We invited founders of Gandys Flip Flops Paul and Rob Forkan to Cornwall for a very Cornish weekend to spread the Gandys story...
 

Finally, the sun is beginning to put in a bit more of an appearance and with the change of season, should we be looking for a change in wetsuit? We’ve put together some tips on choosing the right suit, let’s find out when it’s time to get shorty!
 

Our Team Rider Max Payne hasn’t been surfing much this week - for good reason! BUT a broken arm will not stop him fundraising for the World Championships in June!
 

Retro, gentlemen. Remember that word when you’re dressing for S/S13. In a definite nod to years gone by, think Hawaiian prints and vintage motifs - it’s time to bring out the 70’s surfer...
 

Everyone at AC is immensely proud to be sponsoring the Cornwall Air Ambulance! We also sponsored Aircrew Paramedic Mark Fuszard on an Arctic Trek back in March, it’s turning out to be a life-saving partnership for the people of Cornwall.

Staff in the AC stores gave their shoes the day off on April 16th for One Day Without Shoes! The annual event run by footwear company TOMS, aims to bring awareness to children’s health and education, and saw nearly 150 staff work barefoot!

We're all pretty impressed and proud of our Team Rider Max Payne...read on to find out why!

We received some amazing photos for our Spring Photo Competition! A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who submitted entries. Here's a pick of a few favourites...

Young brothers orphaned in the Tsunami on a mission to help fellow orphans..........

A couple of weekends ago, Anns Cottage Team Rider Max Payne took part in his first competition of the year, The Rip Curl Gromsearch. Find out more in his most recent blog!

Not only is our Team Rider a huge talent in surfing, he’s a dab hand at art too (some people get all the luck). Here’s the next blog by the multi-talented Max Payne....
 

Can you believe it? Easter is nearly upon us. With a bit of luck the current cold front will move on and we can enjoy some bright weather over the holiday. Here in Cornwall, we’re spoilt for fabulous beaches; for a ‘cracking’ day out this Easter, why not take a stroll on one of these fine bays?

Max Payne has just returned from his latest GB training in Croyde.

Our team rider Max Payne has just returned from his trip to Portugal, it's back to Cornwall, back to school, but it's not all bad!

It's been a jam-packed couple of weeks for Anns Cottage...we've launched not one but two awesome competitions on Facebook, a MASSIVE sale at the Clearance Warehouse St Columb started on Wednesday AND it's Valentine's Day today! Excitement is also on the menu for our Team Rider Max Payne, we've turned green with envy after reading his next blog post. You've been warned. 

Forget the wind, forget the rain, Anns Cottage HQ is awash with pretty florals, tropical flavours and delicate fabrics as Spring 2013 arrives.
 

Our Team Rider was called the 'silent assassin' in the write-up following Max's first training camp of 2013 with  the British Junior Surf Squad! 

Respect to anyone braving the arctic temperatures and going in the water this week! It's bitter out there (there's even a rumour of snow in Falmouth this morning). We have photographic evidence that Team Rider Max Payne is still surfing...

So that was Christmas. It seemed to come and go in a flash and if you're anything like us, you're craving lighter evenings, higher temperatures and a better sun-tan. 

We can't help with any of those things BUT, we can give you our Team Rider's next blog post. 

(At least Cornwall is beautiful despite the temperamental weather. We just wish we could wear our flip flops.)

Our Team Rider Max Payne has been selected for the GB Surf Squad 2013 and will be competing to take part in the World Games in Nicaragua!

Team Rider Max Payne is flying high!

Get ready! It’s the countdown to the craziest Christmas giveaway this side of the North Pole. Look for the Ann’s Cottage ‘12 days of Christmas’ tab on our Facebook Page, enter your details and be in with a chance of bagging a fantastic freebie...

Are any of you crazy kids still in a Summer suit??????

Over the last week, Cornwall and the South West has been battered by torrential rain and wind. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.
Our Team Rider Max Payne has been surfing the sheltered spots as the days get shorter and the temperature falls. Winter is well and truly with us...

BIG NEWS!!! We were given Highly Commended for 'Young Fashion Retailer 2012' at the Drapers Fashion Awards last night!

Our Team Rider Max Payne made the most of the amazing surf which has graced the Cornish coast...

It may be a little way off yet (7th to 11th August 2013), but the team behind the biggest Surf, Skate and Music Festival 'Boardmasters', are hard at work making sure next year’s event is EVEN BETTER.

‘Winning’ seems to be on the agenda for Team Rider Max Payne...have a read to find out about the most recent trophy added to his collection...

It’s been a busy month for Team Rider Max Payne, who has put the win in waves after coming first in Under 14s, 16s and 18s Titles at the Porthcawl Splashup in Wales!

Our Team Rider Max Payne checks in with Anns Cottage for another update!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re encouraging everyone to support the cause with Keep A Breast’s I Love Boobie’s Range!

What has our Team Rider been up to this week? It’s all about the waves...

Today we’re saying hello to October (not quite sure HOW Autumn has arrived so soon?) and catching up with Team Rider Max Payne after another busy week...

It's all about getting carried away with Pinterest for our next Competition! Come on, have a pin party...                

Max has returned from Lacanau for the European Junior Surf Championships. Read on to hear about his adventures straight from the surfer’s mouth. You heard it hear first.

SS13 London Fashion Week has drawn to a close leaving us in awe of fashion’s ability to inspire. It follows a monumental Summer for Great Britain, delivering yet another explosion of creative ingenuity. We ran straight to our wardrobes...

You know about Max Payne? He’s the super-talented, local surfer taking the waves by storm and we’re proud to say, he’s our Team Rider. The news is...we’re on the search for another one.

It’s back to school for our Team Rider Max Payne after a Summer of surf, but the fun’s not over yet....

On Friday 31st August, the Animal Bike Tour and Expression Sessions hit Newquay. Being on the doorstep of our Fistral store we didn’t miss a minute & armed with a camera, you won’t either...    

Summer ’12 is drawing to a close (our wettest on record...thanks whoever's in charge) but our Team Rider is making the most of every last second. Here’s another guest post from Max Payne...

We thought August had already taken the crown for most exciting month at Anns Cottage this year. What with Rob Machado, Boardmasters, TOMS Style Your Sole, Nalu Beads Jewellery Workshop AND the Animal Bike Tour, we didn’t think one more single ounce of goodness could be crammed in. How wrong we were...
                      

What's our Team Rider been up to this week?

                        Photo by Jason Feast

That’s Boardmasters over for another year. One word to encapsulate the entire 5 days: EPIC. Anns Cottage didn’t miss a minute; chatting, meeting & mingling from our stand at Fistral (and when the sun went down...dancing).                   

Firstly, how INCREDIBLE are the Olympic Games? London 2012 has already seen some monumental moments which will go down in history. Britain currently stands at number 3 in the medal table with 16 golds. Yes, we’re counting.
The sporty celebrations continue to Max Payne, who has exciting news...! Read on for the next update from Cornwall’s most exciting surf talents...
 

Our Team Rider is back with another blog post keeping us up to date with Cornwall’s most exciting young surfer!

                      Photo courtesy of Jason Feast

You don’t have to be fanatical about sport to have enjoyed Friday evening. It was an explosion of Britishness as the Olympic Opening Ceremony captivated our nation (and a few hundred million everywhere else).

The familiar cycle of awful weather colliding with the first week of the school Summer holidays has been broken. It’s 26 degrees outside, there’s not one wisp of cloud above us and beaches across the country are teeming with children with VERY smily faces.

It’s our favourite time of the week again when our Team Rider Max Payne gives us another update. How often does someone destined for surfing super-stardom have to train? What competitions are out there for up & coming talent? Where are the best surfing spots?

                        Widemouth Bay, near Bude

Today seems like the perfect day to launch a 14-day giveaway. Mr July is standing fast at delivering nothing but rain and gales as we struggle to remember it is in-fact, Summer. Fear not, we have a hero to turn the frowns upside down going by the name of Breo.

By now you’ve definitely heard the name Max Payne. We’re ranting and raving about him because he’s a super-talented Cornish surfer who’s taken the reins (or leash) as an Anns Cottage Team Rider.
                               

                      Photo taken by: Jason Feast

You may remember our calling for Anns Cottage Team Riders...well we’ve only gone and found a young surfer with so much talent he’s already Cornwall’s style master...at the tender age of 14. Here is a boy taking life to the Max.

We’re all rather excited at Anns Cottage. On July 8th, our Falmouth store will be undergoing a transformation. It involves footwear company TOMS, paper cut artwork by London-based Two For Joy, and a head-turning window installation to stop you in your tracks. Save the date...

Anns Cottage may be known first and foremost as a surf retailer but recently we’ve been involved with a sport which showcases a very different lifestyle!

My post on the 25th May raved and ranted about beautiful weather. Cornwall was baking under 25°C heat and clouds...? What are they again?
                   

May and June have surely been the busiest months in the history of busy months. Cornwall saw the Olympic Torch arrive on May 18th, and it feels like we’ve been celebrating ever since...

So the government have finally (it was a long time coming) done a U-turn on the plans to impose VAT on Cornish pasties. Looks like lunch will be a large steak and yes, we’ll have it hot...

It feels like yesterday that I was blogging about the Winter weather...complaining about Cornish mizzle, -5°C temperatures and a lack of vitamin D. Well 5 months have passed and June is nearly upon us. I’d also like to mention that it’s 25°C outside, and there’s not a cloud to be seen. Anywhere.

So who’s a radio listener? Maybe you’re an avid Chris Moyles fan addicted to Radio 1 banter, ‘trendy’ music (I’m starting to sound like my mother) and DJ’s who are more famous than the artists they play...

Founded in 2005 by a Brighton-based brother and sister team, Sugarhill Boutique is fast becoming the most recognisably delicious clothing brand on the radar. You’ll instantly spot the collaboration of embroidered detailing, vintage prints and ethnic designs and be desperate to get your hands on it...
                    

If you’ve never been to Boardmasters festival, give yourself a disapproving head-shake. If you love the beach, live music, surf, skate and a genuine good time in the sunshine, look no further (while simultaneously going online to book yourself a ticket)...
                                   

The brand who have turned the beach into a catwalk, Seafolly is a byword for Australian surf chic. Offering fashion-forward bikinis, swimsuits, kaftans and accessories, look no further if you’re into looking to impress on your next visit to the seaside...
                            

Today, it’s all about what’s new as I choose my Top 5 favourite products to hit Ann’s Cottage this month. It’ll soon be May and as yellow is the new black, May is the new August as Summer shows its face earlier each year. Time to get a move on with hunting down, booking in and stocking up for holiday 2012!

Everyone at Ann’s Cottage had a rather interesting day on Tuesday (10th). Staff in all stores and at Head Office removed their footwear and worked barefoot. And before you assume we’ve all lost our minds, we were taking part in One Day Without Shoes - involving exactly what it says on the tin.

We’re on the eve of a 4 day Easter weekend :) The weather may have gone back to normal but life is good. This is the time of year we can eat chocolate rabbits like excited toddlers and it’s perfectly acceptable...

You’ve heard us talk about TOMS, the footwear company doing things their own way (for those who haven’t see here). On April 10th 2012, something exciting is happening - it involves all the Ann’s Cottage team, lots of bare feet and the aim to help children in need...

I know the beautiful sunshine isn’t going to stick around forever, but it’s nice to dream. And for now, we’ve firmly set our eyes on the Summer. Have a look at our Top 10 Must Haves for Summer of 2012. It’s going to be a good’un.

British people like fish and chips, drinking tea and talking (moaning) about the weather. So with this in mind, I must jump on the opportunity to talk about our climate without saying a the words ‘rain’, ‘cold’ or ‘wash-out’. For March this year, is delivering 20 degree end-to-end sunshine.

Here at Ann’s Cottage, we get REALLY excited when a new brand hits our stores and website. Nothing beats the excitement of seeing if our customers will like the chosen collections as much as we do. But when it came to TOMS, we knew they would be a guaranteed hit. Why? Because TOMS is not your average American shoe company...
 

Listen up all! If you don’t already have plans for this Friday (March 23rd), then you’re evening has just been arranged. You’ll need to get yourself to Adventure International in Bude for 7pm. That is all. Oh, and you may want to bring your wallet.
 

It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday and reading this, you’ve either been thrown into a mist of panic or sat reassured knowing you have it covered. Well, if you fall into the first category, then fear not, there’s still time to buy the perfect gift for your Mumsy.

You can have it wrapped and on the table Sunday morning before she’s even suspected that you may have forgotten her special day...

Today we’re very excited. It’s only March and a Monday like any other, but Ann’s Cottage is announcing something rather exciting.

Mums...it’s not long until Mother’s Day. That lovely day of the year when you can lock yourself in the bathroom for a hot bubble bath with your favourite book and chilled glass of white without feeling the slightest bit guilty...

Gool Peran Lowen!

So it’s March 5th. A Monday just like last week? The day after March 4th? Nothing remarkable about today? Wrong.

Who watched the Brits on Tuesday night? If so, you would have seen Rihanna scantily-clad in a pair of denim hot-pants, a ripped oversized jumper and big (massive) hoop earrings. If you’re old enough, memories of the 90’s would have flooded back in an array of stonewash denim and crop tops...

February is a time of year most people loathe. Not only is it cold and wet, it’s month number two of a new year with Summer seeming like a lifetime away. Perhaps that’s why we cheer ourselves up with chocolate and Champagne on Valentine’s Day...

It’s time for a floral revolution - expect bright, bold, in-your-face prints that shout from the rooftops “Winter’s over!”

It’s that one day of the year where flowers, chocolates, champagne and cards pass hands in exchange of love across the World. Perhaps you think it’s pure commercial hype and refuse to jump on the bandwagon, or maybe you’re a romantic happy to empty your wallet for anything red, pink, fluffy or sweet.

You’ve probably noticed something happening in music of late. Record companies seem to be losing their rhythm as artists find alternative ways to get their music heard. In austere times, it’s become increasingly difficult for artists/bands to crack the big time as companies go tight on the budget or fold altogether.

Gentlemen take note as staple check shirts are still ticking all the right boxes.

As January passes us by (good riddance to the most wet/cold/dull month of the year), the Ann’s Cottage Sunset competition came to an end, with Laura Winfield being crowned Photographer Extraodinaire (or winner).

Winter is a beautiful time of year in Cornwall...

With Fashion Week underway across the four style capitals, a Spring/Summer trend is already shouting loudly from the catwalks.

Now if you haven’t already created one, reading this will force you to pick up a pen, get some paper and write a bucket list. Last week, CNN published the world’s 50 best surf spots, locating places we MUST see before we die.

‘Jaws’ is likely to make you think of the man-eating shark from the cult 70’s blockbuster, but before you get carried away, we’re not (it’s much, MUCH cooler).

I've chosen a pick of my favourite mittens that will not only keep hands toasty warm, they look fab too! Who said mittens were only for little ones?!

If you missed our last photo competition (congratulations to Alex Young who won with this entry below) then it's time to stop, listen and look because YOU could be the winner of our next competition...

Did Santa get it wrong this year? We share our Top 10 Christmas present blunders! (It's the thought that counts!)

For those of you still on the gift hunt...

So as 2011 races towards its end (December seems to pass us by quicker than any other month) festive fever hit Ann’s Cottage with a themed ‘Ann’s Cottage Has Talent’ Christmas Party!

Who's feeling a bit chilly? I've chosen my Favourite Four products guaranteed to keep you warm this Winter. No frostbite here...

Hello! An excited Natalie here (for two separate reasons that I’ll explore shortly). If you’re an Ann’s Cottage follower, you would have seen/heard about our Christmas Shopping Event in St Columb last night.

Say a big, welcoming hello to the first blog entry by Ann’s Cottage. Yes, we have so much to say we’re getting it down on paper - well, screen. More specifically, Natalie (I), will be our author/ editor/ chatterbox.