Some Photos from the Ideal Home Show... (I'm Back !)

Sorry for the late post. The show finished a week ago, but I then took 4 days off on the way home and had a little break with my husband and Oliver in the Yorkshire Moors. My mobile and laptop had been banned. I was burnt out after the long hours I have been working the last few months and really needed some time off. This was the first holiday we have ever had as a family and the first time my husband and I have had a break together in at least 5 years !

Anyway, here are some photos as promised. The photo above shows (from left to right) Martin - (he works here as part of the staff), Simon (my younger brother, who was also helping out), Jean Christophe Novelli - (French Mitchelin star chef - I got a hug and a kiss !), myself, Carole (my cousin who was also helping at the show), my Dad (he got roped in too - bless him.... - we kept him busy !!)

Jean Christophe Novelli doing what he does best in the Celebrity Chef Theatre

This is a snap of our stand on the first day of the show, just before the halls opened and as we completed setting up.

All calm, all organised.

You may recognise my candy fudge bouquet. It was so pretty first time round that I decided to make another as a display piece for the stand.

Once the masses were let into the exhibition, it quickly got swamped. A couple of times our section had to be closed off for a short time as so many people were coming in at once it was becoming dangerous due to the volume of people !

In the foreground of this photo (if you look closely) - you will see some summer fruit and wine jellies I made too. These busy photos were from the second day. The heart shaped jellies were very popular and loads of people commented on how pretty they were. I'll blog the recipe and photos for those just shortly.....

The show was really really busy. Very hard work, but good fun. The chocolate moulds were very popular, along with the SAY IT WITH CAKE letter moulds and new push-up ice lolly moulds.

The work didn't finish when the show finished in the evening. I had baking to do for display items and we also had the stand to restock. Bed was never before 4am and time to get up again at 7am. No wonder I get tired..

I didn't get my presentation finished unfortunately. Just too much work and not enough time. I dad have a massive photo slideshow with almost 1,500 photos of our products and things made in them. Thank you to all who sent me photos and made this possible. It was lovely to be able to show specific things made in our moulds to customers that showed an interest in a specific product and wanted to know more.

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One evening just before we finished, I escaped to take you some photos from the food section of the show. I know that's what you really want to see !

The Arran Cheese Shop - http://www.islandcheese.co.uk/ - posing nicely with a range of their cheeses. Unfortunately, I was in a huge rush. Didn't get a chance to sample anyone's products. Sorry !

Chrystal's Shortbread. http://www.chrystalsshortbread.co.uk/ - Really pretty packaging selling Scottish shortbread shame their website is practically non existent...

Cedar Cottage Country Foods - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cedar-Cottage-Country-Foods

Prize winning pedigree fold of highland cattle producing pure premium highland beef (hangs for min. 4 weeks). Free range pigs producing our best selling sausages, also pork and Ayrshire bacon. Free range poultry.

These guys do a mean sausage. Can't find a website for them - only a facebook page with very little activity...

Erin Croft Bakery - yummy scones and baked goods. Couldn't find a website for them.

The young lad (son?) of the owner was really cute - but couldn't stand still.... or stop laughing when I was trying to take a photo. Ok - so I was winding him up rather a lot.

Here is a better photo of their scones - since the young lad was rather a blur.

Caurnie - http://www.caurnie.com/ - Handmade soap producers.

They use loads of natural oils in their handmade soaps. Smelt lovely. Things like Bog Myrtle which keeps the dreaded Scottish midges at bay.

Home Ground Coffee Ltd - http://www.homegroundcoffee.co.uk/

An artisan coffee roaster and merchant based in Cardross, near Helensburgh, Scotland

 Catchpole and Frogitt - Private Wine Merchants http://www.pullthecork.com/

 

This kind man gave me 1/2 a bottle of his lovely wine at the end of the first day. I turned it into some beautiful summer fruit and wine jellies which loads of people admired. I'll post photos and recipe for the jellies in the next day or so.....

 

Dream Cakes - Glasgow - http://www.dreamcakesglasgow.co.uk/

This lady was selling pretty cupcakes in a vast range of flavours and colours. Her kids helped out loads on her stand too. She was busy as a bee - making fresh cakes every night ready for the following day.

Babu Bombay Street Kitchen - http://babu-kitchen.com/

Their own recipe vegetable curry served with a toasted Scottish morning roll. They had some great big vats of the stuff on the go at all times. Smelt really good.

 

I don't have a company name or any info for this couple - but they were lovely. They had a large selection of homemade pastries including a really nice apple strudel and vast amounts of olives and anti pasti selections

 

Chris from Absolutely Cupcakes does the largest range of cupcake decorations I've EVER seen ! His stand was very near to ours, and I brough a load of pretty things home. He and his wife also run baking / sugarcraft classes and have a shop and tearoom in Dorset. 

Really nice guy. Do drop in and visit his online shop and tell him you heard about him here :-)

http://www.absolutelycupcakes.co.uk/

Hope you enjoy all the photos. Apologies if this blog post takes forever to load !

Sarah-Jane Nash - www.siliconemoulds.com - the silicone bakeware specialists