Stepping into 2014- walking in My Shoes with Mooloo

Savvy_sewing

Still struggling with my emotions. Doing anything much is an effort.
Had a customer yesterday, so at least the front room got a tidy and a vaccumed.
My software package arrived just after lunch and I spent hours trying to get things to work. Turned out I needed to get a driver off of Brother Website for the Card reader and then the software package is only an upgrade CD so without the original one it's useless. So having spent nearly £200 on it, I am rather frustrated and broke!
Today is a run around day so have got to get my self moving. Need to drop DGD with another Mum before 8 so I can get to town to look after DGD 2 so Biggest can get to her new job. Will need to bring her home with me, so I can get DGD1 before taking her back again as times clash. biggest doesn't get home till the time DGD has to be collected. What with DS now gone I can't be in two places at once!

duchy

I'm guessing Biggest lives somewhere less "remote" than you do Mooloo so better chances for work for him and she's shown she can put her foot down with him so it's all good. At least you know where he is and your relationship with him will probably improve as you won't have to nag him all the time anymore and can actually enjoy his company when you see him !

Savvy_sewing

yes Biggest is only on the outskirts of Northampton (20 odd miles away). With plenty of industrial and shopping estates close by.
I noticed she had a list of jobs for him to do on the side of the kitchen. also when she got in from work she asked him where he had been and what he had done. The difference is he answered her!
I saw my parents for a bit, my Dad took DGD2 for a little walk to the park.
Then we came back to my house for a while. I decided to collect DGD earlier then usual and then take DGD2 back home and wait for her Mum to come back. Both DGDs played well together and then it allowed me to catch up on the Sewing Bee programme from the night before.
I was still tired and when I could I came up to bed. watched Restoration Man before sleep.
Time to get ready for going to work. Etc today.

Savvy_sewing

Work are now selling my stuff on an Etsy site. Let's hope that it is now seen and sold, so thst I can keep my job.
The embroidery machine is starting to make a difference to me, and I hope it will help me to create a new income stream.
I haven't joined the grocery challenge this year but I have decided that my cupboards are bursting at the seams and it is time to give my self a grocery Challenge of £20 a week for March now that there is only DGD and me at home.
She has also asked to have packed Lunches so that means if I can do it within the £20 it will save me £10 a week school dinners.
I have a new customer who wants a retrend item, she gave me the garments she wants mixing today, and a top to alter to fit her.
So that is two new customers this week. I need to have a few more yet though.
I took twin1 shopping at Aldi today.She made a list, and we added it up as we went along. She was pleased that her shopping came in at £41 as it gave her £9 still in her purse.
She also kept her promise to have DGD, which has given me the next 24 hours off.
I have come to Oxford. Went into town and visited the haberdashery in Boar Street. Really quaint little shop that was busy. I bought a couple of metres of some Apron tape and a few butterfly buttons.
They had a sewing workshop going on up the stairs, which I would have liked to have a nose around but didn't.

Savvy_sewing

back home to the usual mess? Nope for once the house was exactly as I had left it. ( ok there was some mess, but it was all mine!). One of the benefits of DS not being here with me any more.
Spent the evening reading and watching TV.
RELAXING!
Back to work tomorrow.

Savvy_sewing

Well today has been a reasonably productive day. Making several new items for VG, but also finally getting into a FB page, local to me, where I was able to mention my sewing skills etc. I had been recommended by Mollys daughter for sewing lessons, which was a fluke as I didnt know, but she had mentioned me on a post (that hadnt tagged me, as I was new to the site), anyway they were looking for sewing lessons. I was able to reply as I was on my lunch break.
From that mention I now have two new people to see about sewing lessons, one this Friday and one Next Tuesday.
Tomorrow I am seeing the owner of the Craft Shop here, about running lessons at her place,(she has more room). So wish me luck, and I hope that we will be working it out to start doing some lessons very soon.
This will help me to recoupe the loss of my funding for the SGO.
I am really worried about the huge drop in our income so to make it up I will need to diversify as much as I can, and to work twice as hard and to get my name known in the local area.
I hope this is the start I have been working towards.
Its very late, I was going to bed, but have been downloading some files on to the laptop and they are still downloading, so I thought I would update tonight instead of in the morning.

minimoneysaver

Does tax credits not replace some of the loss in funding, now that your income will be lower?

Savvy_sewing

minimoneysaver wrote: »

Does tax credits not replace some of the loss in funding, now that your income will be lower?

no. as the GSO and the back to works credit were disregarded in the calculations( which has been very lucky for me this past year!)
But there may be good news as the council are going to come and see me next week and do a means test to see if they can still help me or not. so fingers crossed that I may still get some after all. Depends on their criteria I suppose. Won't know till they have been.
On another good note I met the owner of a new Tea Rooms in the town and she has ordered 12 aprons from me. So that's brilliant. Only outlay I need is to buy the tape for them.
Made her a sample today and she was thrilled hence the order for the others and the chance to display some of my recycled things there aswell.

Savvy_sewing

Had a productive day yesterday. Biggest didn't need me to babysit as DS offered to do it for her. Seems he is helping her a lot. Long may it continue. He's applied for about 15 jobs in the last week.
I had DGDin breakfast club instead of after school club, so I was home and at the sewing machine by 8.30am.
I sorted the best denim legs and embroidered the lettering on them for the aprons the tea room has ordered.
Then I worked on my flyer and the sewing workshop one.
Went to the venue to discuss more there before remembering to pick up DGD at 3.15pm
Had the wedding dress fitting in the evening. Bride has lost even more weight so need to bring the dress in again! But at least all the lengths etc are all fine.
Today it's my day to work at the recycle centre.
Not heard from the twins for a few days. Hoping no news is good news!

Savvy_sewing

usual busy day at work. Made a few different things including some cushion covers.
BF came over to see me last night. Just had a quiet evening watching DIYSOS etc
But have managed to twist my knee when going to the bathroom! Don't know exactly how I did it, but it hurts! So a restless night. Also a struggle this morning. Luckily I have still got my walking stick. Boy did I need that to get DGD to school. Was planning to go up into the loft today to survey the water damage, check fabrics etc but am afraid that's now not going to happen.
I have a lady coming over this morning to discuss sewing lessons. Fingers crossed.