To say we are THRILLED to be the recipients of the RBC Momentum award would be an understatement.

Seven years ago we were working through the night in a dingy basement. In those early days, we paid our first web designer not in cash, but in exchange for a foosball table.

Now we are here and our thank yous are many:

First and foremost to Carolyn Lawrence and our friends at Women of Influence, to our esteemed panel of judges, and of course to RBC, the kind sponsors of the Momentum Award. We truly appreciate your support and hard work.

On a personal note, we also want to recognize some people who have been on this journey with us.

1) It seems appropriate to acknowledge our women folk – including a handful of mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law and a step-mother. And since the four Mabel partners are related, some of these women have overlapping roles! They have provided wisdom and support to us. Their lives have been remarkable and their love for us unwavering. Let this be the legacy we leave our daughters.

2) Our spouses – known affectionately as ‘the Mabel widowers’. Creating and growing this business would not have been possible without their encouragement and their willingness to watch every family function transform into a strategic planning meeting.

3) Our collective 12 children – who sometimes have to suffer through having mothers who, while having one eye firmly on the soccer field or ice rink, have another eye occasionally straying to her BlackBerry. Our children were our inspiration to start a business, and continue to inspire us in so many ways.

4) The Mabel team – our staff has worked in unconventional spaces with unconventional supervisors. They have suffered through tremendous and challenging growth and change, always remaining positive and keeping the company’s needs their top priority.

5) Our customers – clearly, we love them for buying labels and we quite literally would not be here without them! But in addition to that, our customers are loyal and many have been with us through the years, providing us with feedback, ideas and spreading the Mabel word among their contacts. They have become a part of the Mabelhood community and shaped that community through engaging with us on many different levels.

We four partners have had quite a ride, and throughout it all we have remained a strong sisterhood – four different women who have laughed together, struggled together, raised families together and worked, worked, worked.

We started a business because we chose to live as dynamic business owners, enthusiastic mothers and inspired women. Thank you to the esteemed panel of judges who, by selecting us, showed that you value that choice.

We want you to be the first to know that the Co-Founders of Mabel’s Labels were awarded the RBC Momentum Award this evening!  Winners were announced Dec 8th at The 2009 RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards Gala at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Master of Ceremonies was Diane Francis, Editor-at-Large for the Financial Post. These are the top national business awards for female entrepreneurs and this year saw a record 1500+ nominees, so it’s exciting stuff! Find out more here: www.theawards.ca

Attending the event were partners Julie Cole, Cynthia Esp, Julie Ellis and Tricia Mumby, along with husbands, family members and several staff.

A massive “thank you” to everyone who has bought our products, shared the love and been with us through the years. And, if you are a female entrepreneur (or thinking of being one), we hope our win will inspire you. Our business started with a simple idea and a lot of hard work. We’ve come a long way in a fairly short time but could not have done it without your support. So, again, THANK YOU!

Within the last month, three of my six kids have had birthdays. It’s a very lean month in our household – topping up RESPs along with throwing a few birthday parties can take its toll on anyone’s budget.

In addition to not liking birthdays’ financial implications, I think birthday parties are a royal pain. I know many party mamas out there who relish in planning extravagant events, particularly their children’s parties. Indeed, I have one friend who says one of the things she loves most about being a mother is throwing birthday parties. That mama is not me. Birthday parties make the bottom of my list of things I love about being a mama. Yes, I like my kids to have fun and enjoy their special day, but all the hoopla around it doesn’t float my boat.

So when I throw a party, it’s all about keeping it simple. I thought it would be fun to compare some of my tips and strategies with those of my friend, Janine who is mama party planner extraordinaire. In September, she is well in planning mode for a January birthday. All the neighbourhood kids have fingers crossed that their name makes the list. In short, Janine generally makes me look like a complete slacker.

The rules according to me, the “Keep It Simple Mom”:

- Have a no birthday present policy.
- Have a no loot bag policy.
- Plan your parties at a time that will ensure you do not have to prepare a meal for little guests.
- Don’t over-engineer the thing – kids are old pros at figuring out how to have fun.
- Sure have a theme, but don’t bother obsessing. You don’t want to have to drive around to 10 different stores just to get the napkins that match the plates.
- Don’t have it in your house. Way too much cleaning is involved then – you’ll end up cleaning before AND after the party.

The rules according to Janine, “Keener Perfectionist Mom”:

- EVERYTHING needs to be matchy matchy – pick a theme and colour scheme and stick with it: invitations, decorations, balloons, utensils, EVERYTHING!
- Make it an event – seal invitations with a stamp monogram and mail them because kids love getting mail.
- Don’t scrimp on the cake – if nothing else is done right, be sure that you have a fabulous cake (which of course corresponds to the party theme!)
- Mind your present etiquette. If opening at party, tape a half circle in front of birthday child, have 2 chairs (one for birthday child, one for gift giver). Read card together and open gift. Take a picture of birthday child with gift and gift giver and send as a “thank you” after the party.

Janine also agrees that the birthday present thing can get a bit much and suggests donations in lieu of gifts, and also checking out www.echoage.com

There you have it – what kind of party planner are you? Apply the rules that most suit you and I’m pretty sure your kid will have a great party that even mama will enjoy.

Mabel’s Labels is thrilled to introduce you to our sensational new Label Out Loud™ line of full colour sticky labels.

Complementing our ever-popular Classic Sticky Labels, Label Out Loud Sticky Labels offer more choice than ever. With 20 fabulous design motifs, striking new colour combos and that famous Mabel’s Labels’ durability, it’s hard not to LOL!

As with all our labels, these are dishwasher/microwave-safe and UV resistant, making them fantastic for toys, water bottles, litterless lunch items and so much more. And thanks to their unbeatable quality, they will stay looking great. What a bright idea!

View all our brilliant new Label Out Loud Sticky Label colours and design motifs at mabel.ca and prepare to be dazzled!

Here is a sneak peek of just a few: