Is it April already?

I’m wondering where the last week has gone. Last week Yarn Box moved in and now it feels as if it’s always been here. I’m enjoying seeing what everybody is ordering (lots of lovely Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend) and wondering what you’re all knitting. My daughters are fascinated by it all, but don’t want me to send out any of the pink yarn which they claim is theirs! I’m also looking into exciting new ranges for the summer. It’s going to be difficult to choose. I’m off to have a flick through the new issue of The Knitter before I fall asleep and see if there’s anything that makes me want to pick up my needles. I’ll let you know if I find anything!

–Nicola

Yarn Box moves home

What an incredible day! Jo and I have been hard at work today (with much assistance from Jo’s wonderful family). Earlier today it seemed unfeasible that everything would fit into my car but after some creative packing solutions Yarn Box has been packed into boxes and transported around the M25 across the M4 and through the Oxfordshire countryside. Now all I have to do is unpack and find my feet. I’ve already found the Brittany Needles and the Debbie Bliss magazines so I feel we’re off to a good start. I’m hoping that there won’t be too much disruption to Yarn Box, I’m really looking forward to taking over and finding some fantastic new yarns through 2009.

Thank you to Jo and all of her family for making me so welcome and having faith in me to look after Yarn Box.

Thanks too to my wonderful husband for helping me get everything out of the car!

– Nicola

Letting Go…

The house is quiet, all is very still. I have replied to the last email of tonight, time to log off – except it feels very “final” tonight.

 

The past few days have been exceptionally busy for me. The sale of Yarn Box has been brought forward to this weekend. Nicola is super and very accommodating! I can feel she has the energy and passion ready to take on Yarn Box! Sadly, unwell family calls me (and Lewis and Sam) to the other side of the world – Hong Kong. We are departing on very short notice… so the planned sale has been brought forward a whole week.

 

Today was a mad day of stock take, every last needle has been counted for. A crazy exercise which mum, dad, sisters, Lewis, Sam – everyone helped out in. Finally about an hour ago, everything was final. All is ready for the BIG HANDOVER tomorrow. (in 7 mins it will be midnight!). Everyone I have spoken to has told me I am crazy to let go of Yarn Box – but I would rather do it now – doing it properly and finding the right person – then having to rush it all through if I did have to relocate.

 

My father was a business man (now retired and has Lewis as his occupation). I grew up seeing him run many businesses. Yarn Box is my first. I must confess I am very emotionally attached to YB! It started of as a concept, to planning, to design and implementation – it was me, my favourite colours, type font, brands and stock I wanted. It was people around me too! My sisters – Cassie – bringing in Banana Yarns, Lan with the name, me with my favourite colours, Cassie with the logo design, Gebbie with the shade cards, TT with her Ts&Cs, Ernest and his adverts, mummy with her needles, daddy at the post office, Sam with the sellotape and Lewis with the labels… Everyone has made YB what it is today – and with any part or anyone missing it would not have been the same! THANK YOU ALL - everyone who has played a part!

 

Letting go is hard – and everytime someone has asked me this week “Jo – are you sure” I stop and think… can I? must I? Yes – it will be for the better.

 

I have worked very closely with Nicola this week. She is wonderful and super efficient. I can see this being a smooth transition. Though I am away for the next two weeks – Nicola will know how to get hold of me – therefore if any questions arise – we will be able to work them out (though the lead time might be a little longer than the usual). Though from today – I am no longer running Yarn Box – I will always be “hanging around” Nicola and I have agreed that I will be around… I have let go – but I will still always be here too! (does that make sense??)

 

This will be the very last post from me at this blog! Thank you all for your support over the past 18 months. I would very much like to stay in touch with you all – as I feel I have lots of great friends as well as customers – follow me on my personal blog: http://bbjolewis.wordpress.com  here we can still stay in touch. Yarn Box will be my preferred yarn shop for the rest of my life ! Good bye~~

Welcome to Nicola…

As many of you have noted (thanks for all your lovely email messages), Yarn Box went up for sale a few weeks ago. After a painful process this weekend of finding the new successor to Yarn Box – I would like to say a big welcome to Nicola.

 

Nicola will be taking over the running of Yarn Box from 27th March (next Friday!!)  and the physical move of stock and shelves etc all happen during the weekend. In the meanwhile we are keeping distruption to Yarn Box services to a minimum and everyone should still be able to access our lovely site and place your orders.

 

A lot of you also noted that many colours of many yarns have been taken offline. This was due to the uncertainty we had about how long this handover might take, but we can now be certain that everything will be back to normal by Monday 30th March. If you need something, a colour, a particular type of yarn etc and you can not find it on the site, it will only be temporary. Please send us an email: info@yarnbox.co.uk and Nicola will have this ordered in and ready for you to place the order and dispatch w/c 30th March.

 

As for me… it is very very sad that I am letting go of Yarn Box. It is a company that I started from nothing, and built it into something meaningful. It was not all fun and games – a lot of hard work has gone into Yarn Box, not just from me, but also from my sisters, mum, dad, Lewis… I can not have done it with out my family’s support all along the way. You will still be able to find me and my blogging at: http://bbjolewis.wordpress.com  I hope we can all stay in touch as besides running a successful business I have also made many friends along the way and would love to hear all your stories and projects…. Yarn or otherwise… Make sure you add bbjolewis blog to your feeds… will miss you all!  Jo x

Mother’s Day Discount Code: SMILE

For a weekend – it was a very busy day today. Lewis had his first class at Chinese School this morning. Which left me two hours to complete all my household chores. I also met with some lovely people today and yesterday… everyone was all very friendly and all very nice… I now have some decision making to do for the rest of the weekend. I also planned to watch “Marley and Me” tomorrow with my three sisters – I do look forward to that too!

As promised in the last newsletter… there is a special offer code for Mother’s Day: SMILE

I can not think of a time when my mother did not put a smile on my face. Even at the worst of times she is there to help and support me (even when I made a bad choice or decision) a mother’s encouragement is amazing. Being a mother myself – Lewis is too young to appreciate Mother’s Day – but with him being around I can only learn to appreciate the occassion more! I therefore choose the discount code: SMILE

SMILE will give you a 20% discount redeemable when you spend £25 or more. I hope this will bring a smile to your face – and if it is a gift for mum – a smile to her face too

This offer will run until midnight on Mother’s Day – 22nd March 2009

Yarn Box – For Sale

The “For Sale” sign has gone up for Yarn Box. Following last night’s newsletter I have had quite a few emails coming back asking about Yarn Box For Sale, why, when, etc etc…

As many of you know there has been quite a few changes to my personal circumstances – this has now led to a possibility of relocation to the Far East, as wonderful  as it might sound – not something I am particularly keen on – but might be a must go situation.

With that as a possibility I need to be free of obligations and be able to pick up the bags and go when the boss says “go”. Yarn Box is not really an obligation, but I see it more as my little creation! Yarn Box = Jo and Jo = Yarn Box. I would hate to see it having been sold at last minute and going to the first buyer that comes along…

Therefore – the quest in search of a new owner has started – there is now the time to find someone who will be passionate about Yarn Box. Who will devote the time and dedication it deserves. I am hoping the sale will be a seemless process and the usual high standards we provide will not be compromised.

If you are someone who is interested in being Yarn Box’s potential owner – get in touch with me: jo@yarnbox.co.uk

Weekend…

I am very glad all the Debbie Bliss magazines were posted out yesterday – more than 150 of them! I also got some emails back acknowledging receipt this morning. It is nice to know they are all getting out safely.

A week”end” implies – we have come to the end of the week. At the moment, I seem to be working on Yarn Box and various other projects 7 days a week. With Lewis not yet at school, a week end or week day is not making much of a difference. My weekend of course started this morning – but that seems so very long ago.  Since loosing a regular routine over a month ago – I seem ever busier with more and more “other” things to sort out. All of a sudden Yarn Box which was part of my day – has taken up almost all of my day. It seems to be an engine that can consume as much energy as you can afford to put in.

Lewis has an invitation to attend Nursery class at out local Saturday school where my mum is a helper. So from next SaturdayI will have two hours of “me time”. For a lot of you – I am sure you all know how precious that is!

They’re are here!

Yarn Box has turned in to Postal HQ – all Debbie Bliss mags will be posted today

Debbie Bliss Magazine… still delayed….

Still looking out of the window as any car, van or truck drives by – hoping it is a delivery from Designer Yarns – sadly – nothing yet…

If I do not get anything today – DY have promised it will be tomorrow…

I will hope to send out the items on the same day – the wait will be over soon…. (fingers crossed!)