Thursday, July 25, 2013

Hello my friend Glue Gun!

So yesterday consisted of 190 Royal Blue Bows.
No, nothing to do with HRH George Alexander Louis although at Simply Stunning Invitations we are over the moon by the arrival of the little Prince! Congratulations Kate and Will, he is  adorable :)
I have some very exciting circus style chequebooks to make. These have been in the pipeline for a little while and I cannot wait to see them develop into the full product.
The original sample is here and this will be tailored to accommodate all the small changes the couple wanted to make to it. Including their names and date on the front. The bow was changed for a flat bow...hence the glue gun. It took an entire day but finally I finished at around 7 pm last night. Yesterday the glue gun really was my friend!

Friday, June 28, 2013

Thank heavens for Friday

So it is here finally Friday! This week has been very busy and I am exhausted. It included lots of meetings with clients and a trip to London to see War Horse which, by the way, I highly recommend. Such a wonderful, skilled piece of theatre which had me captivated from the outset. Definitely go see!
So, this weekend I have a table plan, some chequebook wedding invitations and some wallets to get underway and hopefully finish. Plus a sample of Tea Garden to make. It sounds like another busy weekend but then would I have it any other way??
If you are interested in hiring a luxury car for your special day then please visit our sister site Simply Stunning Cars. We were a small part of a very lovely couples wedding today and wish them all the best in their future together. Congratulations Mr and Mrs McGarrigle :)


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Face to Face

It struck me tonight after having 2 consultations with clients, how lovely it is to meet couples face to face. The internet is such a great tool and I gain so much of my business through internet searches, email and Facebook yet there is still something so much better about face to face meetings and consultations.

 In the past I have steered away from home consultations because I run my business from home. I was a little bit nervous about inviting people to my home as I wanted everything to be perfect. What if the children argued or the dogs barked? What if the phone rings constantly or the neighbours have a row?
It is bound to happen at some point, but it is life and real people seem to like real life.

The first of tonight's clients had come quite a way from her home to collect an order, we have "chatted" quite a lot via the internet but never met in person, so it was lovely to put a face to an on screen profile. I hope that it was nice for her to meet the supplier behind her stationery, to see that it really is handmade in my little office (the dining room). That each invite has been created with care and time and each guest will receive a little piece of that as a start to their special day.

The second couple had lots to discuss, much of which we couldn't have done without brainstorming ideas and visual keys. They could ask my capabilities and I could show them real products rather than leaving it all to the imagination. We talked for quite some time and I feel I know them as a couple a bit better now and have a better understanding of what they are looking for. Would I have got that through the written text of emails or even through descriptions via phone calls? Probably not, that is why I aim to have more face to face meetings from this point on...it is the future!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Oops! It has been a while...

Well , here I am! I have finally brought my blog up to 2013. Funny how it was the first thing I ever did as a step towards my own business but since creating my website the blog has become a bit rejected! I am officially dusting off my blogging hiatus and getting back into the swing of things.
I guess it would be polite to tell you a bit about myself and how I came to find myself running a small business from home.
I love crafting and started making cards as a hobby. I discovered a lot of people had in mind what they would like for wedding invitations but couldn't find (through conventional methods) anywhere to purchase bespoke invitations. So voila! I had a little play around and felt like I could
offer something a little different. I don't ask people to bulk buy, if you need 101 invites that's fine however, if you need 6 that is fine too. As each invite is individually handcrafted, no order is too small or too large.
I do offer some Simply Stunning pre-designed ranges and can create invitations to suit all budgets. Of course, all invitations come with envelopes included and matching stationery can be created to keep the theme or colour scheme consistent throughout your special day.
If you happen to stumble across my blog and think this sounds like something you need or would like to have a little nosey please feel free to visit my website Simply Stunning Invitations for all things wedding and full of loveliness :) This time I will be back!