June / July Blog

1 August 2020

For the first time in our existence we didn't publish our Blog last month. Not an excuse but we've been so busy trying to exist that we decided you probably didn't want to read about our woes, you've no doubt got your own to deal with, and so we thought we'd wait until we had some good stuff to tell you......

Before I start both Glenn & I want to say that we do hope you’re all well and coping with our new ‘normal’, I know I've certainly been thankful for the great weather we’ve had…..it’s certainly helped me cope. And seeing so may of you again, in the shop since lockdown was lifted for retailers, has just been so special. 

So, on with our news.....

Property Styling, it’s what I do…..

So, I'm delighted to say I do have some really good news to report back.

You'll probably know by now my career has been in commercial photographic styling, specialising in lifestyle, food, location and property styling. 

Well I've recently been commissioned, by two clients, to style their properties ready for marketing, and both are in the village!

I'm currently sourcing furniture and props (I'm sure I was born to shop!) for No.1 - Hurst Green (pictured right), a gorgeous Bayview Developments show home in Milford, with a view to it being ready for marketing in mid-August.

I've actually been given a free rein on this property with a 'just do what you do, we trust you' (Gulp! No pressure then) but I'm very excited.

Unfortunately with jobs like these, sleep becomes a problem as my interior brain 'tabs' decide not to close at the end of the day, so I really do work on these properties through the night, emailing myself notes at silly o’clock in the morning before I drift off into Show Home land.

My own home has become an Aladdin’s cave with a beautiful assortment of props ready to use. Note to self... No you can't keep them!

The second property I've dressed recently, a gorgeous house (pictured below) in the village re-developed by Jez Stockwell, I'm thrilled to say is already under offer!
 

I do believe with an empty property, styling it gives potential buyers a clearer vision of what can be achieved, and adds character and warmth making it feel a home straight away. I'm completely back in my element, it's what I live and breathe, houses, properties, homes!

So, that's my news, we've been working every hour of every day with the shop, the online business, and promoting our additional property and photographic styling services and hey presto!
 

No64 Biscuit House gets a face lift!

We also took the decision to give our shop front a face lift, it was getting tired and I felt it needed a new look and elegance that really gets noticed as you drive into the village.

Rebecca from Calico Decorators is just my hero! She helped me have the confidence to 'go for it' with the colour, we bounced off of each other so well with ideas and she really helped me to create a stunning (I believe) shop front!
 

And I’d also like to give a mention to New Forest Signs, they did our signage originally, they also did the sign writing on our truck, and they were at their best yet again with our new shop front signage. So, thank you New Forest Signs.

We hope you like it, I love it!
 

Verveine by David Wykes, available at No64 Biscuit House

And finally, rather than tell you about a new No64 brand, or any more about us, we thought we'd like to give our support to one of the village restaurants, just one of many for whom the world has changed!

If you weren't aware Verveine is an innovative and award winning seafood restaurant, and fresh fish shop, here in Milford on Sea. 

It's amazingly talented head chef/patron David Wykes has brought out a stunning cookbook (pictured here, pride of place on our counter), which is available on Amazon amongst other places, but also now at No64 Biscuit House (and I'd like to add that we don't take a single penny for stocking or selling it, we just wanted to because it's a part of our special village).

The book contains many creative and playful fish, shellfish and pastry recipes and flavour pairings for savoury and sweet ingredients, many of which are on the restaurant menu.

Glenn's a bit of a chef and when David talked him through a few of the recipes, which can look complicated due to the stunning photography in the book, he tried a few and found them surprisingly easy to replicate. Lucky me!!

And if you just fancy a beautiful book look no further, like I say the photograph is so beautiful (and I know my photographic styling!), it's just a stunning book for people to look through.

It makes a great gift for any budding cook, or as a special coffee table treat, and so do have a browse through it when you next come in.

Obviously we highly recommend a visit to the restaurant itself...........and if you take a copy of your book, and David's there, he'll sign it for you!

Perfect.

So that's it (for June AND July) and I'd just like to finish by saying a huge thank you to those of you who have come to the shop since we’ve re-opened, we’d like to thank you for your support, your kind words, and for observing our social distancing policy.

Thankfully, those of you we’ve had to ask to wait (as we’ve already got the maximum number of people in the shop), haven’t had to do so in the rain!!

We wish you the best of health and safety, and we'll see you again next month,

Clare

Clare Southcombe-Holmes
No64 Biscuit House co-founder & Commercial Photographic Stylist

 

 

 

< back