I would like to say I have been really busy and that is why this blog hasn’t been updated recently and largely that is true.  So much has been happening both with Coochie Cou and my other ventures but I really do need to keep you all updated!  In case I ‘forget’ to renew this blog why not join us on facebook, we have a fan page and group as well and do try hard to keep that up to date.

Anyway, back to what has been going on.  We are well underway with plans for Middlesbrough Baby Fair following the success of Northallerton in November.  Middlesbrough baby fair is going to be a celebration of mothers to tie in with Mothering Sunday on 14th March and so we are looking for any businesses that can provide a pampering treatment or some samples for the goody bags.  Please get in touch if you can help.  We have three fantastic event sponsors in Raring 2 Go, Waterbabies and Baby Brite as well as lovely exhibitors booked in – we still have some spaces so it’s not too late to get in touch.  We have the lovely Anita attending from Huckleberries who will be doing facepainting and balloon models on the day as well as a demonstration of her party entertaining (I can personally recommend her!)

We have also added another new event this year.  Darlington Baby Fair will be held in the Dolphin Centre on 30th May.  We will be bringing all the fun and shopping opportunities to Darlington so put the date in your diary now and keep checking the website for more details of who will be exhibiting on the day.

I have just received the pic that was taken when I called in to the SCBU at the Friarage to donate the money raised from Northallerton Baby Fair – I hate seeing photos of myself but I have added it to the press page on the website.

So, it is all fun here at the moment with goody bag inserts and advertising bookings coming in along with the exhibitor bookings – please contact me if you want to be part of it all!

I can’t quite believe how quickly the past 8 weeks have gone.  I am now in the final preparation stage for Ripon Mothers Market and despite a few hiccups in the last week things are back on track and going well.  We have around 20 wonderful exhibitors – all mum run businesses from the region – and we have handed out almost all of our 10,000 leaflets advertising the event.  I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed arranging this event, even the sleepless nights with a head filled with ideas, and I am now looking forward to meeting all the inspirational business mums on Tuesday.  If you are near Ripon Racecourse please pop in and say hello and perhaps make a start on your Christmas shopping?

If you want to take part in Business Mum Week (which kicks off today with a fantastic conference in Birmingham) then check out the website for events in your area.

Can you believe it is now less than 8 weeks until our Mothers Market launch event at Ripon Racecourse?  We are all getting very excited at Coochie Cou and the marketing planning is at full pelt.  We are still getting bookings through for this exciting event as local businesses recognise the value in supporting each other, networking and working together to inspire other entrepreneurs looking for a way to earn some extra money and break the routine of employment.

We have a provisional deadline of the end of August for accepting bookings but don’t worry if you still want to come after this date, provided there are still spaces available we won’t turn you away.  Please don’t leave it late though as we have lots of enquiries every day.  If you have suggestions of places to hold our future Mothers Markets please feel free to tell us, we want these to be regular events throughout the year.

We are thrilled that Make an Impression, a baby fingerprinting and casting company, have agreed to become sponsors of both Northallerton and Middlesbrough Baby Fairs.  The company produce lasting keepsakes of your baby as either jewellery using a fingerprint or castings of hands and feet.  The results are gorgeous and can be given as a gift or kept for yourself.  We are really looking forward to seeing examples of their work!

With the launch of Business Mums Week (5th to 11th October) we can now confirm that our Mothers Market launch event will be part of this national campaign to showcase the growing band of mumpreneurs in the UK.  Business Mums Week will have a series of events up and down the country, all aimed to promote networking between mum run businesses and to inspire and encourage all those mums wondering if they can really manage to run a business and a family at the same time.

Ripon Mothers Market will give businesses in North Yorkshire a great networking opportunity as well as being able to showcase their talents to customers on the day.  We still have some exhibition space left so please register your interest in what is sure to be a fantastic day to sell, network and inspire!

With Middlesbrough Baby Fair being quite a way off yet it is a little on the back burner planning wise.  We have the venue arranged, and are happy to take bookings from exhibitors.  We are particularly looking for a professional baby photographer who would be interested in our photography sponsorship deal.  We do have some provisional bookings already from Barefoot Books, Talking Tots, Rhythm Time, Phoenix Trading, Jamie at Home and Signing Tots, and our facepainter has agreed to cover this event for us too.

So what else is there to sort out?  Well we will be making some special Mothers Day goody bags up and we are also looking to have someone do a pamper treatment or two for our mums/mums to be on the day, so it must be pregnancy safe.  Maybe a manicure or makeover?  Anything that will spoil our mum visitors.

We are also on the lookout for companies interested in sponsoring this show.  With such a dense urban area we expect a fantastic turnout for this event so it would be an excellent chance to get your brand out there.  Don’t forget we will be producing at least 20,000 flyers and posters which will be sent all around the region to attract visitors.

Nearer the time we will be working harder on this event, to keep updated with everything going on please subscribe to our newsletter through the main baby fair site.

The bookings are starting to come in and the grand plan for our first baby fair is in place.  We already have Waterbabies confirmed and have provisional bookings from Forever Living Products, Nappy Love and Phoenix Traders, with class demonstrations of baby massage, sing and sign and dance class.  We also have a facepainter booked in for the children for the day.

We have an offer of samples from Lansinoh and will be approaching the special care baby unit of the local hospital to be the beneficiary of our charity raffle on the day.

So what are we looking for?  Well, apart from more confirmed bookings, we really need raffle prizes, more goody bag samples and more a Santa!  If you are able to help with any of these please get in touch.  We are still looking for show sponsors too – it is an excellent package which will get your company right under the noses of the people in North Yorkshire.

Ok so this is mainly to put something on the page before I go to bed, so here goes.  Coochie Cou is my project to make baby fairs more accessible for small business owners like myself.  I find that a lot of the bigger baby fairs are now getting so expensive to exhibit at that I cannot justify spending that much on one event.  There is a breed of determined business mums up and down the country now organising smaller and more affordable baby fairs in town centres so they are more accessible to exhibitors and visitors alike.  Coochie Cou is the company bringing them to North Yorkshire and Teesside.

While I am working on the blog please visit the main website for more information, or follow us on twitter