CocoCards

Just finished uploading my new xmas card designs today, bit late I know. But with 3 kids who always seem to be on holiday, lots of orders ( no complaints there though) and being at the baby show, it just did not happen. But October and xmas cards, you just cant can you, november is OK. But is that just me, as if you start buying xmas cards you realise that you have not made the christmas cake again, or you have to start thinking about whose family you will be spending xmas with, always a risky subject in our house. Last year we took the easy option and stayed in Abersoch for the whole festive season, this year I think brother in law Mark should host xmas in his new fab barn, will post details on his new barn later.

So after a busy day or trying to look busy I have attached my favourite design and my man has bought some cheap champers from M&S, chocs and ordered a curry, what more could you ask for, especially when you are on a diet. Still got 2 stone to go, lost nearly 3 now - yippee.

Photo Christmas card

I have fallen in love with these gifts and cant wait to show them to everyone, they are brand new to the UK and europe, they will be launched this October.

I hope you like them, you will be able to buy them on my site very very soon.

I am exhibiting at the following baby shows over the next 2 months and we are buying some amazing products to sell, we will be the first people in the UK to sell them and probably Europe, they are so gorgeous, very stylish and modern, I just need another baby to use them.

I am exhibiting at:

• IssyBoo in Doncaster on the 10th October
• Baby Show Earls Court - 16th -18th October
• Designer baby show in Slough - 14th November
• Our very own Happy Mondays showcase on the 19th November

As I now run Happy Mondays networking with Sue we have to write a blog as it is a networking group, so please take a look at http://happymondaysnetworkinggroup.blogspot.com/.

I love the group, I have met so many interesting women and mums in business are always so open and willing to help each other, the meetings have been very successful up to now.

I had to post about my weight loss. I have 3 kids 6, 4 and 2 and basically have been overweight since the birth of no.1. I have tried to lose weight, but failed miserably. So what happened in July to make me actually really tackle the weight issue at last, instead of hiding from it. I had so much to lose I just could not face it. The answer is I am not really sure, but I wish I knew, as I would bottle it and give it to all those people who feel like I did, thinking about how fat you are 10-20 x a day, your confidence dwindling with every extra ounce, hoping your kids wont notice that you are fat.

I have now lost 2 stone, one dress size down, and go to the gym 4 x a week and feel tremendous, my wardrobe is now a bit more exciting, not quite there yet as still have 3 stone to lose, but so much more choice.

I just hope I can keep on track and lose the other 3 stone and my wobbly arms as my 6 year old kindly told me yesterday, not as wobbly as grandmas but still very wobbly!!!

I love designing and getting orders for birth announcements, the only problem is it makes me want another baby, but 3 is enough and at last I am losing weight, so another would be crazy. I am one of the unfortunate few who puts on weight while breastfeeding.

I am going to increase my collection of twins birth announcement cards and triplets, as I feel that it is a bit small at the moment.

I will also design a few more twins christening invitations.

Probably do all this while on holiday in france trying to relax!!!!!

Happy Mondays is taking shape gradually, all very exciting. We are going to have organise a showcase evening for local businesses, have lots of local experts giving informal chats on SEO. marketing, how they set up their business etc and an xmas do.

I think Sue and I are going to be very very busy, but it will be worth it.

On a more personal point, at last I am losing weight, I could not blame Jemima anymore for my huge bodyshape, she is 2 now! So joined the tytherington club and absolutely love it, even if my pulse while exercising is through the roof. I have lost a stone so far - yipppeee.

I am also now exhibiting at the Baby Show Earls Court, in the baby boutique section, I can’t wait, we are going to sell some new exciting products from Canada. I hope I get as good a response from this show as the excel show.

Off to the Dordogne next week for a well earned rest, well sort of rest as I will be taking my mac of course, got my mum and friends organising CocoCards from the UK end. Thats the problem with your own business never without it (quite like that actually).

Oh and Happy Mondays is now on twitter - HappyMondaysUK

Back soon

I have just found the most glorious website via the Mums Club forum, it is www.mumswhobake.co.uk, it hopes to inspire you to start baking, bake more often, or improve your baking.

It has a shop, recipies and forum, and is just a lovely looking website. Hopefully it will inspire me to bake with the kids a bit more, but Molly only wants to lick the spoon and they both fight over who cracks the eggs, so I usually lose my temper or just bake huge cakes with lots of eggs in them!

Exciting news, Sue Polley from Mums in Control East Cheshire and I have set up a mums networking group called Happy Mondays.

It is an informal networking group for mumpreneurs in east cheshire. We will meet every Monday morning from 9.30 till 1100 alternating at Caffe Latte in Handforth (near Wilmslow) or Fina Bar and Grill in Macclesfield, starting this september.

Our aims are to have lots of coffee (caffeine loaded or not!!) while chatting with like minded business women, making new contacts and promoting our businesses.

We have a temporary website at www.happymondaysnetworking.co.uk

Cant wait, we also hope to put together a small showcase event towards Xmas.

The NY times published a great article on personalised stationery this month - For custom stationery fiends, “social papers” are thriving, in spite of, or perhaps because of, the prevailing digital culture.

Link: Lettered Set

It does discuss how awful pre printed thank you notes are, so maybe I should not be publishing it here, but it also discusses how wonderful it is to write and receive letters, notes, thank you cards in a time when we use texts and emails.

It makes me want to go out and buy letterpress stationery, I hope in time to be selling this on my website. Oh and buy a cabinet like this and the house to match preferably in North Sydney.