'Tis the Season

As the air get colder and the days get shorter, reminders of the coming Christmas season start to appear much more frequently. For some, this means the nightmare of Christmas shopping. Making a list, checking it twice, and in these times, constantly checking the bank balance will allow for those extra stocking fillers. On a more cheerful note, Christmas also means spending quality time with family and friends. Oh, and also stuffing oneself with turkey and all the trimmings!


Here at Naturalmat, as always, we are thinking about how to make Christmas, and the shopping leading up to it as enjoyable as possible. Thinking about great stocking fillers, we are now selling books from Random House Kids online including (my favourites) Is This My Nose and Box of Tricks. Our heart-shaped lambswool lavender snugglies are also great for anyone who likes to cuddle with the calming scent of lavender. Or keep your little one warm with our range of organic clothing and blankets.

What’s more, as our gift to you, anyone who purchases with us will receive 15% off Cowshed products until Christmas!

So come inside, have a look and let us make this Christmas everything it should be.

Sleep Well,

Naturalmat

Baby Show Go

Despite to turn in the weather, things at Naturalmat have really been heating up.

Mark and Peter, our directors have been gearing up for the launch of the Naturalmat/Stokke collaboration to be exhibited for the first time at the London Baby Show. For those of you who have never heard of it, the London Baby Show is the 'place to be' for the who's who of the baby world. Large and small, baby companies gather together for this one weekend to ruffle their feathers and show people what they are really about.

This year, teaming up with Stokke - a household name for baby furniture, the Naturalmat gurus are delighted to be making the organic mattress accessible to all babies and children, ensuring that all parents can comforted knowing their child is getting the best night's sleep, naturally. (The Stokke Sleepi with Naturalmat mattress can be bought in Peppermint, Back in Action and Lullabys.)



Meanwhile in our shop...

Yesterday we had the largest turn-out for Story Time EVER! Mummies and children came from all over London to hear Eva enchant with her magical story-telling. It was great to see so many faces returning and new. By the end, there wasn't a crumb in sight!

Eva and I have also been busy bees working on our new website to be launched next week. It has been a great experience putting it together just as we like it and believe our customers will too.
Most importantly, we hope the new website will make your baby-buying experience a pleasurable one. Watch this space...


Sleep Well,

Marilyn @Naturalmat

Story Time Fun

Yesterday was the launch of the first Story Time event in our shop, and wow wow wow!

Just moments before, as we set out the cookies and poured the milk, all of us in the Naturalmat shop began to get last-minute jitters. We suddenly wondered whether anyone would turn up. We started to wonder - did we hand out enough fliers, call enough mothers,? Was there anything we had forgotten to do?

But lo and behold the clock turned 4 and mothers and children began to pour in. How lovely the sound of little children giggling are... and how wonderful to see their eyes light up at the sight of cookies and milk in pretty lavender cups.

Our brand manager Eva very kindly offered her services as book reader and boy did she deliver! (We now know she could fall back on a career in child care.) All of the kids sat around, staring up at her silently waiting as if they knew it was going to be a great story. As she shook her hands around so did they, and as she read they looked up at her in awe. At one point, one of the toddlers Kitty decided it was time to take a snoop around the shop. Most of us (myself included) were too busy listening to the story to even notice her sticking her head in the cupboard and grabbing another cookie (watch out Mum!)

When the story ended, everyone stayed to chat and get to know each other. It was lovely to meet some of the mums in our area and to see them meet each other. By the end of the hour there wasn't a drop of milk or a crumb of cookie left in sight. What a wonderful way to bring together the mums and kids in our area. We can't wait to do it all again next week!

Marilyn @Naturalmat

Organic Fortnight Giveaway

As a Soil Association approved product, we take pride in our organic mattresses and love all things organic. That is why this year we have decided to once again get involved in celebrating Organic Fortnight. Running from the 5^th until the 20^th of September, people across the country are celebrating all things organic, aiming to educate people about the benefits of choosing organic products and inspire more to choose organic.

The biggest event of Organic Fortnight will be the Organic Food Festival taking place on Saturday the 12^th and Sunday the 13^th of September at Bristol’s scenic Harbourside. In association with the Soil Association and support from Yeo Valley it is Europe’s largest showcase of the organic community, with hundreds of organic products, an organic bar, cooking demonstrations with Raymond Blanc, Barny Haughton and other top chefs, children’s taste workshops and a lively Street Food Bazaar. With a special area for fun and games for children this is will be a great day for the whole family!

Naturalmat is giving away two tickets (children go for free) to the Organic Food Festival to anyone who wants to take part in trying out lots of yummy organic products. To win, simply subscribe to our blog, become a fan on facebook, or tweet ‘Organic Fortnight’ to @naturalmat. But hurry because the offer ends Wednesday the 9^th! Come show your appreciation and support Organic Fortnight.

Monday Monday

Typically, Mondays is not everyone's favourite days. After weekends like the one just gone when we all get reminded that it is indeed still summer, (easy to forget when wool is still featuring in the front of my closet) getting motivated back into work is about as easy as motivating yourself to go on that 1 hour run you committed to after the second helping of Sunday pudding.

A glimpse out of the window inspires pains of jelousy to all of those strolling by. How on Earth do they make a living? What fantastic job allows all of the wanderers bellow to stride past so carelessly taking in the sunshine on the most dreaded of days?? Perhaps they are victims of the global recession. Surely even the unemployed will wake up late and smirk remembering the Monday blues while they decide to have breakfast in bed.

Here at Naturalmat, we have decided to rebel against the Mondays (well, at least for this week.) One of our co-founders Peter decided to keep quiet about his Birthday today, but in a small office secrets are short-lived.

We are having a Birthday Party!!
Snuck off to Hummingbird for cupcakes and candles, (red velvet, yummm! :P) and Eva used her calligraphy skills to make a lovely card. Whether Peter likes it or not (we do hope he does) its a celebration! Monday blues? Pah! We're having tea and cupcakes. And from the cool inside of the office, with the sun streaming in, we will not have to worry about melted frosting, overcrowded parks or skin damage.

In hopes to motivated more of you, what are you doing to make your Monday more exciting? Inside an office or wandering free, let's get some tips!

Gotta love Mondays!

Marilyn @ Naturalmat

Summer Lovin'

The summer months tend to be the time when work is put on the back burner and (surely if you live in England,) our heads are filled with holidays, sunshine and hot weather.

For those who decided to go eco-chic this year and stay local, the promising summer forecast that the lovely weather woman on GMTV gave has not held up. Plans for BBQ's, and Pimms in the park has been somewhat washed out (quite literally!)

Here in the Naturalmat headquarters, it seems that many of us have planned our holidays last minute thinking we would be enjoying a sunny local summer only to wake up to clouds day after day.

So while I am escaping to the Middle East (yes, I would like to roast please), our brand manager Eva is escaping to the Greek island Skiathos, and our store manager is off the Morocco for surfing! As hard as we tried, embracing the British summer this year just hasn't happening - as guilty as our green consciences may feel.

In the meantime, watching the raindrops slide down the window staring out onto the sad streets of Notting Hill just waiting for its annual weekend of fun, we can't help but notice just how many people have planned ahead and fled the country. Credit crunch? We think not.

For those of you who planned ahead and ignored the recession bells, swine-flu craze and all other obstacles we salute you. Perhaps you are away right now, perhaps you are lying on a beach, feet in the sand with the sound of your little ones making sand castles off in the distance.

Perhaps you are smart like our co-founder Mark who just strolled into the office today tanned and smiley from his family trip to Croatia.

Wherever you are or however you have escaped (or not) we would love to hear your experiences of summer so far this year. Any swine-flu hold ups? How do you handle traveling with the little ones? Let us know.

Love,

Marilyn@ Naturalmat

What's happening at Naturalmat..?!

Keeping Up Appearances

There has been a sprucing up at Naturalmat Headquarters in the heart of Notting Hill. Tucked down one of the beautiful side streets off Portobello, Naturalmat is looking lovelier than it ever has, with a brand new make-over in pretty lavender and white with a plethora of new and exciting products, including soft cashmere blankets, stunning new nursery furniture and some beautiful new gifts to boot.

The all singing all dancing new Naturalmat brochure is now available for your perusal, bursting at the seams with natural and organic delights it covers everything you need for your child – from newborn all the way through their childhood. From their superior organic mattresses, their made to measure service, to exclusive new ranges of gorgeous furniture, organic bedding, organic sleeping bags and blankets..you name it, they’ve got it covered.

In addition to all of this, Naturalmat is welcoming Autumn with an exciting new program of promotions and events, due to launch in store at the beginning of September.



Things That Go Bump

The Naturalmat sleep gurus have teamed up with the fabulous maternity brand Blossom. Any customer purchasing a Naturalmat mattress during September/October 09 will receive a brilliant 10% discount off any Blossom maternity range item.

Blossom features such celebrated designers as See by Chloe, Missoni, Alice Temperley, Sonia Rykiel, Juicy Couture, and many others, so all the Naturalmat mums can enjoy a not so naughty shopping spree and shroud their bump with a new super stylish piece without burning a hole in their wallets. Lovely.

Blossom Promotion valid from 25/08/09 – 31/10/09

Naturalmat Story Time




No Tears Over Spilt Milk

This Autumn sees the launch of Naturalmat Story Time, with Random House Children’s Books providing stories from their newest and loveliest collections.

With the gentle scent of lavender filling your senses and calming background music, grown-ups can sink into the hand-made organic Story Time mattresses with their little ones, and be treated to some interactive and fun story-telling from either the author themselves, or one of the Naturalmat team.

Running all the way up to Christmas, there will be fun activity sheets for the children, a signed book up for grabs, and the experience is completed with the addition of delicious Gail’s cookies and organic milk, courtesy of Rachel’s, served in the oh-so-clever Anywayup Cups to ensure there are no accidental spills or messes.

What’s more, all those who attend this free event will receive Rachel’s vouchers & be entered into a prize draw to win £150 of their delicious products, so there’ll be cookies and smiles all round..and with every drop of Rachel’s organic milk landing exactly where it should, you can be sure there won’t be a teary eye in the house.

Naturalmat Story Time to take place in store: 99 Talbot Road, Notting Hill, W11 2AT
Every Wednesday at 4pm from 09/09/09 – 16/12/09

At Your Service

Whether you need a last minute babysitter, a nanny, au pair or governess, Royal Nannies, (who, as their name suggests do indeed have royal clients), will banish the stress and make the process easy peasy. Naturalmat have teamed up with Chelsea based Royal Nannies, offering 10% off any natural and organic mattress to all of their customers. With their years of experience, free Babysitting service and choice of either British or International qualified child carers, this offer ensures that both you and your child will sleep peacefully throughout the night. It’s a win win situation.



Royal Nannies Promotion valid from 01/10/09 – 30/11/09


Naturalmat is the leading UK manufacturer of 100% natural and organic baby & adult mattresses. Each mattress is made by hand in Devon using the finest raw materials, all of which are from renewable sources.


CONTACT
eva@naturalmat.co.uk
marilyn@naturalmat.co.uk
www.naturalmat.co.uk
020 7985 0474

REFERENCED
www.blossommotherandchild.com
www.rachelsorganic.co.uk
www.gailsbread.co.uk
www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
www.royalnannies.co.uk