Bits and Bobs Crafts: Business Planning and the Last Minute Shopper!

I've been attending an Empower course recently run by an organisation called Women's Wisdom, which is sponsored by a charitable organisation - the Wheatsheaf Trust. The aim of the course was to encourage us to look at how we can turn our dreams into reality, identify what we can do NOW and what we want to do for the future and more importantly sort out how we would get there.

My dream is to earn enough money from both making and teaching to reduce my need for state benefits. And the course has really helped me identify what it is I want to do and how I'm going to do it! Its going to mean alot of work in the New Year as I have business plans to develop, courses and workshops to put together and "sell" to local adult ed colleges and art / craft centres. And above all I have to work out what my personal limits are, as to be successful I need to keep my health as stable as possible. And that's the bit I find hard - accepting that although 3 years ago running 4 back to back training days, loads of travel etc were easy, now its more like I can teach for 2 -3 hours and then need a couple of days where I concentrate on resting and making. That's one of the beauties of crafts - you can even do them lying down :-). Its going to be strange getting myself back into the discipline of working, especially as most of my work will be from home, so that's going to be another interesting challenge!
I've almost been marking time since the summer as my motability car mysteriously caught fire at 5am one july morning. Its taken a while to find and order a replacement, and because its an automatic with adaptations, it also takes a while to build! But 29th December I go and pick up my shiny new car!!! And I am really excited as it will give me the freedom to be able to go and teach and attend craft fairs. Even the niggles with the insurers over the hoist have finally been sorted this week - a real answer to prayer there! - so I know I'll have all the money I need to pay for the car and the adaptations!!!
I've also got some options to explore around personal coaching to help me develop my ideas into a solid and realistic business plan - provided by Women's Wisdom again!
And the commission are really starting to take off! Just recently I've been clicking away at anything and everything from hats, glittens, legwarmers to footies scarves! Also have 50 knitted pillow keyrings, another oriental bag and a crochet scarf to match a beret to do too! All in the New Year fortunately. Its really starting to pay off having an online shop, as people can see what I make and then approach me and ask for the item they love in the colours they prefer :-)
I'm also taking a whirl on the Folksy Craft Carousel, which is run very ably by the owner of One Stop Pamper Shop. And I thought today I'd take the opportunity to showcase some of the makers on the Carousel, so that all you last minute internet shoppers can go and buy buy buy and try and unseat them from their horses! Once someone has bought something, you're off until you buy something off another seller, then you get another ride!! Its a simple but brilliant idea! More to come tomorrow for my Folksy Friday!

Please Click on the picture to go to the shop!