Competition Time!!!....

I have launched a competition on my Facebook page today to celebrate reaching more than 200 likes!  If you are one of them, Thank You!!

It is also a nice way to brighten up any January Blues.

If you follow me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram you may have noticed I am a big fan of inspirational and funny quotes.  I am working on some new products based on my favourites but in the meantime the winner of my competition will win their favourite quote painted on to this wall hanging.

To enter all you need to do is vote for your favourite quote on my Facebook Page, plus you can add your own if it is not listed ~ yours could be the overall favourite!

To enter and see full terms & conditions visit my Facebook page here

Voting closes 11:59pm on 7th February 2014.

Good Luck!

P.S. Also this week.....

Valentine's Day Cards have been added to my Etsy & Folksy Shops

Shop me at Etsy and Folksy



January isn't so blue....

January can be a lot quieter and feel flat after the busy period in the run up to Christmas.  Although I have a sale in my shops I am not under the illusion I can compete with the high street sales.  I am enjoying the quieter month and taking the opportunity to work on new ideas (when I haven't been ill, those winter bugs need to do one now!)

work in progress from my Craft Den

 

Thank you to my hubby for
this book for Christmas....

As well as getting messy in my Craft Den, I now have a 2014 plan, in the form of a colourful spreadsheet.  It has all the key seasonal dates, product launch dates as well as plotting my blog ideas.  Whilst in organising mode I have started to get my head around accounts and tax!! 

What is very exciting and new for 2014 is I will be one of the hosts of #craftblogclub on Twitter and my first hosting session is on 28th January!!

#craftblogclub was started by the Lovely Emma and due to the popularity she now has me and 2 others helping her host.  It is on Twitter every Tuesday, 7-8.30pm.  Join like minded craft bloggers, lovers of craft blogs and crafters.  It is a fun, non-competitive arena to chat about anything craft and blogging related, as well as monthly crafty challenges. 

My discussion topics this week are "What, or who, inspired you to start a blog? Is there a blog you admire?" And if there is time, "Who inspired and taught you to craft?"  I am so excited to be involved, I hope you can join us for a chat tomorrow.

If you are on Twitter you can follow me @fizzijayne

fizzi~jayne x

P.S you may have noticed I have tinkered with my blog layout, what do you think?

top tips ~ fizzi~jayne's top tips for time management....

I was ill last week and it has been a busy week catching up on my schedule which made me think about how we cope being the designer, maker, logistics, accounts and being the everyone & everything of our business and what do we do when we are sick? What about making time for holidays as well as finding time for ourselves, friends and family?  How do we fit it all in! 

Most of the time I try and plan as much as possible, but best laid plans and all that.  So here are my top tips on how I try to keep myself sane....

• Lists ~ I love a list! I plan for the week and I have my top 3 tasks for each day. How I prioritise....

1. Urgent and important tasks ~ Must do first
2. Not urgent but important tasks ~ by focussing on these tasks they don't become urgent, reducing last minute panics!
3. Neither urgent nor important ~ Do I really need to do it?

 
I also have a colourful spreadsheet with a top line plan for the year, with key events plotted. This should avoid any last minute panics and if I am taken ill again I hope to be organised enough that it doesn't effect my business.
 
What I need to remember is that plans need to be flexible

• Procrastination! I am terrible for this ~ My tricks are to have my phone on silent so I am not distracted by calls, email or social media alerts. If computer work is not on the list for the day, I do not switch it on as I will end up on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest and the next thing 2 hours have passed.  If you are a chronic procrastinator you may find this article useful.

• Ask for help! ~ Do you have friends or family that can help during busy times?  My hubby has helped me post out orders (under supervision of course!) when times have been busy. 

• Have a break ~ make time for lunch each day and note to self, remember to leave the house for fresh air

• Quality of time not quantity ~  whether it is time spent in the Craft Den or with friends make it quality time.  Just because I take ages over an email or a piece of work does not make it time well spent.  I tend to tinker which is not efficient of my time. Plan time with family and friends and leave electronic devices off!

I am certainly not an expert and I certainly don't always take my own advice but when I do it seems to help me keep focussed and achieve my goals.

What works for you?  Do you have any tips to share?

Savvy crafting, a new me for 2014.....

In my post about my plan for 2014, one of my challenges for this year is to use up the craft supplies I have before buying any new ones.  This was inspired from reading Mary Emmens' blog about how she is not going to buy fabric for 6 months. 

As a general rule I will not be buying any new....

• Card (I have loads of various colours and scraps to use up)
• Stamps (I have 4 drawers full! So I should have enough for any occasion)
• Ribbon (Love ribbon!)
• Buttons (I have a button addiction!)

Love my ribbon box, although it doesn't hold all of my ribbon!

I have tended to buy any of the above because “I have to have it!”.  But things need to change as money is tighter this year plus I am running fizzi~jayne as a proper business now.

Firstly I need to have a stock take so I know what I actually have and then use what I have before I buy anything else. I will probably find things I have forgotten about.

However I still have a business to run, so there are exceptions:

• If I need something for a specific order
• If I run out of the basics, i.e. white card, glue etc. The essentials I can’t craft without.
• I am also working on a project for one of my favourite craft suppliers, Handy Hippo, (watch this space!) so I will need supplies for this. 

Not only will there be financial benefits but it should challenge my creativity.

After 6 months I will see how I have got on and see how much therapy I will need!!  Wish me luck!

Did you make any New Year resolutions?  How are they going?

Bring it on 2014!....

I don't really do New Year resolutions, instead I have a to do list or promises to myself that I didn't manage to fit in the previous year.  Although the one year I did make a resolution I surprised myself by keeping it, I quit smoking 7 years ago, high five me!!

So what is on my list for 2014:

Personal

• Learn to crochet.  I have never tried it before so I asked Santa for a kit to get me started and Santa delivered....

My first attempt

• Go to the gym! I have membership I just forgot how to use it!
• Finally put together a scrapbook from our wedding (we’ve been married 4 ½ years!)

fizzi~jayne business....

• Use up the paper, card and other supplies I have hoarded (even those I don't like) before buying any new ones.  I read on Mary Emmens' blog about how she is not going to buy fabric for 6 months.  I am taking inspiration from this and not buying anything new, unless I need something specific for an order or run out of essentials like glue etc.  It will be tough, seriously I will need therapy at the end of 6 months!!
• Develop this blog. As always I value your feedback and would love to hear from you if there is something you want to read about or if you have liked a particular post

As part of the "plan" to grow fizzi~jayne makes.... into a successful business, I will be....

• Developing new ranges and ideas
• Attending different craft fairs, to find the right ones for me but also to spread the fizzi~jayne word.

Most of all have fun with it all!



Image from Cream PR Pinterest board

What do you have planned for 2014?  Do you have any New Year resolutions?

P.S. Have you checked out my sale? Visit my SALE section of either my Etsy or Folksy shop ;-)

I'm not ready to let go of Christmas just yet....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Did everyone have a good evening of celebrations?  What did everyone get up to?
Unfortunately my NYE wasn't as planned, I was wrapped up in the duvet nursing a seasonal bug, but I will make up for it at the weekend and have some fizz then.

In my last post I promised to show you what I made for #craftblogclub Secret Santa.  So here it is....

In case you missed my last post here is a quick recap ~  #craftblogclub Secret Santa was organised by the lovely Emma, the founding member of #craftblogclub and a fellow blogger.  We were challenged with making a gift for a named recipient, I was given Icy, a writer, blogger and crafter, check out her website here.

I had a look around her blog to get ideas and thought about what I can successfully make to hopefully create something she would love.  It is quite daunting making something for someone you don't know but I decided to make a beaded snowflake which have proved to be popular this year.  To make it special I personalised it and chose a colour scheme I thought Icy would like. Hopefully this will appear on her Christmas tree every year.

Of course I sent it with a Christmas card as well

I sent the Snowflake in an organza bag

I was relieved to see it was received in time and she liked it, you can check out what she thought here as well as read about the fabulous hand knitted cowl she made for her Secret Santa.

All wrapped and ready to go.  I even made the gift tag

So we are now in 2014, who still thinks that 1994 only feels like a few years ago not 20, or is it just me? eek! I have lots of exciting plans which I can't wait to share, I hope you enjoy my journey through 2014.

What are your plans for 2014?  I would love to hear about them.  I will be sharing more about my plans in a post soon.....

Best wishes for 2014

fizzi~jayne x

P.S #craftblogclub is on twitter every Tuesday 7-8.30pm.  Join craft bloggers, lovers of craft blogs and crafters.