Please take note:
Christmas Closing
The office will be closed from end of day Friday December 18 until Monday December 28.
New Years Closing
The office will be closed from end of day Wednesday December 30 until Monday January 4 2010.
Have a Happy Christmas and a fantastic New Years everyone.
From Meg
Sunday 13 December 2009
Tuesday 1 December 2009
How to turn Christmas shopping hell into easy peasy presto
Call me scrooge, but I loathe Christmas shopping. It seems to get worse every year but this year is by far the worst. Perhaps one contributing factor is my huge off-road pushchair that I love but curse every time I enter one of the high street shops. The aisles seem to have shrunk, the merchandise is constantly falling in front and on top of the buggy and the wheels either get stuck or run over some poor sod's toes every time I try to check out - not to mention the scarves, necklaces, pantyhose and scented candles that my baby grabs on his way and stuffs in his mouth.
The other day I had an armful of gifts which I was quite pleased with myself for actually finding and went to pay for them, only to find myself waiting in line for 15 minutes whilst several price checks very slowly took place and then just before my turn, the cashier lady just got up and left without any explanation or apology. There were 4 people behind me who all (without any small people with them) rushed over to the next cashier. I was stuck trying to maneuver the buggy and my two small children over to the next cashier, lost my place in line (although if I had been one of those other people, I would have let me go in front since I was the next person to check out) and had to wait a further 10 minutes in line. During these 10 minutes, my daughter began to whinge, my son said he was going to pass out and the baby started to cry. When finally we got to the front, the cashier announced the line was closing, and vanished without a word of apology. I was angry, frustrated, tired and gobsmacked. I had the option of yet again getting us all, including said buggy, into yet another line only to wait some more to maybe or maybe not check out, or I could just leave. I choose to leave which was a relief to us all apart from the fact that I wasted my time and effort on NOT buying any presents and put us all through hell in the process.
I won't mention which shop it was (TK Maxx in Worthing, which by the way, I used to work in the original TJ Maxx in the USA when I was in high school where we had weekly customer service training sessions - I see this practice has not made it accross the pond) and it is not the only shop I've had this type of bad experience in (although it is def the worst), so I have vowed to ease the pain and do the bulk of my Christmas shopping online. And since it is always down to the wife (that's me) to buy the husband's family's and friend's and co-workers gifts and cards, Christmas food, stocking stuffers and all the extra bits and pieces for the holiday and New Year celebrations as well, making my list even longer, I think this is the best decision for myself and my suffering offspring. Really, for me it is a no-brainer and will make for a happier and more peaceful holiday for us all. Below is a list of useful shopping sites. Hope you find them helpful and whatever you do, don't go shopping on the high street with a huge buggy.
Handmade cards, gifts and home decorations: http://www.prettybeautiful.co.uk/
Children's toys, woodend toys, dolls, games and crafts: http://www.playmerrily.co.uk/
Know anyone who loves faires? Fairy gifts: http://www.faeryfolk.co.uk/homepage.php
Brighton/seaside themed T's for those who are addicted to summer: http://www.redhotruby.com
Silver jewellery in lovely gift boxes - sale now on: http://www.delicatedreams.co.uk/
For baby and toddler gifts: http://www.elc.co.uk/
Unique and personlised gifts: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/
Personalised gifts, room decorations for babes and children: http://www.preciousparcels.co.uk/
Nature and science gifts for children - lovely stuff! http://www.kidsloveearth.co.uk/
And failing all else, there's always Amazon, Ebay, M&S and Tesco online. Don't break your back this year, put your feet up and have a cuppa.
Happy Christmas shopping.
Meg
The other day I had an armful of gifts which I was quite pleased with myself for actually finding and went to pay for them, only to find myself waiting in line for 15 minutes whilst several price checks very slowly took place and then just before my turn, the cashier lady just got up and left without any explanation or apology. There were 4 people behind me who all (without any small people with them) rushed over to the next cashier. I was stuck trying to maneuver the buggy and my two small children over to the next cashier, lost my place in line (although if I had been one of those other people, I would have let me go in front since I was the next person to check out) and had to wait a further 10 minutes in line. During these 10 minutes, my daughter began to whinge, my son said he was going to pass out and the baby started to cry. When finally we got to the front, the cashier announced the line was closing, and vanished without a word of apology. I was angry, frustrated, tired and gobsmacked. I had the option of yet again getting us all, including said buggy, into yet another line only to wait some more to maybe or maybe not check out, or I could just leave. I choose to leave which was a relief to us all apart from the fact that I wasted my time and effort on NOT buying any presents and put us all through hell in the process.
I won't mention which shop it was (TK Maxx in Worthing, which by the way, I used to work in the original TJ Maxx in the USA when I was in high school where we had weekly customer service training sessions - I see this practice has not made it accross the pond) and it is not the only shop I've had this type of bad experience in (although it is def the worst), so I have vowed to ease the pain and do the bulk of my Christmas shopping online. And since it is always down to the wife (that's me) to buy the husband's family's and friend's and co-workers gifts and cards, Christmas food, stocking stuffers and all the extra bits and pieces for the holiday and New Year celebrations as well, making my list even longer, I think this is the best decision for myself and my suffering offspring. Really, for me it is a no-brainer and will make for a happier and more peaceful holiday for us all. Below is a list of useful shopping sites. Hope you find them helpful and whatever you do, don't go shopping on the high street with a huge buggy.
Handmade cards, gifts and home decorations: http://www.prettybeautiful.co.uk/
Children's toys, woodend toys, dolls, games and crafts: http://www.playmerrily.co.uk/
Know anyone who loves faires? Fairy gifts: http://www.faeryfolk.co.uk/homepage.php
Brighton/seaside themed T's for those who are addicted to summer: http://www.redhotruby.com
Silver jewellery in lovely gift boxes - sale now on: http://www.delicatedreams.co.uk/
For baby and toddler gifts: http://www.elc.co.uk/
Unique and personlised gifts: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/
Personalised gifts, room decorations for babes and children: http://www.preciousparcels.co.uk/
Nature and science gifts for children - lovely stuff! http://www.kidsloveearth.co.uk/
And failing all else, there's always Amazon, Ebay, M&S and Tesco online. Don't break your back this year, put your feet up and have a cuppa.
Happy Christmas shopping.
Meg
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Holidays are comin' Holidays are coming! And business is booming. Lots going on here at White Ochre Design so get your requests in now for any pre-Christmas launches/updates.This time of year is always so busy - crazy busy to be honest! It's all good fun though. If I can help take the stress out of any last minute ads or sales campaigns, then you know where to find me. For great ideas for the kids, see http://www.playmerrily.co.uk/
Meg
Monday 2 November 2009
Trick or Treat?
One of my best loved childhood traditions is probably the most misunderstood and underestimated newly adopted cultural appropriation here. It just isn't the same, Trick or Treating means something completely different here. I was aghast when someone said they hated the idea of their child begging. Begging!!?? This was a completely new perspective for me which I tried to understand and now do (a tiny bit) on some level. However, this did not stop me from instilling this tradition in my own children because for me Halloween as a child wasn't just about Trick-or-Treating. It was about the costumes, the haunted houses, the school Halloween parties and family parties. None of that exists here (although it seems Halloween parties are slowly becoming more popular - hurray!). Halloween is, however, one of my greatest acheivements as an American mom to English children. They love it and they love it for the same reasons I did as a child. The excitement of creating the scariest costume from scraps of fabric and old socks and a bit of tin foil. The thrill of going out after dark feverishly clutching their halloween bag which is steadily filling up with all sorts of goodies. The satisfied, albeit slightly sickly feeling of eating not just one, not just two, but at least 5 or 6 candies before bed and on a school night no less. I know, I know, you brits reading this may scoff, but scoff all you like. I'm proud I've passed down this small nugget of classic Americana to my offspring, it is something they share unequivically with their American cousins whom they hardly know and never see. Halloween is the one 'holiday' import I actually manage to pull off. The kids LOVE it, it is now a part of our family culture and a few friends here have adpoted it under our influence.Sadly, it marks the end of my acheivements as Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I have never been able to instill the same amount of excitement or appreciation. Perhaps it's the strange foods made from pumpkin? Or maybe it's the fact that it's on a Thursday - a working day - and no one has the time or inclination to bear it in mind. I miss it and must settle for experiencing it vicariously through my parents who consistently lavish Thanksgiving food and drink and holiday spirit on my siblings who annually flock home for this home-cooked mega feast. Ah, envy does not look good on me!
Anyway, moving on....
Business as usual. Get your requests in for the pre-Christmas surge! And have a great Thanksgiving, for those few I know here who actually recognise and celebrate it.
Meg
Monday 19 October 2009
Half Term Closure
Hello all. It's that time of year when the weather turns ugly, the days get shorter and the central heating is set to ON. I love the beginning of Fall but here in England it seems Fall turns into winter far too quickly. Perhaps this is why I start planning for Christmas earlier each year, is it just me or do others have this same inclination? Or maybe it's just because I have small children.
PLEASE NOTE: Office will be CLOSED from Tuesday October 20 (midday) until Thursday October 29. If you need to email me during this time, please do and I will respond as soon as I can.
Hmmm will it be dark at 5pm soon?
Have a good half term everybody.
Meg
PLEASE NOTE: Office will be CLOSED from Tuesday October 20 (midday) until Thursday October 29. If you need to email me during this time, please do and I will respond as soon as I can.
Hmmm will it be dark at 5pm soon?
Have a good half term everybody.
Meg
Thursday 8 October 2009
Family Friendly Networking
The first MumsClub Face2Face Networking event in Worthing hosted by yours truly and held at my house on Thursday October 8, 2009 was a HUGE success!
The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and at the same time buzzing with lively conversations – there was plenty of constructive networking happening! There are so many enterprising mums (and dads) out there making it all happen for themselves around their busy family lives. It’s amazing really how many of us there are and it’s fantastic to meet and chat with like-minded mumpreneurs, whether just starting out or more established. We encourage and inspire each other and this type of support, especially for those just starting up and testing the waters, can be a life line and is invaluable.
Victoria’s Caterpillar Music session for the little ones was fantastic with puppets, musical instruments and lots of singing. http://www.caterpillarmusic.com Victoria holds classes in Worthing and does birthday parties in Worthing, Brighton & Hove and the surrounding areas. You can email her at Victoria.kennedy@caterpillarmusic.com to arrange a party or enquire about sessions!
The Sandwitch Bar http://www.thesandwitchbar.co.uk kindly provided delicious sandwiches and savouries which definitely went down very well. They have a lovely eat-in or take-away sandwich deli on Rowlands Road in Worthing. So pop in for a bite – choose from sandwiches, filled rolls, jacket potatoes, salads, pastries and cakes.
I just have to comment on how well behaved my 6 month old was. Actually, I think he was mostly in shock! Normally it’s just me during the day whilst the older two are in school and it’s very quiet apart from my tapping away on the keyboard - what a little trooper.
The feedback I’ve had (and am still getting) has been phenomenal and I’m so pleased everyone found it useful – there is obviously a demand for this type of networking. Must get going and organise another one. Watch this space!
In the meantime, I’ll be busy with all the new web projects that came about from this networking event.
If you want to find out more about MumsClub, please visit http://www.mumsclub.co.uk
All the best!
Meg
The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and at the same time buzzing with lively conversations – there was plenty of constructive networking happening! There are so many enterprising mums (and dads) out there making it all happen for themselves around their busy family lives. It’s amazing really how many of us there are and it’s fantastic to meet and chat with like-minded mumpreneurs, whether just starting out or more established. We encourage and inspire each other and this type of support, especially for those just starting up and testing the waters, can be a life line and is invaluable.
Victoria’s Caterpillar Music session for the little ones was fantastic with puppets, musical instruments and lots of singing. http://www.caterpillarmusic.com Victoria holds classes in Worthing and does birthday parties in Worthing, Brighton & Hove and the surrounding areas. You can email her at Victoria.kennedy@caterpillarmusic.com to arrange a party or enquire about sessions!
The Sandwitch Bar http://www.thesandwitchbar.co.uk kindly provided delicious sandwiches and savouries which definitely went down very well. They have a lovely eat-in or take-away sandwich deli on Rowlands Road in Worthing. So pop in for a bite – choose from sandwiches, filled rolls, jacket potatoes, salads, pastries and cakes.
I just have to comment on how well behaved my 6 month old was. Actually, I think he was mostly in shock! Normally it’s just me during the day whilst the older two are in school and it’s very quiet apart from my tapping away on the keyboard - what a little trooper.
The feedback I’ve had (and am still getting) has been phenomenal and I’m so pleased everyone found it useful – there is obviously a demand for this type of networking. Must get going and organise another one. Watch this space!
In the meantime, I’ll be busy with all the new web projects that came about from this networking event.
If you want to find out more about MumsClub, please visit http://www.mumsclub.co.uk
All the best!
Meg
Tuesday 29 September 2009
Here Come The Girls...
Apparently there is an army of business mums in Brighton set to take over the city. Brilliant.
My children were ace and I'm so proud of them - suffering through one of my 'work' things! Actually I think they were secretly just as pleased as I am about the news piece. Have a watch.
Wednesday 2 September 2009
Calling all mums with an entrepreneurial streak, National Business Mum Week is coming to Sussex!
This year sees the first ever Business Mum Week, a week of activities and meet ups across the UK. This week is dedicated to women who balance business with family life on a daily basis to ensure a better future for their families. Mum of three Meghan Fenn, in Worthing, is ensuring the mums of East and West Sussex are included.
Meg herself will be hosting a networking meeting on Thursday the 8th October from 10am to 2pm at 50 Westcourt Road for a day of play for the kids and networking for mums. If the kids are at school or in nursery, just come on your own! Free copies of the latest Business Mum’s Journal will be available for any mum who has ever wanted to run her own business from home and there will be an opportunity to meet (and question!) other ‘mumpreneurs’ like Meg, in a friendly and relaxed environment. A light lunch will be provided by The Sandwitch Bar, Bakery & Deli* of Worthing who have kindly offered their sandwich platters free of charge. Plus, Victoria of Caterpillar Music* will be running a music session for the little ones!
In the lead-up to Business Mum Week, Meg, as the Sussex co-ordinator, is also looking for mums across the county to hold their own events. Full support is available and it promises to be a great week for uniting local women in business.
Meghan Fenn, of White Ochre Design, Better Days Out and organiser of Sussex Business Mum Week says: “Business Mum Week is a great initiative and I’m happy to do everything I can to unite the business mums of Worthing and East & West Sussex and ensure more local women with children are aware of the family friendly working options out there. This is a great way to both highlight the work of our mum owned businesses in and around Sussex and support the growth of more.”
MumsClub founder, Jane Hopkins, says: “This is the perfect time for Business Mum Week. With so many redundancies and the future potential for job losses, it is an important time for families to have options. Being self employed is the perfect way to combine family life with generating a second income. Women now have the freedom to get paid to do something they love. Great for household finances, great for self esteem, great for work-life balance. Starting up from home is low cost, low risk and incredibly rewarding. The dedication of our local mums has been astounding. Credit crunch? What credit crunch?”
Find out more:
Contact Local organiser Meghan Fenn on 01273 906128 or email meg@megfenn.me.uk
Find out more:
Contact Local organiser Meghan Fenn on 01273 906128 or email meg@megfenn.me.uk
*The Sandwitch Bar, Bakery & Deli, 43 Rowlands Road, Worthing
http://www.thesandwitchbar.co.uk/
http://www.thesandwitchbar.co.uk/
*Caterpillar Music, Fun Classes, Parties & Nursery Sessions – Worthing & Brighton, contact Victoria on 01903 230 810 www.caterpillarmusic.com
Updates of activities taking place throughout the week will appear at http://www.businessmumweek.com/ and http://www.mumsclub.co.uk/
##ENDS##
Media notes:
For media enquiries about business mum week, please contact:
Jane Hopkins, Founder, MumsClub 01675 465863
Antonia Chitty, 01424 810 272
About Business Mum Week Business Mum Week will take place from Saturday the 3rd – 10th October. It is run by Jane Hopkins of MumsClub, the online business club for mums, and supported by PR expert and author Antonia Chitty of Family Friendly Working.
The aims of the week are to:
· inspire more entrepreneurial mums to start a business from home,
· encourage business growth by providing business mums access to information and ideas,
· develop online and offline support through a national network of home-working Mumpreneurs.
Business Mum Week recognises the challenges such women face and the achievements they have already made by dedicating a corner of their busy family home to turn their business ideas into reality. Other confirmed activities include, regional Mumpreneur meet-ups, a personal branding evening at Harvey Nicholls in Birmingham, a networking workshop day in Dorset, and the inaugural Mumpreneur Annual Conference and Awards in the Midlands.
A few facts & figures on home business
Over two million businesses already operate mainly from home. *1
61% of new businesses were launched from home in 2008 *2
Home based business is intrinsically low carbon. Operating from one property instead of a separate home and workspace cuts commuting. It also reduces the carbon emissions generated by constructing and fuelling separate premises. *3
Home based businesses face lower costs, spending significantly less on their workspace and travel than those using separate premises. Not commuting also saves time, increasing potential productivity. *4
Sources:
*1 ONS Labour Force Survey
*2 UK Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
*3 & 4 ‘Can Homeworking Save the Planet’, The Smith Institute
Updates of activities taking place throughout the week will appear at http://www.businessmumweek.com/ and http://www.mumsclub.co.uk/
##ENDS##
Media notes:
For media enquiries about business mum week, please contact:
Jane Hopkins, Founder, MumsClub 01675 465863
Antonia Chitty, 01424 810 272
About Business Mum Week Business Mum Week will take place from Saturday the 3rd – 10th October. It is run by Jane Hopkins of MumsClub, the online business club for mums, and supported by PR expert and author Antonia Chitty of Family Friendly Working.
The aims of the week are to:
· inspire more entrepreneurial mums to start a business from home,
· encourage business growth by providing business mums access to information and ideas,
· develop online and offline support through a national network of home-working Mumpreneurs.
Business Mum Week recognises the challenges such women face and the achievements they have already made by dedicating a corner of their busy family home to turn their business ideas into reality. Other confirmed activities include, regional Mumpreneur meet-ups, a personal branding evening at Harvey Nicholls in Birmingham, a networking workshop day in Dorset, and the inaugural Mumpreneur Annual Conference and Awards in the Midlands.
A few facts & figures on home business
Over two million businesses already operate mainly from home. *1
61% of new businesses were launched from home in 2008 *2
Home based business is intrinsically low carbon. Operating from one property instead of a separate home and workspace cuts commuting. It also reduces the carbon emissions generated by constructing and fuelling separate premises. *3
Home based businesses face lower costs, spending significantly less on their workspace and travel than those using separate premises. Not commuting also saves time, increasing potential productivity. *4
Sources:
*1 ONS Labour Force Survey
*2 UK Global Entrepreneurship Monitor
*3 & 4 ‘Can Homeworking Save the Planet’, The Smith Institute
Monday 10 August 2009
Half-way Through
I won't even bother moaning about the trials and tribulations that come with summer holidays as I'm sure every working parent is fully immersed in it all right about now. Working from my home office does indeed put a tricky spin on the work-from-home mod but so far I have actually managed to keep up with everything whilst entertaining my very active children, overhauling our finances and making sure the fridge is sufficiently stocked. I’m afraid I am speaking too soon though since we are only half-way through the holidays with the most difficult part to come! The part that involves my husband going back to work (so no instant child-care) and gearing up for the new term (ironing uniforms, organising pencil cases, purchasing shoes and the obligatory brand new lunch boxes, and not to mention sorting out bedrooms and cleaning out closets getting rid of too-small clothes and shoes. I recently found a dress for a 2 yr old in my 6 yr old’s closet!) plus stocking the freezer with casseroles, chilli and other useful meals and of course filing my tax return and organising my office which involves filing, filing and more filing. I very much wish we had a lovely pool in our back yard just like the ones on the new pool equipment e-commerce website that I am working on and is about to launch!
I have to post this photo of my 4 month old at Camp Bestival. It’s just too funny to ignore.
Wednesday 22 July 2009
Holiday closures
Please note, I will be unavailable from Friday July 24 until Tuesday July 28. Please feel free to email me during this time and I will get back to you ASAP.
Friday 17 July 2009
Off my rocker, rocking away
Look at my new rocking chair for my office! My lovely husband carried it all the way from Brighton on the train - no idea how he managed that - sat on it and just rocked away i guess. It's beautiful and just my size and perfect for those feeding breaks throughout my working day. Feeling cosy and efficient.
Thursday 16 July 2009
A fellow designer once told me...
Shortly after I had my second child, a fellow designer told me that it was impossible to get anything done in just 1 hour. Well, I beg to differ! In the past hour, I've made several updates and additions to Better Days Out, put the laundry out to dry, emailed two clients, added an update to twitter, checked my facebook, changed a very unsavoury nappy, updated a client website, nursed hungry 4 month old, tidied bedroom, made work phone call, wrote work to do list and created a camping equipment inventory for Bestival. So Ok, it took me 1 hour and about 5 minutes to do all that, but let's just say it took just 1 hour. What the heck?
Wednesday 24 June 2009
It's great being back at work full swing although life is certainly busy at White Ochre Design.
Please view our new portfolio here: http://www.whiteochre.co.uk/portfolio.html
and watch out for some exciting new projects going online during the summer months.
If you are not looking for design work but do need help with your website, I am more than happy to take on the maintenance of completed websites. I currently update and maintain the following sites: http://www.anitanaik.co.uk/ , http://www.ageconcernchesterfield.org.uk/ , http://www.comswork.co.uk/ and http://www.beautifulbsl.co.uk/
So please get in touch (meg@megfenn.me.uk) and I'll get back to you right away.
Enjoy the warm weather!
Meg
Please view our new portfolio here: http://www.whiteochre.co.uk/portfolio.html
and watch out for some exciting new projects going online during the summer months.
If you are not looking for design work but do need help with your website, I am more than happy to take on the maintenance of completed websites. I currently update and maintain the following sites: http://www.anitanaik.co.uk/ , http://www.ageconcernchesterfield.org.uk/ , http://www.comswork.co.uk/ and http://www.beautifulbsl.co.uk/
So please get in touch (meg@megfenn.me.uk) and I'll get back to you right away.
Enjoy the warm weather!
Meg
Friday 13 March 2009
Mat Leave
Meg will be on maternity leave from now until the end of April. If you need to get in touch, please email meg@megfenn.me.uk. Happy spring time everyone!
Sunday 1 February 2009
EXTRA, EXTRA, Get your copy of Easy Living Magazine! Meg Fenn is featured....
Exciting news: I am in Easy Living Magazine! (The March edition, with Davina on the cover.) I'm featured in an article titled You're Fired and it's on pgs 84 and 85. So if you're interested, curious, or just plain want an excuse to buy a national glossy, then pick one up and have a browse.
Monday 12 January 2009
New year, more work!
Well, 2009 is officially here and I still can't believe how time flies. Work keeps me busy (but probably not as busy as my two little ones who seem to have endless energy) with lots of exciting projects on the go. Watch out for new material on www.redhotruby.com and www.anitanaik.co.uk who has a new book coming out. New websites include a new French Bed & Breakfast website and a swimming pool and spa shopping site.
For regular client updates, I will be working right up to my due date in March, but if you have anything pressing, please get it to me sooner rather than later. And don't forget, I will be taking a few weeks off around Easter. Wishing all of you the best for 2009.
Meg
For regular client updates, I will be working right up to my due date in March, but if you have anything pressing, please get it to me sooner rather than later. And don't forget, I will be taking a few weeks off around Easter. Wishing all of you the best for 2009.
Meg
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