Oops I've done it again!

Well, I've just realised I have yet again forgotten to keep my blog updated! Honestly, if I was still at school I'd be in detention several times over for not doing my homework.

In my defence, I have been quite busy (excuses, excuses!). I spent three days at a big country fair over Easter. The weather was glorious - in fact, every time its lovely I seem to spend the time in a marquee (last July and last weekend for example), still I tend to just go red and freckly anyway so perhaps somebody is trying to tell me something.

From my point of view, the fair was fairly successful. It had been quite expensive to book a stall in the first place but I told myself I would easily cover that - hmmm ... or maybe not. I guess the current economic climate coupled with the fact that people were being charged an arm and a leg to come in, meant that not much money was changing hands.

In fact, most of the stallholders were bemoaning the fact that people just didn't seem to be buying, which made me feel slightly better as I was beginning to think that what I was selling wasn't up to scratch.

So, after much consideration and deliberation, I have come to the decision that maybe fairs aren't for me and I should concentrate more on the market side of things. So, in a couple of days I will be standing at one of the biggest bank holiday markets in my area - wish me luck!

Google rating

Well, after my website has been live for over 8 months and from its start on page 6 of Google, yesterday it finally made page one! YAY!!!!!!!!

Quite how long it will stay there I don't know, but I was so surprised when I checked last night.

At first I thought my computer had got it wrong so I also checked on my middle daughter's personal laptop and my mobile phone via the internet before I announced it to everyone.

Apparently, whenever anyone searches on Google for something to buy, they will inevitably buy from one of the websites on the first page, so I'm really hoping my web based sales will be boosted by being on page one.

Since I started my nappy cake business, the amount of listings of other people also making them now has probably quadrupled. It is certainly an up and coming craft. Bearing in mind there are thousands upon thousands of babies born every day in the UK, there should certainly be enough business to go round.

So, I'm waiting with bated breath for the orders to come flooding in (if you don't hear from me for a while its because I'm still holding my breath!!!!!).

A Nice Surprise

As I explained in yesterday's post, I have pretty much made up my mind to start attending markets as opposed to events and fairs, but obviously I have to go to the ones I have already booked.

So, today I travelled up to Peterborough for a baby and toddler show.

I'm not sure whether it was because the weather has been so glorious and everybody had rushed off to the beach or were having bbqs in the garden, but footfall wasn't great.

I did, however, manage to sell a few bits and pieces and by 1pm had thought that was it for the days sales, then a couple rushed in and said they had seen my nappy cakes on the advertising for the show and were looking to buy for some friends.

What a lovely surprise - just when all the exhibitors thought that was it for the day, this couple bought 3 x nappy cakes and a memory box!

Don't you just love it when that happens.

All good things come to those who wait

Like everyone who runs their own business (be it part-time like me or full-time) that dreaded time of year has just come round which involves you sitting at your computer frantically trying to work out how to finalise your book-keeping and wondering whether you have managed to keep everything up to date and in order over the previous 12 months.

As the beginning of April marked the end of my first year of trading, I duly sat down to try and work out what I had to do - not helped by a very nice package from the Government which plopped through my letterbox yesterday!

To be honest, I have been pretty good about keeping my books up to date. All my receipts are in date order and now I just need to figure out how to fill in those pesky forms.

So, as its the start of my second year, I am going to make the effort to try and get things running on a more professional basis (I did say this was all a pipe dream didn't I?!!!). I am going to start looking for other outlets that want to stock my nappy cakes and try out different markets until I find one which works.

Fingers crossed that its onwards and upwards from hereon in.

Sorry .....!

Oh good grief - it only occurred to me tonight that I haven't blogged for an age so huge apologies for those of you who have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment (I'm not actually sure there is anybody out there reading this but we can all dream can't we!).

I promised my family that I wouldn't book so many weekend events in 2011 and I was very good to a point, but then people kept contacting me asking if I could attend a fair/event they were organising and I found myself saying yes to everybody - oops!

Since I started making my nappy cakes, I have found there is no rhyme or reason to how many things I can sell on a day. No matter what sort of fair I have a stall at, some days nothing will sell and others I'm busy. However, last weekend I decided it was worth experimenting at a town market.

I knew from previously walking through this town on a Saturday that plenty of people were expected and they didn't disappoint. Apart from the fact that the wind tried its best to blow everything away, the footfall past my stall was high and I did a very good trade.

So, decision now is that I am going to start looking at more local markets and see whether it is worth concentrating on them more than fairs and events. In the current economic climate I know everyone is reigning in their spending, but as babies are constantly being born, I'm optimistic for my little fledgling business.

Losing an hour (or my mind!)

Is it just me, or does losing an hour when the clocks go forward totally throw you out?

As I had a show to go to today, I deliberately altered all the clocks in the house before I went to bed, but still woke up in a mad panic! I was convinced I was late and hadn't changed the clocks or my alarm correctly, leapt out of bed checking my watch, mobile and hubby's alarm clock before realising that I was in fact early!

Why can't the powers that be just leave the blasted clocks alone! A friend of mine texted threatening to inflict her children on the idiot who originally thought up the idea of losing an hour in spring and gaining it back in October as it completely disrupts them for days.

After some consideration over the past few weeks, I came to the conclusion that I needed to offer other things at my events as well as my nappy cakes, so have now added to my collection. Knitted items are definitely back in fashion so I now also have baby hightop boots, baby "hug" boots as well as some gorgeous little cardigans. I also have a couple of other things in the back of my mind, but have yet to implement the idea.

As soon as I get a chance, I will be adding these items to my website, so please take a look and let me know what you think or if you have any other ideas for expanding my nappy cake empire please let me know.

Have a good week x

More Hours Please

Can anybody explain to me exactly where the hours go in a day? Like most people, I seem to get up, run around like a headless chicken, then go to bed!

Mind you, I shouldn't moan - I absolutely love being busy. There's nothing worse than sitting around staring into space, although I would like to get a little time to read a book occasionally.

Its been a strange sort of a week so far - no orders have come in via the website or over the phone but cos I've been running around its only just dawned on me. I do think I maybe haven't been giving the nappy cakes the time they deserve and I really need to rectify that or there's a good chance I'm going to lose the business altogether.

I need to spend some time on my website, my advertising and well ... just everything really. Unfortunately I'm going to have to sit down and actually timetable some of this into my week otherwise I'm just not going to get it done.

I've got a meeting tomorrow at midday so that's going to cut into the day and then Friday I've got another appointment. Sunday is my mum's birthday so all the family are getting together so I've made the decision ... Saturday is "nappy cake" day.

I'll let you know whether I actually keep the date. Watch this space.

When space becomes an issue

Well, as I explained in my last post, I now have a bit of a glut of nappy cakes taking up residence in my living room.

On and off all weekend I have been trying to move them around so they don't take up as much room as they seem to be doing at the moment, but I think I'm just making things worse!

I think I'm going to have to seriously consider some sort of special offer to entice the customers to buy as I don't have another show until 27th March, which means things are going to remain a little crowded.

It does seem strange that whenever I did a stock swap at the hospital shop, somebody would then place an order for the exact nappy cake on the website that I had just left 10 miles away, but as soon as they are all waiting for new homes nobody seems to be ordering. Where are all those Spring babies?

Now I'm going to sound quite odd, but having so many already made up means I don't have any reason to sit and make some more which is one thing I really love to do. Sitting and creating a new nappy cake gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside (sad eh?!) and as each one is so unique from my previous creations, the joy of seeing it come together is something I have always loved.

So, if you know anyone who is looking for a bargain please contact me and I promise to offer them a good deal on buying a nappy cake (just so I can have my living room back!).

A sad day :0(

The title of this blog is due to the fact that I went to one of the shops that stocked my nappy cakes and removed them all today.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't just in a mood, there really was a genuine reason and I thought long and hard and then even longer before I actually went ahead and did it.

This particular shop has stocked my nappy cakes practically since I started making them, but unfortunately there is a huge amount of building work going on around it and the main door through which everybody came in and subsequently meant they walked straight past the window of the shop, has now been closed up because of the construction and therefore people don't have to walk past, which naturally means nothing is selling :0(

Each of the shops that stock my items work on a slightly different basis but this particular one rented me the shelving space and I have been paying out more than I've been getting in as hardly anything was selling. I had to take the decision, that until the building work is completed, sales were going to be slow to non existent and I am better off putting my money into some fairs and events.

Mind you, my living room is now absolutely full to bursting with nappy cakes. Eldest daughter goes way for 6 months at the end of April so I plan on utilising her room then but until that happens I'm going to have to hope and pray that some orders come in and so my stock starts to downsize!

Maybe a special offer is in order?

Making notes

Do you know how some days you just seem to have everything going round and round in your head? Well that's how today has been for me.

I really really need to start writing things down and then remembering to actually check back at what I have written as I completely forgot I had made an appointment to see somebody this afternoon.

It was only when I checked my mobile (which was on silent) and saw I had 5 missed calls that it dawned on me I was meant to be at home - oops!

Luckily the lady concerned had gotten lost driving to my house and so we practically met on my driveway. We had a very interesting chat and I now have yet more ideas to add to my portfolio for the future of my nappy cake business.

I attended two separate shows over the weekend and only managed to sell one thing on Saturday and nothing at all on Sunday - however things do seem to go like that and I did manage to hand out an awful lot of leaflets so I'm hoping business will come in from them.

Mind you, I've lost count of the number of times I've been told somebody will definitely be ordering a nappy cake when their friend/relative/work colleague has their baby only to see the birth announcements made on various social networking sites but no order is forthcoming.

The amount of people now making nappy cakes is amazing - if you search for the term on any search engine more and more businesses seem to be springing up every day - I guess the goal is to create something that is better, more unusual and also cheaper than anybody else and keep your fingers crossed.

So, I'm off to have a bit more of a think about what I discussed during my afternoon meeting and how I can use it to enhance my business.

Have a great week x

And the season starts again ....

Well, the 2011 show season is well and truly under way now.

I attended a baby and toddler show last Sunday and despite the fact that the weather fairy did her very best to keep people away (it bucketed down all day) people still came out for a wander and I sold two nappy cakes, a keepsake box and two scan mounts - so a pretty good show really.

I'm starting to get back into the swing of things with regards to what I need to pack in the car and with hubby helping it even all fits! Mind you, at the end of the show when I'm desperate to get home and put my feet up, things just never seem to go back in the car as well as when they arrived.

Its been a bit of a strange week as only one order has come through from the website and nothing via the phone but then some weeks are like that.

This coming weekend is going to be pretty busy as I have a craft fair on Saturday and another baby and toddler show on Sunday so I'm going to spend tomorrow frantically making sure I have enough supplies to cover me for both days just in case there's a sudden rush (chance would be a fine thing!).

I'm also looking to get a regular stall at a local market and have applied for one but apparently there's a bit of a list so it may be a wait. Mind you, with how cold its been again this week, I won't mind too much if nothing comes of it until the spring. Standing outside in all weathers doesn't appeal too much but if that's what I have to do to get myself a bit more well known and get those much needed orders then so be it.

Well, I'm off to have a look and see what the wholesalers are offering this week as I'm rapidly running out of teddies.

Have a good one x

Where does the time go?

I can't believe its Friday again and I haven't posted anything on my blog for a few days. Where does the time go?

I find it hard to believe I used to work full-time, keep up with all the nappy cake orders, keep my website updated and my blog etc etc. For the last six weeks since I finished work, I am having trouble keeping everything up to date - not helped by my loving family giving me "things" to do every day. Their current saying is "well, you're home all day ...." which apparently gives them free rein to give me lists of items which they require me to do!

Things haven't been helped this week by the fact that my eldest daughter is still using my car as and when she pleases. She wasn't very impressed by my announcement this evening that I needed the car all this weekend - a quick reminder that it is my car soon sorted that out.

So, it has been a busier than usual week as I had 5 orders come in plus had to make and deliver two nappy cakes which were ordered at last week's show. I also had to do a stock swap at one hospital and got an order for 16 more for the other hospital which they wanted asap.

So, I have nappy cakes everywhere at the moment, but once the 16 have been delivered tomorrow, I then need to concentrate on making some for the show I'm attending this Sunday. I've also got a show on both Saturday and Sunday next weekend - yikes!

On that note, I'm off to make more nappy cakes. Have a great weekend one and all. I'll let you know how I get on at the show next week xx

Kids!!!!

Just when I was going to get myself organised and get out and about to visit various shops and hospitals in the hope that they would stock my nappy cakes, eldest daughter's car died so she is now using mine to get backwards and forwards to work.

Obviously this means I am having to rely on my two legs to get around which would be fine if I was living somewhere that had miraculous public transport systems, but unfortunately, as much as I love living where I do, our town is surrounded by countryside and yes we do have public transport, but its expensive to use and getting anywhere usually involves a very convuluted journey.

This means I am stuck at home unless I walk the dogs (which I have been doing quite regularly much to their surprise!). Everything is up to date - my website, my orders and I am slowly re-thinking this helpful mum bit.

I guess its a good thing that I don't have a job at the moment, but haven't thought far enough ahead to what we're going to do when I do gain new employment.

Oh well, off to have a bit of a re-think.

A Rainy Saturday

I got up bright and early so I would arrive at my very first event of 2011 on time (for a change) to find it was absolutely pouring with rain. I know its February, but for goodness sake - the middle of this week was glorious in our area but come the weekend and somebody up there decides to turn teach us all a lesson for trying to go about our business and ensures we arrive wherever we are going in a complete state.

I thought I was so organised last night. After spending quite a while trying to remember exactly what I needed to take with me, I loaded the car and even got all my clothes out so I could shower and get dressed in the en-suite which means my hubby doesn't get woken up by my rummaging around trying to find something to wear.

Then I came downstairs, opened the curtains and realised that nobody with any sort of sense was going to come out and wander round a craft fayre when they could be nice and warm and dry at home.

As I was on my own, I ended up running backwards and forwards to the car to unload at least 5 times and resembled a drowned rat by the time I was ready to set up!

On the plus side, I did sell 2 x nappy cakes, 1 x scan mount with frame and a keepsake box so all in all it was a good day really. Once the rain decided to give it a rest people did venture out and all the funds raised went to the school involved.

Came home to the usual chaos of whole family sitting asking what was for dinner, washing still in machine waiting to be dried and hubby playing PS3 - nice to know nothing much changes in my life!

First Show of 2011

Well, tomorrow sees me attending my first show/event of 2011.

As I haven't been to a show since a couple of weeks before Xmas I had to really sit and think about exactly what I needed to take with me! I got so used to it last year that I practically got everything together each Friday evening without actually being aware of what I was doing, but its amazing how quickly you forget.

I'm sure I've got everything safely stowed in the car but have a horrible feeling I'm going to get to where I'm going tomorrow and realise I've left something at home.

Tomorrow is the first time I'm going to use my new (and hopefully improved) shelving system at the back of the table. Really its just two cheap shoe racks but my idea is to place them end to end across the back of the table I'm allocated then cover with a cloth, but it will mean the nappy cakes will be sitting slightly higher than the ones at the front of the table. This will also mean that people passing by will be able to see all the nappy cakes easily rather than having to lean over the table.

I'm also taking the new scan mounts that I have framed as it should give people a chance to buy something immediately rather than just picking up a leaflet for when the baby is born.

The general concensus of opinion is that all the leaflets you give out during the course of a day - one third will be thrown away, one third will be lost and the other third will keep a hold of them and (hopefully) remember where it is when they want to order.

I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow evening. Meanwhile take a look at the photo above of the framed scan mount - I have got several different frame colours and actual mounts - so if you know of anyone who has just had their 12 or 20 week scan and isn't sure what to do with the photos, why not purchase one of these - they are on my website.

A New Direction?

Today I spend a lovely afternoon putting the world to rights with a fellow crafter over several cups of tea.

We got on to discussing what events/shows/fairs we were going to attend in 2011 and she was totally amazed when I produced my folders (one for 2010 and one for 2011).

Each event has its own plastic wallet with all the documentation in about that show together with a copy of the completed booking form and is then placed in the correct month in date order. After each show I did last year I wrote on the top of my paperwork how many nappy cakes I had sold so I knew which ones would be worth my whole attending in 2011.

As I am a PA by trade, I have learned to be extremely well organised and multi-task really well so now my website is up to date, as is my Folksy page, everything is ready to go for my first show this coming Saturday, my storage problems are sorted, my advertising is done - in fact I am completely and utterly organised.

Anyway, my friend said I should look at maybe offering my services to other crafters, many of whom are completely disorganised (herself included).

So, it got me to thinking whether maybe it was quite a good idea. As much as I love my nappy cake making it currently doesn't pay the bills and offering my services as an organiser/PA for others is certainly an idea worth pursuing.

I'll let you know whether I get any further with it.

In the meantime, check out the photo of a slightly different take on the nappy cake - placing the doll in the middle of the cake rather than on the top.

A very nice day

Its a good job I am not currently employed as eldest daughter's car died last night and she has had to use mine to get backwards and forwards to her job.

Normally I would be quite happy to walk everywhere, but today I had a nappy cake to deliver and I was planning on doing a stock swap in one of the hospital shops (try and say that quickly 3 times!).

Anyway, I told her she could use my car provided she came back to pick me up and we did my two jobs first. Not sure if I've mentioned it before, but she is a nanny and she looks after a 3 year old girl and a one year old boy. I've met the one year old before but not the little girl but have to say they are a credit to her.

They are both such happy, friendly children and I was treated to several renditions of twinkle twinkle little star and incy wincy spider as we were going along. I also had to laugh when the eldest one announced her brother was "her baby and is so squishy!".

After we had finished the deliveries we ended up in the local garden centre to feed the children and then we went and had a look at the fish in the aquatic centre and the bunnies and gerbils in the pet centre. It was really lovely seeing everything through the eyes of the children and I had a really nice day.

When I got home this afternoon I had various telephone messages on the answerphone and lots of emails too from people asking whether I wanted to attend various shows/events. I started the year with the best of intentions and promised faithfully I would only attend one or two shows a month, but that all seems to have gone out of the window as everytime somebody asks if I'd like to attend, I end up thinking about it!

Note to self - must spend more time with my family this year and not every weekend at shows.

First fair of 2011 this time next week

This time next week I will be attending my first fair of 2011 and I am really looking forward to it.

The last fair I did was a couple of weeks before Christmas and I had booked in and attended so many during 2010 I was really getting to saturation point, but after taking a much needed break from them, I am now raring to go.

I love everything about them even if I don't make any sales! I enjoy chatting to other crafters about what they do and looking through their creations (as well as buying some I might add). Nine times out of ten the atmosphere at these events is fantastic with everybody supporting one another and exchanging ideas and contacts - in fact I can honestly say crafters are some of the nicest people you could ever meet.

I also enjoy talking to the people who come for a browse - some of the stories I hear are so interesting and I always take on board any feedback or opinions offered.

Because I was just starting my nappy cake business up beginning of last year, I booked to attend fairs/events/shows pretty much every weekend and as I was also working full-time it didn't leave me much time for anything else, so, at my family's insistence, this year I decided to only attend the ones that I felt were beneficial to me (money-wise as well as getting enough footfall to hand out loads of leaflets for future orders), and I did start off with the best of intentions honest!

My plan was just to do one event per month but that seems to have progressed to two a month and sometimes three - oops! Still, I keep telling myself its all for the greater good - just don't tell my family I won't be at home again at weekends for the foreseeable future!

Photos on Website

I'm sure you will have noticed throughout my recent blogs, the recurring theme of my website and I really hope I'm not boring you all to death with it!

However, I got another order today and rather than it just coming through the website, this lady actually gave me a call to ask me a couple of questions before she placed the order. I was quite happy to take the order over the phone, but unfortunately I'm not geared up to take payments that way. If the purchaser wants the nappy cake delivered to their home and its within 10 miles of where I live, then I offer free delivery anyway and am happy to take a cheque or cash from them when I hand it over.

This lady though wanted it delivered to a friend (albeit one living not too far from me) so I had to ask her to put the order through on the website and I would then take it to her friend tomorrow.

She duly put her request through and paid, but what concerns me is the fact that I often wonder if people think they are getting exactly the same nappy cake as is in the photo on my site. My terms and conditions do state that some items such as outfits and soft toys may change due to stock levels, but I know from experience not many people read the "small print" (I know I certainly don't!). The photos tend to be ones I have taken on making a "cake" up.

To be truthful, I very rarely buy the same item twice (unless its something I really love) as I like to have a wide variety of clothing, blankets etc to use and I am frequently tempted whilst out and about. I love browsing round little boutiques and baby shops seeing what I can find that stands out as different as well as being reasonably priced.

Obviously my craft is not something like jewellery where a piece is made and then offered for sale - I don't make nappy cakes up until they are purchased from my website or requested specifically (otherwise I would have them lying around all over the place and even the mini ones take up a certain amount of room!).

I don't want to have to put a statement on every photo saying "items may be subject to change" but maybe that's what I will have to do. So far nobody has phoned me up and moaned that they haven't got exactly what they saw on the website, but there is bound to be a first time and that does worry me slightly.

Advertising?

While I was out today collecting yet another storage unit, eldest daughter happened to be home and took a message for me from somebody offering advertising.

All my daughters have been advised to take details and telephone numbers for me if I'm not available to answer the phone and have taken this to the ultimate by writing down everything!

So, after gallavanting down the motorway for an hour and a half, I then had to drop off a 3 tier nappy cake. I had offered to deliver it personally rather than via courier as I knew I could come back via their direction. I had to laugh though when I turned up and advised the gentleman that answered the door that I had brought two with me and would he like to choose one. He looked at me and told me not to make him choose as he would undoubtedly get the wrong one! Anyway, I took pity on him and gave him my favourite but told him if his other half wasn't happy to let me know. Well, I haven't heard anything so I guess it was ok.

I also had another order when I got home so I'll be waiting in for the courier again tomorrow as this one has to go further afield.

Anyway, back to the advertising - I duly phoned the lady back and she said she had been given one of my leaflets and would love for my nappy cakes to appear in her magazine which goes out to over 15,000 school children quarterly. She is going to send me some information to look at (I never agree to anything over the phone) and I'm going to see what I think.

However, I have paid for advertising in another magazine which goes out nationally 4 times a year and have never had any orders from it. It got me wondering how much use advertising actually is and whether people are now so reliant on the world wide web that they don't really bother to read anything that drops through their letterbox (or in this case comes home in their child's book bag).

I don't mind paying out for things that will (hopefully) get me some business but sometimes it feels a bit like throwing money into the wind. I'm determined to get my nappy cake business up and running and making a profit and know I will have to put a lot of effort into it, but just wish sometimes things were a little bit easier!