Q: Tell us about your pup's, Koko & Cricket. Do they have any nicknames? 

A: Koko's nickname is Kokobear. She is an old lady now and we reckon she prefers to spend the rest of her life living in Scotland with my parents. She enjoys roaming around the endless countryside and hills. The nickname, Kokobear, was only given to her recently. My parents are slightly generous when it comes to feeding her so she now resembles a little black bear. 

Cricket has always had the nickname 'Lady'. She is so elegant and gentle, we think she's a real lady of the manor. 

Q: Can you share their gotcha stories? 

A: Koko was from a working farm in Scotland. My family and I were visiting a random farm where we saw a few puppies running around. While we were playing with them, the lady who owned the farmhouse told us the puppies are looking for new homes. At that moment, I had the sweetest puppy in my arms and couldn't bare to put her down. I ended up leaving the farm with that puppy. Named Koko and is now 13 years of age.

My partner and I had spoken about rescuing a dog together for a while. One Christmas day, we saw a picture on Instagram and the story of Cricket, (a 3 month old puppy abandoned by a busy road in Cyprus). We both fell in love with her straight away. We contacted this amazing charity, called Underdog International and after a month she arrived in the UK. When we finally met Cricket, she was nervous and terrified. We knew at that moment, we had to give this little pup the love she deserves. Cricket is now living her best life with us in East London and being spoiled everyday. 

Q: Do they have any funny quirks or habits? 

A: Koko dances when the 6 o'clock news theme tune comes on. We have no idea why she gets so excited. Meanwhile, Cricket doesn't have any habits but she loves a warm bed. Every night around 2am, she loves to jump up on our bed. Make her way towards the pillow and look at my partner and I until one of us lifts up the covers for her to get inside. 

Q: What is your favorite activity to do with Koko & Cricket? 

A: I love nothing more than going for a long walk with my pups in Epping forest, a vast area of ancient woodland just outside of London. Cricket and Koko go wild with excitement every time we pull up in the carpark.

Q: Tell us about Hoop n Loop. How did you start? 

A: Hoop n Loop celebrates the love between humans and their pets. We are a personalised pet embroidery brand, ideal for people who wants to show off the love for their pets. With different personalities and characters, no pets are the same so our personalised products make each one special. I started pet embroidery as a hobby for friends and family and soon the orders started rolling in - Hoop n Loop was born. 

Q: You’ve recently welcomed a baby into your family- Congrats! Can you share any advice or hacks that you’ve learned to help manage your time and maintain balance while juggling personal responsibilities alongside professional ones?  

A: Thank-you. It has been difficult to juggle between having a baby and running a business. However, I have found setting time structure to my day has really helped me get organised. This gives me set times for when to work and when to switch off, to spend some quality time with my baby. 

Head to Hoopnloop.com.uk and go give @hoopnloop a follow. Definitely consider adding at least one of Carol's personalized wearables to your shopping list this holiday season. We know we are!