HOMESPAWORKS

I attended Scotland’s Countryside Festival at Glamis Castle a couple of weeks ago as one of 3D2D Craft & Design’s Exhibitors. Despite the rain, the weekend event was hugely successful, with thousands of people enjoying a great family day out. There were lots of activities, such as Clay Pigeon Shooting, Fly Casting, Archery, Chariot Racing & Jousting, Highland Dancing Competitions and so on, as well as extensive entertainment for kids, from Jugglers to Clowns, from Face Painting to Pony Rides.

There were two tents of crafts, where visitors could indulge themselves in some art retail therapy or simply enjoy the plethora of wonderful art, design and crafts and have a chat with the artists/designers/crafters directly.

I certainly enjoyed myself, and have never seen such a range of breeds of dogs! (I absolutely adore dogs). And of course enjoyed chatting to my customers face to face as well as with other crafters. Also, a certain Scottish delicacy kept me alive that weekend (never thought black pudding could taste that good!). Definitely will be back there next year.

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Next event:
Holistic Health Event, Portobello Town Hall – 23 September 2006
Health & Wellbeing Day, Tynecastle School – 7 October 2006

Summer has arrived! And that means our busy season is beginning to roll: home spa parties.. school's out spa parties.. hen parties.. any excuse to enjoy the glorious weather! One of them is Judith's hen do. 12 people who just wanted to spend a relaxing afternoon and catch up with old mates before heading off to enjoy the buzz of Edinburgh's night life.

Some guests booked hand spa treatments, which started with an exfoliating scrub, followed by nourishing hand soak and invigorating hand masque, and then finished with a relaxing hand massage. The others opted for facials, which started with facial steam, followed by gentle facial scrub and deep cleansing facial masque, finishing off with relaxing facial massage.

The whole event was just heavenly. The room was transformed into a home spa, complete with aromatic candles and soothing music. The guests were served fresh chamomile tea when they arrived and welcomed with the home spa program. On top of all that, every single guest, including the bride-to-be and mum, received a personalised gift bag, with a special thank you note from Judith. Everybody was clearly delighted and it just proves that hen nights don't need to cost the earth!

Find out more about how you too can throw a home spa party of your own »

Next events:
FSB Networking Evening — 22 August 2006
3D2D Glamis Castle — 2-3 September 2006

Responding to clients' demands, now HomeSpaWorks offers bespoke products & personalised gifts services. Some of the recent orders are:

Brief: Gift Bag filled with products labelled with "Michelle's Smells". Outcome: Stress Relief massage oil, Escape shower gel, Pinacolada body lotion, Star Anise bath fizz, Jasmine soap, Personalised perfume oil, packaged in a clear pvc gift bag. Feedback: "Pinacolada Body Lotion.. now we love that!"

Brief: Gift Bag filled with products labelled with "Kath's Bath". Outcome: Escape shower gel, Escape body lotion, Cleopatra Rose bath milk, Citrus Delight bath salt, packaged in a clear pvc gift bag. Feedback: "Delighted!"

Brief: Gift Box filled with Rose scented products labelled with "Moira". Outcome: Rose face masque, Rose garden bath salt, Rose soap, Rosehip face oil, packaged in a matt-silver gift box. Feedback: "Absolutely loved it!"

Now, whether you'd like to have our base products scented with your favourite fragrance, or to put someone’s name as the product brand for a gift, we’ll try our best to create it especially for you. From Wedding Favours to Signature Product/Own Brand for your spa facility, contact us in confidence for a friendly chat.

Next events:
Holistic Health Fair – 15 July 2006
Spa Networking – 3 August 2006

I was invited by Maximillion a couple of weeks ago to give a workshop to one of their clients as part of a team building event. After an action-packed morning, they were looking for a more relaxing activity in the afternoon. So, the Home Spa Workshop fits right in.

We had 3 x 45 minute sessions, with 10-12 participants in each session. The workshop started with a quick talk about how to create a personal home spa experience, followed by Office Massage - de-stress your colleagues. Each participant had a chance to learn, give and receive a 5 minute refreshing massage with each other, which they later can easily do at home or at work any time they need it. No special equipment is needed and the massage can be done when people are fully clothed and still seated at their desks. The workshop was then finished off by introducing relaxation tips you can practise each day (far more practical than dashing off to a spa facility every time you need to de-stress!).

The feedback has been excellent! Both Maximillion and their client have particularly highlighted the Home Spa Workshop as one of the most popular activities of the day. I'm delighted as well and hoping this will result in increased productivity, fewer sick days and a positive work environment for the company.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like HomeSpaWorks to run a similar workshop at your company.

Next events:
Haddington Summer Fair - 10 June 2006
Edinburgh Academy Summer Fair - 24 June 2006

I'm glad I decided to go ahead with the Spa Networking idea. I thought the pilot event went really well, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The whole set up was just great, allowing everybody to be completely relaxed and actually feel at ease with each other. It was more like a social evening than a business meet up, which is exactly how I wanted it to be. Perfect!

Having been reminded constantly by the Apprentice series that it's dog-eat-dog in the business world, and the fact that some of the candidates were fired because they were considered "too nice" and consequently wouldn't survive, it is therefore very refreshing to be able to meet genuinely nice, and clearly surviving, business people at the event. It was a pleasant evening and we had a laugh!

Also refreshing was the fact that none of the men were spa virgins, although they might not readily admit to being metrosexuals! After all, nothing feminine about a relaxing massage (including hand massage/spa manicure); de-stressing is equally needed by both business men and women.

I also liked the colourful background of the group. Being a non-native myself, I'm glad I was able to meet someone from Thailand, two people who coincidentally grew up in different parts of South Africa and an Englishman who used to live in New Zealand, alongside the Edinburghers. For the next Spa Networking event, I'd really like to see an even more mixed bunch if possible. Perhaps the Chinese, Indian and the Eastern European business people? I can see this group growing steadily already!

Anyway, I think this is how every business networking event should be.. it's all about building relationships in a relaxed environment. Who says business can't be mixed with pleasure? Really looking forward to the next one and hope you can make it too!

Next events:
Holistic Health Event - 27 May 2006
Spa Networking - 1 June 2006

Easter weekend.. a wee break at last! Finally finding the time to actually sit down and activate this long-awaited spa blog. And what better way to start it than to rave about the latest Corporate Spa Party that HSW successfully organised a couple of weeks ago at AJP.

This one was for the hardworking teachers of Trinity Academy.

The party kicked off at 6pm with freshly brewed Chamomile infusion being served as a welcome drink. Surprise, surprise ... only a couple took up the tea offer and the rest went looking for a corkscrew straight away. Well, ladies.. it's been said that one or two units of wine is actually good for your health, so I’ll keep my mouth shut this time :)

One by one, the teachers disappeared to the treatment room (even three by three as there are three treatment rooms altogether) and emerged from the chrysalis a bit later, clearly relaxed and rejuvenated by the treatment they had had (most chose package B from the menu, which consisted of 2x15min treatments).

By 8.30pm, the healthy snack platters, which consisted of wonderful canapés, scrumptious salad and fresh seasonal fruits, had all been polished off and the teachers were ready to go with their personalised HSW goodie bags in hand. The results? Some are interested in having personalised home spa products made for gifts, most promised to treat themselves to a full treatment in their own time now that they’ve realised the benefits, and – I must say, as expected – they all want to have a Spa Party as a regular do now, not just a one-off end-of-term activity.

So, see you all again soon.. and feel free to invite 'Miss Beckles' round next time :)

Next events:
3D2D – 29 April 2006
Spa Networking – 4 May 2006