Every year I look forward to visiting the biggest trade show in Great Britain at the NEC in Birmingham, at the start of February, so I can go on my spending spree to stock up for the next season, but the down side is I also know that I'm going to come home with blisters on my feet!

And every year I swear I'm going to wear my Fitbit to clock how many miles I cover in one day!!  But you know what, it's worth the pain. Armed with my gel heels in my shoes and plasters in my handbag, a set budget in my head and bags under my eyes (5.30am start!!) I set off for the airport with my big son by my side (he's my photographer, web developer and all round Mittata advisor and companion).

Before setting foot on Birmingham soil we usually have a good idea of what we're looking for.  The most exciting part though, is coming across a product or collection from an exhibitor that we haven't seen before that really grabs our attention and then the willpower has to kick in to keep the budget under control!  That's where Daniel comes in!

It's imperative for us to put in the "miles" to ensure we get to see all that's on offer, and to take time to explore the vast array of exhibitors and make informed choices of what to include in our selection for the upcoming season.  It would be impossible to just turn up at the NEC without having done our homework. It would be totally overwhelming without having spent time researching products and trends in advance. That's a must!!

As with every visit we were intrigued to see what the upcoming trends were going to be for this year.  It was plain to see that the designers and manufacturers of the every-day affordable fashion jewellery had taken inspiration from what was trending on the catwalks in New York, Paris and London.  Chandelier earrings were evident amongst their collections obviously influenced by the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Probal Gurung whose statement earrings stole the show at New York Fashion Week.

Chunky charm bracelets were a feature of Diane von Furstenberg's runway show in New York too and many of the fashion jewellery exhibitors had incorporated these in their collections also.

Lightweight scarves with quirky animal and floral prints were once again featuring heavily in the fashion magazines this Spring/Summer and boy was their plenty of choice at the NEC,   Mmmm decisions, decisions!

It's easy to choose the designs and colours that I would buy and wear myself but the real challenge is to choose those that might not necessarily be my own personal style but that I think would appeal to my customers, old and new.  You'll have to wait a few more weeks however to see what ones grabbed our attention.  They'll be popping up on the website very soon!

For now, I'm nursing my blistered feet, eagerly awaiting the courier drivers bringing us our special deliveries.