Everlasting God ~ Chris Tomlin

Our hope, our strong deliverer

Flowers

Having been asked by a client to create her wedding flowers, I gratefully and enthusiastically took up the challenge.
It's a craft I've had very little to do with before, but using existing craft skills and a little trial and eroor I creted bouquets and buttonholes for the whole wedding party and expanded my wedding range even further. You can see more of the flowers on my blog crystal velvet weddings or on my website Crystal Velvet

Just letting you know!

Freshwater pearl Bracelet

I have a blog giveaway on my blog Crystal Velvet Weddings. simply leave a comment below the post along with your wrist size to be entered into the draw which will be picked at Random next wednesday at 12 noon BST.

God Speaking ~ Mandisa

Beautiful music with deep thoughts to get me back into the blogging.

I've missed you all!

Selling Crafts by Sale or Return.

"Erica" available through www.beadsbydesign.co.uk (can be created in any colour)

I have been selling goods by Sale or return for sometime now and I thought I would dedicate this post to the "how to's"

It is important that the thought of "selling your items" does not shove common sense out of the door.
By following the points listed you should experience a happy and fruitful relationship with the gallery / shop.

Sale or return is where you supply goods to a gallery / shop and no cash is handed over to you in exchange. The goods are displayed and cared for by the shop and then in the event of any sales being made, the shop pays you a percentage of the sale.
When you hand over your goods, it is important that you put together a simple contract. The language must be basic and state the following:
An inventory of stock: List all items clearly.
Pricing: You must list the price you want from the item and then the mark up that the shop can make
Discounts: If the shop decides to include the goods in a sale promotion, that the cut should be from the shop's cut.
Payment: When you can expect payment for sales and how you will receive that payment.
Damage or loss: If damage or loss of item occurs whilst in the shop's care, then the shop will pay you your cut of the price.
Transporting goods to the gallery If you are delivering or posting the stock to the shop, who is responsible for postage costs (I normally state that if I am sending I pay the costs and if they are sending then they pay the costs)
Promotion If your goods are to be displayed in the shop, it is no good having them in a weak site eg. stuffed in corner and not displayed to their potential. You should state that they be displayed with good lighting, visiblity etc.
Copyright : ensure your goods cannot be copied whilst they are in the care of the gallery… no photo’s without your agreement
Statement of Ownership: so that the gallery cannot claim them as assets should they run into financial difficulties. This is incredibly important. If the shop goes under in the credit crunch then you need to be able to prove that the items are not part of the shops collateral.

By observing these simple steps you should have a problem free relationship with the shop.

Remember that when approaching the shop, you should be confident and know prices etc. Always dress in a business like way and be positive.

Updates

Recently I have been a bad blogger. I have not updated nearly as much as would ideally like to. Anyway there has been a lot going on and I'll tell you some bits and bobs...

On one of my other blogs www.crystalvelvetweddings.blogspot.com I have a give away that is ending this lunch time. You simply leave a comment on the post and choose from these four bracelets... Open to Us and Uk readers.

I have also been updating my shop www.crystalvelvet.co.uk and have changed it's direction slightly to be more of a wedding and occasion site. I've been asked by a bride to create all their wedding stationary and have had lots of fun designing. This is a new venture for me, but one I shall embrace.
I have also been able to offer lots of advice regarding the service itself and have been privaledged to choose the music. You really can't imagine how much of a thrill this has been.

Finally, I have been out in the garden. Earlirt this year we dug a huge strip out of the front and have now planted loads of seeds etc. It's been great fun. few more weeks and we should be enjoying our organic crops.

So there you go, that's where I have been....

Still ~ Hillsong

This song is for Alleluibelle and her husband and for anyone else going through a hard time right now.
"Find rest my soul, in Christ alone,
Know his power in quietness and trust,
When the oceans rise and thunders roar,
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God"

Alleluiabelle and her husband need prayers

One of my blogging friends Alleluiabelle has shared some worrying news on her blog today (actually in might be yesterday as she is based in America) Her husband, who has had previous health worries, has been admitted to hospital and is undergoing tests.
If you have a faith, I invite you to pray for them both at this stressful time.
You can read her post here

To you O Lord ~ Kendrick

That's why my eyes are on you Lord.

Nightmares!

My little girl is a very musical child. She loves dancing, singing, playing the violin and is always involved in something musical.
For several years she has been taught to sing by a family friend who used to teach our son before he won the musical scholarship and started with professional lessons. Eden sort of filled the void he left behind. Vicky is great and teaches Eden really well. They have a mutual adoration of each other and with Vicky's encouragement and teaching Eden is becomeing a great little singer.
over the years she also took up violin and joined the school orchestra primarily as a percussionist and now as a violinist. She's also taken up the recorder and bl;asts out tunes at full blast.
Twice a year she enters the local music festivals. In January it's just singing, but in the summer at Hornsea festival, she has several school classes too.
Last night, she brought home a letter. Looking at the cold hard facts in black and white really drummed home the truth that's been floating around in my mind for a couple of months. I new the impossibilites to come but .....


Morning; violin ensemble
Morning; orchestra
Morning; solo singing

Afternoon: recorders
Afternoon; choir

Now given that last year Eden wasn't in the violin ensemble we were still in deep trouble. There are five venues set around the seaside resort and everything is at different venues. Last year Eden sang in a large singing class and managed to come first. we signed for the trophy and were shocked at the size of it. it was huge. The minute we could, we legged it, running down the street with a huge trophy and dived into the car drove to the next venue and managed to arrive just as the orchestra were returning to their seats having finished playing. this year, we have to squeeze in the violin ensemble too.

I lay awake for a long time last night worryiong and then dropped off into a very fretful sleep with violins, venues, carparks and music screatching in my head.
It is not in power to do anything about the situation. I can't talk to the teacher and warn her as it's now half term. ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!

I can only take comfort in the words of Psalm 77:

I cried out to God to help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands
and my soul refused to be comforted .......

........Your path led through the sea,
yourway through mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of moses and Aaron.

Canon in D- New Wedding Music/ Wedding Song (Celtic mix)

Help me Lord ~ Kees Krayenoord

this morning I've read lots of blogs and on a couple my blogging friends are going through tough times. This song is especially for you.
May God wrap you tightly in his wonderful loving arms!

Mark the page ~ Crystal Velvet

These bookmarks are great fun to create. I make them as wedding favours and also as individual gifts for friends and clients. They can be created in ribbon type and colour of your choice and then the dangles are added to denote the event or to tie in with theme etc.



Available through www.crystalvelvet.co.uk

I Can Only Imagine ~ MercyMe

what happy memories

O happy Day!

I'm just settling down after a seriously hectic weekend.
The stress hasn't completely gone though as my washer has decided to play up big time and I have a guy coming out this afternoon to fix it.

Anyway I've had a lovely weekend. The Framers market went well on saturday. Managed to sell quite a bit of stuff. In the afternoon I visited a local nursery Mires Beck which is a social enterprise. The nursery is run by adults with learning difficulties or mental health problems. it's a wonderful place to be. The sun shone, there were loads of beautiful plants etc and I had a lovely chat to some friends whilst eatting cream scones, was serenaded by beautiful music and had some lovely hugs!

Sunday saw us all up bright and early. At ten past 9 we were just leaving the house when one of the boys youth leaders arrived to offer his assistance. How blessed we are with the people we know.
Hopped in the car for the very short drive to church and then we piled out and juggled between us, buckets, violins, musics, spare clothes and chocolate cake!
The atmosphere on entering the church was very special. It was much earlier than we normally meet up. Quickly stands were errected microphones set up and chairs put into position and then began the marathan task of transporting buckets of hot water from the church hall round the church to the rememberence garden where a paddling pool had been set up and had been three quarters filled with water from the hose. The procession of buckets continued for about twenty minutes after which the water felt only slightly off cold.
By this time it was 5 to ten. I got hold of the forty leaflets I'd printed out and people began to arrive. I couldn't believe how many people arrived and nor could Ollie. You see, we had been getting ready for Ollie's baptism. He had decided to be baptised.

Although our church is an anglican church, the congregation is made up of christians from many backgrounds. I was brought up until I was 15 in the baptist church. When I was 15 we moved into the same anglican church. When I asked to be baptised there as an adult by immersion at 17 years old, the vicar at the time was shocked and had to do some serious thinking as to whether he'd be happy to. In the end, I was baptised by him in the garedn of a friend who was lucky enough to have a swimming pool.

As babies, we'd decided not to have any of our children christened as we wanted them to embrace the christian faith as their own when they were old enough to understand. and it was our very strong hope that each of them would come to faith for themselves. All my children have done. Which is something that we are daily thankful for.

Ollie had decided that this was the day on which he'd be baptised and our vicar Peter was more than happy to perform the ceremony and so at 10am yesterday morning infront of a huge crowd of people from church, youth group and school Ollie was baptised. It was so good to see how amny poeple had come along. No one was specifically invited but they all came to show support for Ollie and it meant a lot to us all.

The baptism was followed by a confirmation service and at this several of the young people in our church and several adults were confirmed.
The music was great and then some of the youung girls danced to the song I can only imagine and it was a stunning dance.

Unfortunatly Ollie had to then go straight to Music school as he'd only been given the morning off. Later that afternoon we were lucky enough to be at a concert where the music students performed.

What a perfect day!