my Devon escapades...

Here are some little snaps from my few days in Devon... a lovely lighthouse, a delicious Devonshire cream tea (I supplied the wheat-free scones!), a pretty awful picture of boats at the Dartmouth Regatta (but felt the sight needed recording!), and some lovely coastline. I had a fantastic few days walking, eating, and relaxing with my family, and getting some great inspiration whilst I was there. There's something very rejuvenating about getting away to the coast, perhaps it's purely and simply the fresh sea air? Whatever it is it lures us back in year after year, happy Sunday everyone x

"The Sunday Post"

I'm sitting here drinking a delicious and hearty cup of tea, this morning and as it's been a custom-design sort of week, I thought I would share with you on this sunny Sunday the bits and pieces I have made...

Top: wine glass napkins - wedding gift customised with names and added bubbles to turn my wine glasses into champagne flutes!
Below: linen 'croissant' tea towel. An entirely custom-made design, requested by a lovely lady from Cornwall.

Take a look at the commissions page on my website for further details of custom designs for weddings, anniversaries, or birthdays!

I am still ploughing my way through Home & Gift orders, and have also had a couple of post-show orders too, which is fantastic! This week more goodies have left the studio bound for The Wendy House, Kirriemuir (second order for some Christmas stock!), and Dolly's Country Larder, Cottingham, one of my lovely current stockists. Here are a couple of photos from Dolly's, see if you can spot my tea towels and cosies on the shelves!

On Wednesday I am popping down to South Devon for a little bit of coastal inspiration and sea air... I'm looking forward to crab jacket potatoes, salty hair, and line dancing, in that order of course! If you know of any exciting places/things to visit around the South Devon area I'd love to hear about them :) last year I visited the South Devon Chilli Farm and sampled some of their delicious chocolate, this year... who knows!

N.B. Keep your eyes peeled... Christmas goodies are coming to my shop soon! I'm so excited, and have been getting all festive whilst making my Christmassy items. But for now I shall have to restrain myself, more on this to come!

La Bella Italia

I'm back from a few days in the north of Italia, and boy was it beautiful! I toured round the Emilia-Romagna region, as well as venturing to Venice and Lake Garda (Sirmione). I've never set foot in Italy before, let alone perfected any Italian... but with friends in tow, it was a wonderful, relaxing, and hot trip. Here are a few photos, I took around 400, so this is literally a 'snapshot' of my lil holiday...

From top to bottom: Venice, bicycles in Ferrara, old men congregating with their bikes outside Ferrara cathedral, gondolier in Venice, St. Mark's Square, Italian gelato, Venice, Lake Garda.

"The Sunday Post"

Another week down, and what a speedy one it was... it seems only moments ago that I was writing a little round-up of the previous week. Well, time does fly when you are enjoying yourself!
Yesterday I began working on the first of my custom Christmas orders, which I found so exciting!! And I am also making my way gradually through my list of Home & Gift orders. Things are going well, and it's so exciting to get this many new stockists in one fell swoop! This week goodies have been winging their way to Rooms with a View in Diss, Norfolk, and The Wendy House in Kirriemuir, Angus.

At the end of this week I popped over to Made in Stroud, to replenish their stock of tea towels, and also deliver some new tea cosies, and large linen tweed doorstops. These larger doorstops have proved a little expensive to post, but are perfect for a shop pretty local to me, such as Made in Stroud, so pop in if you are around the Gloucestershire neck of the woods! I am still selling my slightly smaller, (but comfortably big enough for the task) spotty doorstops on my website.

I shall be away from tomorrow (Monday) evening, til Friday... so will catch up with you upon my return. I'm taking a little trip to Italia to visit my friend who moved there last year. And will then be back to the work with renewed vigour! I feel a little break/R&R is in order, and I hope you all have a fantastic week, x

new goodies for a rainy day...

What a rainy day it is!! Hopefully news of some new goodies in my shop might put a little more of a spring in your step!
Firstly I now have lovely soft natural or fresh white, 'wine glasses' aprons, they wash tremendously well, and I even have one of my own for my kitchen now too :) the white apron has green stitched wine glasses, and the natural apron is stitched with charcoal glasses, and each with lovely appliqued floral cotton. You can find them in my shop here!

Secondly, to co-ordinate with the rest of my 'wine glasses' range I have now designed a hand drawn and watercolour painted card. On a lovely A6 watercolour card, with matching envelope, this card is perfect for all sorts of occasions, from weddings, to anniversaries, to even a simple congratulations type card! Take a look at my 'wine glasses' card here.

My last update for this rainy day is the addition of some lovely new lavender hearts, they are one-off's or one of only a very few, so pop over to my website and have a look whilst you can! In pretty blue spot, cotton ticking, and grey gingham check, these hearts make fantastic little additions to your home, and are great for combatting moths too, which is always an added bonus! I hope you are all keeping warm and dry indoors today, and Happy Midweek! x

"The Sunday Post"

Dear all, I hope you have enjoyed a good week :)
After the stresses and strains (and excitement of course!) of Harrogate I finally feel like I am rested and back to normal (well, slightly!), I'm shocked at how much a trade fair takes it out of you! I have spent the week making goodies and packing up orders. Fortunately knowing how much I have yet to do hasn't phased me and I'm gradually making my way through masses of individually handmade tea towels, aprons, and cosies :) I'm so excited to have 7 new stockists, details of which will be up on my website as soon as the orders start going out...

This week I have also been working on several custom items for weddings. I have posted pictures onto my facebook fan page, so if you'd like to take a look please have a peek here.
Wine glasses seem to be the design of the week here, and I will be adding my new wine glasses aprons, in natural and white, to my website soon!
I'm now setting to work on some more cupcake and wine glass stitching, I hope you are having a lovely weekend, and Happy 1st August! Charlotte x