Entries from May 2012

"flower print gift wrap"Today I’ve got my eye on this oh so pretty wrapping paper by Australian brand Love Mae, the creation of 2 mama’s – Emily and Peta.  As Love Mae says ‘paper this nice should not be restricted to just wrapping presents’ and I couldn’t agree more.  I love the idea of covering notebooks with it or even using it as origami paper.  You could also create the most gorgeous garlands and bunting for your little girls room.  If you’re a crafty type then I’m sure you can think of hundreds more uses but if you’re not check out Love Mae’s blog where they have many tutorials on creating lovely little things with their paper.  And if you do just choose to wrap presents with it, you can rest assured your gifts will look utterly gorgeous! 

"floral wrapping paper"If Emily and Peta are reading I have one request – please could you turn these in to wallpaper too?  Head to Love Mae to check out the paper.

In the past I’ve found some fabulous vintage furniture for kids but I haven’t had quite as much luck with the modern stuff.  Today I remembered a range of beautiful modern kids furniture that I had come across a while ago.  I’ve actually seen some of these pieces in a shop and they are even more beautiful than in the pictures.  This is the kind of eye-candy furniture that you’ll want in full view in your home, rather than tucked away in some obscure corner.

"kids play bench"

"modern bench for kids"

Made in Germany by Sirch, all the pieces are practical without being boring or bland in anyway.  I love the bright green and red felt against the natural wood and I love the simple, elegant, unfussy shape of this bench that is perfect for playing or reading. 

"modern desk and chair kids"

"desk and chair for kids"

This desk and chair combo has to be my favourite of the entire collection.  This is the piece I’ve seen in a shop and even my husband did a double take!  The design is minimal but stunning… the soft curves with the straight lines, the pale wood with the bold felt, the complimentary shapes of the chair and the desk come together to create a piece of beauty.  Also included in the collection is an equally covetable chair and stool combo.  To see all these and the rest of the range, head to smallable.com

Beautiful balloons

May 14, 2012

"personalised gift balloons"

When I first saw these balloons, my heart skipped a beat.  How striking are they?  Digging a little deeper I found out that they’re made right here in London by Bon Bon Balloons.  These are the most wonderful balloons I’ve ever seen and the whole idea behind them is very special too.  The balloons come in a range of colours each with a beautifully decorated handcrafted string and when the person receiving it opens the box, the balloon floats up out of the box with your special message attached to the string.  Sweet!

"balloon birth announcement"

They can be sent for any occasion, they can even be individually crafted for you and Bon Bon Balloons also offer a design service for parties and events.  But I personally love the idea of sending these as birth announcements instead of cards… what an impact they’d make (admittedly it’ll be expensive but so stunning!).   To check out the entire range visit Bon Bon Balloons.  And if my husband is reading, I just want to add forget flowers, I want one of these very soon!

*via Un beau jour

"clown soft toys and pillows"

The circus is in town!  This new collection of joyful circus toys and pillows is the creation of super talented mama, Anabel.  In the collection you’ll find a range of clowns, a circus tent, some circus animals and my favourite, the ringmaster pictured on the left.  All the toys can double up as pillows… I’m thinking super sweet sleeping companions for any little kid.  Made from baby alpaca wool, bamboo and cotton they are hand knitted in Bolivia so not only are the goodies very cute, they’re environmentally friendly too.  Anabel goes a step further by employing women artisans in Bolivia who wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance of earning.  These toys are toys with a conscience, making them even more desirable.  In addition to the new circus collection, Anabel makes lovely baby alpaca wool clothes and the most gorgeous crochet and knit necklaces for little girls.  Visit Fournier to see the entire collection.

"black & white wallpaper kids"

I’m a complete wallpaper addict.  Nearly every room in my home has wallpaper and I’m always looking for more for those rooms that don’t have any.  So when I saw this hip wallpaper by Dutch Onszelf, I couldn’t wait to feature it.  If you’re looking for a cool nursery or kiddy room then you can’t go wrong with this stuff.  In addition to the wallpaper, Onszelf also make large wall stickers that are so unlike any other wall stickers I’ve seen.  I’m loving the bambi range which would look super cool and trendy when stuck on one of their complimentary wallpapers.

"trendy wallpaper for kids"

I’m especially lusting after their black & white range but if colour is more your thing, they have some bright ones too.  The turquoise and red animal silhouettes one pictured above is one of my favourites as is the deer silhouette one in bright reds and yellows.  But there are lots more to choose from.

"gold wallpaper"

Last, but not least are these gold wallpapers that are just divine.  They’d work in an adult space or a kiddy space which makes them extra special for me.  The pure gold one is something I’ve had my eye on for a while… it’s so rich and beautiful.  To check out all these wallpapers and to find stockists head to Onszelf… and if your Dutch isn’t quite up to speed, you may need a little help from google translate.

Will this rain ever stop?  If you’re in England you’ll know what I mean but if you’re elsewhere… lucky you!  With the heavens opening nearly everyday for the last month, I’ve been on the hunt for some fun and eye-catching craft projects.  With so much time at home, the little ones need some entertainment and with that in mind, I’ve found 3 colourful little projects that are not too difficult and look really good when completed.  So here they are:

"how to make fruit balloons"These DIY fruit balloons look so bold, bright and fun and are easy to make too.  Once made you can hang them up on a garland and adorn your kiddies play space or they’d make great party decorations that don’t cost much at all.  You’ll find all the info you need to make them over at Oh Happy Day.

"easy craft project for kids"I love these DIY wool/ yarn letters and words that are very easy to make so even the little ones can get involved.  Make your bambinos name or initial or just make words that can be displayed on bookshelves, mantlepieces or anywhere you fancy.  This could be a fun thing to get kids to do at a party or when you have a play date.  You’ll find all the details over at Giddy Giddy.

"dip dyed pencils"These DIY dip dyed pencils would bring sunshine on the rainiest of days.  They’re so vibrant and cheerful and look like fun to make too.  Make a whole batch and you could even give them out as party favours.  Go as crazy as you like with the colour combos… the brighter, the better in my opinion.  Head to Modern Parents, Messy Kids where you’ll find all the details on making them.

"dressing up clothes and tutus"

Wovenplay’s new Spring 2012 collection has arrived and once again it surpasses my high expectations.  I so adore this New York based clothing line which always offers lots of drama and whimsy.  The outfits are bordering on dressing up clothes but can still be worn anywhere and that’s what makes them so fun, so unique, so special. 

"dressing up outfits girls"

In this latest collection I’m loving the vibrant greens and luscious red pieces which have the wow factor.  There are also new feather headpieces in the collection… these headbands are something that feature in every collection and are accessories that any little girl would love.  Then there are the beautiful Jess Brown rag dolls wearing similar outfits and these too are hugely covetable like everything in the collection.  To check out these wonderful, dramatic clothes, head to Wovenplay.

"merry go round kids mobile"I’m a sucker for mobiles and not just for babies.  I would have them hanging all over my home if the husband let me!  But since he doesn’t, I’m left to admire from afar and these black and white silhouette mobiles are definitely ones to be admired.  I chanced upon them and and fell completely in love.  These mobiles are so simple yet so stunning, so eye-catching.

"bird baby mobile"

Designed by Helene, an American lady with Japanese ancestry, you can see the Japanese influences coming through in the simplicity of design.  I love the silhouette style and I can just picture the animals and birds dancing and moving as they hang above a baby cot or in a play space.  There are quite a few on offer and they all come in black or ivory.  My favourite is the merry go round mobile pictured at the top… I love the animal shapes and the choice of animals featured.  To see these and the rest, head to Helen’s online store called Ige Design.

These are a few colourful little things for kids that have been on my radar for a while so I thought it was about time I shared them:

"ring toss giraffe toy"

1.  A cute wooden giraffe ring toss toy by Sweet Whirl.  It so reminds me of the fun fairs I’ve visited as a kid as I always had to have a go at the ring toss game and I remember if I won, I’d come away with some giant soft toy.  2.  Love these handmade soft clock bracelets for kids.  My bambino loves wearing a pretend watch and I’ve never seen any nicer than these by Specks & Keepings.

"kids world map poster"

3. I’m a big fan of Elisabeth Dunker’s store Fine Little Day.  This ‘Fine Little World’ poster is one of her latest creations in collaboration with French Illustrator Steffie Broccoli.  It’s a bright and bold world map filled with animals, buildings and other things representative of the various countries of the world. 

"flower ponytail holders for girls"

4.  How sweet are these tulip adorned pony tail holders for girls by Hello Shiso?  I’m loving the colours and the girly – ness of them.  5.  I don’t normally get excited about crayons but I really liked these with their bright, graphic wrappers from Pomme NYC.  And the best part is they don’t need a sharpener, just keep peeling the layers of paper to reveal more and more colour. 

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