nights in West Bay, 1 posh hotel, 1 posh pub dinner, 1 walk on the beach, 2 cooked breakfasts, 1 Bridport Market, 2 Bus Trips, 1 Pub Band, 1 slightly tipsy walk from Bridport to West Bay
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday :: 1 classic car show, 1 drive round Bournemouth (didn't fancy staying there after all) 1 drive through the new forest hoping we'd find somewhere to stay before we got home!!, 3 No Vacancies, 1 Hurrah we found somewhere, 1 feeling of Luck because it was gorgeous! 2 full days of lounging, reading, strolling & eating
(picture of the hotel in The New Forest)

Tuesday :: 1 drive home through the countryside, 1 rain cloud emptied on us whilst shopping, 1 load of washing on, 2 suitcases emptied, 1 trip to the local to catch up on friend's news, 1 brilliant nights sleep in our own bed
Wednesday :: 2 hours sorting emails, 2 hours printing orders & stationery, 1 great big hello to my new fulltime work place! 5 swatch cards made, 4 big bags of parcels taken to the Post Office, 1 sausage casserole eaten (made by John)
*****************************************************
I've managed to wrap, pack & post three quarters of orders...the rest will definitely be posted tomorrow...as such the freebie offer still stands and I will close the comments once I'm all caught up! If you're waiting for an email they are next on my list after all the orders are done :-)

*****************************************************
paper-and-string Full Time is off to a good start!
Hurrah!

cute mini bears

whilst I'm away on holiday I thought I'd share some of the amazing items that my customers have been making...I hope you enjoy my second post...my holiday special offer details are here

PLEASE REMEMBER THERE WILL BE NO PARCELS SENT UNTIL WEDNESDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER, when we return from our holiday

******************************************

Shirley has been a customer for quite a long time now and she emailed the other day with pictures of her newest makes...Didy Bears

aren't they cute?

available from the Didy Bear Shop

Shirley also runs another shop selling Cute Cats ::

which can be found here

amazing bouquets

whilst I'm away on holiday I thought I'd share some of the amazing items that my customers have been making...I hope you enjoy the posts....my holiday special offer details are here
PLEASE REMEMBER THERE WILL BE NO PARCELS SENT UNTIL WEDNESDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER, when we return from our holiday

*************************************************

Lauren bought some buttons from my shop a little while ago and she sent me some photos of them in her paper flower bouquets ::

aren't they amazing?

she has a new-to-me Blog

and an etsy shop too!

important freebie announcement

To celebrate the-leaving-of-the-day-job I have a grand freebie planned!

I've also combined it with us going on our holiday so it's a 10 day long freebie extravaganza!

Every single order I receive will have an extra special freebie added to their parcel...as a celebration & as compensation for the delay in the posting of the order!

Here's the deal ::

I'm doing my last Post Office run tomorrow...so any orders received before 4pm today (Monday 30th August) will be posted tomorrow (with a freebie added)

I will leave all my shops open as normal BUT orders will not be posted until Wednesday 8th September ...orders will be processed on a first come first served basis when I return from my holiday and I promise I will do them as fast as I possibly can!

Freebie details ::

every order over £10 will receive :: 3 random spools of Christmas ribbon PLUS 2 bonus loyalty card stickers

every order over £30 will receive :: 10 (yes ten!) random spools of Christmas Ribbon PLUS 3 bonus loyalty card stickers

PLUS :: I will also pick a winner from the comments (so you don't need to shop to join in the fun!) Just leave a comment on this post and one winner will receive a package with 24 spools of ribbon :-)

Small Print

each spool of ribbon contains 1 yard of ribbon

we going to Devon (to visit my parents & nan) and then to Dorset for a relaxing, lazy holiday.

You may order as many times as you wish ... as long as each order reaches £10 (before postage) you will get a freeebie!

I must be able to contact you via your comment....one comment each please!

working on something new

a little sneaky peak for you!

post received

new business cards from Moo ::

the remainder of my zip order...all on the website here

Day Job Update ::

all my tasks are complete & all important jobs have been done.

It feels weird to be leaving.

I shall miss my shop greatly and I feel more sad than I do happy...little things keep bringing tears to my eyes...there's a lot of me in that shop and it feels like I'm losing something ...BUT I know deep down that I'm doing the right thing for me and I must keep looking forward and stop looking back with those darned rose tinted glasses on!

Today's my last normal day, Tuesday will be full of cakes, visiting staff from head office, lots of good-byes and a final hurrah when we all go out for a meal...there's a lot to miss but I know I will always be a welcome visitor ...

I definitely shall not miss working on Saturdays though....here's to this, my last Saturday, let it be a good one!

oh!

I don't think I can find the words to say how happy these Happy Cupcakes make me!
I also don't know how I've never thought of making these before!!

tuesday

yesterday was a day off the day job (because today the new manager is coming in for a day with me...she can't start until the end of September so this is the only hand over time we will get!)

I prepped lots of cupcakes ::

and finished & posted my parcel for Trash's :: As you like it swap 2010 :: here's a sneaky peak....

I'll show you photos once it's been received...it's going all the way to Australia so it may be some time!!

let the countdown begin!

today was officially my last Monday at the day job!!

(my actual last day is Tues 31st Aug but next Monday is a Bank Holiday so it doesn't count)

and look! my hexagons are all finished :-)

made this week

a pile of cupcakes for a wholesale order ::

and the two felt boxes for my freebie winners ::

new items = new web pages

Pick & Mix Polka Dot buttons :: 3 sizes, 12 colours

you can pick them one by one and make your very own bag of buttons!

my recent thread delivery turned this ::

into this ::

how glorious are all those colours!

and these are 4" zips in a whole rainbow of gorgeous colours!

....one of the best things I've seen. Ever.

Alice from UK based magazine Sew Hip has written a feature on Etsy's Blog, the storque, all about UK sellers

and she very kindly included my Ribbon Gift Box!

hurrah!

***************************************************

day job update :: 2 weeks today is my official last day at the day job.

2nd interviews have been done by The Bosses. No one has been offered the job yet, I think that may happen this week sometime.....and me? ...I'm enjoying my last weeks there & I'm also enjoying counting down the days!

new piles

from left to right ::
boxes for the freebie winners
mini cupcakes for a wholesale order
the hexagons I started a while ago

fully kitted out!

a few hours of printing and cutting ::

mixed with a few hours of wrapping and packing turns miserable empty shelves ::

into fully stocked over flowing kit shelves ::

hurrah!

winners announced

202 comments, pared down to 191 because some naughty peoples commented twice!

and the winners are ........

comment number 88 ::

greetingarts said...

I say this every month, but gosh are you ever generous! I can't resist this one... I have a grey cat, so I'd have to pick that cutie on pistachio. Thanks for the chance!

AND comment number 152 ::

SAM said...

Oooh if Im a very lucky winner..please can i have a tortoise on pink please! thanks

Thank you to everyone for entering....it was great fun reading which combinations of colours & cute you picked!

winners? I will email you later to get your addresses etc

a sneaky peak

I'm working on my new range of buttons and here's a sneaky peak

they aren't ready yet but I'm excited with progress so far

a week of stitching

if you're looking for the freebie post, it's here

****************************************

This week I have been sewing a wholesale order that I received from my new wholesale website

:: 12 reindeer, 12 puddings, 12 owls & 12 tortoises ::

this is my favourite tortoise

and I love the button on this owl

I've been at the day job today and tonight we're going to Pizza Express for a little treat...we've got a bargain voucher which you can get here if you fancy a little treat too!