I have been an irregular blogger of late, barely finding a moment to write, but managing to catch up on a few here and there. Apologies if I haven't always left comments; normal service will be resumed soon hopefully. The sewing room has become a den of thread much in need of a good clean before I am lost 'neath the mess. Orders have been written up on my order board, crossed off, more added and so the cycle goes with the computer just as busy with queries from wholesale and website customers alike. I am very pleased! Even a giant order I had to turn away from a very large and well-known company (who requested an initial order of 500-1000 pieces!!!) was a massive confidence boost as the person I dealt with really liked my designs. Davey and I sat in the garden with glasses of wine, considering the ins and outs of going for it, but I realised it was all a little too soon. Just hope it wasn't one of those moments you live to regret, but I don't think so and my contacts are building rapidly so I must be doing something right.
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Our dear chap, Elias, reaches 13 this week, therefore a party was needed complete with friends, family and Dave's gorgeous chocolate cake. Elias is one of those just lovely people who has moved from being an easy-going, happy pre-teen to what I know will be a just as enjoyable teenage phase. He is funny, bright, loves history with the most amazing ability to recall facts, makes great pasta and has a whole host of other attributes, but most important of all, we all love him to bits.
Dave has also been on an ice-cream phase, making both malteser
and strawberry.
Delicious bowlfuls were handed out at the party and this will now be a new tradition to add from now on. We have a whole pile of flavours we want to experiment with and have dubbed this our 'Summer of Ice-cream'...yum! Other than the usual scoffing that takes place here most of the time, we walked on a very chilly beach - where is the warmth? I want it back!
- pottered in the garden a little where the Shirley Temple peony unfurled her petals of palest pink as contrast to the scarlet poppies still dancing the last dance, and generally enjoyed a quiet time of it. Very lovely.
Have a good Monday x
Belated birthday wishes! The ice cream looks delicious, I could do with some right now as, unlike you, I'm boiling! Sorry, I'm not gloating! It's too hot to do anything at the moment.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to Elias... and i love the idea of a 'summer of icecream'. Rod enjoys making vanilla icecream... i shall have to suggest additions to his repertoire!
ReplyDeletegood to hear the business is going so well pip,but regarding turning down the large order... you won't regret it... you know what you are capable of taking on just now and to over stretch yourself would not be good and if you couldn't fulfill the order then that wouldn't look good either. If they like your designs then there may still be an opportunity when you are ready. keep your integrity and build up gradually and things will all fall into place.
... a lovely week to you all
ginny xx
Belated Happy Birthday Elias. (My lovely favourite son was 28 on the 4th).
ReplyDeleteCongrats. on your continuing success, well deserved.
Happy Birthday to a fellow Gemini. I think you made a wise decision about your business, you can keep overall contol if it is small, if you have outworkers etc. your lovely pieces would loose the Pipany feel.
ReplyDeletePipany, I also think your business decision was wise. Keeping your beautiful items well made and filled with that special Pipany-personality are waht make them stand out.
ReplyDeleteBelated birthday wishes to Elias!
Which will be the next ice cream flavor? Homemade peach ice cream brings back very pleasant memories for me.
xo
Happy birthday Elias - enjoy that ice cream and insist that it's a regular feature.
ReplyDeleteGood decision about the mega order I think. You'd end up making nothing more than repeats of the same item and the beauty of your work is its individuality. Well done though, good to be noticed isn't it?
My daughter is thirteen in September and I don't know where the weeks and months and years have gone. My "baby" will be eleven in August. Have a lovely evening - jacqui x
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your business is growing so well. I'm sure you won't regret turning down the big order with all the constraints and pressures it would probably entail. Happy Birthday to your lovely son. My son was 13 earlier this year and despite a few teenage tantrums it is such a lovely, interesting age to share with them.
ReplyDeleteTracey
Yet another lovely birthday for Elias.I love to make my own ice-cream. https://www.ice-cream-recipes.com is good.Bought a nifty little twin ice-cream make on Ebay called Lentek Double Treat.Very inexpensive, and handy.
ReplyDeleteWhen in the business, I only ever had outworkers for work that didn't have my personal stamp on it and was basic. I think you have made a wise decision.Weather pretty glum here at the moment too.
I love the summer of ice cream idea! You'll have to make some blackberry ice cream and serve it with blackberry pie - it's delicious!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous compliment like you say, but you know your instincts right as it would compromise what you do so well if you tried to churn out mass produced. Well done you. Life sounds very mad for you at the moment (or is it always so?)
ReplyDeleteLisa x
'Dave has been on an ice cream phase'. Such a fabulous husband! I still think he should be giving husband lessons. At the very least he should write a book... Any chance of the Malteser ice cream recipe?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the business success. Totally well deserved. And belated birthday wishes to Elias.
Happy birthday to Elias, 13 was a special age I remember.
ReplyDeleteYummy ice cream, homemade is the best.
Wonderful boost receiving an order like that, I think your are right to hold fire, maybe the time is too soon at the moment to put yourself under so much pressure.
Monday was drabe and so is today...oh where has our summer gone?
Cx
Seeing your poached egg plant reminded me I must get some seeds. We have always had it in the garden, but for some reason, there isn't one plant at all this year, and I do love to see it.
ReplyDeleteLovely blog, maketh the tummy rumble as is often the case with yours!
oh more happy sighing at your all round loveliness. There always seems to be a birthday party in your life, the luck and wisdom of having lots of having loads of children I suppose. Excellent on the work front, well done!
ReplyDeleteMmm summer of icecream, how scrumptious. I hope you stay small (ish) and sweet with the business Pipany.
ReplyDeleteI am hugely proud of my mummy!!! We all are, and seriously excited about seeing you soon ekkkk six months!!! Hope you got the photos Sam posted, Love you!! Lauren X
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday to your young man!! They do seem to grow everso fast.
ReplyDeleteAll that icecream looks absolutley delicious.
take care,
Nina x
Lovely photos, Pipany...love the yellow and lavender flowers together. And that ice cream looks quite refreshing. YUMMY!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday belatedly Elias!
ReplyDeleteThat ice cream looks divine!
Congratulations on your success, and being able to turn orders away! Fantastic!
Love vanessa xxx (do you mind if i knit)
Very late but still meant - Happy birthday Elias. What a grea age to be. And such delicious icecream. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteCKx