Local Mum Businesses - NorthHantsMum

Fidgetbum

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 18th February 2015 in Children, Guest Posts, Health, Local Mum Businesses, Safety

Sleepless nights because your little one kicks off the bed covers?

Then you need a fidgetbum!

Hi Mums,

My name’s Mel and I’m a mum of two girls – Hannah (10 years) and Amelia (5 years).

When my girls made the move from cot to toddler bed, we’d have to endure sleepless nights when they kicked off their bed covers. Sometimes, during particularly adventurous dreams, they may have even rolled out of bed. The girls would become cold and call out or cry. Not good for them, and not definitely good for mummy and daddy. Sound familiar?

We tried the different options on the market, but nothing worked quite how we wanted it. Bed guards kept them in the bed, but didn’t solve the ‘bed covers’ issues. Duvet Clips restricted movement and didn’t solve the ‘rolling out’ problem. The only other options was folding covers widthways across the bed to ‘tuck them in’ – but this restricted movement as well.

That’s when I came up with the idea of fidgetbum (www.fidgetbum.co)

Fidgetbum is a stretchy length of fabric, and goes under the mattress, round and over the top of the duvet, and then zips up. Keeping the duvet on the child, and the child in the bed.

Because of its stretchy nature, it still allows for the little one to move freely. In my daughters words “Its like someone cuddling me all night”.

I used my first (homemade) fidgetbum for three years. It guaranteed a snug and safe nights sleep for my daughters.

In January of this year, I launched fidgetbum as a business. We manufacture in the UK and have two sizes – for toddler bed and for single bed.

We’ve been delighted with the response. So far we have 600 likes on facebook and some great customer testimonials.

The fidgetbum is made from a lovely 100% cotton material – which is really soft to the touch. It folds neatly into its own fidgetbag – ideal for packing and taking on holidays and sleepovers.

To learn more about fidgetbum and see it in action – visit us at:

www.fidgtbum.co
via facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fidgetbumpage
or email us on info@fidgetbum.co

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The Maternity Nanny

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 7th January 2015 in Babies, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses, New Parents, Newborn, Pregnancy 0 Comment

NHM: I met Sarah when she came to the NHM Christmas Expo and feel REALLY bad for not getting her Guest Post out sooner! Here it, finally, is!

The Maternity Nanny

I really enjoyed my day at the NorthHantsMums Christmas Expo and just wanted to share with all you amazing mums, a little bit about what I have to offer you and your little ones.

I work throughout Hampshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire as a night nanny, maternity nanny and sleep consultant. I trained at The Norland Nursery Training College and have worked with families and their babies and young children for nearly 25 years (wow – that makes me feel old!!).

Most of my work revolves around the sleeping habits of babies and small children! Unwelcome night time waking and erratic sleep patterns can impact on the whole family. We often struggle as parents, due to our own tiredness, to find a resolution to these problems, and end up doing everything and anything we can, just to get some sleep!

A newborn baby may wake two, three, or maybe more times during the night to feed. This is perfectly normal as their little tummies can only hold small volumes of milk. Over time it is possible to encourage longer periods of sleep, and I feel that by “starting as you mean to go on” in the early weeks, parents are able to achieve peaceful nights sooner than they imagined.

Over the age of 6 months, babies frequent night waking and feeds are often related to their struggles with self soothing and being unable to fall asleep without help (rocking, feeding, sucking etc), rather than a need for nutrition. It is possible to gently teach your baby how to settle to sleep independently at the beginning of the night, and to re-settle in the middle of the night when transitioning between sleep cycles.

Positive sleep associations lead to happy bedtimes, peaceful transitions to sleep and restful nights for everyone. I believe my gentle, calm and consistent approach is reassuring for parents and their babies or children. At all times I follow the “safer sleep for babies” recommendations of The Lullaby Trust www.lullabytrust.org.uk (formerly FSID) and the guidelines of the NHS for reducing the risk of cot death.

I support families in a variety of ways including one off consultations, advice and practical support with feeding your baby in your home during the day, and night time support in your home allowing you to catch up on some much needed sleep.

I am also keen to offer group consultations if you have a Mother & Baby Group, ante-natal group or some like minded friends who would all like to learn some strategies to encourage your little ones sleep.

For more information please take a look at my website www.thematernitynanny.co.uk or contact me on 07974 705693.

The English Charm Company

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 5th December 2014 in Gifts, Guest Posts, Handmade, Local Mum Businesses, Parents, Pregnancy 2 Comments

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The English Charm Company make bespoke handmade silver keepsake jewellery and gifts for you to cherish.

What could be more precious than a baby’s or child’s fingerprint, handprint, footprint or even a special drawing or handwriting, on your very own piece of handcrafted 99.9% pure solid silver charm. These baby/child keepsakes are something to treasure forever.

I can also create an ever lasting memory of your much loved pet with their miniaturised paw prints. Why not give your husband or wife something personal from you, your fingerprints on a charm and a special message.

I have a range of necklaces and bracelets to finish off your perfect gift including men’s gifts and Pandora style jewellery.

All of my products are handmade in my workshop. I take time over every ittle detail from taking prints and capturing drawings, to crafting the silver and polishing them to perfection.

Important to the finishing touch is the packaging of your gift, which comes in a beautiful magnetic clasp gift box with a certificate showing the original artwork used, care instructions and a polishing cloth.

Multiple prints can be included at no extra charge. Different combinations of designs can be accommodated including adding gem stones for an extra bit of sparkle. Many different shapes and style of charms are available to choose from

Don’t worry if you are not able to make an appointment. You can request a fingerprint, handprint or footprint kit to do in the comfort of your home. It is very easy to do, safe and not at all messy.

For children’s doodles, you simply need to email a scanned copy of your child’s picture they have drawn.

I am located in the North Hampshire Downs’ covering Basingstoke, Winchester, Newbury, Alresford and surrounding villages for appointments.

Finished jewellery is usually ready within 2 weeks.

I am trained by the Craft Ecademy and a member of The Keepsake Guild.

I will be taking prints at :

Upton Grey Village Hall Toddler Group Christmas Fayre on Wed 3rd Dec, at 10am -11.30 am
The Overton Primary School Christmas Fayre on Thurs 4th Dec 6-8pm
North Waltham Primary School Christmas Fayre Fri 5th Dec 3.15 – 5.30pm
Whitchurch Primary School Christmas Fayre Sat 6th Dec 2pm – 5pm

Contact me via email at hello@theenglishcharmco.co.uk

Facebook: theenglishcharmcompany

Twitter: #englishcharmco

Mob. 07792 503411 to discuss your requirements

Thank you,

Natasha

Hope & Rainbows

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 4th December 2013 in Gifts, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses 0 Comment

Kate sent me a very lovely email asking me to let you know about her gorgeous designs:

Hope & Rainbows

My shop is called Hope & Rainbows. I launched the site in July, initially through a Facebook campaign to spread the word via my friends and family, who were very enthusiastic and supportive.

More recently, I have been receiving orders from unrelated, genuine Customers (not that my friends and family weren’t…!) and I’ve been so happy to find that my illustrations and products are being well received by the world at large too!

Each of my designs is digitally hand designed by me, Kate, at home (with ‘helpful’ input from my husband and daughters!!). I am able to produce the images as a mounted or fully framed print, to brighten up a nursery or playroom.

There is already a wide selection of pictures to choose from, including almost all initials, but I also offer a bespoke service to create a totally new illustration when necessary to fulfill a customers’ exact requirements.

The popularity of the prints led me to also sell packs of 25 postcards with the same range of images on. These make a wonderful standalone present for a little one (for those all-important thank you letters…), but are even more special when paired with a framed print to gift for a Christening or Birth.

In August, my husband had the brilliant idea of transferring images onto child-sized tote bags, to gift to our daughter’s friends at her fourth birthday party. These reusable, adorable bags went down an absolute storm and I have received many orders for them since – they are a lovely keepsake and a great alternative to a plastic bag that tends to go straight in the bin.

I chose to fill ours with a few sweeties and the obligatory piece of cake; a friend of mine recently shared that she has put a blank greetings card, sheet of stickers and a pencil in each bag – the children loved having a craft to do after the party.

Following the success of the party bags, I am also rolling out some new larger drawstring bags in the near future. The party bags are great for a pair of ballet shoes or football boots; the drawstring bags are for the full kit and caboodle and a really lovely Christmas present (a bargain too, at £7!).

So I would love to invite your readers to visit my website to get to know my work better and to visit my shop or Etsy store if they would like to place an order or get in touch to chat about a custom design.

You can also find out more about Kate’s designs at her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hopeandrainbows

MLB Photographic

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 10th July 2013 in Family Photographers, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses 0 Comment

Linzi has been a long time supporter of NHM so I was delighted when she contacted me to ask if she could do a Guest Post on NHM. Here is her post…

Welcome to MLB Photographic!

My name is Linzi Wherry and I set up MLB Photographic ( MuchLovedBabe ) about 5 years ago. I wanted to do something special work wise after having my three children Jessica (9), Ben (8) and Thomas(6) and not have to be stuck in an office working for someone else.

Since the beginning I have enjoyed the ups and downs of being my own boss…. and as with all new business ventures there are usually teething problems.

I have worked my way these to where I am now by hard work and determination ( and of course with the help and support of my husband and customers, without whom my work would not be )

So whether you are looking for a Wedding, Maternity, Newborn or Family photographer I’m here to help you achieve those special memories that you will treasure forever !

My studio is in my home, therefore it allows me to provide a very personal experience – friendly, private, and fantastic for all kids of all ages…. even the shy one’s and the very new little tiny one’s….

As I said above I have three lovely children who are all at school come now.

I am therefore, lucky enough to be able to open on a daily basis by appointment only, between the hours of 10.30 and 2pm for sittings and 9.30 – 6pm for booking customers in.

I am even open at weekend’s for those family shots when everyone can participate in the fun! So please get in contact soon!

On Email mlbphotographic@btinternet.com
On the phone 01189 8169149
On Internet www.mlbphotographic.co.uk
On Facebook www.facebook.com/mlbphotographic .
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MLBPhotographic

My website has the details of all the services I offer.

Thank you so much for reading my article, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Linzi

Thanks for your support Linzi! I hope you get lots of follow up from your Guest Post!

Neon Fairy Face Painting

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 5th June 2013 in Birthday Parties, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses 0 Comment

Caroline sent me a lovely message asking if she could do a Guest Post on NHM. I had spoken to her about doing one last year, when we were supposed to meet at the Baby and Children’s Market, but I couldn’t make it because my little one was sick. We still haven’t met, but at least we’ve got the Guest Post sorted! 😀

Neon Fairy Face Painting

Caroline the owner and principle face painter of Neon Fairy Face Painting, a Basingstoke based business happily serving The Hampshire area and beyond!

A working mum to two young boys I am delighted to be sharing on North Hants Mum.

Let us enchant you with our magic!

From fantastical animal and fairy designs to action heroes and aliens we simply LOVE transforming them into their wildest dreams!

Professional experienced and friendly face painters we are constantly updating our training, use only non toxic professional products and hold full insurance and enhanced CRB disclosures for peace of mind.

We offer a range of services and are available for private hire or happy to attend your festival, funday or corporate event, tailoring packages to your requirements:

Chidrens Party Face Painting
Glitter & Temp Tattoos
Princess/Pirate Sparkle Packages
UV Face and Body Painting
Weddings & Hen Nights
Bespoke, Themed & Corporate

We also have a colourfull online store with premium party boxes , downloadable party invites, bespoke tutus for princesses of all ages, Hen night accessories and more!

www.neonfairyfacepainting.co.uk

Princess Sparkle Packages

Let us dazzle your little princesses with our original fairy and princess face designs, glitter in a myriad of colours, gems and diamontes, glitter and temporary tattoos, premium princess party boxes for guests, tiaras and princess colouring sheets. 1.5 hours or sparkly magic for up to 10 children.

These parties can be adapted to suit boys too for Pirates, dinosaurs or superheroes, face painting, glitter tattoos, party boxes and also fake wounds and gory painting for older boys too!

Baby Bump Painting

Mark your special journey with a bespoke gestational art or baby bump painting. Incorporating dates and designs of significance to you and your family we can create a bump painting just for you along with complementing smaller designs for siblings and other family members.

Some kind words from our customers:

Feb 2013 -Lynsi Winkworth wrote: “Thank you for the face painting at my daughter’s party yesterday. You did a brilliant job again! Thanks so much x”

March 2013 -Jane Williams wrote: “Thank you so much for coming to Evie’s Birthday party yesterday you were amazing and everyone was so impressed , the adults loved it as much as the little ones!! Hope to see you again at another part soon, will be recommending you to everyone!”

April 2013-Miranda Hughes wrote: “Thank you so so much Caroline the princesses were delighted and the face painting was FABULOUS xx”

Contact Caroline for a quote:

info@neonfairyfacepainting.co.uk

www.neonfairyfacepainting.co.uk

07926671015

Find us on Facebook too!

Stretch n Grow

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 20th March 2013 in Birthday Parties, Classes, Exercise, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses 1 Comment

I met Kate when she came along to the NorthHantsMum Meet up last month. I can confirm that she’s lovely! I didn’t get to chat to her for as long as I would have liked but she’s very enthusiastic about Stretch n Grow and you can see that she loves children. These classes sound so much fun! See further down the post for the exclusive offer for NHM Readers.

Why Movement Matters by

The Worlds Leading Fun Fitness & Health Programme for Children!

**Fun Classes, Birthday Parties & Holiday Clubs for Young Children are all available through Stretch-n-Grow.

In my job, it’s not hard to get out of bed in the morning. I can’t think of many jobs that involve spending the day wriggling around on the floor, jumping around the room and singing loudly with a bunch of energetic toddlers and preschoolers who just want to have FUN!

And we do have fun, buckets of it, but one of the best bits of my job is that underneath the laughter and noise, there is a very serious purpose to what we do. The biggest kick comes from knowing that not only can our work help children to develop fine motor skills, but by educating them about their body, good nutrition and the importance of keeping active, we can encourage them to develop good habits that can impact on their longer term health. Essentially we can increase their chances of a healthier life.

So that’s why I have particularly enjoyed February, the month of love! At Stretch-n-Grow, the learning worksheet module for the month was children’s heart health. In the different settings we visit we speak to the children, (even as young as 1!) about their muscles, healthy eating and what their heart does. We also got their pulses racing with fun movements using active adventure stories & routines, exciting music, age appropriate props & even some obstacle courses & parachute fun. All this is always based around an imaginative theme!

By teaching children in their formative years about the importance of healthy eating and taking the right amount of exercise, we are hoping to have some healthier hearts in years to come. 😀

So, I hope you were showered in flowers, chocolates and romantic gestures this Valentine’s Day, but let’s show some more love for our your children’s hearts by taking them for a walk up a hill, an adventure in the park, a jump in some puddles, OR even come along to a STRETCH-N-GROW class and let us help make their “Hearts Happy & Bodies Healthy”!

**NEW drop in STRETCH-N-GROW CLASS NOW RUNNING WEEKLY!

For families with children aged 18mths and above. (younger siblings welcome) Wednesdays in Term Time, 1.30 – 2.15pm, at Curves Studio in Brighton Hill (free parking at Asda.) This class has the option of a pay-as-you-go drop in price or offers are available for advance bookings, whichever suits you.

FREE TRIAL FOR NHM READERS! 😀

Stretch-n-Grow classes are Fun Fun Fun! They are designed to help the development of your child in exciting & interactive ways. It’s all about fun & imagination…our disguise for hard work & strength building. We keep it fresh & exciting every month by creating new & challenging routines to themes our “Stars” will love! 🙂 Our curriculum is endorsed by fitness & child development experts around the world and links closely to the goverment EYFS framework. Each Stretch-n-Grow coach is a certified youth fitness specialist and has only one passion – to show our Stars an Ex-ER-citing time 🙂

**EASTER CLUBS WILL ALSO BE RUNNING IN THE EASTER HOLIDAYS!!

At Chineham Village Hall, for ages 3 -7yr olds.

Children are left with us for 2 hrs of Easter Stretch-n-Grow FUN!

I look forward to Stretching-n-Growing with your children (& maybe even youJ)

Come and see why Children and Families Love Stretch-n-Grow!

Please contact me for more information on our Fun but Educational Programme, or why not Like us on Facebook: ‘Stretch-n-Grow Basingstoke’

Kate, 07887 993207

Email: basingstoke@stretch-n-grow.co.uk. Website: www.stretch-n-grow.co.uk

NetMums: http://www.netmums.com/north-hants/local/view/preschool-classes/sports-and-action/stretch-n-grow-basingstoke

Caterpillar Music 2012

Posted by Louise NorthHantsMum on 2nd May 2012 in Classes, Guest Posts, Local Mum Businesses 0 Comment

Jasmine contacted me asking me to publicise the details about her new new baby and toddler music class which is coming to Basingstoke this Autumn.

Jasmine is a qualified music teacher and Mum to young children so she understands how important it is to engage and stimulate our children. Each Caterpillar Music class is a unique session which will include amazing puppets, exciting instruments as well as innovative props, all of which will help your child learn through play and song.

The sessions will take place on Tuesday’s at ChristChurch in Chineham from 9.40am until 11.10am and are suitable from birth to 4 years of age.

If you are interested and would like to attend a class Jasmine is offering free trial classes for anyone who mentions NorthHantsMum. You can find more details about the classes:

on the Caterpillar Music website
on Jasmine’s Caterpillar Music Facebook Page
or you can email Jasmine directly at jasmine.mccarthy@caterpillarmusic.com.

Thanks Jasmine! Best of luck with the new business!