National Beading Week

Today sees the start of the first ever National Beading Week. 

Following on the from the very successful National Knitting Week, it's time for beaders to have some fun too.  So The Beadworkers Guild came up with the wonderful idea of beaders coming together to celebrate their craft. Click here to visit the National Beading Week webside

Here at Glitterwitch, I think you probably know that we love beads and so we needed little persuasion to take part in the event.  Lorna our Marketing Dragon has been working hard to add more beads to the website, and come up with an offer of 10% off all beads during NBW - just quote NBW2015 at the checkout to receive the discount. Not only that but she will pop a code in your order to quote for 10% off your next order as well!

If you don't already follow us on Facebook then now is the time to join our page here. We will be having some fun on there during the week with a Bead Clearance Album, some Flash Sales, and a few games as well.

If you are an experienced beader then our website has lots of beads and beading patterns for you. If you are new to beading, we have some kits  to help you get started. Click here to visit website

We will be posting a new blog each day throughout National Beading Week, some will be fun and some will show you some of the different ways you can use beads in your crafting.

So, come back tomorrow for our Blog entitled "A Beady Childhood".

If you would like to know more about the Beadworkers Guild click here

Who is your Business Hero? Mine may surprise you!

Those of us who run small businesses, often take inspiration from other, usually successful, business owners. So who is your business hero?  Is it someone like Sir Alan Sugar who started with nothing and worked his way up to being in the House of Lords advising on business matters? Of how about someone like Karren Brady who got to the top in the male dominated world of football.

Well, my business inspiration may surprise you - it is none other than the very cuddly Pooh Bear! I can almost hear you gasp from here - but just stop for a moment and think about it. A lot of what Pooh said makes sense and can be translated into a business scenario. Let me give you a few examples:

This to me is about customer research. Do you know who your typical customer is, age range, male or female, etc etc?. Your marketing efforts need to be based around just who your customer is, otherwise they will be wasted.

This is all about Marketing. It is no good just waiting around for customers to come to you, sometimes you need to go out and get them. Give them a little push, a bit of encouragement to purchase from you.

This one speaks for itself I think. No matter how small your business is, you need to be organised from the start. That way when you grow everything will fall into place easily.

A typical Pooh Bear comment, but one we can learn from. When describing a product, talk in a language your customers understand. Of course, they need all the technical detail, but they also want to know how it will make their life, better, brighter or easier!

We all get days when nothing seems to be going right and we wonder if it is all worth while. This quote from Pooh always makes me smile, and helps me to believe in myself.

I could carry on, but I think you get the idea now, and maybe understand why Pooh Bear is my hero - he always makes me smile and that can't be a bad thing.

I will leave you this time with one of my favourite Pooh Bear quotes.

Timing is Everything!

Yesterday I had a wander around a Craft Fair made up of stalls from local businesses. There were some beautiful handmade items on display, but hardly any of them were priced. 

This is a pet hate of mine. My Mum always used to say "If you have to ask the price, then you can't afford it" and that has always stuck in my mind. 

I hovered around one stall, while the Stallholder chatted away to some friends, but after a few minutes I got fed up with waiting and so moved on. I was very interested in a couple of items on the stall, but in the end bought nothing, as I couldn't find out what the price was. Maybe if I had arrived a few minutes earlier or later the stallholder would have been free  - who knows!

Do any of you attend craft fairs, and if so do you display prices on your items? I would be interested to hear the reasoning behind not pricing items on display.

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Last week I needed to send an order to my wholesaler as some popular items on the website were running low. With a minimum order value, I was struggling to make my order up to this amount, but I did in the end manage to just get over the specified figure.  

The following morning I received an email acknowledging my order - so far so good. Ten minutes later an email arrived announcing their Christmas Catalogue was now available to order from! If that email had arrive 24 hours earlier my ordering would have been so much easier.  Heyho, as with most things in life - it is all about timing!

So, how do you manage your time? Are you super organised and have a plan for each day or week? With a small business, there are many hats to wear, Sales, Marketing, Accounting, Stock Control, and Dispatch to name a few.  Do you wear a different hat each day or have you become a master at changing hats several times in one day?

Me? I always start the day with a plan but rarely end the day having completed it. But then, isn't that what makes running your own business so exciting - you never know what each day will bring!

I will leave you with my favourite quote about time:

Yesterday's the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift - that's why it is called the present!

Note: The clocks pictured above are examples of what you can make with one of our Clock Making Kits. Click here to view our Clock Making items on the website. www.glitterwitch.co.uk

What is Lorna up to now?

Today, I have a poem for you. I know you all love hearing about the antics of our "staff" and so this poem is about Lorna, the Marketing Dragon.

Lorna has planted some seed beads

She wanted to see how they grow

But after a week there was nothing

And she thought it was all rather slow

She gave them a drink with some Growmore

And waited a little bit longer

But when still there was nothing appearing

She thought maybe they need something stronger

The Spiral Witches were watching

They could see from their shelf very well

They wanted to help their friend Lorna

 So decided to cast a small spell

That night when the Dragons were sleeping

The Witches were creeping around

There was chanting and waving of wands going on

While they tried not to make any sound.

When Lorna awoke the next morning

She couldn't believe her own sight

A beautiful flower was there in her pot

And it seemed to have grown overnight

But Lorna was just a bit puzzled

She went to her Sister and said

That flower is really quite lovely

But the beads that I planted were red!

Poor Lorna, she is still a bit confused by it all. Those Spiral Witches, Pearl & Purl, really are lovely aren't they? - how nice of them to help their friend.

Pearl & Purl the Spiral Witches were recruited for us by Spiral Rose. Click here to visit their Facebook page.

Lorna the Marketing Dragon was recruited for us by Mists of Azura, Handcrafted Dragons. Click here to visit their website.

Well that's all from me for this time, just a note to say we have lots of seed beads on our website click here to have a browse.

A lovely surprise in Antwerp

I have recently spent a few days in Antwerp, where I had a lovely surprise.

In the centre of Antwerp there is a wonderful International Magazine Shop. It stocks hundreds of current magazines from all over the world on all sorts of subjects. I like to have a rummage around it as there are often publications that you don't see in the shops here. So, heading for the craft section, obviously, I had a good look at several knitting magazines, many from America, as well as several in French and Dutch. Deciding not to purchase anything I turned to the Beading section.

Most of the publications in this section are in English, and I picked up one called Bead & Jewellery. This is not a magazine that can often be found locally in Kent and so I have only seen it a few times. Picking it up I flicked through the pages, as you do, and something caught my eye.

There was a 2-page article on the Big Bead Show held in March and one of the exhibitors from the Purley Beadworkers had written about their day. She spoke of how visitors has admired her display of Beaded Bells and then - there it was - "the beads were fitted around polystyrene shapes obtained from www.glitterwitch.co.uk. Wow fancy finding my website mentioned in an English magazine on sale in Antwerp! Of course, I had to buy it!

Talking of polystyrene shapes, I know lots of you are thinking about Christmas Crafting already. So, I have an offer on Polystyrene Rings on the website  - buy 5 in the same size and get another 1 free. Click here to buy

Have a look at our Pinterest Board for some ideas of how to decorate your rings here

A date for your diary
2015 sees the first National Beading Week 25th July - 2nd August

 Click here to have a look at the website and see what will be going on. Glitterwitch will be joining in the fun, with games and competitions on our website and facebook page. More details next time.

So, I shall leave you this time with this thought:
I don't have a problem with beads, I have a problem without beads!

I'm Back .....

Well, here we are again - it's been a while hasn't it? 2015 did not start too well for me health wise, but all seems to be going ok at the moment (fingers crossed). That is just the way it is with an Auto Immune disease - very unpredictable!

Anyway, we have lots of catching up to do as it is May already and the year is flying by. I have decided to re-focus my Glitterwitch website to concentrate on beads, beading and craft supplies. This means I will be phasing out the Childrens Craft Kits, so lots of them are already available at reduced prices. Click here
The dragons have been busy too. Lorna, our Marketing Dragon has made her first video, demonstrating how to make a Crystal Angel

Lena, our Accounting Dragon has been busy with the end of year accounts and stocktaking.

But the biggest news is about Alfie our 'Elf & Safety Officer. While the dragons have been busy and keeping out of mischief, he has had a bit of time on his hands. Well, it turns out he has been dating the Sugar Plum Fairy! None of us saw that one coming did we?

So, what about the future - lots of exciting things coming up in 2015 including the very first National Beading Week - more details about that coming soon.

Now, over to you, what would you like to see in future blogs from us? General crafting news, or exclusive special offers for the website, or maybe just my usual general chit chat. Please comment below and let me know what you think.

I will leave you with this thought: When life throws you scraps - crochet a blanket!

December Already

Well, December is here and it is officially the first day of winter, but what does December mean to you?

As a child I remember the excitement of the run up to Christmas and all the festive decorations in the shops. It was always snowing in my memories and everyone was happy and full of Christmas Cheer.

As I have got older I have realised how commercial it all is these days and that takes away some of the magic.  Also as an adult there is so much to do at this time of the year, and as a small business owner it is also very busy. So once again it is a juggling act to keep my customers happy and give the family a wonderful Christmas.

December's here already, but how can that be so

Summer has only just left us and now we're thinking snow!

Christmas gets ever nearer - I won't be ready in time

Presents to buy and food to cook -  oh and tickets for the Pantomine

It wasn't always this hectic, not when I was small

I just waited and waited for the day when Santa came to call

Life was simple in those days and everything was great

The hardest thing I had to do was, well, just sit and wait

But now that I'm a grown up, it isn't quite such fun

I'm starting to get worried 'bout the things still to be done

I'll make a list, so I wont forget - I really cannot risk it

I just have time for a cup of tea and maybe a chocolate biscuit.

I really quite enjoy it all - if I tell the truth

At least I have much more control, than I did in my youth

They'll eat just what I give them, and like the presents I make

And if they don't I'll shut them up with a great big slice of cake!

Happy December everyone!