Having closed the ICE Retail shop in St James Centre in Edinburgh due to the demolition of the shopping centre, I was casting around for something new to do, something creative and something my own!
After months of seven day weeks in the shop, I wanted something that would keep me closer to home, but just couldn't think what it might be - I toyed with candle making and flavoured oils and vinegars but neither really filled me with the joy and excitement required to start up a new venture.
It was on holiday on the Algarve last summer that the germ of an idea came to me. Â Hanging on the wall in my daughter's room in our very lovely apartment in Albufeira Marina was a simple but effective artwork - an unframed large canvas with a pair of leather slippers attached. Â Stupidy, I didn't take any photographs but it looked omething like this:
This 'shoe art' got me thinking - it was so hot that sleeping was difficult! Â How about adapting the idea to framed, knitted baby booties and cute shoes as gifts? Â
As is my habit, I bought a new notebook and started writing things down! Â (The Portuguese translates to 'there is no one like you' though I didn't know that when I bought it - I just liked the zebra.)
The next afternoon at the pool, I tested the idea on my husband and daughter, and we set to work brainstorming ideas. We thought of names for the business, possilbe ranges and designs and kept adding and refining as the week went on - I couldn't wait to get home and get knitting!
I'll tell you more in the next blog post about my first forays into baby bootie knitting and my first commission!