Trip to Bath

Mum and I took a trip over to Bath to meet with Kate from The Makery.  Its an amazing business with similiar aims to Savvy Sisters.  Kate and her partner moved from London and set up a workshop teaching people traditional skills such as sewing, knitting and crochet etc.  Their workshop was so successful that they have expanded to a shop in Bath city centre.  I'm hoping to take my felting workshop to them and possible make mobile phone/purses with their customers. The Makery link

Taunton Show is looming and I've been preparing our kits - my question is how many??  So far I've sold 4 at our first workshop and 2 on Amazon, not many I know but what if it suddenly takes off?  Questions, questions.  Also, how should I prepare our stand?  Gosh, I just didn't think a craft show would cause such dilemmas.  I really hope that it is a success.

New Ebay Shop!

Well, I've finally bitten the bullet and set up an Ebay Shop to sell my starter kits.  Here is the link Savvy Sisters Ebay Shop.  I've created two more starter kits - Hunky Dory, which is mid-range and Bare Essentials, a basic set that contains just enough to get going.  Our Amazon escapades appears to be going well, we have sold one Deluxe kit on there so far - all very exciting.

I've been busily advertising our workshop on the 23rd July and getting soaked at the same time, I think the skies open each time I set foot out of the door.  I've targeted craft related shops, pubs and hotel's, its strange really I thought I would have most problem with the pubs and hotels yet I have received more no's from shops - they must think of us as competition!

We have an advert going into the Somerset County Gazette next week and another going into the small, Galmington & Comeytrowe letter - so watch out for these.

Our Facebook page - Savvy Sister's Facebook Page is doing really well, we now have 41 followers!

Don't forget we will be at the Taunton Show on Sunday 3rd July - Taunton Show Link

Business Cards, Sale on Amazon and Wendy's Challenge

Our business cards have arrived - I feel like a proper business woman now!  I also some postcards printed (top)  to advertise our workshops. 

Savvy Sisters Business & Postcards





The other bit of news is that we have made our first proper sale on Amazon - woop woop!!  I sold a starter kit to a lady up in the north of England. 

And, finally - Wendy has set a challenge to make something on this wet and windy weekend on our Savvy Sisters' facebook page.  The best item will be voted on and the winner will receive a box of choccies!    Click on the link Facebook Challenge

Jeanett'e Knitting Needle Case

Jeanette has made a brilliant job of finishing off the knitting case she started last Thursday at our little craft club:

She loves crafts and like many of our little club makes all sorts of things.  Here is some of her knitting - I just love the teddies.  She has also made the Mad March Hare for a Guide raffle.

Our Little Craft Club and Wendy's Beautiful Makings

Before escaping work my friends and I used to meet every Wednesday after work for a craft evening.  We started off with jewellery making, moving onto mosaiq, felt making, crochet and papier mache.  We usually met at either Jenny's or Sue's house - everyone taking turns at either making dinner or a sweet, followed by crafting. 

However, Sue had to have an operation - I left work and the evenings stopped.  As Bob (my husband) has cleared out my conservatory, we've started them again - this time at my house.

I've been practicing my felt tutoring techniques on them and have been making felt paper weights and assorted cases.  This week, Lesley had a go at needle felting, making a small heart.  Sue made a paperweight and bangle.  Eva made a case for her glasses and Jeanette a knitting needle case - all very industrious. Jenny, Leanne, Tracey and Marion couldn't come this week - probably a good thing as sometimes there are so many of us that we have work outside and we had heavy rain!  Here are some photos:

Sue & Eva

Jeanette & Lesley

Wendy's Flower Picture
Wendy has been busy - she has finished off her flower picture and all I can say is wow:

The Benefits of Crafting - Guest Blogger Counsellor John Sayer

Wendy and I strongly believe that crafting is therapeutic - we use it to escape the hustle and bustle of today's busy life.  We've also found that women attending craft workshops quickly get to know each other and start to share life experiences, being really supportive of each other, thus proving that the old adage 'a problem shared is a problem halved' is true.

We invited our friend and colleague John Sayer, a counsellor in the West Midlands to write a short piece on our blog explaining the benefits of having 'time out':

John Sayer

John Sayer - Me Time

It was a pleasure to be asked to make a contribution to the SavyySisters blog, especially as a lot of what they stand for, I believe passionately about within my work.

So, a bit about me first. I’m a fully qualified counsellor and deal with many, many issues in my work.  However, in the vast majority of cases what underpins the main problem is the issue of low self-esteem.  I offer one-to-one counselling in the main as well as workshops on a variety of subjects.  

Self-esteem.

There are various reasons why people don’t feel good about themselves but by addressing the issue(s) they can improve their quality of life and start to feel better about themselves in general and also the world around them.  It’s not an easy or short process in the main, but for those who really want to change, the results can be literally, life-changing.  An improved level of self-esteem can open new doors and opportunities and reduce associated problems such as depression and anxiety as well as isolation and poor assertiveness.

Someone once said that having low self-esteem is like driving through life with the handbrake on and I think this is a fair description.  I run workshops for people who wish to banish the low self-esteem  they feel and there have been some amazing results. It just takes a bit of time, some application and the desire to try new things.

One particular area I discuss with my clients is the need to have ‘me-time’, a part of the day when everything else is laid to one side and you can indulge in something simple – something just for you.

It is no exaggeration to say the pace of life is much faster now than ever before and with that comes ever increasing demands on our time from all around us. I believe it is the very tempo of our lives that has led to much of the emotional distresses  such as depression and anxiety now seen in our society.

But to bounce back from some of the symptoms of life’s overload is possible, it just takes the application and desire I mentioned above.

So, what’s this got to do with the SavvySisters site?  Quite simply they promote the basic premise of relaxation, me-time and creativity.  I know Wendy and Jill well and they have proved the value to themselves of indulging their spare time to create something that is unique, something that calls on their imaginative and creative juices.   

I have counselled some very sick people who, despite their illness, have incredibly been able to express themselves through creativity be it painting, writing, photography or music to name but a few.  Words may have failed them but they  found something quite unique not only to show how they might be feeling, but to express an inner antidote to their problems. 

Some counsellors will hold specific workshops based on art therapy for example. In my workshops, as well one-to-one counselling, I act merely as the facilitator, allowing the individual to find a trust in themselves so that they may then go away and create on their own. Many bring the results back to the counselling room and I am always humbled at the results I see. 

Yet creativity, or the results of me-time, can be as simple as reading a book, experiencing being able to let go in a warm bath, to sit and watch the rain, or to hold a flower. As long as it takes you away from the humdrum, the monotony, the unexciting, then you will have found a new set of feelings and emotions. And that is what SavvySisters is all about.

If you would like to find out more about John's work please email him  - empowerment@btinternet.com  Thank you John!

New Email Address & Taunton Show

Email Addresses
At long last, Wendy and I now have SavvySister.co.uk email addresses in preparation for our website.  So if you would like to contact us on these addresses email:

Wendy - wendy@savvysisters.co.uk 
Me - jill@savvysisters.co.uk

Taunton Show
We've booked a stand in the craft tent at the Taunton Show at Taunton School on the Sunday 3rd July, so please come and see us.  You can try your hand at felt making by making a brooch or mobile phone charm.

Also, don't forget to like our Facebook page!!