Tuesday 16 August 2011

Erin's building a business

I'm like most He-ers/parents, i worry whether or not my daughter/s will get a well rounded education. one that starts with the basics reading and maths. maths you see is not my strong point....at all.
However i have started a business & sold it (or components of it) i have started another business. Whether or not this new on will be a success i don't know, its largely down to me.
Erin expressed an interest in starting her own business she loves the idea of earning her own money. It seems it doesn't matter what the business is as long as she makes money from it.
So i thought i would use this as a learning opportunity, a maths lesson, a life lesson. After all Branson & Sugar started somewhere.
So i have been busy devising a business template for her to follow. Starting with an idea, working out costs, labour, tax and profit and cover fixed costs & percentages and finally profit.
I'm hoping it will make math simpler for her and me. I'm trying to make it fun but also get that understanding of it all in there as early as possible.
That way she can build her empire early and i can continue in the style I'm accustomed to ;)

Sunday 14 August 2011

Being inspired

The first two weeks have gone well at Crafty Cabin www.craftycabin2011.co.uk Now i think we could be in for a few quiet weeks.
Thats fine as i have Erin's birthday party coming up, a lady like affair (i hope) at www.bettyblythe.co.uk i got a great deal from www.livingsocial.com so decided to add on a bonus activity of teaset painting. Each little girl gets their own teapot to paint and take home. How cute. In the meantime im busy making little felt party bags, like little shopper bags whizzed up on the overlocker then using bright colouful embroidery silks i am blanket stitching around the outside. The each bag will have the First letter of their names appliqued on the bag and finished off with some beads and sparkles. Then filled with girly bits some from www.mejewels.co.uk Hawkins Bazaar and Tiger. Erin has also been making plaster cast fridge magnets that she will pop in to the bags too.
I have also been busy making cushion covers for an upcoming workshop, so have had lots of fun sourcing fab exciting & sumptuous fabrics form Ebay and www.abakhan.co.uk.






Over the past few days many of my friends on Facebook have been active on Pinterest a fab new site i have yet to fully discover but it has inspired me to get down the wooden kitchen from the resources room/workshop and put it in the kitchen. The girls straight away got busy cleaning and stocking the kitchen with utensils, bowls, baskets, pretend food, play silks for the washing machine etc I ma certain much fun is to be had and much profanity from me as i trip over everything strewn on the floor.








Sunday 7 August 2011

Crafty Cabin launches as does Party Cabin!

We got through our first week of Crafty Cabin & much fun was had by all. I'm looking forward to another busy week ahead.
This week has also included building my new website updating my FB page creating a new email address and linking them to twitter and my new twitter account so if you get a moment please check out www.craftycabin2011.co.uk  or click on one of the buttons on my blog page and go to twitter or FB to take a look at what we have been up to. Tuesday everyone made juggling animal beany bags. Thursday saw the start of my very special 6 week course in puppet building. I have still have a couple of spaces left for this week if you would like to join but this is the last week you can join this course. This course will not be run again until next summer so if you would like to book a space go via my website or email me @ craftycabin2011@aol.com
I have also launched Party Cabin, take any of the workshops (except puppet workshop) and we can make it into a spectacular party, we organise your food and can make your cake or a fabulous cupcake tower to make it a truly special occasion.
We also do Blood & Gore parties - lots of fun making fake blood,burns/bruises and other fun gory stuff.


In the meantime we still carry on with our Home Schooling activities. Swimming course, gymnastics, HE groups, reading, art, baking and visits to the allotment to harvest our lush veggies.
We also had a great haul at a local charity shop. Sicence set, weather station and magic set. All brand new and unopened all for £10.50...how cool is that!

Monday 1 August 2011

A whole new beginning for us.

Morning all. We have a beautiful start to the day here in NW London. I am on my 50th cuppa of the morning. I am just starting to feel human.
This is the last day before our big change. Crafty Cabin my new venture i have set up to work from home launches tomorrow and i am a bit nervous, a bit excited & a bit oh no what am i doing. In the long run im very excited. I get to do the things i love, pass on my skills and make money all from the comfort of my own home, what could be better?
I have 6 weeks of workshops ahead & i am already planning for October & Christmas.
Come September we start a new journey of learning, following a waldorf style routine in a radical unschooling way, can that work? is it possible? dunno but we are going to try. I have drawn up a schedule. how very unschooling i hear you holler. The schedule is for me not the girls. I am the one who needs organising.
After many months of a hectic, confusing & tiring schedule i am relishing a bit of order and structure to my day in the hope it will give me a clear head to unschool the girls. Watch this space.........
So off i trot to put the finishing touches to the workshop and my home......*whispers* i have people coming to my home, i better have it looking decent.
Will post pics of the workshops as we go along................