Making Stock and Taking Stock!

New Stock for my Shop

I’m currently having a sale in my Etsy shop, clearing out the Winter-themed stock.

Of course, this will leave me with much less stock available and I’m working on some new items. I thought I’d show you a couple of things I finished earlier in the week.

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Two pairs of long, narrow notebooks – for use as shopping lists, pocket or handbag notebooks, message pads…

Each is filled with nice white printer paper, which is hand-stitched at the top of the wrap-over cover.  The covers are made with scrapbook papers, by American Crafts.  I like them because they are stiff enough for a pocket notebook and also have a contrasting colour on the non-patterned side, so you get a pretty effect inside.

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A pair of Travel-themed notebooks.  Each is filled with nice quality sketch paper and covered with stiff art paper, one blue, one red. 

The covers have contrasting panels, with a square decoration from a sheet of paper I have with vintage-style trunk label designs. I have put a plain panel on each, so the owner can write their name, or what the book is for (one for “Journal” and one for “Itinerary” perhaps!).

I have bound each book by sewing through eyelets, onto the back cover, so the front remains plain and wraps over the pages. 

I’m currently working on some journals, which are bound, but not covered yet.  I’ll post a few pictures when they’re finished.

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New Plans for 2011

I hope everyone is having a good week – probably all back at school, college and/or work by now.  I’m trying to get life back to what passes for “normal” round here.  J. went back to school yesterday and has already settled down again; D. was back at work on Tuesday. 

I’m still trying to catch up with all those little jobs that didn’t get done in the holidays, while also making time for book-binding and preparation for the Sock-Pet Making course that I’ll be teaching in a few weeks’ time.

 
I have to go to see a lady from the Learning and Business Partnership, who run the Childrens University and Frontiers Club, to fill in a form for my CRB Check (that’s a check on your records, to make sure you’re safe/suitable to work with children).  My last one was over 5 years ago, so I have to have another – I don’t think anyone has convicted me of any evil crimes in the meantime, so this is just a formality. 

I like children and miss being in their company since I stopped my job at the school, so I’m looking forward to the course, though it will be the first of its kind that I have organised and taught by myself!  I hope that I have learned enough from those great teachers I worked with at school, to be able to do a good job for the kids. 

Currently I’m making some plans for the equipment and materials I will need, also a set of notes to hand out, giving instructions and helpful information, to supplement the verbal teaching – and of course it will help them if they want to complete a project at home.

I’ve had to fill in a Risk Assessment - risks from what and how to deal with it?  Ok, how about Scissors – you can cut yourself on those, or stab someone if you run about with them… Or needles – eeek, they’re not so safe either if you don’t look after them… or hmm…  anything can be dangerous if you don’t use it properly.  Someone could strangle another student with a sock, I suppose.  I’d better just give them some basic instructions about sensible handling of equipment and general safety, then hope I don’t have the Club Psycho on my course!

My main concern is that I won’t judge the timing correctly and either have too much for the children to try and accomplish, or else not enough planned for them.  It is five hours of classroom time, which will include any Health & Safety instructions and other housekeeping.   There will also be breaks for a snack etc and for lunch.  I will probably have about 4 hours of teaching time, maybe 4.5… can’t remember.  I am just not sure how fast the children will take things in and how quickly or slowly they will work. 

I’ll just have to make my best guess and plan to show them two projects – one very straightforward first of all, one a bit more complex later on, and let them get on with it in between times. 
Hopefully they will all complete the first project, but I would think some will be taking stuff home to finish at the end of the day.

I wasn’t nervous about this when I first applied to do it, but now I’m “in at the deep end”, I am hoping I will cope!  Anyone who has experience of planning craft-based projects for 9-16 years, I would welcome your comments or advice!

So, back to the books…