All Mum's are superheroes!
Have a lovely weekend from all of us at
Showing posts with label mums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mums. Show all posts
Friday, 15 February 2013
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Teacup tuesday, Entrepreneurial Mums
It’s Tuesday, and in our new 2013 blog format it’s the day
we share what we talk about over a cuppa.
Today I share a little thought I’ve been continually having
with myself since I had my babies.
Before I became a Mum I was totally unaware of all the Mummy
makers, Mummy run businesses and Mumpreneurs out there!
Then BANG...suddenly my world was filled with talented business women, wonderfully gifted makers and incredibly brave Mums.
Don't get me wrong, every Mum deserves a BIG medal. We are great! Dads too!
But what is it that makes Mums in their busiest times of their lives,
after giving birth and juggling Mummy hood and a new family structure, suddenly go totally MAD and decide to do it alone and start something brand new
and scary.
Surely, We have no time!?
We have hardly any energy on bad days!?
We already have to multi multi task with our babies!
Our worlds have already been turned backwards and round the
wrong way.
We have no spare hands.
And our brains have turned to mush.
So why? Is it really our Baby brains being scrambled that are to blame?
I have met so many talented Mummies and Daddies who have
decided to go it alone.
Are we Insane to add to the mania?
Are we Crazy to add to our endless to do lists?
Do we really wish no sleep upon ourselves!?
For me it wasn’t really about juggling childcare needs or a
need to be at home with my babies.
For me it was a need to do something for myself as well as
for my children. I didn’t want to spend time working for someone else. I wanted
to be responsible for my time and my own life.
I couldn’t spend any time that was taken from my children
doing something I didn’t believe in. It was time wasted that I just couldn’t
justify allocating time to if i didn't believe in it 100%. I suddenly felt sure and focused. My baby brain was most certainly mush but the other part was alive and ticking and needing satisfying. It was about my new
responsibilities of becoming a Mum. And a need to nurture and look after. Looking after myself as well as my beautiful babies.
But sometimes I
do wonder why we all do it!?
For one I know I thoroughly enjoy the challenge. The responsibility of being my own boss. The need to satisfy only me and my business partner. I am lucky. I have a tremendously supportive partner and Mum and incredibly wonderful children. And Sarah and I work well together and alone. We feed each other brain food! And it seams to feed me. I Love it!
Surely with all the Mummy run , Mumpreneurs, Mummy crafters businesses I know and feel proud of knowing, we'll be taking over the world before you know it! That and all the small independent businesses that put quality, originality and service before counting the big bucks at the end of the day!
Hurrah!
Friday, 12 October 2012
Friday Funny: Children
www.unikgifts.co.uk
Pop over to our Facebook page to see our u-ni-k friends playing hide and seek in the Autumn woods.
Pop over to our Facebook page to see our u-ni-k friends playing hide and seek in the Autumn woods.
Friday, 5 October 2012
Friday, 24 August 2012
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Watch this, enough said...
Being a mom is the hardest job in the world. But it's also the best.
Did you shed a little tear like me?
Procter & Gamble
Friday, 16 March 2012
Celebrating Mums
Sunday is Mothers day.
So today I celebrate Mummies everywhere.
If you are a Mum, Mum to be or simply want to be a Mum.....join in.
A few Mummies I know that are fabulous Mums.
And three Mums to be that are going to be fabulous
And my Mum who is the best.
For any Mums I have forgotten, you are great too!
Friday, 28 October 2011
Baby showers... how to get it right!
A lovely couple that have been close friends of mine for years [pre husband and baby type years] recently announced that they were having a baby! I'm so delighted for them, they are going to make fantastic parents and their little one will be welcomed into two loving families.
I'm hoping that my friend considers a baby shower, I never held a baby shower and now regret not taking the chance to celebrate being a mum-to-be with my friends and family. I've always thought that baby shower's were an American thing, with big balloons and tacky t-shirts but I've learnt that there's more to it than that.
A baby shower is the perfect time to celebrate being a mum-to-be, it's about the Mum as well as the baby. It's celebrated all around the world and is usually held when the woman is over 5months pregnant, although it can be held after the baby is born as well.
The difficulty of a baby shower is not knowing where to start, as with all things new - it's hesitant first steps for those that have never held or been to a baby shower. So here's a rough guide to baby showers with a little help from us at u-ni-k:
1. Where?! Well since a baby shower is all about the Mum-to-be and the baby it's best to ask her where she'd like the baby shower. We recommend at a close friend or relative's house - cosy enough for a party feel and somewhere where the tired Mum-to-be is going to feel comfortable and not honour bound to tidy up afterwards!
2. What?! It's a party so some cake is at least in order! Remember that the Mum-to-be may not feel very hungry for sausages on a stick or cheese and pineapple pieces. However a selection of sandwiches and cupcakes served on some plates with party streamers will come across as a lovely tea party celebration.
Don't forget that Mum-to-be will not want her usual tipple, so have a selection of different soft drinks to choose from. Imagine having water and orange squash as your thirst quenchers for 5months, the offer of a forrestfruit smoothy or an elderflower and lime juice will seem like the best vintage champagne is on offer. If Mum-to-be is feeling daring there are many alcohol free drinks available as well.
3. When?! As a former Mum-to-be I think that probably an afternoon tea party is best. It's hard for us Mums-to-be to stay awake, the baby takes a lot of energy, and those with morning sickness really feel terrible until way after lunchtime. The evenings are best spent in our slouchy clothes with our other half leafing through the latest Mothercare catalogue discussing which cot bed is best. So organise your baby shower for an afternoon!
4. Gifts?! This is a very personal area, it's so easy to get it wrong! My former boss thought it was great to buy the Mum-to-be a box of nappies?! Errr would you buy someone a present of a lot of loo roll?! Hmmmm.
This is where our baby shower gift ideas page on the website comes into it's own. We have lots of ideas for girl bumps, boy bumps, 'we don't know, we're waiting to see' bumps, and of course multiple bumps!
It's every parent-to-be's rite of passage to spend a lot of time wandering around the big baby manufacturers looking for everyday items for their little one. A baby shower is for those luxury items that other people can treat you too: the beautiful shuktara blanket that you can use in the buggy, the cot, the nursery, or the Yarmood cashmere nest of hats that will keep baby warm without any itch factor, or the coming home outfit of a perfect hat and bootie set! handmade by the lovely ladies at Nyoki.
If you're still a little unsure of the baby shower then please contact Anna or I at u-ni-k we'd be happy to throw you one of our u-ni-k parties.
A baby shower is the perfect time to celebrate being a mum-to-be, it's about the Mum as well as the baby. It's celebrated all around the world and is usually held when the woman is over 5months pregnant, although it can be held after the baby is born as well.
The difficulty of a baby shower is not knowing where to start, as with all things new - it's hesitant first steps for those that have never held or been to a baby shower. So here's a rough guide to baby showers with a little help from us at u-ni-k:
1. Where?! Well since a baby shower is all about the Mum-to-be and the baby it's best to ask her where she'd like the baby shower. We recommend at a close friend or relative's house - cosy enough for a party feel and somewhere where the tired Mum-to-be is going to feel comfortable and not honour bound to tidy up afterwards!
Don't forget that Mum-to-be will not want her usual tipple, so have a selection of different soft drinks to choose from. Imagine having water and orange squash as your thirst quenchers for 5months, the offer of a forrestfruit smoothy or an elderflower and lime juice will seem like the best vintage champagne is on offer. If Mum-to-be is feeling daring there are many alcohol free drinks available as well.
3. When?! As a former Mum-to-be I think that probably an afternoon tea party is best. It's hard for us Mums-to-be to stay awake, the baby takes a lot of energy, and those with morning sickness really feel terrible until way after lunchtime. The evenings are best spent in our slouchy clothes with our other half leafing through the latest Mothercare catalogue discussing which cot bed is best. So organise your baby shower for an afternoon!
4. Gifts?! This is a very personal area, it's so easy to get it wrong! My former boss thought it was great to buy the Mum-to-be a box of nappies?! Errr would you buy someone a present of a lot of loo roll?! Hmmmm.
This is where our baby shower gift ideas page on the website comes into it's own. We have lots of ideas for girl bumps, boy bumps, 'we don't know, we're waiting to see' bumps, and of course multiple bumps!
It's every parent-to-be's rite of passage to spend a lot of time wandering around the big baby manufacturers looking for everyday items for their little one. A baby shower is for those luxury items that other people can treat you too: the beautiful shuktara blanket that you can use in the buggy, the cot, the nursery, or the Yarmood cashmere nest of hats that will keep baby warm without any itch factor, or the coming home outfit of a perfect hat and bootie set! handmade by the lovely ladies at Nyoki.
If you're still a little unsure of the baby shower then please contact Anna or I at u-ni-k we'd be happy to throw you one of our u-ni-k parties.
Monday, 18 July 2011
Something for free...
Useful free resources for the Mumpreneur
For those of you that haven't read through the 21 pages of “about us” on the u-ni-k website (Anna and I 'talk' a little too much...) you'll not know that u-ni-k gifts is our first business venture. We combine over 23 years of experience in our separate fields of expertise but we've never launched a venture before.
There's lots of people out there who will take your money from you in order to help you start a business; you've seen the adverts on TV about 'learn at home' courses and 'use these 10 helpful tips I provide in my lecture for £99.99 for guaranteed success in your business' shiny magazine adverts. I've never been or signed up to any of these things and although we are still learning as we go, we've not yet paid above and beyond the odds to start our venture.
I'm not selling a 'how to start out in business' course or book here; I just want to pass on some of the free helpful places I have discovered when starting a business.
The best place to start:
Some useful reading for the legalities:
Free Online storage / document sharing:
Free blogging website templates and domain space etc:
Free professional website design feedback:
Website information every business needs:
Free website keyword tools:
Website improvement tools:
Social Media:
These are just a taster of what is out there. I promise to update you all soon with the free integrated stock system, accounting software, and some more 'fun' links for those who have mastered their work life balance!
Oh and if you've ever been to one of those seminars or done an online start a business course. Do let me know what you think?
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