January is the only month when I’m bitten by the housework bug. Whether it’s down to ‘new year - new start’ or simply the fact that the house looks bare without the Christmas decorations, I get a sudden urge to clean, tidy and start making alterations. Home themed magazines suddenly become appealing and I take more than a passing interest in the IKEA and Habitat catalogues.

If you’re looking for a quick fix to brighten up your home and breathe life into bare walls, then take a look at Avalisa. Avalisa creates wall art. Bold colours, abstract shapes, patterns and personalised blocks are incorporated onto hand-stretched canvas, ready to adorn nurseries, living rooms, bedrooms and offices.

Styles include animals, personalised messages, abstract patterns and ‘things that go’. Designer/owner Lisa Masterson believes in positively influencing people by their living environment and through the use of shape and colour in her designs, she aims to create a stimulating atmosphere.

To browse the Avalisa gallery and buy online go to www.avalisa.com. If you’re ordering in the UK you will need to email your order. Contact details are on the website.

We first featured the quirky clothing of Marmalade Ho in September last year. Well, Marmalade Ho’s designer, Miki is back again to share her experiences at the Clothes Show Live.

Marmalade Ho at The Clothes Show Live

Well, I’ve finally got around to tackling the big promised write up of the Clothes Show Live 06. We had a wicked time there and it went so much better than we hoped. A big thank you to my family and friends for all their help and support, couldn’t have done it without you!

Our space was tiny (2m x 3m) and it was pretty cramped what with people trying stuff on, friends waiting around etc., so if anyone is interested in exhibiting I would say plan your space well. It isn’t cheap to do, so you really need to be organised to get the most out of it.

Ask for Advice

The company that organised the Clothes Show Live, Haymarket Exhibitions were amazingly helpful. There wasn’t anything I couldn’t ask them, even though sometimes I felt like an idiot! If you haven’t done something like this before, don’t be scared, you’ve paid your money so you shouldn’t feel silly asking for advice.

It was so amazingly busy, sometimes we didn’t get to eat till the end of the day, and it took me at least 3 hours to eat a tiny mini muffin at one point! The Clothes Show Live is quite an experience, it is absolutely massive! I cannot imagine what it was like before mobile phones were available. Most visitors seemed to think cash/cheque were the only payment options, but most exhibitors were expecting more credit and debit card sales. I can’t say how it will go next year with regards to stands having chip and pin machines. What I will say is that the cash point queues were horrendous and the charges were extortionate, so be prepared. People were drawing out loads more than they needed just to justify the charge and that’s lethal at the Clothes Show Live!

There was an amazing range of stuff, it was so hard trying not to spend the profits, and I had to keep my eyes down on the floor and my hands in my pockets. I can’t believe how determined people were to come back to us at the end of the day to buy stuff, we were so impressed!

It was also great to meet other designers and companies. We particularly enjoyed talking to Hullabaloo, Red Mutha, Holt Royale, Ascension Clothing and American Pig Brand. Marmalade Ho was amongst other street wear designers in the purple zone. The whole show is so big it has to be divided into coloured sections to make it easier. Pink was Beauty, Red was the Fast fashion section … I think, and so on. But the colour zone is indicated in the carpet to make it easier and everything at the NEC is well marked.

I was disappointed with some exhibitors who shouldn’t have been there. It’s sad but true, it’s getting harder and harder for small labels to survive. There were too many stands there that I felt didn’t fit the promise of the Clothes Show Live. I realise that at the end of the day, it’s all business and spaces must be filled in order for bills to be paid etc. but it’s important for the sake of the exhibitors and visitors who take part in such events that their expectations are not compromised and compromised again. I’m not talking about the huge high street brands, we expected them to be there, neither will I go into detail, many of these traders were nice people to talk to and had paid for their spaces fair and square the same as everybody else.

A Struggle for Small Companies

It’s tough for little companies to profit at an event like this one but if certain stands are selling cheap, mass produced items it makes all the stands look cheap and mass produced, it’s the very reason I left Camden. This is sadly happening more and more. We have some fantastic designers and skilled crafters in this country and organisations such as the Clothes Show Live need to be more supportive of them. Organisers need to be careful and remember the little companies that take the huge risks and spend months preparing, as well as their hard earned money to be there. We give these events their reputations.

Thankfully the show was full of visitors who are determined driven individuals who go to impressive lengths to stand out from the crowds with a fierce loyalty to little labels like ours, they appreciate what we do.

Phew! That had to be said. BUT it must be said that it is still worth going to the show, there was still a great collection of brands at the show. There was something there for all fashion tastes. There were bargains, limited lines, new collections, new exciting brands to be discovered, impressive vintage collections/ shoes/ accessories/ make up/ hair/ well being everything! There wasn’t as much stuff for men but there was more than I expected mainly street wear and accessories.

Shopping Tips

We met many girls that had been given early Christmas money or saved up birthday money/ student loans etc. to come to the show, who had been several years running, it is really impressive, despite my little soap box effort earlier on. I learnt various little shopping tips, like wearing a vest top or camisole, (vest/fitted t-shirt if you’re a boy) to make changing easier if there isn’t a changing screen available. Comfy shoes because there was lots of queuing and walking, especially for some of the more established brands. But there were lots of shopper droppers recovering for another lap at the back of the halls where all the yummy food was.

If you’re using cash bring lots with you and use cards if you can, so you don’t run out. Most of the stands didn’t seem to be charging customers for chip and pin sales.

Despite living in a Travelodge for a week, (Alan Partridge minus the porn and with better jumpers) we were quite sad to leave the Clothes Show Live. Marmalade Ho might be back next year, we’re not too sure yet. We had no regrets doing the Clothes Show Live, we met so many cool people and saw so much exciting stuff. I didn’t have much time to walk around, I know I missed a lot of cool stuff, my heart is sad but my pocket is happy. From an exhibitor’s point of view, I would just say go for it, don’t always take the first option offered to you, certain recommended specialists are not necessarily the cheapest, read the Handbook, I read it from cover to cover and still missed many important points.

Well better go we’ve got our first trade show coming up next month so watch this space!

And if you didn’t get to see Marmalade Ho at the Clothes Show Live, you can buy online at www.marmalade-ho.co.uk.

It’s all about the cats today. I recently came across Aberdeenshire jewellery brand, Dark Cherry Designs. Designer Kirsty Cameron specialises in unusual hand-sewn jewellery. Fabric, beads, trimmings and other unusual components are combined and hand stitched to create quirky and funky pieces.

Being a cat fan, I took an instant liking to Gingham Kitty and Hell Cat. Both brooches are currently in the sale marked down to £5 (Gingham Kitty) and £8 (Hell Cat). And there’s free shipping for UK customers until the end of January. Overseas customers needn’t miss out as international shipping is charged at just £2.00 extra. For further details go to www.darkcherrydesigns.com.

Button up, it’s cold outside. And apparently there’s worse to come, starting with widespread frost tonight and ‘fierce storms’ predicted for the rest of the week. But you can keep warm with these cute knitted leg warmers and matching fingerless gloves by Jessica Louise.

Based in Los Angeles, Jessica Louise provides a range of quirky, girly clothing with a bit of an edge. The pretty, Lolita-esque garments have been worn by Avril Lavinge and can be found at boutiques across the US and in Canada and Japan. You can also buy online at www.shopjessicalouise.com.

Continuing with our sales theme, the team at Betty Joy have gone crazy with their price guns and shot down a number of prices - from toys and homewares to jewellery and accessories.

In addition, there are sparkly new creations from Stardust Designs and cute plush goodies from Cutesypoo and Dog Bone Bakery.

Fill your virtual baskets to the brim at www.bettyjoy.co.uk .