Harrogate Home & Gift Show 2011

Off went my first export order last week. It was really exciting as I watched the lorry drive away. The boxes have such a long way to travel all the way to New Zealand. They will take a couple of months to arrive, so I hope they are ok when they get to their destination.

I have been busily preparing for my next trade show, the fourth in 19 months. It is a lot for me to take on, as it is with many start up publishers. I don't have the luxury of a lorry to transport all of my display to the exhibition centre and so Mum and I struggle along on public transport which in itself is a challenge. We decided that as Harrogate is a five hour journey, travelling and putting up the exhibition in one day is just too much to take on, so we have booked an extra day in Harrogate to at least have a little relaxation time before the doors open.

I am really looking forward to visiting Harrogate for the first time and meeting buyers from further North. I can't wait to bump into my creative friends too and meeting those who I have only spoken to via twitter. It will be great to put faces to those tiny avatars.

I am just recovering from tonsillitis. I am glad that it didn't come this week as I have had so much to do, but it delayed cuddles with my newborn Niece Ella-Jane. I am so happy to be an Auntie and wanted to share this photo with you. She will be pulling my hair in no time!

I have also had a little secret mission for a while, which I haven't been able to share much about. I am so pleased to say that over the past couple of months I have been working on a freelance basis, designing some greeting cards for Next which will be coming to the shops in 2012.

I am really fortunate to have been working with them and I can't wait to see the results. I will share it all with you when they are published.

I was also in Birmingham last week with my boyfriend who was hunting for somewhere to live during his PGCE (teacher training), and of course I had to pop to the Bullring shopping centre for a browse. I hadn't realised that my cards were in the Paperchase inside Selfridges, so when I spotted them on the shelf I had to get some snaps. It made my day! I am sure people were wondering what I was smiling about.

 

I am sure there will be lots of news after the show, and hopefully some new projects to take on. I already have plans for new card ranges but need some Studio time to get pencil to paper.