Welcome to 2013..

Hello and Happy new Year. We hope it's a great one all round!

Firstly, what a great year 2012 was. 'Meet the Bumblejums' continued to receive good reviews from Parents and Teachers throughout the year and we've been amazed by how far and wide the music and book seem to reaching.

You can of course continue to download here!

Here are a few quotes from reviews. Thank you to all who have taken the time to review and post comments to the shop.

"I love the concept of an eco-friendly set of characters who teach their young readers about respect and responsibility to the natural world. The characters are warm and friendly with ‘toddler appeal’." Parents Panel, UK.

"I have just found your cd on itunes and love it. I am an early childhood teacher in Australia and we are doing gardening/ the environment as our theme, so the cd fitted perfectly." Taryn, Perth, Australia.

"The songs are great. My kids love them. I'm so glad the Bumblejums help us to celebrate the outdoors and our world!" Wendy Mc Donnell, CFRU Radio, Canada.

"I put the CD in the car to listen to on our travels and on the school runs. Myself and the kids (10 years, 8 years & 23 month old Jack) have really enjoyed it - my 10 year old smiles every time it comes on - he desperately tries not to but just can't help himself!" Helen Jessup, Crazy Kitchen.

We also took The Bumblejums brand to Asia for the first time and exhibited at the Mega Fair in Hong Kong in October. Retailers and manufacturers from across the Globe attended so it was a great showcase for us. Here's a picture of some merchandise samples from the exhibit. We are pleased to say that this event and related discussions have resulted in some very exciting conversations for The Bumblejums which should make 2013 an interesting year!

 

The Bumblejums.

Summer 2011 Update

Greetings from Bally Bo!

I hope you are having a lovely summer, spending plenty of time outdoors and getting plenty of fresh air!

It's been a busy Spring continuing to promote "Meet the Bumblejums" Music CD and Book and we are pleased to say that "Meet the Bumblejums" is still getting plenty of positive feedback from mums, kids and of course not forgetting dads too, we hear good things from Dads hoping for peaceful car journeys!

You can read a small selection of reviews from the last few months by clicking on the links below;

The Crazy Kitchen
BDT Media
Red Ted Art
Mummy Mishaps
2 Stars and a swirl
The Parent Panel on New Mummy's Tips


We have also been really pleased with the continuing success of the "Meet the Bumblejums" album on itunes and have been amazed by how far and wide the music seems to have reached :) Gardening continues to lead the charts, being our most popular song. We thought we's post this little % chart to show you where the audience is coming from as we found it fascinating!

There have also been kind messages and enquiries from a number of countries about how the music is fitting with Environmental messages in the classroom. This is a real thrill as it shows examples of where the music is being used for the purpose it was originally intended, which is to engage children in the wonder of nature and the outdoors. Here's one from Australia;

"Hi

I have just found your cd on itunes and love it. I am an early childhood teacher in Australia and we are doing gardening/ the environment as our theme, so the cd fitted perfectly.

Taryn, Perth"

As a footnote to this post, I am pleased to say that the Bumblejums have begun to rub off on me their creator in that I have, after years of threatening to do so, started a vegetable patch of my own in the back garden! I  look to forward to eating the fruits of my labour over the coming weeks and months as we enter the harvest season! I have to say it's harder work than it looks but highly rewarding :)

Have a great summer...

Studio time...

Well it's been a few months since we've checked in. Christmas has come and gone and we are now well into 2011! How time flies... Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and enjoy whatever delights 2011 may bring.

We write with news of our recent return to the studio in January which has resulted in our latest musical offering,  "The Way to Bally Bo"!

A fun filled, earl grey fueled weekend spent at Norbury Brook Studios, kept our toes tapping and attention focused on producing an upbeat and distinctly Irish flavoured popsicle, which hopefully provides an insight into the journey required to find "The way to Bally Bo"

We'd like to thank our guest producer, Master Corey Shanahan for his brief but inspirational appearance in the directors chair and to Marcus Cliffe for his constant and critical guidance throughout the process.. can you tell I'm writing this while trying to watch the BAFTA's!

Feel free also to visit itunes to listen through our last album "Meet the Bumblejums" and thanks for checking in.
Here's to a successful 2011!

The Bumblejums.

Exec Producer Corey Shanahan

Marcus at the helm





October updates

Autumnal greetings from Bally Bo!

Well, October is turning out to be an exciting month, continuing 2010 as a good year for the Bumblejums! We are delighted with the response to our competitions in August and September and congratulations to all of our winners. Notifications have been posted to our shop.

We have also been featured in Kent Mama Magazine (recently renamed Kent Family). Sian gave an interview with some background to the Bumblejums and the journey so far. The full article is available at kentfamilymagazine.co.uk Pictures below.

A section from the article.

Front Cover of this months Kent Family.

In addition we have been having some exciting discussions with some education experts about other Bumblejums themed products which we will be developing in 2011. Following our review earlier this year in Early Years Educator magazine we have had some good conversations about teaching aids to engage and entertain!

We hope you are getting out and about and enjoying all that Autumn weather!

The Bumblejums.

July/August Competitions

July/August 2010

We ran two exciting competitions in Kent last month, one at the Kent County Show and secondly at the Herne Bay Green Fair, offering entrants the chance to win a "Meet the Bumblejums" Book, CD, Sickers and bookmarks.

Bumblejum Bookmarks were part of the prize, alongside
a copy of "Meet the Bumblejums" Book and CD!

We were overwhelmed with the amount of entrants on both days, testament to strength of The Bumblejums eco-friendly message reaching parents and children!

A big thank you to the Kent Messenger for running the competitions and and even bigger thank you to all who entered.

We are pleased to announce the following winners have been selected at random to receive prizes which have been shipped by 16th August 2010.

Georgina Seager, Sturry

Georgina Andrews, Canterbury
Bailey Hand, Molash
Chanotte Wadey, Maidestone
Sam Cook, Ashford
Gemma Scotcher, Ashford

Congratulations to all our winners and keep checking back for more competitions later this year.

Bumblejums Interview Broadcast on Canadian College Radio Station

Following some airplay "Gardening" received in Cananda on World Water Day back in April, Gardening is now our most downloaded track on itunes. We were also recently invited to guest on a show about Raising Global Citizens and of course we jumped at the chance!

An inspirational lady by the name of Wendy McDonnell hosts the Family Matters show on CFRU 93.3 FM which is a weekly show whose listenership comprises mainly families, eco-aware parents, teachers and staff within the college and local areas around Guelph, Ontario and anyone who has access to the internet!

The broadcast is available to listen to on the Family Matters site here and you can read more about Wendy on her site.

Wendy McDonnell
Certified Family Communciations Coach &
Host of Family Matters on CFRU 93.3FM

The interview covers the inspiration for the Bumblejums and discussion around leading by example as parents. We discuss how spending more time in the great outdoors with our children can instill a sense of respect and respnsibility towards the environment, something the Bumblejums agree wholeheartedly with.

"Meet the Bumblejums" recommended in Early Years Educator Magazine.

The Bumblejums have received an enouraging review in the May issue of ‘The Early Years Educator’ (EYE), the number one magazine for educators of 0-5’s.

“This is an ideal eco-friendly resource and will appeal to children and eco-aware parents, early years practitioners and teachers.”
Denise Reardon.

Denise is the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) Programme Director at Canterbury Christchurch University. She has published several highly regarded books about the importance of EYPS, covering meeting EYP standards and highlighting ways to model, support and promote good outcomes for children.

You can read more about Denise Reardon on her website. The Magazine is available on subscription at the EYE website and the May edition book review listing here.

The Bumblejums make Featured Artist on Wiggle Nation!

The nice people at Wiggle Nation have seen fit to extend us the honour of being their featured artist this week so needless to say we are quite pleased and honoured to be featured!

You can check out the Wiggle Nation site http://www.wigglenation.com/ and just in case you get there after the feature period, here is a direct link to our profile.

Happy listening and why not download some tracks from itunes while you're browsing and get hooked on The Bumblejums!

See you soon,

The Bumblejums

Mummy Bloggers Club in the UK review the Bumblejums!

The nice people at Mummy Bloggers Book Club have posted a "Meet the Bumblejums" review up on their site today.. Check it out. Musical re-enactments in the home! Excellent.

http://mummybloggersbookclub.blogspot.com/2010/04/bumblejums.html

See you soon...

The Bumblejums.

Shorne Woods Country Park Spring Fair

"Meet the Bumblejums" and celebrate World Earth Day by coming to Spring Fair (Sunday, April 18th) at Shorne Woods Country Park, in Kent. A day of crafts and arts at the award winning Eco Park run by Kent County Council. There will be Bumblejums themed book readings and music session at intervals during the day. It promises to be a great day out for all the family and a chance to the meet the Bumblejums in person!

If you are planning on driving, please visit;

http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/countryside_and_coast/parks_and_open_spaces/country_parks/shorne_woods_country_park.aspx

March updates...

What an exciting month March is turning out to be so far... firstly we have received orders for "Meet the Bumblejums" from Shorne Woods Country Park in Kent and also from the Eden Project in Cornwall.  (The Worlds larget Greenhouse and eco-visitor attraction with 1.2 Million visitors per annum!) We think the Bumblejums will feel right at home there! http://www.edenproject.com/

Secondly "Meet the Bumblejums" is now officially launched on itunes so you can listen to snippets before you download. We have been getting some very nice reviews on the album, with parents saying it is improving car journeys accross the UK and Ireland! Please add your feedback when you listen or download and pass the word on!

We have also set up a Bumblejums Twitter account so you can keep upto date with goings on in Bally Bo via the wonderfulness of twitter.. www.twitter.com/bumblejums

Shipment - hot off the press

Happy New Year all..

The first shipment of Bumblejums Books and CDs has landed on our doorstep having contended with the snowy weather here in the UK in early January. It was a pleasure to finally see them come through the door and open the first box! The feedback so far has been great and sales are booming so place your orders soon to avoid disappointment on this first print run.

The beautifully illustrated and enchanting book introduces the Bumblejums, their special powers, where they live and some of the fun things they like to do. The music is the perfect singalong for the car and is sure to get everyone's toes tapping.

All materials are printed on 100% recycled paper including the foam cd mounts on the CD digipacks. They cost a little extra but worth it to know that we're not using brand new paper.

We've been told that the music sounds like a mix of The Beatles and The Beach boys... draw your own conclusions as you will.... The CD is narrated captivatingly by Loey (Andy Rowe), a friend of the Bumblejums who knows all about their special powers and the land of Bally Bo!

Thank you all again for your support. I hope you enjoy the book and music and stay tuned for the next Bumblejum book later in 2010 which we will be starting work on shortly.

www.bumblejums.com/shop

The Bumblejums.

Article in the Guide Magazine for Greenwich and South East London

Hello all,

We are starting to get some press coverage. Sian has been doing some good work on the marketing! 

http://theguide.greatbritishlife.co.uk/family/ - By the Book by Suzanne Amos.

Next Monday

Ladies and Gentlemen...

We are pleased to announce that as of next Monday 29th of November 2009, we will be up and running to take orders for "Meet the Bumblejums" Book and CD. To celebrate we are offering 20% of all orders and free shipping within the UK for all orders over £10.00. Please visit www.bumblejums.com/shop

The book and music promote the core values of respect, responsibility, wonder and fun and are designed to engage young children (2-5) in learning about nature through the adventures and songs of The Bumblejums.

We hope you enjoy our first offering and please tell your friends about us if you enjoyed the book and music!

As a taster here is a sample image from the book, one of my favourites, which I think sums up the ethos of the Bumblejums... 'Ain't nature pretty? Let's look after it!

 

Keep in touch for more updates!

The Team in Bally Bo.

CD & Book Artwork...

Well here it is folks... the brand new CD & Book artwork! We couldn't contain our excitement so decided to post today even though you won't be able to order for a couple more weeks.

We are getting ready to launch the book and cd next month, you will soon be able to order online. Feel free to download our flyer in the meantime and email to all of your friends!

See y'all soon!

Book & CD Launch October 2009

Hi Folks,

We are getting ready to launch our new book and CD of songs "Meet the Bumblejums". The CD is narrated by Andy Rowe who provides the voice of Loey, a friend of the Bumblejums. You can hear a welcome clip from Loey on our myspace site here.

You can order the book and CD online from early October, in time for a pre-Christmas delivery. "Meet the Bumblejums" book and CD will be an introduction to the Bumblejums and their special powers linked to nature.

You'll see Jo make it rain with a blink of her eyes and how Jon makes plants grow with just a touch! You can also sing along with the Bumblejums as they go sailing on the Russell River and take a walk through the woods in Dandy Forest!

The book is designed to help kids aged 3-7 begin the voyage of discovery relating to respect and responsibility towards nature and time spent enjoying it. The CD is the "Ultimate Singalong" for the car Journey with 10 fun and catchy songs. The book and CD can be ordered together or individually.

Feel free to register on the site and we will notify you of the release date.

Bye for now...

The Team in Bally Bo.

Album Progress

Hello Friends,

We are making good progress on "Meet the Bumblejums" our first CD. You can hear some samples on

http://www.myspace.com/thebumblejums

This record is all about love of nature and the wonder in the small things, rain, sunshine, clouds... so to get into the spirit of things, just head outdoors. Go on a picnic, take a bike ride, an amazing balloon ride or even just a walk in the park!

We're hoping to have "Meet the Bumblejums" ready for sale in time for Christmas. So hopefully it will make a perfect present for that tricky to buy for person or parents in need of a singalong CD for the car journey...and the kids get to learn a little bit about nature and the Bumblejums!

We'll be starting work on a book to go with the CD soon too!

Bye for now.

Ballybonian.

More Music....

The Bumblejums are going back in the studio this weekend to work on some new tracks.

There's one about a Balloon made of leaves that floats through the tree tops and we'll be putting the finishing touches to The River Song. We should be able to add these tracks to www.myspace.com/thebumblejums next week sometime.

Thank you all for the feedback on the website updates, we'll be adding more soon.

Ballybonian.

Ringing in the changes.

We've updated the site with some minor and some major tweaks.

Access to the cottage is now open to everyone so you don't have to register to explore. "Knock on the door, say hello and take a peek inside"! We've opened up some doors that lead to the Bumblejums bedrooms. We will be adding new items into their rooms over time. There are also some some doors that remain unopened for now!

Onto some bigger changes...

The name Halibo has changed to "Bally Bo". Eagle eyed childrens programming people pointed out that Halibo sounds unfortunately similar to a very well known Candy manufacturer and of course we don't want to promote unhealthy eating... A Bumblejum is more likely to say "Eat your Greens" than eat lots of sugar!! So Bally Bo it is.

Gem has undergone a change to become Jem the sunsational, fun loving and bright as a button, sunshine girl! Her enthusiasm is likely to knock you over so watch out!

We're not finshed there, over the coming months we will be adding more and more updates to the site with animations, games, books and sounds so be sure and check back when you have 5 minutes...

We are also working on some new exciting characters that live in Bally Bo that keep the goings on in Bally Bo interesting as there is always something afoot!

Thanks for visiting and please tell your friends if they have children or nieces and nephews or know someone with children... that must be everyone to come along and visit too! We love visitors and you might even get offered a cup of tea at cosy Hedgy Cottage if the Bumblejums are home!

The Team in Bally Bo!