The Day has arrived!!!

In just a few short hours the Harpenden Public Halls will be buzzing with boxes and bags and stall holders setting up for the Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre TODAY.

The fun starts at 9.30am until noon, be sure to pop in for a visit, there's going to be soooooo many fab sellers there, unfortunately we haven't had a chance to post spotlights on them all but we will do a few catch-up posts after the fayre, so do check back!

We are also giving away a wonderful hamper full of goodies from the 'More Than a Mama' team, all you need to do is enter our free prize draw and you could be a winner - yay!

Well, we must get on and start loading up - hope to see you later.

Love

(very excited)

x

spotlight on Waste Not Want Not

Well, you may not expect to find reclaimed and revamped furniture at a Baby Show, however, Waste Not Want Not, would safely come under the 'Beyond' banner, something special just for YOU and your home. Treat yourself to a unique, one of a kind piece all of which have seen lots of TLC and have been given a new lease of life by busy mum, Annie Finlayson.











Annie used to sell beautiful jewellery from India, but having recently returned from living in India and becoming a one parent family she was no longer able to sustain selling jewellery as it was practically impossible to do so without travelling there to source out new stock.


She needed to find a way to keep busy and also to make money! The answer was under her nose.....having no more room in her house to contain all her treasures found at markets and car-boot sales, she realised there was a niche in the market when friends always admired her many finds and began asking her to seek out treasures for them too.




Not only that but, on a more serious note, living in India Annie found herself exposed to extreme poverty, some of which, no matter how often she saw it, she never got used to. Annie says, "We live in an extremely wasteful society and although its becoming more fashionable to repair or restore things its still not fashionable enough! I also appreciate that not everyone has the time to do this so, hopefully I'm the next best thing and have done it for you instead! Basically I'm really into recycling and found it amazing what you can find and the enjoyment I get from giving tired old things a second chance!".




So, if you are seeking out a special piece for your home be sure to come and visit Annie at her stall to take a look at her wonderfully restored and beautiful furniture. In the meantime, you can contact Annie via email at nottowaste@gmail.com.




Love




x

spotlight on Mother Nurture

Mother Nurture is all about antenatal education for birth and the early days of parenthood. Registered midwife and Hertfordshire mum, Tracey McGrath, offers groups classes or individual sessions.

Tracey recently took a position at the Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust, based on delivery suite, Tracey says, "it's a very fulfilling place to work. The one thing that is more apparent to me having worked for the last year soley on delivery suite is how unprepared both physically and psychologically many women are for the realities and wonder of child birth. This both saddens and worries me."

So, why Mother Nurture?

Tracey continues, "Quite simply, I strongly believe in the value of preparation for birth and parenthood and I thoroughly enjoy supporting women and families during the birth and into the early days and weeks with their newborn. I welcome the opportunity to do these things with local women and families in Hertfordshire."

Mother Nurture offers the chance of building a trusting relationship with a health care professional who can offer evidence based support during your pregnancy, birth, whilst you establish breastfeeding and with general baby care. Sessions can be flexible and are aimed at meeting your individual needs during this very special time.

Come and meet Tracey at the Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre and feel free to talk to her, she would love to meet you.

You can contact Tracey in the meantime via email at tracey@mothernurture.co.uk and visit her online site at http://www.mothernurture.co.uk/.

Love

x

spotlight on Katy Leigh

Meet Katy Leigh, artist and illustrator. As a busy mum of 2 little girls, aged 1 and 4, she produces wonderfully imaginative illustrations which are available as prints, cards and ceramics.

With cute birdies, elephants and lions, each piece of work is original and unique. When purchasing one of her hand painted range you can also be assured of owning a one of a kind piece, which can be tailor made to incorporate different hair and eye colour, Katy is very happy to receive custom orders.


You can contact Katy via email at katy.leigh@yahoo.co.uk and come see her on Thursday at the Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre! She will be unveiling a new range so make sure you are one of the first to oooo and ahhhhh over them!



Love


x

spotlight on poppyart

Ever since watching her mum sewing at the kitchen table, Bridget, from poppyart has shown an interest in fabrics and crafts. Bridget loves retro colours and old-style embroidery and anything bold and handmade really. This shows in her own fabulous creations.







Bridget regularly runs a stall at a local flea market selling her wonderful wares but wanted to expand her customer base, so opening a shop on folksy seemed just the thing!





Bridget says, "I work in my spare time whilst caring for my two boisterous toddlers, so some times I'm much more productive than others! I love to sew and create unique items from home. I get very excited by interesting and unusual fabrics, as well as quirky design details."




Bridget also accepts custom orders and can personalise her lovely items too. Come and visit poppyart at the Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre next Thurs at Harpenden Public Halls from 09.30am till noon. You can contact poppyart at bridget@poppyart.co.uk, visit her website or her shop on folksy and you can even read the poppyart blog too!

love



x

Spotlight on people will always need plates....

People wil always need plates is the creation of Hannah Dipper and Robin Farquhar. Launched in 2004, they aim to use high quality, low volume batch production to create witty, thoughtful and stylish products as a direct antithesis to the current proliferation of cheap, throwaway design.

In keeping with their credo that good design should be used and enjoyed, treasured and shared, Hannah and Robin try to develop products that, while diverse in style and application, always retain the fundamental values of functionality and beauty.

Given their varied backgrounds (Hannah is an ex-RCA ceramist and has extensive industrial ceramics experience as well as work for Conran & Partners, while Robin, having studied industrial design at Brunel has spent most of his working life in exhibition and interior design agencies) they can offer a complete product, graphic, exhibition and interior design service alongside their core range and commissioned wares.

Trellick Tower

Erno Goldfinger's Brutalist masterpiece has captured the imagination of many a Londoner, us included, so we are celebrating this concrete edifice with a limited edition of our ever popular Trellick Tower dinner plates and mugs.

1930s Modernist Seaside Villas

As a companion set to the 1930s Modernist London Homes, this set of English bone china plates and mugs illustrates the minimal beauty of white-rendered pre-war modern masterpieces around Britain's coastline. There are four images available and in keeping with the tradition of collectible plates each image is a limited edition. While they look super hanging on the wall, the plates are all dishwasher and microwave safe and suitable for food use.

Trellick Tower shopper

For more information about the services and products Hannah and Robin can provide, you can contact them by email website too. Come vist their stall at our Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre on Thursday 24th September at Harpenden Public Halls. Doors open at 9.30am and there is no admission charge.

Love

x

Spotlight on Heartfelt Handmade....

Hairclip Holder

Quirky felty fun is the name of the game for Heartfelt Handmade's Marie Kitchen. Many of Marie's creations are made with children in mind and she is highly inspired by her own two little girls, aged 3 and 5 (and a half - very important!). This hair clip holder is a real girly favourite. The long ribbons are for attaching the hair clips to and there is a big square pocket (behind the cute face) for placing the hair bands and bobbles - what a fantastic idea!

Tooth Monster Gang

Do you happen to know a wobbly toothed child? How about one of Heartfelt Handmade's cute Tooth Monsters? Made in the shape of a tooth, of course, with a pocket for an eye - somewhere to place the tiny tooth which doubles up as somewhere for the tooth fairy to place the cash or treat!

Girly Tooth Monster

These are such fun and you can hang them from a bedpost, a wall peg or a door handle - all without the worry of said tooth going astray or of waking up your sleeping, gap-toothed angel!

Marie also makes a Sleep Monster version, with a similar idea in mind. If your little one has trouble sleeping through the night and staying in their own bed and you have tried EVERYTHING, why not give the Sleep Monster a go? Obviously Marie cannot guarantee it will work (if only) but if the child sleeps through or stays in their beds maybe the Sleep Fairy will bring a special treat to the clever child....... honestly, it's worth trying anything for an uninterrupted night!

Hearts Name Banner

Stars Name Banner

Marie also makes custom-made name banners and will be taking orders for these at the fayre. They come in hearts, stars and *NEW* cupcake designs and can be made in pretty much any colour/s to match in with your bedroom decor. If you fancy giving one of these unique and gorgeous garlands as a Christmas gift please note the last order date for Christmas is the 1st November.

Cupcake name banner

If you fancy a bit of Halloween fun, Heartfelt Handmade will have a selection of decorations, finger puppets, badges, spiders and banners too.

Hanging friendly spiders

Spider Finger Puppet

BOO Bat Banner

Don't forget a treat for yourself too! How about a colourful flower corsage? These look great on a winter coat or sweater, no doubt we will be getting those out all too soon.

Flower Corsage Brooches

Or maybe a scrummy yummy cupcake magnet?

So many lovely creations and Marie makes everything by hand, she draws the design, makes a template and cuts everything by hand! Then she sews it by hand with such care and attention to detail. Not only that but she uses mostly eco-felt, made from recycled plastic bottles! Crazy eh?

Make sure you visit Heartfelt Handmade's colourful and quirky stall at the Harpenden Bumps, Babes & Beyond Fayre on Thursday 24th Sept from 9.30am till noon. In the meantime you can see more of Marie's creations here and have a read of her fab Blog too. You can contact Heartfelt Handmade via email at info@heartfelthandmade.com.

Love

x