Every girl needs a step ladder.....or 3!!!!

There is one very lovely shop in Shepton Mallet called Nostalgia at No 1, owned by the lovely Niki.

It's the sort of shop that you need to keep visiting, as it changes all the time. I often peak through the windows early morning (before it's opened) whilst on my Post Office run. I'll show you what I bought from there, for my Mum for Mother's Day in my next post.

Well, I spied these step ladders in recent weeks which were just calling out to me to buy - how could I resist - particularly the one with a spotty top!

So now I am the grand owner of 3 sets of step ladders - an odd thing to collect I hear you say, but they are fabulous for trade shows to display your wares.

Firstly, they fit in the car easily and secondly they give a little height and interest to your display.

Hard to believe that in just 3 and a half months time, I will be loading them in the car ready for Harrogate - time is just whizzing by far too quickly at the moment. I'm already starting to feel a little behind with all I want to do!

Bunting to the ready!

The Royal Wedding is only a month a way now, so to help with the festivities we have a number of items on our website that can help you celebrate in style!

We are giving away a FREE Union Jack fridge magnet to every customer who spends over £25.oo between now and the big day!

To find out more - click here!

Happy Birthday!

Today I want to wish my gorgeous husband, a very Happy Birthday!

We have known each other for 20 years, meeting in a nightclub in Bath whilst I was still at university. Funny isn't it? I always knew he was the one and all these years later we are still very happy.

So another year, another birthday - presents seem harder to buy, the longer we are together - of course I can't tell you what I have bought because that would spoil the surprise! Hopefully next year, they will all be wrapped in dots and spots wrapping paper!!


I do want to take this opportunity to also say a huge thank you to him - without his help and support, there would be no dots and spots!!

He did an open university course to be able to code our own website and keep it updated, he does all the invoicing, book keeping, VAT etc - well he is a maths teacher and Deputy Head. In the evenings he books out all the parcels with the courier and Royal Mail and is always being asked to give his 'honest' opinion on everything I thrust his way!

So a huge THANK YOU for ALL you do - it really is very much appreciated.

Happy Birthday!

I did it!!

Thank you for all your kind comments in my last post - I did it - yesterday I went to the Country Living Fair in London.

I survived my first ever tube journey on my own and am so proud of myself.

Watch out London - here I come!!!

I'm so glad I went - it would have been far too easy to have decided not to go - but now I have been, there will be no stopping me!


I went to a Christmas Fair 10 years ago, so knew what to expect but it was sooooo busy - I'd go as far as too busy.


This was the most spacious area!





The flowers looked and smelt beautiful!

The real reason I went was to support my 'twitter friend' Gabs Buckingham, who was exhibiting for the very first time. She has been so quiet in twitterland prior to the show as she has been painting, painting, painting!

Her stand looked absolutely amazing! I can't show you what I bought as they're Easter pressies but I could have come away with a lot more if I could have carried it all home.

There's still time to visit - it doesn't finish until late Sunday afternoon.

Tomorrow.....

.....I am on my way to London.

To the Business Design Centre in Islington.

I am feeling very brave as I have never been to London on my own, never been on a tube by myself - that is the scariest bit. My husband went to University in London, so when ever we go I just follow, taking little or no interest in where we are going.

But I really want to go to the Country Living Spring Fair - so I have to go it alone!

It will be an inspirational feast of loveliness and creativity!

I am hoping to see Gabs of 'Moobaacluck' fame and all her fabulous work on display - and maybe one or two other tweeter's whilst I'm there.

Of course I will let you know how I get on - am thinking of taking a cash limit with me and leaving the credit card at home - otherwise it could be a very dangerous day out!

Today, I have.....

....been working from home.

Catching up on personalised

and embellished print orders.

I have made the decision to have a little rest from doing the embellished and personalised prints soon. They will not feature in our next catalogue, so will either stop then, in late June or when our current stock of mounts, frames etc comes to an end - which ever happens first.

I love designing but really don't enjoy producing a design, time after time, after time. I take my hat off to those that can produce 10, 50, 200 of the same thing but I have come to realise that, that is not me!

Another reason is time. It takes me a long time to put together a trade order of embellished prints and now I have come to realise that time is precious - any spare time, has to be spent designing or on commission work as there simply aren't enough hours in the day.

Of course do email me if you wanted a print for a special occasion, doing one now again might be a nice change.

Of course these changes won't happen straight away but if they suddenly disappear from our website - you know why!

Keep your eyes peeled in our seconds shop - some samples and extra prints may well appear at a reduced price in the coming months!

Today is .....

..... a beautiful day!

The sun is shining, the skies are blue and there is a promise that there may be a little warmth in the air by the afternoon.

This is where our lovely, little garden comes into it's own.


The first load of washing is out on the line.


The sun is beginning to weave it's way into the garden.

The daffodils are drying out from their early morning frost.



What a perfect day!

Enjoy the sunshine if you have it - I know I'm going to get all my jobs done this morning so I can sit out in the garden for an hour or two this afternoon.

Have a lovely weekend.

Red Nose Day!

So tomorrow is Red Nose Day!

What better excuse do we need to go all red and white spotty.

Sophie is organising a school Cake Sale in aid of Red Nose Day, so we have been busy baking!

Cherries, red smarties and red mini gems have been the decoration of choice.....

.... and of course, I managed to find some red and white spotty cupcake cases and a red and white spotty tray to put them on!

The outfits are ready - spotty of course!

Excited? Now what made you think that?

I will be teaching tomorrow so I doubt, very much, that anything too important will get achieved! I will of course be adding a little bit of extra spottiness to my outfit!

At last - a bit of design time!

The sun was shining and it was warm in a sheltered spot at the bottom of the garden this afternoon. Half of me felt guilty just 'sitting' there but once the sun went behind the roof line and the chill set in, I came and spent a quiet hour in my studio, warming up.....

...... and designing.

It feels like it's been a long time - but I'm determined to make time for doing what I enjoy best.

You can easily get bogged down with the orders and paperwork and updating the computer etc, etc and lose sight of what was important in the beginning and for me messing about with paper is the best bit.

They are only my thank you for shopping postcards, that get sent out with every order. I am running extremely low - well I only have 10 left so it was a case of having to get them done for the printers but never the less, it's given me the taste of it again and I can't wait to get on with a new Christmas product in the next few days!

Time!

Time is so not on my side - the balance between work and family life is always there, pulling you one way or the other! There just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. It all caught up with me over half term when I caught the bug the children had endured and had been 'under the weather' for a good 3 weeks.

I would say, only just, that my energy levels are fully restored and I'm raring to go on all the design projects I want/need to do! I need to just find a pocket of quiet, uninterrupted time to start.

Or maybe I just need a little holiday!

Pancake Day!

Pancake Day is always a favourite in the Peabody House - because we all love pancakes!!

When I was a student, I spent a whole summer working in a pancake restaurant in Ambleside, Cumbria. Hundreds and hundreds of sweet and savoury pancakes were made every day - by me! I had 6 pans on the go at once - so making enough for 4 is easy!

Every time I make them, it shocks me just how many my 8 year old can consume but he gets away with it every time, when he says
"Mummy, you are the BEST pancake maker in the whole, wide world!"
Lemon and sugar, chocolate sauce, maple syrup - which ever is your favourite - enjoy!

Happy Pancake Day!

Of course, that means Lent and giving something up, hmmmmmm haven't given that too much thought yet!