From Britain with Love

My daughter Marie and I started Lizzie Biggs in 2007 after I sold a business which I had run for 15 years - it didn't take me long to realise that I definitely wasn't ready for retirement! The idea came to me following a chance meeting with a friend who was selling her jewellery in a local craft barn. I asked her if there were any spaces and when she said “yes”, I said ”I'll have one!” despite the fact that I had nothing to sell!

I've always loved sewing, so I decided to make some cushions. Then I realised that my products would need a name... and while trying to think of something original, I remembered a nickname my grandmother used to call me when I was being quirky as a little girl - it was Lizzie Biggs. Apparently she was a quaint little old lady who went to my granny’s church many years ago... and so Lizzie Biggs the business was born! The name just seemed to fit and it serves as a lovely memory and tribute to my wonderful granny.

Shortly afterwards my daughter Marie was made redundant, and as she loved my products she suggested that she could sell them through shopping parties. We'd always wanted to run a business together and so this was the ideal opportunity. Marie started by running parties in friends' houses which proved to be very popular, and now she's been selling and promoting Lizzie Biggs for over two years.

I am based in Wiltshire where I make everything in a workroom at home, while Marie is based in the Cotswolds, near Cheltenham.

No, it's just me and a very good sewing machine!

Our product range has grown considerably since we started. We now make aprons for both adults and children, peg bags, tea towels, lavender hearts, door stops and much more, including the original cushions that I started with. One of our most popular product ranges are the lavender hearts - we pack them full of lavender so the fragrance lasts for a very long time. People like our products because they are lovingly made in England, and each piece is individual in some way. For example, all of the aprons have vintage buttons, and I also create some individual one-off products using original vintage fabrics.

I love starting with the raw materials: a piece of fabric, some buttons and ribbons and then turning it into something beautiful that people want to buy. I love making new things and I still get a real buzz from it.

Making our products here is part of what makes them unique - they're not mass-produced because everything we sell is handmade by me!

Recently we were asked to make some Tote Bags by Good Housekeeping Magazine for an event they were holding. The bags went to some very influential people such as the CEO of Estee Lauder so we were thrilled! Also two years ago we were invited to audition for a new television series called High Street Dreams, presented by fragrance guru Jo Malone. We didn't make onto the programme, but the screen test and interview alone were an experience to be remembered.

We sell through our website www.lizziebiggs.co.uk, and at shopping parties which we hold in people’s homes, as well as local craft fairs.

We take our inspiration from many places. As a family we're very creative and inspire each other all the time. When Marie & I are together we're always scouring car boot sales and charity shops looking for vintage finds - these trips alone can be our inspiration for a new product. My son is an interior designer working for Jonathan Adler in New York, and when he is home in England the three of us are always thinking up new ideas. In terms of inspirational British producers, my favourite has to be Emma Bridgewater for her gorgeous pottery.

Yes, we're great fans of farm shops and local markets - Cheltenham has a great Farmer's Market on the Promenade. A favourite local place to eat is the Winchcombe Wine & Sausage at The White Hart Inn in Winchcombe, near Cheltenham. They sell a great selection of sausages from nearby farms, along with locally made beers and wine too.

We love Salcombe in South Devon. The Winking Prawn beach cafe and bbq on North Sands is an absolute favourite of ours!

I love spending time with my granddaughters as well as doing pilates, walking, shopping, meeting friends and being with my family. Marie relaxes by doing Zumba and running, and she switches off from Lizzie Biggs the most when she's in Salcombe with her husband and two girls aged 3 and 6.