Especially when it's pre-stiffened and will make perfect tote bags.
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
When you've promised
that you won't buy any new fabric to make things for a craft fair and will instead plough through your huge stash and then you find six metres of this, in the form of brand new, still in the pack Ikea curtains for £4 in a local charity shop, it is ok to break your own rule!
Especially when it's pre-stiffened and will make perfect tote bags.
Especially when it's pre-stiffened and will make perfect tote bags.
10 tips on approaching shops
Selling online is easy, right? Wrong!
Setting up shop online is easy, but the actual selling takes a lot of hard work. First you have to make something and make it well, then you have to photograph it beautifully, then you have to write a description which reads as though you hadn't bothered your backside to offer photos in the first place. Then you have to market your products and that in itself can be on uphill struggle.
On the other hand selling offline can actually be much easier, you just make and take to a shop. Beautifully made things will sell themselves because customers can pick them up off the shelves, try them on, hold them, feel them and smell them. You no longer need to bother with beautiful photos and wordy descriptions and because some shops also like to use their own branding and packaging, allowing you maybe a label or swing tag, that's another thing you don't have to worry about.
But the thought of approaching a shop can seem very daunting and can put people off the idea before they've even tried.
I've put together a little list of tips of what to do when considering approaching shops to hopefully make the whole thing seem less scary and hopefully more rewarding.
Setting up shop online is easy, but the actual selling takes a lot of hard work. First you have to make something and make it well, then you have to photograph it beautifully, then you have to write a description which reads as though you hadn't bothered your backside to offer photos in the first place. Then you have to market your products and that in itself can be on uphill struggle.
On the other hand selling offline can actually be much easier, you just make and take to a shop. Beautifully made things will sell themselves because customers can pick them up off the shelves, try them on, hold them, feel them and smell them. You no longer need to bother with beautiful photos and wordy descriptions and because some shops also like to use their own branding and packaging, allowing you maybe a label or swing tag, that's another thing you don't have to worry about.
But the thought of approaching a shop can seem very daunting and can put people off the idea before they've even tried.
I've put together a little list of tips of what to do when considering approaching shops to hopefully make the whole thing seem less scary and hopefully more rewarding.
- Firstly, spend some time in the shops you are considering. Pop in a couple of times over the course of a few weeks. You want to get a feel for how busy the shop is and how well it's doing. Many a designer has lost items when a shop they stocked closed without warning.
- Try and get a feel for the products in the shop and more importantly what sells. This will give you an idea of the shop's reputation and what they are well known for. Do handbags languish on the shelves for months on end and yet every time you pop in they seem to have new jewellery. This means that the shop is known for jewellery and that is what customers will intentionally go to the shop to buy. If you don't sell jewellery then you only have the opportunity of selling to passers by who may not be looking for anything at all. Always try and find the right place for you.
- Think about the location and what effect it will have on you. For instance, I don't drive so delivering to shops in my own town is a dawdle, delivering to the towns immediately surrounding my own takes a little more planning but isn't in itself a hassle. I can even manage Belfast with a huge bag and little fuss, but anything beyond that becomes much more of a headache and you'll need to take that into consideration. In stocking a shop you could be paying as much as 50% to the shop owner. Are you fine with only earning 50% and taking on any hassle involved in delivering too.
- Once you've worked out which shops you would like to approach, make an appointment. I honestly can't stress this enough, I know a few people have had success by just dropping in the off chance, but keep in mind that the shop owner holds all the cards and at this early stage the only thing you have to offer is respect for them and what they do. I personally can't abide when someone assumes that just because I'm not making something or packing an order that I must be sat here with my two arms the one length and all the time in the world to do what I please and the same holds true for shop owners. Just because they don't have a queue at the counter doesn't mean that you can assume they're standing there with nothing to do and you'll be a welcome break in an otherwise boring day.
If you do choose to just drop in unexpected, I would suggest starting the conversation by saying that you love the things they've chosen for the shop and you believe that your products would fit perfectly and could you possibly arrange a time to call and have a chat with them when it's convenient. You may get lucky and they'll have time there and then, but if they've actually just been waiting for a few spare minutes between sales to nip to the loo when you happened to walk in then you've at least offered them the opportunity to offer you a quick response, even if it is just to tell you to phone later in the day. - If a shop isn't interested in your products, don't take it to heart. Try and keep in mind that nobody knows the shop and customers better than the owner. They're running a business and have to make all their decisions with their head rather than their heart. It doesn't matter that you make the most beautiful brooches she's ever set eyes on in her life, if she's stocked brooches before and hasn't had any success with them or if her biggest sellers are soaps and candles, then chances are she just won't be able or willing to sacrifice the shelf space for your products. Don't take it personally, it's just business.
- So you've taken the first step and now you have a date and time to go back again. I would suggest taking good photographs of your range of products, take photos of things in groups, a selection of jewellery, highlighting one or two pieces in photos of their own is a good way to go. You don't want the owner to feel as though they're plowing through your holiday snaps for the past ten years. 15 or 20 photos at the very most will be more than enough, then choose a few key pieces to take with you. I would also suggest wearing something of your own if you happen to make something that can be worn. If you have your own packaging take a sample of that too to show the quality.
Don't worry if the shop owner asks if you can leave a couple of things for her to think it over. I was asked the same thing when I first approached a shop and later that day a customer saw the pieces I had left behind the counter and asked if they were for sale, had that not happened the owner may have decided against stocking me in a few days. I got lucky. - Going back to the respect thing again, I would say to make sure you are presentable when going to the shop. It isn't a formal interview so you don't need to break out the good suit, but just make sure that you are tidy and well presented. Leave enough time for a quick chat to turn into a coffee or even a lunch, you want to give the owner your full attention and not look as though you really need to be somewhere else. With that in mind, don't take the kiddies with you either.
- If the shop offers to take a few pieces on sale or return don't let it worry you. Most shops will only consider consignment until a designer has a proven track record with them. It's a way of letting you get your things onto shelves where customers can see them, but the only risk to the shop owner at this stage is letting you have a shelf.
- If you are offered consignment, try and stop yourself from calling in to the shop every day "just in case something has sold", but do keep an eye on your things or more importantly where they are. If a couple of things sell, you could bring up the subject of them maybe being better located within the shop, at eye level or closer to the front of the shop, if however nothing has sold in a few weeks, suggest replacing them with a few different items. This will help keep the shop looking fresh for the owner, it makes you look proactive and it has the added bonus that regular customers to the shop will view your items as popular, regularly replaced and updated and therefore desirable. Nobody has to know that you took the last batch home again and that they didn't leave the shop wrapped beautifully in customer's bag.
- And lastly, negotiate. Just because you agreed to 50% on your first day selling through a shop doesn't mean you're stuck with that figure. If you find that you're selling well through a particular shop and getting the call to restock more frequently then it may be time to consider a renegotiation of your percentage.
In the early days if the owner felt that 50% was reasonable for your products to take up her shelf space before selling a month or two later, whereas now she finds that your products are selling within a couple of weeks then you should be able to successfully renegotiate the owners percentage down a bit. Go easy though, maintaining the relationship is important and you can always come back to the subject and whittle down the percentage a little at a time.
Frugal Finds
I love a good old plunder around charity shops, though if I'm honest I'm rarely very lucky where greats find are concerned.
For instance, I've yet to find the bin bag stuffed with vintage Laura Ashley fabric for a tenner, nor have I come across the shoe box stuffed with great granny's buttons for a quid. It just doesn't happen to me.
But occasionally I do find some real gems, especially on days when Robert hasbeen abandoned very kindly offered to stay at home with Chloe while I go a rummaging.
On Saturday I snaffled these lovely patchwork pillow cases out from under somebody else. A lad had been looking at them and had hung them back on the rail again, but I could see her mulling it over so as soon as she turned her back I grabbed them.
Not very nice of me I know, but you snooze you loose:)
I do have a thing for the flowers, don't I.
I've also been keeping my eye out for a summer quilt or blanket for Chloe's bed. During the Summer the front of our house is baked by the sun for most of the day and Chloe's room is at the front of the house. It's not a problem if we're just pottering around the house and in the garden because I have all the windows open, but if we've spent the day at the beach and arrive home at about 6pm the heat in her can be powerful and by that time opening all the windows is like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
I found this lovely, very light quilt (I've said before I don't do ironing, don't you judge me). It's a very pale yellow with little feather prints all over it. She really loves it and I'm hoping that because it is slightly satiny (not a word) when she turns over in bed the quilt should just stay on top of her rather than getting tangled around her and making her sweat.
Well, I hope so anyway.
For instance, I've yet to find the bin bag stuffed with vintage Laura Ashley fabric for a tenner, nor have I come across the shoe box stuffed with great granny's buttons for a quid. It just doesn't happen to me.
But occasionally I do find some real gems, especially on days when Robert has
On Saturday I snaffled these lovely patchwork pillow cases out from under somebody else. A lad had been looking at them and had hung them back on the rail again, but I could see her mulling it over so as soon as she turned her back I grabbed them.
Not very nice of me I know, but you snooze you loose:)
I do have a thing for the flowers, don't I.
I've also been keeping my eye out for a summer quilt or blanket for Chloe's bed. During the Summer the front of our house is baked by the sun for most of the day and Chloe's room is at the front of the house. It's not a problem if we're just pottering around the house and in the garden because I have all the windows open, but if we've spent the day at the beach and arrive home at about 6pm the heat in her can be powerful and by that time opening all the windows is like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.
I found this lovely, very light quilt (I've said before I don't do ironing, don't you judge me). It's a very pale yellow with little feather prints all over it. She really loves it and I'm hoping that because it is slightly satiny (not a word) when she turns over in bed the quilt should just stay on top of her rather than getting tangled around her and making her sweat.
Well, I hope so anyway.
Folksy Friday - The Chloe's Choice Awards
My cold addled brain has taken complete leave of its senses, perhaps the grunt work in the garden on Saturday morning really wasn't the best idea after all, so this week's Folksy Friday comes straight to you from the very lovely Chloe. She has impeccable taste by the way.
Chloe is already a big fan of Hotdog, so it was no surprise that her first stop on Folksy was a visit with the pups. She already has two to call her own but reckons she can make room for another, or maybe two.
Hotdog's alter ego, Betty, is also currently running a giveaway. If you fancy being in with a chance of winning some of the most gorgeous beads and charms I've ever seen then pop over and enter.
Chloe's second stop was with the other mousie. Her itty bitty pirate kitty has been very well looked after by the pups though I've a sneaking suspicion that they're only trying to catch a glimpse of her treasure map. Yes, our pirate is a girl, what of it?
Of all the gorgeous little creatures at Nats Nest that Chloe could have had her pick of, she fell in love with the carrot oddities. Though I can't say I blame her.
Chloe's first encounter with Oddsox was way back before Christmas when I allowed her to shop via twitter avatar and she badly wanted Shaz's sock monkey. Because she's a kind hearted child she completely understood that the monkey in question belonged to Shaz and was a gift though I'm fairly certain she'd be a tad less understanding and probably would have been willing to go a few rounds for the elephant.
And lastly, but by no means least, another Nicsknots Diddy Handbag. And again, she already has one. This one in fact, only in red, but she's rarely parted with it. Don't let the name fool you either, it's her go to weekend bag for taking to my mum's house and I've seen that child walk out the front door with a book, handful of toys, purse, whichever piece of jewellery is currently in favour, lip salve, hair bobbles and a DS all tucked inside that bag. She rocks at Tetris too:)
And with that I bid you all goodnight, seeing as it's actually still Thursday and past Chloe's bedtime and I fear past my own as well.
Chloe is already a big fan of Hotdog, so it was no surprise that her first stop on Folksy was a visit with the pups. She already has two to call her own but reckons she can make room for another, or maybe two.
Hotdog's alter ego, Betty, is also currently running a giveaway. If you fancy being in with a chance of winning some of the most gorgeous beads and charms I've ever seen then pop over and enter.
Chloe's second stop was with the other mousie. Her itty bitty pirate kitty has been very well looked after by the pups though I've a sneaking suspicion that they're only trying to catch a glimpse of her treasure map. Yes, our pirate is a girl, what of it?
Of all the gorgeous little creatures at Nats Nest that Chloe could have had her pick of, she fell in love with the carrot oddities. Though I can't say I blame her.
Chloe's first encounter with Oddsox was way back before Christmas when I allowed her to shop via twitter avatar and she badly wanted Shaz's sock monkey. Because she's a kind hearted child she completely understood that the monkey in question belonged to Shaz and was a gift though I'm fairly certain she'd be a tad less understanding and probably would have been willing to go a few rounds for the elephant.
And lastly, but by no means least, another Nicsknots Diddy Handbag. And again, she already has one. This one in fact, only in red, but she's rarely parted with it. Don't let the name fool you either, it's her go to weekend bag for taking to my mum's house and I've seen that child walk out the front door with a book, handful of toys, purse, whichever piece of jewellery is currently in favour, lip salve, hair bobbles and a DS all tucked inside that bag. She rocks at Tetris too:)
And with that I bid you all goodnight, seeing as it's actually still Thursday and past Chloe's bedtime and I fear past my own as well.
Labra Kadabra - The World Famous Magician
Earlier this week the very lovely Hotdog and Me posted a thread on Folksy. Simple enough, she would send a sock dog kit to the first ten people to comment on the thread and all of our crazy makings would be listed in the Crafteroo Shop on Folksy in support of Children in Need. She sent out 12!
Anyway, I was all over it like flies on ... ahem!
I had a couple of ideas floating around my head and decided that I'd make my mind up when the kit arrived.
The very next day, my postie knocked the door and there was my parcel....
Yes, I know the drill. Receive a parcel, take a photo, post the photo.
Impatience thy name is Leanne.
After a couple of days of fitting in little bits of stitching here and there during sickipoo nap times, Labra Kadabra is finally finished.
I should probably mention that he's a world famous magician because he isn't very good at magic.
Check out that poor bunny!
He was listed in the Crafteroo Shop on Folksy a short time ago, but you can't have him.
He's sold already and will be heading off to his new home first thing tomorrow.
However remember now, 12 kits were sent out and Labra is only the warped result of one of the kits, so keep an eye out in the shop. They'll be popping up quite regularly, although if Labra was anything to go by, you'll need to be quick. Really, really quick.
Anyway, I was all over it like flies on ... ahem!
I had a couple of ideas floating around my head and decided that I'd make my mind up when the kit arrived.
The very next day, my postie knocked the door and there was my parcel....
Yes, I know the drill. Receive a parcel, take a photo, post the photo.
Impatience thy name is Leanne.
After a couple of days of fitting in little bits of stitching here and there during sickipoo nap times, Labra Kadabra is finally finished.
I should probably mention that he's a world famous magician because he isn't very good at magic.
Check out that poor bunny!
He was listed in the Crafteroo Shop on Folksy a short time ago, but you can't have him.
He's sold already and will be heading off to his new home first thing tomorrow.
However remember now, 12 kits were sent out and Labra is only the warped result of one of the kits, so keep an eye out in the shop. They'll be popping up quite regularly, although if Labra was anything to go by, you'll need to be quick. Really, really quick.
Bits 'n' bobs 'n' organisational failures
We spent a good portion of this morning doing our big shop.
I try my best to plan ahead (to a certain extent) so that I can go and do one monster sized shop once every couple of months and then I just buy fresh in between those times. Usually my big shop starts off furthest away at the Asian supermarket for all my dried stuff and some ready made sauces, then to the scoop market for flours, yeast, dried fruit and nuts and then closer to home for the outdoor market where I'll get fish, eggs, and whatever fresh fruit and veg I need for the week or so ahead, then I tend to finish off at the butchers on the way home. It's a long haul but I enjoy it and more importantly Chloe enjoys it much more than a trip to the supermarket.
Sometimes we'll even have a treat and head over to Spice the Deli in Bangor for cheese and cured meats, not today though I'll maybe do that some day through the week by myself because the girls in the shop will let Chloe taste absolutely everything behind the counter and then I'm the one who has to deal with a four year old on porky overload.
I thought I'd be really organised this time around and try to sit down and plan out my meals a whole month in advance. I can manage a week easily, but let me tell you, a whole month is a completely different ball game. My admiration goes out to the people who can successfully plan a month ahead because I failed miserably.
Its the repetition! I mustn't notice it when I plan a week at a time and Robert and Chloe say they don't notice it either, but it really became apparent in trying to do a month that I'm stuck in a cooking rut. Then of course when I was making the list I tried arguing with myself and trying to include a lot more different meals which isn't necessary because my family have their favourites and there really isn't much point in trying to fix something that isn't broken, but I just couldn't help myself.
So the monthly plan was scrapped. In truth I couldn't even manage to get together the bare bones of a monthly plan.
I bought a few different things today that I don't often buy to force me to think of a few new meals around here so hopefully that will help. I have pork belly in the fridge and a big bowl of beans soaking so I'm going to do slow cooked baked beans tomorrow in the crockpot, I'll brown the pork belly really well and add it to the baked beans and just let it cook down and melt into the sauce for a richer, meatier dish for the winter. I should get about 8 portions out of that crockpot and I'll freeze them. Plus I bought a few other different cuts of meat and a pumpkin with plans to make two batches of soup, one pumpkin and coriander and the other pumpkin, ham and red lentil which should be a fair bit thicker.
I'm trying to cut down on the amount of waste around here. I've done pretty well with leftovers and just cooking a lot less so that food doesn't end up as leftovers, but there's still some wastage and I don't like it.
The main problem is lunches. I'll use whatever is handy for Chloe and I each day, but the problem is with Robert's lunch. The poor bloke is bored to tears with sandwiches regardless of the filling and he'll only eat salads and pasta salads during the Summer so that means that he's been having a craving for something else during the day, buying it for his lunch and the lunchbox arrives back home again still fully packed.
My imagination has deserted me here. He's stuck in that he is on the road all day and so he doesn't often have the option of heating something and I just haven't been able to find a food flask that grade anything higher than pathetic. They're just not up to the job of keeping food hot, or even anything close to remotely warm. I've tried all the tricks, filling them with boiling water first and heating the food so that it is actually still bubbling away as I pour it into the flask but still come lunchtime its cold again.
I'm at a dead loss here. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to pop in the hubbo's lunchbox to keep a smile on his face or even a suggestion of a good food flask.
I'm stumped friends, help a girl out.
I try my best to plan ahead (to a certain extent) so that I can go and do one monster sized shop once every couple of months and then I just buy fresh in between those times. Usually my big shop starts off furthest away at the Asian supermarket for all my dried stuff and some ready made sauces, then to the scoop market for flours, yeast, dried fruit and nuts and then closer to home for the outdoor market where I'll get fish, eggs, and whatever fresh fruit and veg I need for the week or so ahead, then I tend to finish off at the butchers on the way home. It's a long haul but I enjoy it and more importantly Chloe enjoys it much more than a trip to the supermarket.
Sometimes we'll even have a treat and head over to Spice the Deli in Bangor for cheese and cured meats, not today though I'll maybe do that some day through the week by myself because the girls in the shop will let Chloe taste absolutely everything behind the counter and then I'm the one who has to deal with a four year old on porky overload.
I thought I'd be really organised this time around and try to sit down and plan out my meals a whole month in advance. I can manage a week easily, but let me tell you, a whole month is a completely different ball game. My admiration goes out to the people who can successfully plan a month ahead because I failed miserably.
Its the repetition! I mustn't notice it when I plan a week at a time and Robert and Chloe say they don't notice it either, but it really became apparent in trying to do a month that I'm stuck in a cooking rut. Then of course when I was making the list I tried arguing with myself and trying to include a lot more different meals which isn't necessary because my family have their favourites and there really isn't much point in trying to fix something that isn't broken, but I just couldn't help myself.
So the monthly plan was scrapped. In truth I couldn't even manage to get together the bare bones of a monthly plan.
I bought a few different things today that I don't often buy to force me to think of a few new meals around here so hopefully that will help. I have pork belly in the fridge and a big bowl of beans soaking so I'm going to do slow cooked baked beans tomorrow in the crockpot, I'll brown the pork belly really well and add it to the baked beans and just let it cook down and melt into the sauce for a richer, meatier dish for the winter. I should get about 8 portions out of that crockpot and I'll freeze them. Plus I bought a few other different cuts of meat and a pumpkin with plans to make two batches of soup, one pumpkin and coriander and the other pumpkin, ham and red lentil which should be a fair bit thicker.
I'm trying to cut down on the amount of waste around here. I've done pretty well with leftovers and just cooking a lot less so that food doesn't end up as leftovers, but there's still some wastage and I don't like it.
The main problem is lunches. I'll use whatever is handy for Chloe and I each day, but the problem is with Robert's lunch. The poor bloke is bored to tears with sandwiches regardless of the filling and he'll only eat salads and pasta salads during the Summer so that means that he's been having a craving for something else during the day, buying it for his lunch and the lunchbox arrives back home again still fully packed.
My imagination has deserted me here. He's stuck in that he is on the road all day and so he doesn't often have the option of heating something and I just haven't been able to find a food flask that grade anything higher than pathetic. They're just not up to the job of keeping food hot, or even anything close to remotely warm. I've tried all the tricks, filling them with boiling water first and heating the food so that it is actually still bubbling away as I pour it into the flask but still come lunchtime its cold again.
I'm at a dead loss here. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to pop in the hubbo's lunchbox to keep a smile on his face or even a suggestion of a good food flask.
I'm stumped friends, help a girl out.
Sunday Update
We had a really busy Saturday here, busier than usual but seeing as we have a nice long weekend and the husband will be able to relax on Monday and Tuesday I thought we might as well get all the madness out of the way on Saturday and leave the rest of the weekend free and clear. Toots spent the morning running around in her dad's new visor but he had to take it back to finally try out the new wood lathe. He's been out there in the garage this morning whittling away and I'll show you the fruits of his labour later in the week.
First thing Saturday morning we headed to Makro which is basically a huge wholesalers. I may have went a it mad when I grabbed 5kg of chicken.
But considering the bag turned out to contain exactly 30 fillets (don't you love nice round numbers) and it cost less than £17.00 I was a happy bunny. It looks a little less unwieldy once its all neatly bagged and sorted out for the chest freezer.
Oh, and I also picked up a bag of sugar or two along with a few kilos of stork. Well, 16kgs of sugar altogether but it was dirt cheap and well worth it.
But you know what that means don't you? Regularly scheduled cakey programming on Simply Food will resume in 3...2...1
First thing Saturday morning we headed to Makro which is basically a huge wholesalers. I may have went a it mad when I grabbed 5kg of chicken.
But considering the bag turned out to contain exactly 30 fillets (don't you love nice round numbers) and it cost less than £17.00 I was a happy bunny. It looks a little less unwieldy once its all neatly bagged and sorted out for the chest freezer.
Oh, and I also picked up a bag of sugar or two along with a few kilos of stork. Well, 16kgs of sugar altogether but it was dirt cheap and well worth it.
But you know what that means don't you? Regularly scheduled cakey programming on Simply Food will resume in 3...2...1
Clumsy is what clumsy does
Do you have any idea what I'm risking just by being here.
I might delete my blog entirely by accident.
I might accidentally type the secret combination of words programmed at the very beginning of time as we know it designed to wipe the entire internet clean and start again. You know, in case it actually did end up filled with nothing but smut.
The world itself may come to an abrupt end.
Well ok perhaps not, but I have been incredibly clumsy this week.
So much so that I question whether or not its safe to leave the house.
So far, this week alone (my clumsiness extends as far back as I can remember) I have;
Cut myself 3 times making meals, one of those times was with a butter knife. I ask you!
Managed to sew my finger to fabric when I'd have been happy to just include the button with no added extras.
Fallen down my garden steps.
Stubbed my toe.
Fell out of bed. I may or may not have had a glass or two of wine.
Stabbed myself in the finger countless times making mini notebooks (those things are dangerous).
Tripped over my own feet.
And to top of my resoundingly pratastic week I tried to take Toots to buy her some sandals today and maybe some new clothes. The first shop we went to is quite expensive but they did have a fantastic sale on. Toots was playing with the foot measuring thingy while I looked at a few different pairs of shoes when all I heard in the crowded, but really rather quiet, shop was an almighty parp followed by Toots loudly and proudly exclaiming "I FARTED".
Needless to say we didn't get shoes.
Then onto the second shop I asked her nicely at the front door to behave for a few minutes and explained that I just wanted to pick her up a couple of skirts and then we could go for ice cream. We entered the shop and Toots immediately spied a pair of pink and purple and glittery (no less) sunglasses and while trying to pick them up to have a closer look she knocked over the single largest pile of swimming costumes I've ever seen on display.
Of course, I'm left scrabbling on the floor trying to gather them all up again, trying to lay them back on the shelf just as they were which turned out to be completely impossible because the women who work in the shop are geniuses and they have a knack of this kind of thing which clearly I do not and I kept getting the strappy bits tangled round my fingers and knocking even more of them to the ground again.
I finally managed to get them back on the shelf and not looking too badly either if I do say so myself when I stood up straight and whacked my forehead against another shelf which caused me to jump roughly 29 feet into the air because it frightened the life out of me and by that stage everyone in the shop had stopped what they were doing to watch the mad, dancing chimp playing with the swimming costumes.
Finally I thought "stuff it" this just wasn't going to be the day for shopping. I gave up and we settled ourselves on the grass in the square with a couple of blue slush puppies.
Hmmm lovely.
And I was just thinking that maybe the day wasn't that bad after all, when I chucked half of the bright toxic looking blue slush puppie down the front of myself.
The four year old was immaculate.
I think I may go hide under the covers.
I might delete my blog entirely by accident.
I might accidentally type the secret combination of words programmed at the very beginning of time as we know it designed to wipe the entire internet clean and start again. You know, in case it actually did end up filled with nothing but smut.
The world itself may come to an abrupt end.
Well ok perhaps not, but I have been incredibly clumsy this week.
So much so that I question whether or not its safe to leave the house.
So far, this week alone (my clumsiness extends as far back as I can remember) I have;
Cut myself 3 times making meals, one of those times was with a butter knife. I ask you!
Managed to sew my finger to fabric when I'd have been happy to just include the button with no added extras.
Fallen down my garden steps.
Stubbed my toe.
Fell out of bed. I may or may not have had a glass or two of wine.
Stabbed myself in the finger countless times making mini notebooks (those things are dangerous).
Tripped over my own feet.
And to top of my resoundingly pratastic week I tried to take Toots to buy her some sandals today and maybe some new clothes. The first shop we went to is quite expensive but they did have a fantastic sale on. Toots was playing with the foot measuring thingy while I looked at a few different pairs of shoes when all I heard in the crowded, but really rather quiet, shop was an almighty parp followed by Toots loudly and proudly exclaiming "I FARTED".
Needless to say we didn't get shoes.
Then onto the second shop I asked her nicely at the front door to behave for a few minutes and explained that I just wanted to pick her up a couple of skirts and then we could go for ice cream. We entered the shop and Toots immediately spied a pair of pink and purple and glittery (no less) sunglasses and while trying to pick them up to have a closer look she knocked over the single largest pile of swimming costumes I've ever seen on display.
Of course, I'm left scrabbling on the floor trying to gather them all up again, trying to lay them back on the shelf just as they were which turned out to be completely impossible because the women who work in the shop are geniuses and they have a knack of this kind of thing which clearly I do not and I kept getting the strappy bits tangled round my fingers and knocking even more of them to the ground again.
I finally managed to get them back on the shelf and not looking too badly either if I do say so myself when I stood up straight and whacked my forehead against another shelf which caused me to jump roughly 29 feet into the air because it frightened the life out of me and by that stage everyone in the shop had stopped what they were doing to watch the mad, dancing chimp playing with the swimming costumes.
Finally I thought "stuff it" this just wasn't going to be the day for shopping. I gave up and we settled ourselves on the grass in the square with a couple of blue slush puppies.
Hmmm lovely.
And I was just thinking that maybe the day wasn't that bad after all, when I chucked half of the bright toxic looking blue slush puppie down the front of myself.
The four year old was immaculate.
I think I may go hide under the covers.
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