Looking forward.

Well we are about to say goodbye to 2018 and welcomed in the New Year. I won't lie 2018 has been a really tough one. My Mum was going through treatment for her breast cancer and I've had endless problems with my health, mainly down to my congenital heart defect and was hospitalised several times over the past six months. It all took quite a toll on my mental health but I've been working hard to control my anxiety. Thanks to love, support and help from family I feel like I'm winning! However, this wasn't meant to be a negative post and it's important to remember the highlights of 2018 too. My youngest sister got married back in February, which was absolutely beautiful, and although my Mum had a tough time with her treatment the year is ending with us knowing that the cancer has gone! Best news ever!

So I'm beginning 2019 with optimism and hope that it will be a healthier and generally easier year than the last. With regards to my business, I'm excited about all the plans I have to grow Woof & Wilson this year. I have new products planned that I'm currently designing and can't wait to be able to bring them to life.

Along with my Woof & Wilson Designs greetings cards & gift tags I have now added my new tea towels to the collection. They currently come in four designs (shown above) and are a beautiful addition to a modern country kitchen, or for anyone who loves nature. You can find the tea towels here. There is also a small discount if you are buying two or more of them by using the code TEATOWELDEAL at checkout.

I also hope to design and make some more of my machine embroidered pictures as they were a little neglected while I was unwell. I'm planning on expanding my range of stationery too so watch this space!

It just remains for me to thank you all for sticking around and continuing to support my little business during such a difficult year. All the support I've received through comments, likes and shares on social media is so appreciated. Every sale on my website, no matter how big or small ALWAYS makes me want to do a little dance around my studio and helps me continue to build my dream. I also wish to thank all the incredible NHS staff who have helped my Mum, myself and other family members through some tough and scary times. You are all amazing! Thank you from the bottom of my slightly dodgy but full of love heart.


Have the happiest of New Year celebrations and a wonderful 2019!

Our Norfolk break.

I haven't managed to update the blog for a couple of weeks as I've been kept very busy by my cheeky but wonderful new Labrador puppy! I will introduce him properly in a blog post soon but first I wanted to share our lovely little four night break to Norfolk which we went on just before getting our pup! I had never been to Norfolk before and was really eager to visit for a few reasons. Firstly it was a great opportunity to visit friends of ours who moved to Norfolk last Summer. Secondly images I see of rural Norfolk always looks so beautiful and we wanted a nice country get-away. Another bonus of the county for me personally is that it's so flat! I know that sounds like an odd reason to most people but when you live with a congenital heart defect like mine where walking around is very hard work and pretty impossible if it's hilly, the idea of flat countryside is wonderful! Where I live in Buckinghamshire the countryside is beautiful but rather hilly, making much of it inaccessible to me.

We stayed in a beautiful little cottage surrounded by woodland and stunning countryside views. There were woodland walks on the property as well as the owners (who's house was attached to the side of the cottage, but still allowed plenty of privacy) having chickens and ponies.

We spent a day with our friends who now live in Norfolk and went to Cromer with them, enjoying Fish & Chips by the sea in glorious sunshine! Karl & I headed off to the coast again on another day but this time to Mundesley where we had lunch in a lovely pub overlooking the sea.

 

We also visited Alby Crafts & Gardens, a delightful collection of crafts being made and sold in barns next to beautiful gardens. There was also a fabulously quirky cafe on site where we stopped for tea and a brownie! We took so many photos in the gardens and I should say that many of the best ones were taken by Karl so I have him to thank for some of these shots!

We totally fell in love with Norfolk and it's beautiful coast & countryside. We will definitely be going back in the future as there's so many more places I want to explore there!

Tanya x

Day trip to the zoo!

Last week me and the boyfriend had the week off work. I don't think I realised how much I needed the break away from my studio to just switch off from work. We mainly chilled, did some shopping, went to the cinema and on Thursday we took a trip in to London to go to the Zoo for the day! Both of us are big animal lovers and neither of us had been to London Zoo for a very long time. So armed with my camera we set off on the train bound for the city!

I have a bit of a thing about giraffes, I think they are beautiful and so elegant looking. I did also fall in love with the pygmy hippos, very cute!

Meerkats will always be fun to watch, they are such funny little characters but my heart will always be with the penguins. I could watch penguins for hours, I adore them and have since I was a child. These Humboldt penguins were such cute little fellas. They seemed to be having so much fun in the water too and I loved their nice big enclosure. Believe me the temptation to pop one of these cuties in my bag and take him home was immense!
 

This is Kumbuka, London Zoo's silverback. He was a very handsome chap indeed!

The photos from this trip could have gone on forever as we took so many (my boyfriend was the main photographer) so I thought I'd just give you a few. Needless to say we had a super time and I would highly recommend it! A day like this is very hard work for me with my congenital heart defect but in a place like this it's okay to wander around very slowly, sit on benches as often as you need to and take the day at your own pace, so it suits me and my little heart well. My week off has done wonders for recharging my batteries both mentally and creatively. I have loved getting back in to the studio today and getting back to work!

Tanya x