Press & Blog — Asta Barrington trays

Friends. What would we do without them, hey? Though they may not always be physically there, they are always there. And though we may not have been able to see them as much as we’d like over the past year or so, it’s made us appreciate them more than ever.

This Friday, 30th July was national friendship day, but we think they should be celebrated and cherished every day. So we’ve put together some wonderful little goodies perfect for reminding your loved ones how much you care. If you feel like doing that, then read on for some inspiration.

Finally, if you’re not too fussed about gifts but just want to send them something to show some love, why not just pop a card in the post. We’ve got funny ones or sweet ones but each says that you care in its own little way. Our personal current fave is the Emma bridgewater ‘soul sisters’ card.

Whether it'll be a gift, card or just a text or phone call, let your nearest and dearest know how much you love them this World Friendship Day. Of course we should do it all the time anyway, but if this is a good excuse then we say take it.

If there's one thing this pandemic has done, it's that it's made us far more aware of our surroundings. Whether it's sparked a new found love for the beauty of where we live, or provoked a realisation that perhaps it's time for somewhere new, it's probably impacted us all in some way. And with that, it would seem that many of us are making moves to new homes and new areas perhaps more than ever.

Sound familiar to you? Well, if you know someone who has just moved house or is just about to, here is the blog post you might need to give some inspiration on what gift to get them. Throw in a card and you're good to go.

Trays

It can sometimes be difficult to know what homeware to get someone if perhaps they have a specific style or already have plenty of mugs, plates and dishes etc. But often a good tray can go overlooked and there are some really gorgeous ones available. Take the Asta Barrington ones for example, which are bright and beautiful and you can even choose one with their favourite drink or phrase on if you like. Or there's the Emma Bridgewater trays for those who love the classic country look, these are practical gifts too as they're a good size and sturdy.

Tins

Sticking to alternative homeware, tins are another brilliant option. Not only are they really useful (you can never have enough tins, right?), but again, there are also some really lovely designs out there - the Emma Bridgewater ones being an obvious choice. You can fill them with goodies to add to the gift too, for example getting some luxury crackers and popping them in a cracker tin, or filling a biscuit barrel with their favourites.

Candles

A common gift choice for a new home, but for a good reason. A good quality, delightful smelling candle can be a real treat as a gift. You could opt for the Country Candles New Home candle to mark the occasion, or instead go for their favourite scent, or a reed diffuser from St Eval that they can easily spruce up an empty shelf with.

Austin Sloan Signs

For those whose homes follow a more rustic theme and who like a bit of humour, an Austin Sloan sign will always go down well. They can be hung in any part of the house or garden, and are a great way to bring some extra personality to the place.

East of India

It wouldn't be a special occasion without some sentiment from East of India. If it's just a small token you want to give, or a little extra piece to add to the main present, a trinket might be perfect.

Gift Vouchers

If you're still feeling like they already have everything they need, or you're not sure on their style yet, sometimes a gift voucher is the best you can give. That way they can save it for when they might need it, or choose something they've had their eye on for a while.

Cards

And finally, you can't forget a card! The Emma Bridgewater one is one of our all time best-selling cards, so naturally had to get a mention, and it really is lovely. But there are other options too and all are gorgeous. Now your gift is complete!

Recently at Daisy Park we've been getting in touch with our wild side..

We adore all things bold and beautiful and some of these goodies are exactly that. From daring designs by Soruka, to vibrant colours by Powder and gloriously busy patterns on the Emma Shipley tray for Jamida, we just can't get enough.

If you know Powder you'll know that these kinds of designs are just classic from them. Their goodies burst with colour and boast fabulous patterns to suit anyone who likes to make a bit of a statement. These leopard print bits are perfect for this and certainly help you to walk on the wild side.

And the same goes for Soruka, who use recycled materials to create their zero-waste, upcycled gems of joy. These always make for fantastic gifts for the outgoing, bold person in your life. And their excellent quality means that you can keep one of their bags forever.

Emma Shipley trays also encompass all things wild and wonderful in their bustling, vibrant patterns. Featuring tropical birds, jungle plants and vivid colours, they'd look superb storing your latest gin collection and would spruce up a cocktail night if you served the goods on one of these beauties.

All of these products are bursting with bold, daring beauty and we just love it. If you or anyone you know is into this fabulous style then why not give them (or yourself) a lovely little treat to spread some lockdown love? Or with Mother's day just around the corner, there's still a few days left to grab something special for yours. Don't forget we can even gift wrap items for you too!

Some things we find happiness in here at Daisy Park are: going through deliveries with lots of lovely new goodies in, wrapping gifts for loved ones on behalf of customers, and putting together a theme (actually we've always enjoyed that one). You may have previously seen some of our colour themed blog posts which we find so pleasing to do, and this time we've gone for a happiness theme because we all need as much of it as we can get rif. So here's our fabulous little happy edit of glorious bits and bobs put together to create a bright yellow, joyful little collection of treats.

So there we have it, a little chunk of joy in the form of a blog post. What brings you happiness during these tough times? All of our lovely products always bring us a bit of happiness when we're in the shop, so we hope some of them bring a bit of sparkle to your day too.

Although it can be stressful, hosting friends and family can be such a fun experience. Whether it be for Christmas, a birthday or simply just a get-together, they're often where we make some of the best memories. Not being able to have these for a year now is tough for all of us, but perhaps now we can start to think a little bit about planning them once more. It seems a bit risky, but maybe, just maybe, we can start to get a tiny bit excited about a future filled with good times again.

One of the best parts of hosting people is getting all your best tableware out, don't you think? Even if it's just having a few friends over for a coffee and cake, it's simply a necessity to bring out your best tray. And wouldn't it be nice to have some lovely new pieces to showcase when we are finally able to do these things again? If you're interest has been sparked then look no further, new trays and mugs from Jamida designed by Asta Barrington are now in the shop and they are simply delightful.

Bursting with bright colours and bold letters, there's a tray for every personality and every occasion. From the strong women in our lives who are all about the girl power (it's a firm fave here at this female-run business), to the men who love an opportunity to crack out a cold one. There's trays with your favourite tipples written on, or simply ones that spread a bit of positivity with your serving.

And there's even new mugs too, in the 'Love' and 'Happy' designs so now you can have matching pieces for an even more pleasing aesthetic. Plus they're made of the finest quality bone china so you know they're good quality. We particularly love the vibrant yellow 'Happy' mugs for brightening up some of these dull winter days.

All of this gorgeousness is making us dream of all the possibilities we could serve when we can finally host again... homemade cocktails on the 'happy hour' tray, celebratory bubbles on the 'Yay' tray for the start of a normal life again, we could go on and on. But we'll leave you to have a little daydream yourself!