Say cheese (or should that be carrots?)

As I mentioned a day or two ago I have just received a lovely selection of new Maileg things, and this morning I got up extra early to turn my spare bedroom into a photo studio and take shots of all the new products. I will upload some of them later, but for now here is one of Humphrey having a chat with some of the fabric bunnies!

Bless him, he was nosing around my feet the whole time I was taking photos, so when I'd finished I picked him up for a cuddle... and before he know it he was in my little photo cube thingy being 'papped'!

Maileg springtime...

Lovely new Maileg things have arrived today - I've just been having a good old root through the boxes and oh there's some gorgeous stuff in there!

I have lots of work to do writing descriptions and taking photographs, but for now here is a picture of one of my favourite little things - a pretty set of pegs. Aren't they sweet!

Marketing - can you help?

Remember a couple of weeks ago I mentioned I was having a big marketing push at Cottontails? Well something I really need to do is get some more links to my website and I thought it couldn't hurt to put out a bit of plea here...

I feel a bit embarrassed to ask really, but if anyone would consider adding a link to www.cottontailsbaby.co.uk (that's my website, not my blog) on to their blog or website, I'd be so grateful.

And to say thank you I would send you a free surprise toy... Not sure what it would be, but it would be something from Moulin Roty or Maileg, so something lovely, obviously!

If anyone would like to help please just let me know you've added a link, email me your address, and I'll send you something!

Thank you
xxx

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Update on 25th March 2009: thank you so much to everyone who has offered links. I am very very grateful :-) Thank you!

Moles!

Have just been having a cup of tea and reading some of my friend's blogs, and came upon a post from Kirsty at Kirsty's Cottage Industries which has inspired me to write something... about moles!

I love moles, always have. Think they are such curious, lovely little creatures. And when I was a little girl I used to collect them - little toys, pictures, ornaments and things. Anyway, imagine my delight when Moulin Roty introduced two new members of La Grande Famille this year - and one of them is a mole! You can see her in the picture - she is called Apolline and is wearing a pretty dress. I love her big paws!

Before I go, here is a Beatrix Potter poem about moles - 34 years old and I still know it off by heart!

Diggory Diggory Delvet
Little old man in black velvet
He digs and he delves
You can see for yourselves
The mounds dug by Diggory Delvet

xxx

Le Jardin du Moulin

Moulin Roty have just introduced a lovely new range of little gardening things. Le Jardin du Moulin is a selection equipment and accessories including tools, buckets and watering cans, packets of seeds, gardening clothing and even a journal. There is also a lovely range of wooden items - wheel barrow, weather vane and a beautiful cart to store your gardening things.

Obviously it's all designed for little ones, but to my mind a lot of these items would look lovely in a grown up's potting shed. I love things in miniature and that's exactly what this range is - a classic French gardening range in petit proportions.

We're hoping for delivery next month sometime and I will create a special section on my website for summer / gardening things I think.

In the meantime I am adding a selection of photos... let me know what you think.

Oh, I nearly forgot prices... ball park figures: buckets from £3, seeds about £5, tools are £10-£15 (and the gardening cart is £200+ but we won't dwell on that one!!).

Catching up...

Hi everyone, can't believe it's been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything - I knew it was a few days, but gosh time flies!

I'm not sure why I've been so busy actually - nothing in particular, just everyday life in the shop.

We have taken delivery of most of our Spring / Summer clothes now and the shop is looking really pretty. Lots of delicate prints and subtle pinks and blues. I will try and remember to bring my camera in to take some snaps.

Am awaiting my Easter order from Maileg which will contain lots of new bunnies and a few pretty home accessories, like the storage tin pictured.

There is also some great news from Moulin Roty about a new gardening range but that deserves a post of its own which I will write in just a moment....

And here are the ones I made on Sunday...

Having made a tentative beginning on Saturday, I spent Sunday afternoon making more hearts and am delighted to say that I got a little bit better with every heart I made. I brought them into the shop this morning to show mum, and - just for fun - popped them into a display bowl to see how they looked, and I really am quite pleased :-) I mean, I know they're not good enough to sell (they're stuffed with lumpy bits of cotton wool for one thing!) but I think there is potential. I'm really quite chuffed.

Sewing Debut!

Hello everyone, I hope you have all had nice weekends? I need to catch up on my blog reading, am falling behind again. This will be a really little post because I am snowed under here but I just wanted to write a little something about my weekend because I have something to tell you - I have finally had a go at making something of my own! The pictures tell the story really, but bear in mind that before Saturday I had never, ever made anything. Ever. Had never even used a sewing machine before (bought mine on ebay before Christmas and have been too scared to turn it on until now!) The pictures show what I managed on Saturday - along with a pic of Humph who was sitting at my feet, trying to nibble my sewing machine cables. Little scamp. It's not much I know, but I am quite proud.

ps Have to tell you - the first heart I made was not heart shaped. It went in the bin. And the second one I made, I forgot to leave a hole for stuffing it!