Circle Journals

I'm in two circle journals at the mo, one on my own site with my lovely members, and one with other retailers - we are all UKS sponsors. This weekend I managed to get no less that three entries done for the Charmed Craft Talk circle. No I wasn't late! I had been sent the CJ's early and as I felt in a creative mood this weekend I did them all.

Here's my etry into one, theme for this jounal is "Garden Flowers".

Second one is themed "Friends". Papers used are from the Basic Grey Blush range (love, love, love) I used BG Magnetic Snaps for the closure of the book. Here's a collection of pictures from that LO.

Finally here is the third layout; theme "What makes me smile".

I enjoy the circle journals. Mini layouts are so much fun.

To Frank or not to Frank

How I have pondered, researched then pondered again - Smart stamp, franking or just plain old trips to the post office. I employ someone to take the orders to the post office each day but realised that by using either Smart stamp or Franking, plus Post Office pick-up, I could save about a £1000 a year!!

So, after much deliberation I decided to be frank and frank! I've just set the machine up and in the process lost £20! So make that a saving of £980!! Of course I have to buy special ink and labels for the machine, both are outrageously expensive, so that makes it a saving of .... no, I don't even want to think about it! I've done it and that's it! First collection is due next Monday but the pick-up guy Lee, a sweet man with luverly rosie cheeks, came along today thinking he was starting the pick-up now! Give me a chance to get organised why don't you!!

Anyways, it's quite exciting in a nerdy sort of way, but also a bit scary. I am now relying on a piece of machinery to get the orders out! If it breaks down it means trips to the Post Office again. Don't even go there! Wish me luck!!!

Second Post!

I'm motoring now!! Just wanted to tell you about a couple of pesky neighbourhood squirrels. I have this long plastic bird feed thingie that you fill and hang on a tree. I have been amazed how quickly the nuts have disappeared and felt good that I was obviously feeding a whole flock of birds!! How wrong was I! Happened to look out of the window and saw two squirrels doing some quite amazing acrobatics to get the nuts. Kept my eye on them and in one afternoon they polished off a whole tube! Clearly it had been them and not the birds who had been feasting!!

I didn't feel too kindly towards the furry little critters as they had already polished off all my tubs of crocuses - keep an eye on that, they dig them out and eat the bulbs!! Thus I pondered and pondered on how to beat them in the nuts war!

I have a rose that winds down in an arch. Well I removed all the thorns in certain places so that a bird could hop towards the feeder. It was a labour of love let me tell you! Surely the squirrels couldn't get to them now? I watched the frustrated nut stealing attempts from afar and am happy to report that they didn't manage to get a single nut! YEAH!! The birds now eat the nuts and the squirrels make do with the all spring flower bulbs in the neighbourhood.

Incidentally we all have peanut trees growing in the gardens! Wont have any spring flowers but at least we will have home grown peanuts for Christmas! Ce la vie!

OK I've started!!

I've thought about creating one of these bloggie things for a while now, and here I am. My inane musings will probably not benefit anybody but what the heck! Truth be told I haven't really got anything interesting going on in my life, my time is solely taken up with the business, so there's going to be a lot of ramblings over rather mundane things. It's rather like publishing a diary isn't it? I will have to remember to leave out anything too personal!!!

Already I am rather stumped for what to write! I hope the juices flow more freely in future or this is going to be a very short blog!! Talk about falling down at the first hurdle!! I guess it's also knowing that people are going to read what you say so you kinda moderate what you say. I shall have to learn to be as uninhibited on here as I would be in a normal conversation. This is like talking to myself and I'm pretty good at that in everyday life! Is talking to oneself a sign of madness? If so the Easter bunny should come knocking very soon!!

I have a feeling this is going to be highly addictive! Forget about being a mum and business woman, just sit down and blog the day away! The family can surely look after themselves, and the business can run itself! Neither really need me - do they? It wont harm anybody if I just sit here and talk to myself - will it?

Ta ta for right now. I'll be back!