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Ooooh Get Us! We’ve only gone and bagged a prestigious award for our coffee & cake experience at Restoration Yard! We are delighted to announce that we have just won Café/Tearoom of the Year at the Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce (MELCC) Food & Drink Awards 2020. Yay! We have award-winning coffee & cake. Obviously, this being a year like no other, these now virtual awards were meant to take place in March and our award is for our beautiful Coffee Bar, which is currently closed while we keep everyone safe. However, we know how popular coffee and cake moments are to all our lovely Restoration Yard visitors, therefore as part of our re-opening plans in the summer we moved the experience into our stunning restaurant, The Kitchen. Every day you can indulge in your hot drink of choice with one of our delicious cakes. Oh and our much-loved Restoration Road tray bake (yes that’s it in the picture at the top and it does taste as good as it looks) is back on the menu with a number of other sweet treats, including our scrumptious scones, to tempt you. The result? Well, an award-winning coffee & cake experience. Sweet Treats Our scones are just one of the treats on our Coffee & Cake menu So come, enjoy a slice of our success, and some award-winning Coffee & Cake of course, by booking your table in The Kitchen for Coffee & Cake (everyday from 9am to 11am and 2.45 to 4.30pm). BOOK YOUR TABLE Take-away Award-Winning Coffee & Cake Not got time for a sit down with us? Well, our award winning coffee is also available as a take-away option from The Larder. Oh and there are some lovely cakes on offer there too plus all sorts of other goodies including oursoup of the day! Take-away treats and hot drinks too are available in The Larder Restoration Yard is currently in Level 3 restrictions. Please do not travel to the Midlothian council area if you live out with it unless you have a reasonable excuse. Please be aware of local restrictions – you can check your postcode here.

Sisi Gibreel, our head of retail, tells us how Restoration Yard’s new beauty and wellness collection was created and talks scents Restoration Yard’s new beauty and wellness collection has just hit the shelves. This beautiful collection of new scents in candles, diffusers, bath oils, washes and lotions is very special to us. The unique fragrances have been inspired by artwork and interiors from the Buccleuch Collection at our sister estates. What was the thought process behind creating this new beauty and wellness collection? When we launched The Store at Restoration Yard in 2016 we had a small range of beautiful soaps all wrapped up in unique printed papers inspired by interiors and artwork in the Buccleuch family’s estate. These have always been bestsellers for us so we therefore wanted to develop our own brand further with a more meaningful Restoration Yard Beauty and Wellness collection. We have been looking for a local producer for a couple of years now to help us do that in a natural and sustainable way. When we came across Laura Thomas in North Berwick we knew instantly she was our perfect match. Who will this new Beauty & Wellness collection appeal to? Our loyal RY customers. Everyone in the family from mums and dads to grandmothers and grandfathers as well as special gifts for friends. Pretty much everyone young and old who enjoy beautiful things. The stunning aromas from our candles and diffusers are ideal for filling your home with beautiful fragrances or having a relaxing and soothing bath using our luxury bath oils. All these are little indulgent pick-me-ups to buy for yourself or for someone you love. How did you come up with the product range? Lord Damian, from the Buccleuch family, and I went through various scent options using our customer’s preference to date from our soap sales and also took into consideration what we felt was a good Restoration Yard brand fit. We decided to go for two fresh scents (Wild Lemon and Sicilian Sunshine); two woodland/pine inspired scents, we wanted to pay homage to our stunning old woods (Athenaeum and Caledonian Pine); and two floral scents (Rose Garden and Gardenia). I love them all but my favourites are the Caledonian Pine and Gardenia. How was it working closely with local producer Laura Thomas? We worked closely with Laura, sampling and tweaking. Laura filled the brief with such accuracy and efficiency, producing a wide range of luxurious products all using natural ingredients and exquisite essential oils. Our main aim was to produce a range that was true to our brand ethos as well as work with a local supplier. We are over the moon to have managed to do both in the creation of this collection. The packaging is beautiful – tell us more. We went through the Buccleuch family’s estate archive, the Buccleuch Collection, for inspiration. The majority of the prints are directly drawn from paintings, wallpaper and some were repeat patterns created using designs from original artwork off ceramics and paintings found within the houses of the estate. INTRODUCING: RESTORATION YARD BEAUTY & WELLNESS COLLECTION Restoration Yard Rose Garden Indulge in this luxurious Rose Garden fragrance from Restoration Yard. An enchanting floral scent blending Rose with Sweet Orange, Vanilla & Cinnamon inspired by some of the beautiful Sèvres porcelain held at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, that appears (recoloured into pink) in the labelling and packaging. The 5th Duke of Buccleuch and his wife Charlotte Anne were avid collectors of French Sèvres porcelain after their marriage in 1829. Restoration Yard Rose Garden Candle, £28.00 Restoration Yard Rose Garden Bath Oil, £19.95 Wild Lemon Our zesty new Wild Lemon scent is strong, uplifting and fresh comprising Lemons infused with subtle tones of Lime and Tea Tree. Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Diffuser, £25.00 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Candle, £28.00 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Bath Oil, £19.95 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Hand Wash, £19.95 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Shower Wash, £19.95 Restoration Yard Wild Lemon Hand & Body Lotion, £19.95 Gardenia Discover this unbelievably beautiful floral blend of Rose Gardenia and Jasmine with tones of Bergamot and Ylang Ylang. The Chinese wallpaper in The Morning Room at Bowhill House in the Scottish Borders was the inspiration for this pretty fragrance. Restoration Yard Gardenia Diffuser, £25.00 Restoration Yard Gardenia Candle, £28.00 Sicilian Lemon & Sunshine Bring the scent of warmer climes into your world with our wonderful Sicilian Lemon & Sunshine collection. It’s a revitalising blend of Mediterranean Citrus Groves with Pink Grapefruit, Lime and Petitgrain. Once again it is the Sèvres porcelain of Boughton House that was the starting point for the fragrance. This time though the zesty and fresh colours of the porcelain are reproduced true to the original piece in the collection. Restoration Yard Sicilian Sunshine Candle, £28.00 Restoration Yard Sicilian Lemon & Sunshine Soap, £5.50 Caledonian Pine This reviving fragrance of Scotland’s Native Pine infused with Cedarwood and Patchouli was created to pay homage to Dalkeith Country Park‘s ancient woods. The imagery on our beautiful packaging is from an ornithological watercolour of a hoopoe in a pine tree from a set of five watercolour paintings of birds by Christoph Ludwig Agricola held at sister estate Drumlanrig Castle. This beautiful scent is fresh and woody. Restoration Yard Caledonian Pine Bath Oil, £19.95 Restoration Yard Caledonian Pine Candle, £28.00 Athenaeum Introducing our sophisticated Athenaeum, which is a luxuriously smoky blend of Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Fir Needles. The wonderful ceiling mural in Boughton House‘s 5th Stateroom has been reproduced onto the products because it inspired the scent’s creation. The original artwork depicts the story of Athenian Cephalus and Aurora, which is told in Book Seven of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Restoration Yard Athenaeum Candle, £28.00 Restoration Yard Athenaeum Diffuser, £25.00

Welcome to our Christmas Gift Guide 2020. The Store at Restoration Yard is a one-stop shop for all the best gifts for everyone on your list. To make it easy for you we’ve created the perfect Christmas Gift Guide edit. This year more than ever we want to send all our favourite people the best of gifts. From fashion fanatics to foodies and everyone in between we have a little something for everyone, so shop online or come in-store to get all your Christmas shopping done in one beautiful swoop. Photography by Blue Sky Photography The Fashion Fanatic We all know someone who loves a little bit of fashion all wrapped up under the tree. Our fashion department is stacked with gorgeousness. From beautiful scarves and accessories to lust-have dresses, shirts and luxurious sweaters – the hard bit will be deciding what not to buy. Clockwise from top left: Helen Moore Pink Button Collar, £45; Sixton London Sock Gift Box, £29.95; Red, Pink & Gold Bracelet, £19.95; Coral Zebra Resin Cuff, ££9.95; Vilagallo Rovaniemi Isabella Shirt, £89; Dansk Large Pearl Clip, £9.95; Gold Hair Clip, £14.95; Resin Hair Clips, £15.95; Coral Bug Brooch, £18.50; Constance Moon Resin Necklace, £19.95; Morag Macpherson Surrender Scarf, £55; 50 Ways to Wear a Scarf Book, £10.99; Selected Femme Pink Sweater (Recycled Polyester & Alpaca), £115; Red Cuckoo Rose Gold Purse, £19.95; Big Metal London Pink Headband, £19.95; Teal Velvet Headband, £9.95; Anaii Large Rose Gold Watch, £35; Anai Small Rose Gold Watch, £35; Large Abstract Resin Hoop Earrings, £13.95 The Modern Dandy So you have a sartorially suave man in your life? Buy him something suitably stylish to make his Christmas Day 2020. Our menswear department has beautiful gift ideas including super-soft sweaters, sharp shirts and statement accessories. Clockwise from top left: I am Dandy Book, £36.99; Vedoneire Horse Print Shirt, £69.95; Selected Homme Desert Boot, £70; Striped Lambswool Scarf, £39.95; The Man, The Myth, The Legend Book, £6.99; Black Sunglasses, £18.00; Vedoneire Green Sweater, £59.95; Selected Homme Blue Hat, £25; Morris & Co Wallet, £24.00; Somerset Toilet Company Soaps, £5.95; Gentleman’s Hardware Shoe Shine Kit, £45 The Wellbeing Warrior A little something wellbeing will be top of many people’s Christmas lists this year. Give them the gift of goodness. Restoration of self is at the heart of what we do at Restoration Yard so you’ll find all sorts of wellbeing wonders in The Store. Clockwise from top left: Mindfulness Cards, £14.99; Crappy to Happy Book, £10.00; Crush Your Goals Quote Cards, £9.95; Spark Courage Faux Matchsticks Box, £10.99; Spark Creativity Faux Matchsticks Box, £10.99; I’m Kind of Awesome Journal, £11.95; Sleep Tight Bedtime Quotes Book, £6.00; Calm The F**k Down Book, £14.99; Paddywax Grapefruit Candle, £12.50; Aroma Home Home Detox Collection of Three Oils, £12.95; Yoga Dice, £14.99; Follow Your Dreams Mug, £11.95; Coloured Bird, £7.50 The Home Lover A wee candle, frame or a cosy throw? Ah the choices. Buy the home lover in your world a little bit of gorgeousness to boost their décor dreams to the next level. Oh and did you know everything in-store is pretty much yours to buy – including the shelves and tables our lovely products sit on? Clockwise from top left: Tweedmill Beehive Ocean Throw, £59.95; Broste Copenhagan Topaz Candle, £9.95; Hanging Round Mirror (16cm), £14.95; The Art of Coorie Book, £14.99; Images d’Orient Andalusia Plates, from £14.50; Scandanavia Dreaming Book, £40; Round Wooden Photo Frame, £29.95; Floral French Candlestick, £35; Sass & Belle Geo Photo Frame, £18.00; Crocodile Hook, £5.95; Broste Copenhagan Nordic Blue Candle, £6.95; Green Door Knob with Gold Design, £3.25; Elephant Door Knob, £5.95; Indian Aqua & Orange Flower Door Knob, £3.25; Costa Nova Blue Madeira Bowl, £7.95 The Beauty Buff If you’re hunting the perfect beauty gift – look no further. We love a little bit of pampering at Restoration Yard so The Store is a genuine treasure trove for all things beauty. Pick up little stocking filler lip balms and bath treats or indulge your recipient with a silk eye mask and robe. Clockwise from top left: Sara Miller Mini Treats Bauble, £14.95; Heathcote & Ivory Pinks & Pear Blossom Perfume Roller, £4.95; Hydrea London Bamboo Round Body Brush, £10.95; Eco Bath London, Bamboo Massage Hair Brush, £13.95; Kew Gardens Passion Flower Green Gown, £79.95; Peacock Soap Dish, £10.95; Heathcote & Ivory Braids & Blooms Lip Butter, £4.50; Sara Miller Eye Mask Gift Box, £29.95; Beefayre Rhubarb & Raspberry Organic Soap, £5.50; This Works Stress Check Face Mask, £32.00; Voluspa Lichen & Veviter Two Wick Candle, £24.95; Arthouse Unlimited Black Pomengranite Organic Soap, £5.95; Restoration Yard Raindrops On Roses Soap, £5.50; Fikkerts Lavendar Bath Salts, £6.00; Beefayre Lavender & Bergamot Lip Balm, £5.50 The Kids From stocking fillers to the stuff dreams are made of we have all sorts of cute and curious present ideas for kids. A pink dinosaur lamp anyone? Or perhaps a snuggly starfish? Maybe give gift the gift of knowledge with one of our gorgeous children’s books. Clockwise from top left: Ghost Story Box, £10.99; Wind-up Flamingo, £3.65; Jellycat Skye Starfish, £28.00; Tin Yoyo, £4.50; Ultimate Jokes Box, £4.50; Cotton Candy Ice Cream Truck Socks, £5.95; Truck Toddler Sock sets, £5.95; Sass & Belle Lima Llama Purse, £7.95; Little People, Big Dreams David Bowie Book, £9.99; Jellycat Blossom Bunny Booties Gift Set, £15; The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse Book, £16.99; Pink Dinosaur Lamp, £27.50; Amuseables by jellycat Watermelon Soother, £16.00 The Drinks Devotee A Christmas gift guide would not be complete without some festive cheer in the form of darn good alcohol. Christmas gins, wine worthy of decanting and beautiful beers are all stacked onto the shelves of The Foodhall this season. Clockwise from top left: Gin Galore: A Journey to the source of Scotland’s Gin Book, £12.99; Red Claw Pinot Noir, £31.95; White Aramis Colombard Sauvgnon, £11.95; Where Bartenders Drink Book, £16.95; Wine Glass, £15.00; O’Donnell Tough Nut Moonshine, £28.90; Captain Tiptoes Salt & Vinegar Pnuts, £1.50; Paolozzi Beer Gift Set, £13.95; Glass, £11.95; Kikkerland Fish Corkscrew, £16.50; The Secret Herb Garden Gin Gift Set, £29.95; Aelder Wild Elderberry Elixir, £30; Spice Kitchen Gin Botanicals Tin, £35.00; Restoration Yard Christmas Botanicals Gin, £35.00; Pickerings Gin Baubles, £34.95 The Green-fingered Gardener Forget not the gardeners. We have all the treats for those of the green-fingered persuasion. Seedballs to help their garden flourish. Books to keep them on top of it all. And some pampering sets to make their hard-working hands soft again. Clockwise from top left: RHS Gardening Through The Year Book, £20.00; Selection of Growbars, £12.50 each; Herb Paperweight, £22.00; The Humane Gardener Book, £16.99; Birds Playing Cards, £8.99; Faux Tulip, £4.50; Planting For Honey Bees Book, £12.00; Vanilla Fly Velvet Make-up Pouch, £10.95; Plant Print Coasters, £3.25 each; Feather Bird Clip, £5.50; Pick A Flower Memory Game, £12.99; Fikkerts Handy Hints Gift Box, £18.50; Seedball Tins, £6.95 The Games Aficionado Christmas has to have a few games and quizzes slotted into the big day to make it a proper Christmas. Gifting the best of games will ensure that you make what might be a slightly odd Christmas a whole lot more fun. Check out our selection in-store and online because we have a little something for all. Clockwise from top left: Ridley’s Who Am I Quiz, £10.95; Ridley’s Compendium Of Games, £22.95; Talking Tables Host Your Own Wine Tasting, £32.95; Gentleman’s Hardware Campfire Games, £19.95; Ridley’s Sing It Back Quiz, £9.95; Adventure Trivia Quiz, £9.95; Rubik Pocket Puzzles, £7.95 each; Ridley’s Classic Quiz Compendium, £18.50; Ridley’s Science & Space Quiz, £14.95 The Foodie The Foodhall at Restoration Yard is a delight, packed with deliciousness all year round but especially at Christmas. So that’s why we know we make the best of foodie hampers. This year we reckon everyone will be wanting to send out a foodie parcel of love to all those they won’t be able to spend Christmas with. Choose from our mega selection of pre-made hampers or speak to our retail team about creating a bespoke hamper. Hamper prices from £18.50. SHOP CHRISTMAS HAMPERS We hope you’ve adored our Christmas Gift Guide 2020.Now go enjoy your festive gift buying in-store or online. Happy shopping!

By Jen Wood Our guide to coping with stress. It feels like stress is on the rise everywhere at the moment. Covid stress, job stress, financial stress, relationship stress and the stress associated with ongoing physical distancing and isolation as we approach winter. All of these and more are building up to create an increasingly difficult situation for many of us. So I’d like to explore what stress is and offer some tips on coping with stress and alleviate it. What is Stress? The word ‘stress’ often has negative connotations and can be associated with feelings of shame. However, it’s a natural human response to a change, pressure or a threat which requires us to adapt. For many of us, pivoting to working from home while home-schooling children was a highly stressful situation. Daily life can be stressful, and our response to it can depend on our personality and how resourced or resilient we feel at the time. While low level stress can be motivating, long term or chronic stress can have significant impact on our mental and physical wellbeing, causing a type of exhaustion which is often called burnout. Stress might show up in different scenarios. It may feel like frustration when we don’t get what we want. It may cause us to put pressure on ourselves and others to meet demanding standards. It may result in conflict when we have a clash of ‘rules’, values with someone. Finally, it often arises when we experience transitions or life changes, like a relationship ending or changing, a bereavement, redundancy or a rupture in a friendship. The Different Types of Stress Stress can be classified as acute, when in response to a specific event, usually with an endpoint. It can be traumatic, when the stressful event has the potential to trigger Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Chronic stress is continuous with no foreseeable endpoint. Finally, episodic acute stress, caused by repeated stressful events. Stress can impact us in different ways. It can have a physical impact, when we experience the effect of increased levels of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol in the body. It can impact us emotionally, when we experience anxiety, fear, anger, overwhelm and hopelessness. It also impacts our behaviour as there may be things that we do more of when we’re stressed, like drinking alcohol, and things we do less of like exercise. However, there are more positive ways for coping with stress. Stress – what can we do about it? Please note that these stress management tips are intended to help, however, if you have been experiencing stress for some time and you realise that it’s impacting your daily life, it may be helpful for you to consider further support. There are various things that my clients have found helpful in coping with stress and I would like to share some of these tips with you. Stress tip # 1 – Sleep Well Sleep is the foundation to good mental and physical health. If you aren’t sleeping well, you are more vulnerable to stress. Consider improving your sleep hygiene and practising mindfulness and relaxation. For more information about sleep check out our recent sleep blog post. Stress tip # 2 – Be as organised as possible The more that you can plan ahead, and anticipate any complications in advance, the less activated your threat system will be. Stress tip # 3 – Exercise The quickest way to change out of a stressful state is to move the body. Therefore going for a walk or a run is great but you could try a jump around on a mini trampoline in the garden or a bike ride. However, you might enjoy the current enthusiasm for wild swimming or just getting outdoors and taking in the beauty of nature. Stress tip # 4 – Breathe Using the breath as an anchor or support for your attention can bring you to the present moment. This can help to settle the threat system (fight and flight), which will start to activate the soothing system (rest and digest). Stress tip # 5 – Connect Making contact with someone and having a chat can sometimes diffuse a build up of stress. Even in these times of physical distancing, it’s incredible what a telephone call or a video chat can do to help manage our stress levels. Stress tip # 6 – Gratitude Before you go to bed, remember three things about the day that went well or that you feel grateful for. It’s very useful to write them down. Therefore, you re-live the positive emotion using all your senses and as a result you will gain the maximum benefit. Stress tip # 7 – Take a Self-Compassion Break If you experience a difficult or stressful situation, see if you can lean into the stress for a moment and feel it in your body. Step-by-step: Coping with Stress ~ This is a moment of difficulty. That’s mindfulness. Say to yourself, ‘This is a difficult/stressful moment’ or ‘this is a moment of suffering’. Use your own words and it will be more powerful. ~ Suffering is part of life. That’s common humanity. ‘Other people feel this way’. ‘We all experience suffering and stess’. ‘I’m not alone’. ~ Put one or both hands over your heart. Feel the warmth of your hands and the gentle touch of your hands on your chest or another place that feels soothing. Now say to yourself whatever you need to hear to ease the stress or suffering. Some suggestions are: May I be kind to myself May I give myself the compassion that I need May I learn to accept myself as I am May I forgive myself May I be strong. May I be patient If we can accept ourselves, and the events in our lives, and look after ourselves, we can cope and overcome stress, build our resilience and experience more wellbeing. How can you look after yourself today? Jen Wood is a coach, therapist and mindfulness teacher with 20 years’ experience. She is also our Wellbeing Consultant at Dalkeith Country Park. Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. For more information about Jen, visit her website at jenwoodwellbeing.com.

But don’t expect the same old, same old from this new season’s fashion.In a very new global landscape fashion has reacted and so has the buying team at Restoration Yard. Expect to see fashion that gives a little something back as our new season fashion hits the store. Find new wardrobe icons that answer the shift in how we now live and work. Discover timeless style that shirks trends and seasonality. Answering the desire for fast fashion fixes has never been on the agenda at Restoration Yard. Now, more than ever, the buying team at Restoration Yard is keeping an eye on new season fashion that is both sustainable and worth keeping in your closet, for years to come. Also, customers’ needs and desires have shifted due to the global pandemic. So, yes, in our new season fashion selection showcase pieces are still the speciality of our buying team but their buying eyes had a slightly different focus for Autumn/Winter 2020. Meet Sisi, head of retail, as she talks new season fashion Sisi Gibreel, head of retail at Restoration Yard, explains: “We saw that because people shifted, more often than not, to home working what women want to wear has changed. So now women want comfort more than ever. They also want to feel good on their many Zoom meetings. As a result, there is a new focus, literally upwards, to blouses and tops with flattering neck details as well as bursts of pattern and colour. We still feel that beautifully cut, printed dresses in fluid fabrics offer that feeling of real comfort and style. However, women are choosing to dress their statement dresses down with a luxuriously comfy, slouchy knit layered over. Also, we have seen a real upturn in casual dressing, jerseywear and sweatpant styles but all embraced with a dressed up twist. “We bought with these new customer needs and desires in mind and are super-excited to see our new season collections hit the right note in-store and online.” The Zoom Effect Dressing from the waist up is now a thing at work and play. This season, store favourite, Vilagallo answers the need for making a statement through the small screen with its print blouses and fluid sparkly jackets. As ever, it is all about the print. From 1960’s inspired repeat graphics to nature inspired plants and animals. Vilagallo Mony Jacket, £185 Vilagallo Isabella Shirt, £89 Vilagallo Ilaria Silk Shirt, £175 The Rise of the Slouchy Knit “Comfort is king and slouchy knits and cardigans are key to our closets this autumn/winter, more than ever,” says Sisi. The Hartford Moskito Yard Metallic Cardigan, £195 answers all the demands of a great knit this season as it will work over this season’s printed shirts as well as dresses. The Pom Amsterdam Sand Sweater, £115 meanwhile, has interest added through mixed-up cable designs. Hartford Moskito Metallic Cardigan, £195 Pom Amsterdam Sand Jumper, £115 The New Silky PJ Pant “So lockdown happened and PJs in the daytime were embraced by many. As a result, women want that same comfort without committing the sartorial sin of not actually getting dressed. The silky PJ inspired trouser is the answer. Just pair with a slouchy knit and your look is effortless and elegant,” says Sisi. The hot picks in Restoration Yard’s offering are Hartford Japanese Print Trousers, £185 and Part Two Damaris Watercolour Print Trousers, £89.95. Hartford Paisance Japanese Print Trousers, £185 Part Two Damaris Watercolour Print Trousers, £89.95 The New ‘Kind’ Jerseywear “We knew that women wanted jersey sweatpants and tops so we wanted to find a collection that answered comfort and was kind to the earth. We adore this new season fashion collection by Denim Hunter for doing all that and just knew we needed to bring it to The Store because our customers will love them too. These sweatshirts and pants are biodegradable and compostable, as well as exquisitely soft,” Sisi adds. Denim Hunter Sweat Pants, £69.99 The Sustainable Jeans “The perfect jean is hard to find so we were excited to uncover the Celina from Denim Hunter as it’s such a flattering cut and super-comfortable to wear. We’ve embraced it in two styles – one with a zip at the ankle and one without. The washes we’ve chosen are the grey, dark blue and the blue vintage wash. Most importantly for us, though, is that these jeans are made from sustainably farmed cotton. We are continually looking to source kinder fashion and Denim Hunter is a brand that allows us to do that,” says Sisi. Denim Hunter Dark Blue Jeans, £89.99 Denim Hunter Grey Jeans, £89.99 Denim Hunter Vintage Blue Jeans, £89.99 Shop our new womenswear collections in-store 10am to 5pm every day or shop online at restorationyard.com! Enjoy!

Who doesn’t love a special occasion? Here at Restoration Yard we adore them. Any excuse to have a little celebration with our colleagues. Cake is almost always involved and a lovely RY gift. Yes, we’re living in slightly different times at the moment…but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate (from a distance). And a wee package arriving from RY is sure to make their day extra special. So we’ve compiled a list of a few special occasions and gift suggestions for each to help you decide. After all, there’s just SO much choice out there. Happy shopping and happy gifting (just thinking of your recipient’s happy face makes us smile). The Engagement Gift It’s all about the love. And what better way to celebrate than this fabulous welcoming doormat by Bombay Duck? Bombay Duck LOVE Doormat, £24.95 The New Puppy Gift That gorgeous little bundle of fluff. They’re ridiculously cute and cuddly, but the furniture/plants/slippers are suffering. This rope toy is a perfect play buddy and should help those tiny teeth too. Petface Toyz Triple Knot Rope, £5.99 The New Baby Gift A lovely gift for anyone celebrating their new arrival. Spell out the baby’s name with these beautiful handcrafted letters featuring different animals. Orange Tree Toys Wooden Letter Z, £1.75 The Gift for a New Mum Revive sleep deprived new mums with this aromatherapy pulse point roller ball by Rebecca Tracey. With Geranium, Rosewood and Rosemary, it’ll gently energise and uplift and let her know you’re thinking of her. Rebecca Tracey Revive Aromatherapy Pulse Point Roller Ball, £8.95 The Lockdown Wedding Gift The pandemic has affected so many couples’ plans to celebrate on a large scale with their loved ones. Why not treat them to some new homeware for them to enjoy together in their home? We adore Broste Copenhagen’s Nordic Sea Blue and Nordic Sand ranges, sure to liven up any candlelit dinner. Broste Copenhagen Pasta Bowl in Nordic Sea Blue, £22.95 The New Job Gift Say congrats to your clever friend with this Pure Genius notebook, ready to take many a note on many a zoom call/training session. Roger La Borde Speak Easy Notebook “Pure Genius”, £10.95 The Wedding Anniversary Gift The team are a little bit in love with Spice Kitchen’s Spice Tins. We think they’re great fun to grab a glass of wine and spend some time cooking together in the kitchen. Each tin comes with a range of high quality spices, a recipe card and marinade wrapped in a gorgeous sari silk wrap. Spice Kitchen Indian Spice Tin in Sari Silk Wrap, £29.95 The New Home Gift This Hand Carved Marble Chopping Board is a lovely new home gift. Each one is unique due to the nature of the marble and each has a story. Supplied by Ian Snow, this brand helps makers around the world bring their products to the UK. A perfect cheese board or display piece. You could even top it off with some of our chutneys and cheese biscuits. Or pop in store to get some Mellis Cheese to go with it. Delicious. Ian Snow Hand Carved Marble Chopping Board, £17.50 The Big Birthday Gift Let’s talk gin. Specifically, our neighbours’ gin from The Old Curiosity Distillery based at The Secret Herb Garden in Midlothian. We adore their pretty bottles and delicious contents, from colour changing gins to this rather special variety. Their RSPB Wild Gin is made from an array of botanicals from Scottish blanket bogs. Blended with their own herbs, 20% of proceeds are donated to the management of The Flow Country, a vast peat bog responsible for storing 400million tonnes of carbon and home to thousands of creatures, birds and plants. The Old Curiosity RSPB Wild Gin 50cl, £35.00 The ‘Who Needs a Special Occasion’ Gift to Oneself You might as well sneak in a little treat for yourself, right? We’re living in tough times after all. We recommend a browse of our chocolate section or wine section. Our recommendation? This little box of happiness by Cocoba. Cocoa Dusted Salted Toffee Truffles are Cocoba’s most loved. Cocoa Dusted Salted Toffee Tin, £9.95

Everything, every single piece you find on our shelves and around The Store in the RY homeware collection, we all (that’s The RY Team) love having in our own homes. From luxuriously soft cushions, beautifully scented candles, to quirky crockery and cosy throws, our homeware collection is perfect for coorie-ing doon this autumn. As it’s all so tempting, we thought we’d share some of our favourites to help you put together your own homeware wish list and make your home a haven. So here are our favourite picks brought to you from the RY team. Enjoy our Homeware Edit and happy shopping. Grand Illusions Champagne Coupe Etched Glasses Grand Illusions Vintage Style Champagne Glasses, £7.95 Our Graphic Designer Liz has an eye for detail, especially the beautiful etching on these Grand Illusions Vintage Style Champagne Coupes £7.95. Liz tells us “I love these elegant glasses, with a touch of vintage charm – they’ll be perfect for toasting friends and family during the Festive season.” Tweedmill Yellow Twill Throw Tweedmill Yellow Twill Throw, £59.95 RY Wedding Coordinator, Thea loves our beautiful Tweedmill throws and in particular the Tweedmill Yellow Twill Throw, £59.95. Thea says, “I love it because it will add a real pop of colour in my living room and the thought of cosying up under one with a hot chocolate is making me look forward to winter!” Bombay Duck Nomad Embroidered Pouff Bombay Duck Nomad Embroidered Pouff, £135 Nicola, our PR and Content Manager, is in nesting mode and adores the Bombay Duck Nomad Embroidered Pouff, £135. Nic says “I’m in full Scandi Hygge and Pyt home-nesting mode to make my home a real haven this winter. I’m obsessed with Walton & Co rugs, Ian Snow cushions and of course Bombay Duck’s gorgeous home accessories. The palette I am working to is soft blues and greys, but with lots of texture. I adore, adore, adore this Bombay Duck pouff. It will be perfect for feet up evenings with a hot cuppa and Netflix.” Santiago Huckleberry 3 Wick Candle Voluspa Santiago Huckleberry 3-wick Candle, £34.95 Our Marketing Manager, Shelley, has her eye on Voluspa’s Santiago Huckleberry 3 wick candle, £34.95. She says “I love it because I’d have candles in every room if I could during autumn and winter. I love this range’s luxurious scents plus the tin will look so pretty on our coffee table.” Dutch Pots from Grand Illusion Grand Illusions Dutch Pots, from £8.95 Our newest team member, Catriona, has spotted these Grand Illusions Dutch Pots, £8.25. Catriona tells us “these vintage style plant pots will look amazing inside or in a colourful autumn garden. I’ll be mixing up the patterns to create an eye catching display and keep a splash of colour in my garden as the flowers fade over winter.” Images d’Orient Tableware Images d’Orient Tableware, from £11.75 It’s maybe not unexpected that Gillian, our Food & Beverage Manager would pick out this tableware! Gillian says “I’m already thinking ahead to Christmas and these plates and bowls will bring a touch of glamour to my table on Christmas Day.” You can shop the Images d’Orient range in store at Restoration Yard. Head of Retail, Sisi’s In Store Homeware Edit Ian Snow Fire Pit, £150 Les Touristes Throws, £145 Art House Egg Cups, £8.75 This rustic fire pit from Ian Snow will keep Sisi toasty as she sits out on her patio, enjoying the views on a chilly autumn night, perhaps with a glass of wine in hand! Sisi adores these gorgeous French throws from Les Touristes, but is having a hard time selecting just one to snuggle up under. Which would you choose? The naive drawings on these egg cups by Art House Meath, a charity presenting the artistic talents of adults living with learning and physical difficulties, brighten up Sisi’s breakfast every morning! The RY team hope their homeware edit has inspired you to cosy up, corrie doon or snuggle in this autumn! Our House & Home collection is available online and in store at Restoration Yard. Pop in and say hello, our team are always happy to help you select the perfect items for your home. Happy Shopping!

By Jen Wood Covid-19 has caused so much disruption to our lives. Children feel this intensely, and many have been experiencing complex emotions around the recent return to childcare, nursery and school. So how do we understand their worries and go about helping children with anxiety? For some, the hard bit was being stuck at home with the family, and not being able to see their friends face-to-face. For others, home has been a safe space and somewhere to avoid the difficulties that nursery and school presents. Now, with new rules and protocols, and invisible dangers like the virus, it’s hard for young minds to cope. Children who were anxious before lockdown, are more likely to find these strange times and the transition back to a new version of normal difficult. I recently spoke to two mums about their experience of their children’s return to nursery and school post lockdown. I’ve also pulled together a few of my tips on helping children with anxiety. Emma Louise Sutton with her children who both were anxious about returning to a new normal Emma Louise Sutton, of Ilkley, spoke to me about her son (3) and daughter (6) about their return to nursery and primary school: “Alfie is not usually an anxious child but this week was incredibly difficult. It took an hour for the nursery staff to peel him off me as he was inconsolable. Before lockdown, he had only been at nursery for three months, so it was very new and he’d been at home for six months, which for him is a lifetime. After living in a bubble, all of a sudden being in a group of up to 25 children was very confusing. Nothing looked the same, and with so many new rules it was hard for him when he was indoors. He was more himself in the playground. “My daughter tends to worry about things, and she found the first day back at school really difficult. We had lots of tears, but she focused on seeing her friends again, and I was proud of how she coped. “We’ve been using ‘feelings cards’ so that they can learn to express their emotions, and that’s been very helpful.” Anna Biavati-Smith, a specialist speech and language therapist, and mum Anna Biavati-Smith, a specialist speech and language therapist based in Midlothian, helps children with anxiety in their communication (selective mutism), as well as being a mum: “My 13 year old daughter has experienced anxiety as well.” She adds: “For many of my patients returning to school after lockdown was easy and hard at the same time. Easy as they knew that everybody had been off, so it was not about them being unable to go to school due to the anxiety. On the other hand, it was difficult as, once again, they needed to face their social anxiety. Some children are not only scared to talk but also have other phobias. Being sick in front of others is a very common one.“These anxieties are triggered by social situations, and after being at home for months, there was such a sensory overload that they felt overwhelmed. I encourage children and teens to stay with it, and not to expect too much of themselves at the start. Teenagers, in particular, are very conscious of how they appear to their friends and they worry about what others might say or think. “One of the advantages of lockdown for the anxious child was the ability to be in their own home but facing school at the same time. So the triangle with PLACE-PEOPLE-ACTIVITY was balanced. Normally, being in school with the teachers and or at home doing homework is anxiety provoking, but during lockdown they were at home while also seeing their teachers and doing homework too. So they were facing a harder situation but in a familiar environment. “I help my patients see that avoidance is not an option, to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. It’s not about rescuing, but about empowering children to develop the resources they need to cope with their feelings and have fun.” Anna Biavati-Smith is a specialist speech and language therapist based in Midlothian, edinburgh-speech-therapy-wordsteps.co.uk. Jen Wood also works regularly with anxious children. Here is her guide to helping children with anxiety and navigating difficult emotions: Encourage them to talk about their feelings The old saying ‘it’s better out than in’ is true in this case. The moment we name how we feel, we tame, therefore reducing the impact it has on us. I suggest using ‘a part of me is anxious…’ as a way of separating from the anxiety and minimising overwhelm. Focus on the positives I encourage clients to have ‘Magical Mornings’ by starting the day with a mindful moment of feeling their feet, their belly and their breath and then saying to themselves ‘this is going to be a good day.’ If that’s too ambitious, add ‘in some way’ at the end.~Using ‘Three Good Things’ before bed is helpful too, as it encourages them to focus on things that help them feel better.~Remember times when they coped with school in the past. If they managed it before they can do it again. Focus on their strengths, rather than their anxiety or phobiaBy drawing attention to what children do well, we focus energy in a different direction. We get what we focus on. What are their superpowers? These can be anxiety busters.Grounding techniquesHaving a selection of go-to techniques is useful. I like imagining that I am a tree and have roots growing from the soles of my feet.~Sometimes I use 5-4-3-2-1. 5 things I can see, 4 things I can hear, 3 things I can feel, 2 things I can smell and 1 thing I can taste. You may have others that work. SmileWhen we smile, we trick the brain into believing that we’re happy and oxytocin (our happy hormone) being released. Also, our brain doesn’t know the difference between a real smile and a pretend smile. The impact is the same.~I hope this helps firstly to let you know that you are not alone if your child is anxious about school, and perhaps gives you some ideas to try if anxiety does come up.~ Jen Wood is an emotional wellbeing coach, psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher with 20 years’ experience. She is also our Wellbeing Consultant at Dalkeith Country Park. Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. For more information about helping children with anxiety and the work Jen does, visit her website at jenwoodwellbeing.com.

As big foodies at RY, we’re very excited that Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight has arrived! It means we can shout about showcasing Scottish producers we love to stock in our foodhall. Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight runs from 5th to 20th September. As an annual celebration, it is designed to encourage people to eat, produce and buy the best food and drink Scotland has to offer. An ethos very similar to our own. And one we wholeheartedly support! Here at The Store, we love working with local suppliers. It means we can showcase Scottish products across our homeware, beauty and foodhall collections. Here is RY Head of Retail, Sisi Gibreel, to tell us why she particularly enjoys working with Scottish food and drink producers: “Working with local suppliers is fantastic. Because we get the opportunity to build lasting relationships, we can really get to know both the product and producer. This enables us to share the story of how products are crafted with our customers. In the past we have worked with some of our Scottish producers to run events in-store, which we know our customers loved! Fingers crossed we will be able to do so again, in a post-Covid future.” Introducing Bowhill Charcuterie: Exclusively Available in Store Bowhill Bresaola Bowhill Charcuterie at RY Bowhill Beef Salami Showcasing Scottish producers is exciting. It enables us to introduce our customers to some mouth-wateringly tasty new products! The latest temptation to hit our shelves is Bowhill Charcuterie. We’re working exclusively with our sister estate at Bowhill in the Scottish Borders, to introduce its new range of cured meats. Its products are produced from grass-fed cattle, which is traditionally cured then matured for 3 months. The result? Richly flavoured, velvety Bresaola and a beautifully textured Beef Salami. Yum! These delicious meats from the Scottish Borders would be a delicious addition to any antipasti, platter or tapas spread. Or maybe on their own with a flavoursome chutney or onion marmalade? Not sure what to pair them with? We’ve put our heads together to come up with some tasty suggestions below, all from Scottish producers we stock in The Store, of course! Shout About Scrumptious Scottish Produce Chutneys and Mustards Mellis chutneys and Edinburgh Preserve mustards are lovingly crafted & delicious accompaniments for meats and cheeses. The Bonnie Sauce Co. Hot, natural and vegan, these fiery sauces are handmade & packed with flavour, character and versatility. A Tex-Mex taste made here in Scotland. Our very own RY range Delicious, moreish and full of flavour, RY chutneys are exclusive to us and the perfect accompaniment to any antipasti board. Aye Pickled Aye Pickled create a colourful selection of gourmet pickles, handmade in small batches by a family run Edinburgh business. Aelder Elixir Liqueur This contemporary and perfectly crafted Elderberry Liqueur is gently warming ~ perfect for those Autumn nights. Old Curiosity Gin Created here in Midlothian by the Secret Herb Garden, these 100% natural gins will offer a colourful surprise when you add the tonic! Visit us in store and online to see the full range of Scottish food and drink products we love to stock. Our online range is constantly evolving. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you’ll find it in store. You might even find some interesting goodies from further afield too! Come and say hello ~ our team will be more than happy to chat you through our foodhall range.