Tag Archives: shows

TOPDRAWER… and the winner is…

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Friday saw us heading up the A3 to the big smoke for Top Drawer (which was a relief as on Wednesday we were still snowed in!)

This was our 3rd collection launch and we were anxious to not be boring but worried it was all too different…  The branding, stand design, and colours were all new..  as we unveiled our more focused range of NOSTALGIC CHIC.

So you can imagine our surprise and delight when on Sunday we received the BEST HOME PRODUCT in the TOP DRAWER 2010 awards for our new art prints – in particular my ditties (based on my loves, life and marriage)…  and our pals at Anorak won the BEST GIFT for Laurie’s new Apron design. 

The rest of the show went like a dream, taking record breaking order books and meeting some fantastic people with whom we hope to do some exciting things!

 Granny Knits needlepoint kits also made their show debut – and I was still stitching cushions in the van!  They were loved by all and we are now twisting yarns galore to fulfill orders, as well as developing some new and exciting designs; and working on some great collaborations.

Plus it was my first tweeting meeting.. as lots of tweeter followers and friends popped on to say hello and even share the odd glass of wine with!   We do love the shows at Pearl and Earl and it always sad to say adieu to our fellow interior gang as it really is a lovely community.

Thank you to one and all for making it a show to remember

Snowed in Sussex

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Brrr  …
This week we had just headed back to work, and the kids back to school, when Mother Nature came and hit Sussex hard with something we are not really used to.

We had a delightful Christmassy flurry just before the holidays – but this was something else!  The A3 was closed with 400 cars stranded, the local schools are closed, the post office and bank have been closed for 4 days now – and there is a frozen 3 foot pile of ice blocking our car from going anywhere!

Welcome to the big freeze!

As I write it is minus 5 and we are promised another foot of snow tonight!  There is 5 inches of ice on the roads in Arundel (no grit here!) and with our hills it is a little treacherous!

On the first day we delighted with the rest of the town in sledging, hot chocolate and igloo building, but as 4 days has past and the world around seems to be at a standstill – the kids are going stir crazy and we are getting increasingly concerned about the affect this is having on our business.  No UPS or Royal Mail and manufacturers being closed for days is going to have a huge impact on our Top Drawer offering next week.

We are busy in our igloo making up kits and bits for Granny Knits (but new yarns are not getting through to my sewing ladies) and mocking up our new China and Textile products…  so we really are ‘Make Do and Mending!’

The community spirit is in full force sharing our loaves food and having impromptu gatherings..  so business worries aside this will be a January to remember for sure.

Fingers crossed though it has cleared for us to head up to Top Drawer next week.

Feeling like a Show Girl

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We are still in the midst of our round up of Christmas Fairs for 2009 – and it is a slog of 3 weeks of packing and unpacking vans, herding the kiddies around and smiling at and meeting all our lovely customers.

Start up Spirit of Christmas – in the stunning Olympia which has had a lick of paint and had mammouth baubles hung in the centre (see chaos of hall pre wine bar set up!)

Finally we painted, moved rogue electrical boxes, ate pies and drank wine and weary eyed were there to greet our shoppers at 9am….  and we had a cracking stand in the centre despite a few set up dramas – all our customers turned up  to shop…

Crazy 5 days later and we packed our van to head to Country Living across town in Islington, only 1 lift working so it was chaos!!!  But once again somehow we made it and had some time out to also run round and browse all the other lovely stands there, including the STAMP company,  and a variety of crafters selling their wares.

Packing up and Mr G had a ‘prang’ which put a little dent in the profits – but nontheless we were pooped and filled with a little more Christmas cheer as we headed back to Sussex to catch up on all that we left behind.

One more to go tomorrow – The RARE BRAND MARKET local to us just north of Chichester, it has a selection of premium retailers and crafters set in a renovated Sussex Barn called Farbridge.  Why not pop along and say ‘hi’ and quote RARE20 to get 20% off your purchases.  All is in aid of a good cause – The Sussex Snowdrop Trust.
Thank you to all those who came along  – always appreciated x

Weary Travellers, with lovely things

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We are a little travel weary at Pearl and Earl at the moment.  We are on the last leg of our trade season tour, and are finishing off at Top Drawer at London’s Olympia this week.  It has been great getting out and about meeting some old and new faces, and everyone seems really giddy about Christmas (already I know) which we are taking as positive.
Our new stand looked fresh, and the new Bags and Cards have gone down well!  Plus our lovely laundry bags were featured in a trend area – thanks Nigel!
Back to Sunny Sussex tomorrow – horay!

Go North and Multiply

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We are heading off today to the Harrogate gift fair in lovely Yorkshire. Jacqui was born in York, so is keen to head back up to her roots to find new lovely stores to stock Pearl and Earl’s wares. It is a trade only show from Sunday 19th July – Wednesday 22nd July. Why not pop along and say HELLO. Design Point 2 – stand 112.