2010 - Q1 Complete

We've made it through a difficult couple of months, orders have been sketchy and the order amounts have dropped significantly after Christmas and New-Year; but we'd built up enough fat to see us through and now we're looking forward to the British Craft Trade Fair (BCTF) next week then Select@Bath early May.
Scotland's Trade Fair turned out to be rather good for us, not actually at the fair but after and we're aware of outlets and organizations who are intending to visit us at BCTF.

Late February was very quiet on the trade front and we had to entice trade orders with a discount offer weeks 3/4 of Feb. Retail sales through the website are well up on this time last year, we think it is due to all the Sumptuosity products being given as presents over Christmas.

We acquired a significant number of new stockists and this has helped though this quiet period, seventeen in total. Also, a number of new stockists acquired at Scotland's Trade Fair have re-ordered, a very good sign. A number of new stockists have come to us direct & outside of trade fairs.

Our marketing emphasis outside of trade fairs is definitely based on retail web mail-order sales and sales through the studio; we have a growing section of other British designers goods for sale from the studio and we appear to be gaining a reputation locally for good (predominantly hand crafted) cards; usable crafts (especially of a 'stitch' theme) seem popular, in particular Indianna McMillan-Parkers cacti plant pot pin-cushions; when we get get our next batch I'll put them online too. We also get a surprising number of visits from people we sell to or newsletter who live all over the country.



We've been busy on the designs and product front; we've introduced 37mm square badges into our range, they fit very well between the round button and rectangular brooches; the selection of designs will increase rapidly over the next few weeks, we need to have them ready for BCTF. We've designed a selection of rectangular brooches based on Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management; we're happy with most of the designs but need six or 9 in total.


I really want to get our Alice in Wonderland cards in production but I'm not yet satisfied with my images; I think I should seek the advice of a professional photographer and I have just thought of just the person. Everyone who sees the silk Alice pictures that Sophie has embroidered asks if they are for sale, maybe when I'm happy with the photographs of them.

We will be handing the studio over to Sophie mid April so she can use it for exhibiting space for York Open Studio, she has also had meetings with Father Tim of St. Lawrence and St. Hilda as we are in the very early discussion stages for creating a rather large alter piece.

We're looking forward to a much busier Q2, keep up to date with us through the website, blogs and facebook.

Tuesday in the studio...

A new week and month for Sumptuosity, we were in the studio early and sorting through yesterday's post, a few cheques included which is always great, though most of our remittances are electronic these days; there were a couple of telephone messages too, one existing stockist wanting to place an order, the second was a big surprise, our first contact from a National Trust outlet. Then a couple of hours later a call from a second National Trust outlet; it seems that they have all received their new catalogues which include our products, so two NT order on the first day of the month, not bad.

I had to go through my least pleasant task again today - chasing payment, hopefully, most chases seem genuinely forgotten or misplaced invoice &c.

Tuesday is always busy, firstly with administration of the electronically received trade orders received over the weekend and then with silk preparation - cutting, vilening, circling; the girls race away with their embroidery after a couple of days away; the studio shop was busier than usual again today (which is great), we're enjoying the people browsing and buying but strangely customers always seem to turn-up in droves during lunch time, interrupting our lunch!

A large post run this afternoon and our first purchase shipped to Russia, seems they appreciate Alice in Wonderland there too.

More trade orders arriving electronically as I type, time for printing and filing.

Saturday in the studio…

More selling than making today.

I was at Leeds Metropolitan University studying Marlowe's Dr. Faustus and how to recognize a an early 18th Century Diva - specifically Francesca Cuzzoni with tour of St John's church thrown in too (buildings as primary sources) for the afternoon.

I checked in with Ruth at lunchtime, we had an important delivery to ship - samples to the Museum of London, which had been posted. By all accounts it was difficult sitting at the sewing machine for more than quarter of an hour as the studio was inundated with customers; Sophie was cracking on, head-down as usual, and there were some three trade orders almost fully embroidered and ready for assembling and shipping.

I arrived back at the studio around 4pm and it was indeed, full of customers; time enough left for planning next weeks production.

Sophie's latest creation for our cards project is the image of The Queen of Hearts:

Thursday in the studio…

Phew - Shakespeare's Globe theatre trade order is complete, a mammoth task! We've made the same mistake as we did last summer with a huge Jane Austen Centre order, namely, doing it all in one go, quite repetitive especially when there are only four quotations and four colour ways (specified by the Globe); we won't make that mistake again, we'll stagger the production between other jobs. I think the girls need a well deserved rest from making bookmarks now for a couple of days. I have to say though, it does look good as a completed order.


The festival of quilts is starting 1 March, the Quilt Museum and Gallery will be staging ‘Inspired by  the Past: Traditional Practice and Contemporary Conversations’ and ‘Breakthrough' by Contemporary Quilt. It begins on the 27th March for a few months, Ruth & I have tickets for the opening on Thursday 25th. If you're coming up to York for either of the exhibitions do consider paying us a visit here at the Sumptuosity studio, we're only 5 minutes walk away and have lots of things in our studio shop as well as our products.

Wednesday in the studio…

We are bogged down with bookmark production at the moment, 240 for Shakespeare's Globe and a large amount for Kelmscott Manor too. The girls will need a rest from making bookmarks for a couple of days, still, lots of other things need embroidering and making-up.

We took another four trade orders yesterday, three responding to a promotional offer I put out to our existing stockists a couple of days ago and one is another follow-up from Scotland's Trade Fair. It seems as though a few potentials are holding off until Spring, many are looking for delivery dates around the 25 Mar; one order had specified delivery for 25 May so I politely replied asking if the May had meant to be March, it was a good job I did!

I emailed one of our stockists images of our Alice in Wonderland cards yesterday and they asked to have some added to their order, things are looking promising so far for the card project, Sophie who has done the designs (and is creditted on the rear of the card) is quite excited. I've sourced the 300gms card, envelopes and cello sleeves, one of our card suppliers for the studio shop (Gail Kelly) was very kind in providing us with valuable information which saved much time; thanks Gail.