Birthday Blog Post No. 5

On today's blog post, I'm really happy to welcome yet another marvelous entrepreneur to help celebrate The Cool Rule Company's first birthday. It's Carrie Dennison from Press for Design and believe me, without her, you may not even have had any of the Cool Rule products in your life. I'll let her tell you all about it . . .



Hello! I’m Carrie and I’ve been running a graphic design business called Press for Design for nearly two years now.

Carrie - the brains and creativity behind Press for Design

There are two distinct sides to my business. One is the graphic and web design side, where I work with other businesses to create their websites, adverts, brochures, leaflets, business cards, etc.  I also train people in setting up their own Wordpress websites.

The other is the art side, where I create lino cut artwork and illustrations and sell them through my own site, Etsy and local craft markets. With all that going on, you can imagine that there’s never an uncreative moment in the Press for Design studio!

A selection of Press for Design's work

My aim behind Press for Design is to provide a friendly, approachable, yet professional, graphic design and web design service for local sole traders and small start up businesses.  I aim to make the design process easy and understandable and keep my clients updated with how their project is progressing.

When I was first starting out, I received plenty of help and advice from the lovely ladies at the Derwentside Enterprise Agency. And this was where I first met Abi.

I immediately spotted a kindred artistic spirit, and loved the idea of the Cool Rule Book.  At the time, Abi was in need of some scanning equipment so that she could get her fab products on the market, so I was happy to help her out and get all those gorgeous designs scanned and in digital form for her.  As well as business talk, over the year we’ve also had some lovely chats over a cuppa about life and where it take us.

These guys would never have been scanned without Carrie!

Although I don’t have children, I love the creative aspect of the Cool Rule Book. Now here is a book that children can engage with and customize to make it their own. The Cool Rule Poster and Reward Charts are especially fun - plenty of scope to get creative and also a wonderfully fun addition to any child’s wall.

The Cool Rule Poster and Reward Charts

 I’m a firm believer in displaying children’s creativity everywhere! I also love the fact that the book, charts and poster will be a wonderful reminder of all the fun things children got up to when they were young. With her Cool Rule range, Abi is creating plenty of wonderful memories for families to look back on.

I’m currently expanding my business offer and after having held successful Wordpress masterclasses at Derwentside Enterprise Agency I am now providing one-to-one Wordpress training for sole traders and small companies who would like to take advantage of Wordpress's free website hosting and have full control of their website content.

On the art side, I’m now creating downloadable digital stationery, where you can print out gorgeous letter paper and envelopes whenever you like.

Part of Press for Design's collection of downloadable stationery

It’s been fantastic seeing how much The Cool Rule Company has grown over the past year, and here’s to a very happy first birthday with many, many more to come!


Thanks so much Carrie. I'm so glad we've been able to work together and I'm sure I'll be knocking down your door again in the near future for yet more graphic design and technical expertise! And take it from me folks, working with Carrie is a dream.

If you want to check out Carrie's work, or get in touch with her, here are the links you need:

pressfordesign.co.uk
facebook.com/pressfordesign
twitter.com/pressfordesign
pressfordesign.etsy.com

And if you want to browse the Cool Rule range and see how you can transform the life you share with your toddler, skip on over to thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Birthday Blog Post No. 4

Welcome to our birthday blog series, where I've handpicked the most amazing mums and business women I've met during the first year of The Cool Rule Company's trading. Here's yet another fab mumpreneur telling you why she loves The Cool Rule range, her business and above all, her kids. It's Michelle Rose from marketing company, Custard and Bear (random name, but cool, eh?).



When Abi approached me to write a blog post for The Cool Rule Company’s first birthday celebrations I was over the moon. “No bother,” I thought. “I’ll rattle that off in no time.”

Ha. Not quite.

I’m now over my deadline and frantically typing away whilst trying to settle my four month old baby, and hope that my two and four year olds stay sleeping.

Michelle with the original Custard & Bear

Welcome to my world as a Mumpreneur (and a Mumpreneur with three young kids at that!).

Businesses are like children; they thrive and flourish when paid lots of Grade A attention, they get grouchy and difficult to deal with when you give them Grade F attention.

So, how on earth do you give your kids and your business that Grade A attention when there’s literally not enough hours in the day? 

The amazing thing about meeting Abi, and all of her inspirational birthday business bloggers, was that they understand this juggling act. And let me tell you that juggling a business and being a mummy ain’t easy. It’s great fun, exhilarating, rewarding, empowering and just generally fab. But it’s also a knackering, ever-changing, constant battle of dividing your time between work and the kids, and trying not to feel guilty when you choose one over the other.

Michelle's awesome marketing agency

Other mums I meet often think that ‘working from home’ means I don’t really do much, and that my stress over work is a lame excuse as to why my house is always a tip!

However, I don’t stress over giving my business Grade A attention because it’s a fun hobby or a cute diversion from changing pooey nappies; I stress over it because my business pays my mortgage.

But, the downside of all of this juggling is that I often find myself fraught, tired and a bit wired. And, if I’m being brutally honest, I take that out on my kids. I get grouchy with them and snipe and whinge and moan at them and then wonder why they don’t behave like angels.

So, I bought Abi’s Cool Rule Book with a different reason to most mums. I bought it to remind me that my kids need me, my time, and a sane, fun mummy. Their Cool Rule Books are secretly my Cool Rule Books!

A very happy Big Tot with his Cool Rule Book

When I’m tired and at my wit’s end with them I pick up their books, look at all of our rules, see their smiley faces and I smile too. I mean I really, really beam from ear to ear.

And, armed with my smile and happy thoughts, I am Super Mummy – the most funny, silliest, cuddle giving, bubble blowing, lego building mummy for miles around.

And, do you know what? When I’m happy and the kids are happy then my business is happy. And that’s because the joy my kids have for life infects me; I thrive on their happiness and I’m inspired, motivated and full of ideas and my clients just love it.

I don’t think that when Abi launched the Cool Rule Company she ever dreamed that it was a tool to improve business productivity, but hey, for me that’s exactly what it is! It’s my bible on how to juggle being a mummy and being a mumpreneur and for me it’s invaluable.

Every business mummy should have one!

(Oh, and just in case you’re wondering what I do… I run Custard and Bear, a marketing agency, and we’re pretty awesome).



Michelle, we're so happy to hear that our Cool Rule Books have helped you in the enormous quest of raising toddlers and raising your business too - result!

If you want to contact Michelle or find out more about what she does, here are her details:

facebook.com/custardandbear
@custardandbear
custardandbear.com - website coming soon!

If you want to check out the genius of The Cool Rule Book for yourself, visit thecoolrulecompany.co.uk. Thanks for reading!

Birthday Blog Post No. 3

There's a touch of magic to today's guest blog post. I'm so pleased to introduce you to Mel Rickerby, or as her customers and fans better know her, Magical Mel. I'll let her tell you all about her wonderful line of work and you'll see why I've been so lucky to know her in my first year of business.


Hi, I'm Magical Mel and I'm so pleased to be part of The Cool Rule Company's guest blog posts to celebrate its first year of business.

Magical Mel and a fantastic 'Relax Kids' book

I was so very lucky to meet Abi and discover her wonderful Cool Rule products at Cumbria Baby and Toddler Show at the end of last year. I was there in my glittery fairy wear as I run Fairy School for children alongside Relax Kids classes, parties and training.

Having worked with children for over eighteen years now I truly believe that encouraging them to open their minds and believe in themselves is the answer to their well being. Helping them to engage in their dreams and wishes and giving them tools to succeed positively through life truly has to be embraced.

Mel and a fairy helper

I was attracted to the Cool Rule products not only because of the little man peeping over the wall (which I remember from my teens) but also the terminology, ‘Cool Rules’. How wonderful if children and parents can find a way to make rules cool and gain by spending valuable time together. If my own children had been at the right age to buy the goods I would not have hesitated.

The fantastic Cool Rule range

Starting children young on positive outlooks and remembering the good things in life will only enhance their future. I love the way Cool Rule children will gain something positive to keep and take into the future with them when using the Cool Rule Book or anything else from the Cool Rule range.

I feel that my own business Motivational Exciting Learning shares a lot of the philosophies with The Cool Rule Company and that’s why I invited Abi along to Cumbrian Fairy Day 2013. This is a unique event where children and grown-ups can come along with open minds and experience lots of positive and creative activities together. Building on last year's event, it's going to be a real success and I'm so pleased to say The Cool Rule Company will be part of it.

Faith, trust and a bit of fairy dust!

I hope to work alongside Abi again in the near future and cannot wait to see her wonderful products again this year at Cumbrian Fairy Day, I wish her all the best for her future, and I just know it will be a cool one.



Thanks so much Mel. We're glad you could be a part of our birthday celebrations and you continue to inspire us here at The Cool Rule Company. We're really looking forward to Cumbrian Fairy Day too and will be reporting back here on the blog about how it went!


If you'd like to find out more about Mel and her magical work with children, just use the links below:
 
motivationalexcitinglearning.com
facebook.com/pages/Magical-Mel
cumbrianfairyday.com

If you want to browse the Cool Rule range and see why it stopped Mel in her fairy tracks, check out our website, thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Birthday Blog Post No. 2

The fab business women I've met over the past year are just chomping at the bit to write celebratory birthday blog posts for The Cool Rule Company (we're one this month - did you know?). And the next person in line is Poppy Lee from Papaver Designs. I'll let her tell you all about her brilliant talent for papercrafts and how we've been linking up over the last year or so . . . 

 

My name is Poppy and I design and create Wedding Stationery and paper crafts for all kinds of occasions. I love to make tissue paper pom poms, confetti, orgami wishing stars, hand cut artworks and bespoke paper favours but my specialism is my handcrafted paper lanterns which make great gifts, wedding favours or decorations. My business is called Papaver Designs and I create work for people all over the world.

I started Papaver Designs in 2010 after I finished university where I studied Textiles and Surface Design. The business started organically from there, designing my first lanterns during the course.

Part of the Papaver Designs collection

I met Abi through a business support scheme called ‘Be Enterprising’ about a year ago. Both being very creative we hit it off and have worked with each other on numerous occasions, offering each other our support and services.


Most recently, we have worked together on promotional goodie bags which have proved very popular at trade and craft fairs. The goodie bags contain a DIY paper windmill kit from Papaver Designs which kids love (especially Abi's kids, who got to try it out first!).

The best goodie bags ever and Big Tot with his windmill

I'm proud of my product range because it is varied without compromising quality and craftsmanship. There really is something for all the family. I have a great following on my Wednesday Wonders blog, where I offer FREE makes and templates for all ages.

Although I don’t have kids yet, I am a proud auntie and a Godmother and from a creative perspective I can see exactly why the Cool Rule range grabs children's interest. The bright colours and quirky drawings are fun and the ‘Cool Rules’ are simple and easy to follow. It makes it all the more special that the children can add their own photos too.

My favourite products from the Cool Rule range have to be the reward charts. These are something all kids can work with and learn from. They come in fun designs for both boys and girls, but to be honest I love the rocket chart design for the boys the most. It's great fun and the little rocket with the child peeping out is so cool.

Cool Rule rocket chart

Abi has a great working philosophy and I think we share that. One philosophy that I try to stick to on a daily basis is: ‘whatever you get done today, you don’t have to do tomorrow.’ I used to constantly put things off until the next day (and the next day) but now I use this little phrase to encourage me to get things done.

And now I'm so productive, my range is expanding all the time! My website is currently getting a makeover but if you'd like to check out Papaver Design's exclusive handmade range, have a look at my Etsy store. I think you'll like what you find.


Thanks Poppy! If you'd like to contact Poppy or see how brilliant her work is for yourself, you can use the details below:

No. 07502332329
mail@papaver-designs.co.uk
papaver-designs.co.uk (currently having a makeover)
poppylee.blogspot.com
facebook.com/PapaverDesigns
http://pinterest.com/papaverdesigns

If you'd like to find out how The Cool Rule Company can transform the life you share with your toddler, skip on over to our website, thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Birthday Blog Post No. 1

A Word from the Chillipeeps Lady!

Today is the first in our special series of blog posts to help celebrate the first year of The Cool Rule Company. Claire Mitchell from Chillipeeps has been kind enough to take time to write a few words and show you why she has been such an inspiration to me during my first twelve months in business. Enjoy!

Hello, my name is Claire Mitchell and I am the Inventor of the multi-award winning Chillipeeps Teat.

Claire and the genius Chillipeeps teat

The Chillipeeps teat attaches directly to cartons of ready-made formula and Volvic and Evian water bottles. We also have a Sterilised Teat and are about to launch the Chillipeeps Spouts for 6m+.
We now trade globally and have huge plans for the future to create a real difference for our babies.

The teat and the spout in action

It all began with a real ‘Eureka!’ moment when we had just set off late to a family party with our beautiful baby daughter. I knew I had cartons of ready-made formula in the car but I couldn’t remember if I’d picked up the clean sterilised bottle which I’d painstakingly prepared. I asked my husband if he’d picked it up, he hadn't and tried to convince me I definitely would have. So whilst I made him rummage through the baby bag to check, I ranted ‘Why hasn’t anyone invented a teat that can directly attach to the carton?’ It turned out I had picked up the bottle and off we went to the party.

Six hours later when the party was over and we got into the car, I told Rob I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Rob had already forgotten. ‘Why hasn’t anyone invented a teat that attaches directly to the cartons?’ We discussed it all the way home and after a little bit of research online, realised we may have come up with a good idea.

The result of that 'Eureka!' moment

I contacted Peter Jones from Dragons Den that evening and asked him to get in touch. His automated email response gave me the first steps of advice to contact the Patent Office and from there Chillipeeps was born. Genius!

I first met Abi and her funky Cool Rule Company at a local baby and toddler show, where I had gone to give away some Chillipeeps Teats and Abi had a stand. I was immediately drawn to see what she was up to. The branding was so vibrant and intrigued me as to what it was.

The branding that captured Claire's attention

Once Abi showed me the concept of The Cool Rule Book and her reward charts, I loved it. Having a little one myself, I just got it. I quizzed Abi a bit about what her plans were for the future and taking it to a larger audience and offered her my business card. Abi didn’t contact me straight away, which was a good thing as in the meantime I became a Mums Club Top 100 Business woman and within the 100 found a fabulous contact for Abi.

The Cool Rule Book for parents & toddlers

I hoped Abi would make contact one day and I’d have the opportunity to introduce them. Abi did finally get in touch and I gave her the belief and confidence to think big and I introduced her to my special contact, the Dodo Pad founder Rebecca. Fate works in fabulous ways and Rebecca was a perfect contact for Abi, to advise her on moving to a bigger stage.


Thanks so much Claire . . . it's been great to hear from you. And thank you for all your help and support to get The Cool Rule Company where it is today!

The next blog post is from a very talented paper artist, Poppy Lee. Check it out on Monday 8th July!

If you want to follow Claire and her Chillipeeps journey, use these links:

chillipeeps.com
Facebook.com/ChillipeepsTeats
Twitter.com/Chillipeeps

To find out what The Cool Rule Company can do for you and your toddler, visit thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

Happy Birthday to Us!

Well, The Cool Rule Company has made it to its first birthday! It started smiling months ago, it's finally sleeping through the night, has had a good few teething problems but hey, it's just about on its feet and making its own way in the world! Next thing I know, it'll be a toddler.

Any excuse for cake

This time last year I was pulling all the strands of my genius business idea together. The Cool Rule Book trial was done and dusted (with brilliant feedback, of course), the final draft was being lovingly printed and bound, the blog was up and running and the website was coming along nicely. There was only one thing left to do . . . register with the Inland Revenue.

That landmark call was made one dark, thundery afternoon whilst Little Tot was sleeping and Big Tot was at school. I gave my details to the lovely man on the other end of the phone and waited for his heartfelt congratulations. So I was most disappointed when he just asked me if I'd partake in a telephone satisfaction survey. Satisfied? No I bloody wasn't! Didn't he know the hours of toil I'd put in to get to this momentous day?

Luckily most other people I've met since then have been a tad more supportive. I've met some amazing parents trying to be the best mums and dads they possibly can be. I've been lucky enough to have the help of some brilliant business mentors, who have been so generous with their time and advice. And the number of talented, motivated, creative businesswomen I have met has astounded me. I mean, they're everywhere. You're probably sitting on one right now.

Me with the infamous Big Tot and my mentor, Anne

 

 

 

 

Maybe it's a sign of the times but it seems that women today are totally going for it. The women I've met over this year, through mummy-type-networks and right-on-women-type-networks, are calling on their creative powers to get that work-life balance right. What they don't know about combining family, work, health and wellbeing is, quite frankly, not worth knowing. And the important thing is, it's a path they've forged themselves.

I'll put my hands up and honestly say I am still forging my path. I know exactly where I want to be (cue the gentle rolling of waves, rays of sunshine, palm trees swishing etc etc) but the path to get there, considering I'm carrying two unruly Tots, a grumpy hubby and a stack of self-help books, can sometimes get a bit rocky.

I could Cool Rule on a beach

And that's why meeting all these amazing people over the last twelve months has been so inspiring. Yes, their businesses are important. And yes, some of them have some truly magnificent products and services out there. But they're also just normal women, trying to make it all work.

So I've had a brainwave. Let's bring them all together to spread the Cool Rule love. I've asked all of them to write a few words about their businesses throughout our birthday month of July. So, if you want to find out about some fantastic services, some genius products and perhaps get a few pearls of womanly wisdom then this is the place to be.

Go well,

Abi
xxx

Officially a Toddler

For four days now I have been treading very carefully. Listening carefully. Watching carefully. And waiting, with baited breath, for the inevitable to happen. The transformation should occur any day now. It's only a matter of time.

Big Tot and I talk about it constantly. We watch and we wait and I tell him that his own transformation occurred early. He insists this is because he eats up his vegetables (yellow pepper only) and does regular exercise (bum-wiggling) but I suggest it may just be because he was born with the temperament of an angry wasp. His progression from baby to toddler was monumental, as I remember from the black eye he gave me on the morning of his 2nd birthday.

The Terrible Twos

But Little Tot seems to be stumbling aimlessly into Toddlerdom rather than using the confident strides of his older brother. His 2nd birthday party came and went and although he was utterly dismayed by the parcels and cards shoved in his face, and appalled by the prospect of sharing his toys with guests at his party his preferred coping mechanism was 'Retreat and Regroup'. Regrouping with me, of course. For snotty kisses and teary cuddles.

And I'm not going to lie. Little Tot is more than partial to flinging himself on the floor in protest at having to leave the park / not being bought every toy he desires / being put back into bed for the forty-seventh time. But the flinging and the crying and the screaming seem to be over pretty quickly. Now there are two questions that spring to mind here. Are the tantrums truly shorter than the ones I observed in his brother or have I simply adjusted my tantrum-o-meter levels in order to cope this time round?

Little Tot is at that awkward age when he is slightly too young for The Cool Rule Book but old enough to understand most of my instructions. So I thought I'd give the naughty spot a pop. And, inevitably, the time came round when Little Tot bashed Big Tot hard on the head with a toy, not once but twice (with a very clear warning in between) and so I led him to the famous green plastic stool in the corner of our living room. "Hitting your brother was very wrong and now I want you stay here until I come to get you."

The famous Naughty Spot

On that note I quickly ushered Big Tot into the kitchen and briefed him on our game plan. "Ok, your brother is probably going to get off the naughty spot lots of times now because we've never done it before and he doesn't really understand what he has to do."

"Not like me Mummy."

"No, not like you."

"Yes, because I've been on there lots of times before haven't I? How many times do you think? Maybe ten? Maybe thirty? Maybe three billion squillion?"

"Sweetheart, that's not the point right now. What I'm trying to tell you is that you have a very important job to do . . . "

"Ooh, what is it? Do I have to wash the car? Can I wash the car? I think it needs washing because there's a big massive huge bird poo down the side and . . "

"No, no, no, it's nothing to do with bird poos or cars! I need you to not talk to your brother. Not look at him. Not play with him. Not say anything to him at all ok?"

"Oh, is that all? That's easy. That's boring. Then can I do a better job after that? Then can I get the bird poo off the car? And Mummy?"

"Yes? What?"

"What's my brother doing now?"

"Oh God! I don't know!" And with Big Tot's annoyingly sensible prompting I dashed back through to the living room, just knowing I'd see a very vacant naughty spot and probably a trail of destruction in its wake. Broken toys. Torn up books. Decapitated teddies.

But there he was. Bottom lip still trembling. Still sitting, very obediently, on the naughty spot. Well have you ever?

My quick mental calculations told me that the time spent discussing bird poo with Big Tot in the kitchen probably added up to the required two minutes that Little Tot needed to be detained. So I knelt in front of him, explained again why he was there and said I'd like a kiss and a cuddle and for him to say sorry. I waited for a slap in the face, a screaming fit or the hurling of the naughty step at my head (all of which I have experienced with Big Tot, by the way) but instead he threw himself into my arms, smeared snot all over my lips (which I like to assume was a kiss) and squeaked "'Orry" in Big Tot's general direction.

After that we were all exhausted and it was time for a bit of CBeebies. Oh how I regularly thank the universe for Mr Bloom and his band of root vegetables.

Mr Bloom, you are a godsend

So now that Little Tot is officially a toddler, I guess I need to prepare myself for anything he throws at me. I am safe in the knowledge that I can handle tantrums of a wild and unruly nature thanks to the previous efforts of his big brother. But will I be able to handle the wobbling of that adorable bottom lip? Only time will tell.

Go well,

Abi



To find out how The Cool Rule Book or the rest of the Cool Rule range can help you and your toddler, visit www.thecoolrulecompany.co.uk

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