Whilst we made no specific plans of when to try and have our children by fortune of fate they were both born in January-  2 years and 8 days apart thus meaning that 3 weeks after Christmas the presents and party chaos happens all over again in this house.

A trip to the shops a few days ago has got me thinking about how … not in a deep and meaningful way but in a really shallow one about presents and parties; this year they turn 4 and 2 – so as you can imagine our house is a little bit on the pink side, all the usual stuff – a kitchen, a dolls house (well 3 actually – none bought by us!) , tea sets, dolls galore, girls world – you get the pretty pink picture and I headed out trying to get ideas of what to get the girls for their birthdays and am stumped!

Foolishly I decided to embark upon a solo trip with 2 pre-schoolers to the toy mecca that is Toys R Us whilst my OH headed off to the derby match in Manchester.  Going solo with 2 children was a big mistake in itself – the nearly 2 year old insisted on trying out every ride on car in the store and protested loudly when I tried to move her on  – visualise lying on the floor kicking and shouting ‘Not fair’ rather loudly whilst the nearly 4 year old found the most garish Barbie outfits possible and insisted that it was her favourite thing ever.  But whilst I was looking for inspiration I realised that my girls actually NEED nothing, no more toys, crayons, dressing up – they are really fortunate and have lots to choose from already so that leaves me feeling a bit weird about what to do  – Do I buy some toys I know they would play with at some point (once they have worked their way through the Christmas toys) but definitely don’t NEED or be really practical and sensible and buy something small for them to open and then just put the money we have budgeted for in their bank accounts? My head says one thing my heart says another.

What would you do?

So my first resolution was to blog more – managing to keep that one up – does 2 in a week count as blogging regularly? 

But another of my resolutions was to devote a bit more time and effort to myself – given that some days I don’t even brush my hair I came at this resolution with the attitude that even a few minutes a day is better than the current position so how hard can it be to acheive….

As someone who only wears make up if they are going on a ‘big night out’ or to a wedding, and insists to the hairdresser that I have to have a hairstyle that does not require any brushes to dry it, you get the picture,  make up and look glam are rally not a big part of my life and never have been ! 

But 9 days into the new year and I am making progress – today I actually wore make just to go to work – a real novelty – Brenda did wonder if I was going somewhere special though! 

I even went to the make up counter and bought new make up at weekend too – last time I bought new foundation was for my wedding 5 years ago!   I felt like a 13 year old when the Clarins lady was asking me what I liked – “errr , not sure, don’t do make up” was my slightly kevin the teenager reply but do you know what … I’m liking it – not just the finished made up face (which as I head nearer 40 probably needed some help) but the fact that for 10 mins in the morning I spend time on me, just me and that is a good thing too.

Before I really begin Happy New Year!
Sooooo….. it has to be said that this poor Ruby and GINGER blog has been more than neglected the past year, it has practically been disowned.
So one of my resolutions is to write more on here, as to be honest I like blogging, tweeting and facebooking; it makes me feel like we actually get to know people who follow us , like us and all that jazz  are actually interested in R&G and us as people too.

Don’t get me wrong I am conscious I’ve never actually met most of these people but what I really like about social media (and I do love some forms more than others) is the randomness of it – talking to people, who you would never have crossed paths with in real life about stuff that sometimes you may not even talk to a ‘real life’ friend about – but somehow it seems ok because the person on the other keyboard gets you about that moment, about that thing. It can be life, work, happy, sad and often in my case nonsense; it can even lead to amazing real life things (thinking here the coming about of Cheese Club aka @homage2fromage but that story is a whole blog in it’s own right!)

But I like it so this is the year that I am vowing to share more than 140 characters on a regular basis, let you know a bit more about how things are progressing here at R&G HQ, about us, about things we love and what we think, hopefully some of you might be interested in reading what we have to say but if not I get to spend a few minutes getting it all down and that has got to be good for the soul …here’s to 2012 the year of the blog

x

How times have changed from my mums time of bringing up a family. Nowadays parents and their children are very much involved in commumities and are encouraged to get out and join in. So the products we use have changed to incorporate this. Our gorgeously simple nappy wallet with the matching travel change mat is a product for a mum or dad who likes to get out and about. Its such a compact and practical nappy carrier, with enough room for 3 nappies, baby wipes and nappy sacks. The nappy purse or nappy wallet will then fit neatly and compactly into most handbags or if you prefer the handle can be looped over the pram or pushchair handle. The travel change mat is simple…it doesn’t do any super duper tricks…it just provides you with a clean place to change baby and keep their little bum off any unwanted nasties!

Children love to get out and sometimes want to take favourite teddy with them! If you don’t want to risk a lost toy then our toy tie is all you will need to secure toys or dummies to the stroller. Not all dummy clips are are flexible as the Ruby and GINGER Toy Tie which with velcro on both ends allows you to create a loop of the required size and the other end around the bar of the pushchair.

Liz’s mum found this write up on Play Pennies for our Cosy Car Seat Cover while perusing the internet. www.playpennies.com is one of those great blogs that searches out products with affordable price tags attached! Sarah, the author totally gets the benefit of this product. It is exactly as she says a great way to protect baby head to toe, protection from the cold….from the wind (which takes their breath away)…and even from the sun (I used it all summer too and found it also kept little Sam cool in his car seat…bit mad but it does!)
just a few of my favourite quotes….

“It’s genius, in my opinion, and solves the snowsuit, flappy blanket problem”

“It has a 3 tog rating so you won’t need to dress your baby up like a mini Scott of the Anatarctic to take them out”

“put this Ruby and Ginger cosy car seat cover on your ‘MUST HAVE’ list; trust me, it’ll be worth it’s weight in gold”

For Sarah’s full and frank review see link below

http://www.playpennies.com/tag/ruby-and-ginger-cosy-car-seat-cover/

One year ago Ruby and GINGER launched the original nappy purse or the nappy wallet as it has sometimes been called. The nappy wallet was originally designed by Liz, a busy mum who is always on the go! She wanted a small neat nappy carrier that would fit inside her many gorgeous handbags so that nappies would be kept clean and at hand. Liz wanted a nappy carrier that would also have sufficient space for a travel change mat, baby wipes and nappy sacks. In other words all nappy changing essentials. Voila!! the nappy wallet is born! Not content to design the product she then decided that to make this gorgeous nappy purse even more stylish we should design the cotton that they would be made from! So there you have it the original nappy purse was launched. One year later and you mums are still loving your nappy wallet and even more of you are converted to the convenience of this nappy carrier! We love to hear your comments so don’t be shy…if you have a Ruby and GINGER nappy wallet tell us what you think!
Not content to rest on our laurels we will be adding to our range of stylish fabrics so watch this page/space!

I find inspiration in many people and in all sorts of things.

Music, Art or Film can inspire great thoughts in people….a lecture can inspire…and so it was for me when I attended a lecture at Leeds University Business School.  I went along hoping to hear some ideas about how I could understand the new shopper and so improve sales through a improved brand.  I came away with ideas, questions and solutions!  The lecture was by Peter Cross, Managing Partner at Yellowdoor.  Yellowdoor is the agency Mary Portas started in 1997 and ‘Mary Queen of Shops’ is the still Creative Director there.  Peter Cross is an engaging talker and the passion he feels for retail is obvious to all who listen.

www.yellow-door.com

For a really great website that you will want to return to time and time again check out www.maryportas.com

Get involved with Mary Portas: Secret Shopper, take a look at the daily selection of things she loves, view the shopping map of retailers she adores.  If you love shops you will love her site.

B x

I don’t normally make new year resolutions (it saves the disappointment of not keeping them) but this year I will….

1 Spring clean my life!

2 Make more time for friends and family

3 Read more books….for inspiration see http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com/

Bren x

Plato siad ”Necessity, is the mother of invention”? 

Well that certainly was the case for the toy clip or toy tie by Ruby and Ginger.  This simple but clever toy clip will secure baby’s toy, dummy, bottle or cup to the pram, car seat or highchair and so off the ground, clean and safe.  Simply use the velco ends to form a loop and attach to pram.

‘Monkey on a trip to Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds’

Taking my baby home from hospital is a memory I treasure….I remember myself and my husband looking behind us at the normally empty back seat and there it was….a car seat with a baby in it…our baby!  and we were going to drive off with that baby, forever committed to loving and taking care of him.

We’ve done that a second time since then but the first is the one I remember most.  We had Noah (aka Ginger) bundled up in a snowsuit that was almost impossible to get on him to start with….his little face buried in a mass of fabric….then we had blankets tucked around him afraid a gust of wind would catch us out!  If I knew then what I know now or rather if I had then what I have now there would be far less fretting!

Our cosy car seat cover will protect baby head to toe from all elements.  So if like me you want a practical alternative to the snowsuit take a look at our cosy car seat cover…and pass on the word!