Wednesday 11 November 2015

Spirit of Christmas 2015


We all know at JS that Christmas has approached once we attend the Spirit of Christmas show in Olympia, London. 
Whether you attend Spirit of Christmas for the food and wine, a social event, or to start the christmas shop, the week long fair has all of the above!
So Jane and John head off from our Somerset studio to hit the road, early should I say! It’s all go once we get to Olympia, vans pulling in from everywhere, boxes being unloaded, the odd fragile box you hear drop… We leave the stand looking like we aren’t going to be ready for the Monday and that the week is going to be an utter disaster.
Sunday is when I (Shannon) come along, I get the long straw for setting up! Pricing products and making the garland look ‘pretty’. The Sunday flies by as does everyday when we are exhibiting, but, ta dah the stand is complete, so the week commences!
On the Thursday it is late night shopping, the day still seems to fly by even when it closes at 8pm. This is the night I manage to escape from the stand and check out the show, need I say more when Lily, from Branche D’Olive and I end up sampling the upstairs which is of course, the alcohol…!

The whole show this year was a complete success, it was our second biggest year since we have been attending and that’s been quite a few years. It was such great fun, meeting repeat customers, new customers and also networking with other businesses, what more could we want. We have the lovely ‘Branche D’Olive’ opposite us, ‘Helen Moore’ to the right and ‘Carina Hildebrandt’ just around the corner, such a fun and festive atmosphere!

We hope you have a lovely Christmas from us all at Jonny’s Sister and hope to see you at next year’s Spirit of Christmas! 

-Shannon

Wednesday 4 November 2015

New JS Staff



Since the last blog we posted we had the likes of, Lisa, Leanne and Martha working for us. A lot has changed since then, their choice to leave though, not ours! They have all taken the next steps in their careers, Lisa has gone into admin in a school, Leanne has gone to a college working in admin and Martha is doing a university degree. All three of them started at Jonny’s Sister doing an apprenticeship in business and administration. 


(Clockwise- Alec, Shannon (ME!), Martha, Leanne, Lisa and Lara) 

Although they are all sadly missed at JS we have employed some newbies! It started with Becky, then Emma, Katie and Rhiannon. Here’s a little bit about them;

Becky is our chief despatch person! She is in charge of despatching all items on time and making sure they are sent out in a JS standard state, poor Becky as we have such high standards!

Emma is our new admin team member! She has office experience and is a whizz at speaking to customers on the phone, she deals with the order management making sure everything is with the correct suppliers and being despatched on time.

Katie is another new admin team member! She used to work at TESCO dealing with the charity events that happened in her local store. She is a very bubbly person and was chucked in the deep end when she joined about 6 weeks before Christmas! 

Rhiannon is a new studio member! She finished her design degree in summer just gone and is super talented with her work, although she doesn’t say so herself! At JS she works on the production of orders that are done in house and new product development. 

So there you have it, a quick introduction to our new JS members. There are still the three of us from the old team, Alec, Lara and Me, oh and don’t forget Jane, John and the dogs! 

-Shannon

Thursday 1 October 2015

Pet Christmas Sacks

Do you ever think that maybe pets get forgotten at Christmas? Well we say 'no more!'

This year we have introduced a new Christmas sack to our festive range; with the choice of a cat or a dog symbol, with a rudolph-esque nose sewn on, your pet is sure to feel just as included as you. Imagine your pets delight when they wake up on Christmas morning to find their very own personalised sack filled with fluffy, squeaky and edible treats!


Whether they're a Buster, Barney, Sissy or Sooty, your pet will love their own personalised Christmas sack. Just send us the names and the animals that you would like sacks for and we will do the rest. 

You can find them in the Christmas section of our site, here.

Wednesday 16 September 2015

100 Days Til Christmas!

It's that time again, Christmas is on it's way! With only 100 days until the big day (which to some people may seem like an age), the festivities are in full swing here at Jonny's Sister HQ. The temporary Christmas elves are in training, the kitchen table is full of treats, and the Christmas sack orders are flying in..

As we are all feeling super prepared, we have put together a list of our top Crimbo picks for those of you who are too!

1. Reindeer Mug
Last year we introduced these festive little mugs to our enamelware range. They can be personalised with the name of your choice, with the wording matching Rudolf's nose. They are perfect for those cosy winter evenings spent tucked up with a cup of something warm!



2. Cream Cake Tin
These tins are the newest addition to our cake tin range, perfect for budding bakers with a flare for something colourful! The wording is painted in the colour of your choice, from cherry pie to our popular metallic shades, you are sure to find something to suit your kitchen! Why not treat your Granny to an extra special tin to fill with mince pies?


3. Christmas Sack
It isn't Christmas here at Jonny's Sister without the sound of people shouting about Rudolf's nose (or no nose!). This is the 5th year of the Christmas sack, and they are now going stronger than ever! Perfect for small children and adults alike, we even do a Christmas sack for your favourite pampered pooch or pussy cat!


4. Wool Dog
What perfect stocking fillers these little wool dogs are; filled with lavender, they are sure to make your bedroom smell divine! You can personalise the collar with a special message, followed by one of our festive Christmas symbols- we love Santa's sleigh!


5. Man Tin
Last but not least, why not treat the man in your life to one of our personalised Man Tins? They can be funny, factual, or just plain personal; these tins can be filled with all of his 'man stuff'!


We can't believe how quickly time is flying here at JS, soon it will be December 1st and the countdown truly will begin! Are you getting ready for Christmas? We'd love to hear how you're preparing for the holiday season!



Friday 28 August 2015

Bank Holiday Bonanza!

This bank holiday we're praying for sunshine; the past few weeks have been dismal to say the least, and we want to make the most of the weather before Autumn hits! 

Before the nice weather is over, why not snap up one of our new children's deckchairs? These are by far the cutest addition to our summer range, and are perfect for the garden, beach, or even for the corner of a bedroom or playroom! They come with a choice of 5 sling colours, and can be personalised with the wording of your choice- nicknames are welcome!

   

But deckchairs aren't the only items perfect for the sunny weather, why not take a look at our gardening products? We have watering cans, seed boxes, tray and pots and more.

This weekend we have an exclusive discount being offered to our newsletter subscribers- sign up before midnight on Monday to receive your code the very next day!*

   

*Offer excludes sale items.

Friday 14 August 2015

The Great Jonny’s Sister Bake Off!

Here at Jonny’s Sister we love any excuse to get our bake on, so the return of the Great British Bake Off to our screens was welcomed with open arms! Known for our famous teal cake tins, we have a new addition to our baking range…
Our cream cake tin is a new take on the classic muted tones; with a range of font colours to choose from. It is sure to jazz up any kitchen or dining area!


As well as the new tins, we have introduced a new cerise option to our enamelware range; we love how it makes the products ‘pop!’
Over the past few months we have been holding our own little bake off, with each Birthday bringing new and exciting cake designs into HQ; here are some of our favourites...


 How are you celebrating the Great British Bake Off? We'd love to see your cake-y creations; send them to us at customerservices@jonnyssister.co.uk and we may even feature you on our Facebook page!

Tuesday 28 July 2015

Jonny’s Sister have been getting ‘Pretty Muddy’!


A few weeks ago Leanne and Lisa took part in Cancer Research UK’s Pretty Muddy 5K run in Bristol. You may have heard of the standard Race for Life, but how about doing it up and down hills, over obstacles, and covered in mud!? Completing the run in just under an hour, they did us proud!


Hundreds of ladies dressed in pink ran, skipped and jumped around the course- some of us sadly weren’t up to the challenge! Here are some pictures of the eventful day; Leanne managed to whip out her camera just before they got caked in mud!



Did anybody else take part in Pretty Muddy this year? The JS team would definitely recommend it, getting down and dirty whilst raising money for charity- what’s a better way to spend your afternoon!?

Friday 10 July 2015

Summer Sale

What’s better than a summer sale on a Friday afternoon?

We have now launched our summer sale, with reductions of up to 65% off of our top selling products! From cushions to cake tins, grab yourself a real ‘summer steal’. 


We are clearing our warehouse to make room for lots of exciting new products, so watch out!

From all of us at Jonny’s Sister HQ, have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine.

Tuesday 30 June 2015

ESPRESSO MUGS

Is it just us, or can a kitchen just never have enough enamelware!? To celebrate our 10th Birthday, we have brought out a new range of colourful Personalised Espresso Mugs, which we think are fab – even if we do say so ourselves!

These Personalised Espresso Mugs make a fun and funky accessory for any kitchen or dining area; coming in a range of 4 colours with 2 brand new & exclusive fonts. They can be personalised with a wording of your choice, although don’t make it too long otherwise it will be too teeny-tiny to read!
  

As it’s the wedding season, these would be a perfect gift for a Mr & Mrs-To-Be or for a housewarming gift. But don’t feel limited by our ideas; nicknames and catch lines work equally as well.

We’d love to know what you think of our new Personalised Espresso Mugs? Head on over to our websitefor more information! 

Friday 5 June 2015

Father's Day is on it's Way!

A big hello from the Jonny’s Sister team! Before you know it, Father’s Day will be just around the corner, and boy have we been busy. For the past month we have been working non-stop on creating a new range of products for our customers and their Daddy’s; head on over to our website for more details.
These ‘Best At’ tins are perfect for little ones who think that their daddy is the best; you can include their greatest talent, or simply that they are the best at everything!
We love these personalised ‘Checklist’ tins too! Here you can list everything that your daddy is good at, from cleaning Hammy’s cage to making the yummiest pancakes; you name it!

But that’s not all, we have a whole range of Father’s Day gift ideas, so why not head over to our Father’s Day section now? 

Friday 1 May 2015

Bank Holiday Weekend

Who doesn’t love a three day weekend!? Here at Jonny’s Sister we’ve been working our socks off in preparation for the bank holiday; from new products to new staff, things have been go go go!

By now the weather should be getting warmer (apparently!) and the sun should be shining, so we have some products that are perfect for making the most of this bank holiday weekend- think picnics and trips to the beach! Here are some of our favourites:


These beach bags are colourful and super handy for those unexpected day trips.


Since the introducing of these deckchairs last summer, they have always been a favourite; the bright colours will make a statement no matter where you put them!

What are you doing this bank holiday weekend? Have a lovely break, from all of us at JS!

Why not enter our competition too?

Thursday 26 March 2015

Easter is Coming

Move over Bunny, Easter is coming and we’re ready!

Here at Jonny’s Sister we have a new range of products just in time for the chocolate-y season; nothing says Easter like a good, old fashioned Easter Egg Hunt- bunny ears and all! We’ve come up with some essentials, including a directional sign and a bucket to fill with goodies.



We know what we’ll be doing over the Easter weekend, how about you!?


Shop the full collection over on the JS website. Have a Happy Easter everyone!

Friday 13 March 2015

Apprenticeship Week

As this week is National Apprenticeship Week, we thought that we’d chat to Jane about the pro’s and con’s (if there are any!) of having apprentices working at Jonny’s Sister and apprenticeships in general.
As 2015 is Jonny’s Sister’s 10th birthday, we have decided to fire Jane 10 questions, to be answered in 10 minutes, about apprentices within the business... 


What made you want to employ an apprentice, back in 2012?
Hannah came to work on a temporary basis when she decided that college wasn’t for her in 2012; she wanted to achieve a further qualification, which then made me look into apprentices. A friend of mine had previously employed apprentices, who then explained the benefits. Hannah started her business apprenticeship, and then soon after Shannon came along!

What have been the benefits?
There are too many to list! It’s what they bring to the table; they bring a can-do approach to the work place, with a desire to learn. My experience with apprentices has always been that they are enthusiastic, inquisitive and tend to ask a lot of questions.

Do you think that having apprentices has had an impact upon the running of Jonny’s Sister today? Would it be different if you hadn’t had any apprentices?
Definitely! Jonny’s Sister has a very youthful feel about it. The day to day running is always fun and having younger staff alerts me to themes and trends that otherwise I may not have been aware of.

What does an apprentice bring to Jonny’s Sister that somebody otherwise qualified may not?
Apprentices come with zero baggage. They have a can-do approach and a desire to learn; they also have a fresh pair of eyes which is always good.

How do you know if somebody is right for the job - Are they ‘JS material’?
Jonny’s Sister is a small, family run business, which means there is no option other than to fit in. There’s no room for cliques or hiding, everybody must be 100% open with one another. Passion is very important too; they must enjoy their job and come in with a smile on their face in the morning!

What would you say to an employer considering hiring an apprentice?
Treat everybody the same. If you get the right apprentice in the right job it’s a win-win situation. Apprentices have come a long way since the ‘tinkering under cars’ type; there are so many more opportunities today.

When somebody is an apprentice, do you think about future job roles? Do you consider an area they can move into rather than a general position?
At Jonny’s Sister we try and expose each person to all areas of the business; it soon becomes apparent which areas they excel in and those are the areas that they tend to end up in. I am a strong believer in enhancing strengths opposed to improving upon weaknesses.

When referring to not only apprentices, but employees in general, how do you know when it’s time for them to move on?
We have a rule here at Jonny’s Sister; when you’ve stopped learning, it’s time to move on - this applies to me too! Although I’m always sad to see people go, I always feel proud to see them move on to pastures new taking with them all the things that they have learnt here.

If you could use one word to describe your feelings towards your apprentices, what would it be?
Proud.

And finally, what has been your most memorable apprentice moment? Think wisely!
Each apprentice has given me their own memorable moment so I could not possibly list them all!

Friday 6 March 2015

Mother’s Day

Here at Jonny’s Sister we have launched our new garden range just in time for Mother’s Day! The pastel coloured watering cans and little planters are the perfect personalised gift from both children and adults to give to their Mums! Whether it’s a joke between mother and daughter, or a little message telling them just how much they love them, we have the perfect prezzie...


As spring is on its way, lets pray for sunshine and head outside this Mother’s Day!
How are you spending Sunday the 15th?

Friday 13 February 2015

Spread the love today!

With Random Acts of Kindness week coming to an end, why not send somebody special a little bit of love?

As tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, it’s the perfect excuse to treat your friends, family and loved ones to some TLC. Whether that be something as little as giving somebody a big ol’ cheesy smile, or something as delicious as baking some goodies for everybody in the office- we know which we at Jonny's Sister would prefer!


So go on, take a moment and make somebody smile!

Take a look at the RAK website here, to find out how other people are spreading the love.


Wednesday 11 February 2015

Cupid's Coming!

With January over, that means one thing... Valentine’s Day! 

Here at Jonny's Sister we love an excuse to embrace all things fluffy and romantic (plus the odd box of chocolates or two!), so we thought that we'd share the love. People everywhere dread the thought of finding that special someone something ‘unique’; but fear not, we have put together our top picks of Valentines prezzies that are bound to blow your socks off!



Top Left: Jonny's Sister Personalised Cake Tin

Top Right: Sparks Clothing Personalised Hot Water Bottle

Bottom Left: Sparks Clothing 'Put Your Feet Up' Socks

Bottom Right: Jonny's Sister Pride & Prejudice Print





Friday 6 February 2015

Pizza Friday

The beginning of 2015 saw new targets, meaning another year of hard work!

This year is our 10th Birthday, so we’ve decided to do something special each month- cue the brainstorming. Here at Jonny’s Sister we love any excuse to indulge, so we thought that pizza Friday was the perfect reason to have our monthly meet and celebrate January’s big success!



With ideas flying around the table, we have come up with a selection of treats for our customers, thanking them for their loyalty over the years. Since 2005 Jane and all of us have worked hard to provide you with affordable and beautifully British made products. As well as discounts and new products, keep your eyes peeled for some returning ‘classics’ from the past 10 years!

What would you like to see at Jonny’s Sister this year?

Friday 23 January 2015

The Apprentice Strikes Again!

As I’m sure many of you know, 2014 saw the airing of the tenth series of the successful BBC show The Apprentice. Here at Jonny’s Sister, we have our own Lord Sugar! Jane loves to take on new apprentices, finding that their ‘youthful’ take on things brings a lot to the table, benefitting all aspects of the company.
(Holding my favourite letter cushion!)

*Drum roll please*

My name is Martha and I am the resident Blogger at Jonny’s Sister. Since the company started in 2005 Jane has taken on five apprentices- me being number five! Since the last apprentice related blog post, Hannah has moved up to London to work for a cosmetic company, Lisa has just completed her apprenticeship, Leanne is nearly there and Shannon has taken on the incredibly demanding role of Office Manager!

Unlike large companies, being an apprentice here is a little different- and far nicer! There is no coffee duty (that’s what we have Alec for- sorry!), no rushing about after the ‘big boss’ and no hiding in the shadows. Having been a part of the JS team for a mere three months, I remember my first day well. I pulled up on the driveway, turned off my engine and sat nervously, waiting for the clock to turn to 10:00... I tapped my fingers, checked my messages and then waited. What on earth was I worrying about? At 9:57 Jane walked out of the cabin and waved frantically at me, encouraging me to come out and get going! My first day was busy, meeting everybody properly and being shown around, followed by a brief introduction to various office tasks. It’s safe to say I went home exhausted.

Fellow Apprentice Leanne, hard at work!
When people ask me what it’s like being an apprentice I would say that it may seem challenging at times, but it’ll be worth it in the end. I am still unsure as to what I would like to do when I finish my apprenticeship, whether I’ll find somewhere new, or I’ll be promoted to Shannon’s deputy- nudge nudge. The beauty of an apprenticeship is that you get to try a bit of everything, so hopefully by the end of it you’ll know what you want to do; I have full faith in this concept hoping that next December I will be certain of which path I would like to take. Speaking of December, Christmas 2014 was a bit of a shock; it was the busiest year since Jonny’s Sister started and we had the largest amount of temporary staff, so it's safe to say that the atmosphere was buzzing! 

Since September I feel as though I have already learnt so much. Jane believes that ‘once you stop learning it’s time to move on’; we are encouraged to work hard and strive to reach our goals and push past our personal boundaries. Going from college to work life, it’s a bit of a shock... The long days and constant push, but I would recommend it to anybody. Get out of your comfort zone and dip your toes into the pool of ‘the grownup world’; not only do you have the support of your mentors, but you are almost certain to have a fab boss like Jane to give you a helping hand!

Tuesday 6 January 2015

Happy New Year!

We can’t believe it’s that time again- we want to take a moment to say a great big happy new year to everybody and we hope that you all had a fabulous Christmas!

Here at JS we all love the festive season; full shelves, the constant hustle and bustle of people singing ‘jingle bells’ and the chocolates on the office table! Despite the feeling of relief when it’s all over, Christmas 2014 was a good one for everybody. This year we had the most temps to date, we feel like we packed hundreds of ‘BAKED BY KATE’ cake tins, and sold over 1500 Rudolf Christmas sacks- who knew there were that many lucky children in the world!?


To celebrate the success of 2014 we felt that nothing would do the trick better than nibbles and some champers. Here are some pictures to show what we got up to!




 

Although January always brings some relief from the Christmas mania, it is still sad to say goodbye to our Christmas elves and to tidy away the tinsel and baubles for another year. But forget the January blues as during 2015 you will be seeing lots of new and exciting things from Jonny’s Sister….so watch this space!