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

"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

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