Sorry I haven't blogged in all of the six weeks over summer but we have been quite busy.
So, here's the Cornish Adventure:
16th July: Emily and I set off for Cornwall on the train. Adam was already in St Ives as he was shopping fitting for a couple of weeks. It was not an easy ride down with eight pieces of luggage and a violin!
 | ||
| Emily at Hinckley Station |
The first view of the passage where the shop is located:
 |
| Emily Marks the Spot |
Saturday 17th July - The shop opens!
 |
| "Shall we let the customers in?" |
 | ||||
| "Errrr........Can I ......uh.....Help you or something?" |
 | |
| I am the Shop Keeper....... |
 | |
| Beads made here....tea drunk here....chocolate (and pasties) consumed here.......it all happens here! |
Ok, so Saturday was a bit slow......but it did pick up. And before we knew what was happening we had customers and everything! (No pics of actual customers - you'll just have to believe me on this :) )
So, we have been open seven days a week from the middle of July to now. Unfortunately, it doesn't leave a lot of time to do things like this:
 | |
| Sculpting the sand |
 |
| Surfing the tubes.... |
Home Sweet Home was a caravan at Hellesveor Farm. It was quite a jaunt up the Stennack every day, going to work was easy, with a lovely view down the hill:
 | |
| St Ives from the Stennack |
Returning home was a little more arduous. You'd have thought that with all this walking I'd have lost a bit of weight - unfortunately, a high pasty intake counterbalanced this daily hill walking with the net result of a stone weight gain. Bahhhhh! Look at these poor souls - too tired to make it up the mountain.
 |
| "Are we there yet?" |
The caravan was....small. And a little......damp. But we got to see the cows going by every day.
 |
| Milking Time |
Life at the shop is pretty grand. I loved it. We have a beadmaking area in the shop and people are able to come and watch their beads being made. We also have a bespoke service, which proved very popular. Children in particular found lampworking extremely absorbing. One little girl was so taken with watching that she managed to lose her parents. That was a little tricky, since she only spoke German and I only spoke English. Luckily her parents finally claimed her before I put her to work in the shop. Heh!
I can't believe how quickly the summer went. Emily and I came back at the weekend as it was the first day of term today, but we've left Adam down in Cornwall to run the shop throughout September so do please pay him a visit if you are in St Ives.
We are in Cyril Noall Square, which is next to Kowabungas Internet Cafe. A handy place to herd members of the family who aren't bead-obsessed, thus giving you ample time to browse!
Hope you like our stock:
 | ||
| "Beachy" Pendants |
I'm currently in the process of putting all the jewellery onto my website: www.redhotsal.co.uk so if you didn't get a chance to get to St Ives you can still buy online. I'm hoping to have everything up there in a week or so's time.
The shop will be open until the end of September and then we will return for Half Term week in October (16th-23rd). Hope to see you there and thanks for all your wonderful support over the last few weeks! And yes, there will be beads for sale on the website in the next few days!!!!
Sal xx
wow sounds like you had a great time, the beach looks amazing, is the shop your own or are just just renting it for so many months?
ReplyDeleteHi Eve,
ReplyDeleteWe own the shop but we don't have accommodation. I also look after my mum here in Hinckley so we're a little split between the two locations. It's nuts. :)
It all sounds so wonderful Sal, I bet you can't wait to get back there. Keep up the good work xx
ReplyDeleteSal it all looks great, you've all put so much work into it. So happy it's worked for you!
ReplyDeleteTrudi x
I really enjoyed reading that blog! Sounds and looks fabulous. St Ives is definitely on my 'list of places I want to visit' ...when your shop is open of course! Hope it continues well.
ReplyDeleteWow what a fabulous place to beadmake! I hope to be holidaying down there next year so would love to come visit then! It all looks fab! Good luck and hope it all goes well for you! 80))
ReplyDelete