Life at Kay Dees Crafts this week

What a week!

I am paying the price for my mad frenzy last week. Fibromyalgia is not a forgiving illness when you overdo it. I was actually quite frightened for a couple of days, especially over the weekend, as I seemed to lose the ability to grip things....I have broken a few mugs and glasses :( I am now just getting past the pins and needles stage in my hands but it still hurts like a hurting thing on a hurting day. Fellow fibro sufferers will also know that with the pain comes problems sleeping, with the lack of sleep comes more pain and you end up on the fibro merry go round. Well it can stop now please as I want to get off!

I have taken some time out and rather than try to list 100+ things a day on the website, manage Ebay sales, clean house, cook dinner, wash clothes etc etc I have been taking the evenings off and watching some DVDs. Although I am only running at about 75% I am in a better place than I was pain wise. I have set a daily target for 20 listings on the website and managing Ebay sales. Husband and son are now doing the cooking, cleaning and washing - whether they like it or not :)

It is all well and good thinking you are Superwoman, but reality is a b*tch!

Website is coming on slowly but surely, lots of feedback from my lovely buyers which is always welcomed. My embellishment tins are now all listed and they have proved to be really popular.

Laura Ashley embellishment tins are full of designer accessories including over 130 double sided chipboards, a selection of unique fibres and 8 pots of glass beads, all based around the Connemara colours and themes.The chipboards include images taken from the Connemara theme, plus alphabet tokens too, colour co-ordinated to match the rest of the designer range.

All contained within a stylish printed storage tin with handle.

The ever popular Retro Floral range has a matching embellishment tin too. I am running this, the Masculine and also the Glamour tins on special offer at the moment. Although these tins only contain the chipboards and not the beads and fibres, they are still fantastic value for money at £3.99.

I have just started listing my new delivery of mini craft buttons. The majority of our micro buttons are 6mm..yesterday we had some arrive that are 4mm!! They are TINY:

Anyway this is not me listing some buttons is it? Hubby is working this evening, son has just informed me he is cooking dinner for us both :) I am a seriously lucky woman despite my little whinge about the physical (and mental!) limits I now face.

Take care of yourselves and Happy Crafting!

Charming Thoughts!

Charming thoughts indeed. I have been busy adding our range of charms to the website and took delivery today of a sample from a new range I spotted whilst browsing my suppliers.

What can I say? I have always been a big fan of Creative Charms and ensure I carry the full range. However the new charms I have received surpass even those. We also now have a couple of different charm kits too - Baby and Wedding themed. Great value packs with fibres included.

Pop over and see the new 1900s, wine drinking and Love Messages we now have listed. Perfect additions for many different hand crafting projects including: handmade greeting cards, jewellery making, beading, mobile phones, invitations, place cards and scrapbooking.

Happy Crafting!

Easy decoupage!

Phew!

This shelf filling seems to be never ending! Speaking to another shop owner earlier today and she told me it took her 3 months to stock their new website...3 months!!

I have been busy, we now have some Decoupage kits sat on our shelves, from Laura Ashley, Smirk and the brand new Kate Knight Wild Blossom range from Dovecraft.

These kits are so user friendly! Die cut punch outs with co-ordinating backing papers AND foam pads included. The punch outs are all numbered too for easy 'assembly'.

The ribbon stickers are all now uploaded. Surprisingly the Christmas stickers are our biggest sellers at the moment. You cardmakers do like to start early.


I have almost finished with our stamps range. In fact by the time the blog goes out I will probably have added the last 2 sets. I am following a blog by a lady, (I cannot remember her name but shall edit this later when I have found her again) who has made some absolutely fab cards with the new Smirk stamps. I really need to go and dig that post of hers out.

Now back to stocking up.....150+ craft buttons to add yet!

Happy Crafting!

All work and no play makes Kay....

....very tired!

I must admit to being a bit remiss these past couple of days. I have not kept up with the blog, nor even twittered (which is 140 characters!)

Christmas did not just consist of 2 deliveries....make that 4. Plus one due in from the USA and another 2 due next week! I have barely had time to get the boxes unpacked before the next lot arrives.

The past couple of days we have been busy rearranging stock and cutting ribbon. We now have over 60 different designs in our wire edged range.

We sell these in 2 metre and 5 metre lengths as our target audience are card makers and scrapbookers. I think I have managed to load about 10 of our designs.......this is just sooooooooo time consuming. Forget the Easter Bunny and chocolate, please can I have a website bunny :) Anyway a few of our ribbons, soon to be added to Kay Dees Crafts

We also stock mixed ribbon and fibre packs:

So now I have written an advertisement rather than a blog post, I shall toddle off back to the shop and get stacking those shelves!!

Oh and if anyone can tell me how I centralise my pictures on my categories page I would be eternally grateful!

Happy Crafting

Feels like Christmas!

I get so excited when my deliveries arrive. It is very rare that I don't have a new product within those dull, brown cardboard boxes.

I rip them open and throw the packaging around like it's wrapping paper on Christmas Day rummaging throughout the contents until I find my 'surprises'.

Today I have been spoilt. 2 deliveries with new 'stuff'. One package I have been waiting for with baited breath for over a month....it was worth the wait!

I always look out for new products that are different from the normal craft ranges available online. I found Design House quite by accident, and I am not disappointed at all with the quality of their products. I find it very comforting to source products that are designed and made here in the UK.

We now have 9 new 6 x 6 paper stacks from Design House listed at Kay Dees Crafts, and they are gorgeous! Heavyweight 180gsm premium papers in some seriously cute designs:

I am still awaiting the last 3 designs in the range but hopefully they will be here with me very soon!

So now I have shared my excitement of this package, it is back to my next package which is in no means any less exciting for me. Oh happy days :)

Happy Crafting!

UPDATE

We now have the full range available from Paper House - delivery number 2 arrived :)

Embossing Stencils and broken shops!

Finally got around to listing our range of brass embossing stencils this evening.

They would have been added this morning, along with yet more craft buttons had I not 'broken the shop!!

As Kay Dees Crafts is a very new store, I am still adapting and changing things to make them more user friendly. I had the brilliant idea last night of adding thumbnails of the categories to our front page. I did think I was playing in the demo shop when I changed the shop template.....I was, but I was also signed in to my account which seemed to confuse matters somewhat. Before I knew it I had clicked the wrong button and applied the changes store wide!

Several hours later I finally got around to doing some listing. I would say it was wasted time, but I do think the store looks better for the changes. Dean can use it and as he is very non PC literate I do tend to use him as my guinea pig :) I have a few more tweaks and refinements I want to make but all in all I am very pleased with my handywork.

Pop over and have a look.....and please do keep passing on your feedback. It really does help and it is much appreciated.

Happy Crafting!

Blog template

I have been playing!

I found a blog (or two) with gorgeous templates from The cutest Blog on the block so I popped over and had a peek.

I wanted the blog to be in the same design as our shop and could not find any templates that would compliment the colours we use. Then I found 'blog secrets' there too - as well as giving free backgrounds, the kind souls even give lessons on how to make your own background templates! I have been playing this morning, made a template design I liked and followed the instructions to install......it is not sitting quite right so shall be popping into their forum to see if there are any hints and tips.

I did try to create a signature for my posts too....but all this transparent png is whoosing over my head and I can't seem to get it quite right. I shall persevere though :)

So now I have been digi crafting for hours, I need to start concentrating on the shops again.

Hi ho, hi ho.....

Thinking about it.....

....I have never really talked about my fibro in my blog until this evening when I was filling in my profile.

I found some very talented peeps (who's work really is quite breathtaking) and added myself as a follower! I will get the hang of this blogging lark soon. Anyway, everyone else had details in their profiles, and mine was soooooo blank.


I don't really talk about having fibro. I moan about the pain on occasion but having fibro was a cloud with a silver lining. If I didn't have it I would never have had to give up work - so I never would have taken the plunge and started Kay Dees Crafts. Hmmm. Would I rather not have fibro? Damn right! but I do and dwelling on it won't change anything or ease the pain.



I had the well meaning 'try yoga' comment a few weeks ago. Off I popped and bought a yoga DVD. I managed approximately 6 minutes of the DVD before my body told me 'keep this up and I will REALLY hurt you'. I listen to my body, sometimes its right :-) The after effects though were almost enough to put me off it for life!! Almost a week of excrutiating pain that no amount of pain relief would ease.

So my exercise is walking my dogs. It hurts but I love being out with them. Regardless of where we are or what the weather is like they never fail to make me smile with ther antics.


For those more interested in fibro visit my Living with Fibromyalgia .....be warned though - get a coffee and make sure you are comfortable as there is quite a fair bit of reading in there!


Well this is not me working is it? I have managed to add about 200 products on Kay Dees Crafts so far.......only another 800+ to go!!!

Happy Crafting

Paper Paper everywhere!!

I am up to my eyes, well knees really, in Dovecraft designer papers!

My best friend Helen is an avid paper crafter. She makes cards, scrapbooks, notes and just about anything she can with paper. She loves it....but she doesnt like to have loads of the same paper design. Helen is a mix and match girl.

I like Helen. Apart from being my best friend she is also my best customer...and I always listen to my customers. So when she asked "why dont you split your packs down into value packs with one of each design?" I asked myself why don't I sell papers like that at Kay Dees Crafts!?

I started selling these value packs before Christmas and they are a huge hit with my buyers. Thank you Helen!





Rather than buy 72 sheet packs, 6 of each design, I sell them as 12 sheets with just 1 of each design. At 65p for 12 sheets of 6" x 6" premium papers, its a bargain.

There are papers for every occasion, mood or theme and the results really do speak for themselves!

Happy Crafting!

Is it really that time!??

Its past 1am....

Had a long day today rephotographing craft buttons (well some of them) but I do think the end results have been worthwhile. I have also opted for the lightbox to show the enlarged photos, after much urging from Dean who thinks 'its ace'. It is, admittedly, particularly good at highlighting the detail on our fabric stickers.

I have been playing with the site options for buyers, hopefully I am getting it right! I have now added available quantities and also a back button to make the site easier to browse. Although they are subtle changes we do think they are important.

I am debating on the customer reviews that are at the bottom of our product descriptions. Dean thinks its a yes, I am still at the maybe stage. Be nice to hear our buyers views on this one.

The dogs have got it right - they are both fast asleep next to me on the sofa! Time we were hitting the sack too. Another long day tomorrow with the site and also deliveries of new product ranges arriving too! I will pop an update on here, but do look out for the new ranges at Kay Dees Crafts.

So its good night from him

and goodnight from her

Happy Crafting!

Smirk!!

After a fair few hours (ok many hours) Kay Dees Crafts is starting to take shape.

I have now uploaded the Smirk range we currently carry.

Stamps : full range now available, both wooden stamps and clear stamp sets.

Smirk Rubber Stamp - Groovy

Albums:

Smirk memory album - Love & Friendship

Ribbon Stickers:

Smirk ribbon stickers with glitter - Naughty

Papers:

Smirk paper - Love & Friendship

Decoupage:

Smirk decoupage kit - Nice

Take a peek!

Anyway back to work for now - the rest of our ribbon stickers to organise!

Happy Crafting!