Reflecting on Our Year: Exciting Growth and New Beginnings
A brief overview of the main milestones we've achieved this last year.
MEMORIESREFLECTIONSPROGRESS
Samantha Palmer
6/5/20252 min read


What We've Been Up To This Past Year
It’s hard to believe how fast the last year or so has flown by! Alongside the renovations that have transformed our shop, we’ve been bustling with activity, excitement, creativity and occasionally a bit of overwhelm. Let’s highlight some of the experiences and achievements we’ve had since we first started the website.
Our First Stand at the Threave Garden Show
Last May marked our debut at the Threave Garden Show, Castle Douglas and what an experience it was! Setting up our retail stand was a mix of nerves and exhilaration. We showcased our nature exploration tools for the first time and connected with fellow nature lovers, local families and holiday makers. The enthusiasm we received from everyone who stopped by was encouraging (despite the rain!) as it confirmed that we were on the right track with our ideas. Fast forward to this May, and we were back sharing more of what we’ve been working on! As well as this time being able to tell everyone about our new Make and Create workshop and showing some of the projects that can be made when families come to see us.
Joining the Artists and Makers Co-operative
In addition to our garden show adventures, we have taken a significant step by joining the Artists and Makers Co-operative in the PA Pop Up Shop in Kirkcudbright. Being a part of this group of talented artists and makers has allowed us to share our nature exploration tools with a wider audience further afield. Meeting and talking to other members of the cooperative has been inspiring, fueling our creativity and giving us new ideas, as has chatting to customers in the shop. A selection of our products are for sale in the shop in Kirkcudbright and as part of the cooperative, each of us are on duty in the shop twice a month. Kirkcudbright has a very different feel to Dalbeattie, so it's been good to have our nature exploration tools for sale in different places.
Product Development and New Projects
This year hasn’t just been about showcasing; we’ve also been busy developing our range of products. We’ve fine-tuned some of our existing nature exploration tools and introduced some new ones. (Not everything has made it to the website yet though. That's another job on the list). Plus Business Gateway who offer free support, guidance and grants to businesses in Scotland, has helped us set up and launch our e-commerce website, expanding our reach and making it easier for customers to shop our items online.
Additionally, we are excited about the various projects we’ve designed and created for our Make and Create workshop within the shop. They are a mixture of projects made from wood and plywood and others made from recycled materials. Our customers get to use various hand tools such as palm drills, screwdrivers and hammers etc. After completing the shop renovations, we finally opened the Make and Create workshop and the retail side of the shop properly this Easter. These projects have been a fantastic avenue for engaging with our local community and tourists to the area, allowing us to foster creativity together.
As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear that, while the shop renovations were significant, they have only just set the stage for the many adventures to come. We look forward to sharing more updates with you and to keep building on this journey. Here’s to another year filled with exploration, creativity and connection!


