Do you want a chance to win our 007 PacaPod Picos Pack loaded with packable travel gadgets for Fathers day? (Not just for babies!)

To celebrate Father’s Day we have a Picos Pack to giveaway plus a haul of the latest high tech lightweight and packable travel gadgets, which have been handpicked by our inventive creator and self-confessed ‘gear-head’ Jacqueline Waggett (and of course these can all be carried with both hands free!).

Every dad deserves a brilliant bag to organise family outings and the PacaPod Picos Pack design is the perfect ‘gadget bag’ fit for a 007 adventure even with the kids in tow (you will be ready for practically anything – shaken but not stirred). 

This cool collection of innovative gear which includes: 1) PacaPod Picos Pack in black 2) Pop up Sunshade tent 3) Beach mat with handles 4) Collapsible Bucket 5) Inflatable body board 6) Quick Dry and packable large beach towel 7) Karabiner pack 8) Thermos Flask 9) Packable Tupperware set 10) foldable cutlery kit 11) flat back bowl and cup 12) set of freezer ice packs 13) pack clean wipes 14) mini sunscreen 15) mini antibacterial hand gel 16) Nappy sacks (perfect for shells, food waste) 17) PacaPod eco bag 18) Foldable 50+ sun safe hat 19) pop up foldable Frisbee 20) “The packing book” for a bit of light reading 21) and of course our favourite inflatable crocodile!!!

All these items can be packed into our Picos Pack (excluding sunshade & mat which slip over your shoulder and bucket and spade clip onto the front webbing). Incredibly leaving both your hands free!

PacaPod bags are popular with celebrity dads including comedian Jason Manford, presenter Jake Humphrey and explorer Ben Fogle… surely it’s only a matter of time before James Bond has one too?!

All you have to do to win this action packed bag is simply click on the following link to our Facebook competition and complete our sign up form. http://bit.ly/10SBGBU

Starting out life as one proto-type bag, designed to simplify the lives of parents, PacaPod began as the twinkle in the eye of our mumpreneur inventor Jacqueline Waggett. Her aim was to inspire parents and give them the tools and confidence to carry on having adventures with their children. The rest of course is history, with 11 styles to choose from, a host of coveted awards and a growing army of celebrity fans - it’s been a heck of a journey! And along the way we’ve been fortunate to meet some inspirational people too, amongst them author and travel writer Alice Griffin, whose book will have you reaching for your walking boots, car keys and map before the kids can say “Are we there yet?”.

We caught up with Alice during her month long trip with her family around Portugal and Northern Spain where she took time out to share her travel secrets with us.

Five Holiday Must-Haves

I’m a simple traveller but I can’t manage without these!

1) Audio books (Roald Dahl is a favourite) and I-pod for my daughter, as we inevitably always end up doing long journeys.

2) Books! I have finally relented and bought a Kobo because I just couldn't justify lugging a load of books in my backpack! (Mind you I did sneak in just a couple of 'real' books!)

3) Pack of cards. My six-year-old daughter is really into cards at the moment and they have been a life-saver waiting for connecting buses during this trip.

4) Tiny figurine toys. When we flew into Malaga airport my daughter had emptied her backpack and set up a stage with all her mini-toys within minutes of leaving the airport as we waited for our bus. Always keeps her happy and her imagination exercised!

5) Phrase-books. I always have one with me for whichever country I am visiting. My Spanish and Portuguese books have certainly been well-used for getting us about on this trip!

Best Travel Tip

I really don't think you need that much - anything you forget, well you can pick it up when you're at your destination. I travel light and don't really worry.

Best Holiday Memory

That's a really difficult one! But basically, give me a ticket to a destination, a backpack and a map, and I am happy. I love any holiday which offers the thrill of the unknown.

Favourite Family Destination

It has to be Greece. My daughter loves the beach, we love the food, the Greeks LOVE children and the scenery and weather is always spectacular it’s the perfect combination to keep all the family happy.

Staying Sane with Kids in Tow

I generally find travelling with my daughter a pleasure, but when I find myself going a bit crazy it’s usually because she’s bored and therefore fidgety. I find visiting local kid's parks - wherever we are - is the perfect solution. She always makes friends and gives me a time out! That or find a beach - any beach - and just let her run wild for a bit while I read my book!

For more practical advice visit Alice’s website where you’ll find details of her book ‘Tales of a travelling mum’ and lots more travel inspiration www.alicegriffin.co.uk

Alice used a PacaPod Picos Pack (rucksack) when her daughter was a tot and still loves it now she’s older but for this trip she took our Portland messenger, with its clever expansion panel. Take a look at our packing tips for find out what you can fit inside the detachable pods http://www.pacapod.com/about/owners-manual 

We are extremely proud at PacaPod HQ as our lovely Firenze bag has been shortlisted by the prestigious Junior Design awards, we are now busy crossing our fingers and toes for the announcement of the winners in June. 

And if that isn't enough, for the 4th Year in a row, we have won the coveted MumsNet Award, as voted for by Mums and Dad around the UK, as one of the best baby changing bags, thank you for all your support!

Great May Days out!

It is official May is the best month with two Bank Holidays slapped at each end so it’s perfect for taking a few extra cheeky days off. Come rain or shine here at PacaPod we’ve uncovered some fantastic ideas for days out all around the UK to help you make the most of your family time.

English Heritage has a nationwide programme of events and lots going on during the May Bank holidays. You can take your pick from dragon fun trails, jousting tournaments, falconry displays and breath-taking battle enactments. Travel back in time and discover just how the previous occupants lived, be they medieval knights, wartime soldiers or Tudor monarchs! Full event listings here: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/

Don’t miss the Museums at Night Festival from 16-18 May, when hundreds of museums, art galleries and heritage venues all over the country will be opening up late and putting on a fantastic mix of night-time events including bands playing in museums, star-gazing and city culture crawls! And when the lights go down older kids will love the sleepover events including the opportunity to become a Prince or Princess at Kensington Palace or Dover Castle; a Dr Who themed sleepover at John Rylands Museum in Manchester and a Dozy Dinosaur Sleepover at the Wrexham County Borough Museum. For nationwide listings visit: www.museumsatnight.org.uk

Sticking to a budget? No problem as Visit Britain has devised a list of the top attractions under £15 and some of them are a little unusual, off the beat and track and won’t break the bank! Take a look: http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Travel-tips/Britain-for-kids-and-families/Top-10-family-days-out-for-under-15.htm

Still stuck for ideas then The Independent’s travel writer Sarah Barrell has got it covered with a comprehensive listing of 50 Great Family Days Out, from trekking with Llamas in Yorkshire, and a Hogwarts style steam train ride in Fort William, to Geocashing in the Brecon Beacons. There really are no excuses for not having some fun. Check it out here: http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/outdoor-activity/the-50-best-family-days-out-8483915.html?origin=internalSearch

We hope we’ve inspired you to have a great day out!

April’s almost out - though we suspect we’ll be dodging showers for a few more weeks yet but we’re not about to let rain stop play! Come rain or shine we’ll be packing our wellington boots and waterproofs and heading outdoors for an adventure – fancy joining us?

We’re not suggesting you take on the four peaks challenge with tots in tow, it could be as simple a nature walk in the park, with notebooks and stickers in hand and some treats for lunch on the nearest bench. It really is the simple things that little children love after all.

We’ll be taking along the new PacaPod Jura which is the perfect partner to a faithful wax jacket and it has a neat heritage style and a handy flap over which protects against the elements, plus the feeder pod that’s tucked inside will ensure there are no soggy sandwiches - not on our watch!

We have had some fabulous press in recent weeks, including a mention for our Firenze baby changing bag on Gurgle Magazine’s Celebrity Baby Lust List 2013, the Napier in Pregnancy and Birth’s 25 Super Smart Newborn Buys and our Jura changing bag features on Mother and Baby’s Shopping Shortlist. 

 

Baby Boom Nautical Style Edit!

We are in a patriotic mood at PacaPod HQ because this spring sees the start of the Olympic baby boom caused by all the excitement and euphoria of the games! We just love the classic combination of red white and blue and it’s a great excuse to celebrate Team GB all over again!

So why not go nautical with our stunning spring style edit? Just invest in a few key pieces and you’ll soon be working an effortless style – “oh this outfit? I just threw it together”.

All you need is this chic silhouette like this stripe dress from Mint Velvet (£79), statement red wedges from Boden (£99), or casual pumps and we love Vans from Asos (£37.50). Then throw on a cute coat rain coat we picked this Boden classic (£95.20) and our Mirano bag in chalk for a big nautical splash of Riviera chic (£99). Not just a pretty face, the Mirano has an oversized weekend style with an intelligent interior making it perfect for a day on the road with a small family in tow!

Who says you can’t put all your eggs in one basket?  We’ve jam-packed one of our new Napier Driftwood bags with M&S chocolate eggs, bunnies and yes even a penguin, as the prize in our Easter competition!

Perfect for Easter day trips or holidays our award winning Napier baby changing bag has had a stunning seasonal make-over. So for your chance to win this gorgeous prize, simply enter our facebook competition and give the penguin in the photograph a new name.

The prize is a Napier bag in Driftwood, worth £85 and assortment of M&S Easter chocolates.

Food Mad!

You may have noticed that in the last couple of months we have been somewhat obsessed by food – mostly chocolate we must confess! 

We are an office full of foodies and home bakers and we just love to watch MasterChef, the Great British Menu and most of all the Great British Bake Off.

So imagine how thrilled we were to find our Sequoia Tote featured in a magazine that is full of some divine recipes and stunning kitchenalia. It also has interviews with some amazing chefs including the Queen of Baking herself – Mary Berry!  What more could we ask for?

We are definitely feeling like Scrummy Mummies today!

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it? This Mother’s Day we have all the ingredients for the perfect treat for one lucky mummy!

First we’ve added a generous splash of elegance and are giving away a luxury 1/ - Sequoia tote bag (worth £140) which has classic silhouette to bring a touch of old school glamour to every day, not to mention the perfect partner for any special occasion such as a wedding or weekend away.

Then there’s a great big dollop of indulgence with a selection of goodies 2/ - Vanilla, Mocha and Chocolate Macroons, 3/ - Mini cup cake choclates on a stand 4/ - The Cocoabean Shot glass of Chocolates 5/ - More chocolate cupcakes on stand 6/ - Cocoabean chocolate ice cream cones and 7/ Chocolate Sundae in a glass.  All you have to do is keep your new best friend the Sequoia close to hand, flick on the kettle on, dust down your tablecloth and enjoy a tea-time treat with the family, girlfriends or maybe on your own? Sssshhh…. our lips are sealed ladies!

Valentine’s Cranberry Crush Competition

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and love is in the air!

To celebrate the launch of our brand new PacaPod Jura Cranberry bag we are giving away half a dozen of our dream valentine gifts (from our very own wish lists).

One lucky winner will receive these lusted after luxury products worth over £500 (we are already green with envy here in the office)... Top of our list is the PacaPod Jura baby changing bag (1) in our "crush of the day" cranberry colour, to pop inside and leave you feeling even more organised we have chosen one of the latest mobile devices on the market - an i*** mini, it’s a fruit and not a blackberry or an orange! (4). If that wasn't enough, a much coveted  leather heart shaped Pia purse (6) and of course Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be complete without champagne and chocolates and only the best will do with Laurent Perrier Rose champagne (3) and a heart shaped box of delicious Hotel Chocolat treats (5). Finally for a cosy night in by the fire there’s a Jo Malone luxury candle (2) with a rich romantic scent to set the mood – and we’ll have to the leave the rest to you!

So if you want the chance to win your hearts desire this Valentine’s Day then simply enter this competition by visiting our Facebook page. For our competition rules please click here.

Blow away the January blues with freedom and fresh air!

It’s easy to feel flat after the festive season when Christmas takes such a toll on our wallets and our waistlines. Instead of staying on the sofa and polishing off the rest of the Quality Street, here at PacaPod our resolution is to take small, but significant steps towards a healthy and happy New Year and the best bit of all - it’s pretty painless!

We’ve decided to embrace free exercise and fresh air which is a great way to beat the bulge, bond with family and friends and easy on the bank balance too. Here we have our five tried and tested tips to help lift your spirits this month.

Plan a weekend walk with your friends or your partner and stick to it! You will feel invigorated and upbeat afterwards. Search online for walks in your area - woodland, canal pathway or a rural ramble.

Alfresco eating - no we haven’t lost the plot we know it’s freezing but children (and adults!) love the excitement of eating outdoors and it can turn a simple outing into an adventure. Instead of picnics think of sizzling sausages on a disposable BBQ, toasted marshmallows on a beach fire or a flask of hot chocolate after an action-packed day - what’s not to love?!

Get Gardening! So it’s still soggy underfoot but gardening is a fabulous way to tone up your waistline and children can get involved and help to pile and bag up the leaves or pull up the dead wood.

Head for the seaside or riverside. There is nothing like wrapping up and blowing off the cobwebs at the beach. If the seaside is too far away why not find a riverside and teach your children the timeless art of playing Pooh sticks on a bridge?  Take a net and try to catch a fish or two - you’re sure to come back with plenty of tall tales about the one that got away!

Chalk it up to experience because you can literally have hours of outdoor fun with a box of washable outdoor chalks – no seriously! Draw out simple games on your driveway such as a circular target and throw bean bags and score points or hopscotch.

Most of all go out and have fun with your family and don't forget your PacaPod!

We’ve been waiting for December as an excuse to pack away our wetsuits and dust down our sparkly heels, so we jumped at the chance to be involved with and attend the local Gold Charity Ball at Pickwell Manor.

We enjoyed a fun packed team building “Manchester meets Devon” coastal walk, with the perfect picnic of Champagne & cream teas over-looking the Atlantic Ocean - in glorious December sunshine!! Then it took just a quick a wave of a magic wand (and some help from our jam-packed make-up bags) and we were adorned in our glittery frocks and finery and ready for the ball!

This is only the second year Pickwell Manor have held a charity ball, all the people involved are local businesses and people volunteering their time and prizes with the aim of helping an agreed Charity.  This year it was for Surf Relief UK  & Umthombo Street Children South Africa.  Both aim to provide the opportunity to disadvantaged children by raising self-esteem through the experience of getting into the outdoors via surfing.

PacaPod gave time to help with the set up and we got creative with beautiful twiggy decorations and paper lanterns!  And of course we donated some of our lovely changing bags as prizes too.  All in all it was an utterly spectacular evening, attention to detail and professionalism to rival the Ritz and a wonderful example of a community coming together for a good cause (oh and the added bonus - the back of a matchbox tally so far is that over £6500 was raised).

We were very honoured to have our Coromandel baby-changing bag featured recently in the Independent’s 50 Best Baby Buys.  And what esteemed company we were in!  Some of our favourite items are:

1. The fabulous book “Dear Zoo” by Rod Campbell, which is still a firm favourite with my 5 year old!
2. The beautiful Bobby baby blanket, from Danish brand Lucky Boy, made in Bolivia from Alpaca wool.
3. Sophie the Giraffe – a best seller from the 1960’s and still a firm favourite today!
4. The Nomad Travel Bed from Holland that folds flat to fit into a rucksack and weighs less than 2.5kg – amazing!
5. Our friends Jojo Maman Bebe’s ingenious baby wetsuit.
6. Motties slippers, that are hand made from offcuts of leather and other fabric and are elasticated so they are easy to get on and off.
7. And finally, the gorgeous fleece overall from Swedish company Lindex which we think would be perfect for getting out and about in this cold winter weather.

If travelling is on your mind then Oban’s nimble nature at less than 1kg – seems to have been a hit for Australia and New Zealand Magazine along with Jet Away in flight Magazine, extolling its organizational virtues for air travel with babies.

Baby London Magazine have seen fit to offer an Oban as their star letter prize for this month, and in Holland the Oban has been shortlisted for the Baby Stuf Baby Innovation Award for 2013.  We are very honoured.

And, as if that was not enough for the humble Oban, it has also been spotted by the lovely people at Body Fit Magazine who think that not only is it a great baby changing bag but could also be perfect as a gym bag, holdall or air travel bag.

Although the decision to leave Manchester wasn’t easy, with a brand new design and development office up and running, plus surfing lessons for the whole family, Jacqueline hasn’t looked back since!

Jacqueline explains; “We only visited Croyde once, fell in love with the area and by the Monday had an offer accepted on a house. It’s still hard to believe the beach and all this gorgeous countryside is on our doorstep. We are settled into the new office in Barnstaple, with a new team and will be recruiting for more staff shortly.  We have new products in development, increasing worldwide distribution - it’s a very exciting time!”

And it appears that the local press, both in PacaPod’s old home and new, are fully behind Jacqueline and her business.

We will certainly miss being down the road from Cheshire Mums Magazine, who have supported PacaPod since our humble beginnings all those years ago…

Jacqueline looks set to become a local celebrity after being featured in the North Devon Journal this week!

Along with this season’s stylish oversized coat and midi skirt, Peaches complimented her look with her new PacaPod Firenze changing bag, seen here carried on her shoulder.

A source close to the celebrity told us that “Peaches loves her new Firenze changing bag”, and who could blame her?!

As well as being stylish, the clever ‘baby organisation system’ hidden inside Peaches’ PacaPod means that anything baby Astala needs can be found in a matter of seconds!

You can check out more photos of Peaches with her PacaPod here. We think the new mum is becoming quite the trendsetter these days, what do you reckon?

News just in…

Have you heard the latest rumour? A trusty source has told us new mum Sienna Miller has her own PacaPod Firenze changing bag too!

Competition

Fancy getting your hands on the new celebrity favourite changing bag for free? Junior Magazine is giving away a PacaPod Firenze to one lucky reader this week. Click here to enter!

And with more and more customers telling us they looked us up after seeing a great review on a parenting blog, we think it’s high time we gave these fabulous bloggers the praise they deserve!

When it comes to parenting blogs there is nowhere for us to hide; bloggers always offer the most honest reviews of the products they test-drive (leading us to feel a teeny bit nervous every time we come across a new PacaPod review!). Luckily for us the reviews so far have been positive, articulate and more often than not highly entertaining!

We’d like to say a big thank you to all the hard-working bloggers who have taken time to review a PacaPod bag. Here’s our pick of the best reviews in recent months:

Lucy at It’s A Mummy Look included the Sequoia in her top holiday essentials after a long car journey with the family to France this summer. Read Lucy’s review here.

Sarah at Simply Woman Magazine chooses the new Oban in glossy red as her Bag of the Day last month! Read Sarah’s review here.

Laura at The Life and Times of the Working Mum reviewed the Almora bag in Gunmetal, the latest colour for Autumn/Winter. Read Laura’s review here.

Distracted by a new office in Devon and busy designing beautiful creations for Spring 2013 we almost missed the Firenze’s moment in the spotlight! In case you did too we’ve created a quick rundown of this fabulous bag’s top mentions in the British media.

The luxurious leather beauty steals the show (and nearly the whole page!) in Now Magazine’s Mum & Baby Special this September

The celeb’s favourite (rumour has it Sienna Miller's got her hands on one!) makes the Lust List in OK Magazine’s little sister Star Magazine

Stylishly selected by popular parenting magazine Gurgle, along with some cracking tartan attire!

And before you start to think the other PacaPod styles have been sitting back and taking it easy this summer, here is the Mirano looking ever so elegant in Junior Magazine!

At PacaPod we’ve been excitedly prattling on about the Firenze all summer, but if this is the first you’ve heard of it (we’ll assume you have been living under a rock) then head to our website for more information and lots of glossy photos of the luxury bag in action: http://www.pacapod.com/luxury/firenze-changing-bag.html

The competition is free to enter and closes on Thursday 20^th September so head over to StyleNest today for the chance to get your hands on this fabulous prize: http://www.stylenest.co.uk/competitions/win-a-pacapod-worth-265/

Good Luck!

With a new division opening in Devon (more on that later!), a tonne of recent press coverage, 2 splendid awards to brag about and a new AW12 collection coming soon, it’s safe to say we haven’t been dragging our feet lately!

First up in our summer round up is the fantastic news that PacaPod has won the Mumsnet Best Award for the third year running!

Couple this with our Mumpreneur Best Website Award and we’re literally dancing around the office (apologies to the floor below for all the stomping...).

In other exciting PacaPod news our AW12 collection is now available to pre-order on our website. Choose from the luxurious Firenze or the cool and classic Oban, and not forgetting your old favourites, the Portland and Almora are available in new colours too!

But who can blame it?! Having recently starred in the Independent and Baby & Me Magazine the Mirano's been feeling pretty good about itself.

The icing on the cake came this week in the form of OK! Magazine – turning to page 123 and spotting itself snuggling up to PacaPod fan Jo Whiley was enough to send the once-modest Mirano packing it’s bags and setting off for Hollywood stardom.

Send us a postcard when you get there, Mirano.

* Metaphorical boots. Real boots would be silly

With every raindrop that falls directly into our eyes (which by some freak of nature is about 40% of the total annual rainfall) our dreams of escaping to somewhere warm and dry get a little more desperate.

For those of you lucky enough to be hotfooting it out of the UK and jetting off in search of our long lost sun, don’t forget to spend some time on the journey flicking through the in-flight magazine.

We’re very glad one eagle-eyed PacaPod fan did, when she told us she’d seen none other than our Coromandel bag inside Flybe’s Uncovered magazine earlier this year. Luckily for us Flybe publish their magazine online so we were able to see for ourselves – check it out here (the Katy Perry interview’s a good 5 minute distraction too).

N.B. Apologies for being whingey in paragraphs 1 & 2, we've been staring at grey skies for too long!

What the Dickens is an Almora? I hear you ask.

Is a Coromandel some kind of flightless bird?  You mutter to yourself.

Ok, so these questions probably haven’t actually crossed your mind before, and there’s a good chance you’ve never used the term ‘what the Dickens’ in your life, what with it being the 21^st century and everything…

But since you’re here we might as well share a ‘PacaPod fun fact’:

When PacaPod inventor Jacqueline dreamt up the idea of a changing bag with a '3-1 organisation system' she was busy cycling around the world with her partner.

To pay homage to Jacqueline’s greatest adventure (before motherhood!), all styles in the PacaPod range are named after places she visited on her journey!

Want to play ‘Match the bag to it’s namesake’ (a very popular game at PacaPod HQ)? Head to our Pinterest page for a visual feast that will have you pumping up your bike tyres, donning your helmet and planning your own epic cycle tour!

Fast-forward a month and after a deluge of applications, a million cups of coffee and much indecision from the team, the winners have been selected and the photoshoot completed (we don’t waste any time here at PacaPod!).

Our winning mums and their young daughters all put in stellar performances on the day and we’ve been blown away by the results – we think a new career in modelling beckons for these top ladies!

As we’re feeling generous (and a little bit REALLY excited by the whole thing) we’ve given you a sneaky peek below!

We'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the competition - you gave us some tough decisions to make!

The new styles will be available from September – add them to your wish list now!

Sitting merrily amongst some other fab products in the Top 10 Family Travel Gadgets, the Independent has described this classic changing bag as both clever & cunning! Not that we let that kind of talk go to our heads…

We are giving one lucky mum and her child the opportunity to become PacaPod models for the day with starring roles in our summer photoshoot - in exchange for gorgeous PacaPod goodies.

We’re big fans of supporting our local community so the winning mum must be local to Manchester and previous modelling experience would be an advantage but not essential.

So if you have your poses & pouts down to a fine art, and a baby/toddler (girl or boy) who loves having their photo taken then email a pic of the two of you to offers@pacapod.com.

Include your contact details with your photo and we’ll be in touch with the lucky winner soon.

Good luck!

“Reins have been a must ever since our happy wanderer of a daughter could walk. Now two and a half, her old reins seem too babyish so this backpack from PacaPod with a lead attached ticks all the boxes. It looks fun, so she loves wearing it”

There’s been such a great reaction to the feature that we’ve already sold out of the Red Leopard and Pink Giraffe Pods! With just the Navy Zebra left make sure you get your orders in quick!

The latest PacaPod fan to sing it’s praises is mum of two and blogger Heather – you can check our her review and marvel at her arty photos at http://sahmlovingit.blogspot.co.uk/

The Napier Duck Egg (the new favourite this Spring) leads the way in both Gurgle magazine and Prima Baby & Pregnancy, closely followed by the Mink Sequoia in Pregnancy & Birth and the Napier Mocha Melody in Bump 2 Baby magazine. 

We're looking forward to seeing what April holds for us!

It has been a great year so far for celebrity mums and daughters; we've had Amanda Holden and baby Hollie, The Saturday's Una Healy and baby Aoife, and of course Beyonce and her daughter Blue Ivy.  We can only imagine all the gorgeous gifts these glam parents must be showering on their bundles of joy, but let's not forget that all new mums deserve a bit of pampering too!

Inspired by the queen of pop, Hellomagazine.com has compiled a Beyonce-themed Mother's Day wishlist full of stylish gift ideas for any busy mum.  Nestled amongst the pretty accessories and indulgent beauty products is our very own Sequoia changing bag in Black.  We reckon Hello has captured Beyonce's style perfectly - we can certainly picture her out and about with the glamorous Sequoia in tow!

Struggling with what to put under the tree this year?  Let the Baby London Xmas Gift Guide come to your rescue with ideas for all the family, including the perfect pressie for any new Dad - a PacaPod Picos Pack!

Watch the video here

Contrary to popular belief it does not always rain in Manchester.  And when the heavens do open over this magnificent city, it takes more than a little wet weather to dampen our spirits (get it?).

If you haven't already guessed, PacaPod's home is in Manchester, and boy do we love it here.  No congestion charge, great football and Coronation Street - what more could you want from your home city?  We're also lucky enough to have the support of local businesses and press (Manchester Evening News was the first publication to feature PacaPod - click here for a piece of nostalgia!).

Earlier this summer we found two PacaPod bags beautifully featured in Cheshire Mums Magazine - a first class move by the stylish mag to leave it's readers spoiled for choice!

Final tweaking has commenced - watch this space!

Savvy parenting magazine Mumsense knows what we're talking about and is here to lend a hand, offering advice on where to go and what to take.  The PacaPod baby changing bag acts as the perfect piece of hand luggage for the plane journey - no more frantic scrabbling around in your bag for baby wipes while whacking elbows on arm rests (and on any unlucky passers-by) - you can relax and keep calm, knowing everything is in place.

Like thousands of designers across the globe, we've always been inspired by international fashion and design magazine Collezioni, which showcases the best products on the market right now, including designs from up-and-coming brands to well-established names in the industry. As you can imagine, Collezioni's word on design is golden, so we were delighted to hear that PacaPod had been awarded the seal of approval in their latest publication.  Describing our baby changing bags as "extremely handy and elegant", we're feeling quite invigorated by such an accolade!

"We love our PacaPod, congratulations on creating such a brilliant product, we have been using it constantly.  We absolutely love it and have been using all elements – from the whole thing to taking out just the individual pods.  I must say I can’t fault it – I love the little symbols on the different compartments and you’ve really thought of everything.  Well done you!"

Ben and Marina have two children; Ludo, 1 and Iona, born in May this year.  You can catch up on all of Ben's latest adventures on his website.

• Camp Bestival (28-31 July) - The baby sister festival to grown-up version Bestival, it has won the 'Best Family Festival' award for both 2009 and 2010, and it's easy to see why - with a big top, fancy dress parade and house of fairy tales, all hosted in the beautiful Lulworth Castle Estate, you'll be wishing this little gem had been around when you were in nappies.

• Green Man Festival (19-21 August) - Nestled in the Brecon Beacons in Wales, this folky festival has a Boutique Babysitting service so you can bounce around to your favourite band for an hour without buggy in tow, while your little one enjoys their own mini-festival, with fancy-dress, arts and crafts and a chill out zone.

• Glastonbury (22-26 June) - Initially the idea of taking your baby to Britain's biggest festival might not seem like a good plan, but each year more and more parents are doing it.  Why?  Because Glastonbury has gone to great lengths to become family-friendly; families-only Kidzfield allows mum and dad to kick back with a cup of tea and use the free baby-changing facilities, while the tots can have a go on the Helter Skelter and much more!

Remember when attending a festival with your children, you must change your expectations. There's no point in expecting to do the same things you did before you had your little one. Enjoy it for what it is - precious time to spend enjoying yourself with your baby.  And if you're still not convinced about camping with baby in tow, remember you can always stay in a nearby hotel instead! On top of what you’d usually take in your PacaPod bag (click here for packing advice), here’s some suggestions for extra festival-related necessities:

• Warm blankets – you don’t realise how cold it gets at night, even in summer, until you’ve camped under the stars!

• An off-road pram if possible, or a secondhand lightweight buggy (with rain cover) that will do the job but you don’t mind if it gets ruined

• More wet-wipes than you ever imagined you’d need

• Bucket/travel potty - for midnight wees (not necessarily just for the kids!)

• Ear defenders to protect your little one from loud hustle and bustle

• A pen/marker pen - write your mobile number on your child's arm/wristband and point out stewards, police and other parents as the right people for your child to approach should they get separated from you

• Hats and suncream

• Waterproofs - typical festival attire

• Plastic-backed picnic blanket to sit on

• Torch (head torches are great fun for toddlers – plus they are harder to lose)

Green nappies (metaphorically speaking)

Green Waste

Green Office

You can pre-order your very own Sequoia Changing Bag from us today, available in Mink and Black - time to spoil yourself rotten!

"We always have our hands full when we adventure out with Annie & Isabel and frequently feel apprehensive about what the additional strain of travelling might bring, so here's my top 10 travel tips to make life that little bit simpler and stop you wishing you had stayed at home:

1 - Travel with two 'hand luggage' bags only (we take two PacaPod's - a backpack and a shoulder bag). We use the backpack for day trips with pods in and the shoulder bag we use the toy pods (so that the girls can help carry their own stuff too). The size of the bag fits neatly under the seat on a plane or foot well in the back of the car and can be easily accessed in confined spaces due to the back opening system, they also clip onto a baggage trolley using the pram clips in the airport.

2 - Always have plenty of little snacks to distract little ones, this works a treat every time - we also take a 'ice' pack that can be popped into the feeder pod to keep contents colder for longer in warmer climates.

3 - Carry paper and crayons to entertain children, as they quickly tire of books and toys, but drawing pictures keeps them going for much longer. Also try taking maps and brochures of where you’re heading so the kids can get involved and plot the route. And avoid taking toys with small parts they’ll probably end up lost under a seat and cause frantic tearful searching!

4 - Take at least one inflatable headrest 'pillow' so that when you or your children get tired you can drift off without being uncomfortable - I swear I feel more relaxed at the other end!

5 - Always take extra snuggly fleeces with zips (easy to remove / put on) in cramped spaces, air conditioning can vary hugely and can double up as blankets to keep little ones feeling cosy.

6 - Allow much more time than you normally would for travelling, whether a car journey or flight, everything takes longer with children in tow and if your feeling stressed, they instantly react to this too - a recipe for tears and not just your children's.

7 - Pack emergency kids pain relief in a sachet and a spoon and teething gel – it’s lightweight and won't get sticky like a bottle. I use the feeder pod for this so we have instant access to it on a flight, in the car, ferry wherever and can deal with any issues right away.

8 - Take an extra full set of clothes, even for a potty trained child - they are liable to spill a drink, or need the loo as soon as you see the 'fasten your seat belt' sign is up, or 'services in 15 miles' on the motorway. Again these can fit into the changer pod, so you don’t have to search around your bags.

9 - Store all your travel documents / wallet / directions / car hire etc in one front easy to access pocket so there is no rummaging round and stressing out when under pressure.

10 - In your feeder pod keep a stack of tissues, kleenex, hand wipes and a couple of spare sandwich bags for storing rubbish in. Watch out for expanding air pressure in bottles on flights - on more than one occasion we have showered the person sitting behind on a flight on opening - the tissues are a sweetener!

Most of all - be organised and you might just feel like you're having a holiday too!!!"

Photography courtesy of Jason Lock Photography & Didsbury Magazine

"The designer and entrepreneur behind PacaPod baby-changing bags is pushing into global markets as she celebrates a national accolade."

We have really thought this through and decided that you might want to see the answer for yourselves. The Sling Bag is so versatile - (this is our personal favorite) using the clips at the base of the shoulder strap it can attach to all manner of transport.....