Blog
Welcome to Osborn & William's blog page! We are very excited to have this space to let you know what we we've been up to and what we discover on our travels to bring you the very best of what's out there for precious bundles and new parents and young children. Happy reading...
12 July 2010
Greetings! The shop plan is coming on and the summer holiday for the little rugrats is fast approaching. With the shop opening our little family certainly does not have enough time for taking a big hoiday. We are planning on 2 nights of camping in Norfolk. Our tent has been pitched in the garden for the past week and son no. 2 has fallen in love with it. We pitched it as a birthday treat for son no. 1 when he had his first sleepover complete with moonlit night creature hunt and midnight feast. Great fun.
We are sorting out shelving, tables, paint colours and of course amazing products. Our product line is going to explode with goodies over the next couple of months. We really look forward to bringing you scrummy treats for all children up to 11 years of age.
Sneak preview du jour:
   
17 June 2010
Blog blog blog. Oh dear. We forgot to blog again. I assure you it's for a good reason. Can you keep a secret? We're opening our first fabulous bricks and mortar shop! We will be on Dedham High Street and the Osborn & William hive is busier than ever preparing the shop for opening. We will announce our opening date as soon as it is confirmed but look for doors to open August-September. We will be on our lovely village High Street here in Dedham- one of the loveliest villages in East Anglia. We are very very excited! A reminder to all that you can also keep up to date on our frequently updated Facebook page. Join us!
6 April 2010
Signs of spring everywhere at last! We have been so busy these past couple of weeks with the holidays and the fair that I am only just now posting a pic of our stall at the Country Living Spring Fair in London. What a week! Osborn & William seemed to be more or less constantly busy and we found ourselves lurking at the edges of the stall to have a bite of sandwich and a slurp of tea every now and again to keep ourselves going! There was a fabulous Taylors of Harrogate tea room on our floor that beckoned us frequently to eat marmalade cake! Yummy... The feedback from all of you who visited us was overwhelmingly positive. One lovely expectant mummy and her friends dubbed us the 'cooiest stall at the fair'. We are so flattered! The bestsellers were overwhelmingly the gorgeous organic baby rompers and accessories as well as music boxes and our peek-a-boo doudous. You all loved those. Thanks for stopping by and seeing us all of you!
24 February 2010
When oh when will the great thaw occur? This has been one of the chilliest winters I can remember. We go into the garden to sort things out for spring and then retreat very quickly as the snow/sleet/rain covers our East Anglian garden. Sigh. Even though spring hasn't graced our garden properly, we're still planning for it. We will be at the Country Living Spring Fair in Islington from 24-28 March and as ever look forward to the opportunity to show Osborn & William goodies live as well as meet some of our amazing customers. Will you be popping by? I sure hope so.
2 February 2010
Yikes! Has it really been so long since I've blogged? We have passed the BIG winter holiday with not a peep from us to update this page. Sorry about that. This was our busiest Christmas ever and I am pleased to say we survived! However, it didn't leave much time for blogging. So, fast approaching are some lovely holidays that are a joy to think about. Valentine's Day is around the corner and we have some very sweet little love hearts (as my youngest son calls them) that play a lullaby to baby. Perfect baby Valentine's Day pressie.
Stay warm- I'll be back with some Mother's Day ideas and an update on our stall at the Country Living Spring Fair soon!
5 November 2009
Remember Remember! Happy Bonfire Night everyone! I think it's going to be sausages and sparklers all around at our place. The cold winds are definitely coming and I think it's goodbye Indian Autumn and hello winter nights.
I wanted to do a quick post to say hats off to my family for being absolute stars yesterday. Son no. 2 had his first proper lunch at Big School and handled himself like a proper big boy. He still looks so diddy in his school uniform and I must get a grip and stop choking up every time I think of him flying the coop. Even though he's ready and I thought I was too!
 
Second hat off to Husband No. 1. Yesterday we marked his official graduation from a 7 year odyssey to receive a BSC in Science from Birkbeck College. It had nothing to do with his career but everything to do with his pursuit to better his brain. He graduated with no less than a First Class degree. Nothing less would do for a First Class husband. Well done darling!
Oh, and, Son No. 1- well done for being a fantastic big brother and looking after your little brother in big school.
Ok, boast blog over.
25 October 2009
Country Living! Country Living! We are getting so excited about coming to the big smoke with all of our lovely goodies. We really want to have a good show and have a star line-up wth all of our gorgeous products. Can't wait to show off everything we have been working so hard on putting together. I popped along to the Dedham Mother & Toddler Group last Tuesday and had such great feedback our Christmas lineup. Our stocking fillers seemed really on the money & we had great feedback on our old fashioned toy hampers  At the CL Fair we will be offering all of our stocking fillers wrapped up in colourful tissue and tied with happy red gingham ribbon ready to be popped straight into children's stockings. Also on offer will be free delivery on all gift boxes booked at the show. So come ready to order!
8 October 2009
I've just had a really lovely lunch at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester. There was a talk with the renowned interiors designer William Yeoward and lovely nibbly lunch. I went to it guiltily because of the mound of work I have but it was well worth it. William was full of fantastic tips and he is just a really fascinating individual. The whole thing was arranged by Francie Readman Interiors who have just launched their new website today. Most importantly, the main aim was to raise money for a fantastic and very worthy charity called Homestart who help struggling families get back on their feet. Well done everyone!
30 September
You may have noticed in the last few days that the website has gone a little topsy turvy. Sorry! We've added some new categories to make room for new products like our children's gifts. There are some fabulous new things popping up on the website daily, so do keep coming back and having a peek. In the meantime, apologies about the scrambled categories. I think we're getting there.
25 September 2009
Life here in Osborn & William land is hectic and crazy right now. I am experiencing the mania of working mothers everywhere trying to juggle homework, email, phone calls & 'What's for Tea Mummy?' Ahhh... my favourite question. We are working furiously here to get our Christmas goodies and all of our beautiful new stock onto the site. We are launching a new line of gifts for the older baby up to 5 years old as well as a whole new range of gift boxes. The Osborn & William keepsake box has proven so popular that is is now going through it's second print run (Hooray!). The boxes are still just as gorgeous but with a slightly more intense pink and a bluer blue. Daily we are receiving deliveries of wonderful new products from Trousselier, Rosie Flo, Organics for Kids...and so the list goes on. We will have a new feedback section on the site soon (Thank you for all of your wonderful complements!) We aren't slowing down and our preparations for The Country Living Fair are at full tilt as well. So, what's for tea boys? Fish fingers anyone?
7 September 2009
It's back to school today! Hooray! The weather turned decidedly cosy this past week and I began conjuring up images of open fires and hot chocolate. And with that change, I began to crave the routine of school. The boys were starting to get a little antsy around the house with lots of 'I'm bored...' and 'I don't have anything to do'...Son number one was only too pleased to put his uniform back on. Let's see if he still feels the same way next week! Meanwhile it's back to pre-school for the littlest man.
Speaking of cosy, we are going to be getting in some gorgeous little booties for baby. They are all natural sheepskin, made in Wales and are just the thing to keep little toes warm for the coming cold weather. I wish they came in my size. Check back in a couple of weeks when they will be in.
They are called Cwtch's - Welsh for love....
19 August 2009
We had the most wonderful holiday in France. I can not recommend the French treehouse experience enough. It was very magical and peaceful sleeping up a tree and the boys thought it was all one great big adventure. They did not watch television for a week (I swear it's true!) but spent their time playing butterflies and caterpillars in the surrounding fields. Their little bedroom had built-in bunks and a tree branch growing through it with in-tact leaves. Just marvellous.
Disneyland Paris on the other hand need to try a bit harder. We had a super time in the three days we spent there going on rides and marvelling at the architecture and imagination. However, the food choices are, on the whole, fairly revolting. How is it possible that in one of the most advanced countries gastronomically is it mainly only possible to find burgers and chips at exhorbitent prices? I was so relieved to have a proper meal upon our exit. The rooms in our hotel were also quite tatty and most places in general needed a freshen up and a lesson in efficient customer service from their American counterparts. These things of course were only noticed by the adults- the kids were oblivious and their smiles almost made it worth it.
We are very busy preparing the new fall & winter stock and planning our stall at the Christmas Country Living Fair in London. Seems ridiculous to think of Christmas on a beautiful summer day like today- but that's the way the retail cookie crumbles! More coming soon....
22July 2009
Summertime...
And we're going on our hols. We've chosen France this year because the boys are learning french and it's right on our doorstep. We've been scaredy cats about driving on the wrong side of the road with a wrong side steering wheel but have decided to take the plunge! (Hopefully not into the English Channel!) We have kitted ourselves out with the driving pack from Halfords and off we'll go for two weeks on Friday morning with GB stickers intact. On the way we'll stop off at Dover Castle- site of R's boyhood adventures on the way to the continent after which we'll head towards a region known as Le Perche. We'll be staying in a treehouse-! (The 2-bedroomed fully plumbed variety) I think the parents are more excited than the children in this instance. All the boys can think about is where we'll be headed after that...a certain park with a famous mouse and lots of rides. Will the parental units survive it? Stay tuned for the next installment!
1 April 2009
Lovely spring time! It is so beautiful outside. I am really enjoying being able to walk out in the garden and watch everything growing. Here is a pic of my little springtime garden (taken at a slightly skewed angle!)
We've all been enjoying the longer days and I love that the boys are happy to go outside and disappear into their own little world in the garden. And since the clocks have moved forward, the boys are getting up at a more sensible time too... Bliss!
24 February
I can honestly say hand over heart that Paris is a fantastic city to take little ones to. The four of us (hubby and 2 small boys) had a very romantic weekend indeed in Paris for Valentines Day. We basically did whatever our 3 and 5 year old wanted to do- with one small exception. They wanted to go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower but my husband and I were too chicken! They had to settle for stage 2 which was quite high enough thank you very much!
The boys had an absolutely wonderful time and the french could not have been more hospitable to a lady with a pushchair. Doors were opened and it was front of the queue all the way for us. We've never been treated so well. I can highly recommend the Hilton Arc de Triomphe for anyone travelling to gay Paris avec enfants.
3 February
Oh the weather outside is frightful....
My american friends are laughing a little bit at Britain shutting down due to a little snow. Ok. They're laughing a lot! At my son's school they are battle hardened and a little bit of snow was not going to deter the staff and headmistress. So off my son trudged in extra warm hat and gloves. Speaking of warm things, check out our lovely little organic hat just right for keeping soft little heads warm.
In other news, if you would like to catch yourself an Osborn & William bargain, pop by the Nayland Village Hall tomorrow, 4 February where we will be selling some of our baby goodies at very reasonable prices. We're teaming up with other small niche businesses like Peruvian Knitwear to offer the public some great discounts on exceptionally high quality products.
28 January 2009
It has certainly been awhile since I've chatted with you all. The papers are all full of gloom and doom as this new year has dawned. The favourite catch phrase these days seems to be credit crunch... I suppose I am as guilty as the next person to succombing to all of the worries. I do believe we will come through it and should embrace the phrase 'keep calm and carry on'.
The emphasis out there in the world of gift giving for children seems to be on nostalgia these days. To that end, Osborn and William continues to focus on traditional baby gifts to treasure. When we have less to spend, we want to make sure we are spending our money wisely. 23 November 2008
I am pleased to say that we were kept extremely busy on the Osborn & William Stand in Stoke by Nayland! Thank you everybody for your very positive feedback and all of those purchases. It was a great success.
In the meantime, I am one tired Mummy and have come down with the dreaded lurgy. The boys have been fantastic at self-amusing and giving Mummy lots of cuddles. I must say, I have had some lovely hot soaks with my Mummy Bath Grains and candle. Very restorative...
10 November 2008
Well I have not blogged for a couple of weeks mainly due to being rushed off my feet with updating the site and fulfilling orders. It's a very busy time of year! We have a new store layout to allow for all of the new products and product categories we stock. Most notable and most exciting are the new Gourmet Gifts secton and our Made in Britain section. You can also shop easily by recipient or occasion. Have a little browse and see what you think. We also love to hear your feedback. Leave some here if you like... Happy shopping!
Also, if you carry to visit us in person and happen to be in the lovely Dedham Vale, come along on Thursday, 13 November to the Christmas fair in Stoke by Nayland. There are lots of lovely stalls selling and supporting a very worthy cause in aid of St. Elizabeth Hospice. Follow this link for more info http://www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/christmas_gift_fair.php
19 October 2008
We are busy preparing the website to include several new items. We are going to be getting in a whole new shipment from Organics for Kids, Bath House and we will be stocking the gorgeous and organic NooNoo comfort blankets. Check back in a week or so for these. Another exciting new development is the complete overhaul and re-organisation of the website. We will have three new sections including personalised gifts, gifts for daddy and all things Made in Britain. Stay tuned! In the meantime, check out our Doudou Bee as featured on Budget Bambino Goodies. It has been featured as a great credit crunch gift. Very nice indeed all wrapped up for £9.
http://www.budgetbambinogoodies.co.uk/doudou-bee/
12 October 2008
The weekend's weather is absolutely gorgeous and I have just finished updating the site to include some really adorable new giftsets from America. I sold one before I had even finished unpacking the boxes! They are a collection of socks in a box from the people that do our Snuggle Bunny range. They really are beautifully packaged and hard to resist.
My boys are upstairs playing lego and wrapped in a blissfully imaginary world. My cue to get back to work then!
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