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People: Sue Liberty, Card Maker - a follow up
RL: OK, Sue, a year on. What has changed?
Sue: Well this time last year I was in two shops and a craft outlet in Chelmsford, and one of the shops has changed hands and after consideration they’ve just decided they are not going to do hand-made items. That was fairly recent so probably after Christmas, when I’ve caught up on myself, I’ll probably look around for somewhere else for another outlet. I still sell them at work as well.
RL: Are you doing a lot for Christmas?
Sue: Yes, quite a lot of stuff. I am producing a lot at the moment and I hope people will buy them. I’m taking them into work soon and that’s usually a good place to take them. I don’t know what next year is going to hold really but I think I’m still producing as much as I was before. I had one lot of wedding invitations earlier in the year that I did for someone, which was good, about sixty of those. It was a case of getting into those to find a design that they liked. I’ve also done a Golden Wedding Celebration as well, a set of invitations for that as well, which was good. I like having the variety of producing individual things and then producing thirty of something or sixty of something. Those can take time and it’s not a big money spinner. Depending what they want on the card, you’ve got all the materials to start with and then there’s the time factor but you can’t charge so much an hour because it is just not viable, so you just do them and decide a price on top of materials – but I just enjoy doing them.   
RL: Yes, I’ve got the impression as you’ve been talking that it is enjoyment and not profit that drives you here?
Sue: Oh definitely. There are some things that you can make money on and you make them look good and it hasn’t cost that much for materials and not too much time to do, but then there are some things that take ages.
RL: Do you do some regularly every week or just come back to it from time to time?
Sue: Probably most weeks I’m doing something. I like relaxing on a Sunday afternoon doing it. If I’m really flying I might produce fifteen cards but sometimes I’ll just do two or three, perhaps because I’ve spent ages on them.  The girls at work are renowned for coming in one day and saying can I have a card for tomorrow, so I’ll have to come home and do it – if I’m free! It’s still more hobby though. I mean last year I was saying I’m not quite sure where it is going but I think it will stay as a hobby. I can’t see me doing it large scale. I think the enjoyment would go if you were mass producing lots of things, which you’d have to do if you were going to do it for more than a hobby; you’d have to do lots of things and have a production line going.
RL: Have you ever thought about giving lessons?
Sue: It is a possibility. I’ve never been to a class myself. Everything I’ve done is self taught and watching things on the Web and programmes on TV, but somebody did ask me about going and doing it at the WI for an evening or something, so it is a possibility.
RL: Well, we’ll have to check you out again sometime in the future and see where it takes you. Thank you again for your time.
INTERVIEW: Sue Liberty: (1st November 2010)
A year after our original interviews with Sue Liberty we caught up with her again to see whether she was still making cards and if so, what had changed. This was what Sue had to say this year. To see what she had had to say a year ago, please CLICK HERE.