Bee Gifted

Here’s where you can find Bee Gifted over the next few weeks 🐝

I only have a handful of events coming up, so pop the dates in your diary if you’d like to stock up on your favourite honey, browse my bee-themed gifts or simply come and say hello.

🐝15th August – Artisan Street Fayre, Walkden
🐝29th August – Poynton Horticultural Show
🐝 31st August – All Are Love MBS Event, Manchester

Which one will I see you at? 💛🐝💛

You can now shop Bee Gifted in THREE Yellow by Keep It Local stores! 🐝

📍 The Potteries Centre
Quadrant Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 1PS

📍 Golden Square Shopping Centre
Old Market Place, Warrington, WA1 1QB

You can also find Bee Gifted in the Warrington window until 1st September, featuring my brand-new Wildflower and Poppy collection, which isn’t currently available anywhere else.

📍 The newest kid on the block—inside the gift shop at The World of Glass
Chalon Way East, St Helens, WA10 1BX

So, if you’re visiting Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington or St Helens, pop in and have a browse. You’ll be supporting Bee Gifted alongside lots of other brilliant small businesses.

Save this post for your next shopping trip which store is closest to you?

Something autumnal is coming to Bee Gifted… 🍂🐝

I’ve started planning my September window for at The Potteries.

I’m creating an autumn bee theme inspired by the gorgeous colours in the new Mrs Hinch range at Home Bargains. I’ve already bought a decorative garland, and now I’m deciding which products will make it into the final collection.

At the moment, I’m considering:

🍂 Jute bags
🐝 Cosmetic bags
🍂 Cushions
🐝 Mugs

Everything will be brought together with warm autumn colours and bee-themed designs.

I’m very good at having lots of ideas and leaving some of them half-finished, so this time I’m planning the complete collection before I start making!

Which product would you most like to see in an autumn bee collection?

Meet my littlest apprentice… 🐝

When Lottie saw Nannie wearing her bee suit, she was super excited and wanted me to make one for her. Unfortunately, I’m not sure my sewing skills are quite up to that challenge!

Luckily, my mentor Kath from decided she deserved an early birthday present, so here we have our very own little mini beekeeper.

Lottie loved visiting the bees. She spotted the pollen on their legs, watched them feeding and proudly told me that bees make a buzzing noise and like flowers.

Afterwards, she found some blackberry bushes and wanted to pick a few to take home.

Bees and blackberries what more could a little apprentice want?

I think we might have a beekeeper in training! Would your little ones enjoy visiting a beehive?

“Now you’re keeping bees, do you still make personalised gifts?”

This is a question I’ve been asked a few times recently, and the answer is absolutely yes!

Bee Gifted started with personalised products, including clothing, T-shirts, hoodies, mugs and name labels, alongside my bee-themed gifts and I still make them all when asked.

So, whether you need a personalised birthday top, name labels, a unique mug or something that doesn’t have a bee anywhere in sight, please ask.

Send me a message with your idea and when you need it. If I can help, I’ll be more than happy to bring it to life.

Did you know that beekeepers sometimes need to feed their bees?

My colony is still very new and arrived quite late in the season. During our inspections, we discovered that they had eaten nearly all their food stores, so we made the decision to feed them sugar syrup.

It gives them the energy they need to build comb, raise brood and prepare for their first autumn and winter.

But what about the honey?

There are currently no honey supers on the hive, and none of the stores they make while being fed will be harvested or sold. Everything is staying with the bees.

Feeding isn’t done unnecessarily, but when forage is limited or a young colony hasn’t had enough time to build sufficient stores, it can help the colony survive.

When they’re eventually strong enough for us to collect honey, feeding will have stopped before the honey supers are added.

For now, it’s not about what they can produce for us it’s about giving them the best chance of making it safely through their first winter. 🐝

Did you already know this, or have you learnt something new with me today?

The Hive has moved… into the house!

We built The Hive in our back garden six years ago, and four years ago it became my full-time workspace when I finished childminding.

It now needs a little TLC, so with Abigail and Lottie settled into their new home, I’ve temporarily taken up residence in Abigail’s old bedroom.

Three things I’ve noticed since moving indoors:

Either The Hive was much bigger than I realised or this bedroom is much smaller, because I definitely cannot fit all my stuff in here!
My new view is of pigeons sitting on the neighbour’s roof. If you know me, you’ll know that pigeons give me the heebie-jeebies, so that’s going well…
I actually miss my daily walk to work—even though it was only down the garden path!

I have no idea how long we’ll be working in here. It’s a good job Rick and I actually like each other because our chairs are practically touching!

I’m also missing all the clutter on my desk or, as I prefer to call it, the very important things I need close at hand. Still, I’m lucky to have a temporary space where I can continue making your orders while The Hive gets some much-needed attention.

Its not all bad though, I am loving the amount of light the big window lets in....

If you had to move your workspace tomorrow, what would you miss the most?

Good Evening!

Tomorrow you can find me at Worsley Market at The Moorings Pub from 10am until 4pm.

If you've never been before, it's a lovely little market. You can have a wander around the stalls, take a walk along the canal - you know me I love a good canal! and maybe even stop for a bite to eat in the pub afterwards.

I'll be there with all my local honey and bee themed gifts, so if you're running low on honey or fancy treating yourself (or someone else!), come and have a browse.

If you're out and about tomorrow, it'd be super lovely to see a few familiar faces. Do come and say hello if you're passing. 🐝💛

🐝 Two weeks since my bees arrived...

It's hard to believe it's already been nearly two weeks since I welcomed my first colony into their new home.

In that short time I've learned so much.

I've watched young bees emerging for the very first time, spotted my queen during inspections, and spent the most amazing peaceful moments just sitting by the hive watching the foragers return home. Every visit I notice something new.

The recent hot, dry weather has been wonderful for us, but much harder for the bees. With the nectar drying up, my new colony has struggled to find enough food, so I've been feeding them sugar syrup to help them draw comb and build up their stores ready for winter.

I also completed my very first solo inspection. I was definitely nervous, but knowing my mentor Kath was only a phone call away gave me the confidence to do it.

I still have so much to learn, but I already know one thing...

🐝 The apiary has become my happy place.

Thank you for following my journey. I can't wait to see how this little colony grows over the coming months. 💛

Question: Have you ever discovered a hobby that completely surprised you by how much you loved it?