2B or not 2B.....

So, here it is, the My Baboo 2B collection

A selection of home wares

Designed 2B stylish

Designed 2B practical

I decided after Christmas to make a core group of items that can be mixed and matched and free from too much embellishment. The idea being I am more efficient at making them which is reflected in their price.

The 5 colours I have used also appear in the rest of my designs, making them a collection you can build from.

This week saw me exhibiting at Scotland's Trade Fair at the SECC in Glasgow. Its the first time I have sold wholesale to retailers and all I can say is it was certainly worth it.

I met some lovely people, both exhibitors and new stockists and you will shortly be able to find My Baboo across Scotland and into the North of England.

I have lots of lovely new photographs so please be patient whilst I get them onto my web site with prices etc (photos courtesy of Michael ferns)

Cant type for too long as I now have loads of orders to fulfill!!

Read All About it!

Oh how exciting, I've just picked up a copy of the Stirling Observer and the Milngavie and Bearsden Herald only to see my face and products staring out at me - I've made the news (for the right reasons)!

Out with the old and in with the new...

I'm starting to get really excited about the Trade Fair this weekend, our neighbours son Michael was over last night with his professional camera and we got lots of nice shots of my new products - even some action ones! I cant wait to see them so I can start to tinker and get them on my web site.

Above is a wee play with one of my own pictures of my new Baby Bootees, I must admit I quite like my photos to be 'clean' and almost graphical - it suits my style.

The next few days will be spent finishing off a couple of samples and getting price lists etc printed out. Being so focused has really helped my collection of work become more refined, the 'one offs' I used to make have been put on the back burner just now, I'll reserve them for special occasions and commissions.

I met Caireen last week for a coffee and it was great to just indulge ourselves in craft chat, what we were hoping to achieve this year and so on. I think it will be a good year for a lot of people I know. The sense of the unknown coupled with the freedom of being in charge of your own destiny should make for some interesting reading over the next 11 months.

This year seems to be one for trying new things, and having the confidence to do it.


I've just added this pic to the post, can you see what it is? I sent it to Caireen as it remided me of her love of patchwork.

Two sheep walk into a baaaaar....

The barman says "What would ewe like"

Here's the Baboo Sheep tea and coffee cosy. The best word I can find to describe them is 'glaikit' - a good Scottish word meaning 'silly' and 'vacant'. One on-line dictionary also lists 'glazed expression' as a meaning. I defy anyone who gets up on the wrong side of the bed not to smile when they see these faces in the morning.

Here's a good tip for those of you who worry about copyright and how to prove a design is yours. Once you have completed your design, take a photograph of it and write a brief description, including what materials you have used, date and sign it etc. Pop it in an envelope and send it to yourself. When you get the letter, don't open it - keep it on file. If you ever have a dispute you will have a franked sealed envelope which can prove the date you designed that particular item. A simple, cheap method that can help to prove a design is yours!

I'm just about sorted with all my samples, only a few bits and bobs to finish off. Next week I will be focusing on price lists and paper work for the trade show. What I really need to get my head round is how much I can physically make. What if I have to turn orders down?

One range I have developed has made me focus on how I am making things, how I can make products that are affordable to the buyer and profitable to the seller. It will be interesting to see how well it does. (don't worry, pictures soon!)

I've taken the view that if I don't get orders for things because of cost, at least I can sell them myself at a more affordable price as you aren't having to pay for the 'middle man'. It will be interesting to see what the trading public will consider to be my best sellers.

Crikey, its amazing how you change your attitude to business when you have to make a living from it!

I'm off to do a bit of hand knitting from the comfort of my sofa.

Have a good weekend!

Do It Youself

Here is a picture of 'Wussell Wabbit' by Pennie from Horam, East Sussex knitted last week from a My Baboo Baby Bunny Knitting Kit. I love the way she has him sitting.

I put together some kits last year and they have proved very popular so I am going to expand my range, and have two new kits to launch at the end of the month.

I've also been busy with a few other new designs and am just waiting for some decent weather and light so I can photograph them properly (or as best as I can). I mentioned many posts ago about my Sheep tea and coffee cosies. I have made lots, but they sold before I had the chance to take any photographs. So now I have two sitting looking up at me ready for some action - come back soon for some pics.

I received some beautiful 4ply Shetland wool from my husbands great aunt who has just celebrated her 65th wedding anniversary! She was having a clear out and though of me - so kind. The wool is beautiful shades of light green, grey and a dark blue. I'm racking my brains what to make with it but I think it will be probably be a garment for myself.

Having Scotland's Trade Fair at the end of this month has really made me focus on my business. It's good to feel sort of organised so early on in the year. Here's hoping the orders roll in.....

Oh Happy Days

I'm feeling pretty darn pleased with myself today, here's why:

1: I've had my first Etsy sale- yipee!
2: I've managed to obtain three pretty swish display 'things' for the 2009 Country Living Christmas fair - all for the price of £0.00 (its a secret, you'll have to wait till November to find out)
3: I popped into Ikea today to have a look at shelving for my display at Scotlands Trade Fair at the end of the month. I needed something easy to put up/ take down and the particular unit I had my eye on looked like it would do the job. Lucky me when I found one in their Bargain Corner, ex display. I bartered a little more and got 53% off!!! A few small cosmetic scrapes, but a strategically placed tea cosy will soon cover them up.

Motto for today - if you don't ask you don't get.


So a good day for the wallet and an even better day for getting organised. I also listened to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 on the way home about starting a business during the credit crunch. Lots of people calling in with their new business ideas were saying that starting up at this time will stand them in good stead for the future. If the next couple of years are going to be as bad as it gets for a long time that can only mean the future is bright. (my thoughts exactly)

Happy Days indeed!

Oh by the way I have been a bit sneaky - the '4th year student' is in his fourth year of life and is currently studying at Balfron Nursery - it was my boy that did the drawing - although it does look more exciting than anything I ever came up with during my uni years! Sorry for fooling you.

Straight lines and shadows

I use a free 3D modeling package called Sketchup (by Google) for architecture and stand design. Its great for visualising concepts and the better you get the more realistic the image gets.

Above is a students 4th year architectural model - what do you think it represents?

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful festive break. Ours was filled with Santa and wrapping paper, food, friends and the occasional sip of wine.

I always hate how it feels so 'over' especially when we took our Christmas tree down, the living room looks so bare now.

So a new year is upon us and I have hit the ground running. I've cleaned out all my cupboards, made a start on putting down a new floor in the bathroom and have even bought wallpaper for the dining room (eco paper from B&Q - I'm quite impressed)

We have made a 'to do' list for the house, most of which have been carried over from last year, a lot of which have the word 'paint' in the sentence. Since I am the DIYer in the house, it looks like the majority of the tasks will fall to me, so expect them to be be on the 2010 list!



Business wise I have created a few new designs in preparation for Scotlands Trade Fair (the SECC) at the end of the month. I quickly realised by mid December that I wouldn't have the high of Christmas sales every month of the year so I have decided to try and get more stockists to get my products out there and hopefully become more established in my first real year of trading.

I've had my stand position confirmed for the Country Living Christmas Fair 2009 so I can start to plan for that also. Coupled with the fact our son starts school in August I will have lots more free time to dedicate to building up stock.

It's hard to describe how excited I am by this year. I was on a bit of a honeymoon period after I gave up work last year so I really need to get stuck in.

To start off a gentile reminder of my Love Heart knitting kits, buy now and you could have it finished in plenty of time for Valentines Day. I'm also making some up myself and will be putting them in boxes if you don't fancy the hard work of knitting.

Also just to confirm that my e-mail address is info@my-baboo.co.uk. Please be careful and remember to include the '-' to ensure any mail gets to me.

So many ideas, so little time to type.....see you soon!