A Badger Lampshade

So today I finally got around to making my first lampshade! I think I'd put it off as it all seemed a bit fiddly but it actually wasn't too bad. I printed two badgers onto a piece of cotton for this lampshade- I think it looks nice, but next time I shall use the smaller repeat fabric or more prints of the larger images. So I'm going to order another 24 frames to take some to the Country Living Fair.

This one can be found hanging in my parents study. The natural cotton works really well, especially when the light is turned on, it gives off a lovely warm glow. Hopefully they will sell well at the fair, and then after that they will be available at www.whinberryantler.com.

Thanks

W&A

A scurry of Red Squirrels and a Wisdom of Owls.

Today I have been printing the new owls and squirrels onto all things W&A cotton based. I'm really pleased with both designs. The owl will be too big to make into lavender bags, but it looks great on the aprons. The red squirrel is very cute and definitely has the 'ahh' factor, which should make him popular. Once I have made a selection of new products I shall start photographing them all to make them available online. Here's some photos of them, including me wearing and showing two of the new products...

Country Living Christmas Fair prep underway

Well, I'm slowly working through the check list for the Country Living Christmas Fair in London this November. Started printing the new designs yesterday which was great!

I've also just ordered a child and adult dress mannequin as I felt that the aprons were not displayed as well as they could have been at the Spring fair. I've also just received a lamp shade kit in the post today so we will be making a prototype this weekend, I'll post a picture of it when it's done!

Many thanks for coming back to read the W&A blog! See you soon.

Presenting the Fox, Red Squirrel, Mouse and Barn Owl

Well, it took a little longer than expected to get some good drawing done and get the new designs ready, but I picked up the new screen today so I shall be printing the new Whinberry & Antler designs tomorrow. I am looking forward to taking them to the Country Living Christmas Fair at the start of November (7th-11th) to see what people make of them. My favourite is the fox, but foxes and badgers are probably my favourite of the British wildlife!

Just a quick one...

Just a brief post to say the first apron has been sold! And no surprises it's a badger! For any small businesses reading this who may be considering joining Not on the Highstreet, I would highly recommend it.

Aprons now available online

The Whinberry & Antler adult aprons are now available to order online! Just waiting to get the opportunity to photograph the children's aprons to do the same. Please go to the website to have a look (big thanks to my brother Seb for modelling them for me!)

http://www.whinberryantler.com/product-category/homeware/

I would also like to mention a new retailer for W&A products; Willow & Stone, Falmouth. They sell some really lovely things, I came across their company whilst looking for some door handles for myself and I am so pleased that they now stock my products. They have a great online shop, as well as having just moved to a bigger premises in Falmouth itself. I highly recommend taking a look at their website if you're looking for top quality, original and British homeware accessories: http://www.willowandstone.co.uk/ . As well as that, I am using the early part of this week to complete another order for Vintage, in Shrewsbury (https://www.facebook.com/vintage.shrewsbury). Only three weeks since their first order, so it's great to know that W&A is doing well in it's hometown!

And so attention really is turning to the Country Living Christmas fair. I have completed some new designs (think fox, field mouse, red squirrel and barn owl). So now I just need to order a new silk screen to start printing them in time for the fair! I'm also trying to develop the ceramics range in time, as well as hopefully set it up so that customers can purchase gift vouchers to use online... So if you know anyone who may like our products, but you can't decide on an exact one then maybe a gift voucher could be the ideal gift!

Whinberry & Antler now also uses instagram, so if you're interested in what goes on behind a business, and want to see how things are made, then just like our facebook page to stay updated! (I'm all about photographs and visual so it suits me perfectly!) 

www.facebook.com/pages/Whinberry-Antler

Anyway, a big day of printing draught excluders lies ahead tomorrow, so it is probably time to leave the office and call it a day. Still working out the best ways to photograph them to put them online... but in the meantime, they are available at both Vintage and Willow & Stone.

My day of squeegees and inks which lies ahead...

All the best, hope to see you on facebook and back on here soon!

 Thanks for reading.

W&A

W&A featured in LandLove Magazine and Fabric now available online

I have just uploaded the fabric so that it is now available to purchase by the metre from www.whinberryantler.com.

In other news, our notonthehighstreet.com shop is doing really well, considering it is still very early days for it. It's been really good so far for getting the W&A name out there too and it's really nice to know that people like my products.

Also, not too long ago, whilst on my way to London I was at WH Smiths in Birmingham New Street station where I picked up a copy of LandLove Magazine and whilst flicking through came across this page featuring Whinberry & Antler products. I was by myself at the time, so I was very tempted to share my joy with the people around me whom I did not know, however I did manage to contain my excitement in the end! Safe to say I purchased a copy.

I must say a big thank you to LandLove Magazine for using my products and also for sending me a pdf of the page for me to use. It's a really great magazine with lots of really interesting articles not just about homewares, but about the British countryside, traditional crafts and trades, and some very tasty recipes. For more information just visit their website; LandLove.com.

Thanks for reading.

W&A