Newsletter
Craftstones Europe LTD
email: craftstones@craftstones.co.uk
tel: 01737 767 363
 Autumn Newsletter – September 2010 Oh it’s a long long while from May to December
And the days grow short when you reach September.
And the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
And I haven’t got time for the waiting game.
(Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson – 1938)
September Song, from which these lines are taken, features in the musical “Knickerbocker Holiday”, which opened – and closed! – on Broadway in 1938. Whatever you were up to over the ‘summer’ (and I use the term loosely), I hope you had a knickerbocker glorious time! Like the song says, the days are growing shorter, the leaves are falling from their trees, temperatures – and spots of rain – are dropping and you’ve all been waiting for the Autumn Newsletter… So, here goes.
Once again, it’s been all systems go here in Redhill. At the time of writing, the whole team is working hard to ensure that our stand at the Autumn Fair will be even more enticing than ever. This year, Craftstones can be found in Hall 5, Stand L29. If you’ve never been to either the Spring or Autumn Fair, why not come and see what you’ve been missing? The show runs from Sunday, September 5th to Wednesday, September 8th. This year, there will be 25% more exhibitors than in 2009 and over 400 new suppliers. And with 50,000 new products being launched across the show, this year’s Autumn Fair really does promise to be something very special. We love to see old friends and faces at our stand and we hope to make many new friends this year too!
Not long after returning from the N.E.C., our sights will be firmly set on the last Rock, Bead ‘n’ Gem Show of the year, which will be held at Kempton Park Racecourse on the last weekend in October – Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st. This is an outstanding opportunity to purchase essential Christmas stock – and presents! As usual, we will be taking a large selection of goods and can always take special requests and orders to be collected, if you give us a little prior warning. As the Sunday will be Hallowe’en, I’d better take a few extra wands…
But of course, there’s more to life at Craftstones than getting ready for shows! We have received a number of shipments over the summer period, featuring both new and existing stock lines. In keeping with modern trends, we have continued to expand our range of Temporary Strung jewellery. In 2005, our catalogue contained 50 product lines with the prefix 2TS and 2B. Today, just five years later, we can boast over 1,000. In addition, we have acquired many beautiful pendants, bracelets, necklaces and earrings to further enhance our range of attractive and affordable jewellery.
We are now very well stocked for skulls and alien heads, as well as our usual range of hand-made animal carvings. We are also pleased to offer a new range of polished pyramids, in a variety of quality stones. These include Mookaite, Rhodonite, Amazonite, Fluorite, Picture Jasper, Tiger Eye and Blue Goldstone. Recently, we received another consignment of our ever-popular Brazilian Gemstone Trees. These are now available in over 30 different types of stone and each tree is hand-made to a very high standard. In particular, the bases used for these wonderful gift items are truly exquisite. If you’re not familiar with this particular product line, I strongly urge you to become acquainted!
During September, we await the arrival of another shipment from South America. Jewellery will once again feature strongly, but there will also be quantities of both Laser and Lemurian Quartz. And during the same month, two of the team will be on a buying trip to Hong Kong, following up on customer requests and sourcing more new and exciting products. Just as on Wisteria Lane, life is never dull here on Holmethorpe Avenue!
So, that’s about it. Just four months to go until the V.A.T. rises to an alarming 20%. It’s too soon to predict what effect this will have on both the wholesale and retail markets, but my feeling is that anything purchased in 2010 is bound to represent good value for money in the long run. We will endeavour, as always, to keep our prices as customer-friendly as possible and the quality of our goods as high as possible. That’s our promise to you and always will be.
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