Getting to all the wrong things

Ever find that some days you're really surprisingly productive, but not with regard to ANY time-sensitive tasks that you may have on your plate?!

That's how yesterday felt to me. I have a booth at a festival, Newark Community Days, on Sunday. I need to get some things organized for it. I'll be selling some of my hat/scarf/fingerless glove sets (but they all need to have my clothing label sewn inside). And since I designed a new way to tag my items for sale, I need to re-tag every item I'm planning to bring to Community Days. But instead, I did other stuff.

It's not as though what I worked on WASN'T important ('cuz some of it was). I mean, I updated my supply inventory, and worked to finish a crochet purse that I've had on the back burner for awhile now. And I made the eyelet shrug grow another 2.5". Althought updating my stash and FOs on Ravelry probably doesn't fit into "important..."

*sigh* Today is a new day; maybe it will bode better for the imperative tasks (I REALLY don't want to spend Saturday doing that stuff! Our pool is still open and I want to use it!).

Pre-occupied -- with a database

Hello! Please forgive me as I've been lax in posting ... and may continue to be for a few days. I invested in a software program called Craft Manager that is designed specifically for craft business owners. It promises to help track my inventory and supplies and give me lovely reports to help keep on top of my business. I am thrilled to death, and of course, really into getting all my data in and settled and making it work. I have 30 days to determine if it will do all I need for it to do. Wish me luck!

Countdown to the craft show

Five days til my craft show in Newark, DE. Five days, and quite a bit left to do. Inventory, pricing, signage... I have a lovely long list to organize my week. Can I do it? Of course I can! My mom is coming tomorrow to help with some of it. I think we'll tackle the inventory and pricing first. I hope it warms up later this week, because I'd like to put some finishing touches on the display unit for my wreaths as well.

Speaking of wreaths, I think I promised some pictures of them as a teaser for this weekend. If I didn't, here are some, anyway. Since the wreaths are difficult to ship, I usually just sell them at shows, and don't have any photos of them on my Etsy website. If one catches your fancy, though, and you can't make the show, email me and we'll discuss shipping options.

The mundane parts of owning a business

No, it's not all roses and entire afternoons in pjs..... although those are nice! :)

Today I realized that I need a better way to track my inventory. Not only what I've purchased in terms of supplies, but what I've made, and where it's been sold. I think at some point I'll want a comprehensive reference of everything --- even item descriptions so that when I post an item to my store, I don't have to re-invent the wheel (in the case, for example, of the Smileville Bears).

So I guess that means I'll be creating an Access database. Boring! Well, compared to crafting it is, anyway. I am a computer geek by hobby, and have taught MS Office Suite classes, so I guess setting up the database will be a fun sort of challenge. It'll be good to remember all the tips and tricks, anyway. Computers are like anything else --- what knowledge you don't keep using eventually falls out of your head. Or mine, at least!