Delaying tactics

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I don't know if anyone else has this problem or maybe its just me - but when it comes to doing something I don't really enjoy, I manage to find 101 things to do instead.
I dread getting the Bank statement through the post, as it means I need to update the accounts, and tackle SAGE. I don't mind analysing sales, best sellers etc, but somehow just entering numbers doesn't do it for me, so I seem to find lots of other things to do - hence writing the blog now. Well I did need to update it!
We are not so much winding down for Christmas at the moment, as gearing ourselves up for a 2 day photoshoot next week. I went and met our new photographer on site yesterday just to check the layout and lighting levels, and to go through the shot options and styling. Then a quick trip round Sainsbury's to get some food props - if anyone had looked in my trolley they would think  I had a strange diet of red onions, cherry tomatoes and garlic.
Luckily when it comes to the ceramics I have lots of prop options - from my time as Kitchenware buyer at Allders to  Gift Buyer at Wedgwood - I've always had a penchant for nice ceramics. Add in a few cookbooks, pestle & mortar, and pepper grinder and we are good to go. Apart from the one vital ingredient; the new samples themselves.
It has been a frustrating week, rearranging dates, chasing Portugal for information, and now waiting on TNT to deliver the goods. A true Virgo, I like to be organised, and had started work on the new range months ago, but my attempts have been thwarted at every turn. The danger with no time between the samples arriving and the shoot itself means if they are not quite right there is nothing we can do.
Fortunately Rachel Spivey our photographer seems very organised, and judging by the shots on her online portfolio a great eye as well.
So another delaying tactic from the accounts at the moment is to keep checking the TNT site for delivery updates...........
Ok - I'll get on with the accounts, but I might just check the weather forecast first!

The Last Show of 2010

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We have our last Christmas show this Friday - which is a big relief as they are such hard work. You have the day before sorting out the stock, signs etc, and then the show itself, followed by another day putting the stock away, adjusting the stock, and doing the banking. Also the day job still needs tackling - so after a month with no time off, the thought of a show free weekend seems very luxurious.
I do feel that we have had a more successful show season this year than last year. Obviously we were only just setting up last year, but monetary wise we have done better this year, although emerging from the recession may be a large part in this.  I am pleased to say that we did learn from the mistakes we made a year ago. Finding the right environment to sell your product in is critical - a big clue last year was the number of times customers said, "we are surprised to see you here?". Often it was a very local craft fair and our not so crafty luxury items stood out a mile.
Snobby as it sounds, when selling table linen for fine dining,if the visitors to the fair are donning tracksuits, and want free samples, you know you are onto a loser before you start.
The other big difference is our mix has evolved - whereas a year ago we sold just the textiles, this time our wider range of pick up gifts have been the solution to a lot of customers present buying dilemma's.
Hearing customers say - this is the nicest stand here - (that was at the NEC!), was also a huge boost, as you feel you must be getting something right.
So we now are looking forward to 2010 - and revisiting our marketing plan. What worked, didn't work, which shows shall we do again, and which were frankly a waste of time. It is at times like this, I wish I had a crystal ball - knowing which ads will work, and which are a con, which shows will have a good footfall of the RIGHT type of customers. But as I said at the beginning, I am pleased that we have learnt from our mistakes, we are evolving, and feel that we are in an even stronger position to tackle 2010. Bring it on!

The Christmas Build Up

You know Christmas is near when you start to hear those festive songs on the radio - I have to admit I am a sucker for the old Phil Spector tunes - I have a special Christmas mix on my ipod, that gets played over and over in the weeks pre Crimbo.
In my old days in retail, we used to get a new "tape" once a month, (I did say old days - for those younger readers it was like a CD, but sometimes it snapped and we were back to the previous months offering!). We used to look forward to our new tunes every month - but by the end of the month hearing the same 12 tunes every hour would cause the sanest person to grit their teeth.
Having just spent a week at The Good Food show I thought I would feel more Christmassy - but I think because it is such a large space you lose the intimacy and Christmas Spirit that you get at smaller markets - hence I'm actually looking forward to the Moreton On the Marsh Christmas Fair this Saturday. They are switching on their lights, and there will be mulled wine and Christmas gifts aplenty!
It has been great to get an instant reaction from all our leafleting at the Good Food Show last week - and we have already had a few follow up orders.
Alongside the Christmas build up we are also busy working on our new print range - which we are very excited about. Personally I love prints - they are a great way to inject life into any space. One of the designs has a real 50's / Lucienne Day feel, which I think makes a refreshing change from a market currently swamped with Cath Kidston florals.
As always though, getting the samples in time is causing a few sleepless nights - as it appears all retailers are placing repeat orders, and a smaller company like Ochre And Ocre can get bumped to the back of the queue. Not knowing if / when the samples are arriving also makes booking locations / photographers difficult... but as my friends keep telling me, "if it was easy, everyone would be doing it!".
I'll leave you with a few pics of our stand at the NEC - we had so many favourable comments about our display from customers, it was lovely to hear.

The big one!

After weeks of build up - D Day finally arrived. Paul and I travelled up in two cars - pulled into the lorry park in amongst the white vans and lorries, and the feeling of being an imposter started to niggle...
We unloaded our collection of boxes(smart see through plastic), shelving, (Ikea ok not so posh), and carrier and bin bags, (ok maybe this is where I was really letting the side down).
All around us professional display companies were erecting purpose built stands for their customers. Meanwhile I was balancing on the stool to hang some pictures and branding, whilst Paul nipped to B & Q to get some chipboard, as we had miscalculated the dimensions!
Chipboard in place - table cloths draped, and table laid, we certainly had colour. We could have done with more space - but with the stand cost already giving me nightmares, we had to make do with what we had.
Opposite us the Jamie at Home team were sitting around chatting, as someone else had built their stand, but more promising was the forklift truck making its way to the Moet stand opposite.
From a distance we look like a real company - the proof as always will be in the sales!

Insider Secrets

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One of the best things about doing so many Christmas shows is that you get to do your Christmas shopping in work time - and you can get something unique, often handmade, and not available on the high street.
So I thought I ought to share a few more of the lovely stalls I have come across recently.
A surprise one I came across whilst at Upper Rissington last week was Herb Farmacy. I say surprise, as they are actually from my home area, and I never knew they were there when I was growing up in Herefordshire.
They had a really lovely range of Organic skin care, made using herbs they've grown on their farm in Eardisley. They all smell lovely  - I may have purchased a few stocking fillers!
Again on an Organic theme, I met Plush chocolates at Ettington last week - they make delicious Fairtrade chocolates in Warwickshire.
Their website is not yet up and running - but one to keep an eye out for is Pandora Rose - beautiful flowing dresses - as my friends know I love a pretty dress!
Another site for pretty, and unique clothing is Linen Lawn. They had a stand at the Country Living show last week - Liberty esque prints in a soft cotton - and cute little blouses. 
I met quite a few local businesses at Northleach over the weekend - I know I've mentioned Naked Soap before, but its well worth trying to catch up with them at a show, as they have some great Crimbo pressie ideas - the Epsom Bath salts smell divine.
The Cotswold Ice Cream Company may not be top of your shopping list - but ice cream does go beautifully with Christmas pud!
If you are looking for inspiration for the smaller people in your family - check out Keke Interiors.
With more shows still to do, I'm sure I'll come across a few more gems over the next few weeks - I'll keep you posted.

A Select Gathering

It was a select gathering of stalls at last nights Christmas Shopping Evening, at The Red Lion, Stiffords Bridge, near Malvern.
It was the first time I had been in The Red Lion, and I was struck by what a welcoming feel the pub had; recently refurbished following the awful floods, it still had the character of a country pub.
Judging by the spread put on by Sally, the landlady, it is definately a pub worth trying out for their food. Sally has a loyal following amongst her regulars, many of whom turned up last night.
Ochre And Ocre were there with Elaine from Glass On Glass, and Jo Verity, of Jo Verity Designs. We were there for a fundraising shopping evening in aid of Breast Cancer Haven. There were some fabulous prizes in the prize draw, as well as a gift wrapping service, with all proceeds going to the charity.
Our Honey Hand Lotion and Beeswax Terracotta pots were the most popular buys - both really good value, and unique gift ideas.

Shows are hard work - aside from lugging boxes of textiles and shelving around, its hard on your feet standing for several hours, and trying to get that balance with customer service.
Despite having training years at Fosters Menswear years ago, for my very first job, straight out of uni and wet behind the ears; when it comes to selling your own product it is quite hard. Selling a man and outfit is relatively simple - you can be fairly certain if he's in the shop he is intending to buy, unlike women who will surf the high street for that elusive item, and are still likely to go home empty handed.
The other advantage selling to men is that they are usually grateful for any help or advice, so you just need to establish the budget, the event, and putting together an outfit was relatively simple.
I find fairs and shows with Ochre And Ocre a completely different matter - spare a thought for the stall holder next time they ask if you want any help...I've had some sneering, curt rebukes, and more often or not been completely ignored. Often you feel invisible stood behind your stall. Yes, the customer is always right, but we can make the shopping experience more interesting if we can explain the provenance of the item. I hate hard sell myself, so would never do it to anybody else, but I do like to hear about the maker of the product, or what it is made from.
So I am currently steeling myself for our next Christmas Fair - and how to sell our products in the best way possible. After every fair thinking how can I improve my display? Get the message across about the provenance of the product without bombarding with signage. And gritting my teeth for the sneerers!
Personally I love shopping at small gift fairs, because you can pick up really unique gifts, often direct from the designer / maker, and support other small businesses.
So next time you are wandering around a show, why not smile at the stall holders? You might even get a discount!

Day to Day

In the world of Ochre And Ocre this week its been the normal day to day stuff - eg. you never know what each day will bring!
I spent a pleasant day stuffing the new stock of Lavender Bags, that arrived this week. My desk slowly disappeared under a mound of the sweet smelling bags. Tying neat bows is quite a time consuming process - but at least you can sit there with a glass of wine in the evening, and some music.
Having builders around again feels more normal - with my day punctuated with tea making - how they aren't all toothless I'll never know, they all have at least 2 or 3 sugars in their tea! It's been nice to see the garage go up at long last, it finally feels like the house is almost finished. They are doing a really tidy job as well - as its timber its going up a lot quicker than masonry.
I went to my local WIRE meeting yesterday, it's good to get out and network, and correspond on a one to one basis as opposed to email and Skype. It was a nice chance to catch up with Kim from Lavender Ladies, (who supplies the Lavender I used to stuff the bags), and Emma from The Naked Soap Co.
I was trying to talk to our agent over in Portugal the other evening over Skype, when the bulldog decided she would start barking, and rolling around on her back growling, then my husband came home and I had locked him out, so I had to pause the conversation to let him in the door! Other times I am trying to have conversations on the phone, and the bulldog starts snoring, loudly. To give you an idea of the volume she can reach, you can hear her several rooms away, on a different floor. I'm sure the person on the other end of the phone must wonder what on earth is happening in the office.
Prep is well underway for the Spring Fair at the NEC, pulling together customer enquiry forms, price lists, backdrop quotes etc. I know February will be here really quickly, and there is so much work to do before then.
I'm back training again this week, after injuring my hamstring at Free Fighting the previous week. My running is a bit lopsided, but its good to get those natural endorphins going again.
So as you can see a week of normality at Ochre And Ocre HQ!

Christmas Prep

This week has been mostly in preparation for the forthcoming Christmas shows. It feels like the lull before the storm, starting with an intimate shopping evening that Jo Verity and Elaine, from Glass On Glass are organising. Ochre And Ocre were thrilled to be asked to join them, and it's for a really good cause, the Breast Cancer Haven. The WIRE team have been supportive as always, and have managed to squeeze an ad in for us in the next issue of the WIRE magazine.
There are another two fairs that week, over 5 days, so getting organised now is crucial.
Knowing how much stock is needed is a tricky one, and we've already had some sales on the new Venetien Red, its proving to be a really popular colour. I was overly cautious with the organic cotton table cloth stocks so I think I might get caught out on that one.
It was also accounts this week, which is always painful, the only nice thing is I get to catch up with my friend Amy, and her cute pup Darcey, (as seen with the new red pictures), as Amy is book keeper extraordinaire!
Believe it or not, preparation is already underway for the NEC Spring Fair, with several new ranges being planned. I will keep you posted on their progress.

POETS DAY

Even though I now work from home, I still get that same old Friday feeling. Which is quite bizarre, as more often than not I work over the weekend as well. I suppose the difference is that on a Saturday or Sunday it is highly unlikely that you will get pestered by the phone, and I don't feel I have to be at the gym by 7am.
Since going self employed I've been very conscious about sticking to a set routine, if nothing else to stop myself from that slippery slope of watching daytime tv. So ok, I might go and put a load of washing in during the day, and take a break to hang it up, but what I don't get now is that hour lunch break, or a 10 min gossip about what everyone watched on tv last night. So even though I worked long hours at my old job, I probably have a more concentrated working time now, as I have fewer distractions.
Worryingly I now seem to know the delivery guys quite well - and the staff in the local post office, but it is nice to see more local people, than when you disappear at 6.30 in the morning, and get back at 7pm you don't really feel part of a community.
This week we have been finalising the last few Christmas shows - I will add prompts as we get closer. It becomes a real juggling act to work out logistically where you need to be and what to take, as every venue is different. Now we are a year older though, the Christmas Fairs certainly seem less daunting this time around, and we will hopefully be more organised when we turn up!
I spent a day, labelling and gift boxing our latest candle delivery yesterday. The new soy wax in the oval glass holder looks lovely - at £8 it makes a great gift that won't break the bank.
Our link up with APC has also been finalised this week, so the impending Royal Mail deliveries seem less daunting. Plus the postage rates are a lot better. So even though they were paid by the customer, it feel better that they are more cost effective.
So back to that Friday feeling - I still need to take pictures of our new candles, set up the new items on the system, and update the shipping information, so I won't be shutting down early. But I will probably be pouring myself a glass of vino at 5pm, and catching up with my friend Mary, as she does her Friday night commute, just like I used to in the old days when I had a proper job! That certainly feels better than my old hour and a half drive home!

Customer Service - the goodies and baddies!

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Why is it some people do exactly what they say they are going to do, whilst other companies are absolutely useless. I've experienced at first hand this week both good and bad customer service.
Lets start with the baddies - as the owner of an online shop I like to support other online businesses, so with my other half's birthday approaching, a quick google and I came across Fur, Feather And Fin - www.furfeatherandfin.com - an outlet for sporting goods. I placed my order, easy to use site and waited, and waited, after a week I thought I had better chase it, as there was only 5 days to go before the birthday. I was told what I'd ordered was out of stock, (why they never thought to tell me??), offered me a replacement, and told it would be with me in 3 days time.
So again I waited - no news and unfortunately the birthday has come and gone - and still no present. I have had to resort to contacting them again, to be told it's being despatched tomorrow(heard that one before!), so we shall see.
(Note I am not actually saying what the item is, as it was / is supposed to be a surprise!)
On the goodies side, with the addition of our new hamper range, plus impending postal strike, I thought it prudent to get an alternative delivery service organised. The guy from APC came out to see me, went through the range, and with one simple form the account was set up - simples!!
I still intend to use Royal Mail for the smaller packages, but at least with a fall back of a courier, I can avoid disappointing customers if a strike happens.
The star baddy award though has to go to a building company - no surprise there I hear many of you cry! Roundwood Construction have got appalling customer service.
We booked a garage back in July, and were advised that it was 6 - 8 weeks delivery, so end of September for delivery. Yes, you've guessed it, the end of September has come and gone, the delivery date was revised to this week, and yesterday we were told that suddenly the wood is only just being cut, and it will be another two weeks before they come to erect the frame.
Once again, poor communication has really let a company down, and instead of telling us last week that there was not a cats chance that the garage would be here this week, they decided the head in the sand route was the better option! Will they redeem themselves?? I will keep you posted, but at the moment it looks like end of September delivery is really end of October....

Another photoshoot

It was nice to catch up with David & Pat again yesterday - as they came back to shoot my bathrooms. It's always interesting to see your home through someone else's eyes, and in the top floor bathroom they had decided to introduce a shot of peacock blue - the starting point was a very pretty pair of wooden sandles I had bought on a trip to the market in Vietnam, hand painted with sparkly bits. Rarely worn, but they look gorgeous - having wooden soles they make a bit of a din when you walk around!!
I had added a few of my blue glass pieces I used to collect - along with some perfume bottles, and flowers in the lovely Linda Bloomfield jug. Plus of course our zesty honey hand wash and hand lotion, and soy wax candles. Emma from The Naked Soap company had sent along some of her gorgeous soaps - (they smell divine), and suddenly the bathroom looked very different.
The worst bit is always having to pose for the pictures - there are only so many ways you can pretend to be folding a towel, as if it was normal behaviour!
David now has to edit / photoshop and generally work his magic, whilst Pat puts together a synopsis to entice the mags onboard. I will keep you posted as to when and where the article will appear.

Autumn Leaves

I love this time of year - its that half light and beautiful Autumnal trees that makes you want to get outside for a long walk, wrapped up in a warm coat.
Ok, it was partly an excuse to get outside for half an hour - I popped over to Compton Verney this afternoon, to pick up some of the lovely Autumn leaves. They compliment our Ochre textiles so well - I just had to get my camera out, and do a few pics. Our beeswax candles have been doing so well recently, I thought it would help give people ideas how they could "decorate" them for their dining tables.
It does also feel like you are on a bit of a countdown to Christmas from here on in -especially as I need to start fine tuning the Christmas gift guide and newsletter.
I hope the Riverford Organic offer on the October newsletter has spurred a few of you on to try one of their veg boxes - it will certainly make for more adventurous menus!
I'm meeting up with the lovely Kim from Lavender Ladies later in the week - our new Lavender bags have arrived in the lush Rouge Venetien, so I'm going to pick up the stuffing!! It will be a nice fragrant job filling the Lavender Bags.

Shows and stuff

Ochre & Ocre were at the Stratford Food Festival for 3 days over the weekend. It is always interesting to get first hand reactions to new additions to our ranges. The Honey Handwash and hand lotion were really well received, and several people who wandered off rubbing some of the tester into their hands, came back to purchase.
Our new hampers also got a great reaction, and a few local businesses who normally send M&S hampers to their clients were pleased to find a local alternative.
Unfortunately the new Venetien Red did not make it in time, but a lot of people were thinking about Christmas already. Our Christmas gift ideas leaflet proved very popular.
Our Organic Linen Table linen drew a great response - as when you get to see and feel the quality peope really appreciate just how beautiful it is.
As always at shows you get to meet lots of interesting characters, as well as networking with other small businesses. We were opposite French Flavour - who had a lovely range of smoked garlic, sparkling cider and wines amongst other items. Look out for future collaborations on our newsletters.
We have a bit of a break from shows for a few weeks now before we get into the silly Christmas show season, with lots of charity fairs, as well as the big Good Food Show in November at the NEC.

Stratford Food Festival

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It's prep time again this week for our next show - The Stratford Food Festival which is taking place in the heart of Stratford Upon Avon. On for 3 days - Fri / Sat / Sun, from 9 - 5.30, it promises to be a great show.
I spent a few hours this morning making up new hampers ready, as well as some of our new mini hampers. Our beeswax pots look like lovely egg yolks when they are nestling in the wood straw. The wood straw is a bit lethal though, as you do tend to get a few bits digging into your fingers when you try to rip it from the bale. Gert has got very intolerant of me doing anything other than sitting at my desk, and leaves the office in a huff as soon as I start rustling. Needless to say she was not a fan of the hairdryer when I was shrink wrapping the cellophane.
After our mini eco break at The Scarlet last week, my session with Sharon at BFFA I know is not going to be easy this week - it's not that I've been taking it easy - shovelling gravel does wonders for your abs and biceps, but I know I am woefully unprepared for my forms.
As you know I like to share any online gems I come across, and I was very impressed by the service I got recently from The Big Plant Nursery, in West Sussex. I was after 3 architecturally shaped plants, (I don't do names!), so I picked out a few I liked the look of on their website. The exact ones I chose were not in stock at the time, but they quickly sent me pics of the exact plants they could send me, complete with model(ok the bloke who had dug them up!). They arrived within a few days, and they've even managed to survive my adhoc plant care!
So check out their website if you ever need instant gardening: www.bigplantnursery.co.uk

Scarlet Hotel

I was very fortunate this weekend to be whisked away to Cornwall for a very special Birthday treat - a 3 night stay in the super eco luxe Scarlet Hotel.
The Scarlet is brand new - it opened its doors this September, and I would urge you all to try and book in a visit while they have their amazing 50% opening offer on.
The architecture was gorgeous - mellowing copper, natural wood, and slate, and glittering mosaics in the bathrooms, bold wallpaper prints on feature walls - and views to die for.
The hotel is perched on the edge of the bay at Mawgan Porth - and from almost every aspect you get amazing sea views. We were lucky we also managed to get one of the rare weekends in the UK that was sunny, and on my birthday we even managed to lounge by the side of the open air pool, and grab some rays. I did not brave the water, which judging by most peoples reactions seemed to be sub zero - but I did have a quiet pootle in the indoor pool, which is heated by solar panels.
The Scarlets eco credentials are excellent - but you don't feel like you are in a hair shirt kind of place, because so much attention has gone into the design.
The electricity supply is from Ecotricity, and is 100% wind generated. Grey water is harvested to flush the loos, and there is a heat exchange ventilation system, whilst the heating itself comes from a biomass boiler fed by wood chips.
It is well worth the climb up the opposite cliff just to gaze back at the hotel which has been built quite low into the hillside.
The food was also excellent - with loads of fish choices which you would expect by the sea, but also so very yummy vegetarian options. The staff were very laid back, but in a nice way, so you felt like you could curl your feet up under you on one of the cosy sofas in the library.
The only disappointment was the table linen they had chosen was of the laundry style, bog standard white damask, with so much attention to detail elsewhere with the Organic Luma bedding, and local Cornwall Soap Box soap, it was a shame they had not gone all the way with the eco sourcing.
We also popped over to Jamie Olivers Fifteen restaurant, which was only 10 minutes away at Watergate Bay. Again we were very fortunate to have one of the best sunsets that the locals had seen for a while - (you could tell because even the waiters and waitresses were stopping to look at the sunset).
It was one of the nicest meals I've had in ages, and we also had one of my favourite Sicilian Organic wines, which you rarely see in the UK. The quality of the ingredients was excellent - where they could get a good local supply the food was local, but the olive oil and buffalo mozzarella were from Italy and tasted so fresh.
It was certainly a birthday to remember, and although it was only 3 days we felt like we had been away longer.

New Season

I love this time of year - it has that feeling of back to school without all the angst of starting a new term! The best bit about turning towards Autumn is that you get to cover up, with opaque tights and snug knitwear - and obviously update your wardrobe with a few key new pieces.
I've just received an email with Ascension's new Autumn look book - and I'm loving their new range. They have some really great strong colours and stylish prints, and are proving that being green does not mean sack cloth and beige! Formerly Adili, the online eco chic store works with small ethical producers, and has produced some really strong pieces. Their homewares range needs some love and attention, and lacks the attention to detail the fashion ranges have received.
We have been slowly adding our new Autumn ranges - the new Venetien Red Table linen is being made as I write, and will be online by the end of September!
The new Ochre And Ocre British leather range is now in, the perfect way to update your dinner table this Autumn.

Indian Summer

Image by Joriel "Joz" Jimenez via Flickr

Will we, won't we?? Everywhere I go, people gather to talk excitedly about....wait for it...the weather??? Ok, I know summer wasn't quite what was promised, but the excitement that a few days sun shine provokes is quite amazing.
I'm very pleased about the weather for a different reason, as it means that the brickies can crack on with the walls at the front of the house. I'm looking forward to the day, when instead of the battle of the Somme, I have a nice landscaped view!
I had a quick trip to the Autumn Gift Fair in Birmingham yesterday, mainly to see Nicola Wilkes, from Wales At Home give a presentation on trends for the next season. She did a really good presentation, and managed to keep going despite tannoy interruptions, and even a nearby stand collapsing. (Apparently some poor soul was trapped under the stand and knocked unconscious - mental note to self to check Ochre And Ocre's stand for the Good Food Show at the NEC is well secured!).
I had a quick whizz around, and caught up with some of our suppliers, and it was a chance to see what was new.
I had to rush back to take the estate agents, "show over" lady around the house, so she can take prospective buyers around. It is quite a strange situation, as you are selling your house, but when you walk around with someone pointing out all the nice bits, you do start to wonder, why I am moving again!
It is my 4th session at BFFA this morning - I find it is a really good way to switch off from everything and just focus for an hour on remembering the forms and just trying to breathe!

1 Year Old today!

Yey - we've made it!! Ochre & Ocre are officially 1 year old today! I have to admit there were several times when I didn't think we would make it this far - and its been a difficult time to start a business. But I've learnt so much more in the last year, far more than I would have learnt if I had stayed at Next.
So its only right I say a little thank you to a few people who have been really supportive and helped Ochre & Ocre get this far; Phillippe Oligario and team from Blue Earth Solutions, for putting up with my constant questions, additions to the site. (Thanks for adding the GWG guide banner this weekend!). Having a "shop" that not only looks good but that works is vital for an online business.
A big thank you has to go to Lindsey Joyce - graphic designer extraordinaire - she put together the look for the logo, and all our packaging, and has been a huge support. She also is quite good at telling me off if I don't follow her strict design rules!!
Obviously our suppliers have been a huge support, Adriano and Pedro in Portugal, for delivering a fantastic quality product. Doug for his lovely beeswax candles, and Kim for the amazing lavender. Plus many others....thank you to you all!
Finally a massive thank you has to go to my hubbie - Paul, as he has supported me both emotionally and financially on this venture - and we used to wonder what we did in our spare time. Now those long evenings fly by when we are making swatch cards!
But enough of the Oscar speech - we've still got a long way to go, and a lot more hard work ahead of us - onwards and upwards!!

New Goodies

I really love it when we add new stock - as a buyer you are always looking forward to a new season, new colourways, and just something new to look at and photograph!! So it's been a great week this week, as not only did I pick up our new pure beeswax terracotta candle pots from the beekeeper this morning, but our new leather placemats also arrived!
As the Doug, the beekeeper lives over in Gloucestershire we tend to meet halfway - this time we met in the carpark of the Air Balloon, by Gloucester. We must have looked very shady, as I pulled up next to his landrover, and I loaded up the boxes of the sweet smelling honey pots.
Just after I got back, the leather placemats and coasters were dropped off - so once we had checked off the stock -I could set to and photograph them. See the results online now!
I love real leather - one of my first buyerships were I really cut my teeth was mens leather jackets, and I learnt alot about the different skins and markings. I also learnt about some of the more dodgy curing processes involved in hides from India, hence I was paricularly keen to get British leather, as the animal has had a good life and would be humanely killed, and you ge excellent quality hides. I love the fact you get stretch marks, just like humans - it all adds to the character of the skin.
The timing of the new deliveries was perfect for the show this weekend - it will be the first time anyone will have been able to try our honey hand wash and hand lotion as well - so fingers crossed for a good response. Have a great Bank Holiday!

Boxes & diggers

The normal peaceful working environment I enjoy has been shattered with the arrival of diggers / builders and rounds of tea making. I'm not complaining though - we moved in a year ago and the front badly needed to be finished. The nice thing is, that I know the lads, as we are using the same builder, Dean Manning, and they are a good bunch.
It was a bit of an unknown as to when they were going to turn up, so I had gone ahead and ordered my hamper boxes. Luckily for the delivery driver he managed to sneak into the drive in between concrete pours.
Empty boxes certainly take up a lot of room - and the wicker trays, hampers and outers are now stashed into every conceivable hiding place. I had also ordered some shrink wrap to go over the finished hampers - and I made a few up on Friday. They looked the bees knees - our American friend who was staying over the weekend, ended up taking a few of the finished sets away with him.
This week its prep for the Four Shires Show in Banbury, this Sunday. Fingers crossed the weather stays fine. I am also putting together some special offers, as it is our first birthday next week - keep an eye out for our newsletter.

Hen House Envy

Ok - I've got a confession to make...my name is Tess and I am envious of my friends hen house!
The talented jeweller Jo Verity has been busy living the good life over in the lovely Malvern Hills, and has recently added this rather superb hen house (with hens of course!), to her garden.
Ok - so I am a little timid / scared of the winged things, ever since a very nasty one called "Pecker" used to chase me around my mums orchard when I was little. You had to go in armed with a cabbage stalk to beat them back, if you wanted to collect eggs.
Jo's team sound very different, and its great to get updates on their egg laying - apparently the first time one of the hens laid an egg, they were all running round chirping and flapping to celebrate!
I know I won't be the only one with this problem, my friend Amy also has HHE (Hen House Envy). Don't worry Amy - our time will come!

Happy Hampers!

I spent a few hours photographing our new Ochre And Ocre hampers today - you wouldn't think taking pictures of inanimate objects would be so difficult! Also trying to make soft textiles look good next to a box is not easy. I tried looking for inspiration on the web, but most hampers seemed to be filled with packets, cartons and bottles, and to be honest with you are fairly uninspiring. So you never know - maybe our new take on hampers with hit the mark!
I've got my third personal training session at BFFA tomorrow - after a week of a an annoying chest infection, I'm hoping I can keep up the pace. Especially as Sharon has had a week off, so she will be bouncier than ever.
The most exciting news of all though is that we are off to see U2 in Cardiff this weekend - I can't wait!

Christmas came early

Never work with children and animals - well we tried today with a very cute lil dog called Darcey - it was time to do some Christmas pics with our lovely new Venetien Red. My friend Amy very kindly agreed we could use her house, and I turned up armed with a table, table linen, crockery and ivy. Darcey thought the ivy was great - and proceeded to drag it out of the sack and troll it around the house, chewing.
Once we wrestled it from her jaws, the table was laid. Darcey was very keen to take part, and nearly suceeded with the table cloth trick, by sitting on the edge of the cloth. Luckily no wine was spilled!
She was a natural born poser, as you can see from the pics.
After a few snaps, we still had time to take Darcey for a walk in the nearby fields. A very muggy, humid day, but nice to be outside in the fresh air.
Just our new hamper pics left to do now - once the chocolate brownies and fudge are ready!

Burwarton Show in the Sunshine!

We were really lucky that it was sunny in Burwarton yesterday - and there was a really good turn out. We were in the Wire tent, and had some good friends in there too - Jo from Jo Verity Designs was next door. As an ex Visual Merchandiser, as you would expect her stand looked very stylish - with a great Victorian feel. Her screen at the back of the stand she decoupaged herself. (She does undertake commissions). She also had a lot of new jewellery and home interior pieces. It was very hard not to spend the days profits on her lovely pieces.
The Naked team were there as well - well not completely naked - just Naked soap! It was their first ever show, but I think a successful one for them.

A day to catch up -unload, and update the stocks today - although with the sun beaming into the office I think an hour in the garden might be the order of the day later!

No shows next week - but we are hoping to get some Christmas pics done at my good friend Amy's house; a beautifully renovated house overlooking the Malvern Hills. Its a chance to catch up with her mad Sussex spaniel Darcey as well, who has sad eyes like melting chocolate.
Just waiting for the fudge and brownie boxes from the team at As Sweet As, and then we can get the hamper pics done as well.

I hope you all checked out the Sage website, with the brilliant newsletter subscriber offer. Well worth starting your Christmas shopping early! (Can you tell we are working on Christmas already!). Don't worry we will be thinking picnics and bbq's at Christmas time!