GETTING FIT! Not Just Physically!

I've had a realisation!!  When you start to get your body fit, the mind tends to follow suit.  Have been slogging it away at the gym for a month now and have seen some really good results losing 31cm from the old bod.  It has also been making me feel a lot more energised and mentally ready to take on the world!.  Loving it!

I am also getting some jobs ticked off "the list" but unfortunately for me keep adding to the list as quickly as I tick them off.

The big thing I've decided to do is to revamp my range of kits as I'm finding that I am pumping out new kits by the day and need to "retire" some of the older kits so that I can keep things fresh and exciting.  With this in mind I'll be looking at clearing out these old ones so a big Kit Sale is in order! and the Xmas Party on the 17th will be a good day to do it me thinks!  Should be a good day and hopefully will be able to catch up with my lovely customers then.

Boys are on holidays now and I've got them organised with a schedule of computer time / TV time and "outdoor" time so they have just realised that I mean business and will not be swayed!  Just need to keep my sanity for the next 6 weeks!.  They are good kids so I am very lucky.

Time to get off the computer myself now and stick to a little schedule of my own!
Until next time!
Monnie

Ticking off "The List"

I'm actually getting myself organised which for me is a tad scary.  I have several lists with the trick being to focus on one list at a time!

The shop has been buzzing along quite nicely with Xmas coming up - even though I still haven't got all of my stock up on the walls it is starting to look more like a shop now!.   Have only scheduled a few classes for the next few weeks as I find that we are all getting a bit too busy with the silly season and don't have as much time as usual.  We will be running some kid's workshops in January and also a new bracelet that I'm sure will be popular as a class (yes it's a seed beady one!).

Definitely in Xmas mode now with the kids nagging us to put up the tree and I'm keen to decorate the front courtyard ready for our Xmas Party with lots of sparkly snowflakes and stuff!

Anyway - off to work now (just need to climb the stairs and I'm there!)  Gotta love that!.  Doing up my kits for the class this week - check it out....  Going to do some other colour combos too!

See you soon
Monnie

Xmas Already?

The speed with which this year has gone by is just incredible.  I've been to so many cities yet have only seen the inside of the apartment and the inside of the show venue so it's almost like it never happened!.  It was great to get around and meet ladies from all different walks of life and share our skills with them at the show classes.

I'm looking forward to a slightly less frantic pace where I can be with my family and have a little bit more time to think and plan out some interesting projects for the coming year.

There are a few things I've been wanting to do like the beaded viking knit necklace I've just put up as a class coming up.  It is not a quick one that's for sure.... Loaded with Swaros and a mix of earthy gemstone beads - love to mix it up!

Well it's on to my list to start ticking off the things that I really want to get on top of before Xmas....

Bye for now

Monnie

MY CRAZY LIFE!

Well after another surviving the second Sydney show of the year, we are heading to Townsville next week for the Craft & Sewing Show so last minute preparations are being made and the list is getting longer!  Donna and I are on tour again so look out Craft show goers!  Am teaching a couple of classes too which will be good.  We will then be off to Melbourne and then Canberra so a very busy couple of months coming up.

Am looking forward to catching up with Sandee, Penny not to mention Jann and a few others popping in tomorrow so that will be great.   I wonder if they realise I will be putting them to work! (hehe!).  I have even had my 9 year old boys helping me put kits together, pricing & packaging - we agreed that it wasn't child labour but merely enhancing their fine motor skills!  They are on holidays and are bored so I'm taking full advantage of that!.

I am having to think about Xmas products & kits which is really hard to do in July!  For some reason it all seems a bit silly but then it rolls around so quickly you really need to be prepared.  

Anyway back to the kits - no early nights for me this week!

Sayonara....
Monnie

Easter Fun

Hi everyone,

After spending a nice relaxing 5 days down the coast with the family, it's time to get back into the swing of things with a very busy few weeks coming up.

I did manage to make a few things while I was down the coast with the beach theme coming through of course!

These were done with the 1 part resin Magic Gloss (man I love that stuff!!) some cool vintage settings that came in recently as well as the newer style rings which I love.

We are heading up to Maleny next weekend for the local Craft & Quilt fair which should be great so if you don't have any plans - come on up!  I'll just be bringing a small selection of kits and some finished jewellery because #1) I have to fit the boys in to the car as well and #2) I only have a 1.5 x 1.5m space!  so that will be a challenge!

When I get back I'll be in full planning mode to get stock ready to send off for the Perth Craft & Quilt which is only in a few weeks time!

Just received another lot of amazing German Clasps which I am dying to make into some stunning jewellery!  Must go now - lots to do...

Monnie xx

Between Shows

Well we are back from the Sydney Craft Expo held at Rosehill Racecourse and are ready to tackle the Brisbane Craft Expo next week (well not that ready but we will be by next week!).  It was a big week so I am trying to take it easy this week to recharge the old batteries (haha!).  Nice photo of Donna and I taken by Liz (we forgot to get any other photos!).

I will be teaching 3 classes a day at the Brisbane Show so it's going to be a hard slog and I'm sure plenty of coffees will be consumed!.  Looking forward to catching up with many of my regular customers who I'm sure will be there checking out all of the goodies.  There are lots of photos of the samples I will be teaching on my Facebook page - check it out! Mad Monnie Beading Buddies.

If you want more information and class times go to the Craft Expo website -> Craft Expo Brisbane - Activities - We are on at 10:30am in the Make & Take 3 (Coiled Crystal Earrings) and then 12:30pm (Wrapped Up - wirework pendant wrapping) and 2:30pm at the Bead Boudoir (Jekyll & Hyde - Long Necklace - beginners).

Hope to see you all there!

Sydney is almost here!

I can't believe we only have a couple of weeks to finish getting ready for the Sydney Show!.  Actually it's only one week as we need to get the freight off next Tues or Wednesday.  I am in major kit making mode with boxes of half-made kits in just about every room of the house (my husband is having second thoughts about the shop being here now I'm pretty sure!).  With the really hot weather I have had to work down in the "cave" as much as possible to be with the air-con.

I have plastered the walls of the office downstairs with the front pages of all of the kits I need to get packaged up - there are still way too many up there for my liking - oh well looks like some long nights for me ahead.

We had a great day last Sunday with some of our Beading Buddies and again the weather was threatening to make it almost unbearable but we were able to make some room downstairs for the ladies to escape the heat.  There were some great entries to our Challenge which I have posted here for everyone to see.  We are still waiting for one more entry to come in so will wait for that one before the judging begins.  Click on the link below to check out the entries so far.

Beading Buddy Challenge Entries

Back to making kits now!
Monnie

Piccies of new shop set-up

Well I promised photos so here they are!

Have just vialled up another 400 vials of seed beads so the Seed Bead wall is looking slightly fuller now! Now to take photos of over 6000 products and get them updated on the website!  My "To Do" list is getting rather long but at least I am managing to tick things off now.

2011 is up and running! at lightning speed!

Have had an incredibly productive few weeks getting the shop not only set up but have re-stocked findings, seed beads, re-vamped the kit display and I'm now ready for a fantastic 2011!

There will be some amazing specials on kits starting Monday - up to 50% off Discontinued kits so the supplies will be limited.  Starting early February we will be selling "Mystery Boxes" to Beading Buddies card holders only with a value of over $30 for just $10.  You won't know what goodies will be inside though!  Let the imagination run wild!  We also have lots of old beading magazines going out at $4 each.

I am hoping you will all come to visit us at the new location so I've added a little mud map in here to make it a little bit easier for you all - this map shows the location coming from the old location at Norman Park to Karana Street.... click on the link -> MAP TO MONNIE'S
Please feel free to park in the driveway if there is a spot there.

We are already in preparation mode for the first show coming up in Sydney in early March and Brisbane in late March so lots to do as I'll be running classes at each show.  More information to come on that.

Hope to see you all soon!
Monnie

Visit the website - www.madmonnie.com.au

Shingles Relief

Not having fun!  Shingles across my back and it's really itchy and sore all at the same time...

Set myself up with the coiling gizmo and managed to get a few bracelets made up out of the beautiful beads from Liz that I will be using for the show classes coming up in Sydney and Brisbane.  See the finished ones below.  These will be available as class kits only when you attend a class at the show.

Flood Relief

Hi Everyone,

Well it's terrible news around the city with all of the flooding but thankfully we are on top of a hill so no chance of us being affected thank goodness.  My thoughts are with all of those who are in the path of the massive floods coming through if not already dealing with flooding - I'm sure the aftermath will be devastating.  It's hard to sit back and watch it all - feeling a bit helpless.

I took a break from watching the news today and made up some jewellery for the first time in 2 weeks after my huge task of setting up the shop.  I have piccies of the jewellery but I am holding back on the shop photos as it's not quite finished!  I have been wanting to make up something with my "hardware" supplies for a while now and kind of went a bit overboard.  Now I've satisfied that urge I may have to move on to sparkly things now!.

Bye for now,

Monnie

Shop Progress

Have taken my lovely friend Liz's advice to write in my blog more often - so here it is!

Well I farewelled the shop last Monday (after 13 carloads and 1 big removalist truck!) with a hint of sadness as it has served we very well for the last 4 years.  But, being the optimist that I am, am looking forward to setting up a fantastic shop display and courtyard area that my customers will love coming to and spending time at the new set up.  My wonderful hubby has been working extremely hard getting some extra storage areas set up so I can keep all of my excess stock well organised and within easy reach.

My next challenge is "where the heck am I going to fit all of this stuff"!!!

So - with space at a premium - storage is the key... I'm actually finding that being organised is a skill - it takes a ***load of plastic boxes (which is critical when they are left outside in the rain!) and throwing out stuff that you don't really need!

I was going to post a piccie of the work in progress but I am getting closer to finishing so it will be "finished" photo - coming soon!

Stay posted!