Yes, Chippenham Street market was what is commonly known as a washout. We stayed at a local Travel lodge for the night and turned up in the morning. It was already sheeting it down and we were told to set up on the bridge. On a hot day with no wind this would have been fine, but it was impossible with the gazebo. We moved up the street to a more sheltered spot and carried on setting up. I talked with J and suggested that we stop now and go home but she was concerned that we spent £60.00 on the fair and petrol so we should set up. Well we did after a fashion and surprisingly I sold some stuff. Not enough to cover it as we packed up at 1pm. I sold £50.00 wworth. My friend only £7.50.

Of course there are lessons to be learnt. We did't need to book the travel lodge and next year won't. If the weather is as bad as predicted we won't go at all and just lose the cost of the stall but not the cost of petrol and accomodation, food and time. Also Chippenham is a long way from where I live and we need to be setting our sights of closer events of which there must be hundreds in the vicinity.

The weekend may be a test of this resolve as the predicted weather is showery and we are at a car event for the whole weekend. We did not do fabulously well last year and though we are closer to home and have a better selling spot, I think if it rains it may not be worth bothering.

Will write again soon.

AT

Life n general has been a bit hectic of late and now busy season has started. Between May and July J and I go to lots of events selling our stuff. We go to school fairs and folk festivals big and small. Last week it was a small school fair and this weekend a fundraiser for a local Buddhist centre. The first we have been attending for the last 3 years and the takings were down by half for me.

The Buddhist thing was new and in the town hall of a local town. The weather started off badly and so things were slow and really didn't pick up until the afternoon. We didn't really break even and if we were taking a wage would have been at big loss.

I have nothing for a few weeks and then it is Chippenham Street Market on bank holiday Monday. This we did for the first time last year and the weather was atrocious but we still took enough to cover out costs. I am hoping this year that the weather is a lot better and we can do better.

I am having to say now that if we do not make any kind of profit we should not go but my friend has always kept going to events that make a loss. She says you can't tell from one year to the next what it will be like. However she has made a lot of losses over the years and even she is rethinking her tactics.

I will cahk in after Chippenham, praying for good weather meanwhile

The financial year is coming to a close and today I am going to tidy up my accounts for the accountant to start on. I do this every now and again but this year have not since June, so a stack of paper work requires sorting. I keep a spreadsheet of activity which I maintain daily and know what I do and don't have. It is just the putting of bits of paper in order.

When I first started out I was really bad with keeping it all sorted. All the paper work got mixed in with my personal stuff and I never kew where anything was. I feel a lot happier my basic form of filing now. All receipts and statements go straight into a special draw. No doubt this had been a lifesaver as I can find anything easily. I also keep a daily spreadsheet of activity which also now has a year by year costs on it and a bit that tells me how much I am paying for venues and stalls, how much I sell and accomodation. In the next year I am adding petrol and food costs which I don't usually put in at the moment. It is all very simple and cheap to maintain but invaluable to keeping abreast of things and making sure I pay for stuff when I need to.

The other important thing I did was get an accountant. I was worried about being a business and not declaring everything properly but frightened at the same time of starting to sort out a tax return. I bit the bullet and got an accountant and in the end this has relieved me and left me free to concentrate on what I do best. Selling.

I have done more work on my catalogue and expect it to be ready in he next few weeks. I am doing one for door to door sales and also one on disc to give away.

Have a good weekend and if you get a minute have check me out on ebay: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Amethyst-Trading

This was a great fest to go to even as a trader. The stall was bigger than hoped and in the bar. What more could you ask for?

There was a continuous jamming session going on all weekend with artists and musicians coming in and out of the bar playing any number of instruments. There were bteween two and thirty all playing at the same time. Here is a taste of the sort of stuff we heard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LZdkkpBgYA

Unfortunately we may not go next year because the costs outweighed our sales. Seems such a shame but one has to be practical about it.

Here is a shaky picture of me taken by J who hadn't had any beers but made it look like she had.

I am off to my first event this year, Cheltenham Folk Festival. It is a new venue for me but unlike last years Derby event it is well established. J is coming with me and sharing the cost of a table. As always at the beginning of the year I am a bit nervous about getting out there and selling, but I know I will enjoy it.

My main worry is that I am now financially run down as I have been attempting to clear the last few hundred pounds of the last years debt but have now added to it with the cost of the festival, accomodation and accountants. This is small money in the world of big business but I do not want it. I still owe £3000 I borrowed the year before which is my next debt target.

If I do not sell enough to cover the cost and make a profit I am going to be borrowing more, however temporary that may be. Sales on Ebay are slow and the cost of putting on stuff plus Paypal is making it prohibitive to sell smaller items and make a profit.

I have not finished work on my catalogue yet, but am getting there. This I hope will bring in the cash in the next few months.

I will try and pload a pic or two from the festival.

Since the last post I have started on my catalogue, which is looking better than I expected but is taking a lot of time. I am sure it will be worth it. I am looking forward to distributing the first ten in February to see what sort of reaction I will get.

I have done a massive stocktake which I started before Christmas and have now finished. If I sell the lot I will be in profit but unfortunately I will have to buy more to replace it. I expect I will be solvent by 2010.

This week a lot of companies have sent their own stock clearance info, and the prices are tempting. I have been caught out by this before though and still have stock I bought a year ago and have sold one item. Some I never bought because even at cost price I would not make any money. I look at each item and think 'how much would I pay for that?' As I am not a big spender it is nearly always a reasonably low price. I am being very wary about spending what I have not got right now.

Sometimes I have asked for more than I think something is and am surprised at how much people will pay for things they really want.

SO my least popular stock I am now selling at nearly cost price and clearing it as it is taking space up. I am lucky that I sell stuff that does not go out of date as such but there are still fashions in fantasy.

Back to work now.

Have a good weekend.

AT

I cannot beleive that I have not been in since April, must try better this year.

Last year for business was a bit of an odd one, with a lot of changes going on in my personal life impacting on my trading ability. I have got sorted out now and the new year looks good despite doom and gloom in the press about the economy. Being small isn't always bad.

I have been trading for three years or so now and am still learning. I am building trade slowly and steadily and sales went up despite problems with personal changes, weather and confidence. This gives me hope.

My plan for this year is this:

My main trading times have been March to July and October to December. I sell my stuff at festivals, school events and on ebay. this year I want to extend my selling period and make more contacts. I have decided to try the catalogue door to door method which is flexible and requires a very small outlay to start. Aiming to start this in February after doing my accounts for the year. Also going to earlier and later festivals, whci will be indoors

The next project is to be more savvy with my money. I am not in profit yet but a good chunk of money is being eaten up by interest on credit cards. I am going to become a card tart and
also clearing my debt on it in the first place. It is less than £300.00 but I don't like it sitting there especially as my business loan has not been paid off at all.

Finally I am looking at expanding my markets a little more.

So this is the way I am starting off my new business year. Gently and pacing myself. The run up to Christmas nearly killed me.

I wlll pop in again soon. Check me out on ebay: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Amethyst-Trading

AT

We have sold some stuff, not a great deal but there is tomorrow and I hope more. We are still up on takings from last time we did this, so maybe there is hope.

Starting to update my website this weekend as it is badly out of date and frankly boring.

Moving on to the second sale of the season, this time an invited people only sale at my house.
J and I set up shop night , just some finishing touches and general tidying to do. This has had varying degrees of success over the last few years but since I sold at the local school fayre I have got to know moe people. The other advantage is that there is no table fee so ther is no loss except for time and effort if we sell nothing.

I have been away on hols for a few weeks and am now back and straight into business.
First thing was to relist my ebay stuff on Saturday night. At least I made a start though i had trouble keeping my eyes open because of jet lag.

Yesterday I was selling stuff at a craft and gift fair held by the MS Society at Derby football ground. Unfortunately it was not well attended despite advertising. They would have done better if they could have stuck notices around roads nearby. The ground itself is in a busy out of town complex. This is illegal apparently. Most of the other sellers, many of whom are very small businesses didn't cover the cost of hiring their table. I am lucky in that I share with my friend J, who prints and dyes clothing. Most said they wouldn't be back next time.