We're turning 10! 11!
I was all set to make a big deal of Fabric Yard's 10th birthday this year. Sale, giveaway etc etc. I was feeling very proud of myself for remembering our birthday and bonus points for remembering when it was a biggy! 10 years! I'd done my calculations. It was gonna be class. Until I had a look at an old blog post I had done in 2014 celebrating our 3rd birthday and I realised my maths mistake. We're in 2022, not 2021.... Dammit.
That's just typical. It also shows how quickly time goes on. Other than getting end of year accounts together I tend to just go from one day to the next business wise, one month to the next etc etc without stopping to look back. It's all been a bit crazy the last few years of course so I'm going to forgive myself for not remembering what year it is. We're going to celebrate regardless here at Fabric Yard. Ten. Eleven. Who cares! It's something to celebrate in any case. We've stayed alive. We've kept the doors open and the daily Post Office runs ticking. Even through a blooooooooody pandemic!
A pop-up shop we had in McLaughlins bakery in the early years
Getting the garage ready for the move out from that attic
I thought you might like to read the (very short) birthday blog post I wrote in 2014 and alot still rings true for me.
April 2014
It was 3 years ago today that Fabric Yard began. In one sense it has gone so quickly and in another, its hard to remember life pre-fabricyard.
I have to say that I have loved every minute of those 3 years. It has been a juggling act, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
In between fulfilling orders and running to the post office has been school drop offs and pick ups. My girls are all on first name terms with the lovely people at our local post office. Getting my head around marketing and putting accounts into order has been interspersed with dinner times and bed times. I've had lovely lovely customers, I've been able to combine motherhood with growing a business. I've even been able to fit in a new baby around the business and for this I am very grateful.
I feel lucky to have had this opportunity. I feel relieved that I don't have to explain to the boss why I've had to take a day off work because one of the kids are sick. Its a blessing to be able to pack the kids and the beach stuff into the car on that one day of the year that the sun shines here in Portstewart. And yet, even on days when things have been really hectic, I have such great support from my family and friends, especially Trish - that I can only count the one occasion in those 3 years that I didn't make it to the post office to post thats days orders (the planets were misaligned, the Gods conspired against me and I forgot it was a bank holiday). I feel that its so important to have a professional, reliable approach and I hope that translates for my customers. I am so grateful for the support that fabricyard has had - I know that the next 3 years will bring even bigger challenges and probably, hopefully, some changes as we constantly evolve. I hope we can continue to service your needs and meet and exceed your expectations.
Wish I could send you all a piece of cake!
Alice x'
I'm not even sure if blog posts are still a thing. I was never very good at them anyway but 8 years later, the juggling continues although it's definitely not as manic now the girls are older.
Never too young to help move the big deliveries
Cutting and packing a present for her teacher!
Napping at Fabric Yard
Budding fabric photographer
I'm probably most grateful that the business has afforded me the flexibility to meet the girl's needs first and yet I like to think there's very few customers we've had to let down. I can still count on one hand (with some fingers to spare) the number of times we've not made it to the Post Office in these 11 years. I appreciate each and every order that lands in our email box. I still get that little spark of joy that someone has chosen to shop with us and for that I am so very grateful to all our customers over the years.
I'm also grateful to all the amazing staff I've been lucky enough to have since 2011 who haven't just done their jobs, they've added their own creativity to Fabric Yard - each and every one. They've embraced my girls (and pets...). Trish, Laura, Zoe, Ruby, Oliwia and Ailis. I've loved having them all and loved seeing them blossom as they've moved to bigger and brighter things (although if the employment Gods are listening I'd like to keep hold of Ailis a little while yet.... )
Ruby & Annie playing fabric jenga!
Zoe and Sadie making a robot costume for school
Ailis & Theo = Besties
And so to celebrate our 11th birthday we will be running a birthday sale alongside a special giveaway so keep your eyes and ears peeled on social media or get signed up to our newsletter to make sure you're one of the first to hear about our April celebrations!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read.
Alice x