I'm Poorly.......

yes, I've not been well over the last couple of days. To bore you with the details, I had a scratchy throat when G & I went out on saturday evening. This little tickle kept raising up and I kept swallowing to keep it at bay, especially as we were in the cinema at the time.

Sunday morning came and I just wasn't feeling myself and by the afternoon my head was burning up. But I kept going as I had the design idea in my head for the fused glass seascape.

The seascape is a slow process as I want it to be textured & slumped.....and just perfect! (It's tack fusing as we speak in the kiln)

In the meantime I made another little item called 'Bluebell Wood' & hope you like it.

Back to the story, yesterday I spent the day at home poorly. I'm not a good patient. I want to get out of bed and do enjoyable stuff rather than just laying there groaning & moaning. And there was no-one of groan & moan too as G had gone to work.

So I've got myself into work today inflicting my germs on Elisa.....sorry hon!

What's Your Mission Statement?

When I read mission statements from places like Tescos I wonder whether it's an aim rather than a real belief in what they say they will do, and I also wonder whether they've actually been in their own shops recently.

This is Tesco's statement....

"No one tries harder for customers:

Understand customers better than anyone

Be energetic, be innovative and be first for customers

Use our strengths to deliver unbeatable value to our customers

Look after our people so they can look after our customers

Treat people how we like to be treated"

I'm not here to knock Tescos, they're just an example. Most retailers have something like this.

I was just thinking about this because on the www.folksy.com forum on Sunday someone was asking the question 'do you like what you make?' And it got me thinking, what do I think about what I make and do?

Personally I love what I make on the whole. The power in the belief that what I make is amazing and cool drives me on even when sales are low. I have to believe that my items are the best out there otherwise why would I keep on making things? I also believe that the finish of my items is fantastic. I'm not here to judge others but I know that I won't put anything in my shop if it isn't finished to the highest possible standard. I also passionately believe in excellent customer service. My day job involves me exceeding expectations in this area and I don't see why it should stop at my online shop. Ok, so this isn't so easy to prove in an online shop but buy something and hate, well, just drop it back to me, I don't mind (well, maybe a little bit :0) )

So the Poppyfields Design Mission Statement is....

The customer is always right even when I'm not sure they are. Heck, I want them to come back and also tell everyone how I was happy for them to return the item

I will be as creative as I can, as often as I can. This isn't always easy, I sometimes lose my mojo

My glass & jewellery items will always be beautifully finished. Handcrafted doesn't mean half-arsed!

Treat everyone like a King or Queen, better than you wish to be treated. You'll get it back anyway on the whole & everyone is a potential customer.

Delight & excite at every opportunity....oh sorry, that ones for my boyfriend :0)

February Valentinos!

I'm pleased to announce I have FINALLY made a piece of jewellery this year! It's only February and I run an online JEWELLERY shop!!! My mojo had deserted me but it seems to have made it's way back to me.

It's good that it has come back because I've joined the Folksy February listing club. This is where you have to list something new everyday and the idea is that you support and help your fellow club members and get more sales. That's the general idea but this doesn't seem to happening with me yet, but hey, it's on the 4th Feb and I'm not sweating about it!

I've also drawn the lovely Natalie Ofkants of NofkantsCurios www.nofkantscurios/shops/folksy.com in the Valentines Swap. I thought it was a general swaperoo and was a bit thrown when I found out it had to be heart related! D'OH!!! Fortunately I've managed to get something together which I think she'll love but I can't show it yet as it'll spoil the surprise!

I've also finished the commissioned pieces for a gentleman who wanted a piece of fused glass with his and his wifes' initials in a Valentines gift. He asked me to make 2 pieces to chose from. My favourite is the picture at the top. Fingers crossed that she loves it.

It's Nearly February!! Hooray!

So here we are again. Getting to the end of January which I'm really pleased about. January (for me anyway) is the most depresssing month of the year and it seems soooooooooo long. Everyone is a bit miserable as they're giving up something in a new years resolution, or is a bit broke because they're repaying all their Christmas debt. All I want to do is feel some warm sun on my face and not have to wear a big heavy coat.

Now I've got that off my chest I can say nice and happy things, lol!

I've been making some lovely glass things and he's a confession......I haven't made a piece of jewellery all year!! ha! I think I just made so much jewellery in the run up to Christmas that I've lost my jewellery mojo. I'm sure it'll pop it's head back up as I've got some beautiful beads sitting here begging, begging I tell you, to be made into something beautiful.

In the mean time I've been commission to make two Valentine pieces by a very romantic gentleman for his wife. I've made one 'safe' option which is their initials in a heart but I'm allowed to go crazy in the second one so opted for a stylised heart, with copper hearts, cupids & flowers; initials in glass again & more hearts.
My lovely friend Lucy (who makes beautiful silver clay jewellery) asked me to make a coaster for her desk. The design brief was "I was scattered confetti in pink and white".I've also made my first wave mould Poppyfield. There's been quite alot of interest in this already and I love it so I can see me making more. I'm thinking of maybe a cottage garden scene or a bluebell wood.....or the sea. The options are endless and I can't wait to get my hands on some more glass this weekend.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all!

Here I am again after a very busy pre-Christmas sales rush and a post-Christmas rush around the country visiting inlaws (well nearly) & family.

After the shop which after reflection actually went really well, Elisa and I then had a weekend slot at The Square Tower, Old Portsmouth. I woke up on the saturday to find it had been snowing (AGAIN!) but I set off only to get a couple of miles up the road before slipping and sliding deciding that nothing was worth risking my life! The next moring I got up again and set off. Got there ok but the pavement outside the Tower was a skating rink. Not sure if that was the reason or just the absolutely freezing cold weather but the Fayre was a complete disaster for everyone :0( But reviewing the sales I had meant that I did make a good profit which I have squandered on 2 courses with Warm Glass! Can't wait! Oh, and some moulds and some new glass!

The New Year brings resolutions to get fit and lose some weight in a sensible manner ready for an exciting trip to California in May. Also, sitting squeezed into a airplane seat for over 10 hours is an amazing incentment!

Looking to make lots of new glassy things in the kiln and I've got a wave mould coming so I can do 'standing up' pieces and I want to make plates, vases & useful items.

SHOP SHOP SHOP!

Today is a VERY exciting day! Elisa & I have the shop!! Ok, so it's not that exciting if you're not involved but it's been a long time coming.

The other ladies involved are Lucy & Vidiya who make jewellery and pottery. Unfortunately we lost our graphic artist, but not to worry.

We set up the shop last night and it is FULL to the seams. And there I was worried that I wouldn't have enough stock. But it's the unexpected.

We are due to have a full house on our preview evening (tonight!!!) but I'm guessing we'll be very quiet the rest of the week. I'll get some photos tonight and give you an update soon.

I've been busy playing with the kiln, finally I hear you say! I've fired it up twice and I've managed to get a few good items already which I really pleased about. G was away on Monday night, and laying in bed I could hear a gentle hum. I suddenly realised that our bedroom is over the garage and that should the kiln decide to explode during the night, then we will feel the full force of it.....not that that'll ever happen. But it kept me awake for hours!Pop over to my Folksy shop where you'll find lots of lovely Christmas gifts and if you don't find anything you like in my shop, then you're bound to find it elsewhere on there.

Take care! x

Snow

Have you done all your Christmas shopping yet?

I think I'm almost there! And thank goodness for that as I'm so busy with jewellery shops and events in the run up to the big day. Ah just remembered that I said I would make G's mum a cameo pendant from silver clay, ok, but I think that's almost it!

Elisa & I had planned a sale at the centre where I have my office but wouldn't you believe it that on the day we had 7 inches of snow and only 'heros' like Elisa & I managed to get into the office. I would have been stuck in the snow but her b/f has a 4 x 4 which can leap tall building, scale Everest etc etc so he came to the rescue.

The casualty of the snow has been G & my's Christmas 80's party this saturday. I didn't want to be responsible for slips, trips & near fatal car crashes on the motorway in this weather. No doubt we'll have revellers turn up in their party glad rags expecting to hear 'Relax' (only just got the words to the song about 2 years ago - yes, isn't it rude!) when the only relaxing will be me & G chillaxing with a bottle of red in front of the fire.

Next week the thaw is due which is good timing as Elisa and some other crafty pals have our shop in Portsmouth (Market Way - Pop Up Shops). Drop in and say 'hello' if you're passing. Oh, and buy all our stock too!!! ;0)