Christmas Greetings

Vegetarian 'Christmas' Platter & Seafood Salad (background)

Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas Day! I made my usual seafood salad (which everyone has come to expect--there is bitter disappointment if I don't!) and another tray of separate offerings for vegetarians etc. The seafood salad actually worked out a bit nicer this time. I think it changes slightly every year--I should jot down this combination of ingredients before I forget...

2014 is going to be a busy year, with lots of things on my plate. I have some new plans to improve my hobby business but I won't be pushing it too hard due to family and other commitments.

Best wishes for the New Year, and I look forward to receiving your new order requests, whether it be for handmade cards, event stationery or something else you're interested in.


2013 - Year in Review

It's been a whirlwind of a year with periods of extreme busyness, as well as a significant break in the middle when I visited family in Europe (the last time was 33 years ago!)  Travelling sure is addictive. I think it's a combination of experiencing new things as well as leaving reality behind. I always seem to be in a dream state when travelling to new places--I just love the aesthetics and beauty of different environments. Paris, in particular, is full of eclectisim and creativity. I'd love to return one day... 

Productivity has been inconsistent this year due to preparing for and going on this trip. For a couple of months I had to put everything for 'Green Gifts' on hold. Of course, I still had the pay online fees etc., but that's life! At least these fees aren't anything like the financial pressures faced by a 'bricks and mortar' store.

Despite the break (which was wonderful btw), my little hobby business has continued to grow. I am working towards it becoming a fully self-supporting business by June 2014. I have continued to diversify my handmade stationery range and have improved the quality of these products too. I have also figured out more efficient ways to communicate with customers, as this has been a great drain on my time in previous years.

On the markets front, I have been surviving, just. Tourism in the Blue Mountains has dropped due to roadworks, bushfires, inclement weather, and global economic pressures on visitors. It is getting to the stage of not being worthwhile but I will stick with it for the moment. Most days, I walk away with very little for my 8 hours at the market.

I am so glad that I have been able to persist with this hobby business. Daily creativity is so important to me and the teaching profession was gradually suffocating that love. It has been extremely hard, and many times I have nearly given up, but it is becoming a little easier as time goes on. There have been some great sacrifices, but I think it has been and will continue to be worth it :)

Have a Handmade Christmas!

Christmas will soon be upon us, and I've begun making handmade cards, wrapping paper and gifts for a range of family and friends. Yes, I could just chuck money at it, but what would be the point? It's so much better to make something meaningful for people--I abhor the mass-production that taints the season. For example, last year, I made a $25 gift for someone, which took 3 hours, but was completely unique! How much easier would it have been to throw $25 over the counter at some chain store down in mall city? Very easy but, instead, I printed out a collection of this person's favourite photographs and made them into colourful, A6-sized greeting cards with coordinating C6 envelopes. Very pretty, and perhaps a slight abuse of my facebook friendship, but the recipient really appreciated the sentiment :)

As is customary at this time of year, I've updated my blog header/banner. Last year (2012-2013), I chose a photograph I took in Fiji in 2011 (shown below). Perhaps not very Blue Mountains-ish but an 'ode' to my favourite colour...green (and to my favourite part of the planet, the South Pacific Islands). People sometimes ask me, "Why Green Gifts?" (a number of my products are not 'green' in the environmental sense of the word, but I am constantly striving for this--it's just a matter of continuing to convince the Australian public to embrace it too...)

For the year ahead (2013-2014), I've cropped an image that I took in Paris of a lady beetle on a rose (blog header above). As people wandered past the rose garden in 'Jardin des Plantes', the main botanical garden in France, they stared at me as though I was crazy. What on earth is she looking at? The average passer-by took shots of the whole rose garden, and rarely ventured to the macro level (which invariably involves crouching, body twisting, stillness of hand, and a hell of a lot of patience!) I was happy with the few shots I was able to capture with my rudimentary digital camera and have created photographic cards from some of the better images.

So, "Why Green Gifts?" I love nature, trees, leaves, the colour green, and a number of my products reflect this. I'm always seeking to incorporate 100% recycled paper/cardstock into my cardmaking & stationery range and try to make use of reclaimed materials, especially in my cardmaking. Handmade, local production is also sustainable (i.e. less waste, minimal carbon impact) and doesn't have the same effect as mass-production does on the environment. I encourage you to consider both the direct and indirect impact of your purchasing choices on the global environment, as you prepare for Christmas this year :)

Blog Banner 2012-2013

Love the Creative Life ♥

 View from our Paris apartment, June-July 2013

I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to explore my creativity on a daily basis. Sure, my house is rundown and nothing to be proud of, but this isn't always what truly matters in life. I found myself getting pulled into the trap of materialism many years ago, but recognised that it would ultimately stifle rather that fulfill me. Freedom is a wonderful feeling despite not having all the trappings that people here in Australia have come to expect for themselves. For example, I don't have a wide-screen digital TV, nor an iPhone, iPod or nice car (my car is 21 years old!) Believe it or not, you can get by, and rather happily too, without these things. I have a vintage mobile phone (doesn't accept picture messages & no internet connectivity), a laptop running Windows XP, and a fairly basic, yet good quality, compact digital camera. It's not what you have but how you use it!

This week I started a Photo Book of my recent trip to Europe. It's a slower process than scrapbooking and can drive you crazy at times! I've made a massive one before as a gift for my Mum on her 6oth Birthday. Took a year to put together! But the resultant, 100-page, professionally-printed book is wonderful to flick through. I think this one will end up being just as big. It's going a little quicker this time because I'm not having to gather together digital pics from family members. I'm just gradually working my way through the folders of the trip. It's so enjoyable to reminisce about the lovely sights, sounds and flavours of Europe. It would be great to return again and visit some different countries. Of course, I would love to see Paris again. It's such a creative, artistic and wonderful place. Loved every minute of being in that city! Good old-fashioned common sense and strong web-searching skills afforded us an amazing range of experiences that even the most cashed-up traveller would have been unlikely to see...

So, so busy!

'Starry Night Over the Rhone' by Vincent van Gogh, Musée d'Orsay, Paris

I'm certainly rejuvenated after my trip overseas. There were so many inspiring and creative moments. I'm still reflecting on them every day. Paris was such a visual feast of culture, art, beauty, food and architecture. Amsterdam was quirky, fun, contemporary and clever. However, it's been right back into it all since returning. I'm yet to scrapbook the trip (that's a dream at this point) and I'm gradually wading through the photos taken.

I never anticipated that my little hobby business could become so busy. As I have improved my products and images, there have been countless requests for customised stationery. It's still a tough gig each and every day, but it's gradually getting easier.  I'm still experiencing a lot of people who are wasting my time and, although I'm getting better at recognising them, they still manage to catch me off-guard. Not coming from a retail background, I am surprised by the number of people who do not have regard for other people's time. Examples include: unreasonable requests for very little payment, rude and impatient emails, genuine sample requests followed by nothing, invasive questions about how an item is made (for replication)...the list goes on.

It's taught me a lot about myself, about the Australian public, about the younger generation, about how artisans are viewed, about consumerism, about this crazy world we live in. But, for the first time in my life, I feel truly free. Being a hard worker by nature, and a bit of a perfectionist, it was difficult being at the mercy of a jealous boss, unfair leader, colleagues who took and never gave etc. I often felt plagued by the thanklessness of the teaching profession. It's not why you do it but, we're all human, and everyone needs some form of feedback. Even the retail world has more to offer in that department (who would have thought!)

I'm still loving the journey--have no idea if there's even a destination at this stage!

Back on the horse!

Since returning from overseas, it has been busy. That time away gave me the opportunity to mull things over and rethink my online stores a little. Hundreds of eBay members wasted my time last year with empty enquiries, some even trying to gain free digital files (the very nerve!) I had one or two tears over a couple of very shrewd time-wasters who tried to take advantage of me :( I am determined not to let this happen again...

My listings now state some clear 'Terms of Sale' and this is having the effect of deterring the non-serious buyers (yay!) I also have 'Genuine Enquiries Only' plastered all over my store. The time away allowed me to step back a little and reassess why I am doing this. I enjoy making things but I'm lucky to be working for $5.00 per hour (usually less). I really only want to deal with people who love my creative items and appreciate them :) It just becomes exceedingly unenjoyable otherwise.

The card here is the one I gave to my Uncle & Aunt for their 40th Wedding Anniversary in Holland. I got a little overexcited but it is an event truly worth celebrating. It was wonderful to meet up with some of my other relatives too. My Uncle & Aunt's children (my cousins) are so lovely, and it was great to meet their children too. May I encourage whoever is reading this to just drop everything and go away from time-to-time. It helps you to step back and think rationally about where your life is heading...

I still love doing this and felt very blessed last weekend when many of my handmade cards sold at my market stall. I received some very encouraging comments too :) It keeps me going. I don't post my best cards on this blog by any means. The www is just a place for others to take, take, take. But if you remember the cards you have bought before, I would be happy to remake them for you (as I have done for regular customers). Browsing the posts in this blog is a little futile, as it contains just a glimpse of the odd handmade card. I have 1000's of digital pics of designs I have made over the years. I'm only too happy to put together a custom order for you! Looking forward to hearing from you :)

Back from holidays!

Photos of French macarons I purchased in Paris

I've finally returned from being overseas to celebrate the 40th Wedding Anniversary of my Uncle and Aunt, alongside other relatives. It was a wonderful time and, in many ways, has fulfilled a lifelong dream to return to Holland, as well as visit Paris for the first time. 

I'm gradually getting back into the swing of things. Returning to doing my market stall began immediately and my online stores will be back up and running soon. Due to so many other commitments at present, I won't be doing my hobby business as 'full-ball' as I was. Making handmade, unique items gives me great joy, but it is also very time-consuming. I need to take some time out to complete home renovations, so will be aiming to merely cover costs in the near future (item materials, online store fees, PayPal charges, etc.).

Paris was a wonderful whirlwind of colour and design. I bought some lovely French papers and a few other gorgeous items which inspired me. I've already made a few greeting cards and look forward to creating more. Stay-tuned for piccies that will be posted on this blog. 

Photography, a great passion of mine, although I remain a novice, is something I experimented with further in Holland and Paris with my rudimentary digital camera. I managed to take a few unique shots, which will soon be made into photographic cards for my market stall. At $2.50 each, I hope they are well-received by my regular customers as well as visitors to the Blue Mountains.

At my market stall, I am trying to increase my range of handmade cards, so please pop in to check them out. Although I put a lot of effort into my handcrafted fashion jewellery items, cardmaking is what keeps the creativity flowing. Looking forward to seeing you soon :)

It's been a while...

Dry embossed, inked & hand cut lion motif adhered to folded A5 card

Thought I'd better add a post to let you know that I'm still here, busily making creative things. If you have seen something you would like to purchase in one of my online stores, or at my market stall, please feel free to contact me with your order enquiry. You can email me at the address listed on this site, via facebook, or via the contact form in my online store: http://greengifts.bigcartel.com/contact

It's been a very busy year and, at the start (I must confess), I allowed myself to be bogged down by mindless eBay enquiries. Although it is excellent that eBay has such an open messaging system, it does encourage empty, time-wasting enquiries. I was spending up to 2 hours per day responding to these messages, only for majority of them to lead to nothing.

I soon tired of this and closed my store temporarily. Of late, I have been putting a lot more effort into my market stall here in the Blue Mountains. This has been so much more rewarding, and I have been selling a record number of handmade cards, which absolutely thrills me to bits! A card is like a mini artwork to me--anything is possible, and I like to think that every recipient feels a little bit of joy when receiving one.

With my eBay store closed at present, I actually feel quite relieved. I'm now receiving genuine enquiries through this site and my other online store. It has also been wonderful to receive ongoing orders from regular customers and via word-of-mouth. These are the customers I really appreciate--they like my products & prices, and respect the time that goes into making everything. Some eBay members think it's acceptable to send up to 50 emails over a simple order. It isn't! (even 10 messages is too many!) I am getting better at filtering out this kind of buyer, so I have more time to spend on alternative orders :)

Thanks to all of my previous and current customers for your ongoing support & communication :)

Steady as she goes...

Well, it's another new year for Green Gifts! It has started off with a bang--so many orders that I really can't keep up. I have had to shut the doors of my eBay store a couple of times already. This is a good thing but also a bad thing. I still have to pay fees--the store is always open behind the scenes. I guess this mirrors the real world--you pay rent whether you're home or not; your lease continues whether you're open for business or not...

I have also started another online store with lower fees, in order to sell to a wider range of customers, whether they're eBay members or not. It's a fantastic interface and I just love the aesthetics of each page. It gives me great joy to make it look 'pretty', and my customers are finding it very appealing too. I am so thrilled that the items in this store are not 'counting down'. They just sit there and I don't have to worry too much if some things don't sell--there's no 'ticking' auction-style clock, which is very relieving (more like a real store, where stock can gradually be built up over time).

On the flip-side, my second online store gets very little natural traffic (I'm directing customers to it at present). I'm not too worried at the moment, but I'll need to start promoting it at some stage. I've never been great at self-promotion--I really just prefer people to 'discover' my products. If they like them, they will keep returning :) It's their impetus to contact me. However, in the world of e-commerce, people are fickle and will just go elsewhere if it's not 'easy'. It's a slow way to gain a customer base...

But I'm patient--always have believed in doing things well over time. It starts off very slowly, then gradually builds in momentum. After three and a half years of doing this, I am starting to see some real progress in my small hobby business! This is exciting because it means that I'm gradually starting to emerge from my 'sweat-shop'. On the markets front, I had a very encouraging day last weekend, with a few regular customers coming in just for my handmade cards. They have 'discovered' my cards, but more regular customers would be even better! (gotta self-promote...eek)