My First Month and Year!

Thank-you to everyone who has come to visit me in my new shop. Due to accounting issues the end of December also marks the end of my fiscal year. (Explain that to your bank!) On paper things look kind of strange, but inventory was a piece of cake, just subtract what I sold from the purchases and voila things are done (just don't tell my accountant that!)

Someone asked me the other day if I was having fun, and yes I truly am. This adventure has been challenging at times, but everyday at the store, even the very quiet days, has been an absolute pleasure.

I have met so many wonderful people, all who share my passion for knitting and beautiful yarn.
Hope you have a safe New Years and we will see you in 2009!

Okay...I goofed!

Just in case you made plans to come and see me on Saturday December 27th...come at noon rather than 10 am and I will stay until 4.

Computer needs to be picked up...they got it working!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays!

Thank-you to everyone who has made a visit to my new Yarn shop. I been blessed with visits from some of the nicest yarn lovers in the area. Your positive remarks and your kind words have meant a lot to me.

I am taking a few days to recover from all the renovations and turmoil that this new adventure has caused. This week:

December 24th - 10 - 3
December 25 and 26 - Closed
December 27 th open - 12 - 4
December 28 and 29 - Closed
December 30 open -10 - 5
December 31 open - 10 - 3ish
New Years Day -Closed

Regular hours (Tuesday - Saturday 10 - 5 begin again on January 2nd)

from my family to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season.

Tina

New this week on the 'lets see what else can go wrong front': ....hard drive on new computer failed... they think they can recover the data!

Imagine a yarn shop with knitting needles and crochet hooks!

Yes the needles and accessories arrived yesterday! Special delivery, I am meeting the nicest people.

Now I have every size in a basic needle...still saving up for that big order of expensive needles. So if you need a size to get through a project I probably have it in stock. (I phoned sales rep extraordinaire to say that I have toooo many... thought she might like a call that wasn't a complaint...she laughed)

So I have yarn, patterns, buttons, a sock rack and now needles. Things are coming together.

Now my thoughts are about lessons...lots of lessons according to the customers that have been travelling through. . Some want basic knitting others want challenges. So I am thinking! Any suggestions are greatly welcome.

I suppose I should find some chairs!

Oooo these are nice!

"Never start anything new on a Friday!" That's what the 'ladies' at Rickaby's used to say when I worked there 22 years ago. (I will tell you about these extraordinary women some other post.) They said: If you started something new on a Friday you will never finish it...but I did!



A pair of the softest pinkest prettiest mitts I have ever made. One 50 gram ball of kid mohair, a set of 5mm dpns and about 6 hours, you have a great simple yet decadent gift for that girly girl on your list...no matter what age!

There's time to knit another pair...

The Adventures of the Travelling Sock Yarn Display

Finally! After a week of waiting box 18 of 18 arrived. Last week's shipment of yarn was to contain a display rack for the Regia sock yarn I ordered (back in October...we won't discuss this). The driver carefully checked his special delivery truckload only to discover he was missing box 18 of 18. 'It should come the next day' he said. So I waited, then I called the 'Marie' she said she would put a trace on it. Then the courier called to be sure that I was missing the parcel, they put a trace on it. (The box was 6 feet long and weighs 55 pounds, it can't just disappear!)

I waited, finally Monday 5 days later I phoned, yes they found the package. Should arrive at your store this afternoon. The store is closed Monday's but I went in and waited. No parcel, phoned again. "No it wasn't being shipped to you it was arriving at the distribution centre from the warehouse..you will get it tomorrow!" Tuesday came and went, no parcel. I phoned Marie she called the courier, they said I refused it at 1:18 when they delivered it to Concord, Ontario...an hour from here.

Finally today it arrived, the box looks as though its travelled across the country.

The instructions are in German.

75 Colours....

Finally the shipment of 100% wool (and other things) arrived. I was very excited when I ordered this yarn. Felts well, a good price and lots of colour..so I ordered all 75!

And after 3 days of unpacking this is what it looks like today:

It was Bowmanville's Tree lighting event last night, the store stayed open until my friend Nancy got too tired to stay any longer, almost 13 hours at the store. It was very cold, people were very happy to see a yarn shop return to Bowmanville.

It's like the first day at a new school...only better!

Today was the first day of the rest of my life? Really. Opening this shop has been quite an adventure. Even though I didn't start the day with knitting needles I ended up with a shipment of bamboo needles thanks to salesrep extrodinaire!

Still waiting for shipment of 100% wool, in all 75 colours..it should have been here last week. So the stress level has decreased slightly but things are moving right along.

Customers have been very nice, I didn't have everything they wanted. Can't wait for tomorrow, I wonder what will surprise me then.

Oh yes today's surprise, turn off the lights in the front window...the cash desk shuts down!

Sign, Sign everywhere a sign!

Good news, the sign is up. Bad news my needle order is missing...the only yarn shop in Ontario that doesn't have a selection of knitting needles!

Hopefully they will find the order and ship right away so that I will have it soon!

And she said: "let there be light"...and it was good!

Finally, after days of missing each other the electricians arrived to fix all the wiring problems in the store. Small towns are great in that the electrical guy was someone that I knew. So after figuring out where all the wires went and finding that most of the fixtures had the wrong bulbs in them and that's why they weren't working we are now fully lit.

A trip to the big box store netted some okay light fixtures, but as usual the staff member sent me back with the wrong lightbulbs...another trip to exchange and get the right kind! Do you think they do that on purpose to get you back to the store?

The Baskets have arrived. Baba Tree Baskets are in the car waiting to be unwrapped and reshaped. These baskets are handmade in Ghana, fair trade, lovely. Can't wait to open the package.

I phoned a major yarn supplier to inquire about my order..very large. Reply was: "when would you like me to send it?" My response: "Last Friday?" So they are shipping that today!

Things are getting done....its just taking way longer than I planned.

5 more sleeps until Soper Creek Yarn opens!

Coming Soon To Bowmanville

Its been years in the works and now finally a dream is becoming reality. Soper Creek Yarn will open its doors (door) on Tuesday December 2nd. We won't be quite done all the work, but in order to be available to our customers we have decided to open anyway.



So drop by, smell the fresh paint, open a few yarn packages and enjoy the visit to a new place for people who love yarn.



Yesteday I unpacked orders from Sirdar, Berrocco, Debbie Bliss, and Noro. There is more arriving every day.



Come visit me at 80 King Street West in Bowmanville, Ontario. Hours will be Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm. (for now...we will see how things change in 2009).