She works hard for her money.....

So hard for her money....

That was the song ringing in my ears when I bit the bullet on Friday and hit the books.

It was time to do the taxes!
This wouldn't have been such a harrowing proposition if i had......like I promised myself last year......put SOME effort into bookkeeping at any stage throughout the year.

Exhibit A:
Big box is what I stored 09/10 receipts in....little box is where i plan to store 10/11 receipts.

Alas i stooopidly picked the worlds biggest container to stash all my receipts in, knowing that ONE DAY...I would open that lid and deal with them.

The thoughts of losing a day of productivity where overshadowed by my curiosity as to how my second year running Finki went.

I am such a bad business woman...really. If i see it and like it, I buy it. If I think teal is the new black...I'm all over it. There is no cash flow analysis or stock projections here, just fly by the seat of my pants type planning.
Being at Olive Grove I am forced to reconcile my sales on a monthly basis, so i generally have a rough idea how that side of things is travelling but i do overlook the numerous, Lincraft, spottie and Savers receipts that overtake my house. There fore leaving me none the wiser as to what my expenditure is. So Tax time is all about finding out whether I broke even.

My one business goal this financial year was to increase my sales by at least 40%. Not by just wishing and praying, but by doing the hard yard.
I gave up my part time job and committed myself to a full year of 110% effort.
I worked from 3 to 5 days a week, I expanded from jewels and stationary, to home wares and clothing. I gave it everything i had, just so i could test myself. Test my resolve, commitment and ability to keep creating, whilst keeping it interesting and profitable enough to put food on my table and clothes on my kids backs.

After 8 hours of recording mountains of paper work....I KID YOU NOT!

True story...here's some of it!

Came the moment of truth......did i meet my business goal, were all the late nights, long days and craft related injuries worth it.

Yep.....I'd have to say Yes.

My little business improved 130% on last years final figures.

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!

Happy dance, happy days.

Maybe, just maybe...I could be a designer. A designer of my own career. How bloody exciting is that.

There are numerous flaws in my design at present....for example the 60 hour working weeks, the fact I'm paying for a gym membership I don't have time to use and I still have not defined what I do, aghhhh....... but nothing that can not be overcome with a little time management, planning and adventure.

This is an image of my current bookkeeping status, two months in and all accounted for woohoo!....

So my goal this year is to maintain monthly records, have a sound knowledge of my cash flow and most importantly continue to enjoy the crafty journey.

Fingers crossed.
Jay xx

Time for some close ups......

As promised, a closer look at the wool vests I made.

They are hip length and shaped through the body, fastening with a kilt pin.

You can do it up which ever way suits you best.

Standing collar, V-neck or scrunched.

Whilst I had the camera out, I thought it high time I take better pics of my peekaboo back vests for you too.
These ones I designed with the intention of showing as much color and shape as possible of the body tee worn beneath, whilst still covering all the wobbly bits. I have one each of the black and denim for my wardrobe and I just wear them to death....
Lastly, the finished result of my screen printed ship tee's. Looking fabulous in Navy and white.

Every thing's available down at the shop, as per usual, size 12 -20.

Jay xx

Ship's ahoy.....

On the drawing board this week are some new screen printed tee's....

and some oh so versatile wool vests.

I'm in at work tomorrow with the camera in hand, so I promise to take some images that better display the promised versatility of said vests....

The majority were dropped of at the shop this morning, with a few extra sizes left on the drawing board till my machines come back from an overdue visit to the machine doctor.

So till the man lets me know they are all better there will be little break on the clothes front.

All the more reason to get my groove on with some new jewels.

A new medium.....

Finished my experimentation with wooden bangles today, a totally new medium for me.

They started as plain wooden bangle blanks which I coated with a few layers of paint, ready for the next step.

Some brand new graphic designs....

Flamingo's and hot air balloons,

Horse's....

and dragonflies.

I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. So I'll be sure to work on some new designs quick stix.

They'll all be at the shop tomorrow making themselves at home...

Something old, something new.....

On the drawing board this week is all the bits and bobs to do some major restocking of 'Finki' accessories.

I have been very sidetracked by the clothes making for a few weeks and totally neglected my jools.

So I had to step away from the machine and get crackin' on new goodies for the shop.
My focus last week was making lots of new fabric covered studs and finishing my cushions.

So this week I'm working on new art journals,

finishing some glass pendants,

and working on some brand new bangles.

(I'll make sure I pop back to show you the finished result before I pop them in the shop on Fri)

Sometimes I do wonder if I spread myself too thin by having a range that covers many a crafty genre, but the truth is...I know myself well enough to know that I could never focus on just one thing.
I'd get bored far too quickly and become complacent.
And really.... each week or month that I focus on one project is enough to bring it to completion then move on to something else. Keeps it all new and exciting.

I also find I get a different type of RSI from each each activity when I do it for too long.
I probably sound like a bit of a nanna, but it's true.

When I do my stitched baskets and pen holders for weeks on end, my fingers and arms start to ache. When I machine sew for hours a day, week after week, my shins start to have pedal strain, when I spend weeks on graphic designs I get eye strain from too much computer time.
So all in all it's a pretty perfect system.

I can just put one thing down for a while and pick up something else when the strain, pain and boredom of one activity kicks in.

How do you manage your crafty adventures?
Knit in winter and sew in summer....
Wait till the mojo's flowing then go hell for leather till the end is in sight....

I think the best part of being a sole trader is having the ability to create work routines just for you, to suit your lifestyle, your energy flow and your family. Helps keep it all exciting and fresh too.

Jay xx

A cushion or two....

Finally finished my new cushions for the shop....

I'm very excited by how well they turned out, it's so hard not to keep them all for myself.

I screen printed two with my dragonfly...


and made the rest with a combination of vintage, retro and modern fabrics.

All delivered to the shop today ready for new homes.

Lots of newbies instore....

At work we end up only having to do a shift in the shop every 9 days or so.

It's easy to think of the time in between as a holiday, where I could lounge all day sipping chai and baking cakes.
Alas....that would not bring home the bacon and that would bore me, no end....so the time between shifts is all go. At present I am quite enjoying the fashion designer thing. I'm definitely filling up my wardrobe and it seems that there are a few lovely ladies out there who are enjoying it too.
For each sale I make, I'm right back out there in another fabric store buying up for the next best thing.
It's becoming quite an addiction. Buy, make, sell, buy...make...buy...make...ok so the equation there is a bit wrong, but very me.
I always spend more then I make.....did i mention I'm a shopaholic!

Anyways, enough with the jibber jabber.

Let me show you what I made this week.

Firstly my new tunic.
Made up in an amazing vintage inspired jersey print.

I adore a cowl neck, but find as a bigger girl that they make me look bigger....sooo I put pen to paper and drafted the perfect cowl neck for people like me. It's quite an open neckline, fitted through the body and flared at the hip.


It can be worn as a dress for those gals with fabulous legs, or it can be worn over pants....

You could layer it over your fave body tee for warmth....

and spunk it up even more with a vest or wrap cardi.
(modeled here with beautiful jeans by Starashan and a fab vest by Ena designs, our newest member at the shop)

I'm wrapt with the way the pattern turned out, so I'll be making this a 'Finki' staple and will have new colors to show you soon.

Next I went with warmth and some winter hues.
I'm trying my hardest to not have a range that depends on black or dark colors at all, but I couldn't resist the rich autumn hues in this beautiful wool blend.

I contemplated just making one for me, as I've always wanted a skirt like this, but never found one in my size. Then I think, seeing as how I'm cutting one up to make for me, I may as well cut up a few for the shop.

And whats a girl to wear it with! I can't just put a new skirt in with no top to match. so I whipped up a few classic black body tee's with little burgundy/wood grain buttons to complete the outfit.

Lovin it'.

Oh and after much thought and many special requests I have started to make my range from a size 10.
The tops go from a 10 - 20, the tunics start at size 8-10 and go to a 20 and the skirts are still beginning at a 12 till I grade the pattern smaller.

But If you ever see something you like in the shop that's not in your size, just let me know and I'm sure I can whip something up quick smart.

A special day...

I've had a big circle on my calender all month, waiting for this day to arrive.... cause today....... in a little inner northern cafe, there is one fine lady who has lit a fire in our hearts and invited us to be a part of her journey.
Watching her grow through art, finding herself and learning to take chances, has been inspirational.

There is no other place I'd rather be tonight than in a room full of her wonderful creations.

If you'd like to be a part of making history for one crafty gal, come celebrate the beginning of this fantastic journey at Cathy Kirwan's first exhibition.
Well known in our bloggy world as Tinniegirl

I always think it's clever to buy art at artists early exhibitions before these talented peeps become uber famous. Something that will only grow in value and more so something that will fill your home with character, style and a little piece of heart.
The info....

See you all tonight...

Something new....

I've been a busy bee working away on a new pattern for my next addition the shop. Something versatile, practical and a little bit fun.

Back soon to introduce the the new 'Finki' tunic.

Fuzzy wuzzy finger hugz...

Finally finished my new felt rings.

They are luck a big ol' fuzzy hug for your finger. So warm and squishy to wear.

I made a lot of the clay buttons that adorn them ......

and used the odd vintage button too, just for fun.

Popped them in the shop yesterday, with all my clay creations.

Now back to the machines to work on some new tunics, in lots of exciting prints......

Clay finale'

The last pieces for my clay range are these fab little studs.

I hadn't quite finished painting them yesterday to show ye'all, but they are all done and dusted and delivered in to the shop today.

They were created by making impressions into the clay, then painting them in a slightly darker shade to show up the relief. Quite simple and elegant, but colorful and fun too.

Lovin' them...