Dream Country Chat

HOPETOUN HOUSE

Goodness, wto posts in one day, l am getting carried away. Actually folks, l will have to leave here at about 7.30am tomorrow morning so won't be able to blog. Just thought l would zap you a photo of the stunning Hopetoun House (just outside Edinburgh) where the fair is this week. It is the most beautiful building set in manicured grounds just beside the river Forth.

Here is the Dream Acres stand. Yep l know, somewhat familiar! I think l can build it up and take it down with my eyes shut now. Jane (Snapdragon), Carey (Rustique Interiors) and l are all in the basement area well away from all the other stands. Don't think we are being left out here, far from it. This is a nice little burrow as all the visitors to the fair leave by the exit down here. We are all set up now and even have some Christmas music to liven things up. Have of course managed to resist the temptation to use Slade doing their annual singalong, no we are going for a selection from Bing and Frank etc.

Huge thans for all your lovely comments and support today. Very much appreciated and l will write back to everyone when all this fair business is over next week.

Just in case l don't get another chance to blog before the weekend, have a nice one and happy Thansgiving to all those in the USA.
Karon   x

OLD BOOKS AND HANGING IN THERE

One day l hope to be able to put up a truly positive post without moaning. You must really think me a 'moaning minnie' as my Mum used to say. If it is not one thing it's another. The HQ situation goes on. I have completely evacuated now. Spent yesterday clearing and cleaning and discovering yet more disaster at every turn. Not a drawer un-invaded, not a basket left free. Yet more black bags to go to the tip next week. It is cleared and ready for the man to come on Monday. How do l feel, strangely numb now. I look in there and see a blank space, there is nothing of Dream Acres left. All the character of the place has gone and it has returned to being a big shed, not the romantic Hansel and Gretal log cabin so fondly spoken of in Country Living. I sincerely hope that it is a blank canvas that l can start to paint on whenever l can get my 'paints' together.

Enough of that. Yesterday l went down to village to get my float sorted out for this next fair. Next to the bank is the little antique shop and l now the guys in there very well. They always keep their eyes open for sewing stuff for me when they do house clearances and have found me some lovely bits and pieces over the years. Well yesterday l popped in for a coffee and chat and bemoaned my HQ problem. They wished they could help. They did by their simpathy and support. Then as l was leaving a couple of little books were thrust into my hand. 'For you and Idgy' - an old book on shells (Idgy loves fossils, shells, minerals anything like that) and the dearest little handmade recipe book for me. The book has a fabric cover all hand embroidered with flowers and a written saying on the front.

Inside it has alphabetical pages at the front and then all these recipe pages. It is empty. Who made this little treasure and never used it? It is very old and just so beautiful. I am going to use it and fill it with foody favourites and bring it to life. I feel it will prompt me to write down my favourites and try out new ideas just so l have new things to write on these precious pages.

Now l am off to Hopetoun House near Edinburgh to set up for their 3 day fair this weekend. It is a beautiful place, must take the camera and do some snaps for you. Huge thanks for all your comments and support on the mouse problem. I am hanging in there...............
Karon  x

GORGEOUS GIFTS AND DOWNRIGHT DISASTER

Yesterday started fine but very very cold. Here l am putting my best foot forward into the ice for my first run in two weeks. Ok l say run, really more of a shamble and l lugged myself round the lanes at more of a stagger than a run. Oh dear, next week l will really have to get myself into gear and back to action on the running front.

The day skipped forward nicely when the postman arrived with this gorgeous package from Sue at Lavenders Blue.

 

It was so, so very kind of her to send such a lovely gift. Honestly Sue, it was such a pleasure to meet you and hubby on Sunday, l was only too thrilled that you had the tickets. Anyway Idgy and l feel totally spoiled, we now have our first Christmas card of the year which has gone up on the mantlepiece, a prezzie for each of us to go under the tree next month, and some lovely handcream and hearty soaps for just now. Can't than you enough Sue, you are a star.

From such a lovely start to the day you just know that things have to go downhill. Well they did, in spectacular fashion. Nothing by halves for me as you well know. I went out to HQ to make a start on all the clearing out due to the mouse problem. I haven't been working there this past month due to the mouse problem. I lost so much beautiful fabric and stock. I had cleared out of there work-wise but obviously there was still lots of other stuff in there.

Not any more.

This is everything hauled off the shelves and out of drawers. Years worth of art supplies, sewing and crafting stuff that l used in the business. HQ had been set out rather like one of those artsy photos in 'Where women create'. I had all my supplies in nice baskets on the shelves and open boxes so l could see the contents at a glance. It all looked so pretty and inviting, and looked lovely in Country Living magazine. Now everything that wasn't plastic wrapped has gone. The blasted mice (and boy have l used a LOT stronger words to describe them of late) have even got into the metal file drawers that l have to hold up the work tables, everything in the drawers from stationery to labels has been ruined.

I spent the entire day with black bags, rubber gloves and detol. The store room is now completely empty, shelves bare, cupboards clear and floor scrubbed. The main room will be finished today. Thank God l had moved out what stock l had before l went to London. The spare room houses my fabrics that were saved and all the stock for the fairs.

So the traps, environmentally safe poison and sonic devices have been to no effect, I have a 'mouse man' coming on Monday. Can't have him sooner as l will be away doing Hopetoun this week. Am l upset by this, well yes, l think l gave up on the tears at about lunch time, it just wasn't worth the effort any more. To see everything you have worked for just trashed like this is horrible. You would never think that those little Tom and Jerry cute characters could do so much damage, boy oh boy how they can.  After next week when the fairs are over and l see what is left and what l have made money wise l will have a better idea of what the future holds for Dream Acres. Right now it is looking decidedly bad.

The high of the Glasgow fair seems miles away.
Karon  x

 

THOUGHTS AND Ks

Still not back to 'normal' yet so in the photo department l am falling back on the old 'here's one l prepared earlier', it is a nice photo tho, so l hope you will forgive me for not snapping away as fast as l should.

Yesterday was catch up day. I got most of the orders filled and off to the post office. The banking was done and l have started sorting out the stock for Hopetoun House later this week. Definately a tad short on Tweedy Pie robins and the Tweedy Puddings, name hearts in short supply and not a pine cone in sight.

Some things you just know will be big sellers, some things you are sure will be sellers but then they don't move an inch. Other items you can be unsure of and be completely surprised one way or the other. Oh to have a crystal ball and know what to make..................

In London my Tweedy Bunting wasn't a great seller, however in Glasgow it fairly flew off the stand. I had thought it would be popular and was pretty crushed when it didn't sell in London, was thrilled when it was popular in the home land! It was the same story on the Crystal Hearts, no interest in London, but boy were they popular up here. On a sales per show basis Glasgow was double the London business. It is funny as l had thought that it would be the other way round. It is now making me ponder on the sensibilities of doing London again next year. Hmmmm should l save on London and put more into Glasgow. I would love a bit more space and this would be more cost effective.

So what is on the cards for today? A run, don't know if l will make my usual 2 mile distance as it has been a good 2 weeks since l last donned the trainers. Oh well, l shall give it a go. Try to clean the house a bit and finish sorting stock for Hopetoun House. Have l emptied the car yet? Good Lord no, just putting more stuff into it for Thursday.

Almost back to normal. One strange thing l have to mention. Anyone who is a regular reader might notice that l often miss the  k  off words. This isn't me being thick it is the laptop. Was getting pretty worried about it thinking my trusty little pal was on his way out. Well imagine my surprise when l tapped away last night, there was  k  popping up whenever pressed. None of the usual extra pressure, back spacing madly to tap away and fill it in. No, there it was for all to see, l got quite excited and went kkkkkkkkkkk just to test it and see if l could catch it out, but no, looks like k is back for good. Probably had something stuck under it and it has magically sorted itself out over the past 2 weeks. Maybe the Laptop Fairy has paid me a visit. Who knows, at least people will now get emails from Karon instead of my alter ego aron.
KKKKKKKaron x

MONDAY AND HOME

No pretty photo this morning, but l thought you would rather have a few words and no photo than nothing at all.

Well that is Country Living over with for another year. London and Glasgow are done. I have to  say that Glasgow was the best, my home crowd were fantastic and l had so much feedback from people whpo had read about me in the magazine and wanted to see the stand and say hello. Sales wise Glasgow was superb and far better than London. In my planning (a.k.a. wild rambling thoughts with no connection to reality at all) for these fairs l had thought it would be the other way round and that l would do far better in London. Not so, Scotland was seriously busy and serious fun.

Must say a great big thanks to all the bloggers who came to say hello, it was lovely to put faces to names and also meet people who have been keeping up with Dream Acres via the blog and wanted to say hi. We do have a great cyberspace community out there.

The only blot on the landscape of the Scottish show was the power cut blackout on Saturday morning. Have since heard that one stand lost £500 of stock during the lights out. Anyway even with the delay etc it was a great day on Saturday, and the organisers kept the show open an extra hour as compensation for shoppers.

I had Jacky (of Kitty's in Kent) staying with me during the show (l stayed with her in London last week) and she was also thrilled with her Scottish experience and sales. She is off back down to Kent now and it all seems very quiet around here this morning. I do have a really pretty birdhouse hanging in my kitchen now, and every time l see it l will think of these mad two weeks and all that has happened.

So what now. Well today l have to fill all the orders that have been coming through the web site over the last week. This will keep Nan at the village post office happy. Get the banking done (keep accountant happy) sort out the stock and work out what to take to Hopetoun House fair later in the week. Also want to buy a copy of 'Mama Mia!' today - to keep me happy.

And on that happy note l shall go and get things done.

Karon  x

FIRST DAY FAB

This is Thursday, it must be Glasgow. First day of the Country Living Scotland fair and what a start to the show. It was like a wave hitting you when the doors opened, people evrywhere and oh so keen to buy. The rush just continued and we (Dream Acres, Snapdragon, Twice, Rustique Interiors and Kitty's  - plus loads of others of course) were kept busy until things calmed down a bit around 3pm.

 

It really made all the hard work worthwhile to have such a good opening day. Big thanks to all clients and bloggers who came to say hello, much appreciated.

Home tonight to check the web site and reload for tomorrow. Happy and releived.
Karon  x

ROAD TRIP TO LONDON

This is the potted version of my road trip to London for the Country Living fair. Started 5am on Tuesday and it took me til l got over the border into England before l worked out how to get the volume on the SatNav to work. However, 8 hours and two pit stops later the Sat Nav and l are best friends (l'm chatting back to it) and we have reached London. My only regret is that it doesn't sound lie Johnny Depp.

I got together with Jacky as soon as l arrived and it was great to see a friendly face when all the mayhem of the set up was going on. Total madness everywhere, but it all came together in the end and my little garden arch stand just worked as l had hoped it would after all those months of planning.

Staying with Jacky out in Kent meant that l had to get used to the dreaded London cummute. Wow do l take my hat off to you guys who commute to and from work, l just don't know how you do it, all that standing on trains, crowds everywhere and delays all the time. Oh no, give me the country any day of the week.

On Thursday night we drove bac through the streets of London to see the Christmas lights on Regent Street and Oxford Street. I couldn't resist taking a pic of good old Harrods all lit up in her festive finary.

Anyway back to the fair. It is massive, a 3 level affair. I was on the middle (mezzanine floor) right on the balcony rail. A tiny space but nice and bright and airy.

In this photo my stand is on the far left in the middle just beside the Christmas stocking.
The days were very busy, first day (Wednesday) we had the gala evening and were open til 9pm. I had thought this would be really long and dragging, far from it, the time flew by as it was so busy. Home and bed seriously late tho, could l keep up this pace!

Five days later l find that l could keep up the pace (only just!) and l have survived. Above is a picture of Rosy, my little pal from Jacky's house, making it just like a home from home.

Sunday 4pm found me packing up and heading home. 5 days of selling, far too many huge muffins just loaded with calories, great chat with friends, fab to have met so many bloggers (and thanks for looking after the stand for me guys), good sales, worthwhile effort and great memories. Another long (and boy it was so much longer in my tired out state) drive home and it is all over.

Back to my darling Idgy and the animal gang. Now it is Tuesday. Jacky has arrived and we are getting ready to start all over again in Glasgow tomorrow.
Wish us luck......
Karon  x

ALL'S FAIR AND MOUSE WARS

Been kind of manic here so rather short of pretty photos to share with you. I did snap this at the Kilearn fair on Saturday morning. Went all Christmassy with my table but alas it didn't pull in the masses to attend the day. Good catch up with Jane tho, and Idgy had a great day with her girls. I came home with a bucket of mouse poison (eco friendly to owls this stuff) ready to delare war on the mouse boys.

War declared in a far bigger way than l had at first imagined. Rather stupidly l had thought there were maybe just a few of the little blightlers about, alas no, there are far more than l had thought. Yesterday l had to haul out all my fabrics and l hate to say this but have had to throw away bag loads that had been ruined. Today l have a washing machine full of fabrics to de-mouse. I am sickened. HQ is now stripped of its colourful and cozy look of stacked fabrics and vintage charm, it looks like a big shed. Stripped back to what it is in reality. I know the idea of poisons and traps will upset some of you, but this is my business and it is not just one or two cute little furries we are dealing with here, l need all the help l can get. Tracy send in the whippet!

When l got back from Kilearn there was a lovely surprise for me - the aga had died. Put on the kettle and wondered why it wasn't getting hot. Ho hum, phone Aga Man and discover he can't come and help until Tuesday 18th. Okay l know l am away till the 17th, but this weekend we have really noticed how cold the house is (cats moved out of kitchen in the huff now), and l have had to rush off and invest in an electric kettle and a toaster. Had to rethink our eating as well as now we only have the microwave. Thank goodness Idgy is going to her Dad's for the week.

The weather is horrible here today, wet and hellishly windy. Yesterday we had less of the wind and rain but very heavy hail storms hitting us every few hours. I was planning on loading the jeep today but looking at the weather yesterday l thought maybe l should get it done then 'just in case'. I am so glad l did, okay so l got a wee bit wet when l didn't manage to dodge the showers, but boy oh boy l would not like to spend 2 hours trotting in and out of the house lugging all my stuff today in the howling gale. The jeep is loaded and just room enough for me in the front, l do hope that l come back with a LOT more space in the car - what a dream!

I'm taking the laptop with me to London tomorrow so will try to drop you a few lines on the blog whenever l can. Thanks for all the good luck wishes and a lovely card  from Kim.

Best foot forward.........................

Karon  x

THERE IS A MOOSE LOOSE ABOOT THIS HOOSE

I have bought many things on ebay over the years, but this is the first time l have had to search for and purchase a 'Rodent Repeller'. Yes reader, l am afraid we have mice in HQ. Now l know l am always banging on about those cute little miceees that l make in HQ, no, l am afraid these are MICE - nothing cute about them. They have no manners (they are helping themselves to everything they think might just be tasty), they are not house trained in any way (horrible evidence everywhere), in general they are a bloody pest and ruining my stuff.
 
Now we all know that l have cats, Berti and Hank. Well l put Hank in there the other day and he did a good job of bringing out a prisoner in quick fast time. Big round of applause for Hank Cat. Unfortunately the mice are not quite as stupid as l had hoped. The word has gone round, keep a low profile when the cat is there. So l trotted down to the village and armed myself with mouse traps. Not content with just the old fashioned wood and 'watch-your-fingers' jobs, l also bought some fancy new non cruel plastic jobs (thought some might get snapped but others get a chance of freedom, you can't be more fair than that) . Spent yesterday morning getting all sticky trying to bait them with peanut butter on biscuits. Yes, yes l know cheese would have been easier - but come on maybe the mice fancied something different.

They didn't.

They must have a bloody housing estate under HQ just in my sewing corner. They are mocking me (and the cats) by moving about and squeaking (would be more shocked if they sang l guess).Just now l haven't the time to take the whole place to bits (of course l made semi fitted work bench for sewing machines) and go mouse hunting in a major way. Anyway, do l have the right outfit?

Instead l did the only sensible thing, l clutched my laptop and headed for ebay. Mouse Chaser didn't come up with the goods, but once l had re-entered the real world and tried the word deterrant l hit the jackpot. A veritable smorgasbord of mouse chasers all with fancy names. I have gone for 'Rodent Repeller' which makes me think of a sort of Swartzeneger of the mousing world. I imagine a huge cartoon style cat in a cat suit (obviously!) with huge claws and extra weapons, possibly a twelve bore and maybe a rocket launcher (you see l am taking this problem seriously), it will stalk into HQ and dispatch mousy and his pals in a matter of moments never to return. The reality is that l have bought a plastic plug in thingy that will apparently emit a high pitched noice that only mice dislike. They will then all pack up their Louis Vuitton matching luggage (mice with style of course) and bugger off elsewhere.

I await arrival of Rodent Repeller with baited breath. Breath probably better baited than the useless traps were!

Karon  x

SHOE SHINE TIME

Time - last night l polished Idgy's school shoes. Nothing exciting there l hear you say, well yes there is, to me and in a roundabout way.

For months now l have been stressing about Dream Acres and work, stock, business in general etc. In fact for the past few years Dream Acres has taken over my life, but more so this year with so many other things going awry. Anyway it has all really boiled down to one word - time - and the lack of. I have put way, way too much time into Dream Acres to the detriment of everything else and l realised that this year when it all came crashing down on me. I have to reorganise things, l have to restructure and l have to rethink.

Because l have all the stuff packed now for the fairs and just have lots (like thousands!!) of brochures to fold etc to take with me, l have suddenly found time to think a bit about other things apart from my panic over stock. Last night l noticed those school shoes and leapt into action to get them shiny again. Last week l would not have noticed, far too wrapped up in my own little world. I have been missing so damn much, everything has been passing me by as l stress over my very small business.

I have been earmarking December as my month to get sorted, sit down and rethink my plans, take stock. I am even more determined than ever to do this. I have new plans and ideas for Dream Acres, l have to be able to have more time for Idgy, so the business must be restructured to accommodate this.  Now l look at all my stock (especially as it is all in bags all over the house just now and l have seen exactly what l have) and l am re-evaluating each item - does this sell enough to keep it on the list - does that just stay because it is one of my favourite items - does this merit the time it takes to make compared to the money l get for it.

There are so many things l would like to do in Dream Acres that l just don't have time to do as the things l already make to sell are very time consuming. You get to the stage that you use all the time to make these things and have no time to try out the new which just might prove to be better sellers. A catch 22 situation. I must work out a time budget and sort out my priorities and what can be done in the hours l really should be applying to the business and taking out some precious time for real life.

So you see cleaning that little pair of shoes last night made a big difference to me, it slowed me down for a moment and made me think.

Karon  x