Harvey and Hugo

I have just finished one of my most difficult commissions yet! To make miniature versions of Border Terriers Harvey and Hugo- both cute and distinctive dogs this is the first time I have made textile versions of specific animals rather than a general species. It is always difficult to achieve a high level of likeness when the owner of the dogs knows their appearance so well. Whilst a challenge it was also great fun and I really enjoyed making them- I have just had a call from their proud new owner who loves them!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

WOW! What a week. I am so thrilled to have won- it was such a surprise when Steven called me as I had no idea when we would find out or what the results would be. I would like to thank everyone who has voted for me and have offered their support. I will definatley make the most of the prizes and take on board all the advice that is included in them. I am confident that this win will dramatically help my business- when I think about how much just participating in the competition has helped me I am really looking forward to see the impact of winning. And I am currently taking on staff I am so happy that the new members of my team will be joining me at such an exciting time.

I have had so many applications that it has been almost a full time job sorting through them- I held my first set of interviews yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the talent and eagerness of the candidates. Every single one got a 10 out of 10 for energy and enthusiasm, making it a very hard task to decide who will fit best into my new team.

I'd like to congratulate all the other winners and the other finalists for making it such an exciting competition- I hear it was a very close run thing! And a big thank you to all the voters and the organisers who tirelessly counted all the votes and put together such a wonderful opportunity for us all!

Offices, Staff and the Last the Days of the Competition!

Hi Everyone,

I have lots of exciting news!!! I am moving into an office in Newcastle this weekend which is very exciting- up until now my spare bedroom has been the centre of operations so I can't wait to move into a proper office. I'm hoping that I will get much more work done when I don't have my two kittens 'helping'- all the threads and mohairs are just too much temptation for them! I will also be taking on my first official staff members and will be spending most of next week interviewing- I have had such a large number of applicants that it is taking me some time to read through them all and select those who I think will fit best into the business.

The Challenge has given me the confidence to take this next step and the sound advice of the experts has helped me with the practicalities of working out how to take these steps. The overwhelmingly positive response I have had from applicants and work experience students has been wonderful. At only 24 years old myself, I remember clearly how difficult it was to find work experience especially in the creative fields and am keen to help students with an interest in textiles or the arts to gain the real life work experience that they will need to succeed in a competitive education and employment market.

I would like to thank everyone who has already voted for their support and urge anyone who has not yet voted to consider voting for me! I have been working very hard to tell the public about the Challenge and to win their votes- from emailing and phoning everyone I know (and some I don't) to canvassing hard at the County Show, dropping leaflets through doors around the county and generally telling everyone I meet all about it. I have done everything I can think of to try and win the help that is awarded to the winner so that my business can continue to grow and will help me create a strong future for the company, myself and my soon to be hired staff.

I wish all the finalists the best of luck over the last few days of the competition and would like to thank again all the organisers and business leaders behind the Challenge, not to mention everyone who has voted and taken the time to read about all of the entrepreneurs!

Emily x

Pictures from the conference

This is a picture of me at the conference with two new creations a baby camel and a new vintage style elephant. Camels have been popular in the past but this is the first miniature I have made! I love it if I had time to make a whole herd of camels- but orders are keeping me much too busy at the moment.

The Seventh Annual Business Conference 2010

The Seventh Annual Business Conference 2010- was a brilliant event I learned so much and had a wonderful time. This was my first conference and networking event and to begin with it was a bit daunting, but I was quickly put at ease by the other attendees. I met some very interesting people and made some useful contacts. The speakers were very inspiring and offered some invaluable advice- the speakers were varied and offered a range of perspectives when talking about their various areas of specialism. The Hilton was a wonderful venue and the food was amazing!

I'd like to say a big thank you to the organisers and the people from the If We Can You Can Challenge for giving the opportunity to attend this event for for looking after us while we were there.

An Exciting Thursday Ahead!

I am so excited to be attending the Seventh Annual Business Conference 2010 on Thursday, it is a wonderful opportunity to hear from some amazing business speakers. All the finalists have been given the opportunity to attend, something that I would not have been able to afford on my own; so I will be making the most of the event. I will making notes and taking in every bit of advice and information these inspirational speakers have to offer. The theme of the event is tackling the seven areas of business- finance, sales, marketing, HR, technology, product and service- this will give us a well rounded look at all aspects of business and entrepreneurship.

During the lunch break all the finalists are taking part in a photo shoot for which we have been asked to bring props representing our business. I will be bringing one of my animals with me- but probably a miniature as I doubt I or the people around me at the conference will be able to concentrate with a large mohair camel on my lap!

Getting to the final!

I was so thrilled and surprised to get the phone call from Steven telling me I had reached the final stage of the If We Can You Can Challenge.

When I first went to meet the panel, as one of the final five for the Hexham Courant, I was so nervous, but they quickly put me at ease and I found the meeting inspiring and informative. It was wonderful hearing the panels different reactions and suggestions for my products, each bringing their own unique perspective depending on their own business and specialist skills. It definitely helped that I took a few examples of my animals with me as they can be difficult to explain- and I think William the Bear (left) was a particular favorite.