August 20, 2012

Cancer


 






The word “Cancer
 
It makes me shutter, It makes me want to cry, it makes me so sad to know that someone’s life is about to change in the biggest way possible.

Cancer has a way of coming into our lives, unannounced and very much unwelcome.

When I was growing up and I remember my best friend’s mum being diagnosed with cancer, going home to mum and asking her to explain to me what that meant and her telling me just what that did mean for my best friend and her mum. I remember being very sad and thinking “How does this happen” “Why does this happen” and being angry for my best friend, that she may loose her mum before she grew old.
I had never heard of cancer before and I didn’t really know much about it. I was about 14 or 15 from memory.  Sadly my best friends mum did die, a few years later not long after we turned 21. I didn’t know how to comfort my friend and I didn’t know what to say. So I chose to say nothing, instead I turned up to my best friend’s house with a single red rose and gave it to her and just hugged her. It was not until many years later that she told me it was the most perfect thing I could have done.

As the years have gone by and cancer has since touched my life more times than I can now count, I often remember back to that time in my life where I was innocent of this most horrible disease known to mankind. I wish we could find a cure and rid the world of Cancer.

Then just over 4 years ago, my life was again touched with Cancer, but this time it was a very close friend of mine "a sister" one of our own, one of our very dear friends and when I tell you this rocked our world, this rocked our world like our world had ever been rocked before.  This amazing lady was not just one of my best friends from our circle of friends. But we are all as close as sister’s. We are to each other, the family you choose to have.  We cried, we screamed and we did everything we could to make sure she kept her strength to fight this bloody cruel horrible disease and you know what she did… She has fought the fight, of chemo and radiation and brain radiation and then everything else that the doctors and specialists threw at her, she never complained (well not much really) she just fought the biggest fight of her life. As her friends we were with her when we could be and when we couldn’t we would skype, call and text her, we made sure she was never alone. Her family looked after her children and our best friend. Their world as ours stood still in this moment in time. Our main concern and focus was our dear friend. I am sure there were times where she didn’t know where she was going to find the strength to get through her next round of treatment or the strength some days to cuddle her boys. But she did, we were with her every step of the way, her treatment, the loss of her hair, more treatment and finally the step of her last round of treatment. We were all so scared for her and as again we held our breath of news, the news we all so badly needed to hear “Remission” could it really be true! Could we all breath the sigh of relief we all felt. The thing her cancer and treatment taught me(us), was just how precious life is and how the fight can bring people closer than ever before. How protective of that person you become and how protective of everyone and everything they love. It also taught me that the word "Remission" does not mean the fight is over, in many ways it has just begun.  My friend’s parents are the most amazing people ever, they never once thought about what they were giving up to look after their daughter (our best friend) and her boys. They just did what we as parents do for our child/ren we fight like tooth and nail. We are now 4 years on from that day, that day that changed our world forever and I still every day am so very thankful that our darling friend is still here with us.  Since that day we have lost another member of our “Sisters” very suddenly and our dear friend has also lost a very close friend to cancer. I have also lost my grandmother.

Cancer just sucks and it deserves no place in our lives!

Recently my friend Tracey from My Obsession Designs and Four Frogs on a Log lost her mum to cancer, since Tracey’s mum’s diagnoses Tracey and her family have helped raised over $7,200.



It all started when they sat down and “clipped for cancer” and now for the month of August Tracey is donating 10% off all sales from My Obsession Designs to the Cancer Council of Australia.

Tracey’s mum was an amazing lady, who fought so hard to be here for her family and friends but sadly she lost her fight.


 But her legacy will live on because her loved one’s are so determined that with their help they will raise money to help find that cure.
My heart breaks for Tracey and her family as they come to terms of not having their mum and
mama around any more, as I know the pain of losing your mum!

So I ask you to head over and support Tracey and purchase from My Obsession Designs and in turn help find a cure.

Here are a few of the amazing handmade creations you will find for sale at My Obsession Designs.

Tidy up your notice board with these very cute push pins.

 



Or maybe some magnets to keep all those important notes on your fridge.          
A swimming bag.
A nappy pouch for when out and about


Or a stunning adventure bag for the little boy in your life.
Or a tote bag for your little princess.
But please help find a cure!

Thank you!

Yours in Handmade
Frilly Gilly
                       

July 6, 2012

Face Book

As a business I don't think you can keep all your eggs in one basket any more.
You need to make sure you have a back up plan.
With all the changes lately to facebook, and while they promised it would always remain free, with it now a listed company and that means share holders are looking for profit you now have to pay to promote, this only one change how many will there be in the future?
I think this will make it so much harder for the handmade community as well as other companies. So where do you look for the business exposure?

Websites like OZ Handmade
Where you can have a store front that is hosted by OZ Handmade and pay a very low monthly fee for this service.
Did you know OZ Handmade have been supporting the handmade community since 2009, through their online market place.
OZ Handmade do not charge listing fee's or commission on sold items.
You can also list as many items and photo's per item that you like there is no limit for the one low monthly fee.
You can also have market days were you choose to have your market store open for 3 days a month.
The other great thing with OZ Handmade is with the invoicing system it chases money, addresses and does the invoice for you.
You can do item or category discounts and lots of other great features.
The other awesome thing I think is you are accessing the whole customer database.

Other places
You can host your own website, get your customers to sign up for newsletters and promotions,  promote by having your own blog, lots of people are turning to google+ as a facebook alternative. There is also pinterest and other market websites.



As the owner of OZ Handmade, I am going to concentrate more on the other alternatives to facebook to help promote OZ Handmade.
I do regular ads in many Australian craft/sewing magazines.
You may have even seen a article on me the face behind Frillys Designs and OZ Handmade.





You can follow OZ Handmade on Pinterest click here
Find our facebook page by clicking here
Or sign up for our Newsletter by clicking here

Let us know what you do to promote your Handmade Business ♥



Yours in Handmade
Frilly Gilly

July 5, 2012

EOFY


     


With the end of the financial year, often we find our selves a little stressed with all the paper work we have to do and get ready to give to our accountant and make sure we find everything. Every year I promise myself I will be more organised next year. I never am!

So lets take some stress away and tell you about a couple of EOFY sales happening around OZ Handmade.

Buddy is so cute and he is one of the items  you will find on sale at -five- handmade. Karen is having a sale right across her store.

This stunning little dress is one of the selected items you will find discounted at Dalabri



The OZ Shop is also having a sale on Trims, Sewing and Craft Supplies, Patterns and Magazines.  So be sure to pop in an have a browse.
Here is a little taste of what you will find.

       
 


Do you love shopping at OZ Handmade and would like to help spread the word.
Then why not order (for free) one of our car stickers today.

June 8, 2012

Avoiding cleaning

My studio has need cleaning for such a long time now.
I keep finding things to do instead.
I always resort to cooking when I have done everything else,
I can to avoid the task at hand.
So thanks to the lovely Amber from Art by Amber, I have a new
recipe that I think will be a huge winner in our house.
Handmade by Frilly ~ Chicken Puffs.

Maybe I will clean the studio next week.

June 5, 2012

The latest OZ Newsletter.

Do you receive a copy of our Newsletter?
Here is a copy of the newsletter that went out today.
If you would like to receive our newsletter please click here.

OZ Happenings: 
Welcome to our OZ Handmade June newsletter. 
It has been awhile since I have managed to put one together for you. 
Actually I did two last month, but for some reason I didn't get a chance to save them before my computer shut down and lost them. 
So then I just took it as a sign from the universe, that I was not meant to get a newsletter out. 
There have been lots happening here at OZ Headquarters with new stores opening and also we have entered the Suncorp 5 grand helping hand
I would love to receive the 5 grand from Suncorp, it would pay for so many great things,that I have planned for OZ. Like advertising and actual professional business cards, just to name a couple. So I would be forever grateful if you would vote for oz. Please click on the link below. 




Store Showcase:






From Gentle Footprint is this very cute little dress that is made to fit those tiny little premmie babies. 





Growing up I just loved Holly Hobby, I remember having my bedroom overflowing with all things Holly Hobby. So if I had a little girl this pinafore would be purchased just for her.
You can find this cute little pinny at Space Kadetz Retro Clothing.   








One of our Newest Stores Rainbows and Ringlets stocks hand dyed beauties. The colours in these are truly amazing. 







This is the Marissa Dress from Dalabri Creations, these are stunning in real life so much attention to detail. 
 

 


Meet and Greet: 
Once a Month we are going to have a Meet and Greet from Business's around the WWW. 
I know they are extremely busy people so I have kept the questions to a minimum but I thought it would be a great way to get to know them. So this month :- 
Let's meet Alison from Mums who Make. Mums who make, 
are one of OZ's Sponsors and is a great support to me personally as well as professionally.

In 3 words, what would be the best way to describe who you are? 
passionate - driven - tolerant 

When did you fall in love with Handmade? 
Hmmm that's hard as I cant remember! Growing up in a family of creative women crafting and DIY was always with me, right from when I was younger. I guess though in the last 3-4 years I have a deeper appreciation for it from a business point. But I have always loved anything and everything Handmade. Its in my blood! 

What made you start Mums who make? 
Start MWM - At the time of starting our FB page - there was not a dedicated website that helped consumers source handmade, markets, supplies etc. Yes there were online stores like Oz, but not a place where people that already had websites and were happy to sell through their own could advertise and gain exposure. 

Something that we may not know about you? 
What you may not know - I am a meat - atarian! I don't eat any fruit / vegies or salad. Only eat potato in chips! 

Mums who Make, The Place to find Creators of HANDMADE products in Australia
 

Sewing/Craft Tips:
When tracing a pattern, use iron on interfacing. Available at all good habadashery stores. Then when you place the pattern pieces onto your fabric, to cut your pattern out. Plavce the iron on side face down! The pattern pieces will not slip around on the fabric. You can use less pins.

New Stores:
Crafty Mama's Creations 
LRW Mineral Makeup
Space Kadetz Retro Clothing 
Gentle Footprint
Rainbows and Ringlets
Lolli Poppits 




 Did you know you can also buy craft and sewing supplies from OZ Handmade.
Oz Handmade has their own store the OZ Shop, the stock Mollie Makes and Sew Hip Magazines direct from the UK, other magazines, patterns, ribbons and trims, blank buttons, blank hair clips and much much more.





There is also Four Frogs on a Log and they are your one stop shop when it comes to sewing threads, sewing needles and rotary cutters and blades.