Adventures at Kitty's Cottage

How's this for coincidence?

Hello everybody and welcome to I-DON'T-HAVE-TIME-TO-BLOG-ANYMORE!!!! It's killing me- this blog was an outlet for all my excitement, so all I can do now is blab to the customers who come in to my little shop about how happy I am! The wesbite is not going well at all- I think people are afraid to buy on there, but I'm quite thankful as I really can't find the time to keep checking for orders/altering stock! I have now decided to sell on Ebay instead- as much as it pains me (I have paid out a lot of money for the site) But maybe in a few months time I can get back to it. As well as selling my gorgeous bits and pieces, I have sourced some wonderful vintage-

And these...

these...

As well as...

If you want to see anymore you'll have to log on to ebay of course!
So now it is 5.20 p.m., and as usual, I have a mountain of things to do before I can close the shop. After I close, I have to sort out the kitchen/my dinner/ my stock/banking.... Where's my husband? thousands of miles away! Grrrrr.
I'm off to bring in my signs... bye!

Oooh, by the way, I spoke of a coincidence- well, I just googled Kitty's Cottage and a sweet little holiday cottage came up. The owner loves vintage (Like me) and the cottage is just 45 minutes away from where I live- right on the doorstep of a brilliant supplier I want to use! Yippeee!! Working break coming up I think!
Love carlixxx

I couldn't have done it without...

Thank you,mum. You have taught me never to give up, no matter what the circumstances. From you I have learned to take a jar of old lentils and make a banquet! I learned how to put on make up, how to dress, how to write, tell jokes, make people feel good about themselves. I have struggled in my life, but I always knew there was a way out, and that was because of you. I love you so much.

Liz. you have been my mentor. without you I would never have ventured into this wonderland. I am surrounded by vintage and pretty things, all because you made me believe it was possible. I hope I can help someone start up their business one day. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Dad, Thank you for teaching me how to get on with things. I learned from you that there was more to life than make up and barbies. I can tile, grout, saw, fill, screw, bang and wallpaper with the best of them. I am a handyman. It's also because of you that there are so many unfinished jobs around the house, but there you go.

My big sister Vikki.
My first customer. Today was the first day of the rest of my life. It was good, it was bad, it was nothing.

My beloved husband. I never even asked you- I told you I was opening a shop in our home! Thank you for putting up with the early nights, the late nights, the boxes, phone calls, tantrums, mess, and shabby chic florals. You know how much I love you. And I hope this is all worth it!

Daisy, my friend. You were there when I was at my lowest. I thought I'd lost my soul when I lost my baby, and all my freinds rallied around to make me feel great. When I felt there was no hope, you lifted me up with your humour and compliments and I felt I could achieve great things. Your support through this blog has been amazing. Thank you!

And to all my customers. I love Thorpe le Soken! You are all wonderful and I love that we share  love of pretty things! Thank you all...I couldn't have done it without you!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Well, my friends, I did it. The signs are in, the lights are off, and my feet and head are killing me, but I still have a huge grin on my face. I can't help feeling proud of myself, and of my mum, who was a proper bossy-boots all day. She fluttered around the shop refitting all the shelves with stock and telling me where I should put things. She loved it! My stock disappeared by 10 am, so I had to call my supplier and re-order. By 12 I was on the phone again ordering more. By 3 I had to make yet another call. I had no idea things would fly off the shelf so quickly!

Ahem... what a show off.
Anyway, it's now way past my bedtime. Tomorrow I go it alone. If you don't hear from me before the weekend, call the police. I've probably drowned in a sea of vintage dresses (Ah..heaven!)

Chaos reigns with 2 days to go!

Oh Lord! I am sitting at my desk in my workroom eating leftover Chinese food. I'm desperately embarrassed that passers-by can see me tap-tapping away, with no makeup on and my hair in an awful state, surrounded by opened boxes, screwed up tissue, paperwork etc...

Oh, will the work never end?! I have a list longer than my arm (which is quite long since lugging boxes and boxes of stock halfway across east England!) and still haven't broken the back of it.

I had a cheeky little sale last night from my neighbor- she needed a card for her son's wedding on Saturday. It was quite exciting really to make my first proper sale!

Here we have a "proper" little gift. I have to say, I don't own any of these jewel stands myself, which explains why it takes me half an hour to untie the knots in my necklaces where I have thrown then in a drawer. But, I think it is a pretty gift for a lovely friend.

My website is so close to be finishing. I need to test it out by buying my own stock! HAHAHA! What my beloved doesn't know is that I everything I have bought, I would like for my own home, so I shall just re-position this gorgeous mirror framed with wrought-iron delicate roses in our bedroom if there are no takers! The poor man doesn't stand a chance!

Now, call me old- fashioned, but I do love a "vintage" storage jar. These little beauties are just 2.99 and make my bathroom look all french and saucy. I'm having trouble with what to put on my website and what to sell in the shop. I can't have too much on the site as I have no storage space. Ah, well, items can always be added on later!

One gripe I have- and it's no little one! I arrived home from London yesterday to be greeted with a rather large sign on the side of my house. "CUSTOMER PARKING". What's this? I thought. Maybe Gary had had a brainstorm and put up a plastic hideously worded sign underneath my quaint "The Olde Shoppe" sign? But no, readers- you will be shocked. The Chinese restaurant next door had taken it upon themselves, without asking me, to DRILL 4 HOLES IN THE SIDE OF MY 400 YEAR OLD COTTAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, is it just me, or is that rude/illegal? I'm still flummoxed. We park in their car park, as there is no driveway with our house, but come on, putting up a sign on someone else's property- it that legal?!

Still, I'm not letting it rattle me too much. I shall battle on with my stock arranging/nervous break downing. Until Monday......

Adieu xxx