Thursday, June 25, 2009

June 25th

6 months till Christmas..Have you started your Christmas knitting yet? You were warned, no excuses for being caught knitting on Christmas eve!

I thought you would appreciate the heads up...no throwing things!


Remember, I am Closed next week for some 'holidays'. Shop is closed Saturday at 3pm and re-opens next Friday July 3rd at 10 am!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Okay it rained, a lot!

Saturday was the Fabulous Fifties Festival in downtown Bowmanville. But it rained, and then it rained some more and then it rained again. Needless to say everyone stayed home, except a few brave souls that came to visit me on this dreary day.

So we knit,















spun





















some hand spinning happened






even managed some 'corking'


Thank-you to my friends, Grace, Gwen, Beth, Sue, Andrea, Bailey and Mary who came and kept me company on this yukky day.


Be warned, when you invite spinners to come and visit, not only will you have a lot of fun...they leave bits..everywhere!

What's my Mother's picture doing inside my passport!

Our passports arrived and I now can leave the country! Don't know when or where but the possibilities are endless. I don't know how it happened but the face inside the passport could not belong to me. When did this happen? I am only 30 something, not 50 (and fabulous!)

Speaking of holidays...I am taking a few days but really I am making my farmer husband take a few days.

This week I am open 10 - 5 Tuesday - Friday and Saturday I am closing early at 3pm.

Then the shop will be closed until July 3rd, That's the following Friday.

Come and stock up or knit slower on the stuff you need to finish...I know you have a few UFO's out there!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Monday is for laundry?...not this week

Normally Monday's are my catch up with 'housework' days but not yesterday.

I travelled to the big T.O. to do some shopping, my kind of shopping. I normally dislike looking for specific things. I tend to like to shop for ideas for window displays and store design.

Yesterday I did some fun 'work' shopping, I know its rough but someone has to do the dirty work, it may as well be me. (Come to think of it I do all the work around here...)

First stop was a supplier in Mississauga, I ordered a little but I wasn't allowed to search the warehouse so I then went to a another supplier who happily let me wander the place for 2 hours. They have some extraordinary yarns that will probably never reach the shop, way out there in style in price but really 'cool'.

So this is the result. Now you are wondering why the big purchase? Most of this yarn is clearance yarn. Its been discontinued by the manufacturer so it means that I can offer it at a discount. Great deals for you and me!

This weekend is Downtown Bowmanville's Fabulous 50's Festival. Sidewalk sale on Thursday and Friday. Then on Saturday the main street is closed to vehicle traffic and there are all sorts of displays: Super Dog Demonstrations, Vintage Car show, DJ's playing 50's music and plenty of things to entertain both young and not so young! Parking is limited but there are spots around the town on the side streets.

It's also WWKIP day bring a lawn chair, a knitting project, sunscreen (it will be sunny) and refreshments. I also have a knitting activity planned to keep you occupied. Lots to do, not much time for knitting.

Today is Tuesday....a day to talk to the bank!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Self Employed

For the past 20 years or so I have been employed by a few local businesses, but mostly I qualify as labelling myself as being self employed. For the most part I have been at home sewing for a couple of places but mostly for my friend Karen and her store 'Gather', but lately I have been a very poor supplier as the shop has really taken over all of my spare time and energy.



Monday my husband and I spent a good portion of the day accumulating the things we needed to get our passports. On the information it requires that you put down your employement status. I proudly wrote 'shop owner'. It's nice to run your own business, but its scarey as well.

Also when you are self employed and the only employee its a challenge to get everything done during the days away from the shop. Some days I arrive at 9:30 only to have no one arrive to the shop until noon and then others I arrive at 10:02 and customers are waiting. Trust me on the days I arrive late its not because I have slept in or doddled on the couch too long. So bear with me as a juggle all of this.

The best part of not having any staff to pay, at this point is that instead of paying them I can use any funds I earn to purchase more inventory. Everytime you come there is always something new.

Although there is not much new into the store this week, just a couple of new Snuggly Dk colours I ordered some lovely yarns that will come in July.

Also note: The Shop will be closed for holidays from about June 29th till July 2nd. Not sure of the exact days but because July 1st is on a Wednesday, the shop will only be closed for a couple of regular days.

If you are making a special trip into Bowmanville, especially during the summer, its always best to phone ahead. (905-623-2336..the answering machine is always on)

Friday, June 5, 2009

A week!

Just noticed my last post was a week ago. I will call this adjustment week. My son went off on his big adventure.. so my husband and I are now 'child free' for the first time in 22 years! We have never been apart from our children for more than a couple of days. It took me 3 months to get used to our daughter going off to University. Simple things like getting only 2 plates out for supper can send me into a 'mood'. But this new freedom is quite nice, and the fact that when you take the teenage boy out of the grocery bill and the car insurance...there's way more money for yarn!

The son took a plane to Regina and when he landed he discovered that the expensive phone he signed a 3 year contract for would not work...dead, not even heavy enough to be a paper weight. So he arrived in a place a looooonnnggg way from home, without the means to say he arrived or to tell his new employer when he got to the arranged bus stop! For the past week we have been fighting with the said cell phone people and today we came to an agreement. Still meant that he had to go find another phone to use for the 6 months he is away...then its only good in Saskatchewan.

I will tell you more about his travels later...his dad is completely jealous about the job he has for the summer. (Think driving something that is the size of a house and most are priced about the average single family home.)

The shop has been quiet, but there is always something to do or knit. I am moving some yarn around and filling a basket of "odds and sods" for the sidewalk sale later this month.

I have been making fabric project bags and tote bags. (Pictures coming soon...batteries charging!) Or better yet, come and visit and check them out!

See you soon.