Period Features

Stained Glass Repairs

In our shop in the Staffordshire Moorlands, we often get asked about the care and repair of Stained Glass. As it's not something I really know anything about, I thought it would be fun to do some Internet research and put the findings in the blog!

The very first thing I came across on Google was an intriguing site called Experts About, which allows you to consult an expert on pretty much any subject under the sun. You can even volunteer yourself as an expert (if you are!) and answer other people's questions. Seems a pretty handy resource. Anyway, they did have quite a lot of useful information about Stained Glass.

Bricks & Brass has a good factsheet on cleaning and repairing stained and leaded glass, listing all the techniques and equipment required. It doesn't recommend attempting highly specialised repairs yourself; instead, bring in an expert to avoid disaster!

During my online travels, I was really delighted to discover the Stained Glass Museum, which offers a unique insight into the fascinating story of stained glass, an art-form that has been practised in Britain for at least thirteen hundred years. The site also has a brief history of stained glass which makes interesting reading. The Museum is in the South Transept of Ely Cathedral, a small city fifteen miles north of Cambridge, so it would make a great trip out. I look forward to visiting next time I'm in the area!

Veering slightly off subject, I also found a rather interesting Stained Glass Photography website, with gorgeous images of windows by artists such as William Morris and Henry Holiday. You can also buy products such as greetings cards and posters here.

Physiotherapists Versus Chiropractors

A propos of nothing very much, but with a sincere desire to be helpful, it's now time for a personal rant about Physiotherapists versus Chiropractors. Speaking as someone who has been in constant pain for about 5 or 6 years, caused (as I thought) by repetitive strain injury from my years as a freelance translator before I set up Period Features, I have visited 2 doctors, 2 private physiotherapists and 1 NHS physiotherapist who listened to details of the private treatment I had received before asking me exactly what I expected from the NHS, then? Well, an arm that doesn't hurt would be nice, I thought to myself, but being a reserved kind of a Brit I said nothing, never went back and just put up with the pain.

Read Our Latest Newsletter!

Just a quick post to say that our latest newsletter is now online and covers lots of interesting topics like stained glass, chiropractors versus physiotherapists, why you should bother to restore an old house, the Period Features packaging appeal, wonderful websites and more. If you would like to receive the newsletter on a regular basis, simply sign up using the box in the right-hand column of this blog. Read the latest issue here: Home Help! April/May 2006

I'm In Chocolate Heaven!

Having read an article about a Dorset-based company called Chococo in Country Living magazine, I thought I'd give them a try so I rang up and ordered a large selection box. Well, it arrived yesterday, in a lovely box with a hand-written card, and I'm ashamed to say that I have already eaten about half of them. They've got great names like Rum Totty, Raspberry Riot (that one was my favourite), Dotty Apricotty and Herb Patch (with mint in it) and really are fabulous... Do yourself a favour (never mind the waistline!) and visit them here: www.chococo.co.uk

Win A £50 Period Features Voucher!

Would you like to win a £50 voucher to spend on our lovely stuff? Well, now you can! Just visit our Competitions Page and answer one simple question to enter. After the closing date of 31 May, we will pick one winner at random from all the correct entries received. Good luck!

Creating A Successful Small Business

Last week, Period Features had a half-page of editorial in the business section of the Sunday Times, which had two effects: 1. it was great for business and 2. it brought in quite a few requests for advice, from people whose small business wasn't going quite as well as they had hoped! I have reproduced one such letter below, together with my response, and I hope that my advice may prove useful.

"I hope you don’t mind me writing to you. Perhaps you will be receiving lots of unwanted emails like this one, after the Sunday Times article. I write this email hoping that you could help me. I think that you will understand just what I am going through and maybe you could possible give me some pointers on what to do with my business.

I know what is wrong with my business, basically lack of customers! I have had so many days and weeks when I can count the customers coming to my shop with one hand! 18 months ago I opened a shop selling sports clothes for women. It is a boutique-style shop, selling good quality, performance clothing. I have many customers who come back time and time again, so I must be doing something right.

The shop is based in a small village, little passing trade! Therefore when I first launched I did lots of leaflet drops, ads in local magazines, local papers, I have attended lots of school fetes, sponsored many sporting events, handed out leaflets, etc. Therefore I spent money in marketing and advertising. The leaflets were a good marketing tool, but ever so expensive, so I had to stop half way.

I am the only one in the shop, which I open everyday apart from Sundays, I am becoming so disillusioned by the whole thing. It is soul destroying to be in the shop with no one there and the phone calls of suppliers demanding payment. It is difficult to find any way out for me. People I talk to tell me to do this, that and the other all advice given in good faith, but I am finding it difficult to act. Did you feel this way? Please could you tell me how did you make things change? Specially how did you motivate yourself to make things improve?"