Blog — staff

Hello there, it’s Faye here, Poppy’s sister! As some of you may know I left Team Treffry at the beginning on this year, after almost nine years of good times! I wanted to write and say goodbye as, over the years, I’ve talked to so many of you in person at shows, over the phone and via social media, it seems a shame to not say goodbye and let you know where I’ve gone!  Small bee block by Green&Blue.

I started a new role in January at a lovely company called Green&Blue, who are based in my hometown of Perranporth - meaning no more long commute! We make a lovely range of innovative and beautiful products like bird houses, bird feeders and bee houses. Peanut feeders by Green&Blue.

I have to say I miss all the lovely team at Treffry Towers but luckily, as Poppy’s sister, I still get to find out what’s going on - and I even got to go and help out at the tradeshow in New York earlier this year. I’ve assured Poppy I’m happy to do this again! So, to you all, customers and friends, thanks for the great years and do keep in touch with me at Green&Blue, I hope you like what we do there. Faye xx

Find Green&Blue online: website | blog | Twitter | Facebook

We've all been so busy here in the Poppy Treffry studio and in our shop in St Ives that time has completely run away with us and it's the beginning of April already! The daffs are now flowering and the sun is shining (shhh..it might disappear again at any minute!) and we all have a bit more of a spring in our step. While we take a very quick break from bag making and sewing, we thought you would all like to meet another integral member of Team Treffry. Say "Hello" to Gilly. Gilly works in our St Ives shop and you will usually find her in there two or three days a week (even on a Sunday!) chatting away to our customers, dusting the shelves, folding our lovely tea towels and just generally making sure everything is in it's place. We asked Gilly a few questions about herself.... How long have you lived in Cornwall? I have lived in St Ives for eleven years. It's always been a life-long ambition since I was a small child to live here.  I think I was a fisherman's daughter in a previous life! How long have you worked for Poppy Treffry? I started working for Poppy two tears ago when we had the little shop in the Drill Hall in St Ives.  We've now moved into our lovely new shop in Fore Street and it's great! What's the best thing about working for Poppy? Being surrounded by beautiful things and being supported by a friendly and fun team What's your favourite Poppy Treffry product? I love the Big Floucy Bag - It reminds me of my youthful hippy days! Flower Power - Big Floucy Bag[

Favourite food? Cake!! No outing is complete without cake at the end of it!  Some of my favourite local places to eat cake are: Cafe Art in St Ives, The Cook Book in St Just and The Lost & Found in Penzance. (P.S - Courgette cake counts as 1 of your 5 a day!) Favourite music? I love listening to almost any music and quite often go out to a local venue here in St Ives to listen to a band. I especially love Willie and the Bandits, a British based band who play a variety of different genres spanning across the Blues, Rock, Latin and Folk style. Apart from listening to music, how do you relax? I love walking, walking and walking....and sometimes talking! I prefer to go out and about rather than relaxing at home.  There are so many beautiful walks along this coast and they are all on my doorstep.  My favourite walk is a circular walk to St Just, along Cot Valley and Cape Cornwall and back to St Just....then cake in The Cook Book Cafe! Wheal Edward Engine House.

When I do get a minute to relax at home, I like making my own cards to give to family and friends.  I have knitted the odd scarf as well. Tell us some interesting facts about you.

• I once hitch-hiked from Liverpool to Newcastle
• I had ten years of ballet lessons from the age of three-thirteen years old
• I trained to be a teacher in Liverpool

Sara became part of the team in 2007 and is based at the studio. This was at the time when Poppy needed some help with stitching and apparently she roped in anyone that could work a sewing machine! Sara had always been fond of sewing so was happy to give it a go and help out, although she just did straight lines-none of the fancy freehand stuff. In fact Sara holds the record for the fastest straight line stiching in the whole team. I think she deserves a medal don't you! Sara and Faye manning the stand at the New York Gift Fair. Since starting Sara's role has changed and she is now in charge of all our trade customers, both in this country and abroad. This involves quite a bit of paperwork and phone calls which luckily she is very good at. Although that is not all, Sara also is in charge of supplies for the workshop, the stock and the work for our stitchers. Occasionally she is found at a sewing machine, especially when demand is needed at Christmas and on factory days to make all our lovely bags. That is when her speedy straight line stitching really comes in handy! Love that house coat! Sara says the best thing about her job is the variety-no two days will ever be the same at Treffry towers. She also enjoys working with our customers and having a natter on the phone with them. Sara is in charge of sourcing new components to create new products which is exciting thinking of all the colour possibilities! Most of all Sara enjoys the people she gets to work with-they do have a lot of fun. Freya and Sara enjoy honing their whistling skills, which really annoys Poppy. Faye (Poppy's sister) is the athletic one and is always trying to get everyone to be more active by swimming in the sea at lunchtimes in the summer. There were good intentions of carrying on through the autumn but ……………. and now it’s far too cold.  The Jubilee Pool, Penzance. On Sara's last day off she went horse riding on the Penwith Moors. It was a bit wet, but that's all part of the fun! In fact Sara is not a novice in the saddle, last year she went to Spain for 2 weeks for a riding holiday. Generally on her days off she likes to spend time outdoors walking, cycling, riding or in or near the sea. Sara and her bike on their travels! Sara's favourite Poppy Treffry product is the bicycle tote bag – it actually has her very own bicycle on it! Poppy wanted to create a bike design so Sara cycled her bike to the studio so it could be a model for the day. It has been used on both the bicycle tea towel and the pedal power fabric; her's is the one with the drop handle bars. Sara's bike and one of the designs it features on Sara's favourite bicycle Long rock tote bag

You might have already seen our little film but in case you haven't then here it is again... It's grrrrreat!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NCJhkKbkBo]
Let us know what you thought of it,
Poppy x

This week we were very pleased to welcome our new girl Tamsin to the team. Tamsin has joined us as our studio assistant taking charge of sending out orders, sewing a bit and cutting some things out (and probably all sorts of other things besides, such is the nature of the beast!) Tamsin at work

So, as we thought you might like to get to know Tamsin a bit better, we dragged her away from her to do list for a minute and asked her a few questions for you! Fave food?......a weakness for chocolate pralines! How long have you lived in Cornwall?.......born in Penzance, I lived here until attending Uni in Manchester, then lived and worked in Manchester, London and Midlands for 11 years in total until the sea beckoned me back home again. Favourite crafting activity?....Up cycling goodies found at auction and car boot sales, however I'm never happier than when sat at Bernie (my sewing machine). How do you relax?......Gardening and cooking, I'm trying to think of interesting ways to use rhubarb at the moment as I can't keep up with the supply. Fave Poppy Treffry product?.....I am loving the iPad cosies, I don't even have an iPad, but am almost tempted to buy one just so I can get a gorgeous cosy to go on it. How do you feel about joining team Treffry?...I am really happy to be working with such fab ladies, in such an inspiring environment with lots of interesting bits and bobs around the studio.  I am also really enjoying listening to Radio 4, the coffee and biscuits have been pretty good, and I love the Teddy display in the bathroom! And lastly, an interesting fact you might like to share?!.....I have quite a large collection of buttons (mainly old ones) which are stored by shade in kilner jars!? Thanks Tamsin and welcome to the team x