Start up a small business from home

Have you ever thought of starting up your own business, but not known what in or where to market it? It can be difficult when you are a full time mum, juggling responsibilities of running the household and keeping the family in check. Everyone relies on you… But it’s important that you also have something YOU can get your teeth stuck in to.

There is nothing better than being able to work for yourself. You choose what you want to do, where you want to work, how many hours you put in, along with when you want to take some time off. Fair enough once the orders start pouring in you may have to put in a fair amount of hours, but it will pay off, and eventually you may be able to branch out and hire an assistant.

One industry that is calling out for unique business ideas and bespoke services is the wedding industry, worth over £10 Billion! Want a slice of that? Let’s get down to business…

 

What are you going to offer?

First decide how much work you are willing to put in. Do you want to go all out and offer unique venue decoration? Or offer the little extras to make that all-important day memorable? If you want to start off small, why not look in to offering wedding favours, handmade confetti, invitations or get super crafty and make elegant head pieces for the wedding party.


Need Inspiration?

Once you have decided what you want to do, you may need some ideas to get you going. Check out sites like Pinterest, Etsy or Folksy to see what the competition offers, and sign up whilst you’re there too. There are delicately laser-cut paper designs that will add a touch of class to any wedding. Classic books like Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights and Alice and Wonderland, which are often utilised to create decorative flowers and confetti, adding that personal element.


Get the Materials

Got an idea? Start scouring the internet for your materials. If you are really serious about it, buy in bulk, as you will be able to negotiate costs and make a saving! Head down to charity shops and car boots too. Often you will find people are getting rid of some good quality gear! You will also be able to find plenty of tutorials online too, so if you know want you want to make, but don’t know how, don’t worry… The internet is a wonderful place.


Network Yourself and Your Product

Have fun with it. Get out there and build friendships and working relationships. Get on all of the social networking sites you can think of and maintain them. Use a tool like HootSuite to help you manage these. Get a website set up, and talk about what you are doing, along with the trials and tribulations of setting up your own business. Even contact your competition to get hints and tips; most people are friendly enough and will help you where possible.


Work out a strategy

You’ve got a product. You’ve got contacts. Now get yourself down to some craft fairs! Find out what people are looking for, and get feedback on your product. Get some business cards printed up and offer free samples or a competition for the more likes, shares and comments on your social networks, and even for the first 10 orders of the day in order to add an incentive. Once the orders start coming in, try to have a quick turn around, you will get good reviews from the quality of your product and your efficiency. There are eBay couriers that offer great savings on delivering your goods and keep your spends at a minimum.




Once you have a few orders behind you, you will be able to ask for testimonials, and then… The world is your oyster!





*Sponsored Guest Post*

 

Child-proof Your Home: How to Make Your Space Safe

From the moment you brought baby home, you've had every gadget imaginable installed, every tiny space and easy to reach device locked and put away, and plugged up anything with a hole in it. You've spent many a night worrying about some minor safety detail while your child was an infant, however, now that they're a little older and you've been through the scares that accompany your child's exploration of the world you’re concern will change. Although you no longer have to fear for your children's safety like you did when they were babies, you must still be vigilant about keeping your ever-growing, ever-curious children safe at home.
 

 

 

Burns, slips and falls, and poisonings are only a few of the at-home risks your children face if you don’t properly child-proof your abode. According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), every year more than 5,000 people in the UK die in accidents in the home and 2.7 million seek medical attention due to accidental injuries at home. Some safety hazards, such as a toy being left in the middle of the floor, are obvious, while others, like a loose railing on a stairway, aren't as easy to identify. Have home insurance from Aviva to help safe-guard your home against certain accidents, however, you must incorporate your own in-home safety routines and rules to ensure that your children are safe at home.

 

 

Burn Safety

 

 

500,000 under the age of 4 are injured in the home every year, and fire is the greatest cause of accidental death, with 46 percent of fatalities being the result of fire accidents. Younger children are most likely to sustain injuries from scald burns caused by hot liquids or steam, while older children are more commonly burned from flames caused by direct contact with fire.

• Install and maintain smoke alarms in your home, on every floor, and near all rooms occupied by family members.
• Remember to test your smoke alarms once a month to make sure they are working properly.
• Devise a fire escape plan and practice this family fire escape route and specify a central meeting point for everyone.
• Make sure there are at least two ways out of every room - don't block windows or doors.
• Be cautious when you cook - never leave food on the stove unattended and supervise or restrict your children’s use of microwaves, stoves, and ovens.

 

 

Hazardous Chemicals Safety

 

 

While all parents know it isn't wise for your children to handle any hazardous chemicals and materials, children can still find a way to get their small hands on these dangerous products. Poisoning is the third leading cause of unintentional death throughout Europe, with 3,000 children 14 and under dying of acute poisoning each year. 

• Keep all dangerous chemicals , medicines, and toxic products, such cleaning agents, out of the reach of children and in places where they can’t see them as their curiosity may get the best of them and prompt them to investigate the product.
• Don’t keep hazardous products around that you no longer use or need.
• Always safely dispose of unused, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs and medicines, vitamins, and supplements.
• Remember to properly read the labels, particularly those regarding dosage, and follow directions when giving medicines to children.

 

 

 What tips do you have to keep your children safe at home?

 

*Sponsored Guest Post*

 

Walkers Baked Hoops & Crosses *Review*

It can sometimes be a bit of a struggle to get our little ones to always eat what we provide, with them turning their noses up at certain greens and shaking heads to fruit. But Walkers have come up with the new Hoops & Crosses range to make boosting their wholegrain intake easy.

 

 The baked snack is made from 56% wholegrain with no artificial colours or preservatives.

Each bag is only 85 calories so they are great for mums and dads trying to watch their weight too! They are ideal for days out and lunch boxes and perfect for picnics now that summer is finally approaching.

 

We received a lovely delivery from Walkers including a very cute monkey, a book on the importance of wholegrain and a packet of crisps to try.

The Mini Mes were eager to dive straight in as they definitely love their savoury foods.

They were packed with flavour yet light in texture. They make food fun which is always beneficial when it comes to encouraging children to eat and being shaped as hoops and crosses we could use them to play noughts and crosses before eating them!

 

 

 

 

There are three flavours to choose from, all of which are suitable for vegetarians; Roast Beef, Salt and Vinegar and Prawn Cocktail. We all agreed that they were very nice and I've since purchased multi-packs to use for school - at just £1.79 for 6 bags they are great value too!

 

 

You can find out more information on the Hoops & Crosses range here: http://walkershoopsandcrosses.co.uk/

 

 

*This is a sponsored review. The opinions given are honest and our own*

 

 

 

Reasons To Be Happy

Our Feather Down Farm trip is fast approaching and I'm really looking forward to it. A nice family break in the great outdoors, collecting our own eggs each morning from the chickens and cooking on a wood burning stove - good times!


The Mini Mes have sports day next week which is always something they are excited to be involved in. The event lasts the entire day so I shall pack up a picnic and enjoy a day watching them run, skip and jump in the sunshine (hopefully).

You know that feeling where you are focused and really determined to complete something. That. I am doing really well with weight loss and exercising at the moment and I feel proud of myself for sticking to it. I was always strong at first and then slipped back into old habits but I'm keeping on track. Watching The Biggest Loser has spurred me on and I'm keeping in mind that it took a while to put weight on so it will take a while to shift it.

What reasons to you have to be cheerful this week?

National Walking Month

Even the shortest of walks can become a great adventure when children are involved and with May being National Walking Month it's time to pop on your footwear and head outside!



Source



We do quite a lot of walking as a family, more so since getting our dog Spartan last January. It used to always feel like a chore but when you discover places you never knew existed, picturesque scenery and wildlife it is thoroughly enjoyable and something I would recommend for all families to take part in. You can have great fun playing in the British countryside - it's beneficial to both your health and happiness!



Our most regular and favourite walk is in the local fields. They are basically on our doorstep and they are ideal for football, kite flying and exploring! There is a small wooded area that has beautiful views and is usually damp and muddy for the Mini Mes to squelch about it wearing their wellies! On the other side we have the back of a large factory where we all take a guess at how many trailers will be parked up while we play fetch with the dog in the grass, make daisy chains and keep watch for rabbits. Further along there are huge hills to climb in an old off-roading track and lots of puddles to splash about in. It's usually very peaceful here and you can really unwind with the fresh air while getting some exercise in too.

Walking isn't always just about where you go, it's more about what you do and who you are with.
It's a great way to bond with family.

With another bank holiday on the way why not check out your local forest, park or woods and get outdoors for some family fun.

More information on walking and family fitness can be found here and here.

AXA PPP healthcare are holding a live chat where health nurse Kamilla Doughery will be on hand to answer your baby and child allergy questions that you may have regarding the great outdoors. The chat will take place on the AXA PPP healthcare website on Wednesday 29th May at 11-1pm.
You can leave a question in advance here.

We've asked "What natural products can you use to help reduce/prevent hay fever?" which will hopefully help both the Mr and the kids in the future!

You can also pop over to the AXA PPP healthcare Facebook page where you can get more information on family fitness and walking throughout the month: www.facebook.com/AXAPPP


Do you have a favourite walk?



*This is a sponsored post*
 

Nakd Giveaway

 

 

You don't need to compromise on flavour when it comes to eating healthily. Natural Balance Foods provides healthy snacks that are delicious without the need for syrups, sugars and additives. They believe in a wholefood approach which minimises food processing - making food the way that nature intended.

 

 *** WIN ***

 

We have a case of 18 bars to give away containing 2 each of 9 different flavours;

 

Rhubarb & Custard, Caffe Mocha, Cashew Cookie, Cocoa Orange, Ginger Bread, Pecan Pie, Cocoa Mint, Cocoa Delight and Berry Delight

 

The bars contain:

100% natural ingredients

No added sugar or syrups

Just raw fruit & nuts

 

All of the bars are Gluten, wheat, dairy & GM free, many of which count towards your five a day too!

 

For your chance to win you can enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below.

The giveaway closes on 7th June.

Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A New Part of Me

This is a new part of me.

A part of me I'd never seen before and the black spec on it is new too.

It's my right eye.

The white is my optic nerve and the black spec is a mole. Yep, a mole on the back of my eyeball!

I'd never heard of anyone having similar before but apparently it's not that rare.

 

I'd had a lot of headaches and my first port of call was the opticians for a check up to see if my vision or a need for glasses had caused my constant migraines. After examination she went back to my right eye for another inspection and asked if I knew about the mole at the back of my eye, which I didn't.

I was called back for photos which I had Monday and I'm now being referred to the hospital just to make sure that it's OK.

 

Fingers crossed!

I'm linking this with...

The theme this week is New



The Funny Things Kids Say and Do...

What's so funny Jamster?

Apparently having your hair cut is! He has such a ticklish neck he was in fits of giggles while the (very patient) hairdresser trimmed his tresses which set Minxy and I off too!

The Mini Mes have made me laugh a few other times this week...


While sat on my lap watching Lady and the Tramp

Jamster: Sorry about that mum.
Me: What are you saying sorry about?
Jamster: I just accidently trumped on you.

Nice!

------

Spartan started cleaning his bits, as a dog does

Minxy: Spartan! You will need a Polo now to freshen your breath.
*pulls face of absolute disgust*

------

Jamster kept calling Minxy asking her to play with him

Minxy: If you keep annoying me I will have to press charges!


What has made you giggle this week?


I'm linking this with...

 

Chocolate and Fudge Cookie Cups

We received a lovely bundle of goodies from Aldi last week and what better way to use them than to bake! Cookies combined with chocolate and fudge was the result - they are crisp on the outside and chewy in the centre, a tasty sweet treat.

Ingredients (makes approx 15)

Cookie cups:
220g self raising flour
120g caster sugar
100g soft brown sugar
1 egg
120g butter, softened
50g chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Decorating:
70g butter
125g icing sugar
30g chocolate, melted
Fudge pieces (from the Aldi sprinkle pot)


Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
• Combine the sugar and butter in a bowl
• Mix in the egg
• Mix in the flour
• Stir in the chopped up chocolate, trying to spread it evenly in the dough.
• Divide the dough into around 15 balls and place in a cupcake tray
• *Tip- use an ice cream scoop to make them the same size
• Cook for 15-18 minutes until lightly browned, allow to cool for 10 minutes
• To decorate the chocolate cookie cups combine the butter, icing sugar and melted chocolate in a bowl.
• Place the icing into a piping bag and squeeze onto of the cookies.
• Sprinkle over the fudge pieces
• Scoff!

 

  To find your local Aldi store or for product information you can visit their website: http://www.aldi.co.uk/

 

Meal Planning Monday

A poorly me (another respiratory infection and flu!) has meant I've opted for reasonably quick meals this week so I can rest as much as possible.

This weeks menu...
Toad in the hole with mange tout, baby corn, broccoli and carrots.
Lasagne with salad and garlic ciabatta
Jacket potatoes with cheese, beans and salad
Pizzas

Friday we are heading to the seaside for a weekend glamping at a Feather Down Farm *squeal* so we will eat something on the way down there and cook on the wood burning stoves while away.

 

What's on your menu this week?

I'm linking this over with At Home With Mrs M.

The Hundred Decker Bus *Book Review*

Featuring a very big fold-out page and lots of intricate, coloured pictures this book is a fun read for little ones. The story follows the adventure of a bus driver who is bored of his every day routine of a cup of tea, popping on his jacket and driving down the same route seeing the same people. He decides to take a little road that he hadn't noticed before and therefore he explores new places and meets new characters on the way.

The bus is extended in size to make space for all of the passengers, travels across water on a ferry and receives assistance when it comes into difficulty with smoke billowing out from under the bonnet... Where is ends up you, I'll leave for you to find out!

 

This debut picture book from Mike Smith is packed with detailed drawings and has new things to find with each read. It also helps to develop counting skills as children can count all of the different decks up to 100 and shows that with teamwork anything is achievable.


The Mini Mes enjoyed the book.

 

 

Jamster: The map page is good as you can see where the bus has been and I liked the fold out page as it's massive!

 

You can purchase The Hundred Decker Bus from Amazon: