About Me

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Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom
Hello there, my name is Sharon and I live in Westcliff on Sea with my two daughters, Rosie Matilda and Rumer Valentine and, when he's home from uni, my son Sydney. I opened my shop Roses & Rue in July 2009 and this has been a long held dream realised. I have recently given up teaching so that I can focus on building the business. As well as being fanatical about knitting, I love to crochet, sew and generally have a go at all things crafty. Hopefully you will take a little time out now and then to visit the blog and find out whats been going on in my busy world.

Saturday, 30 October 2010


Hi all, I know I keep promising to blog more frequently but at the moment I just don't seem to find the time to do anything other than work work work. Not that I'm complaining too much. The shop is quieter than I expected for the time of year, in terms of people buying yarn and fabric etc but then half term is always weird and things are very slow. That said, we seem to have orders coming out of our ears, for our 'made to order' service and are struggling to keep up. What I want to know is...why are people less keen to make things for themselves and more inclined to want 'made to order' stuff? Where's the satisfaction in that? Call me old fashioned, but isn't the idea of making things and being creative more exciting???? Or am I part of a dying breed?
Anyway, pleased to report that the Christmas Special Ideal Home mag has now been published and within the first week I have had several orders for the 'Easy Stocking Kit', as featured in the mag,which would appear to contradict what I have said above, I know. Maybe its a geographical thing. I've noticed that the orders have come from the Midlands, Home Counties and oop North generally. So is it that people in Leigh on Sea don't have the time? Or the inclination? Any ideas? Let me know what you think............ PS dont forget to get your copy of the mag, its great!

Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Catching Up




Hi all

So sorry that I haven't blogged for a while. Things have been more hectic than ever and I just haven't found the time to sit still and think. Just wanted to show you some pics taken from Village Green, which was a cold but fun day. We managed to raise some money for the orphanage and also we have had squares pouring in from all sorts of lovely people, for which we are very grateful. Jo and I are about to embark on a major sewing campaign, in order to have the blankets ready for mid October.
We are thinking ahead to Christmas which is actually only about 80 days away, apparently. Sue, Mad J, Pat and Annette are hard at it making lots of things for customers and for the Christmas Window display. I'm trying to do my bit but its proving difficult. We are also thinking about doing a Christmas Craft Fair at the Leigh Community Centre in November, although I haven't thought it through properly yet and I'm not sure I can squeeze too much more into a day.

Life in the in the shop is busy. Last week at Knit and Natter we had about twenty ladies turn up and what a job we had fitting everyone in. I had to borrow chairs from another shop and the noise levels could have sunk a ship. But it was great to see so many people enjoying each others company. Classes are busy - Sue, Jen and Jane are all hard at it and we are getting fantastic feedback from people who have done a class. We are also very busy with childrens parties, which Sue and I have been doing (with a little extra help from Jo on occasion).

This Friday we are all off to the Ally Pally for the Knit and Stitch exhibition. We are so excited, like kids about to be let loose in a sweet shop, and talk has been about what we are going to purchase etc. With 23 of us on the coach, I can only offer my apologies to anyone else who is on there with us, for the noise, which is a dead cert!