...AND THEY WERE QUITE YUMMY.
NOM, NOM, NOM.
I was hoping to do a lot of crafty stuff last weekend, not least start digging in the hobby room. But I came down sick and spent most of the weekend pouting on the couch. I did manage to read nearly half of my new biography of Marie Antoinette, though. (It's the one by Antonia Fraser - over 600 pages.) I called in sick on Monday, but I'd had a sale from my shop on Friday and I felt like I had to send it out as soon as I could. So I printed out the zines, packed them up nicely and snorked my way down to the Post Office. (That's what you call it when you're stuffed to the gills with phlegm and you're only barely holding it in). The woman weighed it and said the cost was $6. Now, I had checked on the website and according to that, the cost for a letter up to 125g would be $2. That's what I've been charging for postage on zines. This person had ordered my two longest (and therefore heaviest) zines. I really hadn't thought about that before. But I noticed on the scales the weight was 126g. That's right people, it was 1 gram over!! I was mightily pissed off, but I didn't take it out on her. It wasn't her fault. I paid politely and I wore it.
Later on though, I couldn't help thinking - if hadn't included a Moo card, if I had printed them on 80 gsm paper instead of 100 gsm, if I hadn't tied them together with a ribbon. If I hadn't included the free postcard that my special offer specified that I'd include. If I'd written my return address on the back instead of using a sticker. Perhaps if I was a really hot guy with soulful, puppy-dog eyes, she might have bent the rules for me.... But then the next person along the line probably would have marked it Return to Sender. So what can you do? It could happen to anyone.
As Frida Kahlo used to say, there's no recourse.
More later when I have pictures.
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Chihuahua
I felt bad leaving a bitter note after the last post, so I thought I'd leave you with a really adorable note until I have time to write a proper post.
Chihuahua kisses to you all!
Friday, 16 May 2008
How to NOT alienate customers and piss them off
* Charge the correct amount for postage. Even if you have to guess, there are calculation tools to make it fairly accurate.
* If you undercharge for postage, wear it. It's your own fault. Don't ask the customer to pay extra.
* If you do undercharge, and you get a quote, make sure the quote is correct before asking the customer to pay the balance. If the quote is twice as much as the postage really is, a good mail order operator should at least have some idea that it's wrong.
* Oh, and don't say you won't send the goods until after the customer pays the balance. That's quite insulting.
* Of course, asking for twice as much as the postage actually costs will result in you having to turn around and admit that you overcharged the customer and give them a refund. Leading to more confusion and less customer satisfaction.
* If you do say you are going to give the customer a refund, do it straight away!
* Don't ask for or expect repeat business.
Ok, rant over now.
* If you undercharge for postage, wear it. It's your own fault. Don't ask the customer to pay extra.
* If you do undercharge, and you get a quote, make sure the quote is correct before asking the customer to pay the balance. If the quote is twice as much as the postage really is, a good mail order operator should at least have some idea that it's wrong.
* Oh, and don't say you won't send the goods until after the customer pays the balance. That's quite insulting.
* Of course, asking for twice as much as the postage actually costs will result in you having to turn around and admit that you overcharged the customer and give them a refund. Leading to more confusion and less customer satisfaction.
* If you do say you are going to give the customer a refund, do it straight away!
* Don't ask for or expect repeat business.
Ok, rant over now.
Monday, 12 May 2008
In a Nutshell
I'd much rather read blogs than write them at the moment, so I'm keeping it short.
(I currently have 116 blogs on my feed. *gulps*)
Amazing Birthday Haul
I got a Lincraft voucher, an Art 'n' Craft Riot voucher, and a subscription to CRAFT magazine from my amazingly wonderful, generous friends for my birthday. Thanks guys!!! I still haven't decided what to buy. Some canvas boards to try out my painting on, perhaps. (NOT more wool! :P)
From my Mum I got these:
Some socks. Some Yuzu hand cream. It smells divine! Like floral and citrus. And a kokeshi doll! I'm especially happy with her. And I realised that her head is poseable!:
ZINE STUFF
I got it finished! Yes I did! Way late, but I'm very proud of it. I'm even sending it to people I don't have to. What's it about? The title pretty much sums it up. And if you want more, it's listed in my shop.
"My Life as a Slacker;
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Wage"
There's a workshop on street media (zines, blogs, etc) on at the City Library on Wednesday nights starting this week. I can't decide whether to go or not. It would be good for me to meet people, get some new skillz, and borrow hundreds of books (well, some may argue against the last one!), but on the other hand, I'm pretty sick of zines, I'm supposed to be doing BodyPump on Weds nights, and I'm very shy and never take proper advantage of these opportunities. So I just don't know! I have 2 days to decide.
SHOP STUFF
I came into a little bit of money that I wasn't expecting to get from a dispute from a former employer. So I decided to fork out money for some things to do with the shop that I wouldn't normally, or not at this stage yet, anyway. I got:
A Head. I was very excited when I ordered this! Hopefully it will make my hat and scarf pictures look a whole lot better. I just need to find a time when the light is right. Perhaps on the weekend. I hate this time of year - I leave for work in the dark and get home at dusk. And I work in the basement. Still, I've never wanted to be tanned anyway!
(I'm just concerned that her skin is a little shiny. I'm gonna give her a wash. I don't have any inspiration for a name yet. *percolating*)
Moo Cards. These came today. I got a 33% off offer for Etsy sellers. Can't go past that! I could only select photos from my shop, but most of my best photos are on there anyway, so that doesn't matter.
New Banner. See shop. I paid a web designer to make it for me. I didn't like my old banner, but I just couldn't be arsed making a new one. So I decided to help out a fellow blogger who couldn't pay their phone bill.
Bored, hungry and cold now. More next time.
See ya.
[Later]
I tried to change the style of my blog and it deleted the sidebar completely. #*%#**&^*(&!! I've been meaning to re-do it anyway. I don't have time to finish it off at the moment though, so it might look a bit hinky for the next few days. Whatever.
(I currently have 116 blogs on my feed. *gulps*)
Amazing Birthday Haul
I got a Lincraft voucher, an Art 'n' Craft Riot voucher, and a subscription to CRAFT magazine from my amazingly wonderful, generous friends for my birthday. Thanks guys!!! I still haven't decided what to buy. Some canvas boards to try out my painting on, perhaps. (NOT more wool! :P)
From my Mum I got these:
Some socks. Some Yuzu hand cream. It smells divine! Like floral and citrus. And a kokeshi doll! I'm especially happy with her. And I realised that her head is poseable!:
ZINE STUFF
I got it finished! Yes I did! Way late, but I'm very proud of it. I'm even sending it to people I don't have to. What's it about? The title pretty much sums it up. And if you want more, it's listed in my shop.
Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Wage"
There's a workshop on street media (zines, blogs, etc) on at the City Library on Wednesday nights starting this week. I can't decide whether to go or not. It would be good for me to meet people, get some new skillz, and borrow hundreds of books (well, some may argue against the last one!), but on the other hand, I'm pretty sick of zines, I'm supposed to be doing BodyPump on Weds nights, and I'm very shy and never take proper advantage of these opportunities. So I just don't know! I have 2 days to decide.
SHOP STUFF
I came into a little bit of money that I wasn't expecting to get from a dispute from a former employer. So I decided to fork out money for some things to do with the shop that I wouldn't normally, or not at this stage yet, anyway. I got:
A Head. I was very excited when I ordered this! Hopefully it will make my hat and scarf pictures look a whole lot better. I just need to find a time when the light is right. Perhaps on the weekend. I hate this time of year - I leave for work in the dark and get home at dusk. And I work in the basement. Still, I've never wanted to be tanned anyway!
(I'm just concerned that her skin is a little shiny. I'm gonna give her a wash. I don't have any inspiration for a name yet. *percolating*)
Moo Cards. These came today. I got a 33% off offer for Etsy sellers. Can't go past that! I could only select photos from my shop, but most of my best photos are on there anyway, so that doesn't matter.
New Banner. See shop. I paid a web designer to make it for me. I didn't like my old banner, but I just couldn't be arsed making a new one. So I decided to help out a fellow blogger who couldn't pay their phone bill.
Bored, hungry and cold now. More next time.
See ya.
[Later]
I tried to change the style of my blog and it deleted the sidebar completely. #*%#**&^*(&!! I've been meaning to re-do it anyway. I don't have time to finish it off at the moment though, so it might look a bit hinky for the next few days. Whatever.
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Museum Field Trip
I so want to go to the Printing Museum open day workshop! But I am shy. *hangs head*
I did go to the Etsy seller's meetup last Sunday though and had a great chat and met lots of great people and saw lots of amazing things. I am seriously coveting some those beautiful handmades.
I've been spending all my spare time grinding away at a zine I've been making for a Swap-bot swap. Normally I love it and I get a lot of inspiration from swaps, but this one is driving me nuts. It's blown out to a gargantuan 50 pages, only half of which are done. When you're hopelessly behind on the deadline and you're getting real cravings to knit instead, it's not so fun. Hopefully it'll be finished soon, and no more zines for a while!
I have some exciting new purchases and other things to show you, but it'll have to wait til I can A) be bothered to take photos; and B) have access to the computer; and C) actually have time.
All I want to say right now is - my head arrived yesterday and I can't wait to start using it!!
I did go to the Etsy seller's meetup last Sunday though and had a great chat and met lots of great people and saw lots of amazing things. I am seriously coveting some those beautiful handmades.
I've been spending all my spare time grinding away at a zine I've been making for a Swap-bot swap. Normally I love it and I get a lot of inspiration from swaps, but this one is driving me nuts. It's blown out to a gargantuan 50 pages, only half of which are done. When you're hopelessly behind on the deadline and you're getting real cravings to knit instead, it's not so fun. Hopefully it'll be finished soon, and no more zines for a while!
I have some exciting new purchases and other things to show you, but it'll have to wait til I can A) be bothered to take photos; and B) have access to the computer; and C) actually have time.
All I want to say right now is - my head arrived yesterday and I can't wait to start using it!!
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
3 Days of Craft -- Results
At the start of my long weekend challenge, I was seriously super-pumped to craft my crafty butt off for 3 days straight! In reality, what with all the birthdays, gym sessions (only 2 actually), trips to Bunnings, housework and computer games, I probably averaged about 2 1/2 hours a day. I didn't finish everything on the list, but I'm still quite happy with what I did.
First, I finished the big project I've been working on in complete secret for the last few months, and which turns up as "N's present" on my list of things to do. She said she wanted one, so I made her one!:
Seriously!
I designed and stitched it myself. The lower-case alphabet comes from a website, and the traditional uppercase font from a picture of a 19th-century sampler in my Australian Colonial Crafts book (the exact name escapes me right now, but I love flicking through it every now and then). The frame is a semi-crappy one I bought from K-mart. I would have preferred a vintage one, but I didn't have time to trawl through the op shops and possibly not find anything. I framed it with a proper matt board so the stitches don't touch the glass, and sealed it with cloth tape in a matching colour on the back. (Thanks to Boy for helping me with that.) It went down quite well at the party, and there were suggestions I make more. I have an idea for another design that's been percolating away. We'll see!
Next, I finished 'bagbag', my carry bag made from plastic supermarket bags that I cut up into ribbons and crocheted:
re-use, reduce, recycle!
I'm quite pleased with the result. It seems quite sturdy. It's purpose all along was to carry my lunches and snacks to work and it serves this purpose perfectly! The only concern I have is that it doesn't roll up very small and takes up quite a bit of room in my bag. So a bag made with this technique wouldn't serve very well as a 'just in case' shopping bag that you can keep in your handbag all the time. I just found out about fused plastic the other day. You get about 6 to 8 bags, lay them on top of each other and iron them so that they melt together. Then you can cut them, sew them etc just like fabric. I really want to try this!
I feel so environmentally guilty saying this, but I'm a bit unhappy to hear that plastic bags are being phased out. Where are we crafty recyclers going to get them from??
Then (and by this stage it was Sunday night) I finished the Girls Like Mythbusters Too scarf that I began one night long, long ago when I was watching Mythbusters. Thanks to Ravelry, I can tell you it was on the 3rd of March. (Oh when, oh when are they going to get out of Beta mode so I can link directly to my own profile??) Anyhoo, here it is:
So pink and sparkly! *giggles*
I made up the pattern myself. It's based on a scarf I saw a girl wearing on the tram about 2 years ago. Sometimes these things take time to come to me. It just took a piece of cardboard and a bit of patience, and voila!.
Then (or it might have been earlier) I finished a page in my art journal that I started last week:
Neigghh!!
Yes, it's a Sea Pony. I just decided to do something crazy and naive and compulsive. Sure, it took me a while to actually finish it, but it's all good. The body is a little bigger and the tail more squished up than I planned, but I like him! I liked working with acrylics as well, which I haven't really done before. I can see some similar figures on canvas boards, once I get a bit better with the proportions and details. If I had kids, I'd hang one in their room.
I also made a rustic scone to have with some soup Boy and I made:
I call it a Rustic scone, but that really means I couldn't be bothered cutting out shapes, so I just dump it on a tray, pat it down a bit, and score some lines on it so it's easier to break apart when it's cooked. This one was really yummy!
Oh yeah, you might have noticed that I didn't write the zine or the knitting pattern this weekend. That was because both involved using the computer, and whenever I went even vaguely near it, I ended up compulsively playing a computer game that Boy downloaded. It was one of those really simple yet addictive kids' games where you just have to help the girl find her parents by planting plants and bopping monsters with a spade. It's the most important thing in the world right at that moment. Anyone who games knows what I'm talking about. I really have to get them done though. I hate deadlines!
In conclusion, even though I didn't get everything done this weekend, I'm really happy with what I did do. I dream of having a whole weekend, or even a single day, dedicated completely to crafting. Maybe one day.... *sighs*.....
First, I finished the big project I've been working on in complete secret for the last few months, and which turns up as "N's present" on my list of things to do. She said she wanted one, so I made her one!:
I designed and stitched it myself. The lower-case alphabet comes from a website, and the traditional uppercase font from a picture of a 19th-century sampler in my Australian Colonial Crafts book (the exact name escapes me right now, but I love flicking through it every now and then). The frame is a semi-crappy one I bought from K-mart. I would have preferred a vintage one, but I didn't have time to trawl through the op shops and possibly not find anything. I framed it with a proper matt board so the stitches don't touch the glass, and sealed it with cloth tape in a matching colour on the back. (Thanks to Boy for helping me with that.) It went down quite well at the party, and there were suggestions I make more. I have an idea for another design that's been percolating away. We'll see!
Next, I finished 'bagbag', my carry bag made from plastic supermarket bags that I cut up into ribbons and crocheted:
I'm quite pleased with the result. It seems quite sturdy. It's purpose all along was to carry my lunches and snacks to work and it serves this purpose perfectly! The only concern I have is that it doesn't roll up very small and takes up quite a bit of room in my bag. So a bag made with this technique wouldn't serve very well as a 'just in case' shopping bag that you can keep in your handbag all the time. I just found out about fused plastic the other day. You get about 6 to 8 bags, lay them on top of each other and iron them so that they melt together. Then you can cut them, sew them etc just like fabric. I really want to try this!
I feel so environmentally guilty saying this, but I'm a bit unhappy to hear that plastic bags are being phased out. Where are we crafty recyclers going to get them from??
Then (and by this stage it was Sunday night) I finished the Girls Like Mythbusters Too scarf that I began one night long, long ago when I was watching Mythbusters. Thanks to Ravelry, I can tell you it was on the 3rd of March. (Oh when, oh when are they going to get out of Beta mode so I can link directly to my own profile??) Anyhoo, here it is:
I made up the pattern myself. It's based on a scarf I saw a girl wearing on the tram about 2 years ago. Sometimes these things take time to come to me. It just took a piece of cardboard and a bit of patience, and voila!.
Then (or it might have been earlier) I finished a page in my art journal that I started last week:
Yes, it's a Sea Pony. I just decided to do something crazy and naive and compulsive. Sure, it took me a while to actually finish it, but it's all good. The body is a little bigger and the tail more squished up than I planned, but I like him! I liked working with acrylics as well, which I haven't really done before. I can see some similar figures on canvas boards, once I get a bit better with the proportions and details. If I had kids, I'd hang one in their room.
I also made a rustic scone to have with some soup Boy and I made:
I call it a Rustic scone, but that really means I couldn't be bothered cutting out shapes, so I just dump it on a tray, pat it down a bit, and score some lines on it so it's easier to break apart when it's cooked. This one was really yummy!
Oh yeah, you might have noticed that I didn't write the zine or the knitting pattern this weekend. That was because both involved using the computer, and whenever I went even vaguely near it, I ended up compulsively playing a computer game that Boy downloaded. It was one of those really simple yet addictive kids' games where you just have to help the girl find her parents by planting plants and bopping monsters with a spade. It's the most important thing in the world right at that moment. Anyone who games knows what I'm talking about. I really have to get them done though. I hate deadlines!
In conclusion, even though I didn't get everything done this weekend, I'm really happy with what I did do. I dream of having a whole weekend, or even a single day, dedicated completely to crafting. Maybe one day.... *sighs*.....
Monday, 21 April 2008
Weekend jaunt
On Saturday, Boy was working so I had 8 hours to fill in.
I went to the National Gallery and saw the Black in Fashion exhibition. Radically cool. The earliest pieces in the collection were from the early 19th century, when black was only worn for mourning, through to the 1980s when it was used by Japanese designers as an antidote to prevailing fashions. I would have liked to have found out more about earlier times, but I guess the exhibition was limited by what items it could get a hold of. It had a really cool soundtrack featuring Ladytron, Depeche Mode and a lounge-y cover of Soundgarden among others that I can't remember. It left me thinking, whoever designed this exhibition needs to do more! I'm coveting the catalogue; hopefully it'll go on sale when the exhibition finishes. Then again, it was a good enough exhibition that I might fork out.
I also went to MagNation and bought my first ever issue of frankie magazine. I felt so cool and rockin'! It has so many giveaways and came with a free art poster. (Which looks suspiciously like something I've seen on Etsy. In a good way). I'm really enjoying it. I might subscribe.
I also started working on a new zine for a swap on Swap-Bot. It's one that I'd thought of and wrote a few notes for a while back. It's a sort-of autobiographical account of my struggles with being a wage slave, the bizarre jobs that I've had and how I came to be where I am today. I don't know if anyone else will find it interesting, but they'll just have to suffer in their jocks, won't they? It's due on 1st May, and I'm pretty sure I'll have it done with the extra time I'll have on Friday. (Public holidays, yyeeeeessssss!)
New obsession time:
Also, I've decided that I want a Wunderkammer, or Cabinet of Curiosities. I really don't know how, or why, or where I'm going to put it. But I really want one.
I went to the National Gallery and saw the Black in Fashion exhibition. Radically cool. The earliest pieces in the collection were from the early 19th century, when black was only worn for mourning, through to the 1980s when it was used by Japanese designers as an antidote to prevailing fashions. I would have liked to have found out more about earlier times, but I guess the exhibition was limited by what items it could get a hold of. It had a really cool soundtrack featuring Ladytron, Depeche Mode and a lounge-y cover of Soundgarden among others that I can't remember. It left me thinking, whoever designed this exhibition needs to do more! I'm coveting the catalogue; hopefully it'll go on sale when the exhibition finishes. Then again, it was a good enough exhibition that I might fork out.
I also went to MagNation and bought my first ever issue of frankie magazine. I felt so cool and rockin'! It has so many giveaways and came with a free art poster. (Which looks suspiciously like something I've seen on Etsy. In a good way). I'm really enjoying it. I might subscribe.
I also started working on a new zine for a swap on Swap-Bot. It's one that I'd thought of and wrote a few notes for a while back. It's a sort-of autobiographical account of my struggles with being a wage slave, the bizarre jobs that I've had and how I came to be where I am today. I don't know if anyone else will find it interesting, but they'll just have to suffer in their jocks, won't they? It's due on 1st May, and I'm pretty sure I'll have it done with the extra time I'll have on Friday. (Public holidays, yyeeeeessssss!)
New obsession time:
Also, I've decided that I want a Wunderkammer, or Cabinet of Curiosities. I really don't know how, or why, or where I'm going to put it. But I really want one.
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