slowing down

i have a feeling that it is all slowing down......
the shoppers are nearly all done
final orders will be dispatched over the next few days

time to take a closer look at the cottage, place a few more Christmas decorations around and start to wrap my own families gifts
perfect x




i was not sure what to expect this year, my first year without a bricks and mortar shop, and it has been a mixed bag of emotions.
i do not miss the feeling of panic to tidy the shop each evening and restock the shelves for the next day
i do not miss paying rent, rates, insurance and utilities
i do not miss being out of the house six days a week and at this time of year most of Sunday as well

but i do miss the customers
watching them enjoy the shop, taking their time to see everything, wrapping their gifts and placing them inside beautiful paper bags tied with gorgeous ribbon

but most of all i miss the feedback
as a retailer the most important part for me is knowing that i am on the right track
with a shop you know - folk will visit or they won't
you can see by their faces when they have found a perfect gift
they return time and time again and eventually become good friends

i miss them

this year i have sent out a far amount of parcels and received a little feedback, but not enough
i will be going in to next year with a little trepidation, perhaps dipping my toes for slightly longer than before when looking for new stock

but i am excited that i will be selling some fellow bloggers beautiful work - and for that i am so thankful (you know who you are xx)



right - back to the decorating, gift wrapping, cup of tea and tin of chocs

t x