Home & Gift 2012

For the majority of last week we were exhibiting at the Home & Gift trade show in Harrogate. We headed north last Saturday to set up, and it doesn't matter how many trade fairs I do, being faced with the bare stand always seems a little daunting at first... but we got there!

We had a great few days, meeting new and potential stockists, as well as lovely fellow exhibitors and new friends. We even squeezed in a couple of trips to Betty's for some 'tea room blend' before the show opened in the mornings!

We are now home safe and sound and have been invoicing and sorting through post-fair admin...

...and celebrating my birthday! I was even treated to a surprise birthday chocolate cake on the last day of Home & Gift (clearly the girls I met already know me too well!), which was delicious... but back to work tomorrow, we have orders to get cracking on!

Home & Gift 2011

For the last few days I've been up in Harrogate at the Home & Gift trade fair. From sitting in the studio sewing away happily to the trade fair frenzy was quite a contrast, and it was wonderful! I met hundreds of people, from lovely independent shops to fellow exhibitors. 

So whilst I'm writing invoices and catching up on a week's worth of admin and emails, here are a few pics from the show...

It was also my birthday whilst I was in Harrogate, so my auntie treated me to dinner at Betty's - so wonderfully English and traditional, I am now their number one fan! x

New Bunting!

With the Christmas range getting underway here in the CMT studio I have turned my hand to my bunting. I have just about used up the last of the spotty charcoal, teal and blue that I have been using for my larger sized bunting since I began making bunting, however now that the spotty has stopped being produced it was time to look at new fabrics and colourways for new bunting. A while ago I introduced 'mini bunting' to my range and due to the success of this cute little version of the larger bunting, have decided to go for mini all the way!

After getting my entire fabric collection out, arranging linens and cottons in piles of colours and patterns that I liked the look of together I now have 3 new mini buntings... a combination of spots, stripes, linens and cottons, and now also a longer length of 1m 50 too!

First up, floral mini bunting...

...spotty blue mini bunting...

... and last but not least, spotty red mini bunting - jolly and festive and is actually a sneak peek at my Christmas range, to be revealed at Home & Gift in mid-July! x

Home & Gift 2010

My first trade fair, a 4 hour drive up to Harrogate, battling the infamous Harrogate traffic, and finally arriving at my stand in the Intro North hall, it all began looking a little like this...

...and ended up looking more like this... (see below!) To have my own stand, and almost more like a 'mini-shop' was unbelievably exciting. Once I'd got it looking how I'd envisaged I headed back to my home for the next few days to get some much-needed rest, in preparation for my 4 days of fair action!

Hall E (Intro North) was wonderful, full of inspirational products and people. Making their way round the maze of Home & Gift halls was a wide range of independent shop owners and proprietors, and representatives/designers/buyers from larger stores, the diversity was great, and the amount of interest received in the whole of our hall was amazing! I've made lovely new friends and contacts, and am now considering my next trade fair... once I'm a little more rested might I add! So until then, and to all my new trade fair buddies... I hope you continue to have a fantastic week x

"The Monday Post"

Good morning! My weekly catch-up has resorted to a 'Monday Post' again... how do these weekends get away from me!? This week I have been hard at work on my Christmas range, to be launched at the Home & Gift trade fair in Harrogate in a mere couple of weeks. Not long now! So the studio has been a hive of festive activity, with fabrics, samples, and sketches all over the shop. I also went on a bit of a photography spree on Saturday, capturing some of the wonderful Summer flowers and plants, thought I would share a couple with you, I hope you like them! And now back to the Christmas-making frenzy... it feels a little strange trying to feel festive when it is so lovely and blue-skied out! Happy July everyone :) I shall leave you with this link to my web shop... catch up with my latest press/news, or have a browse through my current range! x