Nothing like a flash of red to bring on that festive feeling...

On Sunday I will be taking part in a “Santa Fun Run” with some friends which involves running 21/2 miles through the streets and shopping centres of Plymouth dressed in – yes, you’ve guessed it – a Santa costume! This is one of many similar events taking place up and down the country to raise much-needed funds for charity (in this case, Children’s Hospice South West and Diabetes UK) and as a regular runner, the distance doesn’t bother me quite as much as the thought of wearing such a “fetching” outfit (complete with beard), especially as we are planning on a civilised lunch and shopping trip afterwards.

As red is one of THE colours to be seen in this season (according to the catwalks and fashion magazines) maybe we will blend in with the crowd on Sunday..! Wearing red at this time of year is, I think, a true nod to all things festive. The Celtic Sheepskin Christmas collection includes a number of pieces which add a flash of bright red to any outfit. So as I am in a seasonal mood today, I thought I would shine the spotlight on some of our festively-coloured products…

First off, there’s our festive-red Celt Boots. These will brighten up any outfit and we offer children’s versions too;

These boots are machine-washable (I wouldn’t wash them with your whites though!) as long as you use a specific wool wash; we recommend our Celtic Wool Wash. As with all of our boots, these can be re-soled so they will last you for many years to come.

If you would prefer a flash of red which a little less bold, perhaps one of these scarves might catch your eye…

This Lambswool Button Scarf is really soft and prettily detailed with assorted buttons which adds a perfect finishing touch. It is, strictly speaking, salmon pink rather than red in colour nonetheless it has a reddish hue which will complement even the simplest outfit.

We have a few different colour choices for the Cashmere Woven Scarf this Christmas and I think this Red Berries option is a ready-made colour injection! 

Then for cosying up at home, how about a pair of woolly red socks or sheepskin slippers?

Our Wool Knit Socks are a web exclusive so they won’t be around for long – get them while you can! As well as the rich red colour, these come in 10 other colours and at £12.75 per pair they make wonderful stocking fillers.

Our Bootee Slippers and Mules are renowned for their comfort – they are so snuggly. I know of customers who have had theirs for over 10 years, as again these are machine-washable to make them last as long as you wish.

Finally, perhaps our most festive red product which is surely a treat for your fireplace…

Well you can’t get more festive than a bright red Artisan Christmas stocking, can you?

Stella Clark, Marketing Assistant

It’s that time again – the Christmas gift guides are out in force!

I can tell that my bank balance is about to take a dramatic hit…I have spent this week catching up with this month’s magazines and they are all brimming with Christmas gift guides, full of suggestions for stand-out presents. Being a mail-order subscriber, I have also received a deluge of Christmas catalogues this week and with the inaugural Celtic Sheepskin Christmas catalogue being delivered this week too, ‘tis most definitely the season to be jolly!

So in keeping with the rest of the country’s press, here is my Celtic Sheepskin gift guide which I have whittled down to a few of our favourites…

These caught our attention as soon as we first saw them in the press office. I love the nod to the nautical trend and the vivid colour options (the Sailor Beret and Sailor Scarf also come in Grey Stripe with a hint of cerise pink). The Geelong feels wonderfully soft and warm - perfect for a brisk walk on Christmas morning!

Our photographer loves this shot – I wonder who got to eat the mince pies afterwards! The Stripey Cashmere Socks in both ankle and knee length make great gifts for female friends and relatives. They come in six colourways to suit any taste. The knee length look brilliant worn with a skirt.

Our model’s favourite! Like all of our Toscana range, the Reversible Toscana Gilet is supremely tactile and cosy and very difficult to prise away from anyone who tries it on!

This cute Cashmere Hottie Cover is a consistent favourite with the press having been featured in the likes of Red Magazine and Good Housekeeping among others. It is made in Great Britain from the highest-quality cashmere to keep you extra warm and snug as the temperature drops.

Finally, the factory’s favourites are our brand new Pod Slippers. These are made on site here in Newquay and they come in three easy-to-wear colours. These are set to be on the Christmas lists of most of the Celtic staff for sure!








As you may have discovered already, there are plenty more gift ideas to be found in our brand new Christmas catalogue and you can also find them on our website, complete with suggestions for stocking fillers for adults and children alike.

Happy browsing!

Waxing lyrical as Christmas preparations get underway…

There are only a few days left to wait until our very first, eagerly-anticipated Christmas catalogue lands on your doormat and having had a sneak preview, I can confidently say that you’re in for a treat! I was in the warehouse yesterday and happened to see the arrival of lots of Christmas stock ready to fill the shelves and noticed some of the gorgeous gift ideas which are sure to make your present buying more of a joy, from socks to scarves, and berets to boots. The Celtic Sheepskin ‘elves’ will definitely have their work cut out this year with more orders than ever before expected and more products than ever before to find on the shelves and deliver to you on time – they will thoroughly deserve their mince pies!

With Christmas spirit in the air I imagine that many of you will already be entertaining ahead of the party season. My diary for one is looking pretty full over the next few weekends with dinner parties and pre-Christmas get-togethers galore (bang goes that pre-Christmas diet!). So for a change today, I thought you might like to see one of our new homeware lines which we have introduced especially for Christmas that is appropriately perfect for a pre-festivities soiree or equally for sprucing up your home…

These stunning scented candles are hand-poured right here in the UK allowing the beautiful fragrances to infuse evenly throughout the wax. This means that they will smell wonderful every time you light them.

The three fragrances are Angel (rich, round, musky and slightly chocolatey), Aubergine (mulled wine with a floral twist) and Autumn (warm and spicy – the definitive Christmas fragrance) so there is something to suit everyone. My personal favourite is Autumn – the fragrance really evokes festive feelings.

All three fragrances are available in three heights so you can mix and match for a unique dinner table display and with approximate burn times of between 70 and 160 hours depending on the size, these candles will last for ages too. In fact after a quick calculation I have worked out that if you burned them for four hours per day every single day starting tomorrow, the longest-burning (the Tall Fat Candle) could potentially last until New Year’s Day!

Finally, some exciting news - If you would like to preview the Christmas collection for yourself, I can exclusively reveal that our online Christmas Gift Shop is now open! Take a look for yourself… http://www.celtic-sheepskin.co.uk/christmas-gift-shop/

Over the coming weeks I will share more ideas for Celtic Christmas goodies but in the meantime look out for your Christmas catalogue in the post and let the shopping begin.

Knitwear everywhere...

We're all beaming with pride at Celtic HQ as we received some brilliant news at the end of last week when we found out that we were one of the top five retailers in the Knitwear category in the Sheerluxe.com Online Shopping Awards! This is wonderful news for us, not least because we were nominated and voted for by you, our customers so thank you for your support. The other four brands that made the grade in our category were Pure, The White Company, Crumpet and Wrap so to be highly commended is a true achievement.

Another reason why we are beaming with pride is that we have been working hard for a good few years now to create a range of gorgeous, stylish and cosy knitwear so to receive such an accolade truly reflects the fruits of our labours.With knitwear being huge news this season (I’m sure you will have noticed the cable knits and oversized jumpers everywhere!) this is arguably the key category to be associated with. Just last week, this pertinent article from the Fashion pages of The Daily Telegraph came to my attention; “Why we are all warming to knitwear” - definitely worth a read if you have a spare five minutes.

In the article, Lisa Armstrong mentions that this winter has seen the rise in stylish and premium-priced knitwear. At Celtic Sheepskin, we like to think that we buck this trend by creating a premium collection of knitwear made from the highest-quality natural yarns without the four figure price tag.

Take our Cashmere Slouchy V Neck for example…

This hugely popular slouchy jumper is made in the EU from 100% cashmere and costs an affordable £215 (that’s over two and a half times less than the price of the featured knit in Lisa’s article - bargain!).

This winter has also seen the rise of patterned knitwear - as Lisa mentions in her piece – and we have also included a few in our current collection;

On the subject of patterns, I love Lisa’s mention of “yummy-mummy friendly cable knits”: I wrote a post a couple of months back about the trend for Cable knits this season (read it here) and I don’t think it will go away any time soon. A Cable knit pattern is a great way to add more interest to a simple jumper and it channels the heritage trend effortlessly...

Fortunately it’s clear that knitwear is going to retain its well-deserved pedestal as a fashion staple for a while yet. So who knows, we might even take the winner’s slot in the Knitwear category next year! Thanks again for your support.

The countdown to Christmas has begun…

With less than six weeks to go Christmas is just around the corner! Have you started your present-shopping yet? Last Wednesday and Thursday, the Christmas shoppers were out in force at the annual Macmillan Christmas Fair in Newquay where Charlotte and I were manning the Celtic Sheepskin stand. This is the only fair that we take part in due to time and the sheer logistics of showcasing all of our products – there are just too many to show them all but we love to be part of this event in support of the charity.

We mentioned the event this time last year in the blog so you can read all about it here if you like and if you are interested to see how our stand looked this year, here are a few photos;

Charlotte and I both took advantage of the opportunity to raid the press sample wardrobe of course! From previous experience, we chose to wear pieces that would keep us cool during the day as the hotel would soon heat up as the customers piled in.

Here’s Charlotte looking lovely in her outfits…

In the left hand picture, Charlotte is modelling the Short Sleeve Slouch Cardi over a Muscle-back Pointelle Vest and her boots are our Himalayan Boots – they attracted lots of enviable glances!

In the right hand picture Charlotte is wearing the Hooded Bodywarmer over an Organic Cotton V Tee.

Here I am in my choices;

The first outfit (on the right of the image above) was very simple - a Sleeveless Cowl Jumper Dress and a pair of Biker Boots. I was thoroughly comfortable all evening!

On Thursday I wore the Deep V Jumper Dress over a Muscle-back Pointelle Vest, (this time in Chalk) which I teamed with a pair of Button Boots. A couple of people commented on the look of the Deep V Jumper Dress particularly the flattering shape – I must agree that it is a forgiving and easy-to-wear style.

Since receiving my first “Merry Christmas” from a friendly customer at the event, I am now feeling the Christmas spirit and I think that it is fair to say at Celtic Sheepskin we are full of festive cheer too. This year marks the launch of our inaugural Christmas catalogue which is full of gift ideas for your favourite people – from children to sisters and sons to grandfathers, there is something for everyone not forgetting yourself of course! I don’t wish to spoil the surprise by giving away any more details (after all, isn’t that one of the joys of Christmas presents?!) but just to whet your appetite, here is a first glimpse of the front cover…

Hope you’re as excited as we are! I will of course let you know as soon as the catalogue is available and in the meantime may I be the first to wish you all Merry Christmas!

Winter coats in nature’s finest materials…

I spent last Saturday wandering around Truro in search of a couple of birthday presents and as I dashed in and out of the shops I noticed that many of the window displays featured “faux-fur” or shearling coats and realised that winter is just around the corner.

As a company, here at Celtic Sheepskin we have been selling 100% sheepskin and hide coats for many years now (our first sheepskin coats appeared nearly ten years ago!) and our range has become increasingly popular as customers realise the benefits of sheepskin over other less eco-friendly materials (if you would like to know more, you can read about our environmental policy here).

We have of course come a long way and in our latest Winter catalogue there is a total of nine sheepskin and hide coats to choose from with five of these being made right here in Great Britain.  Where will you start?!

As our regular customers will know, the skins that we use in our coats are all by-products of the food industry which would have otherwise been expensively destroyed so you can feel wonderfully warm while ticking the boxes for choosing an eco-friendly option too.

Maybe you’re looking for that special something for your Christmas list (lucky ladies!) or perhaps you wish to treat yourself to one of the most sumptuous coats around, either way I thought you might like to see a couple of new-for-2011 styles to help you choose…

Pictured above is the stunning Wide Collar Toscana Jacket.  This is such a distinctive coat; the honey colour makes it very different to other sheepskin coats on the market and it is feels absolutely divine to wear.  This coat will definitely keep you warm as it is made from 100% Toscana Sheepskin and the cuffs and wide lapels add an extra layer to the coat to really keep the chill away. 

If you would prefer a coat which is more light-weight but still winter-warm, the stunning Three-Quarter Cabra Coat would be ideal. 

The concept for this coat was a result of the success of our Cabra Jacket which became one our best sellers.  The longer length of the Three-Quarter Cabra Coat is supremely flattering and practical for every-day wear as well as for more special occasions.  I hope that the images above show how beautifully this coat drapes – it really is something special! Being 100% Goat Hide, this coat will make you feel truly fabulous and it is sure to last through many a winter to come.

As a sheepskin or hide coat is sure to be an investment piece and we want you to be completely satisfied with the size and fit, we have introduced a ‘free returns’ policy which applies to all outerwear. 

To view all sheepskin and hide outerwear, click here.

Behind the scenes at the Spring 2012 photo shoot

As well as updating the Celtic blog and our other social media channels (Facebook and Twitter), I also help the Directors to keep track of the multitude of tasks involved in producing our product catalogues as creating five catalogues a year takes a lot of multi-tasking!  So last month I went on location with the team for the Spring 2012 photo shoot to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes when shooting for a catalogue.  And of course, I thought it would be an ideal opportunity to take some candid shots to share with our blog readers!

As we have mentioned before in this blog, we are so fortunate to be based in Cornwall where our surroundings are wonderfully photogenic and varied.  From beaches to cliff tops to deserted hamlets, there is always a pretty vista nearby.  At this time of year, it is generally much quieter than over the summer months, so much so that we were almost alone on one of the beaches when we arrived.

Shooting so far ahead (the Spring catalogue won’t be out until February) means that we have to hope for the right weather.  This time we were at the mercy of the wind which isn’t uncommon in Cornwall and was threatening the ‘spring’ feel of our shoot so we sought out as many sheltered spots as we could.  We started off in and around Newquay, on Crantock beach and Towan beach before heading up the coast to Port Isaac (which fans will recognise as “Doc Martin” territory!) to take advantage of the quaint cobbled streets and traditional harbour.  Luckily the rain held off while we were shooting although it was a bit chilly.  I learned that photo shoots really aren’t the place for anyone to look stylish except for the gorgeous models!  I wore three layers including my thickest coat and a woolly hat and was very glad to have done so when the brisk wind was blowing.

Here is a small selection of photos taken during the shoot;

Picturesque Port Isaac…

A local gentleman taking his horse for a walk in Port Isaac (they had just been down to the sea front so that the horse could have a dip!

Our very own Alfie trying to kickstart his modelling career by simply positioning himself in full view of the camera! (Do you recognise the Cable Slouch Jumper Dress which I mentioned on Facebook last week?  It’s available online now…)

Oh Alfie!  I don’t think you’re quite ready for the world of professional modelling just yet…

The weather teetered on the cooler, duller side of Spring…

And the waves took our model by surprise more than once…

Yet she still managed to keep calm…just!

As you might expect, none of the items pictured will be available to buy for a while (apart from the Cable Slouch Dress) so for the time being you will have to admire from afar! 

To view our current catalogue online click here.

Our picks - 7 under £70

With the shops full of brand new clothes for a brand new season (ourselves included with the launch of our new Winter catalogue!), you might be wondering where to start to kit out your winter wardrobe. To make life a little easier, here are some of our favourite picks from the new catalogue which are not only made from the highest quality natural fibres but are also great value for money – they are all under £70. I hope you like them…

Keep cosy on Bonfire Night in Great British knitwear from Celtic…

It’s Bonfire Night on Saturday, a time when many of us will be wrapping up warm and braving the cold so that we can gather round an impressive pyre and gaze in awe at spectacular fireworks. While the temperature seems to be fairly mild at the moment, I have noticed a distinct chill setting in as soon as the evening comes, serving as a reminder that we are now rapidly approaching winter. Indeed with the clocks going back last weekend, we will very soon be counting down to Christmas!

Whether you are planning to attend a large fireworks display or create one in your own back garden, you might be thinking of what to wear in order to stay warm so that you last the duration and don’t miss the rocket finale. So I have picked out some of the new pieces from our recently-launched winter catalogue which will keep away the cold while you watch the show. For an added touch, as Bonfire Night is very much a British tradition, I thought I would shine the spotlight on Great British pieces…

Our Cosy Cocoon Cardigan is made from a sumptuous mix of Geelong and Angora so it is divinely soft and cosy. It is substantial enough to keep you warm without the need for a coat on milder nights and the neutral colour can be teamed easily with almost any shade…

The Boat Neck Slouch is a gorgeous jumper with extra details to make it really stand out.  It is long enough to wear in the style of a jumper dress with a pair of leggings or thick tights (and your favourite sheepskin boots of course!).  I love the striped hem, neck and cuffs as it makes this a really different yet very wearable piece…

Our Fairisle V Neck is a variation on our traditional V Neck Slouch which is one of our best sellers.  The detail on the sleeves of this slouchy jumper gives it extra character and the soft linen colour is very flattering, especially against winter skin…

Of course you might also need some accessories to keep your extremities warm so you’ll be pleased to know that we have plenty to choose from.  Sticking with the Fairisle theme, I recommend our adorable Cashmere Fairisle Fingerless Gloves (which keep your hands warm and your fingers free – ideal for holding sparklers!)  and matching Cashmere Fairisle Beret…

Made from 100% cashmere, these cute accessories will protect your head and hands from the cold so you can enjoy Bonfire Night without as much as a shiver.

At the time of writing all of the above items are in stock in all sizes so there is plenty of time to get your favourites for Bonfire Night. As we are starting to get very busy however, you might prefer to opt for Next Day Delivery option to guarantee it.