Oh deary me...I feel like some party bore who, after several glasses of wine, has done little but drone on about fungus and letter press tags for hours, while people politely yawn and try to shuffle away discreetly. It's over. Never again will I ever go about a job in such a cockeyed way. Everything I did was wrong, from the inks used, to hand cutting 400-odd different sized tags by hand, with Stanley knife, hand rolling each block at a time, and then trim, corner punch, and thread up. Not to mention packaging the wretched things. Twenty five packs...
And all entirely my own fault for rushing headfirst into something I was only dabbling in at the time. I am simply relieved and somewhat amazed that they finished up looking alright. Lessons learned, solutions found, move on. And open presents. That'd be the Hallowe'en box I've been hoarding for weeks - someone who did not leave a name, but who knew me very well indeed...Arthur Rackham on the front...
Victoriana fairy on the back...
Horribly realistic, almost untouchable spider lurking inside with beautifully wrapped packages - autumnal pages from Country Living magazine. By now my attena are twitching...
Well worth the wait, the most beautiful autumnal box, so thoughtfully put together; and everything that I like from preserved leaves, an amusing article on vintage childrens fiction, to wild cherry tea and vegetable transfers. And a sweetly messaged but anonymous card - a red squirrel (only found in a handful of places in the UK) - twitch twitch...hmmm.
Gorgeous cards, laid out with suitably warming soup recipes...and this, which sealed my suspicions...
I have only encountered this delicous substance once in my life - tablet. The Scottish form of fudge - hard and sweet, and tasting distinctly of black treacle. And given to me by the same person; I might possibly be wrong, but I think - I think my secret fairy is a certain Border Tart. Correct me if I'm wrong. But whoever it was, thank you for such an amazing box, which has given me enormous orangey-warm pleasure on this grey, mizzly morning. When all has been consumed and stashed away, it is just the right size for storing letter press blocks in...no, shut me up now, before I get started again.
However, Emma, our latest admin fairy who has been wonderfully holding the Secret Fairy fort, has set up a Christmas SOSF event. Skates on, as last post dates are nearing and the closing date is 30th November! Oh, for those who asked, I do have some spare packs of tags which will be in my Etsy shop, (alongside my pathetically small selection of Christmas cards) so if you wanted some, I aim to get them in by Thursday. Now I've told y'all what a bodge job it was, I'm sure you are tempted.
I'll shut up now. About tags and letter press and all that. Hic. Falls asleep on sofa, quietly drooling...to everyones' relief.
Greetings from Planet Head Cold where I have been marooned for what seems a lifetime - but is in fact only a week. A week in which things have come and things have gone. With a delightful accompaniment of sniffs, snuffles and pathetic coughing.
IN - A lovely bracelet from Etsy jewellery seller Definitely Different Designs, calling up images of the sea in autumn; dull green seaweedy stones and pebbly stone/red jasper beads, set in silver plate. Yep, I got suckered by the sea thing again...call me weak willed.
IN - I inadvertently won a draw on the lovely Vintage Pleasure blog; 'Something to Do', a Puffin book from the Seventies, when it was not beyond the realms of imagination that children should occupy themselves cooking, sewing, bird watching and crafting. Most of it without the aid of an adult and blissfully lacking in 21st century health and safety warnings ("please be aware that making hand shadows can result in a sprained finger...") I do so love getting beautifully wrapped things and this is a fantastic book - thank you Kirsty!
IN - my SOSF Tea Party from Tara of the Silver Apples blog, who also packs a pretty - and generous - parcel. Herbal teabags from her own garden, lemon geranium sugar tea, a tub tea bath bag and other wholesome goodies - thank you Tara, the herbals are just what I need to flush the darned cold out of my system.
IN and OUT - In from the library and out again for someone else to enjoy - The Lock by Frank Egerton. I used to review books for a specialist magazine, and while I read some darned good stuff, I also read some unutterable tripe. The worst offender was a nauseatingly cosy pot boiler penned by a well known TV personality. So I felt obliged to give the drivel a halfway positive review, even though it deserved to be dipped in watery porridge and fed to the birds. With a certain High Street book chain gripping the book industry in an iron fist, small, quality publishers need all the help they can get. What follows is not a book review; I have lost my book review skills, or at least they don't work on Planet head Cold...this is my opinion. Suffice to say that this is an Oxfordshire writer, and the Lock is set in and around Oxford, which is given its full share of attention, and described with love and knowledge. But the main story - the straying off the marital path of a middle aged Oxford don, and the consequences of his actions on his family and friends - is cleverly and thoughtfully written. Egerton has the rare gift - in a male author - of being able to write strong female characters realistically, making each one individual and interesting - sometimes even infuriating. Any fan of Oxford and its university scene will love reading this; the detail of the city and its inhabitants is true to life and hugely enjoyable. If I had to be so crass as to give it a catchey genre, it would be (highly) superior Joanne Trollope. For while it concerns itself with similar themes - middle class affairs/guilt/angst - it is so intelligently written that it is a joy to read, the more obvious subject matter belying Egertons sophisticated language skills - this is no mere 'Aga saga'. It has had a shining review from John Bailey, the late Iris Murdoch's husband. Get your library to order it in, read it and savour it. Or even buy it - let's give small publishers like Smaller Sky a fighting chance, God knows they need it.
OUT - the hope engendered by my recent London trip. (The so-called new dawn as optimistically mentioned in my fortieth birthday post.). Not wishing to go into details, let's just say it was like being invited out by the School Hunk. At first you can't believe he really wants to see a little mouse like you. Then you spend days fretting and sorting out what to wear. You buy a dress you can't afford and dream of being Mrs School Hunk, having little School Hunk babies. You draw hearts in biro in the back of your exercise book with your initials entwined. The big day arrives and with trembling fingers you apply the last coat of lip gloss, heading off with beating heart to your dinner date. But when you arrive it appears you are not the only chosen one - he has several candidates for the prized position, who he is also wining and dining for suitability. And you know - you know - that they are prettier, slimmer, sexier than you. And so does he. He lets you down gently, and tells you that you have a nice smile. You crawl under the duvet and cry. You wake up the next day and realise that you didn't want to be Mrs School Hunk anyway. Or so you tell yourself. And life goes on.
so we won't be eating here just yet... OUT - I finally got my Robert Snow snowflake finished and whizzed off to America. Each snowflake is decorated by a published artist and is auctioned after exhibition. This raises money for the Dana-Farber cancer Institute. It's not well known in the UK, so I do suggest going to have a look at the Robert Snow site, as it is a remarkable and touching story and I was proud to be able to contribute.
front back
OUT - My first repeat order for the Lost Toys cards, from Pad in Manchester. I've managed to get a few gorgeous shops to stock them (see the list on the left) but they are also available from my Etsy shop, from where they have been going nicely. I am printing off various designs in small numbers, just to road test them - the first being this ginger cat cat design from the very first incarnation of Red Flannel Elephant cards. (another story, another time). Available in packs of six, so that's one to keep and five to send. Right, that's my feeble energy used up, I wonder if I can summon the strength to do Illustration Friday - the theme is 'Moon' and I am sorely tempted...
Sometimes I think my brain should be replaced by a large spongoid fungus...perhaps a giant puffball, or a morel...just lift this one out, it doesn't function very well, especially not nowadays, and pop t'other in. You can recycle the old one, if the council men will take it.
I am not very good at business-like-things. Dang me, it's not as if I had oodles of money to waste on stupid mistakes. I thought it was all going so well...my new cards uploaded to my printers and winging their way back to me, ready to be packed up and sent to happy customers everywhere. The first boxes arrived - very pleased. Very nice repro. Good colour matching. Glad I chose that font, it looks just right. The next batch arrived - very pleased. Very nice repro. Good colour matching. Glad I - oh. Bugger. Double bugger. Triple bugger in a marmalade sandwich. How the Devil did I manage to do that...
This finding coincided with a small painting commission, which just about covered the cost of reprinting the offending articles. Never let it be said that I aim to make profit where breaking even can be achieved. Now, knowing how popular the 'Three Kings' design is, I thought I'd be show some business savvy and splash my last pennies on getting 250 printed. We are talking very small print runs here, you won't find RFE cards in Clintons. And just 100 of Nellliephant, play it safe. Good, that's that sorted. I was a bit puzzled though, when only 100 'Kings' arrived, a week later. Maybe they were sending them in batches? Then a box of 250 'Kings' arrived too...I had of course, reordered the 'Kings' twice. Time to reorder. Again. So now I am just waiting for 'Nelliephant' mark 3 to come trumpety trumping through the jungle, as it were. How do I manage it? Am I some kind of genius?
"I know I left it here somewhere..."
So, as usual, my cash flow is pretty much stuffed, and we are foraging in the woods for firewood until my last cheque gets here, then I can buy a proper load from the men who cut down trees. Ah well, it gets us out of the house; we LIKE the woods, hurrah! But I am about to sacrifice my best paintbrush to the Gods of illustration in the hopes they will send me a job.
Moaning aside, there have been some lovely pink fluffy moments...not least a kind fairy godmother putting in a large card order today, which has helped enormously. (THANK YOU!) Times like this you realise who your friends are, and one day, with luck, I'll be able to see this as just a learning curve.
At last, after much mutual worrying, some SOSF booty has arrived...belated but enchanting, these teeny tiny origami cards, a little late for Hallowe'en, but it does not matter one bit. They are mind bogglingly bijou...
(Sooz, confess, you are only inches high, aren't you? How else could you get those little folds so perfectly creased?)
And after many weeks swimming their way round the globe, beautiful cards and fairy dust from sweet Miss Robyn, (you can breathe easy now MR, it arrived safely after all!)
So in the grand tradition of 'if life gives you lemons, make lemonade', I am off to make - appropriately enough - fairy cakes. With rainbow sprinkles. Next week is shiny new and waiting to be filled. Watch this space.
Guilty as charged. Glad you liked it, spider an' all!
x L & Ash
Thank goodness you opened it - I can relax at last! Lovely stuff - worth the wait!
How beautiful the package and contents. I would never have been able to wait. I'm a rip it open person.
I think I would have slung the parcel across the floor.. on first sighting of spider! Not intentionally.. I should add!
Glad you are made of stronger stuff and managed to unwrap contents without having a cardiac at sight of hairy legged one! (no.. not me)
and what a treat inside!
I am mightily impressed with your hand-crafted tags!
Hand carved..!!!!!!!
Michelexx
Your tags are beautiful, the dedication you've put into them definitely shows! Now you can put your feet up, non?
I dont know how you save your presents Gretel, what control!
Anyway, looks like you've got some lovely goodies, I like the look of the 'tablet' never seen this before.
P.x
That tablet looks like my Mums fudge...yum! I`m not sure if I was able to comment on your last post, but I love those tags.
Have such a struggle commenting anywhere. The comment page always comes up blank for at least 3 or 4 tries on anyones, it seems.
Anyway....you have some nice goodies there :)
tea
xo
Hello PG and thanks so much for your comments on my blog yesterday. I really appreciated them. I have decided after a headache-inducing few days to go ahead with NOTHS, although I am frankly terrified!! So much money, but the 5yr deal seemed to be too good to miss. I don't think I would have gone ahead if it was for just one year.
Your products are so beautiful and I love your honesty about things; can't stand it when people claim everything is perfect as any business must have it's ups and downs. I will be back (bit Schwarzenneger there!).
Pipany xx
Fab tags, Gretel! I hope they sell well as compensation for all your effort.
I'm saving for a new brayer...my rubber one isn't up to the job, so actual printing is at a stop for now. I'm still carving at blocks though.
I'm with Cowboys and Custard,,,I'd have flung the box down! That spider looks real! What a lovely box of pressies though (spider apart!).
Aunty Gretel,
you could be quoting the telephone directory and I would read with avid interest.
Nice taggles!
Erica
xxx
Great post as usual Gretel. I'm really inspired by your industry.
It's very hard to 'mass produce' handmade items. Creating as many products as possible, at a consistent quality, and at the same time retaining the hand crafted look, is an art in itself.
Gretel ... I am so very delighted to have received some of the loveliest Christmas cards and tags EVER from you from your beautiful Etsy shop. Honestly, you do incredible work. I could not be more excited to have received (in amazingly short order)my order and I highly recommend your artwork and cards to anyone who reads this! (Has blogspot changed the way we make comments here ... have been trying for several days ...).
Wow all the packages look marvellous, your packages, the gifts you received evrything. I think all small gifts will be wrapped in pages from CL from now on they look wonderful.
Whoops looks as if Blogger has changed the way we comment I'll have to be anonymous - yikes!
Carolyn
http://willowhouse.typepad.com
So many beautiful things in this post! Congratulations on work more done well done, you are a very hard worker and great artist. Sheer delight reading about it, even though you have slaved so hard.
Are you getting a breather now at Christmas time?
Oh Gretel it is such delight to catch up on your last few posts - I love reading a few at a time! It is like a half hour escape from the city life where I don't feel I belong - to a world where there is mushroom picking and mini letter press industries (although I am sure 'mini' is perhaps not the word you would use after all your busy'ness!
The tags are just beautiful and that parcel - wow!!! You are very strong willed to have kept it - but what wonderful goodies!
Have a wonderful week
Lovely work. It's nice reading your posts and imagine myself in the countryside away from Bangkok traffic.
Have a great day!
I can indeed confirm that the tags are gorgeous and beautiful, and they're going to be adorning all my Christmas pressies this year! What a fabulous package, pg - enjoy!
that fudge looks gorgeously delicious!
i've enjoyed catching up, hope you are well
The whole family has decided yet again that there will be no gift exchange this Christmas and we will continue to give to charities, but after seeing your amazing tags, I'm almost tempted to suggest we change our plans! They are simply stunning.
Now I'm off to see if I can find a recipe online for Scottish fudge.
Cheers, Barb
At the risk of abusing Gretel's blog, Seaside1 and anyone else with a sweet tooth can try the tablet recipe as it's on my www.bordertart.com under Treausre Trove!
Happy holidays!
Lindsay