No Beads No Glory now live on online ordering site

Our latest No Beads No Glory collection is now live on www.balaganonline.com

Hooray !  If you don't have a log in, then please give us a call on 08452 600925 or drop us an email on sales@balagan.co.uk and we'll zing one over to you...

What can we say about No Beads No Glory...?

Well, this collection comprises bold and elegantly beaded handmade jewellery, created with quality materials entirely by hand with patience and good humour.

Our collection takes inspiration from fashion and design making pieces that are bold in size, striking in colour and yet comfortable to wear.  We are entranced by the skills necessary for such intricate beadwork and keeping those skills alive and thriving today...

Revive and thrive...this is the motto for the first No Beads No Glory collection...!

Enjoy

Top Drawer 2013

Hot on the heels of The Autumn Fair came Top Drawer London. 

A different show with a different feel.  More laid back and more suited to some of our more boutique collections. 

So we took along Kaolin, The Early Bird & One Wish on one stand and Blowing in the wind, Narate and 345 Wrap on the second.

Again, it was a very busy show... here's a couple of pics of our stands to show you how pretty they looked...

Autumn Fair stand 2013

Oops we just realised that in the haste to get the orders out the door we forgot to post our pictures from the Autumn Fair... So here's a couple to show off our gorgeous stand.  

We were loving the pink this year and our graphics were bang on trend ! Shame we can't keep them up around the office all year round !

If you visited the stand at Autumn Fair, then thankyou for stopping by !

BTAA award winner - Fashion Jewellery collection of the year - 2013 - Autumn Fair

We are really pleased to announce that the Balagan Group’s One Wish collection was the winner in the Fashion Jewellery collection of the year category of the BTAA awards which took place on Sunday 1^st September at the Autumn Fair on the fashion accessories catwalk & followed a champagne reception.

The awards were judged for the products original, innovative & eye-catching designs, quality of manufacture and commercial viability. The judges who were buyers from key retailers in the industry comments regarding the One Wish collection were that “this collection was a lovely collection, with emotive product and packaging at a great price”

Rachel Parkin the designer of the collection commented “ Winning the Fashion Jewellery collection of the year for our new One Wish collection was a delightful accolade, we are so thrilled” The collection is delicate, pretty and captures thoughts, sentiments and emotions that are universal, creating a perfect gift or self purchase.

If you haven’t yet seen the One Wish Collection it “features uplifting, cute & quirky messages on beautiful cards as well as understated designs in jewellery, created to be treasured” 

Background on One Wish

[wish] verb

Wish is a beautiful word, standing for the desire for something.. or merely good wishes (thoughts) bestowed upon another… It’s the basis for change, it preceeds thoughtful change…. If you had just one wish, what would you wish for ?

Think of throwing a pebble into a pond & imagine seeing the ripples forming outward from the middle. If you imagine those ripples being words, each ripple is a letter or word in a sentence. This idea is the basis for our One Wish collection, the idea that we can change our world, that we can affect things around us for the better…

Made from Sterling silver, the collection is designed to be worn to create optimism, so take a deep breath, make your wish & your One Wish jewellery will remind you of it each time you wear it. 

Wearing your One Wish jewellery will help you think about your wishes, make them real and hopefully

 bring them closer to you.

Peterborough hour etiquette, hints & tips

Balagan group owner recruited as Sage Business Expert

Jewellery designer, business owner and entrepeneur Rachel Parkin announced by Sage as a Business Expert under a new programme run by the FTSE 100 plc.

The unique Sage Business Experts programme started last month during which Sage recruited well-connected business people to join a group which aims to support and advise the UK business community via social media.

Rachel who is the owner and creative director of the Balagan Group was selected for the Sage Experts programme on the basis of her work with her website retailrehab www.retailrehab.co.uk which offers FREE advice and information for independent retailers. Established in 2009 retailrehab has over 800 members online.

“As a retail store owner and wholesaler I’ve been uniquely placed to see business from both sides, and I believe that retailers and wholesalers need to work more closely with each other,the fortunes of both retailers and wholesale businesses are inevitably bound together, it benefits us all to work together.

Rachel commented “As a staunch advocate of the high street, I am very proud to have been selected to join the Sage’s Business Experts Programme.”

Sage's Social Media specialist Cath Sheldon commented: "We are passionate about supporting UK business potential but we can't do this on our own.

“Our Business Experts have been handpicked for their advice and expertise on the issues that really matter to business. “We look forward to growing this group, learning from them and giving them even more of a voice to support businesses across the country."

You can contact Rachel through : www.retailrehab.co.uk & www.balagan.co.uk

Autumn 2012 stand photos

We just realised that we didn't post photos of our stands at the NEC Autumn Fair and Top Drawer Autumn... How remiss of us, especially when the stands looked as fabulous as they did....

Both stands were very different to reflect the different styles of exhibition.  For Autumn Fair we took all of our collections while Top Drawer was a more intimate affair...

2012/13 Catalogues are now live !

We are so pleased to be able to let you know that our catalogues are finally finished and available for download from our website...!  www.balagan.co.uk

The printed version will be delivered to us in a week or so, and they'll be mailed out to you as soon as we have them in our hands.

The online catalogues are the "page turning" variety so it will feel as if you're reading a magazine, they're really user friendly - you can zoom in and out to see items more closely and they're fully downloadable in case you prefer to see your catalogues in your hand, or store them on your desktop.

Please take a look and let us have your feedback, we'd love to hear your thoughts...

Autumn Fair

Autumn Fair 2012 is now complete & we are tired, but happy.

It was a great show, we talked to lots of people. We took orders, ate our own body weights in show chocolates and tootie frooties, watched the catwalk and enjoyed the buzz of the show.

Mad moment of the show was definitely when a real life teeny tiny bat landed on our trees (showing Blowing in the Wind) Very surreal - Bats in Hall 4 !?!

We were thrilled to have our jewellery selected for two of the catwalk models (Pics at the side) who looked very classy wearing 345Wrap, Narate & AnyWhich Way.

We'd like to say a really big THANK YOU to everyone who came to see us, to say hello and to view the new collections and place orders. 

We are hard at work finishing off the new catalogues which should be with you shortly.....

Here comes Autumn !

12 tips to get the most out of visiting an exhibition or trade show

Some people really like this aspect of their business, they enjoy talking to their suppliers and seeing the new products but some of us can find it a bit overwhelming. This guide will show you how to get the best out of your visit to a trade show.

Before you go: Pre-show preparation:

Things have changed a lot in the exhibiting world over the past few years. The bigger shows now have their own “apps” that you can download way before the show begins which makes your research and your visit to the show more productive.

Register in advance for pre-show news, information and updates – Organisers are keen to showcase their exhibition and will send you out lots of information that should give you some clarity about which companies you would like to see more of.

It goes without saying that you should be registered for the trade publications relevant to your show – Each show now also has a media partner who will be a relevant trade publication – Call them and ask for a copy – or view them online and do some homework – Your time is valuable and you don’t want to spend it traversing exhibition halls needlessly.

Finally, and this isn’t strictly a pre show preparation, but its very important so its worth mentioning. Most trade fairs now run seminars for visitors on topics relevant to their industry – Obviously keep in mind that the aim of these is to sell you something, but sales pitches aside, they are very useful for snapshots and soundbites on an industry and development and current issues within an industry.

What you need to know when visiting a trade exhibition !

Firstly, the exhibitors have spent a lot of money and time to make their stands look as good as possible for your convenience. Let’s run through the preliminaries that enable you to spend your valuable time at the show as profitably as possible:

1. Wear comfortable shoes:
Yes, really this is worth writing. You will cover miles and miles of walkways, this is no fun at all, if you are wearing heels (ladies you know who you are!) or have uncomfortable shoes. Sacrifice vanity for sanity on this one please. Also, never, ever, ever wear NEW shoes to a trade show !

2. Layer up:
Car parks are cold (You know I’m talking about the NEC here), whereas exhibition halls are warm, or cold if you’re under air conditioning units…. The best idea is to wear layered clothing so you can take off, or add on layers as necessary.

3. Drink lots of water:
Stay hydrated, so you make good buying decisions. And make time to eat when you get hungry. Carry snack bars with you to keep your sugar levels up, so you can stay focused.

4. Rest when you feel tired:
The lighting in exhibitions can be very yellowish, which makes your eyes strain, so take plenty of rest, otherwise its no fun at all. Try to build in a small treat for yourself somewhere in the day. A mini massage, a visit to a supplier you really like, a wicked lunch - anything that keeps it fun for you !

5. Gameplan:
The halls at exhibitions can be massive, so having a rough gameplan will help you stay on track, and don’t have to run around in a panic afraid that you’ll miss something ! It goes without saying that some shows are bigger than others, some can be done in a day, some are simply too damn big - I’m thinking primarily of the NEC Spring and Autumn Fairs here - give yourself time - don’t turn into a pressure cooker !

6. See the companies you really need to see first : so they’re off your list and you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day without pressure

7. Allocate some specific time to look for new products: After all you can see most of your present suppliers at any time, or they’ll come and visit you, whereas its new product and suppliers you really need to search out at a show. Few things compare to the thrill of finding a new product or supplier that you know is going to bring great results for you, so its worth investing some time into this and creating this opportunity – the halls are simply too big to leave this to chance.

8. Have a show budget:
Work out how much money you have to spend, how much you want to spend and keep a track of each order you’ve placed. Your accountant will love you for this. Remember to allocate some of your budget to new suppliers / new product - we all need new products to keep us enthusiastic !

9. Keep a note of how much you’ve spent and which delivery date you’ve asked for:
Immediate, next week, or delayed. This will help you to organise your schedule when you get back to your shop.

10. Wheels:
If you’re going to be spending some time at a show, have a bad back, or plan on picking up a lot of literature (and there’s usually lots on offer) then consider taking a small suitcase on wheels with you. These are comfortable, save your back and allow you to pack away anything you don’t need, such as coats and scarves. How big? No bigger than aircraft cabin luggage !

11. Pre show planning :
So important I’ve mentioned it twice. Most trade magazines will be posted out between one or two weeks before a show so they’ll be fresh and topical. They’ll have show previews in them, with lots of new product. They’ll also have sections on new trends - make the time to study these magazines as well as doing your own research, so you’ll be able to spend your time effectively at the show.

12. Accommodation :
Finally, if you’re coming a long way, or you need to stay a couple of days? Book a hotel room, make a night of it, empty a bottle of wine or two, put the world to rights, and have some fun !

All work and no play makes for no fun !

OK magazine features Blowing in the Wind

This week's OK magazine features one of our lovely Sugar Canadian Maple leaves in a gold finish on their top five hot picks for the week !

Autumn is fast approaching and what better fashion statement could there be than one of our beautiful pieces of Blowing in the Wind REAL leaves beautifully finished and presented ?

From the forest floor direct to the catwalk !

345Wrap Autumn Preview

We thought that you might like to see a preview of our Autumn /Winter 345Wrap collection.

We've been hard at work designing our new collection for its Autumn Fair / Top Drawer debut.

We've also designed a new wooden stand to showcase this collection, we're just waiting for the pre-production sample to arrive and be signed off, then we can show you some pictures, suffice it to say its perfect for our beachcomber luxe vibe.

If you'd like to see more of our new collections jump over to our facebook page as we're putting mini albums up there as we move towards the show season.  Just click on the link to like our page and see the new designs...

Enjoy the Olympics !

Sunshine on a rainy day

Just for fun, and because we can, we thought we'd have a little play with our jewellery and some weather related themes (the rain has made us slightly crazy) Fingers crossed for St Swithuns day sunshine  - here's the first... we like it - hope you do too....

345 Wrap - Bracelet Tutorial

This season’s hottest trend goes around — and around (quite literally)

From tough and rocky, to girly and sparkly, there’s a wrap bracelet for everyone.

Wrap bracelets are a celebrity favourite – they are practical, eye catching and comfortable to wear. Creating column inches wherever they appear.

Please find the link to access our online tutorial “How to wear a wrap bracelet” We hope that this will go someway to showcasing just how quick and simple it is to wear wrap bracelets.

Don’t forget that the longer styles of wrap bracelets (we’re talking about the 5 length ones here) can also be worn as necklaces or belts (if you’re on the skinny side) and we’ve even heard of people using them as boot jewellery...?

Inspired by the wrap bracelet trend started by Chan Luu in America, this is our take on the Wrap trend…

Please call us on 08452 600 925 for further details or click on the link below for more information.

Wrap, Wind, Fold & Bind 

Download Catalogue

25% off Tower Rings

Retirement Sale

25% off Tower Rings

Tower Rings will be retired from our active collections on the 31st July 2012 to make way for our new collections which will launch at the Autumn Fair.

So we have an unmissable opportunity to save money on our Tower Rings collection.

The Tower Rings collection features over 120 styles of ring that can be worn either individually or as a set or Tower. Interchangeable, collectable and stylish they make a fashion statement. Complete with dedicated point of sale and packaging to

support the collection

Take advantage of this incredible money off offer, which will ensure an

increase in your profits.

This sizzling Summer Offer ends on Monday 2nd July at 9am, so don’t hesitate to place your order now.

For more information please call 08452 600925 or email sales@balagan.co.uk

Download Catalogue

Order Online: www.balaganonline.com