December 2, 2011

Happy December!!!
I'm in a blah state of mind largely due to the fact that personal issues are frustrating, Norm's going through a rough patch, and I can't visit my family this Christmas. BUT!!
I have decided to work hard at getting a marketing email out for Christmas gift ideas for handbell enthusiasts. When Norm and I started our business together, we agreed we didn't want jewelry. I don't wear any (neither does Norm lol) and Handbell Services is doing a wonderful job at that.  As they have tuned themselves to their interests, so we tune ourselves. I am a serious musician type person and am not into knickknacks much either.  So our gifty things tend to be more educational or need specific. I'm sure there are plenty of practical minded people out there.
Also, I had planned on reviewing Christmas ensemble music for those who are interested in off-the-table ideas.  I'm still going to do that on Bell Folk and Stuff. Maybe today I won't work on descriptions on the web.
So...ideas? We have some fun mousepads, CDs, Michelle Sharik's DVD, game books, devotional books, bell tree music and needs, bell photo notecards and posters, pencils, colored gloves, boomwhackers, calculators, windchimes (silver and gold), chocolate. hmmmm.

October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!  It's been forever since I last wrote.  So much has been happening. Carol went to Fargo at the end of September for a Director's Seminar, Sioux Falls in October for their Fall Festival, and this weekend I'm going to Duluth for the Twin Ports Handbell Festival.
Our displays are improving massively.  I'm so happy with the results. The wire racks are very helpful although not easy to stick in the car.  I think Norm and I have, for the most part) chosen wisely with gift ideas: Marilee's notecards and postcards consistently sell, the chocolate sells, the mousepads, boomwhackers too.  The CDs are selling but only occasionally.  Oh.  Raleigh Ringer gloves disappear constantly. Yeesh. :)
I've worked hard to beef up our solo area.  Now I'm working on duets, trios.  Once I get the supplies being consistent, it's easier to just rebuy rather than wonder what's going to sell.  I'm also still interested in bringing...ha!  ...brain fart!!...oh I know, information for people interested in different sides of music, ie composition, conducting, improving ringing, etc.
Norm's constantly working on the computer tweaking Quickbooks or our catalog (spreadsheet), entering new data, fixing things.  Things are going well. 

September 30, 2011

First, I gotta tell you that we've been invited to 3 workshop/festivals this fall and I've been so excited about the extra exposure and activity.  Bells of the Lakes had their seminar at the end of August as usual and we had a display in the social room.  That was great.  Frank helped me set up and tear down.  That's a definite process.  I bought some plastic table clothes to dress up the tables some.  Light teal-y blue.  Worked well.
Then I drove to Fargo for the Director's Seminar with Frank driving his car.  I'm going to have to figure out this car situation as gloves/binders add too much to my car.  I just don't have enough space.  However, again Frank helped me set up and it went very well.  He's extremely helpful and it's nice not to do all the heavy lifting.  I had bought some display racks after I saw Handbell Services with theirs and I really like that choice.  Again, a great display and fun time.  I prepared packets for their reading session.

We are at the 24' table mark with 16' having

or using both sides of the table.  I still haven't figured out the "where is the cashier sitting" part.
Oct 22nd I'm driving down to Sioux Falls and the to Duluth November 5th.
Norm likes staying behind.  I like getting out.
....Now to continue working on improving the website.......

August 17, 2011

We are rushing into fall.  Carol is also working on finding music for her kid's choirs.  Our church has totally contemporary music, so I'm always looking for music that we sing at church that has been arranged for handbells.  Not easy.
I'm going to set up the web site the rest of this month for new items that we've bought and in which people may be interested.  I need to find a person for Bell Folk and Stuff for either September or October.
Anyway, keep focused on what's ahead.  What's behind is already finished.

August 1, 2011

Well, we had a blast at the National Seminar.  We are looking at 2 -3 more sight ringing sessions for Duluth in 2012.  Check the Area 7 site for all event information.  Plus don't forget the Bells of the Lakes workshop August 27th at Hennepin Ave United Methodist Church, Minneapolis. 
August 1st through 13th is our extra 3% discount over and above our regular discount.  Check About Us on our Home Page to see the regular discount information.
Have a great time looking over all of the new music.  What a blessing that we have so many talented composers.

July 20, 2011

The National Seminar in Minneapolis was awesome.  So many people remembered Norm and welcome him back after however many years of absence.  He was afraid no one would remember him and yet, they did.

Carol met people she had been facebooking with: Gail and Erin Downey, Michele Sharik, Rima G (I'm going to spell her name wrong.)  What an eventful batch of packed days, classes, concerts, going through the exhibits, eating....talking.  I felt really good about the networking that we did, the customers that came to our exhibit, the sales. 

People are enjoying the chocolates and the novelty items we are displaying.  We need get more space so that we can have more music out.  Both of us are more excited about this year.

July 12, 2011

Excitement grows.  You can here the music:  the timpani is pounding, violins are bowing ferociously, the trumpets are calling, the hairs on your neck start rising, goosebumps up and down your arms....It's almost here!!!!
I can barely wait!!

july overstock list

SKU	Title
12127	Abiding Joy
AG 35026	Adagio
AG 35072	Adios!
PSM 4-17	Ah Holy Jesus
11440664	Air from Water Music
976604	Alas And Did my Savior Bleed
HP 5209	All Glory Laud and Honor
HP 5210	All Glory Laud and Honor
975847	All Glory Laud and Honor
AG 23017	All Things Bright and Beautiful
HP 5235	All Through the Night
1497	Allegro Brillante
976915	Amazing Grace
CGB 392	Amazing Grace
SG 5922	Angel Gabriel, The
1478	Bach Pastorale
FBBG 0957	Balm in Gilead, A
CGB 286	Be Thou My Vision
977133	Beach Spring Stomp
CGB 075	Bells in the Steeple
11440714	Bells of Praise
1418	Bellude of Praise
1194	Belpre
1778	Billboard March, The
AG 4040	Bless This Child
HP 5310	Blessed Assurance
LS 90018	Blessed Assurance with Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
LS 93033	Blessed Exaltation
AG 35069	Blue Danube Waltzes, The
12027	Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella
AG 003	Busy Ringer Series - Collection 1
JHS 9049	Call Change Ringing
LS 90016	Canterbury Chimes
976380	Canticle
1150	Canticle of Hope
AG 23013	Cantus Invenilis (Youthful Song)
AG 45053	Cantus Invenilis (Youthful Song)
CGB 371	Carillon
201105	Carillon Christmas
HP 5163	Carillon Te Deum
AG 35052	Cathedral Prelude and Psalm
HP 5045	Celebration
1373	Celebration Fanfare
AG 35056	Chorale Prelude on Jesus Christ is Risen Today
AG 3014	Christ is Born
SHB 22	Christmas Fanfares for Handbells
SHB 67	Christmas Has Come Again
HL 5031	Christmas Joy
HL 5088	Christmas Joy
HP 5263	Church's One Foundation, The
RO 2901	Cold December Flies Away
976117	Come Christians Join To Sing
CGB 152	Come Let Us Eat
JHS 9174	Come Thankful People
LS 001	Come Ye Faithful Raise the Strain
2388	Come Christians Join to Sing
AG 45045	Come O Spirit Dwell Among Us
AG 45046	Come O Spirit Dwell Among Us
AG 45046	Come, O Spirit! Dwell Among Us
12111	Come Shepherds Rise!
1689	Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus
AG 5023	Concert Variations on a Theme in g minor
1042	Coronation March from The Prophet
AG 57004	Coventry Carol
1891	Crown Him Lord of All
AG 23007	Crown Him With Many Crowns
977006	Dance Americana!
HP 5190	Daystar
201020	Easter Rejoicing
JHS 9173	Ein Feste Burg
1430	Eternal Father, Strong to Save
HP 5293	Fantasy on Hyfrydol
12092	Fantasy on Lasst Uns Erfreuen
1857	Feliz Navidad
201066	Festal Fanfare on Darwall's 148th
SHB 02	Festival Day
CGB 112	Festival Jubilate
AG 36001	Festival of Joy
AG 3019	Festival Overture
LS 90014	Festival Peal
LS 002	Festival Piece on Hyfrydol
1110659	Festival Sanctus
CPBS 0555	Festive Dance
AG 2023	Festive Peal, A
AG 45043	Festive Praises
AMHB 10	Festive Prelude on In Babilone
201080	First  Noel, The
PSOB 003	French Noel
SG 2891	Friendly Beasts, The
AG 34016	Frolic
JHS 9348	Furioso
HP 5032	Genesis
976578	Gift of Finest Wheat
201036	Gifts of the Magi
AG 35022	Giubileo
1924	Go Tell It on the Mountain with "Troika" from Lieutenant Kije Suite
12159	Good Christians Friends Rejoice
AG 35141	Hark the Herald Angels Sing
976121	Head That Once Was Crowned, The
1725	He's Got the Whole World
AG 35065	Holly and the Ivy, The
1978	Holly and the Ivy, The
RO 1204	Hosanna Loud Hosanna
MSM 30806	How Firm a Foundation
HP 5280	Hymn of Grateful Praise
SFP 124	I Love You Lord
HP 5323	I Wonder as I Wander
RW 8171	If I Take the Wings of the Morning
976826	Invocation
977189	Jesus I Will Ponder Now
976826	Invocation
977189	Jesus I Will Ponder Now
SG 3921	Jingle Bells
2157	Joy to the World
1111161	Kyrie
AG 45033	Lacrymosa
CP 7020	Let's Ring Disney Classics
2253	Lo He Comes With Clouds Descending
CGB 243	Lord's My Shepherd, The
12118	Lullaby Carol
NM 381	Luther's Chorale
AG 35106	Mallet Madness
L 262	Marantha
CGB 104	March
HP 5321	Meditation on Forest Green
MSM 30801	Meditation on Morecambe
PSM 3-54	Meditation on Veni Emmanuel
L 318	Meditation on Were You There?
1421	Medley on the Cross
1186	Melody in F
1840	Merry Melody, A
PSM 3-55	Midnight Stars Make Bright the Sky
1611	Mighty Fortress is Our God
AG 35034	Military March
1110552	Morning Has Broken
RO 1801	Morning Prayer and Vespers
CGB 167	My Faith Looks Up to Thee
L 352	My Lord What a Morning
MSM 30301	Nearer to the Cross
CGB 105	O Christmas Tree
12065	O Come O Come Emmanuel
1894	O Jesus I Have Promised
SG 104	O Little One Sweet
976844	Of the Father's Love Begotten
201236	Onward Soldiers
AG 23450	Our National Anthem
1385	Pavane
1320	Peals of Praise
2139	People Look East
1110046	Picardy and Star Song
RO 3229	Pilgrims and Praise A la Carte
L 379	Praise
1110630	Praise God Praise Him
1110352	Praise Him Praise Him and Jesus Loves Me
1718	Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
1719	Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
1974	Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
12131	Praise Thou the Lord O My Soul
AG 46002	Praise to the Lord
201010	Praise with Timbrel and Dance
12087	Prelude XXII
AG 3053	Psalm   9
SPHB 121	Psalm of the Dove
CGB 115	Quiet Alleluia, A
BP 457932	Rejoice
1110808	Rejoice in God's Saints or Sing Praise to the Lord
976388	Rejoice O Pilgrim Throng
1613	Rejoice the Lord is King
AG 45048	Requiem
AG 3035	Ring for Joy
RRBL 5016	Rise Up O Church of God
HP 5334	Risen Today Alleluia
49442100	Rocking Carol
AG 45028	Rondo del Espanol
49442101	Rondeau in C
1218	Roulade
1219	Roulade
RW 8121	Saints Medley
0012380	St Anthony Chorale
1110633	Shall We Gather at the River
FBF 0702	Sing and Rejoice (Ring and Rejoice)
1374	Solemn Passacaglia
CGB 118	Song of Jubilation
CGB 477	This is My Father's World
NM 270	Two Narratives: 1) The Storm 2) The Feeding
49442025	Two Noels
L 328	Unto Us a Boy is Born, Noel
1110703	Variations on Kingsfold
1414	Variations on Mit Freuden Zart
1413	Variations on Mit Freuden Zart
SFP 120	Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
LS 93031	Visions
1110634	Wake Awake for Night is Flying
LA 1038	Waltz of the Toys
LA 1100	Washiki Kane-Dokei (Japanese Chime Clock)
1699	We Praise Thee O God Our Redeemer
1701	Were You There on That Christmas Night?
1267	Were You There?
AG 35025	What Child is This
AG 3061	What Child is This
976153	What Child is This
AMHB 18	Winds Through the Olive Tree
CGB 130	Woodland Sketch, A