Today I got up feeling better and more energised than I have for a few days and settled down to plan our bags for the next six months or so:

• I counted a final 2042 tarot bag prints - which have taken a month to produce. There are more than 100 images in all and it was a lot of work. But exciting.
  Never before have we done even as many as 200 bags in a batch, but by working this way we think we can considerably cut costs and so keep final prices down. This will be important next year. But doing so many at once has felt slightly crazy. Maybe it's another sign we are growing up as a studio.
  
  
• I designed a new wearable pouch. More on this over the winter but the intention is to go ahead quickly with this one as it will be beautiful, useful but also priced well below $30. Again, this is the result of thinking for a couple of months now about how we can offer some very affordable designs while actually improving quality. It will very quickly be available in ALL the tarot bag prints too. This is good I think.
  
  
• We discussed Alice, animal toile and other cushions. Now whatever we do, these can't be low prices - though they will be way lower than, for example, cushions like these - and I think at least as good in design and quality. But we have done what we can and now we will go ahead with a smaller batch than originally planned, just to test the water. They are gorgeous, quirky and special. I think we'll be fine with these.
  
  
• We confirmed the way we want to go on the shoulder bag saga. For nine months now I've been trying to produce a new shoulder bag to have in addition to our current one. Finally we are getting there though this one has been a continuous story of two steps forward, then one back. Now at least we have an agreed plan.

1. Find ways to keep your costs down. I've said it before and I'll probably say it endlessly through this "crisis". At the same time though, don't drop your quality whatever you do.
2. Think about new products that provide really great value. Use your creativity and your abilities and see what you can come up with. Test out your ideas and then - get going.