Road Blocks

I never know quite what I'm going to come across when I set off for my daily trip to the Post Office. It is only a mile away - but in that mile all kinds of hazards and obstacles seem to pop up.
This morning a rather cute Highland calf took an age to cross over the road - I couldn't resist taking a snap of him on my phone. This was after sitting there for 5 minutes for the flock of sheep to walk slowly up the road!

Yesterday I was following a car across the common, and they couldn't get the sheep to move out of their way - I must have looked like the local nutter as I jumped out of my car behind them and shooed the sheep off the road.
Apparently it is worse in the winter as the cattle hang around on the road when it is icy as they like to lick the salt!
We are busy working on finalising our Autumn brochure at the moment - with help by the multi skilled Lindsey Joyce who also designed our Isabella print. Isabella herself is currently on our homepage looking very fetching in her apron!
When we originally started nearly 2 years ago now - we only ever intended to be online - but we keep getting requests for a brochure, and hopefully it will enable us to reach a new part of the market. 

We have had some really good press coverage of late - our Isabella apron is in this months Country Living on the Emporium pages, and in the August edition of Period House you can see our Isabella fabric.

We Did It!

We have had quite an eventful weekend at Ochre HQ. We undertook the challenge of climbing the 3 Peaks in 24 hours. Climbing 3 hills doesn't sound particularly tough, and each one individually is not too bad. But doing one then sitting in a mini bus for a few hours, then another, then another, and your legs start to ache, and oh yes - normally you would sleep in a 24 hour period.
Ben Nevis was the hardest - it is the biggest, it starts with the steepest incline, and starts to get quite cold as you reach the top. (There was snow!).
There were a few mishaps, mainly the mini bus not starting several times - thank you to the local cabbie who got us to the first Peak, and to the AA man who shows our driver how to use this magic spray on the engine.

Scafell was the next, and we set off in daylight and came back in the dark - it was quite eerie seeing the headtorches of all the other climbers in the distance. Once again the mini bus cut out in a lane somewhere in the Lakes - then 10 minutes later it did it again. Thankfully by now Paul T our driver was quite adept at getting it going.

As we entered Wales it was raining quite heavily - our hearts sank, last time we had practiced on Snowdon we got very wet- but as we drove further into Wales the rain started to ease off.  
When we reached Snowdon it was just starting to get light - and as the sun was rising there was a fantastic play of light on the hills. We set off for the last climb at 4.15 am. Knees were starting to get very sore with the constant climbing, and we were running on empty. But a brisk walk along the Miners Track and a final sprint for the finish ensured we achieved our target. We finished as a team, with 10 minutes to spare - a huge achievement, and a relief that it's over. 

Daily Routine

It's funny how quickly life gets back to normal - and living in our new abode feels like home.
The bulldog has settled in - and quickly established her routine. Sleep until 6, have breakfast, sleep until 9, small snack and wander around the grounds(!), sleep until lunchtime, little stretch, then start playing merry hell from about 4 as she wants her tea!

Life for Ochre And Ocre has quickly resumed it's routine as well. Still internet connection issues which make it quite hard - you are half way doing something when suddenly the connection dies, or worse I get an email on my Blackberry saying I've had an order, but I can't log on to print it off.
I pay more for having my Broadband through Eclipse Internet, but it is worth it as I can at least speak to a friendly human, and they have been trying really hard to resolve things.
We went to our first show since moving last Saturday, and it was quite a fresh start, as we've upgraded our shelves and signage. We think it's clearer and neater - comments welcomed. I know I now need to update the banner, but it's another cost again, and you do wander if it makes a huge difference?

This weekend it is our big challenge - the Three Peaks. As well as me and Mr Ochre, our book keeper Amy is doing it as well - nothing like taking the whole team down in one go is there! Maybe we should be more like royalty and not travel together! We will be posting updates on Facebook, lets hope the weather is dry!
I caught up with Jet from Dinner Party Allotments on the phone today, as she has just come back from her first major show, (Chelsea), and was being a very harsh judge on herself. I wish there was some site / forum where small businesses could share info truthfully on good / bad shows, what advertising works, or doesn't work. Unfortunately everyone seems too keen to set up sites and take money off you. Anyway not only had Jet managed to get her stand on the BBC, she also had loads of journalist's interested.

Jet with Rachael de Thame at Chelsea.

One thing I've always found from shows is that you get something from each show, even if it's not sales. 
It is very hard when you are working from home, without that support network of colleagues, and help desks, you can drive yourself into ever decreasing circles, and question what you are doing.
When Emma, (Naked Soap) and I were talking to Wilfred from The Black Farmer at the Cirencester Polo match show last weekend, it was very telling  when he was asked how does he manage to step back from things and yet still get everything done. The word "we" was used a lot - for instance "when we update Facebook". Unfortunately for most of us there is no we - and although we have different external supports, the day to day is very much "I".

The Rural Idyll

We made it - all our belongings, the dog, the Ochre stock. It was only a county away, but it did require military like planning. Yes, we are saying never again, and yes I know we said that the last 6 times!
I bagged the best view in the house as my office - with far reaching views across common land towards the Malverns. It did require that a wall was demolished to make it a workable space, but it now has a double aspect, and obviously meets the bulldogs approval as she is snoring away happily in her box.

I won't bore you with the stress involved trying to sort out a phone line - but it took over a week before we had a proper connection. So a special thanks to Amy for letting me become her new local stalker, and use her computer to print out orders!
There are loads of new "projects" we are aiming to do on the house, once we catch our breath, and we'll keep you updated. The plan is to try to source everything as local, green and British made as possible.
We have already planted out our veg plot, (when I say we I do need to acknowledge that we called in the experts, Mum And Dad! - we can't wait for the first signs of growth. Although a battle with the local rabbit population has already ensued. They have had free rein for a while, and are not taking notice of our finely raked soil. Rabbit pie anyone....??
So ok, it's not quite the Good Life, or River Cottage, but I suspect life will be a little different here, and I will endeavor to entertain you will tales from the hillside!

Quick Update

I wasn't expecting to get chance to update the blog before we moved - but there are only so many hours you can spend cramming things into boxes.
You will be pleased to read the BT saga has been resolved, after several hours on hold to call centres in India, and some very frustrating conversations.


We had a mixed reaction at last weeks Sudeley show - it was wonderful weather, although a bit airless inside the marquee. The first two days were fantastic - good footfall and good sales. The weekend was still good footfall, but it felt more like most people were out for a family day out than a shopping trip.
I met a lovely new company there called Lark Home - and succumbed to one of their gorgeous English leather satchels, (in aged silver). They are just setting up, and Sudeley was their first show, as well as launching their website the previous day. Keep an eye out for them, with good ethics, (sourcing from the UK), as well as good taste, (beautiful ceramics), I think we might be seeing more of them around.

Well I'd better get back to the boxes......

Planning And Packing

After what seems like years but was really only 3 months - our house sale has finally gone through! This means that for the first time I need to not only move house but move a business as well.
The house move doesn't really phase me - I have done it several times, this will be our 6th move in 7 years, so I admit sorting out packing / change of address seems quite straightforward.
The more difficult challenge will be trying to keep the business running with as few interruptions as possible.
The first challenge as always is BT - I have to admit that I don't lose my temper very often, but I do find dealing with BT call centres very frustrating. With an online business the phone line is probably the bit I am most concerned about - followed by the internet connection. Worrying about curtains / furniture and post pales into insignificance in comparison.

Minimising the amount of disruption to the Bulldog is probably number 3 on the list. As she has got older, the sight of any bags / boxes and luggage turn her into a quivering jelly. Setting up for shows sends the poor dog into deep trauma. She will be shipped off to my parents again to have a little holiday on the farm - although now she is older she has become more demanding, so she does tend to outstay her welcome more quickly these days!

Once the dog is sorted then the more straightforward bits like office stationery / website can be dealt with, as well as shifting all the stock 

Moving will also bring some exciting new additions to the Ochre And Ocre range that we have been holding off on, until we move.

So don't be surprised if you don't see many blog updates over the next few weeks - but I hope to be able to back online and incommunicado by the second week in May, (BT willing!).

As routine as it gets!

The strange thing about this self employed lark is that there is no set routine. Where I have worked in big corporations before, set things happen on set days; meetings about the figures, meetings about ranges, meetings about meetings. Working on your own there is none of that, but it still never ceases to amaze me how bizarre my week can be sometimes.
Today I had my 5 minutes of fame on the local radio station. It was a bit of a cheesy daily feature about local businesses, who get a song played of their choice if they let someone go home early. There in lies the problem; I work on my own, from home, so I guess I might just log off a bit earlier tonight instead!
On the plus side the DJ was great and mentioned Ochre And Ocre loads, so you never know what it might bring.
Gert as usual was trying to get involved by snoring very loudly from her box - I woke her up just before my allotted time and tried to move her from my office onto the sofa. But I should have listed to that old adage "let sleeping dogs lie", because snoring is nothing compared to barking, as she decided she wanted to be let out several times in a row, just before I went "live".

I am off to Marlborough tomorrow for a show. It is a fund raiser for Cancer Research, a cause I am quite passionate about, but apparently we are in for a few days of sun shine, so I hope the local Marlbourians turn up, and don't have a garden day.