Elf Calendar 2016

To help with the Elf on the Shelf for the month of December, I have made up a little calendar that will go in the packs. I am also posting it online here:

I hope to do up some pictures and ideas to help with these tasks.  The Elves are already raising havoc in my house. The sooner the arrive on your doorstep the better !! Its a bit like a scene from Gremlins here this evening, they are swinging from the lights as I type !!!

All the ideas above are just suggestions. Please feel free to add your own ideas and share your pictures with me. I will post them up here for others to see.

Mountmellick has been "Bombed" once again

What a great weekend to wake up to or is it all a dream. If your traveling through Mountmellick you would be forgiven for thinking so with all the dream-catchers and colour about the place.

Once again a great group has come together in Mountmellick to brighten up the town. It really is worth a visit and there is something for all ages. My daughter Isobel's favourite area this year is the picnic area out the Rosenallis Road. It really brings out her imagination and her special teddy came along to enjoy a picnic.

I love the whole town its hard to pick out one particular area, but at a push I have to say I LOVE the wishing wells. There are three (I stand to be corrected on this!!) One at Derrycloney picnic area, which is on the main Mountmellick to Portlaoise Road.

One at the picnic area on the Rosenallis Road.

And a third at the picnic area at The Commons, this is on the road from Mountmellick to Emo.

The truck is a great idea and the kids are queuing up in force to have their photos taken.

This year has seen the addition of some larger pieces which really feed the imagination. One seaside piece is at the entrance to Ashgrove

and another beautiful piece is on the wall of the Old Bank House. What great works of art.

Please check out the groups page at: https://www.facebook.com/yarnbombingmountmellick

And they are always looking for people to get involved, so get in touch if your interested !!

Plan the work and work the plan

My big task at the moment to help move my business forward is to create a business plan. I've made a few attempts on my own but it goes back in a folder and hasn't been completed. Luckily in Laois we have a great Local Enterprise Office and they recently gave me a session with a mentor so talked me through the process and gave me a template to work from.  It was a very positive experience and I would definitely recommend you see if the same is available in your area through your Enterprise Office.

Definition of a Business Plan: A business plan is a formal statement of business goals, reasons they are attainable, and plans for reaching them. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals.

This formal definition can be a bit daunting. To myself a business plan is a guide—a roadmap for your business that outlines goals and details how you plan to achieve those goals. I am not going to write mine like a school essay, I would rather you pick it up and see a little of me from it. So for me a business plan is just a plan for how your business is going to work, and how you’re going to make it succeed.

I understand it is an important document and a very useful resource. I will use it in the future to help look for funding or a loan to further my business and to get my items stocked in shops.

I think the proces will also help me see where my time is spent and how to manage it better. From research, making items, buying stock, social media, interaction with my Facebook page audience and also keeping proper financial records to see how my business is running.