Charisse Sayers - Copywriter & Proofreader: 2018

Monday 3 December 2018

In the Chic Midwiter

OK, so winter is not my favourite time of year. Although there are lots of lovely things to be found in winter (a frosty white morning, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, board games, mulled wine etc) sometimes it can be hard to appreciate them while you’re de-icing your car in sub-zero temperatures or nursing a bruised hip from a tumble on the ice.

One thing that definitely seems a better idea in the snow is a cosy steam train journey. We went on a Christmas ‘Santa and Steam’ last year and it did seem magical. The major drawback was that the carriages misted up and as it got dark early outside we couldn’t really see the rolling, snowy hillsides. Still, we did get a glass of sherry and a mince pie so that was nice. A perfect example of reality thumping down the dream.

Just as there are different types of ‘love it or hate it’ people when it comes to snow, there are different types of pets. I know some dogs who refuse to step foot in the white stuff. Luckily, with the help of a festive sweater, my dog did not have to be persuaded to enjoy the blizzards last year, he ran straight into the snowstorm for a frolic.

Another big benefit of Christmas specifically is that it becomes a time when it’s OK to be a bit soppy and tell your loved ones how much you really care about them. The clay decorations I make often become tree decorations in December, before going back to their Command hooks on display on a wall the rest of the year. So although I may be dreaming of a sunny summer, I will be enjoying a frosty white Christmas, and the insane pleasure of a new pair of mittens.

And let's not forgot Hot Chocolate - especially

when stirred with a chocolate spoon

All blog content and photos are Copyright of Charisse Sayers Proofreader & Copywriter www.charisse-sayers.com I welcome all feedback and would love to know your thoughts so please get in touch, comment, share, like and generally get involved – you can also find me on Etsy at ‘Inside Out Oatcakes’, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Thursday 1 November 2018

Product development: it’s in the bag

I went from having the bright idea for my Etsy shop Inside Out Oatcakes, to opening the shop in about nine months. This seemed both simultaneously quick and slow. On the one hand I wanted to get going straight away, on the other, tedious, hand I wanted to be sure I had everything in order before launching the shop. As the one-year launch anniversary approaches it’s nice to reflect on how my designs have gone from a germ of an idea to fully blown product lines.

The most important item, and one that – ironically – did not feature much in my shop after initial launch, was the large, strong shoulder bags I’d made for friends. Reversible with double stitched seams and tie tops, the bags were designed to hold all the junk I know real life entails, while being comfortable, easy to wash, and with internal and external pockets so little things, like sunglasses or mittens, didn’t get lost. It took a few attempts before I hit on my winning formula, and now I get requests from friends for specific colours as their birthdays approach (cheeky!).

My little marbled clay decorations come from a very basic love of marbling, primed in childhood when we seemingly marbled everything at primary school. The fact I add hand stamped words is basically because words have had such a formative effect on my life. I pay my bills reading and writing words, and I have never underestimated the importance of finding the right words at the right time. Like the bags, there were a few incarnations of clay decorations before I found the style I was happy to launch in my shop.

Like many creative people, I hit upon a nice idea nearly every day, however it’s refining that idea to ensure it’s possible, plausible and profitable that can be tricky. Some products are worth spending the extra time on, the cost of which I can pass onto my lovely customers who I know value my skill, time and effort. Other products would be simply unsalable if I invested more time than the product seemed to require.

It’s often said that necessity is the mother of invention, but I don’t entirely agree, I think instinct is the mother of invention. Taking a chance on a new idea and seeing how it pans out can produce the most beautiful results. Some of my best ideas have come to me on a whim, and Inside Out Oatcakes is most definitely the best of these.

Monday 1 October 2018

The benefits of trying something new (and not being good at it)

I‘m lucky enough to be friends with some extremely talented – and patient – people, several of which are a crochet superstars. A few months ago, we had a meet up where my friends and I all brought goodies for a buffet, wine, tea and more wine, and sat about learning to crochet over a tipple one grey afternoon.

My first ever granny square

The aforementioned patient friends helped me tie a slipknot, do some kind of mysterious casting on thingy, and after many hours produce my own little wonky granny square. A serious crochet fan would probably be able to make a solitary granny square in about half an hour, but I was so proud of my little square, and all its faults. I love trying new skills without pressuring myself to have any expectation to be ‘good’ at it.

Getting to grips with the hook

It made me think of the constant testing that seems to be creeping into primary schools across the country, which must undoubtedly demoralise children. It’s turning them away from subjects they enjoy as they believe they should only spend their time on things they are ‘good’ at. Children, and big kids like me, will always benefit from trying new skills, engaging bits of their brains they don’t usually use, applying all they know to solve new problems and then, potentially, with practise, learning to master these skills and develop further. And even if they don’t turn into a professional, there’s much to said for a hobby that makes you happy.

When I got home I attempted to make one more, all on my own!

I haven’t done any more crocheting since that lovely afternoon, but the hook and the yarn sit in my cupboard ready for me to have another go soon. I’m happy knowing that I don’t have to be brilliant at everything I do, because wouldn’t it be boring if there was nothing left to learn?

Monday 3 September 2018

Let's talk packaging

I know, with a catchy title like that how could you not read this exciting blog about product packaging?! Seriously though, when I set up my Etsy shop one of my biggest concerns was getting the packaging right. I’m a big fan of buying through Etsy myself and love the extra care and attention sellers put into packaging up their creations.

I've started with peach packaging, but it may change

Etsy has such a wonderful community of makers, and I’m lucky enough to call many of these sellers my friends, and I know they all desperately want their customers to love the things they are buying. Part of this is making sure they arrive promptly and safely, but it’s also in the joy of opening a nicely presented package.

I love these gold polka dot bags

While I was in the process of setting up my shop many people questioned why it was taking me so long to go live. I explained that without the proper packaging there was no point starting to sell products. It honestly took me months to locate the bags, boxes, paper and ribbon I was happy with before going live with the shop, and even now I’m continually on the lookout for improved packaging options.

Many customers tell me they reuse the packaging

I think Julie Andrews had the right idea when she sang “brown paper packages wrapped up in string”, creating or opening beautiful packages is one of my favourite things.

Wednesday 1 August 2018

Behind the scenes of being self-employed

I’ve been self-employed for years now, often while holding down a day job as well, and it’s surprising how many people can’t quite grasp how it works when the only person you have to answer to is, well, yourself! I think some people imagine it’s impossibly difficult, while others picture me slung in a hammock all day drinking Pina Coladas. I really wish the latter were true, although at present that only accounts for about 10% of my working week.

A coffee and cocktail break with a friend

The big question: how do I stay motivated? That’s easy really, I enjoy my job and I take pride in what I do. I’m a driven person and can’t rest until a job is finished and finished well. That may make me sound a little eccentric, but I imagine most people who work for themselves would say they have similar qualities – the road to self-employment is not built on laziness.

Making things is a messy process!

That said, I doubt many home workers would be quite as productive without their faithful kettle or coffee machine. I for one run on a combination of coffee and green tea at staggered intervals throughout the day. And, although I may end up working through the night when there’s a tight deadline, or over Christmas to help a client in a bind, there are also days when I can skive off to have fun when everyone else I know is stuck in an office!

Beautiful caffeine

I guess it all balances out one way or another. What my employed friends envy in my freedom, I envy in their regular wage. Personally, I love being my own boss and since the launch of my Etsy shop Inside Out Oatcakes I’ve been even quicker to jump to my desk (dining room table) in the morning and get straight to work.

Monday 2 July 2018

What I learnt at my first ever Comic Con

Last year I visited my first ever Comic Con at the NEC in Birmingham. I went with friends and, as newbies, we didn’t dress up! I had an R2D2 t-shirt on, and that was about as much as I’d prepared myself for the day’s events. I needn’t have bothered really. With full sized Chewbaccas amongst the crowd a t-shirt than nods to fandom just wasn’t going to cut it.

Strangely enough, queueing to get in and going through security was probably one of the highlights of the event. There were Stormtroopers singing ‘Let it go’ to every Elsa that passed (and there were quite a few) as well as many Deadpool Bob Ross incarnations.

Once inside, the atmosphere of the whole event was so inclusive it felt very welcoming. We dawdled within the crowds, spotting the fantastic costumes visitors were wearing and browsing the many, many stalls. Possibly my favourite bit was the comic area where artists sat doodling and selling their own comics or graphic novels.

A gorgeous steampunk R2D2

A major highlight however was watching a real Robot War with the famous Apollo in the arena. Up close the machines were even more impressive than on TV, and the children in the audience seemed particularly in awe.

I would definitely go back to another Comic Con, but not so much for the fighting robots, the stalls or the professional appearances, but for the guests on the day, all dressed up in their cosplay finest, looking absolutely fantastic. It was also extremely family friendly, which contributed to the relaxed feel.

Friday 1 June 2018

Snug summer jacket hack

Have you finally put away your winter coat for your summer jacket but have realised it seems to have shrunk a bit since last summer? I had the same problem last year, and discovered a very easy way to improve my jacket's fit while making a bit of a style statement too.

Modelling my creations

I had a khaki green long jacket and a shorter yellow jacket that both needed adjusting. I had not long before bought some gorgeous Liberty cotton lawn fabric in a fabric sale online and decided to insert side panels that ran from cuff to hem down each side. Luckily, I have an overlocker, so I was able to ensure a professional finish with minimal effort, although there’s no reason why a similar result couldn’t be achieved with a standard sewing machine and a bit more time.

I was so happy with the finished result and have received loads of compliments. Unpicking the whole coat would have been a pain but cutting up the sides improved the fit on the body, across the shoulders (by alleviating pulling under the arms) and on the sleeves. It also works well on children’s coats where the length is still good but the middle is a bit tight.

Tuesday 1 May 2018

Making homemade gin!

Just before Christmas I went to a ‘make your own gin workshop’, where I learnt the fine art of flavouring my own gin. The first big ‘wow’ moment was discovering that gin is basically flavoured vodka. Yep, they’re more or less the same thing! Gin however gets its distinctive flavour from natural botanicals, with juniper berries providing that classic ‘gin’ taste.

The workshop was at the lovely Little Seeds restaurant in Staffordshire, where we were invited to try different gins and tonics to see the flavour combinations we liked. We then poured a large measure of vodka into a sterilised jam jar and added our own combination of botanicals, which were left for 48 hours to infuse.

I used this new insight into creating gin to make a few small bottles of different flavours for Christmas gifts. I discovered that my favourite flavour combination was juniper berries, black pepper, coriander seeds and cardamom pods. I did make a batch with star anise, but it was a bit medicinal. I will definitely be trying gin making again, maybe in slighter larger quantities next time!

Sunday 1 April 2018

My new passion: needle felting

I love trying new hobbies, and last year I discovered the joy of needle felting! The wonderful Gretel Parker held a day’s workshop to learn to make a Staffordshire cat, and it was a glorious insight into the soft, fluffy world of stabby creativity.

My little kitty was made of the cosiest white wool, which was gently formed over several hours with a mega sharp needle in a special handle. I’ll be honest, the danger of stabbing was extremely high, and there were a few injuries in the class, but I was lucky enough to avoid any serious wounds.

As soon as I got home from the class I ordered a basic needle felting kit ready to design my own creations. I’ll be honest, I can’t do as much as I would like because it hurts my shoulder after a few hours. I’ve only made a few things so far because of the shoulder problems, but hopefully with time I’ll keep refining my skills (without any fingers punctured…).

Friday 2 March 2018

My new Etsy shop – Inside Out Oatcakes

If you follow me across social media, you might have noticed a few months ago that my icon changed, and I adopted the moniker of Inside Out Oatcakes. I spend so much time crafting I decided to set up my own Etsy shop and combine copywriting with crafting to help pay the bills.

So far, I’m really enjoying the challenges running my own Etsy shop brings. It’s great to get creative with fabric, clay and felt, rather than nouns, verbs and punctuation! I’m trying to carve out my own unique style while maintaining high quality products with that personal touch, all affordably priced.

I’m hoping to keep adding new product ranges as ideas are developed, and would like feedback on what people would like to see in the shop. You can ‘Favourite’ my shop on Etsy to be kept up to date with all the latest product launches, as well as by following my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts for behind the scenes updates and pre-release sneak peeks!

Thursday 1 February 2018

A few handy sewing gadgets

1. Roller cutter. I’ve had a few slips with this and chopped into my fabric (and tablecloth) but, used with weights, this is much quicker than pinning and cutting with scissors, especially with large pieces of fabric.

2. Popper clamp. I think the formal name is snap fasteners, but whatever they’re called they’re great. My set was super cheap off eBay and they have been known to pop off, so I could probably do with investing in a decent set!

3. Rolled hem foot. I found this tricky but once I got the hang of it, the results were very smart and simple. Ideal for neatening the edges of fine fabrics without creating chunky hems.

Monday 1 January 2018

Very easy ways to feel better after Christmas indulgences

If you’ve braved the shops recently you’ve probably seen the obligatory fitness DVDs, diet recipe books and dubious ‘health’ supplements on offer. Here are a few, painless, ways to feel better after endless weeks of mince pies and brandy.

Herbal tea. It can seem strange at first but soon it’s just habit to switch from the glorious world of caffeine and milk to watery scented beverages, even if it’s just one a day. This fancy pants glass teapot makes it feel much more sophisticated, and also encourages me to drink it all up and not just head back to the espressos.

Yeah, that's a glass of Baileys with my yoga book...

Yoga. I’ve had this book for years and find that a few simple stretches really does make me feel better. Gone have the youthful days of waking up at 6am to do an hour of yoga before university lectures (I must have been mad), now I find a quiet 15 minutes in the evening in my pyjamas is the right balance of manageable and beneficial.

Inspirational mantras. I’m not one of these people who will stand in front of the mirror chanting affirmations, but a few nice words around the house does tend to lift my spirits and provide decoration. These few are from the lovely Chatty Nora, which is also a lovely wellbeing way of buying as supporting small businesses feels much better than lining the pockets of faceless shareholders when buying mass produced ‘art’.