Natterworking . . .

There is nothing more important in my mind, when you are a small business, than getting to know other businesses in the area that are probably in the same boat . . . the support and knowledge that you can combine and fall back on is second to none . . .

However, being fairly shy and careful about whom I get to know and spend time with, the idea of ‘networking’ fills me with complete dread!

I feel that the term ‘networking’ implies that you want something from someone, and are not bothered about getting to know the individual . . . it’s a cold process, all about how your business can benefit from someone else’s connections, and that has never sat very comfortably with me . . . don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great if you do end up mutually benefitting from one another, but I like to get to know the individual first and foremost . . .

So, this weekend just past, I hosted a ‘coffee get together’ for a couple of local Facebook pages, who I had the pleasure of getting to know through this crazy world wide web . . .

I know this sounds daft, but I did consider cancelling on the morning, as I felt so nervous about it all . . . the thought of having to make small talk brought me out in a cold sweat . . . what if I hadn’t got the right drinks and cakes (I had unfortunately run out of time to home bake, so off to Co-Op it was ;)) . . . what if we had nothing to talk about and there was constant silent pauses . . .

I needn’t have worried in the slightest though . . . the ladies that came around (Claire from Design at No 11 (http://www.facebook.com/DesignatNo.11 or  http://www.designatno11.co.uk) Leanne from Kissmycake (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southsea-Bridal-Boot-Fair/150972208310468 or  http://www.kissmycake.co.uk) and Sarah from the Southsea Bridal Boot Fair (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southsea-Bridal-Boot-Fair/150972208310468) were fabulous, and we talked and talked about anything and everything . . . and could have gone on all day given the chance ;)

I have now coined a new term, which I am much more comfortable with, ‘natterworking.’ I think you can see where I am going with this, but it was great to have a natter, and chat through new ideas, and give support where needed . . .

I’m hoping that everyone else felt the same way, and I know we are planning to meet up again, hopefully in a month’s time . . . so watch this space . . . this natterworking group is on the move ;)

Much love, Ax

Getting organised . . .

I am a stereotypical Virgo.  On the plus side, I am modest and shy, meticulous and reliable, practical and diligent, intelligent and analytical . . . on the minus side I’m fussy and a worrier, overcritical and harsh, perfectionist and conservative . . . and don’t talk to me about change!

The other major thing though is that I have Leo rising in my chart . . . this means at the time of my birth, Leo was on the eastern horizon . . . all fascinating stuff, especially when you consider that it describes the way I engage with the outer world . . . apparently I  have ‘a natural flair for presentation, an eye for quality, and a hard-to-resist warmth of style,’ and I ‘want to make things happen, and create a stir (http://www.cafeastrology.com/leo_ascendantrisingsign.html) .’

However, the downside to all of this is that I am incredibly messy! It gets to the stage sometimes, that I am so stressed out by the mess I have created, that I throw a massive tantrum, blame anyone and everyone, and then feel incredibly guilty that I have been so irrational! Ah, what a wonderful mix that Virgo/ Leo blend makes . . .

So when it comes to getting this mess organised, I set about it like a woman possessed during a military campaign . . .bin bags, Dettol spray, piles for this, piles for that . . . I love to sort, and de-clutter . . . I regularly life laundry . . . unlike Mr Seeded, who still has t-shirts he first got when he was twelve . . . I just have to keep on top of the boredom factor, and make sure that I don’t reason that it would be a good time to procrastinate halfway through a major tidy . . .

Anyway, back to getting organised . . . I recently had to de-clutter my work room – it had become a combination of a dumping ground/ laundry, and I had begun to take over the rest of the house with all my buttons. It got to the stage where Mr Seeded said ‘no more buttons!’ Now obviously this was never going to happen so . . . Operation Mass Clean began . . . it only took a couple of hours, but boy did I feel so much better!

So, with spring hopefully on the horizon, I thought I would share with you a couple of websites that I LOVE for organisational tips and hints to inspire and motivate you.

Martha Stewart is a goddess in my opinion . . . OK, there was that brief spell in prison for tax evasion, but hey – this woman knows how to organise!!!

Here are a couple of fab links that you MUST look at:-

Ribbon organisation - http://www.marthastewart.com/851279/craft-materials-and-techniques/@center/856229/ask-martha#/215282

Keeping matching sheets together. When I first saw this, I was mesmerised . . . It also helped, as it meant I de-cluttered my linen closet of all of those odds and ends of bedlinen that have no matching partner. http://www.marthastewart.com/274903/25-closet-storage-and-office-organizers/@center/276989/organizing

Tidy cords – a major bug bear of mine . . . http://www.marthastewart.com/274903/25-closet-storage-and-office-organizers/@center/276989/organizing#/167531

I have hundreds of glass baubles, and this was an epiphany in terms of how to keep them safe and sound till next Christmas http://www.marthastewart.com/274903/25-closet-storage-and-office-organizers/@center/276989/organizing#/272877

I LOVE a checklist, and the other thing I drool over on Martha’s site is that they have printable templates and checklists for everything – why reinvent the wheel, I ask you . . . http://www.marthastewart.com/274764/cleaning-checklists/@center/276998/organizing-checklists

And finally, just a few websites where you can find fabulous organisational products:-

·         http://www.lakeland.co.uk – well, I had to really!

·         http://www.muji.eu – my all-time favourite!

·         http://www.gardentrading.co.uk – fabulous enamel wear

·         http://www.coxandcox.co.uk – lots of yumminess . . .

So, having had a read through all of these, I hope you are now inspired – would love to hear any hints or tips you may have, or any links to websites I don’t know about  . . .

Much love, Ax

Its not about ideas . . .

http://pinterest.com/pin/248401735667028536/

I saw this today and thought 'BINGO! theres my next blog post!'

Short and sweet, this sums up everything! Its not what you do, its how you do it . . . on that note, Im off to do ;)