Review: Kiss It Better Bag, First Aid Kit

Have you heard of the Kiss It Better Bag? It's a first aid kit with a difference. As the name suggests it's not just bandaids and gauze. This kit includes some special little extras that will make a difficult and teary situation a lot easier on mums, dads, carers and most importantly, the littlies.

A few months back I purchased one of the wallets as I wanted a small-ish kit to throw in the car, and this one was designed by an Aussie mum (yes I'm super-proud to say she is a Clever Mamma!!) with training credentials in first aid so I was pretty sure it would do the job. When it arrived in the mail I checked it all out, pulling bits n' bobs out of all the compartments and I'm happy to say it came up trumps!

First off was the compact design of the wallet. Measuring at around 14x20cm, with a width of 10cm-ish, there were no probs fitting it in my glove box or even my nappy bag. Looking at everything that came out of it, it was hard to believe it all fitted in there, and thank goodness was easy to pack it all back in. The wallet itself has four compartments, one which is attached with velcro so you can easily put your essentials in it and pop it in your smaller handbag for those "just in case" moments. Other clever bits I was delighted to discover include a handy hang-up clip and an easy to keep clean black exterior.

Secondly I found the contents were perfect for a parent with a young child. Special treats for injured kids include jelly beans, stickers, and novelty band aids combined with essential bandages, dressings, gloves plus lots more, to make sure physical injuries are treated effectively and as creator Vanessa Williams says, "tears can be dried in record time". And that's what this first aid kit is all about, ensuring little souls are soothed as well as scrapes and bumps. As a big "let mummy kiss it better" mum I LOVE this. And yes, if items run low (possibly the stickers and jelly beans??) refill kits are available.

Thanks to the lovely Vanessa I have secured one Kiss It Better Bag Wallet (valued at $40) to giveaway to a lucky reader. To be in the running all you need to do is comment below and tell me the name of the Clever Mamma who created this fantastic first aid kit. A random winner will be drawn on Monday 30th April 2012 and published and notified via Facebook, Twitter and email on that same day.

And as a super special for all our fabulous Aussie Clever Mamma Blog readers, you are able to purchase either the wallet or the shoulder bag and receive FREE postage. Kits will need to be ordered via email info@firstaid4all.com.au and you must mention that Clever Mamma sent you over.


THE LOWDOWN:
The wallet kit I purchased retails for $40 (plus P&H) and there is a larger shoulder bag available for $75 (pus P&H).

The actual contents of the wallet are:
Gloves (large, vinyl, slightly powdered)
Band Aids (assorted colours, shapes and cartoon figures)
BURN AID burn gel 3.5g
Triangular Bandage
Conforming Bandage (5cm)
Wound Dressing (size small)
Low-adherent Dressing
Saline Wash x 2
CPR key ring mask
Cleansing Wipes x 2
LEUKOFIX Tape
Disposable Thermometer
Pad and Pen
Jelly Beans and Stickers
Emergency Numbers Magnet

To find out more including the contents of the shoulder bag visit http://kissitbetterbag.com

Clever Mamma Profile: Recipes 4 Success, Independent Consultant and Group Leader for The Chef's Toolbox

All has been busy at Clever Mamma HQ but I'm delighted to be back on the CM-Profile-Train and have a fabulous mum in biz for you all to meet. This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to Clever Mamma Josie Campese, from Recipes 4 Success, an Independent Consultant and Group Leader for The Chef's Toolbox. Based in the north western suburbs of Melbourne, Josie is a passionate and proud business mum who loves what she does!

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your business... I am a mum of a sixteen year old daughter. Almost 6 years ago I went along to a cooking party, mainly because I was promised food and wine! I had a great, fun afternoon but most of all I was so impressed with the obvious difference good quality cookware, knives and bake ware can make to the results I get in the kitchen. I learned to make a fabulous risotto without stirring and also yummy sticky date puddings, all in about 30 minutes

2. How did your business begin? I joined because it was a fun way to earn some extra money and I still had the time to spend with my daughter and have the time to be involved with her at school.

3. The bits I love... The social interaction with guests at my parties, the money to spend on family holidays, rewards like the overseas and national travel - I have been away on fully paid trips with The Chefs Toolbox every year and especially the rewards like knowing that I help other women to have the benefits of being mums at home with their kids, while developing their own home based businesses and contributing to the family income while they gain things like confidence and independence.

4. The bits I not-so-love... The perception that I am available 24hrs a day because I work from home.

5. Any tips for other Clever Mammas? Set and diarise your work time, social time and family time and stick with it.

6. Devonshire Tea versus Coffee & Cake??? Devonshire tea.

Thanks for stopping by the Clever Mamma blog Josie! It's been great getting to know you and your business a little better. If you would like to find out more about Josie and her fabulous business, be sure to sneak a peak at the listing on the CM Directory. You will find more details plus a link to Josie's website. What are you waiting for? Go on... hop to it!

"Does Mummy work?"

While playing cars and trucks with my two and a half year old son yesterday, he was telling me that one of them was daddy on his way to work, and then he went through his nearest and dearest; his grandparents and his beloved aunty, explaining to me that each of them were in his little vehicles off to work. I thought I would ask him a question to see what he felt about what his mummy does... "Master 2, does mummy work?". His response without batting an eyelash was "No." He then went on to continue playing while I had one of those "mum" moments.

At this point I wasn't sure how I should feel about his answer. A part of me was fuming and thinking about all the work I do in the house to keep it's day to day running as smoothly as possible, cooking, cleaning and everything else in between. Not to mention the running around for Playgroup and Gymbaroo each week. And then there is the two actual businesses I run from home in my spare (?) time.

And then it dawned on me... the reason I have chosen to run businesses from home is so that my day to day time with my son is not in any way effected. While household tasks are at any time of the day, I only "work" when he is sleeping or being looked after elsewhere.

In time he will come to realise what "work" mummy does, but I'm happy for his first few years to be oblivious to it, and for us to just enjoy the precious time we have together. So while my stress levels at times may be high and my mind full of things to add to my to-do list, I'm happy to know that it is not effecting the most important people in my life. And isn't that the reason I'm doing it in the first place?

Drumroll please...

Firstly, I would like to send a huge thank you to all the clever mums in business who entered the Clever Mamma '3 for 300 Giveaway'. The responses were so good that I had trouble deciding (my 30 week prego brain may have also been a factor)... So as we are so close to hitting 400 likes on Facebook, I took it into my hands at the very last minute, 10pm last night to be exact, to change it to the '4 for 400 Giveaway'.

So what does this mean? I have chosen four talented mums and their businesses to each win a 12 month membership to the Clever Mamma Directory instead of 3. This includes a Clever Mamma Blog Business Profile, continuous Facebook and Twitter mentions throughout their membership, as well as the Clever Mamma personalised service we pride ourselves 0n. Each membership is valued at $120 but these lucky ladies receive it absolutely free.

So without further ado, I'd like to announce... Drumroll please... Kathryn Hill from Gigi's Buttons, Kym from Virtual Marketing Manager, Kelly Northey from Bamboo Bubby and Kate Christie from Babysitters and More. Congratulations ladies, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your responses and finding out "What you love most about working with other mums in business".

Over the coming weeks I will be showcasing the winning entries plus those that came extremely close (via Facebook and Twitter) and you will be able to pop over to each of these amazing women's websites to find out for yourself how talented they are and also support their business.

Thanks again ladies for reinforcing why I began the Clever Mamma community, for business mums to connect and support fellow business mums!

Need help with marketing your biz?

Now is the perfect time to get marketing advice for your small business! Our very talented Clever Mamma, Melita from Envious Solutions is offering 20% off all marketing services during the month of February.

Envious Solutions is a small business servicing small to medium sized businesses with all their marketing needs. They understand the daily challenges you face and what it means to be the one “wearing a number of hats”. Let Envious Solutions take the burden out of marketing your company – it’s what they do best! As the name suggests they help you make your competitors green with envy.

With over 10 years experience Envious Solutions know how to target the right audience for you. Contact Melita today for a chat and to see how she can help increase your sales and get more customers through your door. Services include marketing plans, event management, promotions, advertising, copywriting, corporate branding and Facebook setups.

Be sure to call before 29 February 2012 to receive 20% discount off all services. Be quick time is running out! And while you are at it, you can also find out more about Melita and this fantastic biz in the Envious Solutions profile found here.

3 for 300 giveaway!

What a way to kick off 2012! To celebrate Clever Mamma reaching over 300 likes on Facebook and over 300 followers on Twitter, we would like to send a big thank you to YOU, the lovely peeps who support us! We have met some amazing mums in business over the past six months and continue to grow our community of Aussie biz mums. We are constantly amazed at the huge number of mums who have taken the plunge into running their own business and are doing such a great job of it, we certainly are a talented bunch!

So as a big, big thank you, we are giving not just one, not just two, but three lucky mums who run their own business, the opportunity to join the Clever Mamma Directory for 12 months absolutely free (valued at $120 each), and we are calling it the "3 for 300 giveaway!"

All you have to do to enter is comment on this post with your answer to this question...

In 25 words or less, What do you love most about working with other mums in business? Now I know I can think of a thousand answers to this one, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The best three responses will receive a free 12 month Clever Mamma membership as well as all the perks that go with it (CM Blog Business Profile, continuous Facebook and Twitter mentions throughout their membership, as well as the Clever Mamma personalised service we pride ourselves 0n). The top responses (not selected as winners) will also be featured on both Facebook and Twitter accompanied by your business web link, so even if you don't win the big prize you can also receive some free publicity for your business.

So what are you waiting for? Comment on this post with your response NOW to ensure you are in the running for this fabulous prize. Don't forget to add your web link too! Entries close Wednesday February 29th 2012 and winners will be announced via our Blog, Facebook and Twitter pages Monday March 5th 2012.

Clever Mamma Profile: Bluewood Studio

This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to Clever Mamma Heidi Helyard from Bluewood Studio. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Heidi is a super-talented Graphic Designer who manages her business with two gorgeous littlies to keep her company.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your business... I am a graphic designer with over 13 years experience, graduated with a Bachelor Degree (1st class hons) from UNSW and have worked in cultural institutions as well as corporate studios. I specialise in print design, including logo, stationery, brochure, document and book design. I am obsessed with typography and fonts.

2. How did your business begin? It began a little over 8 years ago when I started to get hammered in the corporate sector. It was brutal. I was about to get married and had my eye on the prize of wanting children and really wanted to work from home. I went from the full-on corporate job to a magazine job which was terrible, so three days out from my wedding, I quit with the intention of going freelance through some agencies while I built up my client base. I ended up not having to do on-site freelancing as I obtained some clients quite quickly. This was in 2003. My daughter was born in 2007 and my son was born in 2009.

3. The bits I love... Not having to put up with other annoying people in an office (can you tell I've worked with some doozies?). Working around the kids and not having to put them in daycare super early in their lives.

4. The bits I not-so-love... When clients don’t understand about being flexible and hearing kids in the background. Fortunately not too many of those. When I REALLY want/need to get on with work and I can’t because of the kids.

5. Any tips for other Clever Mammas? Don’t be afraid or feel guilty about getting help with the kids. I have done a mix of in-house babysitter/nanny, Family Day Care (even just half a day!) and now pre-school with my daughter. If you are working you usually need help with the kids!

6. Devonshire Tea versus Coffee & Cake??? Coffee (for the wake up) and cake (for the sugar).

Thanks for stopping by the Clever Mamma blog Heidi! It's been great getting to know you and your business a little better. If you would like to find out more about Bluewood Studio, be sure to sneak a peak at the listing on the CM Directory. You will find more details plus a link to Heidi's website where you can view her amazing folio and also download a free 'Pigment to Pantone' 2012 calendar. What are you waiting for, go on... hop to it!