Wow! What a lot of talent!*

I am proud, of you, of me and of the website. Let me tell you why!

This week I have had so much feedback about my own invention, the Rockin Hood . I have been told how it is perfect for use in Mei Tai baby carrier , I have heard how it is great when in a buggy and I have also had a reorder from a Mum who says that her 3 1/2 year old still loves it so much that she can't pass it onto her younger daughter and that she NEEDS a second one. The sample you see in this picture is one that I made for a little girl in a wheel chair who was was accustomed to having her anorak put on back to front, as her day carers would not lift her out of her seat to out it on correctly. Again, years later her frustrated niece can not benefit from the cast off as it is STILL being worn!



I am proud that I believe in the sellers that I have chosen. For example, I really believe that DribbleBuster is the best small bib. It was invented out of parental need and every aspect of the bib - from the choice of fabrics and soft backing to the quality manufacture and the ethics of the sourcing - has been perfected. I could have made more money from an alternative source but I believe that DribbleBuster has the quality that you should expect.

I am proud that I go against my nature, to support all potential suppliers, and turn down products in almost equal number to those that I accept. I will not sell anything if I would not buy it myself; my Mum is from Scotland and my Dad from Yorkshire, so if you believe in generalisations build a picture of me guarding our collective pennies. I used to work with M&S technologists, the people paid to maintain their high quality threshold, so I am trained to spot poor quality and if I would not accept anything but the best quality why would you?

I am also proud that the site is not just about selling! We take time out to celebrate amazing things and people. It may not be commercial but I prefer to highlight something worthwhile in my newsletter rather than just giving a sales pitch. My exciting news this newsletter is that our token 'Father' of Innovation, and creator of Baby's First Calendar, is skating from Bristol to London to raise money for FSID. Here is his the link to his Just Giving site, so please support him if you can.


My last picture is about relationships. It could have been an excellent cartoon my Grandmother drew of her cowering under the carpet with shame at some transgression (any excuse to talk about her, I know, but also appropriate). Instead it is one of pure, blind joy. It is pink, it is commercial and it is, to be honest...hideous, but Sarita gave it to me for Mothers' Day. It is everything that I would never allow onto the site, but it now a prized possession (even if I may not display it too prominently).

I am proud of what we are achieving with this site, and of the plans that we are putting in place to make it even better. I hope that pride does not come before a fall, as this blog is about what we have achieved together and one step in a longer journey. It is about great products, tough decisions and also about the fun side of Motherhood. I hope you enjoyed Mothers Day and that it heralded the first day of a glorious summer ahead! xx




*This blog was part of the Sleep is for the Weak Writing Workshop
that I usually write on my personal blog. But this week one of the options was to: Tell us about something, or show us something that you do really, really well and are proud of. It’s time to blow your own trumpets a bit folks! None of this British modesty and self-deprecation we all seem to be so good at…
- Inspired by Battling on AND Young and Younger who have both been celebrating their successes and achievements this week (And, as Josie say, rightly so, they are fab!)

Thanks it was a success!

Thanks for help - the speech was a great success. I delivered it to 200 ladies, who are either just setting up or planning to set up in business, and it was perfect. Leaving the hall I was almost mobbed by people wanting to find out more about that Antonia Chitty Mumpreneur Guide that I had been recommended.

The only problem was that our allocated 10 minutes was reduced to 8. That sounds trivial but suddenly I was about half way through what I had prepared and I had two minutes to go. Your comments really helped as I cut out anything that you had not mentioned and I romped home to applause.

Yes, the biggest laugh I got was from giving the plug to Bath Baby Cakes! Please leave comments if you have ever got something unexpected just by asking, I'd love to do an update on this.

I took along a tiny selection of samples just to illustrate what we are all about. I was delighted by the response to both the Sock Ons (for being total ingenious and affordable) and by my own Rockin Hoods (what can I say, they are just GREAT and at just under £20 including P&P an ideal present).



Did you notice that those links open in a new page? Well, thank Nigel Morgan of Morgan PR who was amazing, spending his Sunday morning to telling me h0w to access the HTML code to do that.

What have I learnt?
1.If you want to write simple HTML the W3 Schools helped us
2. If you want me to contribute to a blog or an event - I'd be delighted to help as I have all the best advisers (you!).

Thanks xx