My Britmums Live! Sponsor: Orchard Toys

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Today I'll be attending the Britmums Live! blogging conference in London, very kindly sponsored by Orchard Toys.

For those who regularly read my blog, or for those who occasionally saunter over here, you'll have noticed that I review a lot of puzzles and games from Orchard Toys. And every single one of those reviews is glowing, for three reasons:

  • they're bright and colourful, fun and engaging;
  • there is always an educational aspect which doesn't overshadow the fun factor;
  • The Boy loves them.

Now when I say I have a lot of them; I'm not actually joking:

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This collection has been built up over several years from review products, those scavenged at nearly new sales, and bought for The Boy's birthday and Christmas presents. We play one a day at least and The Boy alternates between them as to which his favourite is; at the moment it's 'What's Rubbish?', last week it was 'Baa Baa', and we're taking 'Shopping List' with us this weekend to Britmums Live! Even we have favourites; mine is 'Round and Round' and Mr. TBaM is 'What a Performance'.

My 'love affair' with Orchard Toys started many years ago, long before I had The Boy. I was visiting an ex-colleague and her two year old daughter who wanted me to play a game with her which involved rolling a dice to collect up different ingredients to make an ice-cream sundae. That was an Orchard Toys game (long since retired) and I made a mental note of the company for use with my own child. Little did I realised I'd be trying to collect every game they make, ten years later!

So who are Orchard Toys?

Orchard Toys are a British company located in Norfolk with a purpose built factory and office complex; meaning a low-carbon foot print and employment stays within the country. In addition, they also create new products from their own ideas using its team of in-house designers. Manufacture of components is subcontracted to a UK supplier base, some of whom have supplied the company throughout its history. They are also made from 75% recycled materials.

A leading manufacturer of educational puzzles and games for children aged between 18 months and 10 years, Orchard Toys has a reputation for excellence of design, manufacture and service. I'd be very surprised if most homes don't have at least one of their games or puzzles! Established in 1971 by Keith Harvey (who remains a director today), the company has stayed in the family passing down to the next generation.

Orchard Toys award-winning products are all designed with the ethos of “learning made fun” and combine bright, innovative design, durability and quality with sound educational principles. They completely support the Foundation Phase ethos of learning through play, and that's why as a teacher as well as a mum, I know how much they benefit The Boy's learning.

This is why I'm so very proud to be sponsored by Orchard Toys to attend Britmums Live!

If you could spare two minutes to nip over to the Loved By Parents awards site, Orchard Toys have been shortlisted in the Best Activity Toy 3-6 yrs category and the Best Board Game or Jigsaw category for the fabulous 'Old Macdonald Lotto' and they'd love a vote from you please!

I'm Going to Britmums Live!

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Name:

I could tell you but that would kind of screw with the anonymity wouldn't it?

Blog:

Well you're here so presumably you know that then?

Twitter ID:

@TheBoyandMe

Height:

5'10" or 9". It does depend on how weary I'm feeling.

Hair:

Long highlighted blonde.

Eyes:

Normally red because I go to bed too late and wake up too early. If I had slept properly then they'd be a kind of grey/green/blue colour.

Is this your first blogging conference?

Nope, I went to Britmums Live! last year as well. I've also been to the Tots100 Christmas weekend and a Butlin's Ambassadors' weekend.

Are you attending both days?

Well I'm not going all that way for half an hour! Many thanks to my awesome sponsor Orchard Toys for allowing me to go this year. I couldn't be more proud to represent them, they're perfect for me.

What are you most looking forward to at BritMums Live 2013?

Seeing my blogging and twitter friends, catching up with them for more than an hour, meeting new people, building relationships with new brands, learning a bit in the sessions, stalking Kirstie Allsopp and hearing the woman from T.K.Maxx try and persuade me to wear a dress again.

What are you wearing?

I have no idea yet! Smarter on the Friday, but still casual. My Birkenstocks on the Saturday with comfy stuff! No-one cares what anyone wears anyway.

What do you hope to gain from BritMums Live 2013?

Chat to my friends, all of them. My biggest regret from last year is not talking to Kerry more; sitting in the T.K.Maxx lounge with her was the last time I saw her. And I miss her.

Tell us one thing about you that not everyone knows:

MY NAME! Mwha ha ha! But it's not going to happen!

Ok, something more serious? Um… nope I got nothing.

photo

I'm linking up to the 'Britmums: I'm going to Britmums Live!' linky.

What I Learnt At #BritMumsLive 2012

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Last year I decided that I didn't want to go to CyberMummy as, on the surface, it seemed too much like an INSET day for me. When it came to a month beforehand, I suddenly realised what I would be missing out on and decided that 2012 was the year that I would be going. And so on Friday morning with my husband and son in tow, along with our suitcase and bedguard (!), we set off on the train to London.

I had an amazing weekend; meeting new and old friends, learning ways to improve my blog (mainly thanks to Julie Hall's sessions) and remembering how to be me again. Way too many things happened for me to blog it all but I will give a run-down of the things that were most relevant, informative and interesting for me. Basically, what I learnt:

  • It didn't matter I was wearing because no-one cared. Honestly. I think most people went with the philosophy of not having baby sick, toddler snot or ground-in Weetabix on them, and by and large it worked.
  • According to the TK Maxx woman, I need to wear dresses. I did try and let her down gently that it was never going to happen, but she refused to believe me. Poor deluded fool.
  • I didn't win the BiB Snap! award, but for the first time ever I didn't beat myself up about it. The celebratory atmosphere of all involved was so lovely that I genuinely didn't mind. Having got to the finals was reward enough for me.
  • Twitter avatars are deceptive. People you think will be tall (Her Melness, From Fun to Mum, and Kate Takes 5) are actually petite and perfectly formed. Completely took me by surprise. Likewise those that I thought would be smaller in stature were in fact joining me in the lofty heights (The Ana Mum Diary).
  • Jenny from Mummy Mishaps is a fantastic friend that I am lucky to have.
  • You need to take twice as big a clothing recepticle as you initially need. The quantity of goodies that you will leave with, will far surpass the available space in your luggage.
  • I have the attention span of a gnat and was only able to see out the end of two sessions (Accountancy & Design, and Crossing the Chasm). I ducked out halfway through others as they were either of no interest to me or I wanted to catch up with people.
  • Don't sigh out loud when the long-winded stage discussion is opened up to the floor. Especially when so many bloggers (about twenty-thirty in this case) can turn around and smile at you knowingly. And if you tweet about it, be prepared to be retweeted. Quite a bit.
  • I do want another baby. I blame Matilda from Edspire for this; she's too damned gorgeous. In fact, I cried when I held her. Who knew that would happen?
  • I need to label my pictures on my blog with keywords in order to increase my SEO chances. I should also use subheadings with the keyword.
  • Bloggers are genuinely nice people who care about each other and are supportive and friendly. I was especially pleased to get to meet bloggers who I've been chatting with for over a year, some for eighteen months (RedTedArt, Christine Mosler, Michelle TwinMum, Seasider Clare, Two Point Four Children, Missie Lizzie B, Mum On The Brink).
  • You can never have enough wetwipes (goody bag contents).
  • The Hoxton Hotel is not child-friendly and is an extremely expensive breakfast options (£32 for the three of us).
  • When Ruby Wax isn't trying to be funny, she's actually quite funny.
  • Sarah Brown is funny. And honest and humble, courageous and an amazing woman in her own right.
  • The man from Google+ is a very nice chap, but when he says that your personal Google+ profile will not be linked to your anonymous blog page in anyway, he is in fact, talking absolute bollocks. To clarify, Mr. TBaM did a search on me and the profile picture that came up was TheBoyandMe's. Not good for an anonymous blogger. I knew Google+ was evil.
  • London is a very nice place to visit occasionally, but there's no way I could live there.

I could talk about what I didn't enjoy but well, what would be the point in that? Enjoy the pictures!

[slickr-flickr tag='britmums2012']

Many thanks to Toyjeanius who sponsored my ticket to attend.

Getting Snappy!

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This morning, The Boy and I popped into Cardiff to pick up a few things. While we were settling down for a Starbucks and a cake, I checked my mobile phone and saw a text message from the marvellous MammyWoo:

"YOU'RE A FINALIST IN THE BIBS!!!! Me too!!! Wahoooooo congrats!!!"

Nearly dropping my frappucino and cinnamon swirl, I replied with words that I can't repeat on my blog. Thank goodness I was in Starbucks because I was able to use their free wi-fi and check twitter and the BritMums Brilliance in Blogging website; Mammy wasn't lying!

I haven't stopped smiling to myself all day, it is such an amazing feeling to get this far. To have been nominated by peers in the first place was overwhelming, to be shortlisted amongt nineteen other bloggers was astounding and humbling. But to have been shortlisted alongside seven others is just… wow!

Thank you to every single person who nominated me in the initial stages, and then voted for me at shortlist stage. Without your support, I wouldn't be here. It's all down to the judge Julia Boggio to decide which one of us is the Snap! winner for 2012. There is such great talent in the category, that just to be at this stage, then be there hearing my name read out amongst the other nominees on the awards night is reward enough.*

Thank you!

Snap Finalist

*Well, almost. Who wouldn't want to win?!

My BritMums Live Sponsor!

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A little while ago, I mentioned that I was lucky enough to be able to go to BritMums Live this year. Last year I made the decision that I wouldn't attend Cybermummy as I felt it would be too like an INSET day. However, that was a month or two into my blogging life, and by the time June came around, I was insanely jealous of anyone who went and hung off every tweet with the relevant hashtag. I made the decision there and then that come hell or high water I'd be going this year.

And I am.

And so is Mr. TheBoyandMe and The Boy.

Quite frankly the idea of two days and two nights away from them is too much to bear, and so I decided that I'd be taking them with me. On the Saturday, the boys can go and play at the Science Museum while I chat, socialise and get drunk network and develop my blogging ability with the creme de la creme of the blogging world. I can't wait to meet all of my twitter and blogging friends, some for the first time, some I'm friends with in the 'real world'.

I was discussing attending the conference with one of the lovely people that I have regularly reviewed for, who I consider a good friend. She asked me details about it and I explained the ethos behind it. It was at this point that she offered to sponsor me to attend! I very happily accepted sponsorship for the ticket, and would therefore like to present my BritMums Live sponsor:

I am so proud to be representing the best online toy shop that there is! Toyjeanius sells amazing wooden baby and toddler toys, traditional games and fabric role-play accessories that are second to none, items that you wouldn't find in the average high-street toy store. The Boy has always loved the toys that Jean has sent for him to review, be it threading cards from Djeco or the Pally Pirate Noah ship from I'm Toy. Jean is a friendly, caring and hardworking mum who is so interested and fascinated with quality children's toys that she set her own online shop up. I always have an image of her playing with the Haba foods in her kitchen!

So thanks to ToyJeanius, you'll be seeing me at BritMums Live! I may be sporting an owl costume to go with the usual green face and yellow antennae, but I'll be there!

Readers of this blog can gain a 10% discount at ToyJeanius through using the code 'TheBoyandMe' at the checkout!

(It's at this point that I'd like to highlight that I agreed to only accept sponsorship for the ticket; I didn't want to take advantage of Jean's generosity and friendship by having her pay for the hotel and transport fees for my entire family. That's why you've seen so many sponsored posts on here recently, writing those has paid for the other costs.)

We're Going To London…

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I'm very excited!

Before Christmas, I bought my ticket for the Britmums Live in London in June. Last year I had many lengthy discussions with other mums and bloggers on twitter about going to the equivalent conference held at the same time, but decided that it would be too much like an INSET day for me and therefore I didn't want to go. As it so happened, the closer it got to the big day, and the more twitter was completely and utterly taken over with plans surrounding Cybermummy, I became just that teensiest bit green about the hundreds of mummy bloggers going. It was made worse by the fact that I was having to attend the school Summer fayre and paint children's faces. As pink butterflies.

However, this year I am determined not to miss out again! So during a discussion with someone on twitter, they offered to sponsor me and bought my ticket for the blogging conference there and then. They offered to contribute towards my travel and hotel costs but I declined. I know! Foolishness? No, I don't think so at all. I won't be going there on my own you see, I will be accompanied by The Boy and Mr. TheBoyandMe. Friday to Sunday is a long time for me to be away from my boys and I don't honestly think I'd enjoy it as much as I should knowing that they're three hours and 150 miles away from me. Therefore we're turning it into a family weekend, hence paying for our own accommodation.

Doing it this way means that we'll be able to spend Sunday together as a family in London and show our (then) three year old son some of the sites which he will hopefully find exciting. Last Summer was filled with days out and weekend breaks away, one of which was to Cadbury World in Bourneville. I want this Summer to be filled with similar family days out and excursions, be it to the beach or our trip to London. I'm at a loss as to whether he will enjoy the London Eye or if that might be too chaotic for him? It might be better to go for a quieter (and cheaper) venue which he will enjoy, and will allow us to actually spend time relaxed in each other's company. Possibly one of the parks? I went to Kew Gardens in London on a school trip when I was a teenager and really enjoyed that, maybe it would be better as it is sited on the escape from central London back to the cooler and calmer climes of Cardiff?

It may only be January, but I'm starting to make preparations and get excited about our trip in June. I can't wait to see London again, it's been such a long time since we were last there. I'm just as excited about seeing all the other bloggers, but I'm possibly most jubilant that I won't be painting any pink butterflies that day!

And who is my sponsor? That's another blog-post.

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