home time

Another week another £, well I managed all I had to do and now it is Saturday afternoon once again. This photo was taken only 10 minutes ago as I was just finishing this glass, one of 2 going off to Australia on Monday.
I must update the photos on my website, I have so many new ones to show you....it seems these Harrods trips mean that I miss out on my usual weekend Website work.
Next week will be pretty hectic, as I have a few orders to get through before I head off to London again , this time engraving exclusively for Guerlain for their new lipstick launch, Thursday and Friday, then Saturday I have an early start off to Darsham once again for their craft experience day where I will be teaching all day , around 12 students in all....I think Sunday I may just stay in bed all day ;-) then again...what a waste that would be.

oh yes, I am thoroughly enjoying having an account with Parcel Force now, it means my customers pay less for a large parcel and it means I no longer lock up, drive to town, pay a parking fee, and stand in a post office queue often with a massive parcel I have had to carry with a rachet strap, wasting time and money!!! Should have done this years ago...I book a collection on line and they come and collect..."simples". I still send small overseas parcels by Royal Mail as it is much cheaper.


Master your mind & emotions & you master your life! (from Tony Robins' Twitter)

Engraved glass.. perfumes at Harrods

Mothers Day weekend at Harrods was a mixture, Saturday was fairly quiet, but then Sunday was manic and I had to turn people away so that I could pack up to catch my train/train/bus/train/walk/hitch/fly/....(engineering works meant that my 2 hour trips became 4 hour trecks to and from London!) Anyway, all was well.
Some people wonder why I am doing this, well as I have mentioned a few posts ago, it is something different, something out of the ordinary for me, a little adventure, and although seemingly simple compared to what I am engraving normally, it is actually very difficult, quick thinking, speed artwork and engraving on all sorts of strange bottles, under watching eyes and pressure, juggled with chatting to customers and trying to look glam all at once. Not something I will always be able to do.

This week I have some hospital awards with challenging artwork/ military presentations with crests/ retirement presentation with large elephant / Football Association awards...oh and I will be composing a letter to my MP , House of Commons, challenging the rediculous turn of events over a week ago. How a small business is punished for daring to try and expand into an extra office and has to pay for that whole year as a "big business" in non domestic rates.

" If it happens, it must be possible; make things possible." author unknown

Harrods for Mothers day and Guerlain!!!

Well I am still dealing with this small business rates problem....oh the joys of running your own business, but it is always important to stay on top of things and what is right and fair, sometimes you have to fight for it. Rediculous really.... anyway on a more cheerful note...

I will be at Harrods on Saturday once again, engraving perfumes for the customers, with the next day being Mothers' Day I am sure it will be a busy day.

A new event for me will be coming soon after that, also at Harrods, Guerlain are launching a new lipstick and I have been asked to engrave them for the customers, much the same idea as the perfumes. More details to come shortly.
So in the mean time, I must get on with work in hand, loads of pictures to upload and get onto my website when I have some time, I have so much to show you!...

As you can see we were blessed with some glorious sunshine this weekend, had to dust off my sunglasses.


May you always walk in SUNSHINE. May you never want for more. May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door.

Happy St Patrick's Day

non domestic rates

....you know, sometimes it is not easy to stay calm, positive happy, smiley, jovial. Sometimes you want to just scream at the utter incompetence of some organisations, the absolute idiocy of some people placed in positions of power and authority.
I extended my little workplace to include the little office next door as my nice new showroom, working so damn hard and staying so positive.
One has to organise non domestic business rates so I had immediately alerted the authority of the news. weeks later I remind them....they have no record....weeks later I finally get some one to sort it out, the place has to be re assesed for rateable value.

We also have small business rates in this country, for those who are just that, small!.

They still are negotiating the new rates....which they had ommitted to include as a small business.....and got my post code wrong too ??? even though I have been running this business in this country for 7 years or so... then this morning , a nice quiet Saturday, with my next project lined up, a lovely comport which I will engrave a logo and lettering all around the base and lovely happy English flowers around the body..... I start the day by checking my bank account to make sure all went in and out as it is supposed to....and lo and behold my local council has now helped themselves to a massive amount of money, clearly in error, just like that, sent me into the red and into a rage that I cannot even begin to describe. They don't talk on the phone, so you have to leave a message or send an email. It feels like being back in Zimbabwe.

Now tell me how does one logically deal with this. Deep breath, stretch? You feel personally invaded and powerless. How long before it will be sorted out? Do I have time to waste arguing? ...now how much time am I wasting writing this whe I should be telling you all the best news?......

Do I now feel like creating my pretty lovely engraved comport for my client?? ...no.

I think, ok, I will go and play the 9 hole, that takes about an hour as a one ball as long as there is no one in front....then I will feel better, then come back to work...however there are big black clouds overhead and rain is threatening and it is rather cold.....so golf is not a good idea right now.

What will make me feel calmer? I am now going to make a nice cup of tea and then I am going to begin the artwork for this glass, comport. If I don't then I have lost, if I do I will feel better as I get involved in it. It is not the end of the world. Certain things and certain people cross our paths to test our patience to the absolute limit.

I have had to deal with far far worse.

so looking on the bright side....all WILL be well.

New little video...Endangered bugs!!

Has been such a busy week...so just a quick one....here is my new little video I made last night (late...hence a spelling mistake..ooops)
Will catch up shortly!
Peace and Love ;-)