Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

RubySewSew

Snow day! Hooray! School conceded! I think they realised they are fighting a losing battle - we had 7 inches or so of snow last night and we never usually get that much as we're coastal and southern. Goodness knows how people must be coping inland. Kids are with their Dad so I am tucked up in my warm and cosy (albeit slightly untidy) house with a whole unexpected day of nothing! I don't remember the last time I felt like this!

Made it to work last night but agreed on a 9pm finish. Thank goodness - when we walked out of the building it was thick, deep, blizzardy snow. Clients all helped to make sure I got out and even phoned to make sure I got home ok! The drive was a bit hairy, not an experience I would ever like to repeat. Made an emergency trip to co-op this morning. On leaving the house it was apparent that all paths converged on the co-op and we even saw council workers gritting the paths! Shelves bare so stocked up on yeast to make bread and pizza. So now I am installed in front of daytime TV, warm with tea and bacon buttie in my belly. Bliss!

Will do some idle crafting later. A gentle re-stock for Sunday and next Saturday. And I've been harbouring an idea about writing a birthing book. Might have to explore this on the memory girl matrix.

I'm hoping that you are all having a peaceful snow day :snow_laug

Mags30

That sounds like such a cozy snow day:)

RubySewSew

Today so far has gone like this: lie in, tea, tidy house, scrambled eggs from my chickens (first taste!), more tea. I have an application to get in today and then I'm going to get a head start on the baking, making and organising for Sunday. I'm feeling pretty positive about it. The snow should have mellowed by the weekend so town should be really busy. If anybody is on the south coast come along to the Komedia and say hello on Sunday.

Spoke to a very nice chap in Halifax customer relations who has refunded a bunch of charges but has been unable to refund the Nationwide ones. He has encouraged me to take it the ombudsman if I don't get anywhere with Nationwide. He said the industry focus is on fairness at the moment. Which is something Santander are failing miserably at. I haven't even had a reply from them yet!

So for the rest of the day I need to:
shower
complete application
package and post ebay stuff
get ahead on baking
stock take and label for sunday
extra listing on ebay

I'm wondering whether to take my records on Sunday? It's a second hand fayre and I think I could potentially sell a few. I have quite a few odds and sods as well as crafted stuff. I'm hoping that it will be a really good sale as I think Brighton is the right place for me to sell. It would be so nice to have some cash in my pocket. I might even be able to put it towards a shiny new tattoo!

Hope the snow is treating you kindly x

Mags30

RubySewSew wrote: »

I'm wondering whether to take my records on Sunday?x

Bring everything. Much easier to unpack clutter from the car than to be wishing you had brought them when you get there.

RubySewSew

Ok. I have packaged and dispatched all my ebay items. I grossly underestimated the postgae costs. Whoops! However, got home form the post office and another item had sold at full price so that is £20 in the pot. Woop! And received £12.72 from Amazon so need to add that to my December totals. Am going to do some more listing.

I got my application done to. It was for a clinical guideline which is a commitment of 1 day every 2 months. It's pretty well paid so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Just popped up to the supermarket to get ingredients for the mass bake-a-thon. Cost me £40! And the stall was £25. Now I'm panicking! I have no idea how to price stuff - I want it to sell. I'd planned to make 9 big cakes to sell at £2 a slice (8 slices per cake = £16) and then some cheaper items fairycakes, biscuits, flapjack and loaf cakes for £1 a portion. Should I price slightly higher? Should I stick where I am and price to sell? Help! I haven't done this before!

Ok, crisps munched, ebay ebayed and time to attack the kitchen.

Cheery_Daff

I'd say your pricing sounds sensible - although that comes from a not-very-well-off cake lover Certainly a good idea to have some things at £1, and some others at £2. Good luck!

Mags30

I think the prices are ok as they are but when you get there do have a sneaky peak to see what other people are charging and adjust upwards if necessary. Display things on Jamie plates.

Just checking is the weather ok where you are going? Bad weather = less shoppers out. Could you do this every week at a farmers market??

RubySewSew

The universe is on my side! No word of a lie Weds night it dumped down 7 inches of snow resulting in 2 bonus snow days. Today there isn't a scrap of snow anywhere! Result - lots of shoppers eager to spend!

I have exclusivity on cakes I will price down if they're not selling well but prices range from £1 to £2.50, most at £1.50 or £2. The £2.50 slices are a guiness cake (absolute heaven!) and a baileys and malteser cake (I had to sit on myself last night not to tuck into this!). I'm about halfway through baking marathon. Also sat up last night making some Ruby SewSew business cards and labels. And I'll set up a facebook page today. I'll post some pics for you on there so you can see my wares!

What a lovely start to the day - bf just walked in with breakfast, flowers and the paper! Hoorah!

Right, lovely breakfast then to business, make and bake, make and bake, make and bake!

Cheery_Daff

Excellent Ruby, sounds like you're having a fab day! :T :T Well done on the cake front, I'm well impressed :T And great idea to get business cards etc ready! :j :j

Good luck at the fair! :j

Karmacat

Hello Ruby! I've just seen where you are, and what you're doing, I've finally managed to pop over from Cheery's thread .... it sounds like this weekend is wonderful for you! Hope it goes really well.