THIS IS MY BLOG IN ONE EASY READING PASSAGE …. EVERYTHING FROM THIS FIRST YEAR.
Phew!!
MaryX

The Carmasutra Website Goes Live!

After Months of planning the preparing the products that will be the new brand of toiletries form the Car Masutra the website, the products and I have all come together for the Launch of the website. Excitement all around.

….Hello World!!
To everyone who has kept me going, and got me this far…Thanks!!XXX
Anyone out there????????????????

Day one and what a day?!!!!!!
Sitting here with lovely glass of cold pinot, and ready to write my first blog…….ahhh….what do I write?
First off, that you to all of you who phoned through to Toolbox Marketing telling them that the credit card bit wasn’t working, then those who couldn’t leave a blog. TRULY I am thankful, cos you have helped with the site development!! We are still in the early stages and loads of stuff is being updated every day.
Thanks to Emily, my BRILLIANT graphic girl (as in graphic designer!) to Rob, who built the site and Sarah (FAB PR women who I am a bit frightened of!) who has basically put my whole life on the site for everyone to see …ahhhh (again!), then there is Colin, who having put the whole thing together decided to b—– off yesterday for a few days..THANKS!!! It sooooooooo good he has a wonderful wife called Michelle, who took the wheel this morning. Nothing beats a good woman!! Thanks to ALL the Toolbox team..What have I done saying “yes” to all of this?????
I won’t write too much, or you will get bored, but basically, you will be hearing about my new warehouse manager Mr.G in future emails. He wears brown overalls and sits in the barn all day waiting for orders… dear man.
Right…….. Think I have to do twitter now, or is it facebook, or Myspace…. can someone come up with a program that I only have to write everything in once!
errrr…what shall I do now…opppps, glass empty, better find the fridge XXXXXXXXXXXX

Day number 2 …a Friday!!!
FIRST OFF…BEWARE…SPELL CHECK STILL NOT WORKING!!!

Ok…up one notch tonight, glass of bubbly sitting here beside me. A major supermarket, whose name I will not mention ( until they start stocking my products !) had a half price sale on, and 5% off if you bought 6…well it is half term, and the end of a most ALMIGHTY week for me !!!

Got the Toolbox Marketing office on their toes today, knowing that they were not going to be left out of my blog hahaha…I don’t think Mr Boss man was expecting it, but as I said yesterday…they have told me to do this…( more hahahah!) His wife looks as stunning as ever..Don’t know how she does it?

Met a lovely man at KallKwik this afternoon, which is going to be doing all my printing …thinks he was a Mr. Boss man too, anyway, at least I can deal with a human being, rather than just ordering over the internet..phew!

Really going to try and RELAX (joke) a bit this week end. It’s a funny feeling when one has been working on something as long as I have, and suddenly, the whole thing is up and running, although changes to the web site has already been made today, and more on Monday, so really looking at the NEC thing as the main beginnings of everything.

Fab PR woman with much authority, Sarah, has be rallying the troops ( sorry about the pun that only a few will understand !) getting clits on the web site, so raisings the profile …err hold on spelling mistake…shall I change it ???? What do you think? Clicks it’s meant to say… stay with this OK…. I had to take my English lanuage`O` level 5 times at boarding school, cos we had to get a “C” grade in those days. I finally passed it in my lower 6th!!! ..With “C” !!

Just so you know I have 9 “O” levels “C” and above and 11 if you count my “D” grades (what happened to the 11? looks odd to me???.ahhhhhhhh ROB fix it !!!!) And 2 “A” levels. ( “2″ looks strange as well..bit small ?!!) hum numbers are coming out funny.

Finally, just a BIG thanks to all my suppliers. They have done a FAB job, and have really encouraged me all along the way….

Just been called for supper…………….. Have a GREAT weekend…Bye XXXXXXXXXXXXx

Ok Friday night, going now,

Day 3…Saturday….Resting (NOT!!)
Not going to write much, just to say I had a bit of a lie in this morning…first time in about 6 months! Did some gardening and then sorted out all the T Shirt artwork during most of the afternoon.
Had some great friends come through on facebook and now am going to go and sit down in front of a lovely open fire, and have my supper!
What a nice simple day !!!

Monday…heavy !!!
Ok, done the t shirts & polo shirts for NEC, got packing tape sorted, got security seals organized…spent loads of money..Some of this stuff better sell!!
Had USA friend turn up on front door step yesterday, cos he was banned from getting on his flight cos he said f—— to himself in ear shot the bag security guys at Gatwick…be warned! Hi Tom!!
Heard my Scottish babe Heather, who is coming to the NEC with us, speak slowly for once, and she sound GREAT!! Just like Lulu..Should pull the punters in, and she wants a tight t shirt!! Great girl..We met at our sons passing out parade. Both our sons are in the Royal Navy!! We were booked into the same hotel for 3 days!! She’s quite a business woman too…so
Really tired. Business all day…….going now XX

Pheww……ahhhhhhhhhhh!
So pheww……………..ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

Lost count of the days now!!!
Mr. Boss man at Toolbox REALLY happy….Mrs. “always looks fabulous” Boss woman also very impressed and I was allowed to walk up the stairs to her office (bit scary!) with the gift pack in hand.
Got fab contact at a T Shirt manufactures, great guy called Carl Sooooooooooooo nice talking to a human being who is on the ball, rather than just a booking form on a computer and feeling lost in a crowd. He said he would look at the web site this evening, so “Hi Carl!!”
I have been very blessed, the way the right people have been brought along at the right time, during this last month..AMAZING.
Calling it a day now……….XXX

Why no blog yesterday??
phew…better get dressed now, and start another’s day’s work……….

back to work now it`s Monday!
Oh dear..Things have changed. When the clocks go back, it`s great in the mornings cos you get that extra hour, but dreadful in the evenings as it now gets dark early…. A nice glass of red sounds more in keeping tonight….snug and cosy…summer has gone.
Had the whole weekend off, which was fab, lazing around.
Major press release due out tomorrow… oh soooooooo glad Sarah is doing all of that, she`ll brill.
Think it`s time to sit in front of the fire and warm up!

Almost there..!!!
Well…..this stand at the NEC is going to be quite something!! Mr. Boss man went out shopping today, and brought back the most AMAZING bit of flooring!! we are going to look soooooooo cool…. just hope the dogs don’t pee on it, before we get up there…oh well, if the worst happens, it will add to the authenticity of a garage floor !
Dark evenings are here again, and a supermarket whose name I won’t mention, unless they stock my items, had a great deal on for nibbles, but really nice ones…I suppose so people can stock up for Christmas. yum yum yum…lovely with my glass of…..er…..forgot to look at the bottle, but it’s a very nice one, whatever it is. Just going to run downstairs and top it up.
I do so like the news at 6.0`clock news, and if I’m feeling the need to question, the channel 4 news at 7.00. I do like my news!! “Question time” “Have I got news for you”, and documentaries. I love real life, so not really one for following the soaps or drama….kind of have a knack of making my own!! (In joke)
Still need this spell check to work..which it doesn’t, so poor old you lot have to work the words out for yourselves….well, a bit of work never did anyone any harm and anyway, it makes this blog different and more exciting ?!
My fab Scottish woman is preparing herself for the NEC …the poor men are going to have such a hard time!! …opps I didn’t mean it quite like that…I mean, she takes no prisoners!! NEC prepare!! Also got my very wonderful PR lady (who I`m a bit frightened of )up for the Friday, and then Mrs. Boss man ( very influential woman with her own business) will be joining Mr. boss man for the Saturday and Sunday ….I can feel a party coming on ???!!!
Anyone who is thinking of coming along…do…cos we are doing GREAT special prices for the Motor Show. You can buy all your male presents in one single place and wrapping paper too!!!!!!!!!
Oh well, tomorrow major spend on the fittings for the stand. Thank you Nice Mr. commercial bank manager ….better drop you off a free 3 pack gift set soon!

Getting Closer!!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!! Everything is finally coming together. I get men from various courier companies arriving on my door step everyday day now … they are all becoming old friends!!
Fab day, with the sun shining and a warm wood smoked breeze ( we get that in the countryside) Brilliant Em at the bosses place has done even more fabulous artwork for me today, and the wonderful PR lady is doing an amazing job on the press. Strange…the office is now beginning to feel like home from home, and everyone is so nice and friendly.
Got some GREAT sticking tape through today …yes…. and guess what….. It says Car Masutra all over it..Oh I will have fun!! I want to stick it everywhere and on everything!!!!!!!!
Time to finish off for the day…………and what a “good” one XX

Well well well !!
What have I done today??? well…..went to printers and picked up cards and ordered a load more and well…..got voice mail sorted on business line, and well…..saw the banner designs for the NEC…WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also got filming happening on Friday at NEC, so anyone who wants to be in it, make sure you get there early!! (Hi Guy) and just sorting out all the last final details…errr. Got free music from my first husband, and have put new bulbs in my sound to light system. Don’t know what Mr. Boss man is going to say, when I show him my rig, when we do the final test stand set up!!! Ahhh but you know me, always one to enjoy a party, bit of music, and few drinks….the only problem now, is I wake up the next day in pain, from all the exercise!
Friends are being FAB on facebook and email. The support and encouragement is so needed…I often ask myself, “what am I doing” and then think, hold on..”What have I done…it’s all happening?!!”
I can feel a bath coming on…which of the products shall I test tonight? …yes…I test everything personally!
Keep in touch, and keep hitting the web site to notch up the clicks!! ( thanks )
XXX

Friday night…Yeah!
Hi Trev, Mary-anne, Polly, John, Mary, Robbie and MR.118 118 !! Great evening in the local oldy woldy pub in village. This time next week will be at the NEC. Really getting excited now. Did test stand set up, Mr. Boss man loves it…ahhhh Nite nite XX
Lest we forget
They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor do the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them……….

The little red hen reduced..!!
PS Still not got spell check!
One day, there was a little red hen, who wanted to launch her brand Car Masutra and get ready for the NEC in 3 days time. She needed some manual help.” Who will help me put 1,200 cards in the envelopes?” asked the little red hen…”Not I” said the Pig, “Not I” said the rat, “Not I” said the cat, so the little Red hen put all the cards in the envelopes herself.
After lunch , the little Red hen asked, ” who will help me check that every single one of the 10,000 bottles of the Car Masutra toiletries range is done up tightly?” Not I” said the Pig, “Not I” said the rat, and “Not I” said the cat…so the little red hen checked all the bottles herself.
By the time the evening came, all the security seals had to be heat shrunk on the bottles, taking lots of time and having to sit in the cold warehouse with no heating. “Who will help me put the security seals on my bottles which I forgot to ask the manufacturers to do” asked the little red hen? “Not I” said the Pig, “Not I” said the rat, and “Not I” said the cat. So the little red hen spent 3 days, into the dark hours, shrink wrapping every single bottle.
The little ren hen, went up to the NEC with all her hard work ready for sale. Everyone bought it, and there were lots and lots of publicity and many happy evenings in the bar at The Hilton. Her brand was picked up by major companies; she had orders from all over the world and was a very successful business woman.
Who will share in my limited company that I have formed, that has taken me about 15 years to get off the ground, ever since I went to the very first Top Gear Classic Motor show in 1993, sang my silly song and saw the gap in the market. Who will come to my parties, stay in my villa, eat my food and drink my wine while dancing to 1980`s disco music?
“I will!” said the Pig, “I will!” said the rat, “I will!” said the Cat, “but as long as you don’t play the disco music” they said.
“Oh no you won’t” said the little Red hen, and she danced into the sunset, with her loved one`s around here, and all the people who had given her time, encouragement and support.

Not long now…!!!
Wow, what a day….can’t talk for long, time is ticking away and loads more still to do.
Very exciting time. …Do pop in and see us at stand 2T 207 13th-15th November, or catch us for a drink at The Hilton in the evening.
XXXXXXXXXXXX

Exciting Times
Well………. it’s all done, everything has arrived, the bags look FAB (Thanks Marion!!) and ready to leave for the NEC tomorrow.
Heather flying down from Scotland tomorrow ………..ahh!! Us lot leaving sleepy Suffolk at noon, and ready to finally see what the public make of this.
We have huge signs saying Car Masutra which will go on the van..How exciting, and all I have to do now is pack my bag, pour myself a glass of bubbly and prepare.
Best of luck everyone ……………HERE WE GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.50am
Totally really for bed, but sooooooooooooooooo worth it.
Here we go !!!!!!!!!!!

Busy Busy Busy !!!
Thanks Heather soooooooooo much for coming down to Birmingham, and Sarah too.
Just got the rushes for the filming we did on Friday ….excellent…thanks Guy XXX
Must rush and get my daughter to school … will hopefully grab a glass of vino at approx 6pm and give you all the full low down…
Bye !!!!!

Arhhhhh Friday!!
Wow, how fast this week has gone. Only just finished unpacking from the NEC, and still no sit down time!
This weekend is going to be gooooooood, relaxing for the first time in about 6 months….unless of course I come up with some more ideas, and then my mind will be working flat out.
I`ll tell you something, at the show, we all tried out this massage machine, as a joke, but actually we found it wonderful, so I got one. It’s great, and all the office will be coming to my house to use it!! It has two big kneading things, on a large pillow shaped thing, and it really feels as if you are having a real deep Swedish massage by a muscle man. You also don’t get that dreadful wandering hand trouble that men developed!!
Thanks for your comments, and “hello” to Heathers friend in Corby!!!
Roll on the weekend!!

Sorry sorry..busy busy !!
Oh dear, blogs have dropped to almost nil this week. Had samples come through for our supermarket range, and had a very nice man called Rory assisting me in finding the perfect bottle or sweezy tube !!
Had two kids birthdays as well, well not quite kids, more like 24yrs and 21yrs ..But your children always feel like babies to you, even when they are grown men! I still have to sing “Happy Birthday” down the phone to them, first thing in the morning..Oh dear…mad old bat!
Only a month till Christmas now…it`s lovely in the village, the elders of the village put up little trees all the way down the High Street, it`s so pretty, and I always have mulled wine waiting for them. It’s sort of become a stop off point!!!
Bath time now..What is it about men and football??!!!!

Family Wedding!!
Strange old world, we can chose so many things, but we cannot chose our families…it`s all lottery of birth, we are who we are…………….. And in that we are all equal!
Drove up to Nottingham ( hello Nottingham !!!) for the first time, for a big family wedding this weekend, and we basically took over a complete hotel !! A lovely family hotel with Avocado bath fittings and swirly carpet….very 1970`s !
We are a funny old lot..the grandmothers, the great aunts and uncles, the cousins, the brothers and sisters and the babies, the new family we have all just married into….poor lot !!
Actually had some fab conversations and met some really interesting people, one being a philosopher, I`m sure she`ll have some theories for me on men and cars!! (ps the spell check is STILL not working on this, so sorry for any mistakes!) I had explained to me the theory of the word “THE” …..Wow!!
Got all the un-packing to do now, everything having been thrown into my bags, cos we sleep in slightly later this morning. So…….. Happy Times Jonathan and Roxana, God bless and enjoy the honeymoon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! arrrrrr they was so romantic …I remember those days!
Back to work tomorrow….VERY exciting times!

Give me the locals anytime!!
ahhhh brilliant evening with my mates in the local…..gonna be making the papers soon! Thanks Trevor, Linda, Simon, Alan and the man with the crazy hair!!

11 in Amazon automotive bestseller list!
well well well, what a surprise! Also the second version is no 30, okay it changes every hour, but this has inspired me!

Lunch with HSBC and Edwina Curry….
Yep ………..was invited to join the HSBC table at a lunch for women in Business at Lynford Hall. Edwina was the speaker, so I gave her a gift 3 pack only to find out that her man loves his car!! (The lady sounds like a pretty brilliant and fearless driver too……..what a joy to hear……go for it!
Had fab day today, seeing all my friends at the West Suffolk College for Christmas dinner. I have meant to be doing my second year of an Arts foundation course, but with Car Masutra taking off, I`ve missed all this terms work…opppps!! Hopefully will be back in the spring, such a great bunch of people, I’ve really missed seeing them every week. Sneaked a couple of bottles of bubbly under the table into the college cafe, and we all drank it out of plastic cups, together with some M& S salmon canapés….oh girlfriends…can’t live without them!!! XX
Major movements all over the place………. and the warehouse is hotting up with Christmas orders! Thanks everyone!
Bath time and bed…………….loads of work on my list for tomorrow and video coming soon!
Thank you all for your support,

Happy New Year!!
Yes I know it’s late….! opps Sorry XX. Busy busy busy

Carmasutra NEC Videos
Check out these videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILVGRxKqvfk NEC Classic Motor Show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2auM8waBA-g NEC Classic motor show docu- soap

Long time…no talk !!
Ok ok ok…..right, I have been VERY busy, and am now getting back to blogging! Just had a fab afternoon with Doug Richard, ex Dragon Dens fellow and learnt sooooooooooooooooooo much.
Quote from him on my product?…………… “Its gonna sell”
Time for bath and bed now,
Mary Bird X
www.carmasutra.com

Gift of the Year judges make their choices
The final selection process for the 2010 Gift of the Year is complete and the winners across the 16 different categories will be announced on June 21, along with an additional surprise award. Autumn Fair International and Spring Fair International were once again sponsors of Award categories, Kitchen and Dining and Card and Wrap respectively. The quality of entries in both categories was outstanding
The Giftware Association’s chief executive, Isabel Martinson said that: “The entry this year was particularly strong with many exciting new products making the final cut. All categories were fiercely fought and the winners of each are all excellent in their own field.

When all hope near gone..Look what happened!!
Just come back from 24 hours in London, and now a feature film based in the book is in pre production!! THIS IS AMAZING.
What we are looking for is product placement for any UK company that wants a credit at the end of the movie. Let’s put what is great about Britain in it! Government, we also want you backing on this as well with a cameo of Boris and David!! ( as well as an amusing entertaining story line, top director and producer, think ” Four wedding and a funeral” “The full Monty” “Love actually” “Bend it like Beckham” and “Bridgette Jones diary” all rolled in to one.) Some of the team from these movies is already on board…yes!
Come of UK………… we can do this!!
www.carmasutra.com

Press release for June 21st Monday 2010
The press release comes out from the GA tomorrow. Companies also have to produce one, so I now have 4 version for the various media interests ( Woman’s issues, Local press, Motor trade and General) I know a few of you were sent the woman’s issue one !! ha ha !! Talk about selling my soul, but any coverage is good coverage…the motor trade one is very different, for all you men out there; we will want you and your cars!

Mary Bird

Major National Award for Car Masutra “Car Love” Cosmetics!

Major National Award for Car Masutra “Car Love” Cosmetics!

The UK’s Giftware Association has just unveiled the list of winners of its prestigious annual Gift of the Year Awards revealing that a Suffolk based small business; Car Masutra Limited has been Highly Commended in the 2010 competition.

The company’s Body Repair Kit has been selected in the category Mind Body and Soul, which is a product to complement and enhance personal health, welfare and frame of mind.

Gift of the Year Awards are only given to the latest most original and innovatively designed products that can be given as gifts. However, entrants also have to demonstrate that the product is commercially viable.

Mary Bird, who is Car Masutra Limited, believes that it is the innovative design, quirky appeal and quality ingredients, all produced in the UK and sourced in East Anglia, of the Classic Car Masutra, Custom Car Masutra and Sports Car Masutra male toiletries range, packaged in an amusing gift pack for women to buy their men who love their cars, which has ensured its place on the list of the nation’s most exciting gifts for 2010:
“Since the pre launch at the NEC Classic Motor Show last November, the response has been amazing, with many smiles, brought to many faces!
I have had an encouraging few words from Dragons Den Doug Richards, who said he loved the name, when I was explaining it to him at a recent School for Startups meeting. The fellow standing next to me asked for my business card, as he wanted to buy some for a load of his car loving mates. At that point, Doug turned to me and said “It’s gonna sell !”

This professional trade recognition for my idea, from the Giftware Association, has given me a great boost of energy, to continue doing what I believe in, and will one day, God willing, be a global brand. I am absolutely delighted with the award and thank them for it. It has taken me totally by surprise.
The original book The Car Masutra has now been picked up by a very well known film and television comedy producer, and the first drafts of the script are being written for a feature film. We will be looking for locations and cars for various shots, so any British Industry who wishes to be part of this; we would be most interested to hear from.” Mary Bird
“The Gift of the Year Awards is an excellent indicator of what’s going to be hot this Christmas” Giftware Association

According to Isabel Martinson, chief executive of The Giftware Association, judging the winners and highly commended products in each category was extremely difficult:

“Now in their 31st year, the 2010 Awards have again attracted an enormous number of entries. We were inundated with new, exciting products all bidding to capture the judges’ attention and be crowned as this year’s must-have Christmas gift! Congratulations to Mary Bird and Car Masutra Limited on this fantastic achievement.”

Isabel Martinson, chief executive of The Giftware Association

If you would like photography or further media information, comments or interviews about how Mary did it, the hurdles and ridicule she had to overcome, the amazing support of her friends and the UK toiletries industry with a feature film now in pre-production supporting British business and export or a
A full biography and story of The Car Masutra project with recent updates and blogs, please visit the web site www.carmasutra.com Samples also available for review on request. press gift of the year CAR

To those who need encouragement…
So as Nelson Mandela says
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

What a week !!! …the week that was
Well, sorry for being a bit slow on updating my blog this week, but various hurdles that have been around for a couple of years are suddenly getting ticked off the list! From art courses, to rabbits, to warehousing, to business deals, to end of term, to orders beginning to come in, to amazing contacts and help via Linkedin to, to moving furniture, to…well all sorts of stuff !!
It like my life is suddenly just beginning!!
Actually enjoying this weekend, and put my feet up a bit which is rare………… phew!!

Car Masutra Screenplay now full steam ahead – Official !!!!
Yes…just got confirmation email through… Its on and really happening!
Time for a bottle of bubbly?…yeah!!
Have a great weekend all,

Orders have started !! wayhey !
wow…sorry no latest news, but orders have started coming in, ever since the product range won a “Gift of the Year” award ! Just rushing around trying to sort out distribution and keep on top of it all. Looking good !! Who knows what next week will bring??!!