The Background to this Business

Where did the Idea Come From?

I have become very familiar with the gift items available for new babies, as I have two boys under 3 years of age. Our friends and family have been very generous, marking the occasions of birth and Christening, however it has become apparent that there is a lack of unusual gifts available for these type of celebrations.

The most memorable gift I have encountered recently was given to a good friend of mine. It was a wooden chopping board, cut in half, with a stick nailed to it and an engraved plaque glued to the board. The detail on the plaque was the name of the baby and date of the christening. The wooden stake was designed to be placed in front of a newly planted tree.

I loved the sentiment of the gift and tried to find something similar, however I could not find anything remotely like it and decided to hand make a few garden plaques for friends. Each plaque I made resulted in several further requests as many people who received the item loved it and wanted to give it as a gift themselves. It is through word of mouth that the purpose of the gift has expanded from solely baby related, to wider celebrations and memorials. The enthusiasm I have encountered for this product has inspired me to professionally produce these garden plaques and make them more widely available.

I called the company Tree from Me and launched in June 2005. In January 2006, I changed the name to KeepStakes as it is a bit more snappy and memorable.

I hope you like the garden plaques, I would really appreciate hearing your comments or suggestions.

Julie Begbie