Jubilee Celebrations

Summer is on its way!  Hip hip hip hooray!

We have been spending some time in the garden over the last few days while the sun has been shining.  Tidying up the borders and planting some new plants that I hope over the coming years will do well and that we can enjoy them on a Summer's evening sat in the garden. This year the peonies have been in full bloom and are looking fabulous.  We've received lots of comments from the neighbours admiring them and I must say we are quite impressed with them too!  Unfortunately they don't last too long before the petals drop but for now I love them.

My favourite rose is my Chelsea Flower Show buy last year and it is looking fabulous. I'd never been to Chelsea before and the tickets were a present from my sister.  I fell for this rose as it reminded me of my favourite Raspberry Ripple ice cream when I was a girl.  I really think its pretty.
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I am hoping that they will all stay pretty for next week's Jubilee Celebrations in the Village. 

We will be at Ashton Court Summer Fayre on Sunday 3rd and Tuesday 5th June.  If you are in Bristol I can recommend a trip to meet lots of lovely local Food and Craft Producers. Do say hello if you stop by!.

Whatever you're doing over the extended Bank Holiday we hope you have fun!

See you all soon

Karen x
www.villagegreensoaps.co.uk

When Village Green Soaps met Theo Paphitis....

On Friday 30th March Theo Paphitis invited me along with all the other #SBS (Small Business Sunday) winners to his Inaugural Meeting.  He selected Birmingham for the event as it is central for everyone and decided on Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

I accepted the invite and after planning what I was going to wear etc got up early and headed to the venue with my hubby.  We must have arrived minutes after Theo as his chauffeur was just leaving the car park with an empty car!  By now the anticipation was building and I was wondering what the day would bring.

On arrival we checked in at the desk and received our name badges and moved into the reception area where everyone was mingling whilst being treated to non stop drinks and a lovely buffet.

After approximately an hour everyone entered the main hall where Kip (Kypros Kyprianou), CEO, Ryman spoke briefly and introduced Theo.  Theo spoke to us about how #SBS had started and his visions for its future. He gave an inspiring and funny talk in true charismatic Dragon style.  Chris Wheeler,  Metal Frog , a previous # SBS winner had been asked by Theo to set up an #SBS website with a winners area and he talked everyone through the new website and how it would work for us all - brilliant idea and well done Chris.  Theo then held a Q&A session for everyone.  He did overrun his allocated time but this didn't matter to Theo at all. 

We were then told that we were all going to receive a personally signed certificate and have our picture taken with Theo.  Then hit me.....Village Green Soaps....I'd be near the end and he may not still be smiling by then.

Whilst we waited the drinks still flowed and we had time to chat to some of the others, who like me, had picked a name lower down the alphabet.  Finally my time came.

It really was a wonderful day and Theo certainly seemed to enjoy himself too.  He really was a very generous hospitable host.  We eventually said our goodbyes to lots of lovely 'new' friends and decided to head home.

In all the excitement I very nearly took the wrong car ....

Hope to see you all out and about soon

Karen x
Village Green Soaps

Here comes the sun

What a lovely few days it has been her at Village Green HQ as I know it has for most of the UK.  It has brought a flurry of flowers into bloom including our Camellia - simply gorgeous!

The hellebores are also at their peak and appear to have spread round the garden in drifts since last year.  We even have seedlings growing thru our Cotswold Stone driveway.

Love the blue hues from the Grape Hyacinth's

My yellow tulip pot is just starting to come to life

All in all Spring is on the way!

Happy weekend everyone and see you all soon!

Karen x

 

Support Handmade

I've just signed up to they Buy Handmade pledge and hope that you all will too!  Last year we were lucky enough to be picked for the UK Handmade Summer Showcase.   They have a campaign running to get people to buy handmade products and in doing so they in turn are supporting independent designers and makers throughout the UK.

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Take a look and sign up to their campaign.

We're also in getting ready for Mrs Scoops and Little Miss G's Vintage Wedding Fair in Milton Keynes on the 26th February.  Do stop by if  you're in the area.  It promises to be a great day out for all couples planning a wedding.  I believe Johanna Hehir  http://www.johanna-hehir.com/ will be showing some of her beautiful wedding dresses as well as lots of lovely stalls for you to get inspiration for your day. 

Look forward to seeing you all soon

Karen x

Village Green News

So here we are half way through January already and around the village the daffodils are out already along with roses in some of the garden which the weather men will tell you is unusually early.  Goodness knows what will happen to them when Jack Frost hits as predicted in a couple of days.

I've started the year as I mean to go on updating the blog, getting the workshop tidy, doing a full stock take and now am in the process of getting the website updated with our gift boxes and new soaps.  Hope you will like them.  

I've also had a number of new pictures taken by the very talented Lyndsey James Photography http://www.lyndsey-james.co.uk/ and I am absolutely thrilled with how they have turned out.  My soaps have never looked better. Thank you Lyndsey!!

I hope January is going well for you too and to ensure that the January blues stay away our SALE is still in full swing with bargains to be had on many of our soaps http://www.villagegreensoaps.co.uk/handmade-soaps  Pick up a bar and give your skin a treat!

As always if you see us out and about do say hello we'd love to see you.

Karen x
http://www.villagegreensoaps.co.uk/

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!  Can't quite believe that we have reached 2012 already.

2011 has flown with so many highlights it would be difficult to list them all!  If you follow us on  Facebook (Village Green Soaps) or Twitter (@VillageGrnSoaps) you will probably know all about them.  If you don't already do so please join us there - we'd love to see you!

We attended various events throughout the year with November and December being incredibly busy with lots of Markets and Christmas Fairs.  Throughout the year we have loved meeting the people who came and supported us along the way.

I've spent a rather quiet Christmas at home with my family in Gloucestershire but have written the biggest 'To-Do' List ever and have lots planned for 2012.  I've made yet another resolution to try and update the blog more often and an hopeful that this time I will succeed. 

We are now holding our January Sale on the website and you may like to pick up one of your favourite soaps there www.villagegreensoaps.co.uk

Wishing you all the best for 2012 and look forward to seeing you soon.

Bye for now

Karen x