Talking things over

Talking things out with the hubby, he was wondering where I am with the webstore, because he knows I'm working my butt off on it, and he's wondering where it's at as far as being ready to rock. I know a lot of you are, as well. I'm busy lining up suppliers, I have a host picked out, I have business cards picked out, I know where to go for a SSL certificate, I have a merchant picked out so I can accept credit/debit cards, and I'm working up the categories for the store (which won't shot if there's nothing in them). Hubby had the idea of magnetic signs on the truck and car, which wouldn't be expensive as I can get those through VistaPrint same as the business cards. I want to have three or four suppliers lined up prior to doing all the other stuff. So it's cranking along quite nicely, it's just on hold while lining up suppliers. With any luck, it will be going by late spring, and I can hopefully start making some extra cash that way. Mind, I won't be able to quit the plant right off, because it's going to take time to build the business, and there's a lot of general competition out there for needlework and yarn and suck online and in retail. But what I can't beat in price, I can beat in customer service and quality and stock. Seriously, if I can get to a place where I have a retail shop as well, I can't say there will be a lot there, but there will be more than what places like Wal-Mart and Michaels and JoAnns carry in the way of needlework and yarn carry. Plus being able to special order for free will be a nice touch.

However, once things are up and running, it also means taking some of my own crafts, which I'll also have in the store, and getting my butt up super-early on Saturdays or going without sleep till after everything's done at the farmer's market and errands. so that I can get the word out locally as well. It also means carrying business cards with me everywhere to pass out and put up on every corkboard in the area where I can. I'm going to wallpaper Green Forest and Harrison with business cards if I have to, to get the word out locally, haha.

Other than that, all I can say is, kittens are cute, Tink is snuggling more now that she knows she is safe, Smudge is interested, Raffles could care less, and Bouncer is fascinted.  Mom's lap quilt is moving along, and I have about 2/3 of the quilting done, so a bit longer and it's off the WIP pile and into the finished pile (and in the mail to her). The house is clean, life is good, and I'm generally pretty happy. Not happy-happy, but the not discontent kind of happy. Off to work!!

For those interested, photos of Tink and the kittens:





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