Elliemagpie has been open for 5 weeks!

So, Elliemagpie was opened on April 14th 2012 to a fantastic crowd and a very warm welcome from the people of Prestwich.
These are some of the pictures taken just before we opened, the calm before the storm!

The owl cushions on the bed went straight away! The addition of the bed was a last minute stroke of genius - I needed extra space to display all the soft goodies and remembered that daughter Ellie's shabby chic bed was sitting unused in my top bedroom as she has had a 'cabin bunk' for last Christmas!

 Beautiful fabrics on the custom made display shelving from Steve at A&S Joinery. http://www.salfordjoiner.com/

 View from the front of the shop, as you walk into the store...

And again, one the the hand painted upcycled cabinets both offered for sale and used as display in the store.

My bench! Made by my Dad for me to serve customers and cut the lovely fabrics and ribbons :)

The 'back'; my workspace - no longer looks as tidy as this and now has three sewing machines, an ironing boards and piles of project work on it!
I had to re order these pictures frames with 'A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear' as they all went on the first day!

 View from the back of the store towards the front - awaiting all the lovely customers!

 The gorgeous cabinet that went on the first day and now has a lovely new home.

The wicker hearts in the front of this picture have been a great seller - more are due in this week!

I was far to busy chatting, serving, and eating delicious nibbles from both the Cheese Place and Five!, local businesses in Prestwich to take photos on the opening day. I think my mum managed to take some, I will try and post again with these!
http://www.thecheeseplace.co.uk/ - thanks to Kath and Louise
http://www.freshfoodatfive.co.uk/ - thanks to Barb and Joe

Since the opening I have had so much fun getting to know loads of people from Prestwich, hearing their views about the shop and what they like to come in for.
I am now stocking ranges from the following local designers:

Jane Dennerly - http://janedennerly.blogspot.co.uk/
Harris Tweed bags and brooches in new and innovative shapes. Unique uses of vintage silks into brooches, handbags and bows. Classic yet quirky and real statement pieces. Jane also make beautiful cards and pictures.

Loula Belle at Home - http://loulabelleathome.blogspot.co.uk/
A lancashire lass putting a bit of glamour into mundane household chores to bring out the inner goddess! Loula Belle uses retro inspired prints in stunning colours to make sexy aprons, washbags, tea towels and cushions. Loula Belle also does some fantastic kids products and gifts; brooch kits and bake sets.

Summer Willow Creative Cards - http://www.summer-willow-creative-cards.yolasite.com/
Handcrafted cards for that special occasion. Summer Willow will also make to order and take commissions - just pop in or send me a message and we will have one ready for you!

Louise's Felted Crafts
New in this week; Louise makes sweet felted brooches, hanging decorations and keyrings; upcycling knitwear to make new unique pieces.

And also working with Eliza M to create fantastic 50's inspired dresses and skirts.
http://www.elizamvintagesewing.com/
Eliza M is a regular in Sew magazine and also supplies dress patterns and kits.
We will be running an Eliza M Vintage 50's dress sewing course in July. Pop in to see the pattern or go online to book at:
http://www.elliemagpie.co.uk/collections/workshops/products/vintage-50s-dress-course


Elliemagpie workshops launched this week - we had a fantastic time on the beginners learn to sew course on Tuesday and also on the Owl Cushion workshop on Wednesday.
Angie from @idesignworkshop, began the courses and will be teaching each week from now on.
More to follow on a later blog about the workshops!

I have been working away on some commissions these past few weeks and have made some lovely things!

A cute taggy for Tanya & Erin. Another order coming this week as Erin loves it so much. Also a taggy on order for a new baby and the fabrics have been chosen from the Feather & Stitch range from Sarah Watts - will be so cute!

Drawstring rucksacks for the lovely Penny who just loves her rucksacks! Since making these two beauties I have had orders for two more too - they look just ace in all the lovely fabrics!

Doesn't it look fab in this fabric!

I have also made cushions, throws for a hotel makeover and a new dress for a vintage doll - more pictures to follow on later blogs!

This week I have orders for more throws, curtains, a patchwork quilt and some outdoor birds and cushions for Joan Mulvenna's garden at  RHS Tatton 2012 (July 18th - 22nd)
http://www.garden-design-manchester.co.uk/
More about these in later blogs!


So in a bit of a roundabout way here is how the Prestwich Laundrette was transformed into Elliemagpie!

 All painted but still waiting for that sign....

Brother in law Steve and my dad get ready to unveil the sign.

The sign and all the lettering are on. Ladders still in place and dad in the doorway!

I look forward to the next few weeks - meeting new people, more new friends, workshops and new stock! and more blogs too, now that I have promised them!

Enjoy and keep sewing! :)x

Elliemagpie Weeks 4 -8

Things are moving along well now with the shop and the Elliemagpie brand ! I have been painting, sanding, photographing and much more with the shop and getting out all the lovely orders online.

I have been receiving deliveries and checking stock and trying to find a place to put it all but joy of joys now Ry has built the shelves for me in the stock room so I have somewhere to store things!
Just have to deal with things being in two different places at the moment until I officially move in!

So lease still not signed, something to do with a 58 page unnecessary, out of date, document that needs to be revised but I am still hoping  desperately that it will all be sorted this week.

Planning permission still not come through for the signage or shutters either - apparently the council have up to 8 weeks to make a decision with the earliest being April 17th - 3 days after I plan to open - this is no good! I have people on the case now trying to  get it sorted!

Dan, brother-in law, did some fab drawings for me of the plans and the signage guys have been working on them too to get the full effect for the signage!

So excited - I hope it's going to look brilliant!
Don't worry - the front of the shop is all going to be painted too!

So here are some sneak peak pictures of the interior and what we have been doing.
Ry has been a star and done some painting - even though he HATES it, Mum has been fab doing all the cleaning including the upstairs ready for the craft room and Dad has been brill doing the railings and other stuff with me. More plans for further works and preparation of the frontage this Sunday.

Next week will also see the installation of my fabric racking inside :) and hopefully my till will arrive - I have the till rolls!

These shots were taken when it beautifully sunny outside in the (quite) early morning. Every time a huge bus stopped outside it blocked out all the light!

I am also going to have to start a rogue's gallery of people who sit on my doorstep - it seems to be used as a bench for the bus stop so will have to put a stop to that.

Need to get on with doing my flyers and sorting everything thing out for the big launch too!

Elliemagpie Weeks 2 and 3

Well, so much has been going on the life of Elliemagpie that I have barely had time to stop. Certainly not been able to make enough time to sit and blog. So taking advantage of this Sunday morning and a cancelled meeting this afternoon that I would have been preparing for and getting some updates out to you all.

Elliemagpie - the shop.
So here is the fist pictures of the shop premises I plan to rent in Prestwich.

The shop is the old Prestwich Laundrette and has been one for 40 years or so until 2010. I love the building and the shop front and the heritage there!
The inside has been plastered and spotlighted so just the floor to go and I will be almost ready to start setting up.
The lease is just with the solicitors though and I haven't actually signed, so fingers crossed please everyone that this goes through smoothly as I  really want this place and have some amazing plans for it.
I have also started buying the furniture so if I don't get a place soon I don't know what I am going to do with it all!

So what have been doing these past two weeks? Well just before I finished my last job I tool two days off to do Spring Fair at the NEC and meet all the lovely suppliers I want to work with. I was also placing orders like mad whilst carrying around loads of catalogues and contact cards and things - it was hard going but I loved it. There was so much to see and so much to take in - really hard to choose, I hope I have made some good choices!

Here are some of the lovely companies I will be stocking:

Clayre & Eef, from the Netherlands, have  a complete range of home accessories that make a house a home. The country and nostalgic Clayre & Eef style originated in the Limburg village Haelen, located in the beautiful countryside of Leudal, Netherlands and is characterised by romantic designs. Their products are so gorgeous and they also do a mini me range of aprons and oven gloves so kids can help their mummy bake!

Clementine Creations from Sopafra are a family business founded in 1991 in the South of France. They have beautiful decorative homewares and create all the collections in their textile workshop. Everything has a French country, shabby, feel and is just perfect for Elliemagpie.

A selection of other products from some other fantastic suppliers that I will be using to add interest to the ranges. I have been furiously uploading products onto my website - which is hopefully going to launch in the next couple of  weeks. In the meantime everything I have in stock is available in my ebay store: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/elliemagpieshabbychic

East Of India - created in 1991 by a couple who travelled and discovered local handicrafts. East of India now have some beautiful 'Make do and Mend' kits & notions which are just perfect for the haberdashery side of Elliemagpie. Of course their ribbons are just divine too and all their products are so wonderfully packaged they made gorgeous gifts!

Gisela Graham is one of the leading design companies for seasonal decorations and gifts. I did manage to hold myself back and I haven't bought my Christmas range yet - bit I will need to be doing soon!


The next fair was the Craft, Hobby and Stitch International where I went to source all the haberdashery and fabrics. Ready to set off on the Monday I was thwarted by a missing cat - I thought Belle has escaped and spent 2 hours searching the house and then roaming the streets calling her name. When I returned she was just there is the kitchen! Naughty cat! I had to delay the trip and only ended up going on the Tuesday.
Managed to cram it all in though and also meet my friend Solance from Sparkle Dreams - it was great to see her again after all these years!
http://sparkle-dreams.blogspot.com/
Check out her blog too and if you are in Wiltshire go and visit at the Studley Grange Craft Village
http://www.studleygrange.co.uk/sparkle/

First stop was Tilda for the sweet fabrics designed by Tone Finnanger from Norway. I have long been a fan of her designs and patterns.

Tilda have two new ranges out Sewing Bird and Garden Party - can't wait to see the fabrics in the flesh!

Designer Tanya Whelan was born nostalgic. For Tanya, creative inspiration comes from her passionate love of old houses, historic architecture, antique furniture, vintage objects and artifacts of all kinds, and most especially antique textiles (she's a girl who can literally go weak in the knees at the discovery of the "perfect" rose strewn antique quilt). - sounds like me!
These are some of her fabrics I will be stocking from the Delilah, Darla and New Sugar Hill collections.

 
Then it was over to Stof from Denmark for some of their beautiful basics and pre washed cottons.
I have to admit I did pre order on their Christmas linens too!

I have also ordered fabrics from Michael Miller, Riley Blake, Blend and Robert Kaufmann. I didn't see these at the show, the reps have been kind enough to call on me and show me their wares.
It was during one of these visits that I thought that the cat had escaped actually and I had to call up to ask if they had seemn a small black cat slink past them as they left the house!

New Blend ranges - Feather n' Stitch, Magic Garden & Spring Promise.

So all in all a very busy time with lots of money spent and prices negotiated! I have also decided to stock some vintage inspired cards and wraps for anyone who wants to buy the complete package!

In my next blog I will post about my adventures with photography and how I am getting on with the product shots for the websites!

Thanks for reading

Elliemagpie xx