Wednesday 29 May 2013

Which flavour?

I have lots of friends with babies due this Summer.
Very very exciting!
Lovingly, most parents are keeping the sex of the baby a surprise.
All for many different reasons.

Some people just prefer surprises. Others like the romantic and traditional feel of not knowing.  Others use it as a way of ensuring that the world doesn't suddenly turn pastel pink of pastel blue. Keeping it un-known means early gifts are kept plain neutral. Helping to keep PINK under control!
It's  also a lovely way to include the Daddy into the birthing process. New Mum has carried baby for 9 months and shared her experience. Now new Daddy can share something unknown as he is almost certain to be one of the first to see which flavour baby is. A gorgeous piece of news to tell your other half. A moment of sharing for the new parents.

Which ever way you are doing it, it's personal, perfect and lovely. No way is right or wrong.

If you are thinking of something neutral and simple, take a peek at our neutral offerings.




To make them extra special, many can be personalised when baby is born with a name or small motif. Commissions made just for you and bump or baby are also possible. Just let us know what you are thinking of, I am sure we can help!

unikgifts.co.uk

Wordless Wednesdays- Wet weather half term fun


Get Backup!


Monday 27 May 2013

Teacup Tuesday, unwanted guests

Most of you who know me will know my house was broken into last week. A little trip out turned into the biggest nightmare. We returned to an upside down house with every portable electrical appliance gone forever. Old old phones, old cameras, chargers, lovely laptops, our luxury IPad mini and the lovely family camera with photos still to upload were all taken.

Lovely friends and family came to the rescue, dropping things they had planned, to help out while our home was out if bounds as forensics took prints and statements were taken.

My lovely business partner toured Surrey the day after looking for a power cable for her old laptop ensuring I wouldn't crumble without my trusted technology I use to joint run u-ni-k and my other market venture.
My sister raced to ours the day of the break in to entertain the naughties while my partner and I dealt with the police and aftermath. My other Part-time job understood when I took the day off to cleanse my house free of nasty intruders and my lovely Mum allowed me to do it child free.

All I have to say after the event is tools are replaceable. It's inconvenient to loose data and time spent on work butFriends, family and my children are far more precious.

In retrospect, tools like DropBox, ICloud, Storage facilities with domain providers and Photo box are now the only tools in my life...that and my Iphone till I am with laptop again!!!  

And my new moto, to be prepared!

Bare with me while I get up to speed, but onwards and upwards I say!!

unikgifts.co.uk


Wednesday 22 May 2013

Wordless Wednesday...


From now on, when the little one asks me;

"Where airplane going Mummy?"

I'm going to say

"To the sunshine!"

Cheer yourselves up this British Summer with a gift from us


Tuesday 21 May 2013

Teacup tuesday- The element of surprise


I have spent the weekend celebrating my daughters third birthday.
A lovely weekend of sunshine (thankfully), fun, silliness, building endless presents, playing with them all, eating cake and seeing family and friends.

Birthdays are lovely……a day to be treated, have fun and switch off. A day where you can be spoilt without feeling guilty.

My daughter has been listing all the things she dreams of since Christmas was over. A slide, ice cream, cake, a horsey. The list got longer, then things got forgotten and things were omitted.  She spent the week leading up to her birthday practising the Happy Birthday song.  She talked of cake, presents and shone with the bubbly feeling you get as a child. As a three year old, the waiting and surprise is nearly as wonderful as the day itself. Just like Christmas the excitement of birthdays is magical.

The magic of going to bed the night before and wondering what the next day will bring. The waking up, wondering what’s underneath the pretty wrapped paper. The joy of seeing what you had hoped for. The brimming of excitement. The colours and wrappings. It's exciting!

UNTIL, a grown up, who should know better, ruined the surprise of one of her presents by telling her that the postman had just delivered her main present two days before. Thinking only of themselves and their own self-importance.

Perhaps I am over exaggerating…. Perhaps I live in a little bubble. But I honestly think and truly believe that at the age of 3 the magic behind birthdays is special. Really special.

I love surprises and think it's what makes Birthdays and Christmas extra special. So for me it's extra special to make sure things are surprises. To make sure you wake up and see the magic.

So, Grown ups please don’t spoil it!!
Grrrrrrr!

*We gift wrap everything at u-ni-k gifts to ensure every gift given is a treat and extra special. A gift
with the WOW factor!

unikgifts.co.uk

Thursday 16 May 2013

Happy Birthday to us...

Well it's nearly our birthday - we'll be 2!! Yes I know, seems like we've been around for much longer than that but in truth it's been only 2 years.



Last year our birthday special was free postage to all our lovely customers who ordered in June (our birthday is the 30th May so we run our birthday special in June).

This year I'd like to know if there is anything you'd like to see us feature as a birthday special!

Would you like to see a particular product discounted?





How about a gift voucher with every purchase?



Or would you just prefer free postage (like last year)?

Let us know by leaving a comment here or posting us a note on our Facebook page!


Wednesday 15 May 2013

Wordless Wednesday...

How are you explaining family relationships to your little one?

Our family tree in http://www.unikgifts.co.uk/products/artwork_fillandtell.php is the prefect aid to explain why Aunty Paula is also a Sister as well as an Aunt!

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Teacup Tuesday... distance working


Anna & I are trying to physically meet up rather than talk on the phone / email / text. Which is turning out to be harder than we imagined! Our children have had different lurgies (and we've tried to not infect each other's families), we've had car availability issues, we've had families / guests / unexpected visitors turn up and scupper our pencilled in plans!

I always try to phone Anna once a week - but usually end up talking to her voicemail. As she has 2 naughties fighting for her time & attention, I don't take it personally if she doesn't call me back!

Likewise (I think) she doesn't take it personally if I don't respond to an email straight away (I have 5 email accounts so it's easy to file something away 'to respond to' and not find it when I have time to respond).

I squirrel away working on new website pages - updating the navigation, wording, prices, etc. Often working late into the night, & when coming out of the background workings of our website I often see 3 or 4 emails from Anna. Although I read them, sometimes I'm so tired I leave the response for the next day (after I've coffee'd & seen to DangerMouse).

So this distance working is hard, it takes patience & understanding from both people. Also the ability to read between the lines - sometimes an email is short & to the point not because the person on the other end is upset but because the dinner is boiling over & the kid is screaming for attention pulling at the leg of the email author.

One day we'll meet up over a coffee (me) / tea (Anna), and perhaps even make time to chat about our gardens / builders / families as well as u-ni-k!


Monday 13 May 2013

Monday Maker David and his u-ni-k blankets



David makes beautiful cotton blankets & scarves. 
For us, he makes baby blankets. 
The idea originated from his lovely blankets given to myself when my daughter was born almost 3 years ago.

Each blanket is made from 100% breathable cotton layers
Each is Hand stitched from recycled saris
Each measures approx 90cm x 90cm
Machine washable, Do not tumble dry




Here are a few that have already found happy homes.




Elsie's 1st blanket Elsie's parents are BIG fans of kantha blankets. They already had a beautiful one they bought long before she arrived. This is the one they chose, a balance of beautiful tiny blue flowers perfect for a boy and girl

Here are a few that were custom made to order.

Elsie's made to order

As Elsie's parents are BIG fans of kantha blankets, this blanket was commissioned for her as a gift when she was born. The likes and dislikes of the parents were sent to David and he chose a simple selection of flowers pre stitched to choose from. A larger single size was chosen over a baby size, so Elsie could always have and love her blanket with her. A blanket to roll over on as a baby, a blanket to take to University to remind her of home and a blanket to put over her knees when she becomes older.




Primroses blanket
Primrose was born on a beautiful sunny February afternoon. Her parents didn't know if if she was a girl or a boy but somehow this blanket was perfectly chosen for her without knowing. By just knowing the parents very well.
She loves her blanket and at just 1 year old her Mummy has said that her beautiful kantha blanket was one of the things that helped her sleep through. By laying the light weight blanket over her sleeping bag kept her snug and warm during the winter months and helped her sleep through the night.



Winfred's blankets

You've all met Winnie. Winnie's Mum is our newest maker. When Winifred was due, her Mum and Dad wanted to be surprised by her sex. So a blanket suitable for a girl and a boy was chosen. Her parents were described to David and the two blankets below are what was made as a result. Much loved and growing ore beautiful with age just like Winifred. 


Ella-Rose blanket

To see our blankets available click here
To commission a very special blanket click here

unikgifts.co.uk 

david earp


shuktara

Friday 10 May 2013

Friday 3 May 2013

MESSY PLAY!!

Friday funny...

This is us this weekend. 
(x8 if all 16 little ones come)

Have a great bank holiday weekend (UK people!)


Thursday 2 May 2013

Preparation, preparation, preparation!



PARTY TIME!!

I have 16+ toddlers descending on the house this weekend (eeek!) for DangerMouse's third birthday! The usual number of toddlers has risen dramatically since DangerMouse now has friends at her playgroup... and DangerMouse being DangerMouse the theme is "Messy Play"

So fingers crossed for good weather! But sunshine aside... as with anything I do behind the scenes there's planning, lists, and above all preparations!

The painting table will be near the handwash station (warm bucket of water & a towel on a garden chair), in fact the handwash station will be between the painting & bouncy castle (a little at home one rather than a hired big one!). Jellied water will be near the playdoh (it'll never dry out) and neither of these will be near the sandpit!

Chalks & Drawing cardboard house will be near each other but not too near the wooden wendy house. None of these activities will be near the food!

Sarah's asked about allergies, and sent the invitations out two weeks in advance, the party bags arrive today and the bunting & balloons are out. The food shop is all listed out & ready to be bought tomorrow.

Fingers crossed all this preparation will pay off!