Eleanor's Byre

Christmas is coming.....

2011-12-02T02:57:00.000-08:00

The Proof Of The Pudding.....

2011-11-27T03:33:00.000-08:00

...is in the eating and I would just like to offer an Eleanor's Byre pat on the back for my friend Susan Green who has topped The Independent newspaper's Christmas pudding blind tasting.

Check out her website........and drool......

Well done Susan, richly deserved.

One year on......

2011-10-02T13:50:00.001-07:00

...and our little shop, like the lavender planted as we opened, blossoms.

A big thank you to all our customers, many of whom we now consider to be good friends, for all your support and kind comments. I know we don't always get it right, but we do try!

From me, personally, I just want to thank all the girls, and occasional boy, who have made the first year such a success.
Sal, Elisabet, Amelia, Emma Rose, Anne, Kate, Kate, Katie and Helena, you are Eleanor's Byre's greatest asset. Thank you all so much and here's to the next twelve months.

Anyone for cocktails?

2011-09-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

Cocktail jug and decanter made from original bottles by those clever people at Who's Glass.

Are you being served?

2011-08-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Well, actually, no, not always.

They do say experience is the name people give to their mistakes.

A brief blog of attrition and apology to the lady who came into the shop in the mayhem that was last Thursday. Somehow, amidst the coffee drinkers and the shoppers, you never did get your coffee.

Apologies, red faces and experience all round.

It's a funny old world........

2011-07-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

We have been nominated by the AONB, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, for a Best Design and Building Conversion award

Meanwhile.....

......the Planning department of Northumberland County Council have refused our application for our signage because "it's appearance is unsuitable for its setting adjoining the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty"

So do come and visit, but I'm afraid we can't tell you where we are..........

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside...

2011-06-28T12:04:00.001-07:00

Handmade porcelain jug by Katie Almond, ceramic sandcastle bowl by Green & Blue.

Waterproof backed, pure wool picnic rugs from Tweedmill.

Handmade felt heart by Angel Bill Trading.

Blokes on Spokes

2011-06-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Eight blokes on spokes cycling from Beal to Toulon, in ten days, one hundred miles per day, raising funds for The Stomer Nurses and The Wooden Spoon Society.

Good luck chaps!

8bos.co.uk

Meet Mabel

2011-06-02T10:52:00.001-07:00

Arrived today, not for sale, but totally gorgeous........

And thank you to the lovely young man called Jake who sent me this image.

Tea for two.....

2011-05-24T15:07:00.001-07:00

....and a copious amount of sugar lumps......

Who says men don't shop?

2011-04-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Show them the bubblegum colours of Rampant Sporting socks and the divine scents of Geo.F.Trumper and they need no persuading.

My goodness..

2011-04-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

....seven months, where have they gone?

Winter came rather early......

.......disrupting Christmas,

...but a balmy spring

...leads us to Easter.

Back soon.

Playing shops........

2010-10-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

..every big girls dream......

No fanfares, no trumpets..........

2010-09-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

.........but we opened the door today.

The picture above is part of our Gents range, pottery from Aiga and luxurious gentlemen's grooming products from Geo.F.Trumper

Lots of gorgeous things and some very impressed visitors.

Phew!

The final countdown............

2010-09-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

.......and I still have one hundred and one things to do...........

Creativity spent....(or, I'm knackered)

2010-09-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

Nearly there.........

2010-09-07T15:23:00.001-07:00

They do say....

2010-01-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

... be careful what you wish for, it might come true.

I’ve always wanted to have a shop, I’m a shop girl at heart.
What sort of shop depended on my stage of life. In my twenties I worked in the shop of my young, free and single dreams. Exquisite clothes, eye watering price tags, clients who would travel the length of Britain twice a year to buy the next season’s wardrobe. This was the seventies and even then the bills would run into several thousands of pounds.

My first baby came along and I dreamed of a children’s shop. Classic well made clothes. Old fashioned sailor suits and dungarees, Liberty print, hand smocked dresses, no Barbie pink or sparkly tiaras in my emporium. Tasteful wooden toys carefully crafted by local artisans. I realise, of course, my daughter would always have chosen the Barbie pink over the tasteful Liberty and my boys would far rather have had the plastic light sabre than the hand hewn wooden sword, but there you go. After four babies I fear my shop would’ve been fearfully neglected.

But now those babes have grown and flown the nest my restless head has turned to the shop of my present day dreams. A shop selling gorgeous things. High end, quality gorgeous things. Things I would love to surround myself with, gift to loved ones but can’t buy in our beautiful corner of Northumberland. We may have fabulous beaches and fantastic scenery, but the retail sector is pretty poorly served.

A place to serve the best coffee, real tea made with tea leaves, for surely teabags are the work of Lucifer himself? and exquisite hot chocolate for the beach blown passer by.

It shall have squashy sofas and glossy magazines for the retail reluctant partners. The latest copy of Country Life or Shooting Times, Rugby World or The Cricketer, Vogue or Tatler. No weary waiting sighs here.

I am about to realise my dream, share my journey……….

I have a dream....

2010-01-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

It lies behind this door.....