The "Sparks" story continues...

Having done badges and ties my customers asked about cufflinks and I duly found a source of quality components and now offer chrome, brass, black and antique brass options!

Phone and tablet covers are also available along with tee shirts and stickers. Whatever next?

News from iolaire HQ

Been another busy week at iolaire HQ finishing off the Edwardian album scans, creating a website and a few wedding stationery enquiries in additional to the routine passport/visa photos and printing of plans, photos and artwork. Almost completed the design of stationery for local architect and been amazed by the success of a little badge project that I launched four days ago and already look like selling the whole 250 lapel badges this week.

It's a miniature version of the "Sparks" badge worn by RAF wireless trades. If you are or were entitled you can but one here (until stock runs out) next batch will be ordered as required but will cost a little more as I forgot to account for PayPal charges...

Compact and Bijou

On one of our regular Sunday outings ( the cycling bit the dust due to inclement weather) we ventured to Buckie to try the recently opened "Bijou By The Sea" a sister venture to the larger business on Batchen Street in Elgin. 

Great food, great views and great service what more could you wish for. It wasn't as wild and woolly today as the forecasters would have us think. Waves were crashing against the rocks, not cascading over the rooftops. Lovely winter sunshine illuminated the spray and the fresh breeze was a delight. 

Where to go next Sunday?

Sunday ride

Our planned Sunday ride looks like it's off given the blowy wet weather which is not conducive to enjoyable cycling. We will probably take a run out in the car instead. 

Sandra needs to get some miles in before she heads to London at the end of May for "Women v Cancer Ride The Night" raising money for women's cancer charities by cycling across the city overnight. 

Scan, Scan, Scan

A bit like the Monty Python sketch Spam, Spam, Spam but in fact this job is quite enjoyable. 

The scanning process is a chore in itself with dozens of photos to scan. But the fact that they are from the 1900's mean there's some fascinating stuff to observe and learn from.  However I do get paid for my skill in undertaking such work and have been involved in quite a number of projects involving thecpublishing of books that now feature my handiwork in this discipline. Very satisfying all in all. 

Now it's the passport (LOL)

Passport application, CVs, credit card accounts, bank accounts and any number of long distant trouble shooting of grown up kids problems. Great to be able to do this stuff via modern technology. 

Years ago I lost my wallet and had only 80p in my pocket. I stood in a call box and rang my bank in York from Kinloss in Scotland. The money soon ran out having to call during business hours. 

Managed to get across what my problem was but it was like a scene from "Local Hero" rapidly shoving 10p pieces into the coin slot. 

Phone trouble

As the day draws to a close I chat to my son Bruce on Viber he's in Melbourne and he had his iPhone stolen at New Year. So I erased my iPhone 4 and posted it to him. 

Tonight it appears that it needs to be unlocked so he can use a local sim. 

So like a good Dad I go to O2 online chat  and explain the problem. One if their gurus has it sorted in a few minutes though the process will take 72hours. 

Isn't technology wonderful...

Today

Everything picked up today including my spirits. Till activity picked up after a worrying short spell in the doldrums. Customers picked up a variety of work completed on their behalf: party invites, football programmes, scanned and restored prints, café menus/poster, interior signs for health centre...

Still got a few tasks for Logie Steading to complete - old photos, drawings and maps being reproduced for the new café. 

Then I have dozens of photos from the 1900's to scan to disk for a client - a second batch from him. 

More jobs in from Stuart Photography in Dingwall a regular trickle of interesting jobs from Ross-shire. 

Oh and I setup two domain names and a blog for one new client. Busy day!