Happy birthday to us!

Unbelievably it’s been a year since we started on our Sails and Canvas journey, so we’ve been blowing out the candle, scoffing cake and drinking fizz to celebrate…we are quite good at the latter 🙂 It’s been an interesting year in which we have realised what a challenge it is to start a new business…how hard can it be to get phone and Internet installed, set up a bank account, work out which are the best environmentally friendly post bags etc etc. As anyone who has been through the process knows, everything takes ages! And we wanted to re-brand, build a new website, introduce a different product range combining the upcycled sailcloth element with the vibrant colours available in marine canvas, as well as manage the daily business needs…with all that going on it’s little wonder that it feels like time has actually flown and our kids have learnt to accept that Mommy hasn’t managed to do a shop today so it’s freezer dust and cupboard fluff for tea again! It’s been great meeting and working with other new businesses like slidepods www.slidepods.co.uk who have have designed an amazing removable campervan pod for VW T5 and T6 which slides out the back of the van. Our addition to their beautifully designed pods was a removable cutlery roll in light weight canvas which could be attached to the pod or taken off and used on picnics…we also made a canvas cover for a portable loo that Slidepods have fitted into some of their conversions, well it can’t all be glamour! Good luck to Jane and Jonny as they too go into their second year of trading. Another designer with a new product is Tim Rolison www.timrolisondesign.co.uk .He recently contacted us to make canvas windows for a wooden gazebo to be used in schools as an outdoor learning space…photos on Facebook and Twitter later this week when installation at an Exmouth school is completed! All in all it’s been a year worth toasting…we’ve survived, we’re sane and still smiling and most importantly we’re having fun 🙂