Snowman Room not workshop

Well we are finally sorted and wish you and yours a very happy Christmas.  Our dining room AKA Snowman Room AKA Workshop is back in full use for us personally and not many signs of the workshop.

Getting Tidy

The tree is up in the dining room, thanks June!  The dining room AKA "design studio" that is going to have a snowman makeover is still work in progress.  We have finally finished the last order, but the resin on the eggshell brooches didn't dry and Richard has had to clean them back and apply more resin from a more recent batch of resin.  So the wool and knitting needle brooches and sheep brooches are all lined up to have their findings attached.

It is ironic that I have now found the long cinnamon sticks that three weeks ago, I was looking high and low for.  Have been coming up with more ideas for wool jewellery and beaded insect brooches, watch this space. 

Hectic days

We use the dining room as our "studio" and we are gradually packing stuff away ready for the Christmas tree to make an appearance, we have 2 trees,

one traditional in the sitting room and the dining room is soon to become the "Snowman Room"!  We seem to be going one step forward and two steps back as people request last minute items.  (2 glasses holders/spec chains today to a local person who phoned to ask if they could come round).  We also had an invitation from Ebay (1 and 1 shop updates straight to Ebay) to see if we wanted to list 1000 items for free (usually 26p to list) so have been uploading to Ebay and within minutes made a sale.  (A napkin clip/holder), these have gone well and we have made a few more.

Nearing Christmas

Well I guess we will only have a few more sales before Christmas, if only the website/shop etc etc had been ready a month earlier, guess it is to say this now with hindsight.  There has been a lot of interest in pet portraits (again), with another completed and another nearly finished.  Had other things to do today, some eggshell brooches needed a resin top coat, only one mini wool ball and knitting needles left in stock so had to replenish (photos tomorrow may be).  The dog pic of Kolo is so good, we shared on our Facebook and my personal page and inundated with comments so I share here again with you.  I see from the figures of pages read, that you are out there but not yet following us, please do, I promise to keep your interest, even if it means inventing the odd murder or two!

Another dog commission - daschund called Margot

We have received another request for a doggy painting, will keep you updated.  We have also in the past week made quite a few napkin clips and a few necklaces with ear-rings.

Here are a couple of our bright multi-coloured necklaces, we do lots of others if bright isn't for you!

Results of another commission!

Here is the water colour of "Peanut" as commissioned following the happy result of the beautiful springer spaniel painted last week.  Richard can try to encapsulate your pet and only buy if you are happy with the results, this size 25cm/10inches in a deep frame - actual water colour 12cm/4.5 inches are now £29.99,  £24.99 without the frame or mount.  (Plus £2.51 P&P if not collected).
Larger paintings available.

Napkin Clips - Serviette Holders

As per previous blog, now made, plain leather napkin clip (we also have done this in plaited leather) along with some beaded clips.  They are 17-19 inches in length and so practical (and glam) for the messy eater (like myself - many new tops bought after  lunchtime spills).  Here is a link to the ones available in the shop.


https://www.madeinmonty.co.uk/shop/serviette-napkin-holder/

Commissions

Well one serviette holder / napkin clip made, just about to design the more feminine one, got diverted with THREE commissions for dog portraits.  One completed and happy customer.  (Doggy painting

as shown - close up and in frame).... Just shows how versatile my dear husband is, he is not sure that he has ever painted a dog before, the customer and I also think it is pretty good.  It is an amazing likeness the photo that was texted to us.

Llanfyllin Workhouse Event

We had a very cold day at Llanfyllin Workhouse's Christmas Fair yesterday, 24 hours later our feet have just about thawed.  (We were indoors with heaters, gives some insight into how it was in olden days!).  Quite a successful day and lots of compliments for Richard's artwork.  He has just finished a new poppy seed head in pen, ink and water colour.  It is now available in the shop.

Napkin and Serviette Holders?

We have been asked to make a couple of serviette holders by someone locally.  They are very similar to our spectacle glasses holder and ID lanyards so no reason why we cannot.  Not really thought of these before, they are for an elderly married couple, he just wants leather and she wants muted colours mainly brown beads, nothing too garish.... will post a photo next week when they are made.  Here is a photo of an ID holder/Glasses holder/Long Necklace - All interchangeable

Either slide in an arm of your glasses to store or change to connectors as pictured below.

Take off large open loop and attached "traditional" connectors .

Add clip and ID card to open loop for stylish staff lanyard.

Google Adwords

Well we have had our first paid ads on Google, have watched the 30 YouTube help videos from Google and feel a little more knowledgeable!  Think it will take a week or so to get the ads fine tuned.... had no idea that to be featured you had to bid against others for certain words and they go for ridiculous amounts.  Getting a few items ready for local craft fair at Llanfyllin Workhouse on Sunday, items not going into "the shop" so do contact us direct if you want one made.

Still traumatised

Last week I thought it couldn't get any worse when the integration to ebay and Amazon didn't happen and to open a new PayPal business account, the name and address had to be entered 29 times, this might be a slight exaggeration!  Today has been awful, from an hour spent trying to get listed in an online business directory, only to lose all the information input at the end, to going round in many circles on Instagram and Google+.

I only wanted to share a few photos of our spectacle chains, glasses holder that double up as long necklace and ID holder....

SEO trauma!

I thought the website would be hard to design, it now appears that this was the easy part!  Have sat through so many Youtube help presentations on SEO and still not at all comfortable with what we are trying to do, heyho will try my best.