So, it's Monday morning, bright and breezy (which is slightly odd for me...). I have been up since 6am packing off my first deliveries for today for Mother's Day on Sunday - all men clearly buying for their Mums, that's so sweet, and Mums will be so happy with all the beautiful handmade bath bombs and blasters coming their way!

Tonight I'm at Poplar Tree Garden Centre just South of Durham for a special evening shopping event - with Sunday coming up for last minute purchases. It looks a fantastic garden centre so I may well be tempted to do some shopping myself!

The rest of the week will involve updating my business plan and financials - I can't divulge why, but it's quite an exciting development - more news to come! I also need to be ordering my news ranges, get my new brochure sorted and start thinking about letting my wholesalers know of the new products we've got available from April - lots to do - but first of all, it's off to the day job to help others with their businesses!

Happy Monday!

Well that's simply ridiculous that we were so busy last autumn I never posted a blog after September!

So now it's 2012, a New Year with many plans for developing Giftinatin into its fourth year.

We now have 12 retailers stocking our GiftTins with reports of good sales over the Christmas period.

We've also launched our new Mens Grooming Tins which feature Jagger handmade best badger shaving brushes and handmade, natural organic shaving soap and face creams - a really amazing gift for the man in your life - a really fantastic shave, and beautiful products to heal and treat the skin. Of course they all come presented in our unique GiftTins which the man in your life can then throw all his bits and bobs in rather than leaving about the house!

So this yea we welcome Annette Roberts in Scotland who is visiting retailers and offering them the opportunity to retail GiftTins. If you're interested get in touch and I'll ask Annette to pop in.

In the next few months we'll also be setting away our Party Planning side of the business too. If you fancy it, or know of anyone who would like to work part time hours, loves gifts and would like to earn some commission, let me know!

We have now recovered from the all the Christmas fairs of 2011. This year we will be concentrating on mainly B2B sales - I may cave in a do a couple of local Christmas Fairs if the price is attractive and I can sleep in my own bed!

Now I am in my day job just three days a week, it leaves me four days a week to drive the business - so onwards and upwards campers, much to do, to source, to price, to deliver...Happy New Year!

Well, finally back from Autumn Fair at the NEC. It was a very busy five days, and my feet KILLED me throughout most of it (I have never stood on such a hard floor).

The launch of GIAT into the trade world was successfully completed, with buyers on the stand from many different sectors, and of all sizes from mutlinationals and even global chains, the independent gift shops, garden centres and other websites.

I was very happy to chat with them all and met some lovely people. We also had such positive feedback about the product and packaging, it was brilliant.

Our new Men's Gromming Tins are now also finalised, so we'll be getting them live in about fours weeks, ready for the Christmas rush and we're also looking into the CraftTins too.

So now it's back to dispatch the orders we took, and send invoices out, and email all those lovely folk who said they would like to buy from us and welcome them as new customers.

Well what an amazing day - a WHOLE day (yes a WHOLE day) off my day job. What a luxury to focus the mind on Giftinatin. There was the small matter of a job application for a new part time job....fingers crossed as it means I can have four days every week to focus on the business before launching myself completely into it 7 days a week.

So what have I done today....sounds like a line from Miranda...to make me feel good? I have written copy for a couple of ads; I've made a start on arranging my handheld terminal for October onwards; I've pid some money for my stand at Spirit of Christmas at Bluewater this year - very exciting.

I've also had conversations with NODA, a lovely association who we're putting together a great offer for their members and I've spoken to three new retailers of Giftinatin!

Busy busy...oh I almost forgot, I also hired a cleaner - the lovely Susan - she will be brilliant I am sure and make my life that little mush more ordered (she'd have to be a fairy to make it heaps more ordered!).

So now it must be knocking off time....I have a pile of papers to put in the lounge to work on this evening in front of the tv - lights to book for shows, plant kits to order, baby swaddles to order....we're almost ready for Christmas! Just need to get this brochure finalised and off to the wonderful Helen Mckenzie for a final tweak and print!

Have a great weekend everyone.

Geoff Ramm.com thanks very much for the inspiring presentation this morning. I now have some great new marketing ideas.

Taken delivery of our new vanilla and orange candles today - they smell AMAZING. So many people ask me for vanilla candles - and generally although I like vanilla, it often smells so synthetic...so our fantastic candle maker Helen at Northumbrian Candles has put together a vanilla and orange candle - first you get that sweet natural vanilla aroma and then the bright, fruity tones of range - beautiful. I am sure they will be really popular - just need to organise pics of these plus the other new Sandlewood fragrance soy candles too - quite popular with guys who like to freshen up their apartments, with a subtle, musky woody aroma, just so relaxing.

Delivered...thanks to my new Marketing Executive..260 table favours, colour co-ordinated, handwritten personal message, JesmonaBlack Bullets sweetie favours - they look great.

Hope Children North East's Sandcastle Ball is a great hit, I am sure it will be.

Anyone wanting table favours for weddings or parties, just let us know, we can provide anything for you - pick what you want in the bag, box or wrapped, we can add message on a tag, and colour co-ordinate ribbon or any other decorations.

They take a long time to do but they look brilliant on your tables, and they make lovely gifts to take away from an event - really popular for corporates too - treat your clients, or perhaps send them out as promotional gifts in small boxes.

Sandlewood candles being launched this weekend. Such a fantastic relaxing aroma, natural and woody - perfect for a man's gift too.

The we're on to looking at men's grooming kits because everyone keeps asking us about buying presents for men - yes I agree, it's really HARD...so we're going to have some new Tins with grooming kits, shaving kits etc - can't wait to launch them at Autumn Fair...so much to organise!