Posts
Unicorn Tree Crafters Exchange
We are starting a Crafters Exchange here – basically that means that you can bring along an item such as a rubber stamp or punch you no longer use and get a credit for it to use on craft items from us!
So do you have craft items that you loved but now never use?
Or maybe something that came in a set that just isn’t your thing?
Rubber stamps, punches, scissors, embellishments – maybe even packs of cards and books of papers you’ve never touched?
Then how about exchanging them for a discount on something you might use??
Go on think about it, after all in the words of the giants ‘every little bit helps!’ oh and don’t forget to tell others, after all who knows what gems are out there sitting dusty in craft cupboards everywhere!
Now for the not as fun but just as important bit:
Even the art of creative self-expression has to work with some sort of guidelines!
So there are some rules and guidelines to the Crafters Exchange Scheme –
Some of which are pretty obvious like Only items in good condition can be exchanged.
Now we appreciate rubber stamps get inky and that’s fine so long as they are cleaned before you bring them in – also they must make perfect impressions.
Scissors & Punches too must be in perfect condition and cut or punch smoothly and cleanly.
Cards & Papers must be full sets & unused.
Any and all credits given are entirely at our discretion and terms and conditions apply - you can get the full set of these at the shop :)
Please note this is a Credit Scheme only and we do not ever give cash, all credit/exchange vouchers have a nil cash value.
So there we go, another way you can share and save - we think it's a great idea and we hope you do too! So go on tell others and let's see what we can find after all one crafters decoupage is another crafters topper!
Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts. Central Market, Sincil Street, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
T: 01522 525557 E: unicorntreebooks@aol.com Facebook: Unicorn Tree Books
www.cardmakersupplies.co.uk & www.lincolnartistsupplies.co.uk
Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Monday, August 16, 2010
Steampunk, The Echo & Me!
Made the Echo on page 3 again http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Author-androids-Anna-Karenina-appear-video-link-Lincoln-festival/article-2529609-detail/article.html- just a small little mention about The Book, Android Karenina, that we are going to be at the The Steampunk Festival/Convivial with - Along of course with other Quirk Classics and books!
Costumes are in planning, well ok I'm planning mine - modding my topper and building my goggles being the creative type I am! - though minions already had outfits as they already had full tickets to the event, including the ball, and do real Victorian (and Tudor!) Re-enactment anyway to go with their punkish attitudes!
The Echo lists it as being in October when in point of fact it is in September - so anyone going along please do call in and visit with us in the literature section there in the Lawns - and of course do call in before the event and share the fun that happens in the shop all the while.
Hey there's an idea maybe later in the month we could have a steampunk craft day and do some in shop modding, make a few pairs of googles, practise paint techniques for the aged look, or even just have fun with some victorian papers & assemblage pieces?
let me know if you're up for that and pass on the news to other.
See you in the shop soon - and remember if you want to bring the coffee I'll provide the chat!
Costumes are in planning, well ok I'm planning mine - modding my topper and building my goggles being the creative type I am! - though minions already had outfits as they already had full tickets to the event, including the ball, and do real Victorian (and Tudor!) Re-enactment anyway to go with their punkish attitudes!
The Echo lists it as being in October when in point of fact it is in September - so anyone going along please do call in and visit with us in the literature section there in the Lawns - and of course do call in before the event and share the fun that happens in the shop all the while.
Hey there's an idea maybe later in the month we could have a steampunk craft day and do some in shop modding, make a few pairs of googles, practise paint techniques for the aged look, or even just have fun with some victorian papers & assemblage pieces?
let me know if you're up for that and pass on the news to other.
See you in the shop soon - and remember if you want to bring the coffee I'll provide the chat!
Monday, April 26, 2010
READuce, READuse, READcycle at Unicorn Tree Books
READuce, READuse, READcycle
Help save the planet, choose secondhand books - and get them from us :0) Because we give you a credit against the ones you bring in to us to use against the others you buy from us!
However you can't always buy a secondhand book; someone has to buy it new first for it to become secondhand and if you want to read that fave authors newest book when it comes out then secondhand just isn't likely to be an option, so you can buy that New Book from us first (because we are cheaper than some!) and then when you bring it back you will get a credit on it too, and if the book was purchased from us first then the credit you get will be higher than if you purchased it elsewhere!
Remember when buying books, New or Secondhand, the greenest option is always to take the bus (or walk or cycle!) down to your local Secondhand and New bookshop like us here at Unicorn Tree Books thus saving the shipping CO2 from buying online, but if you can't find it locally then buying secondhand online is still a good bet so please use us at www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk or www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk where you can find New & Secondhand Books (and lots more) and keep supporting your local shops and community as well as doing your bit for the global community.
Go Local to Go Global, local communities supporting local businesses build a better world and support a healthy global economy and network – and make the world just a little bit greener to boot!
So looking forward to seeing you and remember mines a Caramel Latte should you be so inclined, and the minions? Macchiato's or Hot Chocolates I do believe! but even without the essential life giving brews we will look forward to seeing you in the shop soon and chatting about the good book your reading or recommended author of the minute :0)
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Think Local, Buy Local, Be Local - Don't let our local business become a thing of the past!
Now as you know we really are committed to you all and want to support you in the best way we can!
We set up the Church and Community Partnership Scheme to really work with and support the local communities, because we want to give to the local community, we want to be part of that community actively and integrally.
We host events, buy tables, run classes, start groups and make blogs because we want to be involved with our community.
We know how hard it is to always get into the shop so we have set up ways for you to shop online with us, so you can still go local to go global.
In fact we want to be part of the community - an integral, fulfilling and active part of the community.
We hope you want us to be part of the community as well!
To this end then we need your help - we need you to support us too because being a small local indie business is getting harder and harder, So please use us whenever you can - you know we will go that extra mile for you!
And Yes, as you know and we have always admitted - all the things we do such as above are not completely self sacrificing, they are as much for our benefit as yours - but then thats what community is all about, working together for the betterment of both, of all!
So please, here are some posters -
can you perhaps print one out and stick it up somewhere visable:
church, school, Dr's Surgery, community hall, house window, car window
(all right the last two are unlikely but really how cool would that be - how cool would you be to do that, to really show full out grass roots support!).
can you perhaps print one out and stick it up somewhere visable:
church, school, Dr's Surgery, community hall, house window, car window
(all right the last two are unlikely but really how cool would that be - how cool would you be to do that, to really show full out grass roots support!).
Can you tell people about us please, real people you see and know, share the knowledge of us and that we are here, perhaps on your own blog or facebook pages you could include links to our website(s) or even to this post, or use the poster on your blog!
Perhaps in your emails in the signature section you could include one of our links? Recommend us on your twitter stream?
Please support us - shop with us and share with us and share us with others.
let's be community minded and share news with our community - wherever and whoever they may be.
And you know if there is something you want sharing, something you want spreading to the community then let us know, bring us a poster to put up in the shop, send us a note to blog or twitter about, let us know about your links too!
You see if we think local, buy local and be local the whole community and economy naturally and vigorously grows strong and healthy and vibrant! All we have to do is start sharing and spreading the message, start thinking of each other as part of the whole - the community.
So go on, stick up a poster, add a link and use the shop and the sites!
It makes sense!
Now remember, when you come in to have a chat, share the news, or as you bring a poster to put up or leaflets to hand out, mine's a caramel latte and you can have whatever you want too! oh and if I recall right I think the minions mostly drink hot chocolate - see how community minded I am, I even remember the minions!
The websites are:
You can join us on twitter: @unicorntreebks
Please think local, buy local, be local and support us where you can, just use the websites and pass on the info wherever you can - and in return we'll try to be the best we can for you, just let us know what you want and need and how we in turn can help you, our community and our friends.
Can't resist this - it's fantastic really, at the end just change the one word 'America' to 'Britain'! and remember I'd love to see you in the shop soon :0)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Church & Community Group Partnership Scheme
We have now officially launched our Church & Community Group Partnership Scheme!
So if you have a church or group we would like to help you earn revenue by becoming an affiliate partner of Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts!
(That's right an affiliate scheme thats not cyber based but is in a real shop with real people!! though of course you can still twitter or facebook your orders and enquiries to us!)
This is a real opportunity for working together to build community by supporting each other! More proof if needed that we are Working with you and for You!
The basic idea is that Churches and Community Groups (this also includes schools, clubs or any community, church or group based initiative) sign up with us as a Partner, Once signed up you promote us to all your church/group members and then everytime they come into the shop and make a purchase, providing they let us know they are part of your partnership, you get a percentage of that sale held in credit for your church/community group!
That's right - they buy, you spend!
It cost's your collective members nothing extra,
it costs you nothing but a bit of time, word of mouth and/or print promoting the service and our shop to your collective members (and anyone else you know who may benefit from the Scheme please!),
in fact the only one it's costing is us as we give away a percentage of our income to you!
We think this is worth it as we are helping you and we hope building community at the same time - and yes we do not deny we hope it helps us too by increasing the outreach of our shop too!
We will be hoping to run special partnership events and offers as time progresses as well.
So whats the catch?
Your collective partnership have to buy up to £250 worth of goods in the course of the year, now even if your group only has 10 people in it (and remember you can get them to recruit their friends and family for your aims as well - it's a viral charity thing!!) then that's only a total spend for each of them of £25.00 in a year!
Given everything we sell - books, jigsaws, arts & craft supplies, gifts, music, cards, dvd's, stationary & lots more - thats not really going to be that hard is it!
So please do contact us to sign up & please do spread the word around about the Scheme - it's open to any Church and Community Group and also to pretty much any other group, club or network too!
So if you have a church or group we would like to help you earn revenue by becoming an affiliate partner of Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts!
(That's right an affiliate scheme thats not cyber based but is in a real shop with real people!! though of course you can still twitter or facebook your orders and enquiries to us!)
This is a real opportunity for working together to build community by supporting each other! More proof if needed that we are Working with you and for You!
The basic idea is that Churches and Community Groups (this also includes schools, clubs or any community, church or group based initiative) sign up with us as a Partner, Once signed up you promote us to all your church/group members and then everytime they come into the shop and make a purchase, providing they let us know they are part of your partnership, you get a percentage of that sale held in credit for your church/community group!
That's right - they buy, you spend!
It cost's your collective members nothing extra,
it costs you nothing but a bit of time, word of mouth and/or print promoting the service and our shop to your collective members (and anyone else you know who may benefit from the Scheme please!),
in fact the only one it's costing is us as we give away a percentage of our income to you!
We think this is worth it as we are helping you and we hope building community at the same time - and yes we do not deny we hope it helps us too by increasing the outreach of our shop too!
We will be hoping to run special partnership events and offers as time progresses as well.
So whats the catch?
Your collective partnership have to buy up to £250 worth of goods in the course of the year, now even if your group only has 10 people in it (and remember you can get them to recruit their friends and family for your aims as well - it's a viral charity thing!!) then that's only a total spend for each of them of £25.00 in a year!
Given everything we sell - books, jigsaws, arts & craft supplies, gifts, music, cards, dvd's, stationary & lots more - thats not really going to be that hard is it!
So please do contact us to sign up & please do spread the word around about the Scheme - it's open to any Church and Community Group and also to pretty much any other group, club or network too!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time Stops for No Man - But Clocks Do!
I'm in the Echo again doing the page 3 thing! who knew I was so photogenic!!
Anyway the clock in the market - rather like the economy - has slowed down to a virtual stop and so the nice people from the echo came back to report on it.
Actually I was on page 3 of the Lincoln Echo twice this week as I was also mentioned in a report about doing away with the penny! fame at last.
So here are the links for those that might be interested:
Markets Antique Clock Stops Working
Charities Threatened by Death of 1p
oh and the wonderful thing about the penny article - the next day a wonderful disabled gentleman came in with a pocketful of copper to dontate - now that is community mindedness and generous giving.
See it proves that together we can do more for more!
Remember here at Unicorn Tree Books as an independent shop we are Working with You and For You!
and with that in mind just to let you know out Church & Community Partnership Scheme is now officially up and running as from today! more on this exciting community initiative later!!
So anyway come by and see us - and feel free to bring an extra coffee with you, latte with a shot of caramel, for when we stand and chat!
Anyway the clock in the market - rather like the economy - has slowed down to a virtual stop and so the nice people from the echo came back to report on it.
Actually I was on page 3 of the Lincoln Echo twice this week as I was also mentioned in a report about doing away with the penny! fame at last.
So here are the links for those that might be interested:
Markets Antique Clock Stops Working
Charities Threatened by Death of 1p
oh and the wonderful thing about the penny article - the next day a wonderful disabled gentleman came in with a pocketful of copper to dontate - now that is community mindedness and generous giving.
See it proves that together we can do more for more!
Remember here at Unicorn Tree Books as an independent shop we are Working with You and For You!
and with that in mind just to let you know out Church & Community Partnership Scheme is now officially up and running as from today! more on this exciting community initiative later!!
So anyway come by and see us - and feel free to bring an extra coffee with you, latte with a shot of caramel, for when we stand and chat!
Friday, July 03, 2009
Independents Week - it's about community!
This is based on the body of something I just posted on facebook and thought it deserved a bigger airing.
It comes from the fact in the US it is Independent Week, now here in the UK we have Indpendent's Book Week that is a great idea, over in the states they are doing this - but their indie week is actaully for all indies regardless of type of business and this rocks!!
(Some links to find out more! http://amiba.net/independents_week.html)
The stats that are being released as to how buying from indies benefits the community they are based in do roughly hold true here too!
So it's defintely worth considering and remembering that indie store owners live and work in the community and therefore pay fully towards it and are totally invested in it - is this truly true of chain stores or internet shops? yes the staff are local but the profits and put back where do they end up??
This is the body of text taken from the fantastic www.indiebound.com - The US based fantastic Independent Bookshops Website - I totally would love something like this here in the UK!
Why shop Indie?
When you shop at an independently owned business, your entire community benefits:
The Economy
* Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43.
* Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.
* More of your taxes are reinvested in your community--where they belong.
The Environment
* Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.
* Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.
The Community
* Local retailers are your friends and neighbors—support them and they’ll support you.
* Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.
* More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.
Now is the time to stand up and join your fellow individuals in the IndieBound mission supporting local businesses and celebrating independents.
Now before anyone says it - I am not on about Independent's Week - I know we do that as booksellers and publishers anyway, and most other business sphere's have some sort of thing once a year as well.
What I am talking about is things like independent booksellers foundation and the real way the indies are working together for example via www.indiebound.org
We need to be doing this - regardless of the style, speciality or size of our indie stores, unite together but working indie style.
Bookshops aside indie shops of all sorts should be working together!
Supporting, networking, building our communities!
Yes the FSB does a good job (I am a member - www.fsb.org.uk/) but we need something more still - more focused on working together in the community and supporting each other.
Community centred but national and global in sharing idea's and working together independently for the good of communities everywhere!
Come on let's do it - and community come on share with us, support us, love us - we know we need you and we know we love you and will do that extra for you - you're our neighbours and friends!
ps - this year at Christmas we gave over £100 to Lindon Listening Ears - a lincoln based Free Bereavment Counselling Service - we like to give to local charities! and we give to national ones too.
It comes from the fact in the US it is Independent Week, now here in the UK we have Indpendent's Book Week that is a great idea, over in the states they are doing this - but their indie week is actaully for all indies regardless of type of business and this rocks!!
(Some links to find out more! http://amiba.net/independents_week.html)
The stats that are being released as to how buying from indies benefits the community they are based in do roughly hold true here too!
So it's defintely worth considering and remembering that indie store owners live and work in the community and therefore pay fully towards it and are totally invested in it - is this truly true of chain stores or internet shops? yes the staff are local but the profits and put back where do they end up??
This is the body of text taken from the fantastic www.indiebound.com - The US based fantastic Independent Bookshops Website - I totally would love something like this here in the UK!
Why shop Indie?
When you shop at an independently owned business, your entire community benefits:
The Economy
* Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43.
* Local businesses create higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.
* More of your taxes are reinvested in your community--where they belong.
The Environment
* Buying local means less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.
* Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.
The Community
* Local retailers are your friends and neighbors—support them and they’ll support you.
* Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.
* More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.
Now is the time to stand up and join your fellow individuals in the IndieBound mission supporting local businesses and celebrating independents.
Now before anyone says it - I am not on about Independent's Week - I know we do that as booksellers and publishers anyway, and most other business sphere's have some sort of thing once a year as well.
What I am talking about is things like independent booksellers foundation and the real way the indies are working together for example via www.indiebound.org
We need to be doing this - regardless of the style, speciality or size of our indie stores, unite together but working indie style.
Bookshops aside indie shops of all sorts should be working together!
Supporting, networking, building our communities!
Yes the FSB does a good job (I am a member - www.fsb.org.uk/) but we need something more still - more focused on working together in the community and supporting each other.
Community centred but national and global in sharing idea's and working together independently for the good of communities everywhere!
Come on let's do it - and community come on share with us, support us, love us - we know we need you and we know we love you and will do that extra for you - you're our neighbours and friends!
ps - this year at Christmas we gave over £100 to Lindon Listening Ears - a lincoln based Free Bereavment Counselling Service - we like to give to local charities! and we give to national ones too.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
It's about time too! - In the Lincoln Echo again!
Ohh yes indeed - I, me the bookshop boss, Unicorn Tree Books and Lincoln Central Market are once again in the Lincoln Echo!
And best yet - another career moment has been achieved in the life CV - because oh yes and wait for it...I am now a page 3 girl!!
Yes indeed my picture graces page 3 of todays Lincoln Echo, along with an article on how time is no longer standing still in Lincoln Central Market but is merrily marching forward with the rest of us.
So anyway here for all to read is the article in question.
And best yet - another career moment has been achieved in the life CV - because oh yes and wait for it...I am now a page 3 girl!!
Yes indeed my picture graces page 3 of todays Lincoln Echo, along with an article on how time is no longer standing still in Lincoln Central Market but is merrily marching forward with the rest of us.
So anyway here for all to read is the article in question.
I would like to say thank you to the News Editor for responding to my notification on Saturday and sending down the nice reported - Michael Brown - who was a great guy, and sending the nice photographer -John Jenkins - who was also very nice and even managed, true to his word and skills, to make me not look too much like a rabid chipmunk on a seriosu caffeine high! Thanks guys.
Ok so there we go, a clock that works and let's me know when it really is caffeine time, generally about 8:45am - 4:00pm Monday - Saturday! so if your passing call in and remember I take mine with a shot of caramel syrup in it too!
See you in the shop tomorrow - or online, or on twitter and remember if you have to buy a book online do me a favour and use our affiliate shop to help support us at least a little - though we do take orders bytwitter @unicorntreebks now too!
Friday, May 01, 2009
Buy Local to Keep Local People In Jobs!
Buy local to keep local people in jobs
Lincolnshire Bites Back buy local campaign This is Lincolnshire.
This is an important idea and something I would like to remind people of, because buying local isn’t just about food, it’s about everything!
Yes that includes bookshops as well - sure it is probably easier late at night or sitting at the desk to buy from Amazon or one of the other names, ( and no I don’t blame you and I entirely understand where you are coming from!) but the truth is when you do that you do run the risk of loosing your local shop, and with it the employee’s of that shop loosing their jobs, and in the longer term the benefits to your community!
There are ways to support your local shop and work with them and still have the benefits of quick fix shopping or savings.
In our case you can use our Amazon Affiliates shop, thus benefitting ourselves and yourself. Don’t go straight to amazon.com, instead bookmark us and go through our affiliate link!
Sure we would prefer you just used us directly, dropped us an email ( unicorntreebooks@aol.com ) or twitter us, or even leave us an phone message (01522 525557) telling us the book you want and then we could get it for you and supply it, it’s entirely possibly we might even have it in already. If you can’t pick it up we can post it, but if you can pick it up it’s great! we can chat and you might even see some other things you want and we might even share our sweets with you!
Please think local first, - we want to serve you, we want to support you, we want to work with you - we really need you and we know it, and maybe one day you will really need us and then we truly will know we are part of the same community that works and lives together.
Ok so that’s the non-party political broadcast and begging session over! normal service will resume in the bookshop and I will be the one sucking down the caramel flavoured coffee whilst fighting new booking in systems! Say hello and save me! see you in the bookshop, on twitter, or any of the other methods we can be a community together!
Lincolnshire Bites Back buy local campaign This is Lincolnshire.
This is an important idea and something I would like to remind people of, because buying local isn’t just about food, it’s about everything!
Yes that includes bookshops as well - sure it is probably easier late at night or sitting at the desk to buy from Amazon or one of the other names, ( and no I don’t blame you and I entirely understand where you are coming from!) but the truth is when you do that you do run the risk of loosing your local shop, and with it the employee’s of that shop loosing their jobs, and in the longer term the benefits to your community!
There are ways to support your local shop and work with them and still have the benefits of quick fix shopping or savings.
In our case you can use our Amazon Affiliates shop, thus benefitting ourselves and yourself. Don’t go straight to amazon.com, instead bookmark us and go through our affiliate link!
Sure we would prefer you just used us directly, dropped us an email ( unicorntreebooks@aol.com ) or twitter us, or even leave us an phone message (01522 525557) telling us the book you want and then we could get it for you and supply it, it’s entirely possibly we might even have it in already. If you can’t pick it up we can post it, but if you can pick it up it’s great! we can chat and you might even see some other things you want and we might even share our sweets with you!
Please think local first, - we want to serve you, we want to support you, we want to work with you - we really need you and we know it, and maybe one day you will really need us and then we truly will know we are part of the same community that works and lives together.
Ok so that’s the non-party political broadcast and begging session over! normal service will resume in the bookshop and I will be the one sucking down the caramel flavoured coffee whilst fighting new booking in systems! Say hello and save me! see you in the bookshop, on twitter, or any of the other methods we can be a community together!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Materialise It Mark is a Gem!
Being the sort of Bookshop Boss I am, I am a very hands on creative type (well that's what I tell myself!) and as did many people I once had delusions of Blue Peter and Magpie style Grandeur - that is to say I believe I can build anything out of cardboard rolls, double sided sticky tape, and cable ties - and to demonstrate this fact on Monday I duly did do some cardboard technology work using a cut off end of a spare cannibalised card unit to make some units for the counter.
Now I admit that by the end of the day though they had things in them they were still a work in progress and were waiting to be covered with coloured paper, spud prints or sticky back plastic to make them look somewhat better - but hey that was the next days adventure and I was justifiably pleased with them as they had doubled the stock I could put on the tops and the darn Bingo Dabbers and Bingo Markers were no longer falling over anytime someone even looked at the counter! Oh and the packs of playing cards and the Biro's and Pencils were also once again visible to the human eye of someone taller than the average 3 year old.
Good stuff I thought and pleased I was (probably because no minions were on site to scoff at the impressive feat of design genius!), and then along came my friend Mark H from off the Materialise It stall further up the aisle - now for any that haven't been to visit in person Materialise It is an absolutely must see stall, especially for all those Sci-Fi fiends like me! Marks stall sells Sci-Fi collectibles, models and toys. Yep Millennium Falcons abound, Yoda and wookies astound, Daleks and Doctors aplenty, Battlestar Gallactica surrounds and Marvel Characters stand out! yep you name it and it's probably there, and along with these are cool posters, signed Photo's and lots extra as well - oh and its also the place to get a Chess set as well.
So anyway Mark comes in to say good night sort of thing and looks at the fantastic cardboard creations and gets this look on his face like he just smelled curdled milk! and with that points out all the lovely backing left over from the new bookcases and says you can do something with that to make units, to which I start thinking veneer, the curdled milk look at this point is more a sneer!
See Mark is pretty good at turning out incredibly complex dovetailed drawers and pine shelving units from scratch - me? not so much!.
So anyway the next day Mark comes in and gets some of my nice shelf backings and about 40 minutes later brings down this work of art!
Now isn't it just fantastic - safe to say that though i had been proud of mine upon seeing this little gem I became shamed and immediately consigned it to the rubbish bin, but even better was that today he made me the opposite sides unit as well - purpose built for the items I needed displaying!
The man is a genius and an artisan and not just a cool sci-fi dood - my shop may replicate the TARDIS in being able to stretch the dimensions and fit in more than it should, but Mark is definitely a strong contender for talented Dr's Companion, definitely an Adric in the making (though hopefully without heroic but sad ending at the hands of a cyberman).
So Mark, thank you! and all of you out there go visit him next time you're in - honestly he has some of the coolest things in the Market - after our own stuff of course!, including two daleks on top of his stall and looking straight down the aisle to the main doors by us.
OK gushing over for now - minions are on half term so I am having to do all the work again!
So anyway just to remind everyone Lent and Easter are nearly here so please get the orders in for Palm Crosses and Paschal Candles - they are all in, but we have already gone through 30 bunches of Palm Crosses, one box of Paschal Candles - and I don't want it to be like Advent when two days before the start, and one day after the sets are gone, lots of people start showing up looking and getting upset.
As a small Independent business I can only get in what I am pretty sure will sell, so if you let me know you want it I can ensure it will be here, but if not then you do risk it not being in stock at the last knockings.
Oh Easter Cards and Mothering Sunday Cards are also in stock - as are the Church Group bundles and Packs of Crosses and bookmarks etc.
Today I sent off a CBC order for gifts, rosaries and other Communion and Confirmation items, these should be in early next week.
On other fronts Sherrilyn Kenyon's 'Dream Hunter' has been in and sold out, and is expected back in later this week, as is 'At Grave's End' by Frost.
Westerns seem to be doing well at the minute, Louis L'Amour, William Johnstone and lots of other Key Western Authors are in stock and selling well.
Oh and the sale is ongoing with orange cross 50p books still available and new books at £1.25 or 5 for £5 still available - come by and see, and remember if you cant come in person then please use our Amazon affiliate sites to buy your stuff!
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/unicorntreechristianbooks-21 Our Christian Book Ashop
or
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/lincolncentralmarket-21
Our everything Ashop.
Please support us however you can and we would love it if you would link to our Ashops or help promote them, or any of our sites or activites if you can, and remember come by and visit and don't forget the bookshopboss likes coffee with caramel shots!
see you in shop in the morning!
Now I admit that by the end of the day though they had things in them they were still a work in progress and were waiting to be covered with coloured paper, spud prints or sticky back plastic to make them look somewhat better - but hey that was the next days adventure and I was justifiably pleased with them as they had doubled the stock I could put on the tops and the darn Bingo Dabbers and Bingo Markers were no longer falling over anytime someone even looked at the counter! Oh and the packs of playing cards and the Biro's and Pencils were also once again visible to the human eye of someone taller than the average 3 year old.
Good stuff I thought and pleased I was (probably because no minions were on site to scoff at the impressive feat of design genius!), and then along came my friend Mark H from off the Materialise It stall further up the aisle - now for any that haven't been to visit in person Materialise It is an absolutely must see stall, especially for all those Sci-Fi fiends like me! Marks stall sells Sci-Fi collectibles, models and toys. Yep Millennium Falcons abound, Yoda and wookies astound, Daleks and Doctors aplenty, Battlestar Gallactica surrounds and Marvel Characters stand out! yep you name it and it's probably there, and along with these are cool posters, signed Photo's and lots extra as well - oh and its also the place to get a Chess set as well.
So anyway Mark comes in to say good night sort of thing and looks at the fantastic cardboard creations and gets this look on his face like he just smelled curdled milk! and with that points out all the lovely backing left over from the new bookcases and says you can do something with that to make units, to which I start thinking veneer, the curdled milk look at this point is more a sneer!
See Mark is pretty good at turning out incredibly complex dovetailed drawers and pine shelving units from scratch - me? not so much!.
So anyway the next day Mark comes in and gets some of my nice shelf backings and about 40 minutes later brings down this work of art!
Now isn't it just fantastic - safe to say that though i had been proud of mine upon seeing this little gem I became shamed and immediately consigned it to the rubbish bin, but even better was that today he made me the opposite sides unit as well - purpose built for the items I needed displaying!
The man is a genius and an artisan and not just a cool sci-fi dood - my shop may replicate the TARDIS in being able to stretch the dimensions and fit in more than it should, but Mark is definitely a strong contender for talented Dr's Companion, definitely an Adric in the making (though hopefully without heroic but sad ending at the hands of a cyberman).
So Mark, thank you! and all of you out there go visit him next time you're in - honestly he has some of the coolest things in the Market - after our own stuff of course!, including two daleks on top of his stall and looking straight down the aisle to the main doors by us.
OK gushing over for now - minions are on half term so I am having to do all the work again!
So anyway just to remind everyone Lent and Easter are nearly here so please get the orders in for Palm Crosses and Paschal Candles - they are all in, but we have already gone through 30 bunches of Palm Crosses, one box of Paschal Candles - and I don't want it to be like Advent when two days before the start, and one day after the sets are gone, lots of people start showing up looking and getting upset.
As a small Independent business I can only get in what I am pretty sure will sell, so if you let me know you want it I can ensure it will be here, but if not then you do risk it not being in stock at the last knockings.
Oh Easter Cards and Mothering Sunday Cards are also in stock - as are the Church Group bundles and Packs of Crosses and bookmarks etc.
Today I sent off a CBC order for gifts, rosaries and other Communion and Confirmation items, these should be in early next week.
On other fronts Sherrilyn Kenyon's 'Dream Hunter' has been in and sold out, and is expected back in later this week, as is 'At Grave's End' by Frost.
Westerns seem to be doing well at the minute, Louis L'Amour, William Johnstone and lots of other Key Western Authors are in stock and selling well.
Oh and the sale is ongoing with orange cross 50p books still available and new books at £1.25 or 5 for £5 still available - come by and see, and remember if you cant come in person then please use our Amazon affiliate sites to buy your stuff!
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/unicorntreechristianbooks-21 Our Christian Book Ashop
or
http://astore.amazon.co.uk/lincolncentralmarket-21
Our everything Ashop.
Please support us however you can and we would love it if you would link to our Ashops or help promote them, or any of our sites or activites if you can, and remember come by and visit and don't forget the bookshopboss likes coffee with caramel shots!
see you in shop in the morning!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
SPCK CLOSES!
On tuesday my old work team and my friends were treated in a most reprehensible way, they turned up to work at the SPCK Bookshop as it had been (it still said SPCK outside but in point of fact it had been renamed as the SSG Bookshop some months ago by the current owners), to do their daily work at the Charity just to open the email system up and find that their employment had been terminated - effective immediately - by the Chairman of SSG from his base in Texas.
This I find to be a totally reprehensible act - to fire people by email - especially such dedicated people. The irony of it is that just the week before they had been out having a meal that was from the £100 they had been given by Mr P. Brewer when he awarded for the them the first 'Third Space' award in the chain. This was explained as being an award for having such an attractive, welcoming and well presented shop! the first two spaces being, our homes and our places of work - places we feel inately comfortable and welcomed - the third space and hence the award is a space other than these two where a similar feeling is invoked!!!
Well there will definitely be no third space awards going to SSG and their owners in my estimation.
So anyway if anyone out there knows of jobs going for some extremely talented and dedicated retailers, who are also skilled in customer service and office work, then please do let me know so I can pass this info onto them.
If I had the ability to give them jobs I would but currently the situation just does not allow for this - however as I am now the only retailer in town doing Christian Books and Church Supplies it is my hope that in the next few months I will have been able to grow this side of the business to such a level as was at the old SPCK and then be able to take on my old staff! so please assist in enabling this (that is if you haven't got a job you can give them yourselves!) by supporting me in growing this business!
Much more information on the goings on of SSG can be found at Dave Walkers wonderful Cartoonchurch blog here:http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/category/save-the-spck/k/
So thats the most of my news, though if you haven't been in since the last blog update then there is a music sale on - all cd's currently half price - this will only be on until the end of this month!
We have Jigsaws out on display and doing well - there will be a new delivery of jigsaws in by the end of the month, and also a full top up of Paint by Numbers, Scraperfoils and the Like at the end of the month too.
If you are a Church then let me know what Paschal product you want! and can you give me a clue as to the main size candles you want for every week use as well. On saturday i will have some palm crosses, baptism candles and votive stick candles in stock, along with basic church stationary ie certificates, registers etc. let me know what you need and i will get it!
Ok blog done for now, please again I reiterate either support me so I grow quickly and can give the spck crew jobs being out of their tree with me again (think of it as recycling! recycling staff now there's a green initiative for you get behind this lent!), or offer them a job yourselves if you can - they are great people and did not deserve this treatment.
(This post has been edited as a safeguard - for the reasons as to why this may have been necessary visit http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/category/save-the-spck, Oops now wait you cant - I guess you better go here instead: http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/series/cease-and-desist-notice-on-dave-walker/ Should I be notified personally and directly by the concerned parties of anything then I will of course let you know and then take any further necessary actions as may be required)
If I had the ability to give them jobs I would but currently the situation just does not allow for this - however as I am now the only retailer in town doing Christian Books and Church Supplies it is my hope that in the next few months I will have been able to grow this side of the business to such a level as was at the old SPCK and then be able to take on my old staff! so please assist in enabling this (that is if you haven't got a job you can give them yourselves!) by supporting me in growing this business!
We have Jigsaws out on display and doing well - there will be a new delivery of jigsaws in by the end of the month, and also a full top up of Paint by Numbers, Scraperfoils and the Like at the end of the month too.
If you are a Church then let me know what Paschal product you want! and can you give me a clue as to the main size candles you want for every week use as well. On saturday i will have some palm crosses, baptism candles and votive stick candles in stock, along with basic church stationary ie certificates, registers etc. let me know what you need and i will get it!
Ok blog done for now, please again I reiterate either support me so I grow quickly and can give the spck crew jobs being out of their tree with me again (think of it as recycling! recycling staff now there's a green initiative for you get behind this lent!), or offer them a job yourselves if you can - they are great people and did not deserve this treatment.
(This post has been edited as a safeguard - for the reasons as to why this may have been necessary visit http://www.cartoonchurch.com/blog/category/save-the-spck, Oops now wait you cant - I guess you better go here instead: http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/series/cease-and-desist-notice-on-dave-walker/ Should I be notified personally and directly by the concerned parties of anything then I will of course let you know and then take any further necessary actions as may be required)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Brain at work for Christmas!
A clip of Pinky & The Brain from a Christmas special that perfectly sums up how the unicorntreebooksboss felt doing the bookcase boogie just before the Lincoln Christmas Market.
So apt on so many fronts in fact!! except the spellchecker given to Pinky should really be given to the minions!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
OOH how time flies & we have an officially nominated charity to support!
Ohh, who knew bookselling could be such hard work, and so grubby, boks just are filthy filthy things - and no thats not a referecne to those black lace books up on the top shelf at the back of the shop, or those paranormal sex crazed vampire novels such as Laurel K. Hamilton and Sherilyn Kenyon & Christine Feehan write, or even the Blaze range of Mills & Boon books, though it could be an apt description - how rude!! no I mean that books are dust gatherers, I reckon even if the building ws hemetically sealed books would still get grubby!
White shirts are out, cream trousers! never, black is the cool and sensible colour of the bookshop manager!
Anyway enough of that, I have in the last three months been busy rejigging the shop so all the books fit and are in some semblence of order! We are almost there with cataloguing and zapping them into the computer system too! it will be great when its done, well one hopes it will.
Last year we gave £87.00 to various charities through the pennies that people are generous to leave behind, so see that addage about looking after the pennies is apt! as after all when I say the pennies left behind I do mean exactly that, that £87.00 was from 1p pieces left over from lots of £6.99 books etc. Actaully we gave more than that but thats the amount that came solely from Customers pennies.
So this year we are doing the same sort of thing but adding a bit more kick and emphasis where we can!
We have read a book (well more than one! but only the one on this subject!) about being socially and ethically good, so we are attempting to redunce our carbon footprint in the shop - turning off equipment we dont use often and just popping it on when we need it! and we are recycling our cardboard and paper and plastics, we also have a recycling4charity collection box for inkjet cartridges and mobile phones and £1.00 for each cartridge and up to £20 for each phone will go to Habitat for Humanity (GB) to help provide low cost and essential housing both in the UK and abroad! so if you are visiting then drop off your old cartridges!
And we are also supporting a great charity called ClearVision - they take ordinary books and using a clear acetate sheet they braille it and then pop it back into the rebound books, this means that these books can be used by both Blind and Sighted readers! so Children can read to parents and parents to children, young people can read to each other or share their books regardless of whether they can see or not! is that not the best idea!! It costs about £7.00 to turn an ordinary childs book into a braille/sighted book that can be used over and over, so we would like it if you would help us support this great endeavour - to that aim we have set up a justgiving charity fund raising page and would love it if you could find it in you to visit and donate! by the way if you are near the shop you can come in and see one of these great books! its really impressive. So come by and visit and find it to help this great charity if you possibly can by going here:
Anyway so thats what we are doing for this year so far, well that and cleaing books and book shelves over and over again!
oh yes and remember to come visit our nearly proper website at www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk if you have the time.
anyway enough from me - have to go runa bookshop by myself again tomorrow and its already very late! ta ta for now!
White shirts are out, cream trousers! never, black is the cool and sensible colour of the bookshop manager!
Anyway enough of that, I have in the last three months been busy rejigging the shop so all the books fit and are in some semblence of order! We are almost there with cataloguing and zapping them into the computer system too! it will be great when its done, well one hopes it will.
Last year we gave £87.00 to various charities through the pennies that people are generous to leave behind, so see that addage about looking after the pennies is apt! as after all when I say the pennies left behind I do mean exactly that, that £87.00 was from 1p pieces left over from lots of £6.99 books etc. Actaully we gave more than that but thats the amount that came solely from Customers pennies.
So this year we are doing the same sort of thing but adding a bit more kick and emphasis where we can!
We have read a book (well more than one! but only the one on this subject!) about being socially and ethically good, so we are attempting to redunce our carbon footprint in the shop - turning off equipment we dont use often and just popping it on when we need it! and we are recycling our cardboard and paper and plastics, we also have a recycling4charity collection box for inkjet cartridges and mobile phones and £1.00 for each cartridge and up to £20 for each phone will go to Habitat for Humanity (GB) to help provide low cost and essential housing both in the UK and abroad! so if you are visiting then drop off your old cartridges!
And we are also supporting a great charity called ClearVision - they take ordinary books and using a clear acetate sheet they braille it and then pop it back into the rebound books, this means that these books can be used by both Blind and Sighted readers! so Children can read to parents and parents to children, young people can read to each other or share their books regardless of whether they can see or not! is that not the best idea!! It costs about £7.00 to turn an ordinary childs book into a braille/sighted book that can be used over and over, so we would like it if you would help us support this great endeavour - to that aim we have set up a justgiving charity fund raising page and would love it if you could find it in you to visit and donate! by the way if you are near the shop you can come in and see one of these great books! its really impressive. So come by and visit and find it to help this great charity if you possibly can by going here:
Anyway so thats what we are doing for this year so far, well that and cleaing books and book shelves over and over again!
oh yes and remember to come visit our nearly proper website at www.lincolncentralmarket.co.uk if you have the time.
anyway enough from me - have to go runa bookshop by myself again tomorrow and its already very late! ta ta for now!
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