F.Y.I.: My 2009 Business Plan

I just love this time of the year...especially this year! Those of you who know me, know I will never buy into any doom or gloom...I quite simply refuse. And it's not a 'head in the sand' approach...it's a creative approach really.

As talk show host Rick Gary from NewsChannel 9 put it to me a few years back, he referred to me on the air as the MacGyver of creativity...those of you who remember this tv series, this man could make a winter coat out of rubberbands, a found tube of caulk and tissue paper rolls. Those of you who know Rick, know he is very creative in his own right. If this came from a fellow sew-er I might have been a bit offended about the implication but coming from a man, I took this as quite a rather large compliment. Those of you who know me, know I run my creative business the same way. Often in classes and clubs we take a pile of paint buckets, some leftover fabric strips and an iron and make a wallhanging that would make any guild member turn their heads!

Seems like many in business today are gearing up for a bit of an 'unknown' in 2009...I am gearing up for a fabulous upcoming year! For years (15 to be exact) you have all supported me and my business, encouraged me when I came up with new ideas, visited us during promotions, store events and have followed us from Fayetteville to Fairmount and back to the east...and as many tighten their belt notches, I intend to extend mine. It is important to me personally to continue to create, share and inspire no matter what is going on in the stock market or repeatedly run by news media. This industry has proven one major thing for sure in the last 60 years... in good times, people sew and in bad times, people sew. Make no mistake, in the last 3 months we have all been thinking, but somehow sitting behind a machine creating, quilting or embroidering takes us to a different dimension of sorts. Imagine what one piece of cloth cut up in pieces and a single stitched seam can do for our mind, body and soul?!

So here it is: my 2009 Business Plan...it's about US giving back to YOU.
The tailend of 2008 has been quite successful for us and I appreciate your business more than this blog could express...As we approach the upcoming year, there is only one thing I'm buying into and one thing only...the importance of time together, giving of ourselves and sharing. Sounds a bit story book but here's my big 2009 business plan: KreativeKindness...I intend on offering you a regular schedule of FREE creative classes and a place for you to come by for regular jolts of inspiration, positive thinking and kreativity! It wont matter what machine you own or what your skill level is...Our small shop will be positively busting at the seams with new projects and an awareness to create with your stash, try new things and think outside the box a bit...BUT...here's the only cost to you ladies: you have to pass on an act of "KreativeKindness" to someone else. Your fee for these free workshops is quite simply returning the gesture in some way to someone else. Pass on an act of random kindness: teach someone a new project, share an idea, give a project you've made to someone you haven't met yet, sign up to teach a free class with us or come by and visit with the group. Sew-ers have been given such an incredible talent and opportunity to overcome through creative venues, share with others and be part of such an inspiring network...so I'm pulling out the duct tape, cheese cloth and the rusty window screen and getting busy for 2009...if you're in upstate NY, we hope you will pencil in these classes in your 2009 calender! Our schedule will be out right after the Christmas Holiday!