VAT I thought I was doing ok .......

So, one week to VAT day - queue drumroll. So how is it all going at Glitterwitch HQ?
Well, I thought I was doing ok - making lists and plodding my way through them ticking things off one by one - but then my Hughes Syndrome (HS) kicked in!

We are told that when we are stressed it affects our weak spot - in my case - my left leg. The HS manifested itself in me almost three years ago with a large blood clot in my thigh that spread down my leg and across my stomach. Surgery cleared the clot, but my left leg has been permanently left the size of a tree trunk and with poor blood flow. In the last few days it has become more swollen (not a pretty sight) and rather painful. So, I spent yesterday (Sunday) with my leg up quietly knitting and not worrying about VAT at all.

It was a wake up call for me to remember that I have to pace myself and sometimes take things slower than I would like.

Anyway, onwards and upwards and today is another week and  another challenge. I am going to have my blood checked later today, just to make sure there is nothing else causing the swelling, but I am sure it will come back ok.

So, am I ready for VAT day? Well more or less, the biggest job left to do is amend the prices on the website to show the VAT content, but I cant really do that till the last minute.  To that end, I would like to ask for your help. I think the website needs a re-vamp, so I would like to ask you to pop over and have a look round and tell me what you think. How can I improve it? What do you like about it, or what don't you like about it?  Be honest - I can take it - I think!!
www.glitterwitch.co.uk

I will leave you with this thought:  Beading all day won't solve your problems, but then again, nor will housework!

The Joys of VAT

Well here we are 10th March already - how did that happen? They say that time goes by faster the older you get - well enough said on that subject!

One of my main suppliers in Denmark has said they will no longer supply me without a VAT number, and although my turnover is not (yet) sufficient to force me to register I decided to do so voluntarily. So I am proud to announce that I have a new VAT number which comes into effect on 1 April 2014 (no that is not an April Fools joke early - it really does!)

What I hadn't appreciated was the work that is involved in setting this up. Firstly I need to do an accurate stock take - this has proved very time consuming as I have almost 1000 different products and although on paper I have a record of the stock I thought this would be a good time to physically count everything to verify that paperwork. So picture if you can, me clambering about in the loft counting polystyrene balls that don't seem to want to stay still! Add to that beads, threads, washi tape, craft kits ...........  I think you get the idea now.  Next to tackle is the paperwork - need to do a quarterly VAT return, add VAT details to my invoices and add extra columns to my accounts. That doesn't seem too difficult!

So with the stock counted, and new files marked VAT on the shelf all that is left is to amend the price of every single item on the website to show the VAT content.

I started this blog by saying time is Marching on very quickly - is there enough time left to get all the above done by 1 April?  Of course there is if I don't sleep! More to the point when will I get time to knit and play with my beads. So tune in next time to see how I am getting on and if I have retained my sanity through it all!

I will leave you with this thought: A man who works with his hands is a laborer, a man who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman, but a man who works with his hands, head and heart is an artist.

Spring has Sprung

So, how do you tell if Spring is finally here? Is it because the birds singing wake you up in the morning, or is it when the bulbs push their little faces up into the garden to say Hello, or is it just because the Supermarkets are full of Easter Eggs?

So what does Spring mean to you? For me it is a time to review things, spring clean the house (because the dust shows up in the sunlight), and take a look at Glitterwitch to see how it is doing.  With the latter I have decided to get back to basics and concentrate on my core business which is beads and beading supplies.  Over the last year I have introduced a lot of new ranges, some have been very successful and some less so. One of the problems with working alone is that there is no one around to pull you back on track when you veer off the correct path. Heyho, we live and learn don't we?

So , this is all good news for you lovely people. I have decided not to buy any more Children's Craft Kits and to clear out some of the ones I have. Over on the website there is an offer for 30% off all kids craft kits. If you have a party coming up, now would be a good time to grab some bargains to keep the little ones amused. Just quote MADMARCH at the checkout to receive your discount.
http://www.glitterwitch.co.uk/epages/BT3783.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3783/Categories/YOUNG_CRAFTERS

I will leave you with a question this time: How do you tell when Spring has arrived?

A little knowledge.....

Yesterday I attended the Craft Hobby + Stitch International Trade Show in Birmingham. I went up by train and although it was a long and tiring day it was absolutely worth it. There was so much to see and so many lovely people to talk to. I had great fun, and lots of laughs talking to the lovely people on the Dempsey Designs Ltd stand They were very knowledgeable and passionate about their products and so needless to say I have an order arriving in the coming weeks - can't wait to show you their lovely craft kits. I have bought a selection of craft starter kits - ideal if you want to try a new craft but don't know where to start. They should be on the website next month.

Now for a little moan. Without mentioning any names, I found that some of the larger craft companies seemed to have employed staff on their stands to make the numbers up, but with little or no knowledge of the products. I always thought that the Trade Shows are where you go to find out about new products, ask questions, and try out what they have to offer. A couple of the stands I visited had very smart (and good looking) young men on them - always an attraction for ladies of a certain age! Yet on further inspection, they seemed to have very little knowledge of the craft business!  Is this the equivalent of scantily dressed girls at motor shows and is it acceptable?  What do you think?

This weeks Facebook offer is 15% off all the hand knitted items on our page. Great time to buy a shawl for Mothers Day. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.187527274704672.6618.123707884419945&type=3

This weeks thought to leave you with is "If life gives you lemons, do you need to buy more gin?"

Creativity vs Practicality

Well, what can I say about the weather, it has been absolutely terrible for so many people. My heart goes out to those who have had their homes flooded, I can't begin to image how stressful and upsetting it must be.

When I feel upset or stressed I turn to crafting to calm me down. You probably know by now that I am a bit of a knitaholic, and I find that concentrating on a complicated pattern helps to focus the mind away from my troubles. Before I know it, life seems better and I am much more able to cope with everything. I have to admit though, sometimes those needles do take a bit of a bashing! Does your craft help to calm you down?

Talking of stress, the half term holidays are looming ever closer, so we have an offer for our Facebook fans of 15% off of all children's craft kits this week. It doesn't look like the weather will be great, so maybe a bit of crafting will help to keep the little ones busy - and who knows what treasures they may create! Pop over to the pinned post on our Facebook page for more details.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glitterwitch/123707884419945

This week I am knitting more shawls, there are so many patterns out there and so many variations to them, that I think it is impossible to get bored making them. I love experimenting with different colours and textures to create unique one-off items which my customers seem to like.  Also this week, I MUST make the effort to tidy my craft room/office. Every time I move a box I re-discover crafty things that I haven't seen for a while and then spend an hour or so working out what I can make with them. Not only that, but not all of them are on the website yet!  So do I spend my time creating lovely shawls and wraps or should I be practical and update the website more efficiently?  What would you do?

Well that all for this week and as Valentines day is looming I will leave you with this thought: "Nobody is perfect until you fall in love with them!"

February Already

Well that is January done and dusted, and it ended with a bit of excitement. I gave an interview to my local BBC Radio station, BBC Radio Kent about being an Older-preneur! Yes, I know you thought I was still a teenager, but actually I am a little older than that (not sure about wiser though) Anyway, the interview was arranged through PRIME (Princes Initiative for Mature Enterprise) who run business courses for the over 50's. I attended their course last year and have never looked back since.

So, what is happening in February? Well there is a new section on the website for Easter Crafting for those of you who like to plan in advance. http://www.glitterwitch.co.uk/epages/BT3783.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3783/Categories/EASTER_CRAFTING

Also this month I will be attending a Trade Show in Birmingham to see what the Wholesalers have to offer for the coming year. Each year I say to myself "I will just have a look no need to buy anything" Well, you can guess what happens - so look out for some new products next month.  Oh and let me know if there is anything you would like me to stock - always open to new ideas.

February also see me beginning to tweet a bit more, about offers, new products and life in general, you can follow me on https://twitter.com/Janglitterwitch Comment on this post with your Twitter details if you would like me to follow you.

Well time to go and create more beautiful things, so this times quote for you is "Don't Worry, Bead Happy"

To Sale or not to Sale

It seems that everyone has a sale on at the moment, traditionally people used to wait until the January sales to buy large ticket items. But with so much competition about these days and everyone fighting to get their hands on your little bit of spare cash, it seems to me that the sales last all year round. So, the big question is - should Glitterwitch have big sale now?

Well, those of you who have visited the website will know that there is now a Sale album on there covering a variety of products. This album will remain all year round with new items being added each month.
http://www.glitterwitch.co.uk/epages/BT3783.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3783/Categories/SALE

You may also know that our Facebook page employs a purple Marketing Dragon called Lorna. She now posts special offers every week just for fans of that page. So dont forget to pop over and see what she has for you this week.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glitterwitch/123707884419945

I said before that I would tell you a bit about living with an Auto Immune Disease. I was diagnosed with Hughes Syndrome or Sticky Blood, a couple of years ago following a huge blood clot in my thigh. Consequently I have to take a daily dose of Warfain to thin my blood and stop it clotting any more. Trouble is, to date my blood has not stabilised and so at the moment I have to have it tested twice a week and my Warfarin dose adjusted each time. Not only is that time consuming, but when my blood is too thick it affects my concentration levels. So running Glitterwitch on my own is challenging and sometimes frustrating, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

That leads me nicely to this time's crafty quote: "Life is too short - knit faster!"