Miss Red
  • Home
  • Shop
  • All Stitched Up
  • Crafty ME Blog
  • Challenge Miss Red
    • Your ideas
    • Your designs
  • Social Media
  • Mailing List
  • Members Area

Calling all artists - take two

18/4/2015

1 Comment

 
If you've been reading my blog posts for a while you'll recall last year I put a shout out for artists to collaborate with, using their beautiful drawings, paintings or potentially even photographs along with my cross stitch design skills to create some gorgeous charts & kits.

I've been working with Heidi, of Heidi Made This & I love her work & her quirky style.  If you haven't had a chance to do so already go & check out her fabulous greetings cards.  The kits created turned out even better than expected & I can't wait to do more with Heidi.
Picture
Picture
I'm now also in a position where I'd like to broaden my range & this is where you lovely lovely arty types can help *flutters eyelashes optimistically*

Here's the original post, it has more details in, pretty much all of which remain the same.  If you think it's something you'd be interested in, whether you just want to do a few pieces or ongoing collaborations I'd love to hear from you & can talk you through how it would all work.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Miss Red x

Picture
Resistance is futile! ;)
1 Comment

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to meeeeeee...

9/12/2014

1 Comment

 
Ok, not me exactly but it's a year ago I registered Miss Red as a business.  Wow, how fast has this year flown by?!?

I have to say a huge thanks to all my 577 followers on FB, the 363 on Twitter (which I'm really chuffed with because I still don't really know what I'm doing on there) and followers elsewhere in that big old land of social media (follow links top right ;)...not forgetting, most importantly, you fantastic customers!!!

It's been a tough year of ups & downs, health issues have done all they can to trip me up whenever possible but I'm more motivated now than ever.  I'm sure I'll still have my "what am I doing?" moments occasionally but I've learned a lot this year...yup, mostly by making mistakes but it's a lot of useful lessons I'll take with me into the future.

So, come on year 2, bring it on!

Miss Red x

PS: If you're not on the mailing list yet then click the button below.  There's even a free printable cross stitch pattern when you sign up!
Sign me up!
Picture
Free cross stitch pattern when you sign up!
1 Comment

A year ago...

19/7/2014

1 Comment

 
This time last year I'd just received my final wages from my last job.

I'd started as a temp at this government quango & after a year of glowing reports, pay rises & contract extensions I was *promoted* into a permanent role.  Much as I missed teaching I knew my health wasn't up to a full time teaching role so begrudgingly accepted, relieved that my financial situation would at least become stable.

Little did I know it would all be downhill from there, the new role being nothing like the temporary roles I'd done & essentially turning me into a phone monkey.  No offence meant to anyone who works in call centre/contact centre, in fact hats off to you!  As someone with severe anxiety issues & a phone phobia I'd never have accepted the post had I been aware of the change in role!  I approached my line manager who assured me despite being put through phone training I'd soon be back in my administrative post because it would be a busy period for my team & I knew more about the process than anyone on the team (including/especially her!)  Of course just a couple of months later it'd be my word against hers that she'd made these reassurances & she'd convince management that I'd known all along what I was agreeing to when I accepted the job.  (8 hours a day on the phone being told when I'm allowed to leave my desk & watching bimbling idiots around me stuffing up the job I *used* to do really well)

After 5 months off ill followed by being pushed too hard on a phased return & being ill again occupational health & other medical professionals were unanimous in the decision that redeployment was the way forward.  Shortly after this decision was formalised I was brought in for a *redeployment* meeting.  Allegedly there was no position to move me to, despite hiring 3 new staff members to carry out the job I'd managed without illness and with glowing reports for several months.  Since I'd already had my trial period extended by three months it was decided I was incapable of carrying out the role I was hired for (no shit Sherlock!) so therefore I no longer had a job.

Obviously it hadn't been my ideal job but it had been my lifeline for almost 2 years & to suddenly just stop having any income came as a shock as well as causing many sleepless nights & exacerbating my ME .  Having already been turned down for DLA (but in the process of appealing it) I had no idea how I'd pay the bills & no optimism where new employment was concerned with over 100 sick days under my belt.  Already in a very dark place it did nothing for my mental health either, it's very difficult trying to see a silver lining when even somewhere you don't want to work but slog your heart out for doesn't think it's worth giving you a break.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger apparently ;)
Picture

Miss Red x

1 Comment

Calling all artists

16/7/2014

1 Comment

 
Are you an artist or designer by trade or do you just love creating beautiful pieces of art?

Would you like to see your artwork in a different medium?

Would you like more widespread recognition for your work?

If your answer is YES then YOU may be just the person I'm looking for!

(If not then pretty please do me a huge favour & share this with your talented arty friends, I'll love you forever!)

I currently draw all the artwork for my cross stitch kits by myself & this can be very time consuming as well as limiting what I can create - because 
a) I'm no artist &
b) the length of my working day is completely dependent on my health day to day.

The idea is that artists could make my process shorter by creating the original artwork so I can focus on creating the patterns, stitching them out, editing & creating the completed counted cross stitch kits.

What do I want?

  • Artwork in your own distinctive style
  • No copyright infringement
  • Exclusive licence (so no-one else can create cross stitch kits using the same artwork)
  • A number of pieces - emailed or posted
  • Your logo if you have one (to credit you on kit packaging)
  • Details of your website/somewhere to point people at so they can see more of your lovely work if applicable
  • Links from your website/social media to my website so your existing fans can see the kits

What's in it for you?

  • A new medium & line of sale for your artwork
  • Professional kit creation using genuine DMC threads & quality materials
  • New audience
  • Credit for your work on the kit packaging, within all sale listings and in general on the Miss Red website & social media
  • Links to your own website on mine so people can see more of your work
  • Choice of how many pieces to submit & how often to submit
  • Final review of the kit before it goes on sale to ensure it truly reflects the quality & value of your work
  • Collaboration with MEEEEEEEE ;D

A choice of:
  • A percentage of profits (to be negotiated)

or
  • Kits and/or digital patterns to sell yourself (pricing to be mutually agreed)



Here are some of the kits I've already made:
Interested?  Great!

Drop me an email or message me using the contact page - a link to some of your work would be fab too ;)  Thank you for reading.

Miss Red x

1 Comment

Aren't you lucky!

8/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Just lately when I've started talking to new people "oh, you're so lucky" has been a frequent response when I tell them I'm self-employed.

Well, the short response to that is "hell no!"

The longer response?  Lets see, I've battled for years with my health & struggled to hold down jobs my entire adult life because my M.E means I have more sick days than the average person.  As a (terminally) single woman there's never been anyone to support me financially so working part time was never really an option.  The result - working myself to death in temporary roles until I just can't work any more then having to move on & start all over again.  Oh, and don't forget the gruelling doctor/hospital/dietician/psychologist/specialist schedule in my *spare* time!

After 14 years of fighting each & every day to stay afloat I decided enough was enough.  No employer is going to give me a job that fits around my health.  DWP aren't going to support me in any way because, unlike employers, they believe being able to walk from my bed to the loo on a good day means I'm perfectly capable of holding down full time work.

I decided to set up my own business.  I did the research & courses needed to get up & running.  I searched for funding.  I went to trade fairs, put in the hours of hard work making things & perfecting my skills & tracking accounts, networking & finding out what people wanted & would buy.  I bought stock & supplies instead of food & a social life, ME!


So hell no, I'm not giving luck any credit here!  This didn't just happen to me while I sat idly by, I made all of this happen.  I work damn hard at what I do & will continue to do so because I'm passionate & motivated & sooooo stubborn that I refuse to let this fail (despite the fact that even writing this post has taken me 2 hours because my wrists & back ache too much to do it all in one go)  

I love my work & I love that the credit all belongs to me & the fantastic customer base I continue to build along the way ;)  

Just for me, next time your brain tells you that you can't do something because it's too difficult, give it a little go anyway.  You might be surprised what you CAN do!

Miss Red x

0 Comments

WIP Wednesday

28/5/2014

1 Comment

 
Tentacles!
Picture
That eye keeps looking at me as I'm stitching the rest...

Also, nearly finished with the bag.  This one has a clear window in the front to display my AVON books. :D
Picture
There were some little offcuts so there's also a matching lady bear skirt for one of my little helpers & a ruffle for my hair.
Picture
Bit of wandering the streets in the rain delivering flyers in the hope of gaining new Independent AVON Representatives for my team too.  If you think that's something you'd like to do then pop along here and join my team ;)
Picture
Manylots of embroidery bits to do next - busy busy.  But for now, it's time for a cuppa :)

Miss Red x

1 Comment

WIP Wednesday

7/5/2014

0 Comments

 
This week has mostly been taken over by this:
Picture
Little bit more work done on these:
Picture
Picture
Hoping next week will be a bit less exhausting & a bit more stitchy :)

Miss Red x

0 Comments

Beauty Business

23/4/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
On your travels browsing the site you may have noticed that I'm not just Miss Red but also an "Avon lady."  It's a completely separate business & AVON is in no way affiliated with Miss Red but the earnings from my second business have helped me pay my bills while I build the first up. 

It's really flexible so I can do as much or as little as I like fitting it around my main business and also my health issues.  I now have a lovely bunch of customers and I'm really enjoying getting to know some of the people who live around me. :) 

This month I went from being an Independent Avon Representative to an Independent Avon Sales Leader...good eh?

That means I'm now on the lookout for some of you wonderful people to join my team!

AVON is one of the world's leading direct selling companies of beauty and beauty-related products.  Why not become an Independent Avon Representative?  Find out more about AVON's fantastic flexible self-employed earning opportunities.  

Contact me with any questions you might have, or join me on AVON Connects now. 

Even if you don't want the extra cash involved in becoming a rep AVON still have some great products for women, men and children, with a range for every pocket so please do pop along & have a browse of the brochure.

Thanks for reading, and sorry if parts came over more sales-y and less *me*...there are guidelines I have to follow when talking about AVON (like having to write it in all caps), and their pre-approved texts all sound a bit more formal than I'd like to have put it.

Please do have a think about joining my team though, it really is a great opportunity!

Miss Red x

0 Comments
    Picture

    Miss Red

    Seamstress and craft addict with too many ideas, too little time and not enough spoons!

    Blog subscription

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    January 2017
    November 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013

    Categories

    All
    100dayproject
    100daysofxstitch
    Achievements
    Age 9
    Aida
    Anniversary
    Anxiety
    Application
    Applique
    Art
    Artist
    Artwork
    ATOS
    AVON
    Awareness
    Badges
    Beauty
    Benefits
    Bespoke
    Big Girl Knickers
    Bipolar
    Birthday
    Blackfield
    Blackwidow
    Blog
    Blue Nose Friends
    Blue Ribbon
    BlueSkyDesign
    Bondage
    British
    Broke
    Bunting
    Business
    Business Planning
    Busk
    Busy
    Captainamerica
    Cartoon
    Cash Flow
    Celebration
    Challenge
    Charity
    Chart
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Chronic Illness
    Chronic Pain
    Clubtickets
    Collaboration
    Comic
    Commission
    Confidence
    Consumer Protection
    Corset
    Corsetiere
    Corsets
    Cosmetics
    Couples
    Cows
    Craftaholic
    Craft Fair
    Crafts
    Creative
    Crossstitch
    Cross Stitch
    Cross Stitch Floss
    Cross Stitch Kits
    Cthulu
    Curves
    Cute
    Daily
    Death
    Dedication
    Depression
    Design
    Devil
    Disability
    Disabled Provision
    DLA
    DMC
    DMC Kit
    Doubting Dora
    Dragon
    Drawing
    DWP
    Early Cross Stitch
    Earning
    Embroidery
    Embroidery Floss
    Exciting
    Exclamation
    Exhaustion
    Fabric Dying
    Farce
    Farm
    Farmyard
    Fashion Corset
    Favour
    Felt
    Festival
    Fibro
    Fibroawareness
    Fibroflare
    Fibromyalgia
    Finances
    Flames
    Flare
    Floss
    Flowers
    Flowery
    Fms
    Followers
    Frame
    Freebie
    Free Stuff
    Fun
    Fundraiser
    Funny
    Garden Stitching
    GBSB
    Gentle
    Germany
    Gig
    Gizmo
    Goodies
    Good Turn
    Great British Sewing Bee
    Halloween
    Handcrafted Academy
    Hawkeye
    Head Squirrel
    Head Squirrels
    Health
    Heart
    Hedgehogs
    Help
    Holiday
    Home Brew
    Hoops
    Hulk
    Ideas
    IiME
    Illness
    Income
    Independent Sales Leader
    Inmyowngoodtime
    Input
    Insomnia
    Inspirational
    Instagram
    Instructions
    Invest In ME
    Invisible Illness
    Ironman
    Jellybeans
    Job
    Joinme
    Kits
    Landmarks
    Latch Hook
    Legal
    Littlemissred
    London
    Lotsofideas
    Love
    Lucky
    Made To Measure
    Mailing List
    Manic Depression
    Marvel
    M.E
    Me Awareness
    Me Awareness Week
    Mecfs
    Memories
    Mental Health
    Mental Illness
    Mentors
    ME Research UK
    Me To You
    Mind Monkey
    Missredchart
    Missredcreates
    Mobility
    Mobility Scooter
    Modern
    Motif
    Motivation
    Motivational
    Moving House
    Music
    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
    Needlecraft
    Negative
    New Baby
    New Items
    New Release
    New Rocks
    Newsletter
    New Stock
    New Year
    Numbskulls
    Opportunities
    Owl
    Pacing
    Painting
    Papercraft
    Papercut
    Parcels
    Partnership
    Passion
    Pattern
    Patterns
    Personal
    Personalised
    Photographs
    Pickers
    Pillowcase
    PIP
    Planning
    Politics
    Positivity
    Poverty
    Prints
    Prize
    Prize Draw
    Professional
    Progress
    Project
    Proposal
    Pumpkin
    Purple
    Purple Ribbon
    Questions
    Recruiting
    Red White And Blue
    Reflection
    Reindeer
    Restock
    Retrospective
    Review
    Robin Williams
    Rope
    Rudolph
    Rules
    Sale
    Scissors
    Seamstress
    Self Employment
    Self-employment
    Sewing
    Share
    Sheffield ME Group
    Silver Lining
    Skill
    Sleepy
    Small Business
    Snips
    Spooky
    Spoonie
    Spooniecrafters
    Spoonierules
    Spread The Word
    Squirrels
    Starter
    Steel Boned
    Steel Bones
    Steel Busk
    Stitching
    Stock
    Stranded Cotton
    Strength
    Stress
    Strong
    Subscribe
    Suicide
    Support
    Talent
    Tape Measure
    Tatty Teddy
    Teaching
    Teamwork
    Teddybear
    Tentacles
    Terms & Conditions
    Thank You
    Thor
    Tied Up
    Tight Lacing
    Tight-lacing
    Trebleclef
    Tribunal
    Trick Or Treat
    Tutorial
    Unemployment
    Unique
    Unmissable
    Valentine
    Vampire
    Variedthreads
    Waiting
    Walk
    Walk For ME
    Website
    Winder
    Wine
    WIP
    Work
    Work In Progress
    Xstitch
    Young Crafter
    YouRock
    Zombie
    Zzz

    RSS Feed

Subscribe to the mailing list & receive a FREE cross stitch chart!

* indicates required

View previous campaigns.

Contact

Contact Miss Red
Picture

About

Crafty ME blog
Shipping & returns

Connect

All Social Media
Proudly powered by Weebly