New Notebooks

Now that I'm back from my lovely holiday in Marseille, I'm getting back into work mode now that I've recovered from delayed flights from Paris. I've been busy this week. Sorting out my schedule for the next few weeks for my own work and doing voluntary work (met my new match). A flat tyre that needed replaced and a leak from the flat upstairs again, not a bad one this time though. I've got some courses to do. A Pitman's social media course which includes an exam, a couple of webinars to catch up on about marketing on Twitter and a couple of networking meetups. There are also the Business Gateway courses that I need to go to, but not yet. I want to go out and have a few coffees too.

I finished the last (for a while anyway) of my coptic bound A6 dark tree notebooks and have put them on Etsy.  I use 120gsm white paper in all my books now (an exception will be the cigar book that I need to start) as I find it's good to work with and doesn't bleed with ink. I hate that some of the well known notebooks on the market have reduced the quality of their paper, one of the reasons that I started making my own books.

I'm starting a new series of A7 size notebooks (even though I have a "to do" list of books to make). The first is a commission with a monogram. It's will be in blue with black lettering. The spine is being done in shades of blue with a black cross stitched spine. I'll upload a photo when it's finished. I have an idea for displaying the smaller books. I can probably just do it, but I think I might go along to my favourite bindery to get a hands on box-making course instead of the hand tooling course that I was going to book on to.

I've got the blank A6 cards that I'd ordered to make the business xmas cards to send to clients. I had a trial print, but decided that they really need an insert for the text, so I've ordered some. I need to get on and do the needle felting for the front of the card, the inside and the back texts are ready to go.

Talk soon
Love & hugs
Angela xxx

Business Gateway - Edinburgh

I attended a Business Gateway (absolutely free) course about networking a few nights ago at the City of Edinburgh Council HQ. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a speed networking event. One half of the delegates stayed at the seats they were in and the other half moved around from person to person for a timed mini meeting. It was great for me, as I'm really quite shy, not that good at making conversation, so I could just sit and people came to me. I found that I really enjoyed talking about my work. They say it's not really work, if it's something that you love doing, I must say, it's really true.

Business Gateway is a Government organisation where you can get free practical help, advice and support for your new or growing business in Scotland. They had loads of great free workshops about all aspects of getting a business going, such as finance, SEO, marketing, etc.

I met a lot of lovely people, who had started up a new business. There were all sorts of business and it was great to hear their stories of why they were starting up and how they were going about doing it. There were a few web designers, a piano teacher, a personal trainer who goes to the homes of new mothers to help them get back on track and a lovely charted accountant from Bolland & Burke in Edinburgh who helps people in small businesses get through the more of business finance.

Business Gateway in Edinburgh have loads of free courses that anyone can attend and believe me, they are really worth it. I intend going to all of them, even if I get one piece of information I can use in my business or even personally, it was was going to. Keep up the good work guys.

Talk soon

Love & hugs
Angela xxx