stripykat newsletter

The weather continues it's quest to encourage me to move to warmer climates. We have a snazzy thing on our computer's desk top that clearly demonstrates this with with the temperature in Edinburgh, St Louis and Toulouse. Let me tell you Toulouse is looking very toasty warm at the moment, compared to -2 in Edinburgh bbbbbrrrrrr!

I am sat here with my SAD light on, I am not feeling particularly sad, but it's great to sew and type in. It is so good to see the nights starting to get shorter and plants starting to come back to life after the crazy weather we've had over December and January.

We've had a busy few weeks with one thing or another. We headed up to Inverness and Ullapool last weekend to celebrate our friend's birthdays. Driving alongside Loch Ness keeping my eye out for any suspect ripples in the water, there was also the dramatic scenery from the snow capped mountains to look at. We are exceedingly lucky to live in such a diverse, fantastic county and the Highlands certainly have their fair share of drama.

A very Happy New Year from stripykat, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and an enjoyable New Year or Hogmanay as we call it in Scotland. I would like to say that I didn't have a hangover on the 1st of January, but I can't, and I doubt there are many people who don't. We brought in 2010 at the Edinburgh street party along with a 100,000 other people. Armed with a bottle of bubbly to pop at midnight we watched the amazing fireworks that never disappoint.

Can you believe it? It's already December and I haven't even started making my Christmas presents. Yes friends and family it is a stripykat goodie for each of you...I have however made everything for Christmas for stripykat.com so there is loads of choice for you all.

stripykat has also had an exciting makeover. With a brand spanking new posh logo,it's looking very swish, I think you will agree.

So, with lots of new stock on the site for Christmas be sure to stop by and get yourself that special gift or if you are feeling kind, that special person a gift. Christmas isn't just about buying for other people, I am a big believer in treating yourself too!

I am sat writing this with the rain lashing down our windows on what has been a truly miserable day weather wise! With a slightly sore head due to lack of sleep not the red wine that I was drinking at Willie and Sheila's bonfire party last night – honest!

I went to buy the fireworks and was asked for ID – how to make a girl feel good! However, I am sure they were just giving me the cheap banter that keeps them going on a long Saturday afternoon in retail, but it was oh so nice to be asked. I got two big boxes of explosives including one that I bought purely for the name. "Blow your pants off" It did not disappoint let me tell you!

Can you believe all the shops are already gearing up for Christmas? I mean to say it’s only October….oh, but it does mean there’s only just over 11 weeks to go! OH NO!!!!!! Why am I not sewing?!!!

You know, it might be a sign of getting old or a serious lack of time on my hands, but running round the shops or surfing the net the week before or even the day before is certainly not appealing. Therefore, I have to admit it, I too am gearing up for Christmas.

Yikes, it is true what they “time flies by when you’re having fun”.

The last month has certainly been great fun, with the West End Craft Fair, lots of stripykat production and new product designing oh and of course the Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe.

First of all though the fair went fantastically well and I got to meet so many lovely people I just wish I could be there every day. We set up on a very, very wet and windy Monday morning, so I was confined to my stand all day due to the constant rain. Luckily the weather improved through the week and I am pleased to say the stripykat stand was bright and cheery so it caught everyone’s eyes along the way.

Well another busy, fun packed month for me and stripykat. stripykat is turning one on the 14th July.
How exciting, now able to walk, talk and eat solid foods it has come a long way since last year.

I want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone for supporting me and more importantly giving my creations good homes.

It’s so good to know they have gone on to be cared for by someone else with impeccable taste!! From California to Melbourne and London to Shetland. Big thank yous!

So with a mile stone like that you have to celebrate somehow so I am going to have a little glass of bubbly or make that two.

Well if you thought I had been abducted by the little green men and taken away for experiments you’d be correct, they discovered some new and wonderful things from me which they have taken back to their planet. So I'm back, which I am sure you are all pleased about!?

I have had a very busy month to say the least but a very enjoyable one at that. Poor stripykat has felt somewhat neglected however, but fear not I am on the case.

The craft fair in Morningside at the end of April was great and I met loads of crafty people and customers. My table was between a jewellery and a card stall and it’s a wonder I broke even as I did a bit of shopping round the stalls myself, while Tim held the fort at lunch time.

With the Craft Fair in Morningside just around the corner on the 25th April, I am busy making lots of stock to sell. It’s in the Columcille Centre, which is at 2 Newbattle Terrace just along from the Dominion Cinema. So I hope you can pop along to say hi!

I also got some brilliant news this week from the organisers of the West End Craft & Design Fair to say I had been successful it getting a space.
For any of you who don’t live in Edinburgh this is the fair to visit. It runs throughout the World famous International Festival and is sited on one of the busiest junctions in Edinburgh at St Johns church on the corner of Princes St.