A few weeks ago we were at London’s Southbank where they have a big, old-fashioned merry-go-round. The second Anya spotted it she of course wanted a ride but wasn’t keen to go alone. So my husband volunteered to go with her and then I said I’d go too. All three of us ended up on the carousel which was so much fun. It made me feel like a kid again and I so enjoyed the feeling. That’s one of the many joys of having a child; sometimes, you get to be a kid again and it feels great. My only regret is that we didn’t manage to get anyone to take a photo of all three of us. Next time.
With Valentines day coming up, I’ve got hearts on the mind. Of all the hearts out there, my favourite right now are these adorable heart shelves. They’re so cute for a nursery or kids room or even for my bathroom. And they’re especially handy for storing all those little toys that keep finding their way under your feet! You know the ones I mean…
I couldn’t imagine getting through Winter without my boots. This is not only for the comfort and warmth they give but also for the endless styling possibilities. The same is true for Anya; come October we go and get her a pair of boots that usually last her till Spring. And then I practically make her wear them everyday that she’s not in uniform. I’ve picked out 4 girls boot looks that I’m loving and getting inspired by:
1. For the littlest girls, ankle boots are perfect and I love the idea of wearing them with a very girly tutu. 2. Boots and skinny jeans are made for each other but you can also add a blazer for a slightly more dressed up look (as Anya wears). 3. Mini skirts or mini dresses with knee high boots always look stylish. 4. Knee high socks peeking out over the top of boots look really cool and I love the scarf thrown in to finish the look.
Last week, as we were walking through Waterloo station Anya turned to me and said ‘I can see a pigeon riding the escalator’ and then broke out in a fit of giggles and started to create a little story from this thought. Of course there was no pigeon on any escalator but that’s the thing about kids imaginations, there are no bounds and this still amazes me each day. I’m often thinking about how I can feed and develop her imagination and I always find myself turning to books – story books, activity books, drawing books, craft books – the whole lot. On the weekend I decided to look for some fun books for Anya to create, imagine and play with and I found 3 that I loved:
As a kid, did you ever give out little cards to your friends on Valentines day? I did and it was just as fun to make the cards as it was to give them out. With Valentines day less than 3 weeks away, I thought you might like this sweet DIY love arrow kit that I came across. The kit contains everything you need to make 10 arrows with messages attached, the only extras you will use are scissors and glue. Kids around 6 and over will be able to do this craft all by themselves and when they’re done they can add a personal message to each arrow.
I’m so not in to the whole commercial side of Valentines day but I like the sentiment behind the day. Doing a special DIY craft with the kids is a simple and sweet way to mark the day and perhaps follow that with a special family meal at home. This love arrow kit is such a pretty DIY and a lot more unusual than giving out cards. You’ll find the kit at Clafoutis (a lovely little party shop) who made it in collaboration with La maison de Loulou where you’ll find lots more beautiful DIY’s.
Happy Friday! I’ve definitely got that Friday feeling today. It’s been a long week and I’m so looking forward to the weekend and some fun family outings, weather permitting of course (I do live in London after all). Hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of smiles, laughter and lots of silly fun! I couldn’t resist sharing this delightful picture by Franky Grow, a very quirky, creative and fun kids clothing line from Japan. And besides, that kid on the right – that’s exactly how I’m feeling.
In India, we have a tradition of giving out something sweet to family and friends when a baby is born. Traditionally, typical Indian sweets were handed out but these days anything sweet is fine. When Anya was born I gave out small boxes of these chocolates and so many people were surprised and delighted since this isn’t something that happens in the UK. I love this ‘sweet’ Indian tradition but equally I like the American one of sending a birth announcement which is becoming popular here too. A new baby is such a special occasion that it should be marked in some way and sending cards that you can touch and hold is so much nicer than emails or texts. It’s even better if you can find a moment to add a personal hand-written note on each card.
If you’re lucky enough to have design skills or a designer friend you could have a birth announcement card made especially for you. If not, these letterpress cards by Ink + Wit are beautiful. Simple, elegant and classy, all the cards can be customised too. In addition to the paper cards, Tara the designer, also creates wooden cards (1st picture) which become an instant keepsake.
Does your country have a special tradition to celebrate a birth? I’d love to hear in the comments…
It was the name – Beanie on Helina – that first got my attention. It’s such an unusual name for a shop. I discovered a stylish and sweet world of cushions that include clouds, houses and raindrops. Beanie on Helina is a Finnish shop by Kaisa Erkkila and you can totally see the stylish Scandinavian vibe. The name is inspired by a story Kaisa’s dad told her when she was a kid about a temperamental little girl who wore a beanie. In addition to cushions, Beanie on Helina also offers some cool home wares like cloud pot holders (which would also look nice on a kids room wall), pouches and jewelry.
These wooden toysbyKarl Zahn are so beautiful and imaginative. They include a set of 5 stacking crocodiles and a range of animals that come in pieces for you to build. You can also interchange the animal parts to create new creatures. But these toys aren’t just for play; they’d look equally great displayed in a nursery or even on an adult bookshelf. My favourite is that little elephant although the stacking crocodiles are pretty cool too.
I am a complete foodie. I love eating and I also enjoy cooking. But as much as I enjoy cooking, any recipe I attempt has to be fairly simple and not have too many ingredients but it still has to have bags of flavour. And of late, the recipes have to be family friendly. I spent over 2 years cooking 2 separate meals a day as Anya is a very fussy kid. But in recent months I’ve tried to find healthy recipes that all of us can enjoy and I’ve managed to find a fair few so I thought I would start sharing them here. First I want to share these Japanese inspired sesame soba noodles which are a firm favourite in our home because they are delicious, versatile and very quick and easy to make. The ingredients are mostly store cupboard things so this is my go to dish when I’ve got nothing planned for dinner or if I’m short of time as you can literally make it in under 10 minutes.
Ebabee Likes is a style guide for babies, kids, teens and their mamas. It’s all about inspiration, ideas and indulging yourself and your brood. It’s written by me ~ Nomita ~ a style loving girl from Mumbai who now live’s in London. Read More...
