National Stationery Week : 10% off stationery in store & online

We LOVE stationery in Chirpy and to celebrate National Stationery Week we’re giving our customers a treat.

Shop in store from 12-18 May and get 10% off asll stationery, which you’ll find in our dedicated Stationery corner. From notebooks to pens, pencils notecards, it’s the perfect time to stock up.

Or shop online and use the code STATIONERY10 to get 10% from anyhting in our DESK section of the website.

Stationery makes a great gift for all ages, from tweens to baby boomers, we all love making plans and taking notes.

So what’s stopping you! Shop HERE

Don’t forget stationery is never stationary!

Spend to win in May!

For those of you local to Chirpy you’ll probably have seen Lizzie there, either on her regular Thursday morning slot or covering my holidays.

This May we’re giving you the chance to WIN!

Spend £25 online and be in with a chance of winning a £25 Chirpy Voucher.

It’s that simple!

£25 or more must be spent in one transaction however if you spend another £25 during the month you’ll be in with another chance of winning.

We’ll announce and contact the winner via email on Sunday 1st June

Start shopping HERE

Lizzie Fry Ceramics pops up at Chirpy.

For those of you local to Chirpy you’ll probably have seen Lizzie there, either on her regular Thursday morning slot or covering my holidays.

What you may not also know is Lizzie is a ceramicist. On Saturday 3rd May you’ll get a chance to see (& buy) Lizzie’s beautfully hand crafted ceramics as we’ll be hosting her pop up shop at Chirpy.

If the weather’s good then she may even be outside, but if not then just pop upstairs to see her.

You can check out Lizzie’s creations HERE and follow her on Instagram to see what she’s up to

Welcome back to Chirpy Katie & May!

After the success of last month’s pop up shop with Katie & May we’re delighted to welcome them back with their 2nd monrthly pop up on Saturday 26th April.

As K&M are not longer on our physical high street, this event is the perfect chance to bring gorgeous women’s fashion back to Chapel Allerton.

Come along and join Catherine from 10am to see her new range of Spring fashion. Perfect for a pay day treat!

https://www.katieandmay.co.uk

Katie & May will be popping upstairs at Chirpy on the last Saturday of eveny month.

Chirpy Easter Egg Colouring Competition

Photo credit : Brandphotosbychrista

This Easter we’re running our Kid’s Chirpy Easter Egg competition.

Just pop into Chirpy to pick up a blank Easter Egg template or draw your own (half A4 size), decorate it however you like and return it to us by Friday 18th April.

Don’t forget to put your name, age and a contact telephone number on the back so we can contact you if you win. There’ll be a few prizes for different age groups so no-one to young or too old

All the entrants will be displayed in the Chirpy window to make up our Easter Window display.

Good luck!

Welcoming Spring with the door open and a Chirpy smile …

It’s been a long time coming but is that Spring I see sneaking up on us?

The big freeze of January seems like an age ago, who remembers slipping all the way to the shop on the treacherous pavements? Thankfully we had lots of loyal Chirpy customers who braved the weather and shopped with us. We didn’t have a Sale this year – did you miss it? The main reason was that following some work I’ve been doing with the brilliant Catherine from The Resilient Retail Club meant my stock control has been much better so not a lot of excess stock to sell off.

 January was all about RENEWING, my word of the year. During a couple of enforced days of closure due to some essential (and very expensive!) electrical work being completed I took the opportunity to give the shop a big spring (or winter!) clean and a lick of paint here & there. Loving the new pops of teal on the pegboards which definitely show off the products better.

 On a personal note I was over the moon to find out I’d got a place on the Coppafeel! Charity Isle of Skye 100km Trek in June. Fundraising got off to a great start and I was well on the way to reaching my £2500 target thanks to all my generous Chirpy customers.

 February started with a trip to Spring Fair, a better prepared visit than last year so had more time to chat to existing and potential suppliers. As one of the Gift of the Year judges if was a great opportunity to see the products in the flesh and cast my  final votes. Lovely to see quite a few of products we currently stock be in the running, including our Travel Journals & Paper Plants.

 February also meant the return of Chirpy Workshops, welcoming back Mizz Knits with her giant ball of wool & my Jesmonite workshop. 

The highlight of the month had to be being a Dragon at the GCA speed dating event where 72 cards publishers met with a host of retailers, including Chirpy, to pitch their wares. The organisers weren’t joking when they said to bring an empty suitcase with us to bring back all the freebies. With over 200 free cards and lots of other goodies too including a beautifully hand painted picture of Chirpy, I was blown away by the generosity and effort from the publishers. I made sure to contact every publisher to thank them and give them feedback as to whether their products were right for Chirpy – to me that’s the least I could do to support such a brilliant sector. Cards are the bread and butter of Chirpy, they actually pay our rent, so we take them very seriously! The event proved very successful for Chirpy having already placed orders with 4 new suppliers and more to come – watch this space!

March has felt quite different this year to last. With Mother’s Day being at the end of the month (unlike last year where it followed very close after Valentine’s Day) there hasn’t been that intense rush to get cards. If I’m being honest it’s been a really disappointing month and I’ve had to really hold me nerve when I’ve budgeted based on last year’s record breaking March. All I can do is keep making sure I got gorgeous stock and offering excellent customer service and hope that the new season and the open door brings customers back to Chirpy.

That’s not to say that March hasn’t been a busy month in other ways. Our Jesmonite taster workshop, in aid of Coppafeel!, was a huge success and raised over £250. Thinking of doing another one – shall we? We also ran a new Calligraphy workshop, another sold out Fused Glass workshop and one of my personal favourites, a Lampshade Workshop. Pop ups returned too, with a Sustainable Fashion pop up with Hearing Aid Babe and Katie & May returning to our high street with the first of her monthly pop ups.

We love surprising our customers and on International Women’s Day over 40 customers were treated to a free bunch of flowers – definitely think this will be an annual giveaway

Fundraising (& training) for Coppafeel! Continues and this month we hit our £2500 target so of course we’ve increased it to £4000.  My days off are spent getting practice walks in as only 11 weeks until the big trek.

We ended the month on a high finding out we were a finalist for the Muddy Stilettos Awards, for Best Lifestyle Store in Yorkshire! We’ve got some tough competition so no apologies for asking all our wonderful Chirpy customers to vote for us. You’ve got until 15th April to cast your vote – we really can’t do this without you! Please vote HERE!

So what’s coming up next at Chirpy?

We’ve got a jam packed programme of workshops, an Easter Egg colouring competition, a pop up with Westmorland Sheepskins, an art exhibition with Tessa Houghton and lots of gorgeous new Spring products arriving. Think that’ll keep us busy, so why not pop in and say Hi!

Welcoming Tessa Houghton's New Exhibition 'Water Meets Sky'

We’re delighted to welcome back international artist Tessa Houghton to Chirpy with her new exhibition ‘Water Meets Sky’

Tessa will be launching her exhibition on Friday 11th April with a informal drinks reception - all welcome to come along.

She’ll then be at Chirpy for a ‘Meet the Artist’ on Saturday 12th April. Come along to chat to Tessa to find out her inspiration for her new body of work.

Tessa’s exhibition with run until Friday 25th April

Born in Lancashire in 1976 Tessa Houghton uses oils to create dreamlike ethereal landscapes that are infused with light, texture, and infinite possibilities. Inspired by nature with its inherent symbolism and contrasts, the paintings attempt to explore themes of fragility and strength, transience and endurance, death and renewal. The work ofter explores the strong emotional attachments we have with particular places and the memories that go with them.

Since receiving a BA(hons) in Fine Art from Liverpool John Moores University in 1998 Tessa's work has been exhibited and collected extensively throughout the UK and internationally including places such as Barcelona, New York, Texas, LA, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Artist statement

'Although my paintings are not direct representations of place, I am often drawn back to and inspired by landscapes that have personal significance, such as the landscape of my childhood; tangled canal banks and the vast solitude of the West Pennine moors. I'm particularly drawn to liminal spaces, where water meets land or land meets sky. These in- between areas are full of mystery and possibility, which is something I try to evoke in my work. The way light interacts with water, casting reflections and constantly shifting, is a recurring theme for me.

I see the paintings as explorations into atmosphere, memory and emotion. I trust in the power of suggestion and the paintings tend to hover between abstraction and figuration. The resulting images are ambiguous rather than definitive. I like the idea that they will trigger a memory or a sensation by being recognisable or familiar in some way and the final interpretation is left open to the viewer.'

Chapel Allerton Indies : Karma Canines

Here’s a little interview we did with Abbie from Karma Canines to find out a little bit about her and her new business…

Tell me a little bit about yourself & your business

Hi, I’m Abbie and I’m the owner of Karma Canines, a 1-2-1 dog grooming studio beside St Matthew’s school. I tailor the grooming sessions to each dog and will work with them to ensure they are calm and happy. I’ve been open since mid January and it’s going great so far – plenty of return customers now and lots of new ones as well. I’m only open on Fridays and Saturdays at the moment but hoping to be open more hours very soon.

How did you get into doing what you’re doing?

I’ve always loved animals but always just worked in an office job which I’ve never really been passionate about, whilst doing animal related volunteer work outside official work. Last year I decided it was now or never to take the leap to completely change career and set up my own business, so I did the iPET Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming and Salon Management, got our garage converted and here I am now, loving my job!

What does a ‘normal’ day look like?

A normal day starts at 8am where I take the commute up my garden to my grooming salon to set up for the day! There really isn’t a typical day as I can have a complete mixture of meet and greets, full grooms, nail clipping or bath, blow dry and de-sheds so I can have between 3-6 dogs a day in, cleaning between each dog and trying to squeeze some time in for a coffee and a bite of lunch. With lots of dog cuddles included as well of course!

Favourite service you deliver

The puppy package I offer - it’s a 4 session package where the puppy comes in first for a meet and greet with their owner, second appointment is to get used to the sounds and sensations of the grooming environment, third session is a bath and blow dry and then the last one is a full groom. I love the fact that I can feel the puppy grow more confident and get to know what is expected of them during a groom. To create an environment for them where they feel comfortable and happy and they can go home with positive memories ready to come back the next time. I always end a grooming session with some treats (if the dog is allowed) and a little play!  

Plans for 2025 / the future?

Since my business is very new, the plan for 2025 is to get the word out there about my grooming salon, get lots of recommendations and build up my customer base, working up to being able to do it full time very soon.

Why should people shop local and support their local indie businesses?

The local high street is so important as it helps keep a sense of community and there are so many amazing local shops and other businesses that everyone should do their best to shop local and help keep these businesses going. 

Where can we find you :

17 Wensley View (grooming salon is at the back of the house just opposite St Matthew’s school gates)

At the moment open Fridays 8am-6pm and Saturdays 9am-5pm

www.karma-canines.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/share/1AQBxxPe4H/

https://www.instagram.com/karma.canines

5 of the best creative workshops coming up at Chirpy this Spring

Photo credit : Brandphotosbychrista

What’s different about Chirpy?

We’re not just a fabulous gift shop fulfilling all your gifting needs for all occasions but we’ve also got a wonderful workshop space dedicated to bring our customers great creative workshops. All perfect for beginners, with all materials and equipment provided, the workshops offer a chance to enjoy a couple of hours of creative “you time” away from the huddle & bustle of everyday life. Come on your own or bring some friends, we’re a friendly lot!

Here’s 5 of the best workshops we’ve got coming up this Spring

1 . Fused Glass Flower & Fruit Wreath

Thursday 24th April 7-8:30pm book here

Join Claire Myers at Cherry Tree Glass Studio, an experienced glass maker, to make a Spring themed glass wreath.

Made b applying  frit (crushed glass) and modelled glass pieces to a fused glass wreath which on completion will be taken away and fired and returned to Chirpy for collection approximately a week later.

The piece measures 9 cm in diameter and after firing a matching ribbon will be added.

2. Jesmonite coaster workshop

Thursday May 1st 7-9pm Book here

Jesmonite seems to be everywhere unsurprisingly as bits such a fun material to work with. In this workshop you’ll create 2 unique hexagonal trays with a terrazzo design, perfect to using as coasters or trinket trays. As Jesmonite dries quickly you’ll take away your creations on the night

3. Bluebell Forest painting workshop

Thursday 8th May 7-9:15pm book here

Even if you haven’t touched a pencil since primary school, with step-by-step guidance of professional local artist Joyce Buzeman of BuzemanArt, you will create your very own master piece. For those more experienced, we assure you will go away with new paint tips and paint ideas.

We provide all the paint, brushes a 30 x 40cm canvas and other materials that are required. All you need is a to turn up with a good dose of enthusiasm. Why not bring your friends, family or colleagues…

Our aim is to unleash your own painting style and encourage you where needed. It’s your masterpiece and at the end your painting will be unique to you.

4. Fused Glass Waterscape

Thursday 15th May 7-8:30pm- book here

Ever fancied making an item from fused glass?  Well here is your opportunity from Claire Myers at Cherry Tree Glass Studio, an experienced glass maker.

In this workshop you will design your piece and then apply frit (crushed glass) stringers (glass rods) and modelled glass pieces to make a fused glass waterscape picture, perfect as a treat for yourself or a gift for a loved one. No cutting or grinding required!

On completion your item will be taken away and fused plus a wooden frame added.  It will then be returned to Chirpy for collection approximately a week later.

5. Pottery Hand building workshop

This workshop is running twice in Spring

Thursday 22nd May 7-9pm Book here

Thursday 25th June 7-9pm Book here

Fancy trying your hand at a bit of pottery? In this workshop you’ll get acquainted with the art of pottery, learn the three methods of handbuilding, design and then create your very own custom pieces. Your pieces will be glazed and fired (white) and ready to pick up at a later date.

5 great pop ups at Chirpy in Chapel Allerton this Spring

This Spring we’re bringing you some great additions to Chirpy. Collaborating with local artists and makers you’ll find them popping upstairs at Chirpy, bringing their unique designs and brands to our high street. Bringing sustainable fashion, new season womenswear, luxurious homewares, handmade ceramics and original art to our customers

1. First up is sustainable fashion brand Hearing Aid Babe. Local artist, designer & maker comes to Chirpy on Saturday 22nd March with her unique quickly designs. Taking preloved clothes she gives them a new lease of life with her recognisable hand drawn designs, promoting sustainability in a world of fast fashion. She also has a range of prints, totes & pouches, perfect for birthday gifts for all ages or a treat for yourself.

2. We’re welcoming Katie & May back to the Chapel Allerton high street on Saturday 29th March. Everyone’s favourite local women’s wear boutique this will be the first of her regular monthly pop ups at Chirpy. Brining new season Spring fashion, perfect as the warmer weather is starting appear, and hopefully stay! Catherine will be popping up at Chirpy in the last Saturday of the month so why nut pop along.

3. On Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th April we’re delighted to welcome Westmorland Sheepskins to Chirpy for their weekend pop up shop. This Yorkshire family run lifestyle brand will be bringing a range on luxurious homewares, slippers & lifestyle products to Chapel Allerton. Pop along from 10-4 on Saturday & 11-3 on Sunday.

4. We’ll be welcoming our first art exhibition of the year by Tessa Houghton in April. Running from Friday 11th until Friday 25th April, come along see Tessa’s exhibition of Contemporary Landscape paintings. Tessa’s art captures light ins unique way . Join Tessa for her exhibition launch from 6:30pm on Friday 11th April or come along on Saturday 12th to Meet the Artist.

5. On Saturday 3rd May Lizzie Fry Ceramics will be here at Chirpy with her range of handmade ceramics. You might already know Lizzie as she works at Chirpy on a Thursday but she’ll be here with her own gorgeous products.

Our Chirpy Pops give us a chance to work, promote & collaborate with brilliantly talented local creatives & to give a wider choice of products to our Chirpy customers. So why not pop along & check them out.