Getting ready for the Cambridge Business Mums

I am getting really excited as I am off to Cambridge this weekend to enjoy the Cambridge Business Mums Conference and meet up with some friends and networking colleagues and listen to some fabulous speakers. 

Today I made up some 10 gram chocolate bars advertising my new business the Mums Business Directory which I will be launching soon. So if you are coming along to the conference I hope you enjoy the sweet treat you will find inside your goody bag!

I'm also managing to hide my husband in my suitcase and we are going to spend a couple of nights without the children and even fit in a film and a pre Valentines night meal out!

Baby Showers and Valentines Day Gifts

 ChocoSpell for Valentines.. are ready now just let us have your personal message and we can hand wrap your own Valentines message. Delicious handmade Organic Fairtrade Milk or Plain chocolate gift box with 33 chocolates. and a gift tag..

Customer Collect just £20.00 per box or we can post to you for £24.95 within the UK

Fancy a baby shower? or you want to make an announcement?

We have just completed an order for our customer the 

Baby Shower Events Company Ltd.... 

Our 10 gram chocolates are just 75 pence each based on a minum order of 40 bars plus postage or you can collect.

Guest Post by Alison Pinney of Your Little Monkey

Cambridge Business Mums Conference

If you are a mum in business and can’t get enough of networking, then start off 2011 on the right track by attending Cambridge’s first ever Business Mums Conference.  Open to ALL mums in business, wherever they live, this promises to be a fantastic day of networking for all delegates.

Being organised by Alison Pinney and Helen Mortlock of Mums Business Club (Cambridge) this Conference is packed full with a programmeof inspirational speakers and seminars and a deliciously appetizing 4-course lunch, all for a very low price of £30!!

As an added extra we are putting on mini pampering treatments (small extra charge for these) which will be available throughout the day.



Our headline speaker is Emma Wimhurstwho will be giving a very motivational seminar and will be available to sell and sign copies of her book Boom!



Robert Jerram of Linen at Homeand Giant Potentialwill be our Chair for the day and will also be running a workshop.



A raffle will be drawn at the end of the day with proceeds being split between Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis charities.

There are exhibition spaces available for anybody wanting to book a space and there area also opportunities for sponsorship.  Full details on these can be found here

It has been a very exciting and busy 24 hours...

I have been following the Become a Mumpreneur FREE course over the last month and recently finished it and last night I decided to take the plunge and signed up for the paid membership. It is just £9.99 a month if you sign up before Monday 17 January and £14.99 thereafter.

 

 I have to say I think already in just 24 hours I have had this months money's worth.... it is the best thing since sliced bread if you are thinking of or are already starting or continuing with a business.

So much information, including support, webinars course work and a chat forum all included in the price. It represents great vlaue for money and now I have been able to check out the  memebership benefits from the inside I have to say BaM is FaB and many thanks and success must go to Antonia Chitty and Erica Douglas for creating this course and support site for us all.

The webinar launch is this Sunday at 8pm and the official launch is this Monday so do have a look if you haven't already and if you are interested in signing up follow this link and I look forward to catching up with you all in the chat room..

Affiliate Link which means if you do sign up I will get my first months subscription free

Want to learn blogging?

• Perhaps you want to learn too? 

• Do you have a subject that you love ?

• or just want to air your views and get things off your chest? 

 
I started blogging for my chocolate business nearly 2 years ago. 

I thought it would help my regular chocolate newsletters I send out and allow me to be less formal and blog about my chocolate business and  some personal stuff at the the same time!

I always have a lot to say but I'm self taught and have been wanting to find out how to blog properly for my new business I am launching soon...

Do check back here again as no doubt I will unveil it here first!  

Having a blog and embracing the blogging community is a good place to start.

 I have met some wonderful blogging friends particularly at the CyberMummy 2010 conference last year and yes I will be going to CyberMummy 2011 in June

So recently just before Christmas I found Erica's blog at Little Mummy and signed up for her FREE blogging course. Erica has been blogging for 5 years and is very clever and makes money on her blog using her own sponsors just for blogging!

 

She sends me an email once a week I haven't finished the course yet but 

I am really impressed... the information she has included has been excellent, clear, concise and easy to follow. 

So if you are thinking of starting a blog, or you a seasoned blogger or want to start one for your own business but need a few new tips to sharpen things up?  do sign up for her FREE course via email  you have nothing to lose.

Erica has kindly offered to send me a copy of her ebook The Mum Blogger in return for my post and I can't wait to read it.

Boxing Day Blues?

Well Christmas day has long gone and past and we now celebrate Boxing Day what does Boxing day mean to you?

To mean it means, tidying up a little read for the fun and games later, having a luxury bubble bath with no interruptions, spending time with my family and friends catching up with people we did not see on Christmas Day.

Lastly and especially for me today listening and watching my 3 children en joy playing with their presents and helping them set up their new Xbox Kinnect so here's hoping for lots of fun exercise, a few chocolates  and also lots of leftovers along, no cooking today along with a few celebratory drinks to wash it all down with...

My friend Becky over at Baby Budgeting has a great post this is a snippet of it 

Good King Wenceslas

Acccording to the carol (and legend) “Good King Wenceslas.” Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was looking out onto his land  on St. Stephen’s Day ,Dec. 26,when he saw a poor man gathering wood in a snbowstorm. The King gathered up food and wine and carried them through the blizzard to the poor mans door. The alms-giving tradition has always been closely associated with the Christmas season, but King Wenceslas’ good deed came the day after Christmas. Giving and gifting to the needy is closely tied in with most accounts of the reson for boxing day

So do take a look to see  Why we celebrate boxing day and what it means to me? 

my thanks to her for bothering to look it all up!

Also another blogging friend at GhostWriterMummy has created a linky so we can all share our own reasons to be cheerful on Boxing Day and not dwell on Boxing Day Blues.. 

why not add your post to her linky now?

Have a great Boxing Day. Emma x

I've won the Mum Ultrprenuer prize...

Well I am truly bowled over today as some weeks ago I entered a competition that Susan Odev Mum Ultrapreneur ran - to choose a name for her 2nd book which is due to be launched next spring!

The winner was announced today and to my utter amazement my book title was chosen... WOW 

Her new book is to be called 

Mums mean business... 

thought of by me over a glass of wine or two!

 

Hope you like it? sure it will be a great success & I cannot wait to read it.

Her first book can be purchased on Amazon here

Please do like her facebook page here 

I am also regularly listen and tune into her Blog talk Radio radio shows where many business mums are interviewed and Susan shares her motivational views. 

I have really enjoyed the recent Sparkles series of interviews.

SPARKLES, in her first book stands for:

Simplicity
Passion
Action
Relationships
Knowing
Learning
Enthusiasm
Self belief 

Can't wait to read my prize copy!

Happy Christmas to you all Emma x

Festive Chocolate Greeting Video

 

Just had great fun entertaining my poorly 9 yo today as he is off school. With his help we created a Festive Christmas Video for Say it with Chocolate. 

I use 

 who are a fantastic video site, you can set up a Free site or take a paid upgrade for the version I use well worth it for about 30$ a year.

Why not give it a go and create your own.. ok now we are going to make one to send out to our friends and family around the world for Christmas!

My sons Christmas poem

My 9yo had the day off school today with a bug but he decided to write a Christmas poem and this is what he wrote..

Christmas to me means presents under the tree!

Reindeer prancing, Nanny dancing...

Lots to eat 

- chocolates, mince pies, turkey, stuffing - 

What a treat

Pulling crackers, silly hats

The Queens speech and Grandad took a nap!

More presents from Santa's sack

Lots and lots to unwrap

Watch some telly with a full belly

Then time for bed, I'm a sleepy head

Sebastian age 9

So proud of him just have to share!

Love Chocolate Love the Chocolate Festival

Chocolate Festival

 Fancy a day out at the Southbank this weekend?

Chocolate Festival Southbank

10 - 12 December

11am - 8pm on Friday

11am - 6pm Saturday & Sunday

At SOUTHBANK CENTRE SQUARE

Belvedere Road,

London,

SE1 8XX,

Behind Royal Festival Hall

Free Admission

If you Love Chocolate and are in London this weekend why not pop to the Southbank and check out this FREE and unique event which gives visitors a special opportunity to enjoy a wide range of chocolate related products - as well as fine truffles, bars and bonbons, you will be able to buy savory food with chocolate, chocolate cakes, pancakes, ice cream, milkshakes and more.

Take a look at the timetable of events here...

Well this snow hasn't stopped us yet!

Even the ice and snow hasn't stopped us creating and delivering our personalised chocolates. However the UK did stop and still has in Scotland with all of us grinding to a halt and taking to the hills with our toboggans. 

This is a shot my hubby took of the M2 last week it took him 11 hours to get home!

In between tobogganing with my 3 children at the weekend I found time to create a little chocolate and sweetie party bag for my sons 9th birthday party much to his friends delight!

Tomorrow we are off to the last of our local fairs in Orpington to meet our Mother's and Baby's, cannot believe my youngest is nearly 7!

A Crafty session making Chocolate Spoons

Becky a blogging friend of mine over at Baby Budgeting recently made chocolate spoons they look so good and are easy to make so I thought I would share her post and recipe with you all! 

Can't wait to try it out with my children. perfect for a snowy and have a hot chocolate themed chocolate spoon weekend!

Go to your local Pound store or supermarket and stock up on plastic spoons. Melt some chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for one minute Stir, and continue melting and checking every 10 seconds and stirring till its smooth. Dip spoons until generously covered with chocolate (a tiny bit fiddly to do …make sure its not too hot.)
Lay them on greaseproofpaeer cool down. You can jazz them up by rolling them in sprinkles or drizzling melted white chocolate on top.
Pop a couple of these with a little pack of hot chocolate in a celllophane and you have a gorgeous visiting gift ( or even a little Christmas gift – I’m thinking teachers, your neighbours, standby gifts etc.)
Happy creating!
(word of warning we ate all the spoons we made within half an hour of them setting…you get chocolate smeared all over your face so everyone knows too!!!)

Chocolate Spoons

Thanks for sharing with us Becky x

ChocoSpell at Farringtons Market

Lily making up our first ChocoSpell gift box for Leila at Farringtons School Market!

 A great market was enjoyed by all and I made some new twitter friends Jane and Regan from greatbritpantry  you can just see them on the stall next to us in this picture...

their tomato chilli relish was divine especially with my marmite sani's I took with me yummy and they equally enjoyed our organic fairtrade milk Chocolate tasters!

 Lily holding the fort while I took a few photos....

  Just for you Nanna... this was our last creation made up for a very special Nanna!

Just listed on 'New Wedding Directory'

We have just listed ourselves on a fabulous new wedding directory site...

With Bells On 

 

Please have a look at the site and if you know anyone getting married or any wedding related businesses who might like to be listed do pass on as their special offer is still only 

£4.99 for a lifetime listing - great value!

What an eventful week!

What a broken week it's been for me... 

 It started off with my 11 yo accidentally breaking the glass in my front door

Then our printer decided it wasn't going to talk to my Mac or Laptop so my husband had to give it a good talking too and now they are speaking to each other again :-) 

On Thursday my oven didn't like what I was cooking and set fire to itself... a very scary moment as flames shouted out but fortunately I remembered that flames need oxygen so I switch it off and closed the door! We had a few scary minutes while they died down luckily apart from a new element it all seems ok. 

My Mum was due to fly back from Lanzarote on Thursday the day of the awful winds 

but her airplane broke down, so my babysitter for Friday evening was not going to make it aaahhhh. 

On Friday morning my husband took our 11yo to the bus stop for school and got a blow out and so came home to borrow my car to get to work for the day.... 

 Lily holding the fort at the Christ church pamper and shopping evening in Chislehurst...

she saved the day and managed to organise her family and get to Christ Church for our fair and set up all on her own. Finally when I got my car back I was able to join her for the end of a very successful fair.

So my week really has been all broken!

These are our new ChocoSpell organic fairtrade Gift boxes which were loved by all...

Booked my ticket for CyberMummy 2011

So excited as I have just booked my ticket for the CyberMummy 2011 conference next June. I attended the first conference this year and what a blogging conference it was.

So if you enjoy blogging or just want to find out more take a peek here and maybe I will see you at The Brewery next June..

Another Chocolate recipe.... mmm

As it is Chocolate week this week I was asked by Diary of a (not so) single mum 

if I would like to send her a Chocolate recipe. I have so many favourites but as it is my husbands birthday this week I thought I would send in one of his favourites.

A trusted Delia Smith recipe  which I hope she doesn't mind me sharing that has been used over and over again! In fact my cookery book is looking a little worn and worse for wear.... so with no further ado here it is...

Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding

You will need :

9 slice, each 1/4 inch (5mm) thick, good quality white bread, 1 day old, taken from a large loaf
5 oz (150g) dark continental chocolate with 75% cocoa solids
( of course I will be using our Chocolatier's delicious Organic Fairtrade chocolate when I make this later in the week!)
15 floz (425ml) whipping cream
4 tablespoons dark rum
4 oz (110g) caster sugar
3 oz (75g) butter
A good pinch cinnamon
3 x size 1 eggs

Shallow ovenproof dish 7 x 9 inches (18x23cm) x 2 inches (5cm) deep

Double cream, well chilled to serve

I am going to shorten the instructions as this is a really easy recipe, infact I'm sure you could work it out for yourself but just incase you need a little help...

• Cut off crusts and cut each slice into 4 triangles

• Place chocolate, whipping cream, rum , sugar, butter and cinnamon in bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water. Don't let the bowl touch the water, then wait for it all to melt and dissolve.

• Remove the bowl and stir well.

• In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and then blend with the chocolate mixture

• Spoon 1/2 inch (1cm) layer of the chocolate mixture into your dish then place 1/2 the bread triangles in overlapping rows.

• Pour 1/2 the remainder of the mixture over the and then add the second 1/2 of the bread triangles and finish off with the remainder of the chocolate mixture.

The hard part now is once you have smelt that chocolate it is very tempting to cook the pudding straight away but you know what the best things come to those who wait....

• Allow to cool then cover the pudding with cling film and place in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours ideally 48 hours if you can wait that long!  

• Turn the oven on to gas mark 4, 350 degrees (180 degrees C)

• Remove clingfilm and bake in the oven on a high shelf for 30-35 minutes, the top should be crunchy and the inside soft and squidgey.

• Leave it to stand for 10 minutes before serving with well chilled double cream

♥ D E L I C I O U S  ♥  E N J O Y ♥

Inspiring business mums conference

Well this has been a really busy week.

I met 3 wonderful ladies who put it all together for us Business Mums, Antonia Chitty, Nicky Chisholm and Suzanne Borrell who orgnaised the first Business Mums Conference in Brighton...

Just wish I had booked into a hotel and stayed over as those shops looked so inviting but the conference was too good to miss must add to to do list for next years conference!

What people said about The Business Mums Conference 2010:

"Inspiration, advice, networking, fun – the best conference I have attended!"

" A great day out, a sense of belonging to a community of like minded people, lots of ideas how to move forward."

" Thank you so much for such a well organised event, well worth the money and time to attend."

The day just whizzed by with some fantastic speakers and networking over a glass of fizz and the divine ChocChick truffles.

I am not usually a lover of plain chocolate but if you are and fancy making your own do check John Lewis Bluewater who are soon to be stocking their chocolate kits. Infact I hope to get some on board as we are off to a number of fairs soon and I am sure they would make popular Xmas presents... must add this to my list.

Purple Haze fabulous Wedding Favours

Earlier in the Summer we made up a wrapper design for one of our brides with purple font as she wanted to over foil our chocolate in purple. 

We sent out her order like this...

 

Our bride has just sent us this  fabulous picture of her chocolate bars taken on her special wedding day which she over foiled in purple to match their theme. 

We think they look gorgeous and would like to thank her for also adding a review to our  Freeindex listing which now lists us as No 1 for the Chocolate category!!!

Getting ready for Business Mums Conference #BMC2010

It's been a really busy few weeks as I had no internet for sometime a long story so I'm now catching up and lots of chocolate orders are flying out the door.

I will be posting the pictures soon but in the meantime I felt I had to show off our new Organic Fairtrade Belgian 10 gram Chocolate bars.

We finished making up a big box of our delicious hand made and hand wrapped Organic Fairtrade Milk Chocolate bars earlier today so if you are coming to the Business Mums Conference in Brighton next week on the 5th October do try you will find one in your goody bag just remember we wrapped each and every one!

We are launching our new site Chocospell Organic soon and you can either purchase our ChocoSpell Personaliced Chocolate Telelgram to send to friends or family or perhaps buy a license and set up your own ChocoSpell business.

I'm really looking forward to the conference and hope to mingle and catch up with some of you there as well as taking new ideas on board...think I better book my train ticket!