Archive for the ‘Christmas mums’ Category
|Christmas Holiday Ideas: Put on a Panto
Friday, December 18th, 2009
If the kids have broken up already or you’re planning ways to entertain them in the next few weeks, why not get them to Put on a Panto. Robinsons have set up www.putonapanto.com which takes your kids through planning, practising and performing a panto. It’s a fun site that helps the kids with everything from props to scripts and costumes. Younger kids might need lots of help but if you have kids age 8 and over plus a few friends to entertain it would be a great way to fill a winter’s afternoon. Just don’t be surprised if your wardrobe is raided for costumes. There are lots of advice sheets to download, some containing great practical ideas and others with suggestions like… (more…)
Posted in Christmas holidays, Christmas mums, holidays | No Comments »
Help the NSPCC: Letter from Santa
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
The NSPCC’s Letter from Santa fundraiser gives you the chance to nominate someone special to receive a magical letter from Santa for a suggested donation of £5. The letter is personalised with your child’s name and age and is sure to confirm that Santa will be making his usual stop in the child’s home town to wish everyone a merry Christmas. The letter is written in a hand script font and is beautifully illustrated on quality colourful paper. The envelope shows that it’s been safely delivered through ‘express Rudolph Mail’.
Fundraiser Binita Patel said: “Letter from Santa is a brilliant way to put an extra twinkle into Christmas this year and make a child feel extra special. The appeal also helps us to raise money to support children who are perhaps not as fortunate.“
“It is important to remember that Christmas is not a time of celebration for every child. Over the 12 days of festive cheer last year, ChildLine – a service provided by the NSPCC – counselled over 3,500 children who were in danger or distress and had nowhere else to turn. By supporting this appeal you will be helping to provide support, advice and protection for these children who are in desperate need of help.”
Also on offer is a Baby’s First Christmas letter from Santa, which is the perfect keepsake for newborns celebrating their first festive season.
To order a letter from Santa for a child you know, visit http://www.nspccwishes.org.uk/ or call 0845 839 9304. Alternatively look out for a Letter from Santa order postcard in your local Debenhams, SPAR, Thorntons or Bhs store. Last order date is 16 December.
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Running a Stall at a Christmas Fair: Tips to Survive and Succeed
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Miranda Stamp of Twinkle on the Web has been in business for many years and attended countless fairs, shows and events. As you may be getting ready for a Christmas fair right now, she shares her tips to help you survive any event with your sanity intact.
- Arrive early – you can stake your plot if not pre-allocated and also allow plenty of time to set up – you can then shop / grab a glass of wine / mince pie as other people set up. I’ve fine tuned mine to 15 mins from park car to completely set up over the years.
- Always enquire size of table they will give you. Take your own if necessary.
- Take a tablecloth – I’ve a colourful deep blue piece of polyester velour that doesn’t show creases or dirt.
- I always build my stand UP – I’ve some Argos wooden shoe rack ’shelves’ with wooden extensions with poles to hang things above head height. Stick your most colourful stuff up high so people see it above the rest and make a beeline.
- Take a means of taking credit cards be it via laptop or hand held terminal.
- Take plenty of change for £20 notes – you can always spend it if not used.
- I always take a little basket with:
- duplicate book to take orders of things you stock/have run out of/haven’t got right size/colour/ with you
- pens, marker pens, card to write offers on etc
- sellotape
- bluetac
- stapler
- staples
- string
- scissors
- clothes pegs … You never know what you’ll need to ‘fix’ on the night
- Price everything. It saves time and people like it esp if you do an offer eg any 3 items in this basket £xx – folk love the bargains!! Take your pricing gun if you have one.
- Have plenty of signs with your branding on so they know who they’re shopping with and where you are.Pre-prints signs with your shop signs/webaddress and make sure you stick them up high.
- Pack a bottle of water. If busy you won’t get a drink unless the hostess is very efficient, and you might do a lot of talking.
- Remember customers may need bags – we stick stickers on takeaway brown bags.
- Get a sacktruck or fold up trolley to cart your stuff in and out to the car. Try Argos.
Posted in Christmas mums, events | 2 Comments »
Panicking About the Nativity Play Yet?
Saturday, November 7th, 2009
If this is the first time your little one is in a Nativity play, you may not have started to plan … or panic … about their costume. Busy mums do well to plan ahead, and you can even get a little extra help with the costume from ‘While Shepherds Watched’, a site run by busy mum Lucy who we profiled last year.
Lucy has used her sewing skills to help Mums and Dads in search of sheep costumes, cow costumes, Mary and Joseph costumes and shepherd costumes. And this year she is also offering fair trade costumes for the first time. Lucy, who started the business in 2006, says “I am so pleased to be able to offer tunics made from Fairtrade Organic Cotton for the first time this year. After working closely with Bishopston Trading I now have a ‘limited edition’ range of Fairtrade certified cotton tunics that are just perfect for Shepherds, Joseph, Mary, Inn Keepers – just about any traditional Nativity role! I team these with appropriate head dresses and head bands, and you have distinctive, unusual and beautiful costumes for your little star. The quality of these skilfully made outfits is unrivalled, which means the costume will last and last.”Visit her site, www.WhileShepherdsWatched.co.uk and order soon before stocks run out.
Posted in Christmas mums | 1 Comment »
Mumpreneur Profile: Caroline of Party Sprite
Monday, December 22nd, 2008
Name of Business: Party Sprite, part of The Dales Party Company Ltd
How did you get started?
A friend decided she didn’t have time for her party supplies business, and wanted to hand it on to someone rather than just close. I inherited a website and a list of suppliers and have taken it from there. It is still early days but starting at the beginning of the year gave me a busy Valentines and Mother’s Day to get the sales going.
What has worked well about your business?
Running the company from home is a challenge but especially with the current financial climate has meant that costs are rock bottom, so I don’t have to worry too much if the sales slow up a bit. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | No Comments »
Mumpreneur Profile: Sophie and Holly of Notonthehighstreet.com
Thursday, December 18th, 2008
Name of Business: notonthehighstreet.com
Holly and Sophie
Tell us about your family: Notonthehighstreet.com was set up by Holly Tucker and Sophie Cornish. Holly lives with partner Frank and son Harry, 3, just across the river from the notonthehighstreet.com offices in West London. Sophie is married to Simon and has a daughter aged 10 and a son aged 12.
When did you launch? Notonthehighstreet.com launched in April 2006
How did you get started?
We first worked together about 11 years ago, but got the idea for the business when I was a freelance journalist and Holly was working freelance in media sales. We came up with a fabulous idea and felt that we had to do it. The last thing on our minds was that it would be easy. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | 1 Comment »
Mumpreneur Profiles: Nic of CoolClay
Sunday, December 14th, 2008
Snowmen from CoolClay
Name of Business:
CoolClay
Tell us about your family.
I live in North Bucks with my husband and two boys ages 6yrs and 4yrs.
When did you launch?
CoolClay was launched in November 2005.
How did you go about getting started?
By chance really, I made a couple of personalised decorations one Christmas for my children. I love crafts and I love Christmas which got me thinking, maybe I could bring the two together, turning my hobby into a small part-time business which I could run from home. It seemed like a good starting point. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | No Comments »
Mumpreneur Profile: Katie of Get Frocked
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
Name of Business: Get Frocked Clothing Exchange
Tell us about your family: David (husband 43, Annie 11, Alfie 6, Archie 1) My ‘A’ team!!!
When did you launch? October 2008
How did you go about getting started? inspiration from Twiggys Frock Exchange and feedback from the women of York, bought loads of clothes rails, hangers, mirrors and Nikki’s boyfriend made some beautiful screens for women to get changed behind and held our first event in Haxby
What has worked well about your business? The enthusiasm from our fellow frockers
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | No Comments »
Mumpreneur Profiles: Dorthe of The Sedbergh Soap Company
Sunday, December 7th, 2008
Name of Business: Sedbergh Soap Company
Dorthe Pratt
Tell us about your family (partner, children, ages, where you live etc: whatever you feel happy sharing)
Sedbergh Soap Co. is a family business. It is also a farm diversification and part of our 350 acres sheep (approx. 700) and cattle (approx. 120) farm at the foot of the magnificent Howgill Fells in Sedbergh in Cumbria. Our family consists of my husband, Andrew (38), me (39) our daughter Ella (3 in December) and in February we are expecting baby no. 2.
Although Sedbergh Soap Co. is my brainchild it is very much a family affair. While I am the driving force Andrew is very involved in both production and sales. Ella is very keen to help as well and can often be seen at the kitchen table, ‘stripping’ mint leaves of their stalks before we dry them over the Aga, or sniffing lavender. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | 1 Comment »
Mumpreneur Profile: Amy of Brighter Blessings
Thursday, December 4th, 2008
Amy of Brighter Blessings
Name of Business: Brighter Blessings
Tell us about your family: My name is Amy Warburton, and I am 34 years old. I live with my husband Paul, and my two children, Ben aged 12 and Charlie aged 6. We live in a small market town in Lancashire, and are lucky enough to be surround by farmland and woodland, making it a very peaceful setting and lovely place to live.
When did you launch? Brighter Blessings launched in 2003
How did you go about getting started? My business grew from my interests. After a protracted period of ill-health I was thoroughly bored and frustrated. Because I was physically limited, I fused my interests in aromatherapy and herbal medicine with my love of candles. Added to that was my lifestyle, being eco-friendly and endeavouring to use only natural, non-harmful products myself. Gradually Brighter Blessings evolved from being something I did for myself, to gifts for friends and family, to being a fully-fledged Internet based business. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles, eco mums | 1 Comment »
Mumpreneur Profile: Lucy of While Shepherds Watched
Monday, December 1st, 2008
Name of Business: While Shepherds Watched
Tell us about your family: I’ve been married for 18 years to Sheni, we have a daughter aged 9, and a son who’s 7. We live in Wiltshire in a quiet village.
When did you launch? and How did you go about getting started?
I made my first nativity costumes in 2004 for my daughter and her friend for their school play. By 2005, word had got about that I had made some costumes and I was asked by other Mums at the school gate to make several Shepherds, three Sheep and a Cow. I enjoyed sewing them so much I made a few extra costumes and sold them on eBay. In 2006, to cope with the extra demand, I launched the ‘While Shepherds Watched’ website. Business has grown each year since!
What has worked well about your business?
The easiest part of my business is that so far I haven’t had to advertise, with the exception of using Google Adwords. I think I stumbled upon a niche business that was very much in demand. I certainly didn’t realise it would be so popular when I started it!
What has been your biggest challenge so far? How have you dealt with it?
The biggest challenge I have is coping with incredibly long and stressful hours from early October through to the start of December. Every year I realise I should have invested more time earlier in the year in the business. However, every year these has been *something else* taking up my time - OU studies, other projects, the family etc. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles | 2 Comments »
Mumpreneur Profile: Lynn and Pamela of Milky Moo Moo
Saturday, November 29th, 2008
Milky Moo Moo is run by Lynn Oakes and Pamela Lowes, who have been best buds for ahmmmm lots of years – not saying how long as it makes us sound old!!
Milky Moo Moo
We both have two children each and our youngest ones are what really inspired us to start Milky Moo Moo. We really wanted something different when shopping for clothes for our kids but struggled to find something just a little bit different. We wanted to add some fun to kids clothing that would also appeal to adults (after all the babies can not read or choose their tops)!
We had lots of ideas about we wanted and so with out previous working backgrounds giving us some of the experience we needed, (the rest we are still acquiring) we decided to take the plunge and so milky moo moo was born. (more…)
Posted in Christmas mums, Mumpreneur Profiles, eco mums | 1 Comment »
