Snapdragon's garden

Expanding

Today is an important day for Snapdragon.  In one fell swoop we are doubling the size of the workforce.  I had interviews for a new member of staff on Friday and 2 of the candidates were so impressive in different ways that i couldn't choose between them.

As their skill sets are quite different, I decided to employ both.

So now I am tring to boost up the wood-burner to give both Kit and Emma a warm welcome.

Part of the aim of taking Snapdragon away from the kitchen table was to create local employment, so I am very pleased.  I shall still be doing the freehand embroidery but I shall have help with the preparation (Kit), the sewing up (Isobel),  & the invoicing, packing and dispatch (Emma) - while outside Fiona keeps everything going, planning to be open to he public again next year.

Its all a bit scary though - better keep those orders coming in . . .

Getting on with it

The last few months have certainly been one of change.  After 6 years of going through the planning/building process we have finally got around to the building of the extension.  it is basically a glorified garage extension - but one which will completely transform the flow of the house and hopefully change it from 1980s farmers bungalow to something approaching the "light filled cottage" of my dreams.
We are now at the point where the builders have almost finished the first phase. We are watching all the salvaged bits and pieces we have been collecting over the past few years slot into place.
.It is very exciting - though rather stressful and time consuming - too many decisions to make that are really leaps into the unknown.  Do we want security lights in the soffits?  Haven't a clue.

Alongside this domestic disruption I decided to leap into the unknown with the business too - I decided it was time to grow or die. 8 months ago I started to sell my things wholesale, last month I launched my catalogue.  To say that the response has been incredible is an understatement  . . . I am really overwhelmed.

I wouldn't have dared to put myself out there if it wasn't for the support of people on this blog - both in the comments and in e-mails.  Recently people have begun to apologise in e-mails for disturbing me - perhaps this is because I seem increasingly harassed - in which case I apologise, because I love to hear from people.
When I was in London at the trade show Sarah and I went to see Julie and Julia - a real blogger's movie - and both really empathised with that lurch of pleasure when there are comments.  Never too busy to blog.
But having said that, I believe I promised to be wielding a paintbrush in precisely 3 minutes.
J x

Even more excited

You wouldn't think it was possible but look what has arrived.
They are just so beautiful - way above what I could have dreamed of.  I can say this as the success of the project was really down to 3 people - Jane Robertson who took some beautiful photographs in some terrible conditions, Kate Stockwell who transformed my scribbled and vague wavey handed wittering into beautiful design and Nick Thomson of J. Thomson Colour Printers in Glasgow who have done a fabulous job with the printing - the only firm that I contacted who came up with solutions, suggestions and trial sizes as part of the quotation process (and even then came in cheapest) .  Their attitude was summed up by the fact that my catalogues were dropped off tonight on the way home rather than wait for Monday.
I am so delighted with them that I have been driving round foisting them on people and forgetting that it might be seen as sales . . .
Anyway - if you would like one - and the first 100 orders over £30 get free fridge magnets made from vintage Sanderson linens worth £7.95 so its worth getting in their early - e-mail me at snapdragonjane@googlemail.com.  People who've already contacted me - I'll get them in the post on Monday.
Off to hop around the house like a demented thing and join Euan for what remains of our wedding anniversary (16 years)
J x

So excited

Honestly, i think I am getting old and work obsessed.
I am so excited.
The colour proofs for my mail order catalogue arrived and I could hardly look at them for jumping about.
I will get the finished thing at the beginning of next week.
If you would like a copy or know anyone else who would (and the enormity of distribution is just beginning to hit me) then e-mail your address to snapdragonjane@googlemail.com.
The catalogue has been put together by lovely people fitting it in between other (higher paying/more prestigious)things and putting in a lot of work because I didn't really know what I was doing.  I am very grateful.

Catalogue

Over the summer I have been getting everything together for my first catalogue.  In between the showers we have had a number of photo shoots with Jane Robertson behind the camera.  Kate Watt has been incredibly patient with my dithering & has produced a design I love from my pile of scribbly paperand question marks...

Most importantly I had to have a good think about exactly what we shall be doing over the next year so that it isn't obsolete as soon as it is printed.  Now that was interesting!

Yesterday the copy went to the printers and I am on tenterhooks awaiting its return.  It is ridiculously exciting.

     

I couldn't work out how to put any images from the actual catalogue on but these are from some of the photo-shoots.

I am writing out address labels for people who want a copy of the catalogue hot off the press so do please drop me an email snapdragonjane@googlemail.com if you would like one.  There is going to be a special gift for the first orders.

Oh I am so excited . . .

More floors

I've posted before about my love of floors.
It gets worse.
Last week I phoned Hargreaves reclamation yard about worktops for the kitchen.  Ah, says the man at the end of the phone, we have some marble you might be interested in . . . comes from the Museum of Scotland ground floor.
Might be interested in . ..might? might?  we were there in a blink working out where it could possibly go in the house.
There would be many arguments for having left it all in situ - the hall with its fish ponds was a central part of my childhood - but, given that it has been ripped up I am DELIGHTED that some of it will be in my new bathroom.
They only have 160 square metres left - but it is whizzing out of the yard on trucks to the South of England.  £70 a square metre - an absolute steal.
Oh - and this is the worktop.
I am now being a bit more pro-active in my twitter account - now that the internet works a bit better - I go under "snapdragonjane" and it would be great to link up with anyone else who is tweeting away.

Best holiday EVER

Can you guess?

A mythic island to the North with 22 uninterrupted hours of sunshine each day

with puffins, arctic terns, guillemots, razorbills, snipe, sandpipers, oyster catchers, curlews, & seals to spot

with wonderful carpets of wild flowers in the fields

and on the cliffs

with sea warm enough to swim in (with seals)

We have just had the best holiday ever - Orkney in a heat wave.  I am transformed (and rather brown)

And then we popped in to see these folk

Which was truly lovely.

Homes and Interiors Scotland

I have been a bit of a hermit for the past fortnight - getting my head down and really only leaving the property for essentials.

That is why I have only just got a copy of this month's Homes and Interiors Scotland which has an article about Caroline Hoyer Millar and her business Twice.

The article was photographed in the spring and I drove up to Perthshire with a car full of spring flowers to teach an impromptu workshop so that it could be photographed

As you can see it was great fun.  I am back at Inchyra later this month to teach a class on how to cut flowers from your garden, how to make them last and how to arrange them.  It is a re-run of a class I taught there last year and is basically a guide to producing professional results, saving money, impressing your friends.  Everyone will leave with a hand-tied bouquet and a table decoration.  It is a class that I got a lot of good feedback from with people definitely going on to arrange their own bouquets for friends.

It is the only place that I shall be teaching this year - if you fancy coming along - and it is a lovely treat of a day with beautiful surroundings and a great lunch - here is where you book.

Snapdragon in Selvedge and I'm bouncing about

This month my little embroidered egg cosy is featured in Selvedge magazine.  I am so, so chuffed - not least because they contacted me, I didn't have to go chasing.

but also because this is my favourite magazine; the only one I keep unsullied for future browsing.
It was also lovely to see another couple of people I know (electronically at least) - Sarah Campbell of Mogwaii designs and Ruth Brompton Charlesworth of Sumptuosity
So it is lovely to be in such great company. I have such a good feeling about this year for small textile businesses.
Bounce, bounce, bounce.  Very tiggerish :)
J x

Not even one more sleep

Today I just can't settle.
My Australian friend Sue and her daughter Hannah are coming to stay for a couple of days.
I haven't seen Sue since I was pregnant with Katie; almost  9 years.
And, while it is hot enough in Melbourne this week to melt metal, Sue has packed her mittens and is headed for our northern chill.
In 5 hours her plane lands . . . .
Can you tell I am excited?