One year down

What a great end to a great week, I started the week on sunday with a good walk up Wernside with an very good friend of mine, we talked non stop and forgot to look at the scenery!

I also took a sneaky day off on Saturday to spend the day with hubby and son, for a good family day out, I think it could be the last chance before Christmas.

This week i've done my year end and the second year has started with a pace that I wasn't expecting, and it's all the more pleasurable as most of the sales are recommendations from satisfied customers which i'm so pleased about.

My wooden names have been featured in the brochure for "Not on the high street" and sales have been unbelievable, this sudden glut of orders coupled with ever increasing furniture sales has led me to look for my own premises as the mill space i've been kindly loaned has become too small for my needs, and by chance a lovely little place has become available next to my business partners mill, although it's perfect I'm still very scared to fly the nest from my comfy (and free!) space at the mill.

I must also mention the two lovely new shop that are stocking my furniture, Babipur has a fantastic shop in Gwynedd Wales and a great online store.

Precious little treasures in Clitheroe have opened their new department this week featuring the Fairbourn furniture range, Clitheroe is well worth a visit if your in the area, there are some great little shops and bistro's.

At last I have some new shots for the christmas season, I've added a few new pieces and have lots more hiding away waiting to be painted and developed for the new seasons coming, I can't wait to get started on my new range of furniture, i've got all the designs ready and as soon as I have a few spare moments i'll brief my carpenter and well start creating.

Time does seem to be an issue at the moment, i've got to the stage that all new business' must get to where you can't cope with doing it all on your own but you can't quite afford another person, although i do have my trusty saturday boy who comes to help out with the sanding.

Fairbourn has also done it's charitable deed this week, I spoke to a lovely lady from Barnardos in Leeds who do a fantastic job with children in our area, they are holding a Firecracker Ball in Harrogate and Fairbourn are donating a Limited edition piece for the event.

Were also busy getting ready for the christmas season this week, trying to prepare for the shows and events coming up, all of which i'll be listing soon.

Also thank you to Precious Little Treasures in Clitheroe who are featuring some of the Fairbourn range in their new department that's opening next week, the shop is full of beautiful little treasures, I really love it and so pleased they are featuring my things.

In preparation

I've been busy this week getting a photo shoot done for our Christmas items, I'm also developing lots of new things for Spring next year and beyond. I can't wait to have a little free time to get my designing head on but the orders are pilling up so they take priority. With this dilemma in mind I've taken on an apprentice 1 day a week to help with sanding and packing, he's a trainee joiner so I'm hoping he may be with us for years to come.

I've taken a day off today, well it is Sunday! I went to Ilkley moor where I was born and brought up, I took Sam and Brian (hubby and son) I love the moor I find it very inspirational, we collected load of pine cones to make christmas decorations with, that should keep us busy.

Where we've been!

We've been very busy this year, here's a few shots from the trade shows we've been to, and places we've been featured in. We started the year off at Top Drawer Earls Court which was a great experience and which has it's own story which I won't go into now! we then did various lovely shows including "The baby show Harrogate and Home and Gift Harrogate.

We were featured in the window of the beautiful shop Old Tree House Hebden Bridge which looked lovely and thanks to Grainne for that kind offer.

We are now looking to 2010 and keenly preparing for christmas which were hoping will be a bumper time for us.

Time flies!! (catch up)

Well doesn't time fly when your earning a living, it's been months since I left my job and embarked on this new career, it's been a busy old year, I can't believe how fantastic it's been, I must be working double the hours I was when I worked for a company but the satisfaction is amazing I love what I do and wouldn't go back now for anything, although there is no going back as the company I worked for has now almost ceased being, which is very sad but things do change and we all must move on.

But to cut a long story short, I've not stood still since I started my company "Fairbourn Children's Furniture" I make and design bespoke pieces of furniture especially for children in time honoured ways from solid wood here in Yorkshire. I hand paint the items and I must say there's rarely been a day when I havn't been covered in paint, I don't think I posses any clothes that are untouched by paint or wax, the transition from office job to freezing old mill has been inspirational, and the people I work with are fantastic.

I've also met many great people on the way, I will try feature people in with my blog because they are all great and deserve much success.

It's taken me 70 mins to do a 35 min journey this morning, but the snow looks fantastic so i'm not complaining, the only downside is if your at work you can't go sledging!

As predicted the day job will be coming to an end sometime soon, i'm in the department earmarked to go, but when is another question, hopefully sooner rather than later!

I'm getting ready for my last selling show before christmas this weekend, i'm doing the Grassington Dickensian Festival which by all accounts is a fantastic fun filled day, I'm hoping to meet some new customers as i've not ventured to sell in the dales yet and maybe "Santa".

I had a lovely time at Crafts for Christmas 3 weeks ago, I shared a stall with the company "Poppy" who make stunning children's clothing in Yarm, we had some lovely comments about the stall, and thanks to Zeena who did a stunning job helping out on the stall.

I'm now looking towards spring and last week started work on my new range of items for boys, they really look lovely i can't wait to finish work each day so I can get home and get painting, i've got pigs, sheep, helicopters, ambulances.......the list goes on keep a look out for new shots on the web. www.fairbournchildrensfurniture.co.uk

Its wednesday lunchtime i'm sat at my desk wondering if i'll still have a job next week, the company I work for have been steadily collapsing for a while now, i've avoided the inevitable redundancy until now but i somehow think next week my time will be up.

With such a fate looming for a while now, and with a real need to still pay my mortgage, i decided to put my design skills to use and design furniture for children.

The children's furniture market is growing but i think there's a little gap that i can squeeze into. I've been studying it now for a couple of years and I really feel I have a chance of getting a slice of the market with my hand made accessories and quirky furniture.

So what now!! I have my website at the ready, carpenters on standby, designs finalised and photo shoot complete, all ready for take off except.............the country decides it's having a recession........it would wouldn't it!! it's just my luck.