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UmmPixies Founded by Paula Carter, UmmPixies is the home of vibrant, colourful homewares, accessories and children’s wear, designed to appeal to those of any age.We recently caught up with Paula to find out more about the brand. Read the interview below to discover more.. How did it all start?I started sewing with my friend when our children were small. We’d make the kids a fruit platter and set them an activity so that we could get stuck into a new project while they played. We sewed A LOT and took the excess to local craft markets and had a fabulous time selling our wares. I realised that it was tough to find jolly designs on good quality organic cotton, so I set up UmmPixies to bring bright, joyful design to homes everywhere. The story behind the name… I studied archaeology and ancient languages and subsequently worked in the Middle East for years. UmmPixies (pronounced oom – pixies) comes from the Arabic tradition of naming parents Umm-(mother) or Abu- (father) after their first-born child. My eldest had very pointy ears as a baby hence the nickname Pixie for them and UmmPixie for me. NB this was several years before GoT started parenting dragons. Where are you based? North London, in a lovely area surrounded by a whole host of parks- which I have particularly cherished the last few years. What inspires you?What doesn’t inspire me? I love colour, pattern, animals, wildlife, light, fun and music (I start humming a song from almost any combination of words that sets off a lyric in my head). Sometimes it can be a tiny thought, from something I see or read that I worry away at which then turns into a few sketches. It can then be days or years before that gets turned into a colourful pattern. What makes your brand or products unique? Me! Of course they are my drawings but also my personality – I am fiercely practical (some might say annoyingly so). Everything I make has the kind of attention to detail that means you will notice the quality. An UmmPixies tea towel is very good at drying up because it is very absorbent and very robust. It also looks lovely wrapped around a fresh loaf of bread because it washes beautifully so it retains its looks even when it has done a lot of dishes. You can easily show off those good looks because the hanging loop is sewn onto the long side so whether your hooks are high or low the towel doesn’t drape on the floor. I believe that practicality should also look to the future and so everything is made in small batches from 100% Organic Cotton certified OEKO-tex100, using non-polluting dyes for minimal environmental footprint during production. My packaging is fully recyclable (even the tape seals are biodegradable). What is your creation process? I start on paper and then finish on computer (via a bit more paper). I have books and books of ideas sketched out, often the same basic idea that’s been worked on numerous times. My ducks pattern came together after many, many walks and runs around my local green spaces during the lockdowns. I’d get home and sketch whichever bird had caught my eye that day. Once I had enough different birds, I digitised my initial drawings and then used an illustration programme to combine the individual birds into a repeating pattern. I usually print out a large format version on paper so that I can visually check how the pattern scales for fabric printing. Don’t worry I do reuse the backs of old printouts for new sketches! What are your plans for the next 12 months?I’m still relatively new so I am focussing on getting to know the people who like what I do so that I can make more of what they like and hopefully build up my business from there… this time next year Rodney! What is your next project? I’m about to launch my oven gloves which I’m very excited about and I’m working on some new (shhh it’s a secret so I can’t tell you about them yet) designs for 2023. What is your biggest achievement? Without a shadow of a doubt being half the production team for our wonderful pixies… I believe the children are our future… What is your best-selling product/line?My adult aprons are my best seller and so far this year it’s a dead heat between the ducks and the foxes although I think the robins may well overtake before the end of the year. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?This will be my first time exhibiting at a Country Living Fair so I’m very excited to be on the other side of the experience. I’m looking forward to meeting the fabulous customers and all the other talented exhibitors. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?I love the buzz, the endless choice of gorgeous gifts that I’m supposed to buy for others but more often than not end up buying for myself (eek!) and I love that it gives me permission to be Christmassy straight after Halloween – I am a HUGE fan of Christmas. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Make things you love making – you’re working for yourself you should enjoy doing it!Get to know your customers, and let them get to know you, you are what makes your business.Work-life balance is crucial, working for yourself can mean that work takes over your whole self. Make time for your family and friends but most importantly make time for yourself outside of the work. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Remember why you started and try to keep that joy in your work – it is easy to get overwhelmed with the to-do lists of a small business where everything is on your shoulders, so from time to time take a step back and remember the reason you started and try to recapture that feeling.

Re-Wrap-It Shona is the founder of the company Re-Wrap-It, a trained Landscape Architect who has always loved design….but hated making packed lunches! So she took to the drawing board to work out if there was a more simple, green solution to wrapping up sandwiches in cling film, tin foil or plastic bags….and the ORIGINAL Wrapper was born!We recently caught up with Shona to find out more about the brand. Read the interview below to discover more.. How did it all start?When my children were very young we were always out and about having picnics, days out etc and I was horrified at the amount of single use plastic bags, or cling film that we were using for sandwiches and toddler finger food.Before my children were born I was a Landscape Architect, and consequently interested in design. So …it was literally back to the drawing board working out the best solution to wrap up sandwiches and not generate plastic waste. After a good few prototypes, playing about with closing mechanisms and sourcing the correct materials ‘The Wrapper’ was born! The story behind the name… Re-Wrap-It is my business name…and The Wrapper, well, is the Wrapper! Simple names and a simple solution. Where are you based? Glasgow What inspires you?Design, David Attenborough and good food ideas. What makes your brand or products unique? As a green product, I felt very strongly that the Wrappers should be made locally in Scotland. I really struggled to scale up the business as companies wouldn’t phone me back or if they did the costs were sky high.I contacted Kilmarnock Prison as I had heard they had an industries department. We struck up a great relationship. The inmates help with the sewing, they learn a skill, gain a qualification and get paid for their work – whilst I get them made 30 minutes from home so a win win situation! What is your creation process? It was all about keeping it simple and solving a problem – getting rid of single use plastic for wrapping up packed lunches. What are your plans for the next 12 months?I am in the process of building a new web site and I would like to expand my presence on social media …. not my strong point! What is your next project? I have started making reusable fabric gift wrap. To get away from all the Christmas and birthday wrapping paper that can’t be recycled because it has glitter or too much sticky tape on it. What is your biggest achievement? Featuring on the BBC program ‘The Customer is Always Right’ What is your best-selling product/line?The ‘Pink Unicorn’ Reusable Sandwich Wrapper…with the ‘Bees’ being a close second! Your experience of your first Country Living Fair?I have been doing the Country Living Spring and Christmas Fairs for a few years but before that I came as a visitor. I always loved the buzz, the chat and the camaraderie. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?Repeat customers actively seeking out my stand – that is always a lovely feeling! Any advice for fledgling businesses… Grow as organically as you can, enter competitions, and keep smiling!

Kate of Kensington Kate of Kensington are creators of rustic British homeware. Their core product is a range of marble platters which can be used as cheeseboards, trivets, chopping boards, or just as a beautiful display piece in the home. We recently caught up with Laura Sutherland to find out more about the brand. Read the interview below to discover more.. How did it all start?From a cosy London apartment Kate began making the foundations of what we have all come to know and love as the brand, Kate of Kensington.Creating homemade gifts for friends and family, to securing positions at local craft fairs, Kate of Kensington has grown and blossomed into a well-respected household name.Since 2012, Kate has been a firm favourite at the world-famous Apple Market in Covent Garden where the business still resides today, never forgetting their humble beginnings.In the summer of 2013, Kate made her show debut at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Still finding her feet in the world of marble meets the masses, Kate met many wonderful like-minded people who gave her the courage to make the jump into manufacturing unique platters on a grander scale. The story behind the name… Our founder is Kate, and she lived in Kensington when she started the business… simple! What is your creation process?Our in-house artist paints all of our watercolour designs, then our lovely team of makers work their magic at our workshop on site. Where are you based? We are based on a farm in the beautiful Essex countryside, and are endlessly inspired by the wonderful local wildlife! What inspires you?The great outdoors – so many of our designs are inspired by the plants and animals around us, some of them are the star characters in our designs… The sheep who features in our Farmyard design is real, his name is Bert and he lives on the farm, you might have spotted him in some of our Instagram posts!We are also endlessly inspired by our customers, they share so many wonderful ideas with us when we see them at shows and our Covent Garden stall. What makes your brand or products unique? We manufacture our core product in-house, which allows us to always keep up with trends, and lets us to control every stage of the process, from artwork to product production. What are your plans for the next 12 months?To continue surprising and delighting our customers with beautiful British homeware. What is your next project? We are expanding our product range… Watch this space! What is your biggest achievement? We were awarded a 5 star trade stand award at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019 which was a dream come true! We are also very proud to be stocked at Highgrove, HRH The Prince of Wales royal residence. Our biggest achievement is making our customers happy. What is your best-selling product/line?Our marble platters. Your experience of your first Country Living Fair Our first show was in 2015 where we won the people’s choice award, and we haven’t missed a showsince! What do you love about Country Living Fairs?Our favourite thing about attending the Country Living fairs is connecting with our wonderful customers. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Listen to your customers – they are always right!Never stop improving your product.Always offer something new each year to surprise and delight your customers. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Go for it! You’re already doing a great job, be proud of yourself and remember you’re doing what you love – how lucky you are!

The Wild Shepherdess The Wild Shepherdess timelessly champions the British Sheepskin and produces luxury, top quality handmade sheepskin products. A brand run by Harriet Foster-Thornton who will be joining us at our Christmas Fair in Harrogate. We caught up with Harriet to find out more about her work. Read the interview below to discover more… How did it all start?The Wild Shepherdess started four years ago when Harriet Foster-Thornton, a first-generation sheep farmer was gifted four Suffolk sheep for her 21st birthday. Three months later Harriet went out and purchased 50 orphaned lambs which needed feeding every four hours. With farming in her blood, a lot of hard work and passion for agriculture the rest as they say is history.Diversification for 26-year-old Harriet began by focussing on the by-products of British sheep with a strong belief in trying to use every part of an animal possible.The Wild Shepherdess sources raw sheepskins from local farmers and abattoirs and alongside her own, Harriet cures and prepares the skins with her own hands before sending them away to be tanned by one of the two remaining sheepskin tanneries in the UK.Harriet designs her own sheepskin products and works alongside skilled craftspeople in the UK to create luxury, British made goods with British sheepskins and wool being the focus of each product. The story behind the name… A nickname for Harriet when she first started shepherding, but we like to leave the why up to our customers imaginations… What is your creation process?My creation process begins when I’m shepherding my flock, this is when my creative ideas always come to mind, when I feel most at ease, I feel inspired.I have always been a creative, hands-on person and with a degree in photography, I love different textures, tones and shapes. I lay different materials and colours out in front of me and see which combinations I like the most. I design a lot of my products on ensuring I will bring colour and happiness to someone’s home and life whilst also ensuring there is still some obvious component of ‘sheep’ in it to bring an element of ‘farm to home’.A lot of my items are created from ‘off-cuts’ or with the intention to produce as little waste as possible. With this in mind I work out what I can make from a certain size scrap of sheepskin and this is how my sheepskin keyrings were designed, they are created from the off cuts once a sheepskin rug has been traditionally shaped. My sheepskin and tweed cushions are all induvial and uniquely shaped to ensure I get the most out of one sheepskin, they are also stuffed with sheepskin offcuts and the tweed are all end of roll pieces that others thought couldn’t be utilised.  Where are you based? North Lincolnshire What inspires you?I am inspired by my surroundings, the wonderful outdoors and my flock of sheep.I am passionate and inspired to utilise the by-products that myself and other sheep farmers produce in the UK by turning them into wonderful items to be treasured and enjoyed, ensuring that we have as little ‘waste’ as possible. This is what inspires me daily, along with being inspired to utilise ancient skills involved with producing sheepskin and wool products.The many benefits and beauty of the by-products I produce and work with also inspire me to continuously create new and unique designs with sheepskin and wool as a main focus. What makes your brand or products unique? The Wild Shepherdess brand and products are unique as all products are focused around the by products of British sheep and today, genuine British sheepskins are quite rare to come across. Every sheepskin is unique and therefore every item is different in its own way.Harriet herself makes the brand unique. She shares her sheep farming life on social media for people to learn and be inspired by her journey and processes. She can ensure that the main materials have come direct from the farm to people’s homes, knowing that those items have come full circle within the UK.  What are your plans for the next 12 months?Plans for the next 12 months involve continuing to champion the British Sheepskin and wool by products with exciting new and unique products for all year round.  What is your next project? The Wild Shepherdess has lots of new projects on the go with sampling new products right now. This involves a new wool knitwear collection, and new sheepskin handbag range amongst many other projects on the go.  What is your biggest achievement? My biggest achievement is diversifying my sheep farming business and playing my bit in utilising the material we are producing here in the UK. And being able to share the beauty of it with so many other people whilst inspiring others What is your best-selling product/line?Our best-selling product has got to be our natural British Sheepskin rugs, each one is unique and beautiful in its own right.These are closely followed by our Sheep & Heart Sheepskin keyrings, a firm favourite for gifting! What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair? I am so excited to be exhibiting at the Christmas Fair and honoured to have been accepted, tobring to the public lots of wonderful new products all handmade in the UK. I can’t wait to meet lots of like-minded exhibitors and meet lots of new customers and to share mystory.It has always been a goal of mine to exhibit at such a well known and respected event. What do you love about Country Living Fairs?I have read Country Living magazine for years and was always first in line from a young age to pick up my Mum or Nannas copy once they had read every word… even if it were to just study and admire every photo. I am a keen fan of the website and love flicking through the Instagram page for the variety of great content, I find it quite inspiring and motivating. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Create something you love and truly believe in.Know your value, don’t undersell yourself or your products.Experiment, research and take time to keep learning and don’t be afraid to ask for advice.. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Believe in yourself and don’t give up. Nothing worth having comes easy.

Flowsica Flowsica is an incredible abstract art and abstract jewellery brand run by Vicki Demirdjian who will be joining us at our Christmas Fair in London.We caught up with artist Vicki to discover more about her work. Read the interview below to find out more… How did it all start?After 30 years as an International Head-hunter, I decided I had had enough, I closed my business, which gave me time to focus on my hobbies, art being one of them.  I needed a piece of artwork for my kitchen diner, but I could not find anything I liked, so I decided to paint something myself, this led to friends and family asking if I could paint them something, which led to the birth of Flowsica. The story behind the name… Florence and Jessica are the names of my grandmothers, they were both incredible women, so I decided to name my art after them. What is your creation process?I do not really have a set process; I begin with a colour combination in mind and then let the creativity flow. Where are you based? Essex What inspires you?Life in general, people, places, experiences.  I love colour, I love how nature brings colours together naturally, for example the ocean or forests.  What makes your brand or products unique? My products are unique as I let the paints flow freely, they naturally take shape, I then tweak until I am happy with the outcome, when I would happily put the piece in my home, its finished. What are your plans for the next 12 months?To continue learning, developing, and exploring my skills. What is your next project? I have just started upcycling my acrylic skins to make pendants, earrings and bracelets, they are so different and an ideal Christmas gift. What is your biggest achievement? My daughter for sure.  Selling my first piece of artwork at Spitalfields Art Market, I was blown away and could not quite believe it.  Its an amazing feeling to know something I have created is in someone’s home. What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair? I am so excited to be doing my first ever large exhibition with Country Living, I love the magazine, and follow avidly on Instagram, I feel so privileged and honoured to be a part of this year’s event, I cannot wait. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Believe in yourself. Its never too late (I started painting at 54). Remember you are perfectly imperfect. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Keep trying – persistence.

BeeHype Honey BeeHype Honey is run by two young entrepreneurs with a shared love for natural foods and healthy living. They set out to create a one-of-a-kind selection of the finest craft honey and honey preserves. The carefully hand-picked honey varieties will tickle the palette of even the most passionate connoisseur. The mission is to prove that healthy natural food can also taste incredibly delicious!We caught up with BeeHype founders Stela and Mo to discover more about the brand. Read the interview below to find out more… How did it all start?One of our favourite things to do is watching Shark Tank which instilled the thought in our heads that “if they can do it, why can’t we do it?”. We knew we wanted to do something big, but we just hadn’t figured out what that was yet.We were living with Mo’s high-school friend back in 2018, and one day he received a big parcel from his parents in Bulgaria – our home country, with some “essentials”. We were wondering what was so special that he couldn’t just buy at the supermarket here. He opened the package and inside were some traditional spices, herbal teas, and… a big jar of honey. And that’s when it hit us – growing up, both of us had access to high-quality honey, straight from the hive, but in the UK we were never able to find the same taste.We reached out to some friends back home and we managed to get a dozen of jars of different honey varieties sent over to us. We organised a blind tasting with our friends and colleagues and the results were beyond belief – they said they’d never had anything like this in their lives, they had never known the true taste of natural raw honey. What seemed like plain old honey to us back when we were kids, was so special and exotic to our friends here.And that’s when we knew we were onto something, so we set off on our journey to create BeeHype. The story behind the name… BeeHype honey was created with a mission – to excite people about honey and prove that healthy, natural food can also taste incredibly delicious. That’s where the ‘hype’ part of the name comes from. Where are you based? We’re based in sunny Glasgow, find us at stand E51 at the local Country Living Christmas Fair and try our exquisite honey varieties. What inspires you?We’re big foodies, inspired by natural, healthy and delicious foods. We’re also very inspired by business owners who started from scratch and created successful businesses. What is your best-selling product? Our bestsellers are Lavish Lavender and Salted Honey. Lavish Lavender is bursting with flavour and has won 2-stars at the Great Taste Awards thanks to its delicate floral taste. Salted Honey is a healthy alternative to the salted caramel spreads we all love but with no refined sugar, dairy, preservatives or saturated fats and 40% fewer calories. What makes your brand or products unique? We partner with small, ethical beekeepers in Bulgaria – a land of four beautiful seasons, endless fields of lavender, pristine forests and untouched meadows. Thanks to this our honey is full of vibrant flavours and healthy nutrients.Our passion for healthy foods has driven us to create healthier versions of our favourite jams, spreads and sauces. So, came the inception of the UK’s first Salted Honey – a healthy alternative to salted caramel spreads, as well as our Cacao Honey – a healthy alternative to Nutella and chocolate spreads that’s free from gluten, nuts, palm oil and refined sugar. What are your plans for the next 12 months?We’re now stocked in over 90 independent shops, delis and farm shops across the UK and the number of BeeHype honey lovers is growing constantly.Our goal is to continue growing and place the BeeHype products in as many independent shops across the UK and Europe as possible so we can spread the hype further. What is your next project? Our latest innovation is Chilli Honey – sweet honey with a mild spicy kick that works equally well at a BBQ, as it does on a slice of toast or in porridge. We are working on some other amazing creations and we can’t wait to share them with you so make sure to follow us on social media or join our newsletter. What is your biggest achievement? Our biggest achievement is starting our own business at the age of 24 with no business experience, no knowledge about the food and drinks industry, and no investments or loans.We used our skills to save as much save money as possible – Mo used the skills he learned as a teenager to make our unique labels, he learned how to use my old DSLR camera to take professional product photos and he built our e-commerce website. I was leveraging my marketing and PR background and did extensive market research, created buyer personas and wrote SEO creative copy for our products.We were both working full-time, so we had to sacrifice our beauty sleep to keep things going. At the start, it was just afternoons, but quickly it turned to long nights, weekends and holidays. There were many points where we stopped and we thought that we are in over our heads. Against all odds, we kept pushing through the hard times and things eventually started to pick up. What are you looking forward to most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair?We have very dear memories from our first Country Living Christmas Fair. It was one of the very few events in 2021, right after the big lockdowns. It provided us with the opportunity to meet our customers face to face again after almost 2 years, which was really valuable to us. We were happy to provide them with unique foodie gifts for their friends and family.It was also very fun taking on the challenge of designing and building our stall from scratch and seeing what the fellow stall holders have done with theirs.The Christmas Fair turned out to be very successful for us thanks to the great organisation and marketing efforts from the organisers.We love connecting with other brilliant independent business owners and meeting fellow foodies and honey lovers. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Don’t be afraid to talk about the benefits of your products. Your passion will inspire others to try them and fall in love with them too.Don’t be afraid to take risks.Don’t stop chasing your dreams and never be afraid to set big goals – even if they seem impossible for your small business at first. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Dedication and hard work can help you achieve anything so keep going!

Sarah Leask Studio Sarah Leask is a Scottish illustrator & designer from The Shetland Isles. Established in 2017, Sarah Leask Studio grew from her love of colour, pattern and watercolour. She is known for her signature rainbow coloured watercolour maps, which feature many of the Scottish isles. Being an islander herself, there is a strong island theme found in her designs, highlighting some of Scotland’s harder to reach treasures.We caught up with Sarah to discover more about her and her brand. Read the interview below to find out more… How did it all start?The business started kind of by accident when I painted my first watercolour map of my home, The Shetland Isles. I went on to paint several more colourways before selling these as prints – to friends first, then friends of friends and finally through local gift shops in Lerwick, Shetland.Since then, I have created a full range of watercolour map prints which have now been developed into a home and gift product range which you can shop via my online shop as well as at local events around Scotland such as the County Living Christmas Fair! The story behind the name… There isn’t really one! Choosing a name didn’t really go through my head at the time as I hadn’t realised how much the business could grow. It made sense to use my own name in the name as the subject matter – all the different coloured Shetland maps – felt very much like an extension of me. Although I live on the mainland, my home island is a very important part of who I am. Leask is an unusual name here but there are many, many Leasks in Orkney & Shetland! Often, I worry that I should have made the business name easier to pronounce/spell but it doesn’t feel right to change it now! Where are you based? I’m based in Aberdeen and currently I’m working out of my home studio (spare room). This was once just a desk space that has now grown arms & legs is crammed with stock. What inspires you?My surroundings. I’m hugely inspired by where I am from and the sense of community and place that being from an island has. It’s hard to explain. With the watercolour map artwork I create, whilst I know it has huge tourist appeal and attraction, I also really wanted to create something which could be treasured by locals as well. Lots of people from Shetland are really proud of their island heritage and it means a lot to them. I soon realised that this mentality could be found in many of the other islands around Scotland too.I’m also really inspired by colour. I’ve been making colourful art unintentionally long before I set up Sarah Leask Studio. If you look back through my degree show, my portfolio to get into art school and even my school work there is one very clear theme: colour. I can’t really say any more on it other than I love it! I love experimenting with colour and using it to enhance my artwork. What is your creation process? I often have ideas swimming around my head for ages before I get the chance to try them out on paper. As a business owner doing mostly everything myself, I am now really struggling to find time to create new art work! I do absolutely love the business side of running Sarah Leask Studio but I’d really like to work on having some more time to create again.My process is pretty straight to the point I’d say. I make my art relatively quickly, using either only watercolour or pen drawing first then watercolour washed over the top. For some things I like to roughly sketch out in pencil first – animals, buildings, map artwork etc – as these all require greater attention to detail. For floral artwork and landscapes, I love to get straight in there with the watercolour paint. As you can be much more fluid with how you paint nature.The next step is scanning my work into the computer. I have a relatively basic A4 printer and scanner. Once I have the artwork scanned, I pull it into Photoshop to clean up and prepare for print. If I’m making it into a pattern then I will create that in Photoshop as well. What makes your brand or products unique? This always seems to be quite a tricky question to answer but in truth it’s probably me! My products are not necessarily unique, many brands offer the same or similar products to myself. But my artwork is unique! In a world with so many talented artists and designers it can be hard to stand out. I’ve always made a conscious effort to find gaps in the market and to create work that is different to what is already available. I do believe my combination of Scottish themed work with my use of colour to be unique. For example, I love animals and wildlife and really wanted to create an animal range but I knew that this was a very common focus in the Scottish gift world. So instead of painting the animals in a traditional manner I pulled the colours from them out in watercolour dashes to create a design which had a more contemporary feel to it. What are your plans for the next 12 months?Sarah Leask Studio is currently part time. For a very long time now, I have been hoping to make it full time. This hasn’t been possible for a multitude of reasons and I am sure that I could find more to stop me from taking that plunge. However, after all my Christmas events last year I really did start to realise just how much more I could do with the business if it was a full-time job… so I am currently working behind the scenes to make that dream a reality. What is your next project? My heather bee range! I’d like to get samples of this in place for my next trade show. And dare I say it, a Christmas range! Yet to be designed, but I’d really love to have a Christmas range with a Scottish twist as it would be a lovely addition to my current offering. What is your biggest achievement? I’m not sure! But I am quite proud of building my business to the level I have whilst working full time initially and part time the last couple of years. I’ve now supplied over 80 gift shops with around 80% of them still being current stockists of my work, some of them are still current from their first orders in 2017! I’m pretty proud of that. Most of these have been based in Scotland but with Faire (an online wholesale marketplace) I’ve now had a few orders in England & the US as well. What is your best-selling product? In the summer it has to be the wildflowers collection. The rest of the time I’d say the Scottish Gin & Whisky designs. Then my Scottish Isles collection sells very well through my stockists on each of the islands. These three are probably my best-selling collections! What are you looking forward to most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair?My first Country Living fair was in 2019 – I was exhibiting in Glasgow. I absolutely loved it! Hence, I booked back in for the following year. We didn’t make it that year because of you know what but it was incredible to be back in 2021, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.  The first year I did it I am pretty sure my partner helped me to set up but then had to go back to Aberdeen for work. So, I worked the whole show myself. It was hard going but I was blown away by the feedback from the customers I met there. It would have been the first retail show I had done outside of Aberdeen (and my comfort zone!).There is a real buzz about the show. Everyone there is there to enjoy themselves – to enjoy the food, the alcohol samples (!) and to shop. Which is ideal! Even as an exhibitor it’s a really great day out! Me and Dougy have done quite a lot of our own Christmas shopping whilst there previous years as there are a lot of lovely things to see. I always get compliments on my ‘different’ gifts from friends & family. Last year, we had so much fun working the stand. Dougy is a great salesperson and makes the job of selling to the customers there seem easy! Country Living is definitely a highlight of the Christmas events calendar and not to be missed. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Make what you love! It always turns out better if you have a genuine interest in making it.Check your figures. If you want to have a sustainable business you need to make sure that you are making enough money on your products. There can be some pressure to sell things for less than is sensible for you – don’t do it! Know your worth and make your money.Work life balance. Something I’m still working on all of the time! But it is very important to be aware of and make sure that you are doing what you can to not burn yourself out. I get work guilt if I’m doing something other than sitting in the studio on days that should be studio days. But I forget that I also work quite a lot of evenings and weekends, particularly in the lead up to Christmas when most people are on nights out and enjoying Christmas markets! Any advice for fledgling businesses… Don’t be scared to go for it. I started my business with next to no money and I have very slowly built it up myself. You don’t need big investments or backing, you can make it work yourself as long as you jump at the opportunities that come your way and/or are there and available for you to take 🙂

Dione Louise Homeware Dione Louise Homeware specialises in country living style homeware and personalised gifting. Their products range from cushions and doormats, to personalised glassware and hanging decorations. As a sole trader everything is done in-house from making the products, to posting orders. Dione Louise Homeware is based in Kent and attends various shows across the South East.We caught up with Dione from Dione Louise Homeware to find out more about the business. Take a look below for the interview… How did it all start?I started my business in October 2018 with a few test pieces, selling at small local markets to establish an interest in my products. Once I could see that people liked what I was selling, I decided to set up my social media channels and devote all my spare time to Dione Louise Homeware. With a background in retail, my best experiences came from working in the homeware department and always left me with lots of inspiration. After diving into my new homeware venture, I felt excited, inspired, and fulfilled. I also have a Level 5 Extended Diploma in Interior Design. Making my products and seeing how happy they make other people brings me such incredible joy. My business is entirely customer focused, and I will always work my hardest to achieve a customer’s vision, and to provide the best quality product I can. As I am a big perfectionist, I will never send anything I am not 100% happy with or proud of. Alongside this, I am committed to making my brand as environmentally friendly as possible and always strive for ways to improve packaging, but more importantly improving my carbon footprint.  The story behind the name… Unfortunately, there isn’t much of a story when it comes to the initial set up of the brands name. The meaning behind the name came as I invested more into my business. I originally chose the name when I set up as I wanted something unique and unheard of. As I went on creating, and growing, I wanted to put my name to something, not only because I was proud of what I had created, but I wanted to assure clients and customers that everything I did would be made to the highest standard, as I wouldn’t put my name to anything other than that. Where are you based? Dione Louise Homeware is an online only retailer at the moment; however, I make and ship items from my workshop space in Kent. What inspires you?There are so many things that inspire me and my creativity. I am always looking for new ideas and trying to make my brand as unique as possible. My favourite homeware stores such as Dunelm, Sophie Watson Designs, Pretty Little Home and the White Company are brands that give me inspiration, and that I absolutely love! Instagram for me is a hotspot for inspiration too – for example I love seeing trending patterns/subjects and trying to recreate themes and ideas in my own style and medium. What is your creation process? The creation process for my items is unique to each product line. For my handsewn items I source fabrics I like and fit to my theme and create projects from there. Initially I used patterns I found online, and as my brand developed, I developed my own patterns for my items. With my personalised items, they are sourced blank, and then I design names/patterns/text custom to the client’s request. I do this on a design software and then use a vinyl cutter. What makes your brand or products unique? I’d like to think my large product range and handmade, unique designs set me apart from other businesses. Alongside this I try and kept the brand as eco-friendly as I can which I feel also sets me apart. Finally, my passion and drive for what I do makes my brad unique as I feel this comes across in my shows, products and socials. What is your next project? I am unsure what my next project is. At the moment my goals are currently centred around perfecting existing products and lines, business development and expansion which is keeping me pretty busy!  Something that I’ve always wanted to expand in my business is my large orders for events such as weddings, so I think this will likely be my next project. What is your biggest achievement? My biggest achievement is the brand itself. Although this sounds strange initially, for me setting up a business from scratch, alone, and running as a sole trader has been tough, but also incredibly worthwhile. Growing, developing, and attending bigger country shows have been the highlights, and initially a huge step out of my comfort zone. Building a brand has led to business achievement such as being featured in magazines, to personal achievements such as building my own confidence and being able to put myself out there! What is your best-selling product? My best-selling product lines tend to change seasonally and with holidays such as Christmas and Mother’s Day. At the moment my Koi Carp cushions are my best sellers form my fabric range. My personalised cocktail glasses are currently (and usually) my best sellers. What are you looking forward to the most about exhibiting at the Christmas Fair? I am incredibly excited to attend the Country Living Fair this year as an exhibitor. I have always read Country Living Magazine since I started my business, and it was always a goal of mine to attend the London event. Due to COVID I couldn’t attend sooner, so I am really pleased to be in attendance this year. I am excited to meet likeminded makers and exhibitors and expand my own knowledge and experience. I am also excited to be in a new area and meet new members of the public. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…My top tips would beCreate something you’re proud of. Remember you have to sell your product and you can’t sell it if you don’t like it/aren’t proud of it.Things will go wrong. It is not a reflection of you or your skill – accept these days and sometimes you’ll get nothing done but I promise you’ll make up for it on others!Experiment! Set aside a day/time every week/month to just have a play and experiment. It keeps your business light and fun and allows for that creative energy. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Don’t give up! Running a business is hard and there will be days where you’ll wonder why you did this and if there is an easier option, and truth is there might be. Just don’t give up. If something isn’t working, work out why and if you can fix it. If you can great, if you can’t then can it give? Product line isn’t working? Maybe you can sell existing stock and invest the money into an area that is thriving! Always remember why you did this and where you want to be and you’ll get there.

Littlechook Littlechook design personalised aprons for cooking and baking in delightfully bright colours. They also have a range of organic cotton birthday t-shirts.The aprons can be personalised with any name that you like. There’s a whole range of designs to choose from making our aprons a perfect gift for little chefs!We caught up with Karin from Littlechook to find out more about the business. Take a look below for the interview… How did it all start?I studied textiles at art college and my first job was as a designer in a traditional Scottish weaving mill which made tartans and tweeds.I had various jobs over the years and decided to quit the corporate world after doing a screen printing evening class. My main products are childrens aprons and this started when I wanted some aprons for my own daughter’s who are both brilliant cooks. The story behind the name… Littlechook comes from when my parents lived in Australia and I just loved the Aussie word “chook” for chicken. Where are you based? I am based in North London. What inspires you?Lots of things really. Clothes I see people wearing, going to The Tate, browsing Pinterest and seeing wildlife and nature. What is your creation process? I start off with hand drawn images which I then digitise so they can be cut out (using a vinyl cutter). I then use a heat press to transfer the images onto aprons, pyjamas, and t-shirts. What makes your brand or products unique? My aprons are personalised so they are a great gift as kids can choose their favourite animal or dinosaur and it encourages them to get baking. What is your next project? I am working on a new range of children’s pyjamas in bright colours. What are your plans for the next 12 months?To develop my own website – it’s been a bit neglected. What is your biggest achievement? Adopting a rescue dog and seeing her change from a scared wee scrap into the most loving family dog. What is your best-selling product? Personalised Aprons for children aged 2 – 13 years. What do you love about the Country Living Fairs?I am looking forward to the lovely festive atmosphere that the Fair always has and to meeting up with customers old and new.I love the variety of products and I always enjoy the food area and end up buying way too much cheese. Your three top tips for crafters and makers…Make sure your product is well designed and well made. Customers love and will pay for quality.Have brilliant customer services.Don’t stress about social media and number of followers. Any advice for fledgling businesses… Make sure you calculate your prices properly and join facebook groups or local networking groups as there’s a whole creative small business community out there who are welcoming and helpful.