A manic week in the pamper household!

Wow! What a whirlwind the last couple of weeks have been! Not only have I been working rather hard getting things ready for the new shop (which is coming along fabulously) I have won a competition, wandered around London with a camera and actually looked like I knew what I was doing AND I have been to Birmingham to meet the lovely Theo Paphitis! No I'm not dreaming and I have the evidence to prove it!

I'll start with the competition - A few of you might know I'm doing a level 3 NCFE in photography at college, we was set a task by the local council who are redeveloping Basildon town centre, after living there for 26 years I can honestly say it really needs it! ...back on track again... We were asked to photograph the town centre so there was a record of what it was like before, and I believe so they have some images to use on their website and literature! Well off I went, thinking I would have a go, but as its a subject I most passionately dislike, 100% thought I wouldn't even place in the competition. But, along came college night and to my complete surprise, I WON! How did that happen? I still don't much like the photo but I think that has more to do with where it is rather than what it is, I'll let you see that for yourself.  Cue the local press photographer making us pose for photographs for the local paper! Can you tell I'm very prepared! lol

The winning photo

Me with Danika Gigg and Michelle Fuller who came 2nd and 3rd

The rest of the week was spent making preparations for the new shop, which includes this rather shiny new website where you will be able to see what artists are in the store and get lots of information http://www.handmadehighst.co.uk

Fast forward to my trip to London, now I've never done the touristy thing in London so this was very exciting for me. We arrived early, and decided to go to the Tate and see what all the fuss was about. Well, I'm still not sure what all the fuss was about, I'm sure we needed someone much more in touch with their artistic side to show us round - any takers? So we left there, and went looking for our tutor, which of course, because I am excellent at loosing things.. we couldn't find! Oops! After much searching, facebooking and phoning we found him! Wooohooo! And of course had a lovely evening wandering along the river.

Then it was onto Leighton Buzzard, that night!

Back in June last year Sarah from http://www.silverbirchcrafts.co.uk won a retweet on twitter by Theo Paphitis as part of his small business Sunday promotion. Theo arranged for a event for all the winners to go to, each bringing a guest and Sarah kindly asked me along. So then it was off to Sarah's house, I stayed there the night before so we wouldn't be late to meet Theo the next day (see above for my lack of organisational skills) I was every bit as nervous as she was! A new dress and shoes had to be bought! Not that we even dreamt that we would meet him, I imagined that he would just be "up there" on stage somewhere, wasn't I wrong! Just as I was shoving a sandwich in my mouth, Theo entered the room right in front of us,oops, note to self - that is NOT a good look! It was a fantastic day, meeting not only the man himself, but lots of friends and customers I have spent the last couple of years chatting with on twitter, its nice to put faces to the names and I certainly brought alot away with me! Theo was talking about his early years in business and the issues that can arise, its great to hear all that from someone who has made it! Its certainly given me a renewed appetite for my little business!

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