……or lack of them in my case!

I refer to my recent purchase of an ipad in order to be able to plug in my izettle which will enable me to take credit card payments during a fair. This issue comes up much more regularly than in the past, especially as people tend not to carry cheque books anymore. This great little gadget is £19.99 and needs an iphone, ipad or a more up to date version of an android phone than mine, to turn it into a credit card machine – genius! Due to my failing eyesight an ipad was the obvious choice.

“It’s idiot-proof” claimed my other half (maybe so for the youth of today, who don’t consume their own weight in red wine every night!?) for me, of course, it’s a different matter entirely!

And to top off my feelings of inadequacy I decided to dig out of its box the sewing machine which my Mum bought me for me birthday (July 2012) also supposed to be simple – yeah right!

Just look at all that stuff above the dial….I don’t have a degree in ancient Egyptian (will keep you posted on progress – or lack of it) I have also booked myself onto The Craft Hub lampshade making workshop in March, something I have always wanted to learn how to do but may be an aspiration too far judging by this weeks failures!

I found this in a charity shop for £7 (bargain!) “all the gear – no idea” as my neighbour would say! Anyway, I cleaned it out and hope one day to be able to put it to good use…

I have two big orders on the go at the moment, one from Paul Burrell no less, who has a flower and gift shop in Cheshire. He bought a couple of candles from me at The Exeter Cathedral Flower Festival last summer (I have to confess, I didn’t know who he was & was chatting away, boring him to tears no doubt) He seemed like a nice chap to me and got in touch to say that he loved my candles and has ordered 20 for his shop – quite exciting me thinks!

I’ve been stocking up on pastels for Spring, mixing up some of my own scents (Apricot & Orange, Bergamot, Geranium & Orange) and booking some of the best vintage fairs for 2013. The Vintage Trading Co. in Marsh Barton is proving to be a great place to pick up reasonably priced vintage and meet customers to do candle drop-offs (and pick up jelly moulds – thank you Delia & Karen!)

I’m really looking forward to my first fair of 2013 in Tavistock on Saturday 9th Feb in The Town Hall (above the pannier market) hope to see you there x