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 :)

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 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 :)

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)

2012 - Year in Review

Well, what a year! My focus for 'Green Gifts' shifted this year with the start of an online store. I had been paying fees on it for around 18 months, whilst doing research, but the delay was worthwhile--there are so many elements to running an online store, and I'm glad I considered them fully before embarking on it (a lot of time & money would have been wasted if I had just launched into it straight away).

On the whole, I just allowed the store to evolve as people made stationery requests for their special events/projects. Next year, I would like to introduce some more creative items to my store, as I have been neglecting this shockingly throughout 2012!

On the markets front, I have been surviving, just. Tourism in the Blue Mountains has dropped a little and tighter OHS regulations at the market I attend has affected sales too. Partially, I am responsible for a less-than-successful year at the markets, as I haven't been keeping up with stock levels on account of my online store. It's a balancing act and I hope to do it more effectively in 2013.

I am still loving this hobby business, which is gradually growing into something real. The appreciation and positivity received from customers this year has actually been very rewarding :) As such, I am not convinced that I'll ever fully return to my previous occupation...

'Ode' to Fiji

It's been so busy!

Chervonne and Thomas Ah Kuoi,

100% Recycled "Thank You" Cards,

'Wishing Well' Advice Cards

Well, I'm not quite sure what has happened to this year! I started an online store earlier in the year and certainly never expected it to grow as quickly as it has :) A couple of weeks ago I had to 'shut shop' completely for a time--it was just too hectic! My sister's wedding was approaching and I was a bridesmaid :) I also made some 'Wishing Well' advice cards for the Bride & Groom. I was so pleased to see that many people took the opportunity to write on these cards throughout the night. They are an alternative to a guest book and are very versatile--no waiting in a queue or for the book to be passed around. Just grab a groovy coloured pen and go for it! I haven't heard back from my sister yet, as she has been on her honeymoon, but I will be interested to hear about some of the wonderful messages received by the newlyweds.

I opened my store again after one week, and the orders just came rolling in once again! It hasn't stopped since. I'm now starting to get some larger orders, which is ideal, as it's easier to do things in bulk and package one parcel, than many small orders.

Although my online store is not very creative at this point (lots of bulk stationery items), I'm hoping to inject a bit more vibrancy into it in the New Year. One aspect of my store that has been very encouraging, is the opportunity I have had to sell environmentally-friendly paper products. They haven't exactly taken off, but there is a small percentage of people out there who wish to consciously support sustainable paper production in Australia. I am describing my cards which are made out of 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper. They also come with matching envelopes--all made in Australia, unlike many 'kraft' paper products, which (in worst case scenarios) can be made overseas from old-growth forests!

Well, gotta go for now--so many orders to complete, and I don't think I can get away with asking my husband to man my market stall yet again this weekend!

Think handmade this Christmas!

Think handmade this Christmas! Christmas has become more commercialised of late, so why not inject a little bit of authenticism into your gifts, greetings and wrappings. One brochure I saw recently said, "Have yourself an organised Christmas!" Is this what Christmas has become--a frantic time of year that merely requires organisation and the hope for survival?

So, why not make your gifts stand out from the crowd. I will have handmade wrapping paper and gifts tags available as a pack this Sunday. For only $10, the pack includes 5 sheets (large size) of handmade wrapping paper and 10 gifts tags!

Handmade Christmas cards will also be available. Prices start at $2.00 per card. I try to make my Christmas cards as affordable as possible because of the quantity that people need at this time of year. My cards are suitable for posting and are particularly suitable for close friends and family who you'd like to make feel special. It is also nice to have that opportunity to write a special message inside each card, perhaps a quick summary of what you've appreciated in 2011 and blessings for the New Year.

I also have a lovely range of Christmas photographic cards for $3.00 each (example pictured above).

Even if it's raining, I look forward to your visit at my market stall this Sunday!

2011 - Year in Review

This year has passed by so quickly but, I'm happy to say, it has been a little easier than last. I'm trying to work smarter, rather than harder, and have gained more time for family and friends.

Despite the effect of the global economy on tourism in the Blue Mountains over the last couple of years, my sales have gradually been improving. I'm still classified as a hobbyist at this stage but intend to keep developing 'Green Gifts' as a business concept in 2012.

A number of customers have urged me to sell online, which is a huge undertaking to do properly, but I think it will be a worthwhile venture in the oncoming year. I still prefer face-to-face contact with customers at markets but the online world does have the potential for a much larger customer base.

A would love to approach some potential stockists in 2012 but this is dependent on having the time to create enough suitable stock (namely cards) before they're sold at the markets!

On that note, I do need to make a concerted effort to manage my time better in 2012. Which means less time on the internet and more time dedicated to organising/creating/working!

Business Products

Ateca's Travel Services, Lautoka Hotel Foyer, Lautoka, Fiji

Whilst staying in Lautoka, Fiji, we wanted to do a few adventurous things. However, it was difficult to find any Tourist Information in this town (actually, it's the second largest city in Fiji!) On the third last day, we thought we would approach the one person who seemed to know anything, a lady named Ateca, who rents a space in the Lautoka Hotel foyer. She was more than happy to organise a trekking tour for the next day and it turned out to be quite an adventure (expect the unexpected when visiting Fiji and you won't be disappointed).

The city of Lautoka has quite a bit to offer the tourist, but there is a lack of information available. Soon, I will be posting a review about the trek because I wish to promote this sustainable eco-tourism initiative. Ateca also gave us some helpful information about the best and cheapest way to get to the Port Denarau Marina, so I have offered to send her some business cards and a banner, designed and printed free-of-charge.

Green Gifts' design services include: all design needs for personal use and small business (business cards, banners, flyers, stationery, etc.), wedding and event stationery, and photo scanning/digital photo restoration services. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in using any of these services and I will be happy to help :) Don't forget to contact Ateca if you are planning to visit Fiji in the near future. Ask her questions and she will do her best to organise some interesting local activities for you to do during your stay in Lautoka.

Love the Bling!

It's been a bit longer than usual between posts because I had quite a few whole-day markets in August. I'm really enjoying it, and try to use the time productively while I'm there, but never seem to get as much done as I'd like! (That's a good sign--it means I'm dealing with customers rather than sitting around!) I still have so many ideas for 'Green Gifts', which I'm gradually actualising but I have to be patient--I'm only one person!

There are actually a lot of retail opportunities for a business of my kind--it's just a matter of choosing what to focus on. Good planning will build a financially-realistic foundation, whilst poor planning will just suck 'Green Gifts' dry!

I've posted a couple of pictures (above) of a wedding card which was lots of fun to make. I love hand drawn designs, but I suspect that most of my customers don't even notice them until they remove the card from its sleeve and take a really close look (click on the card images for a closer look yourself). Talking about customers, I have been getting some great feedback, many commenting that my cards are "different" from the norm. But I'm not really sure what they mean!
By the way, this card sold during August. Cost: $4.00; Materials: pattern paper, self-adhesive rhinestones, Stampin' Up! rub-ons, Kindy Glitz (applied to parts of the pattern paper), various acid-free pens.