Childcare Choices

Hello - todays guest blogger is Sarah Burr from the Hampshire Branch of Little Angels Nanny and Nursery Agency. She's talking today about the different choices parents have when picking their childcare.

Here's what she has to say.

My name is Sarah Burr and I run the Hampshire branch of Little Angels Nanny and Nursery Agency.

I have and NNEB (diploma in Nursery Nursing) and a Diploma in Home-based Childcare, which is the qualification required for child minding.
I have over 14 years post qualified experience and this has been based in a variety of childcare settings.  I have worked in a private Day Nursery as a nursery nurse and a senior room leader , in a private home as a nanny and also in my own home as a child minder. Therefore I feel I can give my unbiased advice to parents who are making that hard discussion – What type of childcare to choose?
I am a Mummy to 2 adorable boys, the eldest of which had a short spell with a child minder then 10 months with a nanny and finally 18 months in a day nursery before I had my second child and he started preschool, I then opened the Hampshire branch of Little Angels NNA and became a stay at home Mummy.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have a family support network locally that are willing to help with childcare a mummy’s return to work presents the following options:

Child minder - This works best if you already know a child minder, depending on the child minder this can be a flexible option for times and shift patterns. This type of childcare offers a home from home type setting but the child will need to fit into the child minders daily routine as she will have found one that works for the children in her charge. They are Ofsted registered and therefore regulated and checked on a regular basis. This is by far the most affordable form of childcare (approx. £3-£4 per child per hour) as the child minder doesn’t need any experience to gain the Diploma in home-based childcare, in my opinion the evening course was very basic and short, this isn’t to say the child minder doesn’t have additional childcare qualifications or a passion for childcare but my advice would be to visit a few and ask questions about their max number of children and their daily routine. The Ofsted registered child minder will have public liability insurance and a valid first aid certificate along with an enhanced CRB (police check).

Day Nursery – Depending on the setting you choose they generally offer childcare between 8am and 6pm with 3 meals, sleep facilities and a keyworker system where 1 nursery nurse will be allocated to your child and be responsible for the record keeping and your child’s routine although the general care of the child will be share amongst the staff members. The staff are generally younger and less experienced but they have the support network of other staff and mentors and this is generally how nursery nurses start to gain their experience before becoming nanny or moving into a more managerial role.  The child will be socialising with other similar aged children and they will learn the routine of the nursery and get used to structure. This isn’t a cheap option as most nurseries will charge around £40 a day. The child will have a learning journey filled out for them and parents will have the opportunity to attend parents evenings to talk through the child’s developmental progress with the key worker.

 

Nanny – this option is by far the most flexible one and would suit families with more than one child, with long or unpredictable working hours, shift patterns or parents with hectic lives and not enough hours in the day!
As the parents you write the job description for your nanny, you interview your nanny and you choose the nanny that fits your family perfectly. Nannies will do childcare, housekeeping, washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning, errands, dog walking, the list is endless and as long as you discuss and agree this then you can potentially just be parents at the weekend and spend quality time with your children.

When you employ a Little Angels Nanny you have the peace of mind that they have valid childcare qualifications, at least 2 years post qualified experience, a current CRB, First aid and at least 2 glowing professional reference that I have thoroughly checked along with identification and authenticity of their documentation and certificates.  Little Angels will organise interviews, assist with interview questions where required, assist with contact writing and send the CV’s with photos of the nannies attached so you know who to expect at interview.
The nannies will have public liability insurance and be eligible to become Ofsted registered if they aren’t already. They will be able to accept the childcare vouchers too!
A good nanny will fill her day with outings, routines, social groups, outdoor play, messy play, quiet time and will do all of this to fit your child’s routine thus promoting consistency of care and a easier return to work for the parent in the knowledge that their child is happy and safe at home with a nanny that you regards as a member of your family.
A nannies salary varies depending on the job description, hours, number of children and experience but generally ranges between £6.50 and £12 take home per hour.

For further advice or to register for free go to their website www.littleangelsnna.co.uk
Or contact Sarah on 01489 784471
sarah@littleangelsnna.co.uk


Some great hints and tips from Sarah! Hope it's helped you in your decision making.

Don't forget about Life's A Celebration for all your party needs and definitely don't forget that we have our Baby Shower competition running. Win an entire baby shower partybox for 7 people; just visit our website to enter.

Speak to you soon.

Maxine

Gender reveal parties



We're still celebrating 'Baby Month' here at Life's A Celebration!
Todays guest blogger is Melissa Woodland; owner of bespoke cakery The Cake Boutique, based in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Melissa's talking about the latest craze to hit the UK - Gender Reveal Parties! There's even a cupcake recipe in here! Here's what Melissa had to say!


"When you’re expecting a baby, there are a fair few big decisions you need make. One of the most exciting is whether or not you’re going to find out the sex, and if you do, how are you going to announce it to your friends and family?
Well, there’s a new trend headed our way from across the pond that goes hand-in-hand with the increasingly popular Baby Shower phonomenon.
American parents-to-be are taking these pre-birth celebrations to a whole new level, incorporating the gender reveal into the party in a very innovative way!
Take one baby shower cake...

Credit:sweetgrace.net

Add a bit of mystery...

Credit:ebredhawk via Cake Central.com

And when the moment arrives for you to announce the sex of your unborn child, simply slice into your cake and voila! Pink for a girl and blue for a boy.

Credit: looklovesend.com

Your cake maker will have coloured either the sponge or the buttercream with pink or blue food colouring to reveal the sex!
Want to surprise yourself too? Well, if you’d like to really raise the stakes, why not find out at the same time as your guests? Simply ask your sonographer to write ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope for you to give to your caker. Then you’ll be as surprised as everyone else.
It’s a fun idea that’s guaranteed to get your guests talking.
We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite gender reveal cakes and cupcakes for you to feast your eyes upon.

Credit: Pretty Paws via CakeCentral.com

Credit: LadyinaRedApron via CakeCentral.com

Credit: Jessiccakesblog.blogspot.com

If you’d like to make your own gender reveal cupcakes, we have a quick and easy recipe for you.
Vanilla cupcakes (makes 12)
12 dark coloured or metallic cupcake cases (to ensure the colour of the sponge doesn’t show through the cases)
110g/4oz butter at room temperature
110g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
110g/4oz self-raising flour, sieved
1-2 tbsp milk
Liquid or gel food colouring in pink or blue

Cream your butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
Add a little egg at a time and mix thoroughly.
Stir the vanilla extract in with the food colouring (a few drops at a time) until you achieve a decent shade. The colour may soften during baking.
Fold in the flour gently to avoid knocking too much air out of the mixture.
Spoon the mix into the cupcake cases as evenly as you can. They will be about half full.
Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 180F for 10-15 minutes.
They won’t rise to the very top of the case – and that’s exactly what you want. You need to be able to completely envelope the sponge in buttercream so no-one gets a sneak peak!
While the cakes are cooling, beat 125g butter and 250g of sieved icing sugar together with an electric mixer until they are light in colour and creamy in texture. Add any flavour you like, then pipe a swirl on the top of each cake, ensuring all the sponge is hidden.
Add some gender neutral sprinkles, tiny question marks or rubber ducks to the top of each cake – whatever decoration suits your party theme.

And there you have it – DIY gender reveal cupcakes to wow your guests with. Enjoy."

You can find The Cake Boutique on face book and on twitter

Hope you've enjoyed Melissa's blog post and let us know if you try the recipe! If you want a chat about baby showers then get in touch. I'm always happy to discuss your requirements with you and put together a fabulous party box just for you!

Don't forget we also have our baby shower competition running until the end of September 2012. You could win a baby shower party box for 7 people - just visit our website, join our mailing list and you'll be entered. It's that simple!

Keep watching for our next baby related blog! See you soon folks.

Maxine

The benefits of exercising after birth

Today's guest blogger for 'Baby Month' is Claire Mockridge, an Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert! If you've just had a baby then her hints and tips below will prove invaluable.

 

Here's what she has to say! Enjoy.

 

 

Hello there.  I’m Claire Mockridge, an Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert who’s helped over 850 pregnant and postnatal women stay fit during pregnancy and get fit after birth.

 

 

 

Exercise during pregnancy has many benefits, not just to you, but to your unborn baby too, and there’s definitely truth in the saying that “Fitter mums, have fitter babies”.  Now that you have a newborn to care for, it’s only natural that you want to give them the best start in life too, by getting yourself back into shape too.

When can I exercise after birth?

Generally speaking, you’re cleared for exercise 6-8 weeks after a natural birth, and 10-12 weeks following a c-section.

 

 

 What are the benefits of exercising after birth?

·         lose the baby weight

·         helps you get your pre-pregnancy fitness levels back again

·         reduced postnatal aches and pains eg back ache and stiff shoulders from constant lifting, feeding and caring for baby

·         helps strengthen and tone your muscles to help you with the physical demands of motherhood

·         improves your general well-being and lifts your mood

·         helps fight anxiety/insomnia

·         helps you relax and de-stress after a long day

·         gives you some ME time

·         aids your postnatal recovery

·         gets you out meeting other new mums

 

 

 

What sort of exercise is best after birth?

Pilates-based exercise, buggy workouts and/or postnatal indoor exercise classes are great for new mums.  It’s important though, that you find an exercise class that’s specifically for postnatal women, because you want to make sure you’re:

a) doing the right type of exercise for your postnatal body, and

b) performing it safely and effectively under correct instruction.

 

 

 

What if I can’t find a class locally?

If you can’t find a postnatal-specific class nearby, my Postnatal Fitness DVD - “Now it’s YOUR time” is every busy mums answer to exercising safely and effectively after birth:  http://www.mummiesandbuggies.co.uk/pages/DVDs.html

 

 

The DVD is jam-packed full of over 2 hours of footage and includes 3 x cardio sections, 3 x toning segments, 3 x Pilates workouts, focus on pelvic floor and 2 x stretching sequences.

 

You can mix and match the exercises you want to do, so, you could complete one entire workout eg 1 x cardio, 1 x toning and 1 x Pilates section; or just pop the DVD and focus on one particular Pilates section that you want to master, for example.

 

If you have a question about exercising during pregnancy, or after birth, do get in touch.  My Pre/Postnatal Fitness Blog answers FAQs about exercising here: http://clairemockridge.wordpress.com/

Or, connect with me here:

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/ClaireMockridge

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/ClaireMockridgeFitness

Website:  www.mummiesandbuggies.co.uk

 

Claire Mockridge

Ante/Postnatal Fitness Expert

 

 

 

Many thanks to Claire for these fab hints and tips on Post Natal Fitness! Don't forget that here at Life's A Celebration we have some fantastic party boxes and if you've recently had a baby and want to host a "Welcome to the World" party then get in touch and I'm sure we can get you a fabulous party boxed up and sent out to you - stress free, just what you new mummies need!

 

Another great blog is lined up as part of Baby Month so keep watching folks!

 

Maxine

Capturing those precious memories

Capturing those precious memories

 

Today's guest blog for our 'Baby Month' comes from children's photographer Sarah Loveland. Sarah's going to be sharing some top tips on how to take the best photos of your babies. Enjoy!

 

Here's what Sarah has to say!

 

"In this digital age babies are in front of the camera from the moment they enter this world. I’m a children’s photographer and newborn photo shoots are a particular favourite of mine. I’m invited into the home when the baby is about a week old and it’s a special time for everyone involved. Babies change so quickly and my role is to capture the details so that the family have the precious memories recorded for the future.

 

As a photographer I also teach people how to take better pictures for themselves. There are a few basic things that can make or break a good picture and you don’t need a top of the range camera either. With this in mind I designed my ‘How to photograph your newborn baby’ gift box. I want people to enjoy photographing their little ones and capturing some lovely memories to keep.

 

 

            
Here are a few hints and tips that will help you get great pictures of your newborn baby.
1. Unlike toddlers, newborn babies stay where you put them. This means that you can choose where you want to photograph your baby. Choose a bright spot that is evenly lit but avoid harsh sunlight on your baby’s face.

2. Keep the background simple and uncluttered. You could lay your baby on a neutral coloured blanket or sheet. When you’re photographing people holding the baby it’s important to check what’s in the background. You don’t want a pile of washing in the picture!

3. Remember to capture those details. An adult’s hand holding your baby’s hand will create a lovely image but also give you a record of how tiny your baby’s hands were. You can do the same with their feet. Use an adult hand to hold the baby’s feet so that you can take a picture.

4. Your baby will receive lots of gifts. Include some in pictures but stick to one item per picture so that it doesn’t clutter up the image. These pictures make great gifts for the people that gave you the toys or clothes.

5. Regardless of how you feel, get someone to photograph you and your baby. This is about capturing this time for your baby to look back at when they are older. When they are older those pictures will be really precious.

I prefer being behind the camera but when my nephew was born pictures taken of me with him were very special to me. I now have a young niece as well. The picture below is of us together.

 

 

 

Newborn babies grow and change so quickly so enjoy capturing all those precious moments!"

 

Sarah Loveland
www.sarahloveland.com
Sarah’s ‘How to photograph your newborn baby’ gift box is available from her website and also from Not on the High Street.

 

You can also get in touch with Sarah on Twitter or Facebook.

 

 

Great hints and tips from Sarah and a fantastic idea for a gift for a friend with a newborn baby or one on the way! Don't forget Life's A Celebration can also provide you with a Baby Shower Party Box!  

 

Keep watching for the next guest blogger on Monday 10th. Claire Mockridge an Ante/Post Natal Fitness Expert. She's going to be sharing fabulous hints and tips on Post Natal Fitness!

 

Maxine

 

 

Baby Showers Hints and Tips

Baby Shower Hints & Tips

 

Baby Showers have joined the UK after being very popular in the US for many years.  This blog is the beginning of Baby Month here at Life’s A Celebration. We’re going to spend this month bringing you lots of lovely guest blogs posts from lots of different businesses up and down the country giving lots of advice, hints and tips on lots of different baby related matters. We hope you enjoy and look forward to getting the chance to chat with lots of you out there that have got a small person on the way or you know somebody that has and you want advice on presents, baby showers and all things in between.

Don't forget that we have a competition running at the moment - visit our website and join our mailing list for the chance to win a Baby Shower PartyBox for 7 people! We have also taken 20% off the price of our Baby Shower Party Boxes!

As you may or may not know Life’s A Celebration has added a Baby Shower Party Box to our range as we got asked by so many people for them. So here’s my thoughts on Baby Shower Hints and Tips.

 

 

1) Who organises a Baby Shower?
In my opinion anybody can organise a shower. Ideally the mum-to-bes mother or her best mate should be involved.
The shower doesn’t necessarily have to be kept a secret from the Mum to be but if it is then make sure that you liaise with everybody to ensure everybody knows it’s going to be a secret. Also if it is you that’s organising the shower make sure you speak to everyone to ensure that everybody gets invited. We all have different circles of friends and the mum to be will be no different.

 

2) When should the Baby Shower be held?
Ideally this should be in the final few months of pregnancy. Don’t leave it too late as, in my case, the baby may arrive early. Then you’ll be hosting a ‘Welcome to the World’ party instead!

 

3) Where should you host a Baby Shower?
As you may or may not know in the latter stages of pregnancy being comfortable is key. So the mum to bes own home is probably your best bet. Then she’ll have everything she needs to hand. Don’t forget that if you do this there is a clear up operation after the party as she probably won’t have the energy to do this (and you won’t be very popular!).

If the shower is to be a secret then what about the grandma to bes home. Or you could hire a room in a hotel or other kind of function room.

 

4) Present Ideas

There are loads of ideas out there of things to buy for the mum to be. Through my research and chatting to my baby shower party box customers it would seem that Gift Lists are a popular thing to do in the US but not so much here in the UK. Baby clothes are a good idea but remember that the baby doesn’t stay tiny for too long so if you decide to buy clothes for 3-9 months old bear in mind the season it will be at that point and buy clothes to reflect that. For example if the baby will be 6 months old in the winter time there’s little point buying a t-shirt and shorts set.

We have got lots of baby related blogs coming up to celebrate this being our Baby Month including some guest blogs from Baby gift providers so you might get some inspiration there too.

5) Decorations
I love decorations at a party! I gets everybody in the party mood and if you’re decorations are different then they can always provide a bit of a talking point. As part of our party boxes you’ll get all the decoration you need in fact some customers have been in touch after their showers and told me that the mum to bes have taken the decorations home and used them in the nursery.

 

 

 

6) How long should a baby shower last?
Typically baby showers last 2-3 hours. This gives you chance to enjoy the games that you’ve organised, have a bit of chat, opened all the presents and enjoyed some food and cups of tea. Obviously you can make the shower as long as you like. For smaller showers with very close friends you might want to make it longer but the time and format of a baby shower really is up to. Don’t forget though the mum to be will probably get tired easily and so don’t make the shower too long. If you would like me to send you some baby shower games ideas then just get in touch and I’ll happily send you some.

 

7) What sort of food should you serve up?
Again, this is totally up to you. Personally I would keep it light. Also as you know organising a party is stressful enough so don’t over complicate things. If you would like me to send you some light finger food recipe ideas get in touch and I’ll happily send you some. When organising the food be mindful of dietary habits, allergies and anything that pregnant women shouldn’t really be eating. Guidance has probably changed since I had my daughter nearly 8 years ago so make sure you have a look at the current guidelines on anything that pregnant ladies should be avoiding.

 

 

 

 

 

8) Should men and children be invited?
The debate on this continues to rumble on. Personally I don’t think it matters if you have men and children there but I know it is sometimes a bit of a bone of contention. You might want to check with what the general consensus is with this one when you start planning the shower just so that everybody’s on the same page as you!

 

I hope these hints and tips have really helped you. If there’s anything you think I’ve forgotten or disagree with then please add a comment below.

 

Don't forget that here at Life's A Celebration we can provide you with an entire Baby Shower in a box. Everything you need all boxed up and sent to your door and at the moment we have 20% off! It couldn't be easier! Or if you want to discuss a specific party idea you can always drop me a line!

Enter our competition and you might just win a Baby Shower Party Box!

As part of Baby Month tomorrow we have guest blogger Sarah Loveland. Sarah is a children's photographer and she's going to be offering some invaluable hints and tips on how to Capture the Perfect Photograph of your Newborn Baby.
 

Speak to you soon my friends!

 

Maxine

A Guest on Monday Abi Yardimici

Today's Guest on Monday is a friend of mine. I met Abi through the usual business networking that all us busy business people do. We immediately got on and have become good friends. Abi runs The Cool Rule Company - a business that provides parents and carers a wondeful tool to help with those difficult toddler years. Have a read what Abi has to say


"Before we begin, I just want to make it clear that I am really rather chuffed. As a busy mum it’s not often I’m asked as a ‘guest’ anywhere, let alone on a very cool blog spot. So thank you Maxine, for this chance to tell the story of The Cool Rule Company.

Once upon a time there was a mum who decided it would be a good idea to combine parenthood and business . . . hang on, I don’t think I actually decided to do that. I can’t remember sitting down and signing a contract with myself. I’m not going to pretend there was a strategy if there wasn’t. Oh, what the hell, let’s just tell it like it is.
Six years ago, on a trip to Turkey, I found the man who was going to change the course of my life. And that he did. After an intense but wonderful long-distance relationship, I moved over there to be with him. We got married and before I knew it, I was barefoot, pregnant and in a hot, hot kitchen.

Our first son changed everything. As babies do. Not only was I living in a different culture in a climate that made me want to bask permanently in ice cubes, but I was a mummy now. I’d joined a new club. And I’d signed up without reading the small print.
I remember being struck by the extreme highs and lows of this new vocation. One minute swooning with love for my baby and the next minute feeling helpless, clueless, alone. Nobody said it would be like this.
And then came the toddler years. Ouch. At what point exactly does your child morph from a cooing angel into a relentless, stubborn little rugrat? And why does nobody warn you about that?

We'd jetted back to the UK by the time my second son came into the world, and I thought my older son, now nearly three, was starting to come out of this phase. Maybe the naughty spot could take a holiday. How wrong I was. This new arrival was clearly awesome as well as alarming for him. Now that was a conflict of emotions I could identify with.
And that’s when the Cool Rule Book was created. My son needed patience, love and compassion as well as a good dose of humour. So we took photos of all the things, people and places he knew well and stuck them in a scrapbook alongside rules for him to follow. Share nicely with your friends. Brush your teeth every day. Remember how much you are loved.

The Cool Rule Book was a hit. It reminded my husband and I how to be consistent, and how to stay calm but firm. It showed my son all that was expected of him and enabled him to celebrate everything he was good at.
Other parents wanted a piece of the Cool Rule action. So a trial began. A very successful trial. And then a business plan. And that’s when the combining of parenthood and business stealthily crept in. I didn’t invite it. It crept in. Sneaky, eh?
So now I run The Cool Rule Company and sell my creation, The Cool Rule Book to parents and carers who want to celebrate happy living with their little ones. It’s all about allowing your child creativity and freedom within fair boundaries. Oh, and giving yourself a helping hand too.

You can find out more about The Cool Rule Book and The Cool Rule Company by visiting the website, www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk. or following the blog: www.coolruleantics.blogspot.co.uk "


Well I hope you've all enjoyed what Abi has to say about her journey on running her business. You can also follow The Cool Rule Company on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheCoolRuleCompany Pop across and say hi to Abi - she is genuinely lovely lady!

Don't forget too that if you do have small people running around and you need to organise a stress free party then all you need is Life's A Celebration! We're here to help you! If you want to chat to me directly about your next party be it for a small person or a little person or a person that has not yet arrived then all you need to do is get in touch you know I'm always more than happy to help!

Keep smiling

Maxine

Entertain the children yourself at their next party

Do you want to give it a go? Do you want to entertain the children at your child's next party in your local village hall? NOOOOOO I hear you cry! Well it's actually less difficult than you would imagine.

Read this blog post and it will give you some ideas on how to entertain the children at a party.

This blog post is designed for those parents that have booked the local village/church hall and have decided to entertain the children themselves. I've assumed the standard 2 hours for the party, that there are roughly between 20 and 30 kids there, that the age range is 4-7 and that you're a really great dancer!!!

Let the children run around for 10 minutes or so. Have some music playing in the background. This just lets all the last minute arrivals to get there and also gives the children a chance to say hello to each other and burn off some party excitement!

Start the party by getting all the children to stand in a circle. Then say something like "This circles too small. It needs to be bigger. C'mon mums and dads we need a bigger circle"

Get all the kids and their parents/grandparents to get into a big circle. Start the proceedings with the Hokey Cokey.

Once the Hokey Cokey is finished the parents can sit down and continue drinking their cups of tea and gossiping!

Get all the children to sit in a circle and introduce yourself. Say the reason why you're all there. Tease the kids a little bit - get their names wrong. Say you're there to celebrate Mavis' birthday and she's going to be 64. Do the usual pretend you can't hear them and make them shout and encourage them to interact with you.

Then get some music going and encourage some dancing with interactive songs. Buy the Black Lace Party album and get them to dance to songs like Agadoo, Superman, I am the Music Man. If you stand at the front and show them the actions they will be joining in in no time! Other good songs to dance to are "The Fast Food Song" (you know the one - A Pizza Hut, A Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken and A Pizza Hut), YMCA, The Birdie Song and other old favourites. Make sure you also put some more up to date songs on there too and let them do a bit of disco dancing. You'll probably find that the girls want to dance and the boys just want to run around. But that's ok if they do - it's totally normal.

What I like to do is then have the food. The best way to do this is to get the children to line up with you at the front and then do the Conga to the food tables.

If you really want to make your life easy then get the food organised by using food lunch boxes rather than having it all plated up and set out for them. This way it is then really easy to serve and probably more importantly clear up afterwards.

Not all children eat at the same speeds and not all children eat the same amount. So expect that some children will finish before others. That's ok too! Just pop the music back on and let them dance and run around until all the children have finished eating.

After food I like to play some games. Obviously you have the old classics like Musical Chairs, Musical Bumps and Musical Statues. I like to also play corners. Get the children to decide which parents should be picked to stand in each corner and before the party buy silly hats for 4 parents to wear. Obviously the sillier the better!

There are loads of party games out there that you can play. Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Pass the Parcel etc. If you want a games pack sending out then get in touch and I'm happy to send you some ideas.

I also like to play "Find Bob Monkeyhouse". All you need to do is buy an inflatable monkey before the party and hide it before the children arrive. The concept of "Find Bob Monkeyhouse" is pretty simple - they have to find the monkey!

 

Another game that the children like to play is "Feargal The Sharkey". For this you have to have 2 inflatable palm trees in two corners of the room and an inflatable Shark (do you see what I did there??). The premise of the game is that you chase the children with the shark and they have to run between the 2 trees which are "den". The children absolutely love this game but in my experience it does get a bit boisterous. You can play it for as long as you have breath in your body and the kids are relatively calm.

What I tend to do to get them to calm down after Feargal The Sharkey is play "Dead Fishes" or "Sleepy Lions" as it's known in this part of the world.

Before the party have a think about how you can rope in friends/family into the celebration. Does anybody have any special talents? Face painting, story telling etc. You might also want to sort out the music before the party so you know what track is going to be played and when. Make sure that you have a running order so things in your head so there is a relaxed structure to what you're doing but it's something you can deviate from. So if you find that the kids are really enjoying playing one particular game then maybe play it again.

By the time you've sang Happy Birthday, blown out the candles etc it should be time for everybody to leave.

You then clean up, hopefully get a thank you from your child, go home and pour yourself a large glass of wine and remind yourself it is all over for another year!

So go on give it a try - what's the worst that can happen?? Actually don't answer that!

Let me know how it goes! Don't forget that here at Life's A Celebration we have all your party supplies. If you decide to give this a go then get your party box from us and you'll be sorted.

Alternatively if you're local to me - give me a shout and I'll come and help out and bring a Party in a Box too!!!

Keep smiling

Max
x

A Guest on Monday Mandy Miller

Chalkboard Lady “who is she?”

Let me start by introducing myself, I am Mandy Miller A.K.A The Chalkboard Lady. Maxine asked me to write a guest blog for her. So here goes…

You may have seen chalkboards as you queue for your Latte or check out the specials in your local restaurant or Pub. You may even have pondered on who writes them! It’s probably someone like me who provides this secret service when no one is looking! I creep in, transform chalkboards and creep out again. Its a service that can give chalkboards impact and style and never fails time and time again to draw in customers. Whether its an A-Board outside on the pavement or a full wall menu, I write them.

My mission to transform tired, neglected chalkboards began when I was 18 and became a trainee signwriter. Right from the start I loved it and knew this was what I wanted to do. As my career progressed I built up the skills that would eventually lead me to take the leap and become Self-Employed.

It took me a couple of years to build my client base but as people got to know me word spread and more work followed. 15 years on I have a good little business with great loyal customers and plenty of new ones popping up along the way.

The last couple of years have been hard for the Pub Industry and led me to seek new customers. I now write Boards for Butchers, Florists, Cafes etc as well as my faithful Pubs! I also produce posters and do some murals and wall art.

Recently I have dipped my toe into the world of social media which is a great tool for any small business. Its been a bit of a learning curve but I embraced it with enthusiasm! It was through a small business networking online group that I met Maxine ( or Maggie as I call her, due to our love of Miss Philbin!!) We have built up a friendship and she is now one of my virtual buddies. So thanks Mags for this opportunity to tell my story xx




It is true that me and Mandy have built up a really good friendship via social media and she will definitely be getting an invite to my next big party in October! Check out Mandy's website at www.chalkboardlady.co.uk  Hope you like Mandy's blog post and if you run a business and would like to appear on my "A Guest on Monday" blog spot then let me know.

Keep smiling my friends

Mags..............I mean Max!
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Our Wedding Photoshoot

A few months ago I met a lady called Sarah Sutcliffe from a business called Energise Weddings. We chatted about the possibility of getting some wedding suppliers together for a big photoshoot to showcase all our products.
Sarah's business makes the most gorgeous headwear and jewellery for brides to be, mothers of the bride and bridesmaids so obviously I jumped at the chance to work with her.
We spent some time contacting and selecting suppliers that wanted to help us create a fabulous photoshoot.
The shoot was arranged at the beautiful Eslington Villa in Gateshead and the first job of the day was to get the models hair and make up sorted. Hair was styled by Bespoke Hair by Paula and the makeup was applied by Carly Michelle Hair and Makeup. The models looked gorgeous before their hair and makeup was done and after they looked absolutely stunning (making me feel incredibly short, dumpy, plain and hopelessly inferior!!).  The models were Cheryse Longstaff, Jade Ashleigh Slavin, Zoe and Faith.
We then took some shots of the models enjoying one of my Pre Wedding Slumber Party boxes. These are a totally unique party box which include a romantic DVD, popcorn, games, quizzes and prizes and "Appreciation Bag". These are cute little party bags filled with novelty tokens of love designed for the bride to say thank you to all those people that have helped organise her big day!

Appreciation Bags filled with novelty tokens of love to say thank you to everyone who has helped organise their special day!
(L-R Cheryse, Jade, Zoe, Faith)

Enjoying a romantic DVD and popcorn as part of our Pre Wedding Slumber Party Box
(L-R Jade, Zoe, Cheryse, Faith)

We had also arranged for Annette Keelty to join us on the day. Annette runs Lingerie By Annette and had brought with her the most extensive and beautiful collection of lingerie and nightwear for the models to wear.

In the run up to the shoot Sarah and I had spent a lot of time deliberating over what the venue styling should look like. We wanted the styling to reflect to be contemporary but also a little bit quirky. We opted for two styles a Classic style and a Gothic Style. We had 4 models and decided to split them into 2 brides and 2 bridesmaid each couple taking one of the chosen styles.

Here are some of the fabulous shots taken of the classic bride and bridesmaid and also the classic venue styling. All of the venue styling on the day was done by Kerry from Daisychain Events and Poppy from Papaver Designs. All of the stationery and paper lanterns were also handmade by Poppy just for the shoot. These ladies worked like troopers to make sure that the venue looked absolutely perfect. Don't get me wrong Eslington Villa is incredibly picturesque but the styling was the icing on the cake (so to speak!). The dresses all came from Mia Sposa and I can honestly say the Classic Brides dress was beautiful.

All of the 'classic' headwear, jewellery and flowers were designed and made just for the shoot by Sarah from Energise Weddings. These handmade designs complemented the brides and bridesmaids dresses perfectly.

Then we got onto the Gothic aspect of the shoot. Again all the headwear, jewellery and flowers were designed and crafted by Energise Weddings and the bridal headpiece is a particular favourite of mine. It looked absolutely stunning on Jade the model. Outside on the patio was styled in a Gothic scene by Kerry from Daisychain Events and Poppy from Papaver Designs.

All of these shots on the day were taken by Darren from Ti Amo. Darren worked tirelessly all day with really good humour and the shots he has created are perfect. He has really captured the mood of the day effortlessly.

And I can't leave this blog post without showing you the shots of my Wedding Activity Bags for children!

Boys under 3 Wedding Activity Bags

Girls aged 6+ Wedding Activity Bags

Boys aged 6+ Wedding Activity Bags

All in all it was a really excellent day. All of the suppliers and the models were sooooo friendly and we all got along famously. In fact expect more from our little crew - but that's as much as you're getting out of me for now.

I really hope this has inspired you if you're planning your wedding day. If you want to have a chat with me about any of my products then please get in touch.

Keep smiling

Max
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