Tuesday 9 March 2010

A very seasonal hobby business

I must apologise to all you people who are in business for a living to make ends meet. I always post that my business is a hobby. The reasons my business is a hobby are that 1. I am a part time carer for my mum. Part time as my sister is the one responsible for her day to day care but unfortunately she does not drive. This is where I come in. I drive mum to all her doctor and hospital appointments and I do all her shopping. I also pop along in the evening to make sure she gets her supper. 2. Because I am a carer I don't have a great deal of time to put into my business to move it forward from being just a hobby to a full time career. 3. The wedding business is a very seasonal business! But this last month (February) things kind of took off again. A little later than it has done in previous years but none the less it got busy. I was delighted to be invited by the mums of the girls in the Grangemouth Gala Day 2010 along to a meeting for them to choose one of my tiaras. Then I got a phone call from the Gala Day Queens mum for a tiara and finally the Maids of Honour mums contacted me. In between that I took a few internet orders and several other appointments and I am wondering why am I sitting here blogging about when I should be working?
The answer I think to that has to be that I am just feeling so fortunate that people like my work enough to come to me. But the best bit is always return customers or customer referrals, which I have had quite a few of this month also. This week though my mobile phone has gone quiet. I believe I have had my wee spurt of business and that I may have to wait a few weeks more before I get anymore appointments. That's the thing about the wedding business. It never seems to be consistent. I have another couple of wedding fairs coming up and I know I will get either one or two orders from them or appointments but in the meantime I better get on with the few remaining orders I have left. If I clear my feet then I can be creative and make some new stuff like the Celeste tiara and necklaces.


My other half works in Parcel Force, so his wages pays the household bills but unfortunately he does not earn enough for special treats or holidays. My hobby business allows me to make a few extra pounds so that I can treat my teenagers occasionally, and hopefully I can save enough so that me and my hubby can have a little break somewhere to celebrate our 25th Silver Wedding anniversary this summer.