I just want someone to talk to!

I am a 45 year old woman who two years ago found myself without my job of 18 years. After battling my way through a nervous breakdown, chronic depression and anxiety I now find myself working full time in sales (eight hours a day on my feet, five days a week!)  and running two business’s of my own. I am an Independent consultant for Arbonne, a beauty, health and well being company and also my baby Hat Attic, a fashion accessories and gifting eccommerce site I set up to help women like me! In that I mean women without the time or quite frankly the patience to be running up and down the rather repetitive high street, where there are no hat departments, looking for that perfect gift, hat, scarf or necklace – YOU in other words!

I would like to share the ‘wealth’ of the wisdom I have picked up over my career with you and will do in a series of blogs and newsletters, subscribe on the home page and make sure you don’t miss any of these pearls. Or please get in touch at hello@hatattic.com if you have any particular questions or quandaries that I can help you with. Maybe you want to pick my brains about your skincare, what sort of hat you need for a particular occasion or are looking for a particular gift, or maybe you just want to say ‘hello’.

I am waiting and looking forward to hearing from you.x

Goodies for sale!

Yesterday I gave you five reasons for shopping at Hat Attic, today I am going to give you more of an overview of what we do, it’s not just hats you know!

Chimeera String lady in red and green

Fabulous scarves and shawls.

Some classic very fine knit shawls by Travelwrap. Great to take on holiday for the flight and those chilly evenings.

Beautiful woven and elegantly tasselled shalls by Cocowai, we donate 10% of each sale (and Cocowai match it) back to the families who actually made them to help get them back on their feet after the recent earthquake.

Simply stunning digitally printed silk crepe de chine scarves and canvas clip purses, with original artwork from the gorgeous Carol Anne Scowcroft.

Artisan leather bags and jewellery by Sardinias own Andrea Masia.Each item lovingly designed and made by his own fair hands in his sunny Sardinian studio.

Sparkling and mindful jewellery.

All that glitters is Amadoria! Inspired by tradition and crafted in amazing technicolour and sparkle.

A gift from the heart are the sentiments in the silver bangles and semi-precious stone bracelets with meaningful emblems.

Non- toxic nail polish by Mint, five carconogenics free, clean colours for your nails.

The cutest kiddies range from Catherine Tough, although I defy any grown up to resist Ellie or Flamingo!

And lets not forget the simply gorgeous collectable handmade dolls from the lovely girls at Blackbird Secrets. All made with vintage fabrics and accessories and hand painted faces. Every girl should have at least one of these beauties.

Blackbird Secrets, Amy.

There are lots of other weird and wonderful things that you need in the shop, like Sushi socks or hairbands that don’t pull or kink your hair and lets not forget all of the wonderful hats, by leading designers. The fun doesn’t stop in the Attic, I need you to shop, and photograph, blog and generally keep in touch. Come and subscribe to the newsletter so that you can keep up to date with what we are up to.

Five great things about Hat Attic and why you should shop there!

I started Hat Attic with a particular purpose in mind, to fill your world with beauty and make you smile. Here are a few other good reasons for you to love it.

1. There is a great mix of fashion accessories ie.jewellery, cashmere and silk scarves, leather bags and purses, toxin free nail polish, hair accessories and quirky gifts ie.collectable dolls, sushi socks!, books and baby bits and of course beautiful hats!
2. You don’t have to leave the house or run up and down the high street (only to find exactly the same things in every store).
3. Some of the things are exclusive and you will not find them on the high street. eg. Mint polish, Blackbird Secret dolls.
4. Delivery is cheap and quick, in most cases 1-2 days (UK). Designer hats being the exception, they are made specially for you so we need at least two weeks.
5. We can ship all over the world!

Test me out, start shopping now.

Stop life and shop!

I have been asked to write about what I do if I have a block or a lull in my business.It’s quite simple I go shopping, quite literally!
Any shop whether physical or on line needs to keep it’s customer interested. In an actual store you re-merchandise, move the stock around with the view that people see things in a different light, see things that perhaps they hadn’t noticed before. On line it is similar in the fact that you have to change the visuals and message of your home page, maybe a seasonal or weather purpose, or an event or holiday, Mothers Day or Halloween. Or sometimes I have to literally drop in a new collection, to add a new dimension.
My most recent new pieces have been some wonderful paper panama trilbies and fedoras in classic colours and a stunning summer blue, the colour of the ocean. This was in conjunction with the heatwave and my Know your UVB’s from your UVA’s blog. Which is an information piece about summer protection essentials like sun cream, sunglasses and sunhats.

We are in the process of completely re-designing www.hatattic.com  with a fantastic photoshoot that we did with my incredibly creative photographer friend Mark Basten.

So in conclusion you need to put us in your address book and check in to see what we are up to, it will be all sparkly and new any day/week/month now!

I am keeping it short and simple today and letting the visual do the talking!

Look I’m a pin up! Put me on your fridge or near your desk so you remember you don’t have to run about  searching, I’ve already done it for you, I’m just a click away!