Taking it easy…

This week has been very stressful – a true test of my business skills!

First, my sewing machine died in the midst of a rush order.  I was lucky to remedy that the same day with a new machine.  I was a little sad to have to spend the money, but happy to have another machine.  I got a call from the Sewing Machine Shop last night letting me know that the sewing machine I purchased would be going on sale next week, and they would refund me a good portion of what I spent! Talk about amazing customer service!  So, that was a happy end to that story.  Also, I really like the machine!

I had some issues with Canada Post this week.  I had two rush orders last week that I mailed on Wednesday.  I purchased tracking for both, printed my shipping labels at home as I normally do, and dropped them off at the Post Office… Well, I guess they never got scanned in, so the tracking was never initiated  and I received an email from one of my customers on Monday asking about the status of her item. I nearly had a heart attack when I checked the tracking.  Canada Post was rather unhelpful, I got different information from everyone I spoke to.  I wound up remaking one of the orders yesterday morning and sending it Express, but sadly one of the orders was just to late to get out…  What a bummer! So, that was stressful and put me a little bit behind.  I spent nearly an entire afternoon trying to sort it out.

Also, as I had mentioned a while ago, my old day job is in desperate need of some office help so I have been going in for about 5 hours a week for the last three weeks.  The business I worked for was very small, kinda like my own, so I felt bad that she was in a bind and wanted to help out where I could… So that has kept me busy.

I had a bit of a “I’m tired and stressed” melt down yesterday so I am trying to take it easy to day.  Alleviate some of the stress.  Everything this week has been a rush! I skipped my yoga class on Monday and yet my body still feels like I had an awesome workout!

On the positive note, I was able to come through for two customers, despite some unforeseen set backs.  The customer I couldn’t come through for was understanding, and I hope to work with her in the future! In the end, I think I provided some pretty good customer service, which is something that is really important for me personally and for my business.  Treat others the way you would like to be treated… it’s a good motto to live by.

On another positive note, I got an awesome new custom built sewing desk! For Christmas, Dan painted portraits of my cousins kids for her in-laws.  Instead of paying us, we asked that we do some kind of a trade of skills… I have to admit, I really am the one who benefited from the deal, which was a little unfair to Dan!  But happy wife = happy life, right?

Anyway, my cousins husband is an amazingly creative carpenter.  We talked about the basic things I needed in a desk: L-Shaped, with some compartments for scissors etc.  He added dowels to hang fabric, and garments, compartments on the sides for papers and bits and bobs, and even inlaid decorative trim around the edges! I just absolutely love it!

I haven’t decided whether I will paint it, stain it, of just leave it natural.  Either way, I absolutely love it.  Oliver thinks it smells great and likes walking through my hanging samples.

I am finally getting a system that really works.  I have a designated cutting area, a sewing area that is functional, my supplies are organized, I have bins with elastics and threads at an arms length so I never have to go looking.  My next goal is to create an inventory list so I don’t have to scramble to remember where I bought a specific trim last time, and to see how much stock I really go through…

This morning I am feeling very content.  I managed to wash my hair for a 2nd time this week, which is a major feat for me! I’m going to spend the morning editing some photos, snuggling with Oliver, and preparing a sample sale, then sit at my machine for the afternoon…