2009

I always think its nice to stop at the end of a year and think about how far you have come, and where it is you would like to be at the end of next year.

2009 for MangoBeads has been very exiting. I took the decision to concentrate on a few bigger shows and not do so many of the little ones meaning there would be more time for the web site in between.

It meant completely revamping the stand and generally sharpening up the Mangobeads image.

On the whole it has worked really well. I was lucky enough to get a place at The Contemporary Craft Fair at Bovey Tracey in June, albeit a cancellation I was thrilled. It was a wonderful opportunity and a challenge. We met some wonderful people and had a very successful show.

I moved on from there to Exeter Cathedral Green for a two day event a few days later and can say that with the combination of absolutely horendous weather during Bovey (which we were camping in) and the camping experience on Cathedral Green the following week exhaustion really did set in.

The summer was a quieter time and we managed a camping trip again in the rain to South Devon. The summer saw the start of enormous website problems which were all very unfortunate but probably unavoidable. The website has now just been rebuilt and works around a different E-Commerse solution, which will be able to cope with the stock control issues Iwas experiencing with the old site.

November was a busy month with a second big fair in Brighton (MADE 2009),  this was another huge success and one I hope to repeat in 2010.

I am very happy with the sucess of MangoBeads during 2009. Although its has been a tough year with lots of hurdles to overcome, I have met some wonderful people and have some wonderful customers old and new, quite a few have become friends and all the support I recieve from you all is invaluable.

So onwards to 2010 with the Mangobeads SALE, and a website that works yipeee! New tools have arrived and there are lots of exiting things planned for 2010.

We have had a fab Snow day today and are bracing ourselves for more tomorrow !