Tag: christmas decorations UK

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April update – Christmas market bookings and 5 year planning

The first quarter of 2024 has been a blur, with losing dad and trying to help sort everything (not that I’m able to help that much).  April has been playing catch up, by looking for potential markets for the end of the year and getting our accounts up to date.

I have managed to spend some time in the garden, when the weather has been nice, and I now have several pots of compost waiting for various seeds to germinate and push through.  I can’t help feeling like we’re going to be unsuccessful this year, but that’s the joy of gardening, just giving it a go.

We *may* be exhibiting at the Living North Christmas Fairs this year, I’m just trying to sort out logistics and costs etc.  Have you visited them before?  It would be lovely to have an idea of how busy they are as it’s a step up from what we have done to date.  I feel like if I’m ever going to achieve what I want with this business I need to push out of my comfort zone though, so I’m hoping I won’t regret going.  Just need to sort out what the minimum space we need is and get the display plan agreed.  It’s exciting and scary at the same time!

Our new Christmas range will need to be with us before then, so we also need to raise the funds to pay for that.  You can help us get there by shopping from our current Christmas decoration stock or sharing our website with someone who loves the Christmas magic too.  Every purchase helps fund our dream!

Cari xx

 

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New delivery option and our last event for 2023

I must say, so far I’m really impressed with how Royal Mail are handling the seasonal increase in workload.  I know they work their socks off at this time of year, and there has been no obvious delays in orders being received.  Despite that, I have added a new 24 hour delivery option.  This means that all orders received before 8pm Sunday to Friday will be collected next day, and should arrive 24 hours later (Friday orders should arrive Monday).  If you need to guarantee your order will arrive this 24 hour delivery option might be for you.

I’ve also been busy with our stationery website, adding the craft kits we have available.  I did consider adding these festive ones to this business but with limited stock available it didn’t make sense.  If you would like to know more visit https://www.cariscards.co.uk to shop the range.

We are almost at our last Christmas fair of 2023.  Back at the fabulous Bowes Museum, you will find us outside as usual with our 20% off sale on all our Christmas decorations.  If you can’t visit Bowes, then we will have the 20% off sale online over the weekend – but why wait?  You can shop today and save 20% on all our Christmas decor today!

The forecast is looking good for the weekend, here’s hoping we can finish 2023 in style!  Say hello if you decide to visit.

Cari

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Time to make some space!

If you didn’t know, we don’t have actual retail premises – it’s on the business plan.  This means we need to move the stock every year so we can have our dining room back for Christmas Day.  As the business grows, so does our stock area which is great news for our customers – SALE TIME!

From today until the 18th December we have 20% off everything online.  This means you can get our nativity or snowman nesting dolls for £20 plus postage, or a couple of sets of wooden decorations for £11.20 plus postage.

We’ve also noticed that our elves have decided to make the cut out tree decorations buy one get one free, giving you an even bigger saving on them!

Stock is very limited so don’t delay!

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A few of my favourites for Christmas

I’m so Christmas crazy that I am a proud member of several social media groups of like minded people.  We share decorating tips, latest trends, what’s in the shops etc.  Some have even started to decorate their homes already!

It’s a great source of inspiration and I do use some of what is shared to influence my business purchasing each year.  This stunning standing nutcracker is just one example of this, and I am looking for taller nutcrackers for future years – do you share my love for them?

Standing nutcracker drummer soldier, in red uniform with gold drum and black boots.
Another stock purchase influenced by the lovely group members is our growing collection of Snowglobes.  We now stock three different full size designs as well as three smaller Snowglobes.  I’m still looking for more.

From the rest of our Christmas range, I must admit I’m drawn to anything that lights up, or has tea light candle holders.  The metal forest scene has been on my wishlist for a few years now and I finally have a few in stock.  I can’t wait to put mine on display this year, the candlelight through the trees will be amazing and will add to the cosy atmosphere as I snuggle up with a hot chocolate.

Cari xx

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New stock delivery – we’re ready for you!

Every year, I arrange for our new stock to be delivered, pay for it and then wait.  When it arrives, it takes over our small home until it’s all checked, priced and repacked ready for our events.

This year I’m far more organised (what has got into me?)

Today was the day we had decided to put up a new clock in the dining room, so I took the opportunity to have a rearrange of the furniture.  With the aim of the extra space and the table being used to not only sort the new stock when it arrives, but also as a packing room for online orders.

My next job is to look at how we package up our orders.  I want to show customers how much we appreciate each and every purchase, and right now our packaging doesn’t do that.  So, thinking cap is on.  In the meantime we are all set for the season, at least as much as we can be!

Cari

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This may not have been my best idea…

It’s the long summer holidays here in the UK, meaning I have more time on my hands than usual as I’m not working my ‘day job’ running the out of school club. I, like the rest of the staff, really look forward to this time each year for a much needed recharge. It also gives me time to plan out our busy season, the run up to Christmas.

As my degree is now complete, I have more weekends to fill with event bookings, so I’m busy looking for new Fayres and markets we can book in to, as well as considering other sales avenues. Since 2021 I’ve been working on increasing online orders, but it’s a slow process.
Building a website isn’t the hard part (although it feels like it some days).  Getting it seen amongst all the other small business websites out there is a bit like setting up a stall in an empty field in the middle of the North York Moors or the beautiful Dales, and screaming at the top of your lungs for customers.  That’s how I signed up for selling on Amazon.

It’s a chunk of money to pay each month for the privilege with no guarantee it’s going to lead to sales.  I was ok with giving it a go until I tried to sign into my seller account, and a glitch (I hope) started sending me round in circles.  As a business run on iPads and phones, I’m concerned this may be causing the issue, but it’s given me a headache so I’ve stepped away from it for now (will try again later).

Have I made a big mistake thinking this would help our small business?  Will I ever get access to our seller account?  Does anyone else have any advice having done this themselves?

Please send help (and chocolate – that’s always welcome!)

Cari xx

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2023 stock is chosen…

It’s taken longer than normal to get our stock order placed this year.  I’ve been very indecisive (not like me at all) and with minor health issues I’ve been finding it harder than usual to make time around work and family life.  I finally got my act together last week, and added all the things I’d love to have to my basket.  This week I whittled it down to a manageable order, both financially and logistically!

This year I need to invest in some more space, probably for packing orders as one of our business goals is to make more of this lovely website.  My husband aka the logistics manager has long been complaining that we need a proper packing bench, so my thoughts are for a shed in the garden that we can use for display storage and packing.  As it is the stock is rapidly taking over my dining room, and we are bursting at the seams.  Long term we have our mind set on a warehouse/retail space, but for now we can manage where we are (just about!).

Anyway, here’s a sneaky peek at something we might have arriving after the summer.

Cari xx

Merry go round Snowglobe coming soon

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What will be in store for 2023?

I hope you had a lovely Christmas, however you celebrate.  As we all prepare for a new year to start, I thought it might be nice to talk a little about plans for 2023.

The year starts with a visit to a local trade fair which I’m really excited about as we haven’t been for a couple of years I think?  Certainly we didn’t go this year, so it will be nice to search out some new potential suppliers and to see what our current suppliers have planned.  I’m hoping to stock a variation of the nesting snowmen as they proved popular, and maybe some more mini snow globes too?

Bigger plans for this year are to find more markets for our stall, perhaps attend Beverley this year and maybe even Lincoln (if we can get offered a space that is).  I’m going to be working hard to improve the website too, as those sales really keep us ticking over between markets.  I know I need better descriptions and images so that’s the focus.

I’m also changing up our system at our ‘base’ (aka the dining room) so that we can manage orders more efficiently.  If my aim is for ten orders a day to come through online, I need a way to get them processed and out next day as usual.

We have a 20% off sale running right now so that I can implement the new system, so if you had money put aside for January sales hop over to the shop to take a look.

Here’s to a happy and healthy new year for you all.

Cari

 

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Time for a stock sort out

It’s been a busy week here at UKCS HQ, mostly redecorating our living room and younger teens bedroom, but I’m also trying to get myself organised for another season of few events and mainly selling through the website.

I have my stock in plastic tubs ready for loading for each event, but as things have changed quite a lot now I decided that turning my small office into a stock room was a better solution, as then I will be able to pick and pack your orders more efficiently.

With that in mind, and a lot of stock to fit on the new shelving (before we even get this years delivery) I’ve been working on a pre-season sale for you all.  You can see a sneak peek of what will be available from 1st September, but (as long as I’ve scheduled it correctly) you will have to wait until the day for sale prices.

To be honest, I’m a little worried we won’t have enough shelf space for everything.  I ordered so many lovely things way back in April/May with the hope that Christmas markets would be up and running again, but it’s not looking hopeful.  We find lovely new homes for so many of our Christmas decorations at events, but this year I’m fully expecting Bowes Christmas Fayre to be the only one again.  Keep your fingers and toes crossed for us, but if you don’t want to take the chance of us being at a market close to you this year please order online.

Cari