Tuesday 15 January 2013

Keep Your Fork - The Best is Yet to Be

Hello all, as promised, I bring you a story of how sometimes patience brings its reward when working with very special people.

Just under a year ago, just as Campbell's Flowers was very much in it's infancy, I plucked up the courage and nervously trundling along to NetWalking Sheffield.  A clever idea which is the brain child of Marketing and PR expert Faye Smith.  I loved the concept: a brisk walk, fresh air and the chance to meet like minded business owners.  I can only describe Faye as indefatigable.  She is a whirlwind of ideas and, the first time I met her, she very gently helped me to recognise that my somewhat stumbling, apologetic explanation of my business model, wasn't exactly confident! I think she has quite a unique ability to recognise potential and during that first walk, literally bombarded me with ideas - so much so that I had to ask someone for a piece of paper and a pen to write everything down at the post walk, coffee gathering!

Fast forward 10 months (and lots of interaction at various events) I'm delighted to say that this week I received my first commission from Faye.  Her Marketing and PR business is called Keep Your Fork - which traditionally in some communities, during hard times, was something which might be said after the main course - the inference being that there was be pudding.  Sweet things were to come. There's also a more spiritual story associated with the saying too, but I just love the concept behind her business that if you  'Keep Your Fork, the best is yet to be'.

Now some of you might remember our recent Women of Steel photo shoot, where I used cutlery and jewellery fashioned from cutlery to represent Sheffield's rich heritage and past as world leaders in its field.  This then lead to an interview on BBC Radio Sheffield following a feature in the Sheffield Telegraph.


One of my cutlery bouquets from 'Women of Steel'




The feature in the Sheffield Telegraph


So, when Faye called me to tell me she'd won a major new account working with Mercury Taxis, one of Sheffield's most prominent and prestigious businesses, the 'thank you' bouquet wasn't all the difficult to design! A toy car, a fork and some gorgeous flowers in whites, creams and greens, themed around white roses for Yorkshire - seemed to perfectly represent the bringing together of like minded businesses.


These antique Sheffield made forks were donated by a lovely lady, Mary, who got in touch with me having read the article in the Sheffield Telegraph


Our signature rustic, informal bouquet



Now with Faye's signature fork and a new taxi for Mercury!


What fun, I just love how this story has brought so many people together - Faye, her new clients Mercury, Lesley at The Sheffield Telegraph, Rony Robinson at BBC Radio Sheffield, Mary and lil'o me!

And the great news is that there's more to come - I'm just off to the market as I've orders for more commissions and best get started!

What do you think?  Can you see this catching on as a bit of a trend?  I'm sure we can adapt the idea to really personalise your wedding bouquet -  get in touch and lets see what we can come up with together ... maybe the best is yet to be!

T x

No comments: