What's happening - Part 2

It been a while since I set up my website. But it has not brought the sales I would I of liked. There has been a few peaks in traffic, especially around the time my stitch markers were featured in Let's get Crafting magazine.

My stitch markers are at the top of the page

So I have decided to start again, it is important to have a website for customers who don't use social media. In the meantime I did think about using Etsy as my selling platform but I'm not sure yet. So I will blog with the items I have for sale I and will continue to post my photos on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and Pintrest.

Drop me an email at poppybead@gmail.com if you want to buy specific pieces or to arrange a bespoke order.

What's been happening? - Part 1

Hi there

It has been too long since I blogged on my own blog.  Before, during and after the Paralympics in London I have been blogging on behalf on the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).  

Since September I have been planning a few things such as new business cards, doing my first craft fair and building on what I have achieved so far.

My first craft fair took place on Saturday 1st December and it was enjoyable.  I will definitely do another fair at Christmas and another event with Space Hopper Events.

Some of my earrings

The stall on the actual day

Stitch Markers

Stitch Markers

Part 2 of what is happening will be on it's way. 

The crafting NTO

It's been a while since I last wrote a crafting blog entry.  I've been busy with the other love in life Basketball.


Some of you might know that I will be a NTO (National Technical Official) at the Paralympics.  I am extremely honoured and excited to be doing this.  Today is the opening ceremony of the Olympics and I am really excited for my peers who will be attending in my home town of London.


I have had the privilege to officiate at a number of tournaments over the last few years, one of the biggest being the World Wheelchair Championships 2010 in Birmingham.  I got to meet lots of great people from all over the world and I also started knitting again.


So in between my games I would be knitting, I would get a few strange looks but it kept my hands busy so my nerves were kept at bay.  Fast forward to 2012 and I have been planning what to knit over the Olympics and Paralympics.  I have decided to knit socks and a shawl as well work on my long-term sock yarn blanket project.  I have called on friends to help me choose what patterns and yarn to knit.


The socks I am knitting are called Mixalot by a fabulous designer called Rachel and the yarn is from The Knitting Goddess.  The shawl I am knitting is Meandering Vines, this pattern is the same pattern I knitted two years ago at the worlds.

The socks have been started.

I am so excited about my involvement in the Paralympics and watching the Oylmpics that I could burst.  I am fully aware sport is not everyone's cup of tea but these events should be seen as positive things.

Mandeville & me

I thought it would be fun to get a mascot for the Paralympics.  My Mandeville mascot has been on his travels and I have been tweeting the pictures.  

 His first trip was on the bus in the West Midlands.

Then he went to MAC for a spot of knitting. 

After that he went further afield when we arrived at Stoke Mandeville train Station.

We got to find out more about how and who set up Stoke Mandeville.  This is Ludwig Guttmann.

The statue wasn't very tall or was that me that isn't very tall. 

Mandeville managed to watch some of the action at the European U22 Championships. 

He even made friends.

He did want to help me officiate, but I had to say no.

After the action we went out in the sunshine and met a carbon fibre Mandeville.

  

I thought I would get out of the way and leave Mini me to the limelight.  Can you spot my Mandeville amongst all his mates?

After a long week of officiating Mini me relaxed and helped with some knitting and jewellery making.

  

Woodland Wilf wanted a race in Stafford so Mini me couldn't say no.  It was a tight finish but Mini me won against the garden gnome.

Mini me whilst in Stafford managed to do some scrumping of apples.

He was rather successful and will be turning these into apple sauce.

On the day of the day of the opening ceremony Mini me enjoyed a late lunch in the West Midlands.

I hope you have enjoyed the story so far.  To be continued……………………….

Catch up

How many times do you hear "We must catch up?" and then you don't.  Quite a few I reckon, well since my last blog entry I have been kinda busy.


Near the beginning of June I officiated a tri-nations wheelchair basketball tournament. Then straight after I held my first creative networking event.  After listening to Rebecca from The Creative Careers Coach, it was so exciting to see people mingling and talking.  I can't thank Rebecca enough and everyone who came.  I will be holding another one but once my London 2012 commitments are over.


I have also been busy taking pictures of poppies as I have decided to update the website with some images.  One of my dearest friends got married and I got the chance to see some friends and old work colleagues I haven't seen in ages. 

I've also been sewing and knitting, I am now known to be knitting when I get downtime at Basketball tournaments.  So I thought I would try and get organised and made a case for my interchangeable knitting needles, I am really pleased with the final case.  I didn't follow a pattern but a knitting friend gave me some great advice and I followed it.

I have been knitting but as a lot of knitters will know I have lots of WIP's (Work In Progress) so no pictures at the moment.  I have made some new items for the website but I have not been happy with the photos so watch out for updates.

A right royal weekend

This bank holiday was well timed for me. Some time to spend surrounded by beads, my sewing machine and yarn. I am currently working on a shawl for a wedding I'm going to. I'm also promoting my creative networking event. The main mission behind this event is to share the collaborations and support I have had in the last six months and beyond. With that in mind I offered to help my friend Paisley Immy Cakes at the Space Hopper Events Jubilee vintage and Craft Fair.

This woman makes amazing cup cakes and can turn her hand to just about any type of cake, even gluten free.  I've never been to a craft fair as a stall holder so I had no idea what to expect.  Sometimes when trying to helpful you can be more of a hinderance therefore I let Paisley Immy guide me through.  I ran some chores and by the time I got back this fabulous table of cakes, homemade aprons, baking accessories and jam appeared.  We went through the cup cake fillings and the new products.




Centre stage was the most beautiful Victoria sponge, it was topped with fresh fruit.  The cake was so pretty and it seems a shame to cut into the cake and many agreed.  However, once the first slice was sold it was like bees around a honey pot there was a hive of activity excuse the puns.

The cake was a large deep filled creation and ended looking like this within 15 minutes. The time flew today and so did the cakes off the stall. The rhubarb & custard flavour sold out along with chocolate & cherry.

The stall was placed between a jewellery stall and a vintage stall.  I did buy some sterling silver pearl earrings which came with a certificate of authenticity.  I did have a walk around to see what other stall holders were selling and get ideas about whether I should do a craft fair, the jury is still out in my head but never say never.

Thank you Paisley Immy Cakes for today, keep being an amazing baker and good egg.

Look within the flower

The last few weeks have been very busy with Basketball commitments but social media has helped me keep in touch with people and what is going on in the creative/craft world.


Here in the UK we have four days to celebrate the silver jubilee of our monarch.  This for me means time to rest, craft and get advertising my networking event "Look within the flower".  I think collaborations are so important and so I want to share this through networking.  


I do feel blessed to have such opportunities in my life and with my new event I have been blessed that Rebecca from The Creative Careers Coach is going to talk about collaborations.  The blessings continue onto the venue Six Eight Kafe in Birmingham City Centre, who make amazing tea and coffee.


So if you are available on 13th June 2012 from 6pm do buy yourself a ticket and get networking, you never know who you can help and who can help you.

If you haven't visited my website please do so it will give some background to how the name of the business evolved.