New for 2013

Here is a little taster to what is to come early next year. These are four of my new cards that I will hopefully be launching at Top Drawer in January. They are a bit more occasion led.
After having my one year wedding anniversary I noticed there were no nice cards in the market for this special day so it was my mission to fill this gap. Two lovely owls sitting on a branch (they mate for life) It was drawn from a photo that Andrew took at the Muncaster Owl Sanctuary in the Lakes.
   The Doggy Style is a bit tongue and cheek! I love it. It's my favourite card I have ever created. I may do a whole series.
I have also introduced my first ever Panda to you all. This is Walter. He has an old fashioned camera that he takes out and about capturing special moments.
And last is a sorry card. I cannot tell you the amount of times I have missed a friends birthday! This little raccoon says it all.
Hope you like these. Next week I am working very hard on my new website so if you can't find these in shops they will certainly be on my website to buy straight from me.
Have a lovely weekend everybody.

Calm

A moment of calm in the V&A on Wednesday with my sister Sara and dear friend Katie. It really is a place you can go to admire your surroundings and get lost in history.....

New Notepads

This Spaniel note pad is perfect for all those christmas lists.
They will be for sale at the Country Living fair in Harrogate (they also come with a free pencil)

Hailstones

A big black cloud has just passed over the town and plunged me into a dark, shadowed studio! I was drawing some owls and more blanket patterns but as soon as I heard hailstones hitting the windows I had an urge to draw brightly coloured parrots!  So, even my creativity is effected by the change in weather.
Have a lovely weekend folks. Hope this cloud doesn't tread on your Saturday.

Berlin Stockists

hi folks! How's your week going?
Thought I would post some more of the goings on in Germany. This is such a huge part of my business now that I feel it is important to report on all the news that Germany has to offer. My distributor Clemens has passed all expectations and I am quite overwhelmed by the positive response. Dusmann is a huge shop in Berlin and is quite similar to our Boarders that sadly didn't survive the tough financial times. Dusmann are a regular stockist for us. We also have alot of little boutiques in East Berlin and I was lucky enough to visit one. Schwester Herz is a lovely little shop with a huge range of stationery. When we were there I met the buyer and watched Clemens work his magic taking an order for Christmas cards. He is very good at making appointments with his customers and travels all over Germany to meet buyers. I should take a leaf out of his book and try this for myself.
Just by chance I also saw my Hare gift wrap in Urban Outfitters. I had no idea it was in Germany. It was great to see (even with them leaping upside down)

Hippos are big....

R S V P papier in Mitte

I was saving my favourite shop in Berlin until last. RSVP is like nothing I have ever seen before. As you can see it is a very simple design and the shelves are quite special. I never seen so many notebooks and envelopes in such neat little piles.
I also loved how my cards were displayed out of the cello bags so customers can touch and feel the quality of the card they are buying. Each papergood is thought about and treated like a very exclusive item that you must have. Even the little window display is really carefully put together. It taught me what you can do with a small space and some clever shelves.
I am very proud to be in such a wonderful shop. It has also made me see that there is nothing like this in the UK. Sure, there are concept stores that have a bit of stationery but nothing as focused as this. There is a real niche and I intend to fill it.

Brevi Manu

To continue the German trip............here are a few photos taken by Andrew of Dear Prudence in Brevi Manu. It was a very exciting tour round the shop and also studio.
I found that Clemens takes better care in organization than I do. He has all my cards in perfect order in an old German School shelf. I should learn a few things from this and get my own stock in perfect arrangement. He has a separate building for wholesale stock and there was nothing out of place.
Brevi Manu was very inspiring and I couldn't take it all in. It made me realize my vision so clearly, that stationery is my focus and path in life. I would love to have my own paper goods shop one day when I have more products.
More photos to come........

Beliefeld- Country Park

 

The next leg of our trip took up to Beliefeld the home town of  Clemens and his shop Brevi Manu. Naturally we had to visit the country Park, which held lots of little surprises. As you know I am a big animal fan so had to blog some of Andrew's lovely pictures. I have never seen a Raccoon or Beaver up close. I was like one of the many kids pointing and trying to stroke them. Sad, I know.
Wild Boars are a big problem in Germany. Kind of like our cheeky city foxes. They roam round cities and parks looking for their next little snack. Clemens was quite surprised when I told him we had no wild Boars in the UK. I must find out why.
FYI The park is free admission and is funded by the one and only Dr. Oetker who is based in Beliefeld.

Arnhem- The Netherlands

We have returned. This is the first part of my blog sharing our journey from West to East Germany and back to West again.

The first part of our tour took us to Arnhem in The Netherlands. Our German distributor Clemens kindly picked us up at Dortmund airport and drove us through the boarder in The Netherlands. Three countries in one day, phew!
Arnhem was a real inspiration for shops and slow living. There was so much to see and do that the day flew by....

 The architecture in Arnhem is so beautiful. Shops and cafes make a real effort to be different and attract new customers.

We were lucky to be in Arnhem the same day as the markets. I have never seen so many interesting pieces. I only wish I had an extra suitcase to take more home.

This was my favourite shop in Arnhem. It was so wonderful to browse. Their merchandising was so unique. I loved that it was a shop and also a studio so the owner and designer could sell and create in the same space. 

                                                                         Lunch break with Clemens....

Sissy Boy. This is Dear Prudence's biggest customer. It reminded me of Anthropologie. It's a  beautiful concept store and just recently Brevi Manu succeeded in bringing O check graphics and Dear Prudence to all Sissy Boy stores.

Another example of beauty in a shop. This is so much more than a concept store. It is also a haven for customers, friends and clients to come and relax in their garden with a FREE cup of tea in a china cup. The shop can hold meetings, dinner parties and classes here. There is no pressure to spend money. You don't feel hounded as soon as you walk in. It looks like friends work together and have the same vision for their shop.