SUNSHINE AWARD

I was thrilled to receive this Sunshine Award from The Scarlet Butterfly Company! It has really given me encouragement and inspiration from someone who always inspires me! Thank you Maria!

The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspires others in the blog world.

The rules for accepting the Sunshine Award

~ Put the logo on your blog or within your post

~ Pass the award onto 12 bloggers

~ Link the nominees within your post

~ Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog

~ Share the lovely and link to the person from whom you received this award

Getting this award means passing it on and so it has also taken me on a journey to find other bloggers whose Blogs are exciting, interesting and of course inspiring as I didn't have many blogs I already followed! So it is a great pleasure to pass this on to some of the new bloggers I have discovered on my journey!

Lori Anderson.
Inspiration Avenue
Hook and Scumble
Life, Craftiness and Everything Else
Beady Pool
Joy Funnell
Deesigned Beads
Coloraddiction
Bumpy Beads
Fired Silver
Dilly Whispers
Randomcreative


Thank you all for such engaging blogs and the inspiration they give! I hope you will go and look at these blogs and that they will give you inspiration and cheer!

Thanks again to Scarlet Butterfly Company for this lovely award xxx

What's New at Rainbow Cottage!

Wow I have lots to share today! There is lots going on at Rainbow Cottage! There is a distinct flurry of ideas and activity in the air!

This weekend I finally got my new laptop and oh! has it made a huge difference! Everything is working as it should and at speeds I haven't had in years! It has buoyed up my spirits and has given me new energy!
The result of this is that I have been looking at things I have around that are just being useless and taking up space and giving off a negative vibe every time I see or even think of them! So what can I do with them?

Well firstly I have a lovely range of Original Poetry Postcards. The poems were written by my dad, Phil Coleman and I have found an almost as lovely picture to complement them! As I write I have 2 listed on Folksy with more to come! I used have them on Ebay where they weren't appreciated but I hope with Folksy's support of originality and handmade items they will get a more appreciative welcome!


Secondly I have some postcards that I designed using stock pictures from my postcard printer/supplier. They are very pretty but are just taking up space! "Let's get rid of them quickly!" thought I and was happy with that decision but in the spirit of handmade and beauty I thought I might be able to do better than that and a new idea was born! Look out for our notelet sets coming soon in handmade wallets! The description doesn't do it justice but I want to keep you guessing until the finished items are ready! A little suspense to whet your handmade appetites!

Alongside these 2 new projects older projects are still ongoing. The arrival of a light tent for photographing jewellery means that I just have to tidy the dining room table and then I can try it out! I have high hopes for it (based on the recommendation of a friend in the business) so once those photo's are taken and uploaded on to my bright shiny new laptop I can get listing the boxful of items I've been dying to show you!

And yet there's more to share! My uncle is very supportive of his niece's enterprise that he has, without any prompting, found a shop in Northampton who is interested in stocking some of my jewellery and so I am beginning to prepare some items to send her. As soon as I have been accepted I will let you know where they are!

As you can imagine all this is very exciting and extremely uplifting! I am happier than I've been in months! suddenly I feel like the business is beginning to take root and maybe even fly!

Alongside all of this I am planning my own home and will be making as much as can for it. I don't have lots of money to spend so this is a project of frugality and creativity. If you are interested in following my progress then follow my blog - 'Teri's Handmade Home' at http://teris-handmade-home.blogspot.com

So do please check out our Folksy shop for our latest ranges including our new Poetry Postcards at http://www.folksy.com/shops/RainbowCottage

Bye for now and thanks for reading

Teri

New Products on Folksy!

Hi

Just to let you all know that I have just finished some lovely scarves perfect for this snowy weather and I have already got them listed on my Folksy shop http://www.folksy.com/shops/RainbowCottage

It was lovely to be able to quickly photograph them and have the photo's come out so well and then to be able to list them. Quite a contrast to the difficulties I have with photographing jewellery. However I have been chatting to my friend Maria today and she has given me some great tips that I hope to be able to put into practice soon so watch this space!

I do hope you will pop over to my shop and have a look! it is nice to be able to just see the numbers of visitors come by but of course the best thing is getting a sale. To know that someone likes my work enough to spend the money on it and someone else is going to get lots of wear out of it! We crafters feel very fondly of the items we make. They are a labour of love and some of our heart goes into each item and so it is very lovely when someone likes one of our items enough to buy and wear it!

Well thanks for reading and as ever, happy crafting!

Love Teri 

More Business Branding

Although I'm not getting much done in the making and selling of my jewellery, it is still in the forefront of my mind.

I have a plan for a new item of jewellery and am just waiting for beads to arrive from overseas.

While I am waiting I have been looking for business cards. I had some made but seem to have filed them right out of sight! I've looked everywhere and still can't find them so I went to the site I have previously got them from - www.vistaprint.co.uk - and designed them from scratch using the original artwork my friend did for me and the website. I found a lovely design that I think has suited the style really well and here it is. I've also got some free address labels to match - bargain!

Troubles at Rainbow Cottage

I know I don't have many readers of my blog but I will continue writing as though I do in the hopes that numbers will increase eventually.

You may be wondering why you haven't heard from me for a while. This, I am afraid, is because I have ME/CFS and everything I do is based on how tired I am feeling each day. As much as I really want to get on with my business and sell lots of jewellery so I can buy some beads to make more I am struggling to find the energy to do the necessary photographs and descriptions for my listings on Folksy.

It is hard to have plans that are held up by the lack of physical and mental energy I have, not just for one day here or there, but for lots of days together. It is taking me several days (going on weeks) just to hand sew an edging on the hem and sleeves of a top that needs a new lease of life. I have several items of clothing that for one reason or another need some work. Some just need a little personalisation. Over the next few weeks when I have a bit of energy and want to do something I will be working on these items and maybe on a few more pieces of jewellery.

I am not too depressed. I am learning that I have to manage my energy carefully so that I may be able to get stronger and do more. I am losing weight and that is making me very happy. As much as I want to dive in and have a full time business I know this is not possible and I must treat it as a long term plan that may mean doing a little at a time and gradually increasing it over many months. I really want be careful with this business as my last one I rushed into headlong and it couldn't survive. This time I want to let it pay for itself and take it slowly.

So I am going to write this blog as often as I am able that I may let you know what I'm working on and how I am doing. Until then I wish fun and creativity in what ever projects you are working on.

Taking good photographs of jewellery

I'm sure my fellow jewellers will back me up when I tell you that taking good photo's of jewellery is really rather hard!

You need a good space where you display the jewellery well. Then a place that has good natural light to show the colours of the jewellery as accurately as possible. Then obviously the next thing is a good digital camera in this day of internet shops and websites.

The only thing in that little list that I have is the camera! Admittedly it's not a great camera but it has the ability to take good photo's and with a macro function for close ups!

So now, how in our tiny terraced house do I find the right space for taking photo's. I have tried using a windowsill in bright sunlight, in front of the tv (with white velvet cvering the screen) and spot lights, which made everything look a bit yellow! Maybe I should try up in the loft conversion with the velux window overhead or out in the garden! Oh for a perfectly placed, marvellously kitted out studio in which to work and take fabulous photo's.

I will let you know when I find the perfect spot in this house. In the mean time I have got some half decent photo's that have enabled me to list a few more items on folksy so please go and check out my latest bracelet - Summer Daze at http://www.folksy.com/items/56375-Summer-Daze-Bracelet

thank you.

Until next time Happy Crafting ;-)

Our Website is UP!

Hi,

Well it has been a busy 24 hours with ideas flowing back and forth but for the first time in 4 years of owning the domain name I now have a website to use it! www.rainbowcottage.me.uk is in use!! I do hope you will go and have a look. Please be aware that it is still a work in progress but more of our handmade items will be gracing it's pages in the following days and weeks.

Many thanks go to our special friend who having designed all the logos I could possibly need for every aspect of our business has merrily turned her hand to our website and she has done a great job!

So now all I have to do is get on with all the photo's of the jewellery so we can get them up on the website and onto our folksy shop, oh and of course making new items which is the fun bit!

I am mortified to have not got my friends birthday card and present in the post for her birthday tomorrow but at least I can make it up to her by making a unique piece of crocheted jewellery in her favourite colour!!!

Well the next few days are going to be busy ones still but it is very exciting to see the business coming together! Now all I need is for someone to buy something! Anyone?

That's all for now and until next time happy crafting one and all xxx