Snow, snow, everywhere.....

A Happy New Year to you all.



You may have noticed that I haven't written my blog for a wee while, in fact well before Christmas. We were so busy in the run up to the big day that we were all working ridiculous hours just to get all your presents to you in time. I was delighted if I managed to feed my children a decent meal each day, never mind twice a day! They got quite addicted to ready meals, which are normally a complete no-no in our house.



After a well earned rest, it was back to work and our January Sale. The children went back to school on Monday until Tuesday, then the snow arrived and they have been off ever since. Above is a view from our office, not such a bad place to work. The school have arranged online lessons, which the children think is great fun (long may it last!). I was hoping to catch up on the paperwork, which has been ignored for the last 6 weeks, but funnily enough I don't seem to have got very far.

You can grab yourself a bargain in our sale. We have at least 10% off most of our products, including Bruder, Britains and our Farm Buildings. Plus up to 50% off in our Warehouse Clearance. So why not get really organised and buy now for birthdays later in the year, fill the present cupboard for the parties your children will be invited to or, if you are really organised, buy for next Christmas!

Later this month we are off to buy lots more exciting new stock - this is the part of the year I love! -weather permitting of course.

Best wishes
Julia

It is digusting weather outside, so I am happy to be inside adding new products to the website, even if it is the weekend. At this time of year I seem to work every spare hour there is - thank goodness I have an understanding husband!

Harry (age 2) is watching a Tractor Ted DVD on another computer in the office. He has watched it so many times he is telling me what they are going to say next - and he is word perfect!

Oliver and his friend are playing with lego, between whizzing in and out on ride-on motorbike!

The children have been testing some new DVDs which are coming very soon - Emily (8) and Oliver (6) both love them - more to be revealed soon!

I am just adding a new Bruder horse shelter and fencing to the website. These have been promised since the summer, so we are delighted that they have finally turned up in time for Christmas. I think they will be an even bigger seller than the new Breyer Horse Cruiser, which is galloping out the door.

Right, back to work.....

Julia

I have just received a present from a grateful customer! A lovely lady needed some model dogs and ducks for a 50th birthday cake she was making at very short notice. We managed to dodge the postal strike and get them to her in the nick of time. She sent me a picture of the cake, which is fantastic - unfortunately it isn't clear enough to put on the web, or I would show you.

I do however, have an amazing picture of a cake that a customer decorated last year (see above), using a couple of our model horses. Doesn't it look amazing!

Taking of being creative, my middle child after 10 days of half-term decided, at bedtime the night before he was due back at school, to announce that he had to make a robot for the next morning. So at 7 o'clock last night we were cutting and sticking, to make a cardboard work of art.... so much for an early night before they go back to school.

Still, he is now back at school (phew!). I have a sick child at home and a toddler running around but it is still a lot quieter than it has been for the past 2 weeks.

Julia

We were runner up in the Somerset New Business of the Year award, 3rd place in fact! First place next year.....

Meanwhile, we are currently trying to win a Wildcard place in the final of The Pitch 2009. Earlier this year, we won a place in the regional final and had to pitch to a panel of judges, just like in Dragons Den. We were pipped to the post by a energy gum company, but still have a chance to get to the final with your vote! Go to www.thepitch2009/videos-2009.html, click on South West and select Farm Toys Online (second from bottom), then rate it 5 stars!! You get a free trial with LoveFilm and 2 cinema tickets for your efforts. Deadline is 5pm 2nd November.

Meanwhile we really are doing some work here. Have you seen our new look website? If not check it out at http://www.farmtoysonline.co.uk/.

There are still more products being put on the site too, such as these cute little money boxes, great stocking fillers.

Somerset Business Awards

FarmToysOnline.co.uk has been shortlisted for the Somerset Business Awards! We are all chuffed to bits. We are getting dolled up in our glad rags and off to the awards ceremony tonight. My daughter is very jealous as Ian and Laura from our local radio station, Heart FM, will be there.

Meanwhile, back in the office, we are busy trying to get all our new Christmas stock onto the website. We have a limited amount of ride-on JCB's with front loaders and back excavators, which I think will rush out the door.

We are now stocking Breyer horses, which are American horses and their riders, with all the bits and pieces that go with it. Within 2 days of putting the Horse Cruiser on the web we had sold out! It is a fab horse box come combi-van, so horses and riders can go camping together. Don't worry there are more on the way!

Well, it is half-term, and my daughters godmother has just turned up! We are off to Lyme Regis for the day for sand, fossils and fish-and-chips.....

Fame is going to my head....

I felt like a film star yesterday! A camera crew (well a cameraman and a producer) came to visit us at FarmToysOnline.co.uk in order to film us for a Business Link promotion for successful internet businesses. How's that for an accolade! We spent the day mainly filming outside in the fields and garden and fortunately the weather stayed fine.

Elsa the dog, joined in, in fact he is probaly the star of the show. And filming had to stop when I needed to pick Harry up from pre-school (only 10 minutes late). Luckily he fell asleep on the way home, well playing with toys and paints is very tiring, which meant we could finish filming in peace.

I am just completing our latest newsletter, which should be popping into your inboxes over the next few days - if you haven't signed up yet click here and you can sign up now if you like. We will be sending you offers and letting you know about the new stock we will be getting in over the coming weeks.

Once that is done, I am off to Julip Horses to see the jumps they have been designing, to go with their gorgeous horses. We should be able to stock them very soon. Watch this space!

Julia

Phew, the children are back at school! As much as I love having them at home it's great when they go back. I am one of those that you either call a Have-it-all mum (own business / children / live in the country) or a Do-it-all mum (continually juggling business / children / husband / home and not necessarily getting it all right!).

Either way, the summer holidays were lovely and not nearly long enough. There was a constant stream of children through our kitchen throughout the holidays, some I recognised, some I didn't. The pigs grew fatter, the lambs bigger and the chickens kept producing gorgeous big, brown eggs for our breakfast. And the puppy kept chewing the children's toys, my bicycle, the outside table, in fact anything and everything.

However we were still very busy in the office. You might have seen us in the Daily Express and Practical Parenting, amongst others, who both loved our children's gardening things. We are currently redesigning a new logo and tweaking our website (all will be revealed in due course). And we have been sourcing some great new products for the autumn, which we will let you know about as we get them onto the website.

Off to prepare for my meeting with the designers tomorrow.

Julia