Inspired by her daughters and the countless children’s parties they were invited to, Lynsey Caizley launched her own party supplies business. Ruth Addicott reports

AS a busy mum of two, Lynsey Caizley, was forever organising children’s parties, but it was only this year she decided to draw on her skills and launch her own online venture, Bella & Frannie Party Supplies.

Inspired by her two daughters Isabella, eight and Francesca, seven, the website (bellaandfrannie.co.uk) aims to take the stress out of party planning, giving customers the chance to browse, click and buy as opposed to trawling crowded shops.

Customers can shop by ‘occasion’ or ‘product’ and the site caters for a wide range of events, including children’s parties, hen parties, baby showers and weddings. There’s a selection of invitations – many of which are printable, plus decorations and tableware (think Disney Princess plates and Moshi Monster tablecovers).

There’s also a choice of fun party bags from cute cup cake boxes to football bags, as well as various fillers such as balloons, masks, crackers and confectionery.

Lynsey, who also works part time as a strategic planning manager for the NHS, runs the business from her home in the village of Picktree, County Durham.

“I’ve always organised parties for the girls, I’d always design little invitations with little bows and diamantes and really personalise it to try and make it as nice as possible,”

she says. “The girls are constantly being invited to parties – they have a better social life than me and I thought I’m really interested in this, I could make a business out of it.”

Lynsey developed the website herself and has sourced ideas and products from all over the world, including the US and Australia. “It took quite a long time to design the website and get it exactly how I wanted it,” she says.

“There are a lot of other party businesses out there and I wanted it to look and feel different and to be a lovely website for people to look around. I’ve tried to get a mix and a lot of high-quality products I’d use myself.”

The best selling items so far have been products for children’s parties mostly featuring dinosaurs and princesses, but the trend for vintage weddings and US-style baby showers has seen items in those categories also do well.

“Baby showers are really big at the moment and are becoming a lot more popular than they were,” says Lynsey.

With her daughters the main inspiration behind the venture, Lynsey wanted to model the business around them and got a graphic designer to design cartoon images and incorporate the girls into the logo.

They have provided plenty of ideas for products, knowing instinctively which Disney films and cartoon characters are the classroom favourites. “They have been really helpful,” she says.

The website also features a blog with useful party hints and tips including easy-to-do recipes such as homemade banana muffins and fluffy vanilla marshmallows which Lynsey has made herself.

Lynsey is shortly hoping to expand and recruit a small team to help sell the party supplies on behalf of the business. “The hope is that eventually Isabella and Francesca will come into the business and take it over in years to come,” she says.

  • Visit bellaandfrannie.co.uk