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Entries from January 2014

Simple pleasures…

January 17, 2014

I’m feeling so inspired by this photo stream that I found on flickr. The photographs are beautiful and that little girl is always wearing such chic clothes. But what really stands out for me is the simplicity of it all. It’s really encouraging me to appreciate the simple pleasures of life, which I don’t do nearly as much as I should. The photo’s focus around everyday life like eating, picking Autumn leaves, playing, exploring with your kids and just enjoying family life indoors and outdoors. It’s all about those little pleasures that we experience everyday but don’t always take a moment to enjoy.

These photo’s are by a Japanese mama called Shima who clearly has an eye for pure beauty. There are loads more photos so if you want a bit of inspiration, do take a look at her photo stream. You won’t be disappointed.

Have a happy weekend!

6 etsy favourites…

January 16, 2014

Here are 6 things I’m currently loving on etsy:

1. A hand knitted pointy pixie hat for babies… 2. dusky pink hand knitted baby romper… 3. metallic gold polka dot leggings… 4. handmade woodland bunny dressed for Winter… 5. sleepy bunny shaped small plate… 6. handmade baby animal pillows.

No more {after school} boredom…

January 15, 2014

In the Winter months, I’m always looking for something to fill those bewitching hours after school and before dinner. Anya’s instinct is to fill those hours with TV but since that’s not allowed (mean mama here) I encourage her to do other things which often means I end up doing them with her. Jigsaw puzzles, board games, reading books are all part of our after school play but there’s only so many times I can do the same puzzle or board game before I go crazy! While searching for something new to do I came across Lotta magazine from Australia. I haven’t tried it yet but it looks really promising with lots of arts, crafts, games and puzzles to get through in each issue, not to mention the cute and colourful illustrations. Lotta is for 5-10 year olds and is published 4 times a year with each issue exploring a particular theme like ‘secrets’ or ‘sea life’ or ‘history’. It’s aimed at filling time in the school holidays but I think it would be great for that empty after school time and one issue should get us through couple of weeks at least.

Lotta magazine is available in the UK at Abacus-kids.

Room for two…

January 14, 2014

Recently, a friend of mine was debating about whether to separate her two kids or leave them together in one room. As kids, my brother and I always shared a room. Even though we could have had separate rooms, my parents always kept us together. I have to admit it was a lot more fun that way. What’s better than having a partner in crime when you sneak around after being put to bed? Or when you hide under the covers with a torch and play for hours, with your parents none the wiser? So of course my advice to her was to keep them together without question. And to convince her i even offered to find her some inspiration for shared kids rooms. These were my favourite finds and so I’m sharing them here in case they inspire you too.

Image credits: one | two | three | four

Cute books and more by Claudia Boldt…

January 13, 2014

I recently came across this book – Melvin the luckiest monkey. I checked out the author Claudia Boldt and found that she creates the cutest drawings in soft colours that aren’t just for her range of kids books but they’re also used to create adorable stickers, place mats and other stationery. The stories look like they’re fun to read and often have messages on life lessons like friendship or creating your own luck or beauty being in the eye of the beholder. I especially love the illustrations in Odd Dog which is all about a dog who prefers apples to bones. You can get Claudia’s books on Amazon

Hold on to your memories…

January 10, 2014

… and keep them forever. This year I’ve decided to get better at actually printing my photos. There’s no point taking a load of pictures that end up stuck on a hard drive somewhere or on your phone or social networks. There’s something much more special about holding your pictures. And with all the creative printing options on offer, there really isn’t any excuse. I recently found Pinstagr.am and it’s the perfect way to print all your instagram photos, especially if you use instagram a lot. I love the teeny little books they offer as well as the stickers of your instagram photos but there are loads more fun products. Apart from keeping memories for myself, I think they’d make inexpensive little gifts for my mum, brother and other close family who don’t live in this country so feel they’re missing out on Anya growing up. Pinstagr.am are US based but they offer a reasonable worldwide flat shipping rate.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Groovy magnet wallpapers…

January 9, 2014

When I first saw these magnetic wallpapers I wasn’t sure but they’ve really grown on me. I’ve been wanting to create a little inspiration board for myself and I’m now loving the idea of using one of these cool wallpapers.

In our kitchen I want to create a wall where Anya can put up her drawings and this could be just the thing to use. With magnets there’s no sticking and no mess so you can chop and change your wall hangings anytime you like. I especially love that these Groovy Magnets wallpapers are for any room and any age.

Cute city guides for kids…

January 8, 2014

Traveling and exploring the world has always been a big priority for my husband and me. Once Anya came along, we probably slowed down our travels a bit but didn’t let having a baby stop us from exploring with her. Up till now she was a bit young to appreciate and get involved in the different countries she’s been to but now that she’s 5, it’s the perfect age to encourage her to decide on some things she would like to see and do whenever we go somewhere.

I’m not the best at finding kids activities in new places so when I came across these ZigZag city guides for kids, I thought they would be perfect to help us make our holidays a bit more kid-friendly and to help Anya get more interested. The guides come as a set of cards with a map and some postcards, all with the cutest illustrations. They feature Zig and Zag, two sweet characters who guide you through the city. At the moment, there are only 4 cities on offer but they are adding more to their collection including a London guide which is due out in April this year. We’re hoping to go to New York later this year so if we do, I plan to start with that guide and will of course let you know how we get on.

Cosy animal hats…

January 7, 2014

I was never a fan of kids animal hats until my brother recently sent this mouse one for Anya. When she tried it on, I totally changed my mind and now I’m all for these animal cuties especially the ones with ears. Around the same time I discovered Happyeti and and loved their selection of hats which includes a panda one, a koala, deer, polar bear (my favourite) and many more.

All the Happyeti hats are handmade in Nepal and look so warm and cosy. Kids aren’t the biggest hat fans but I think any child would be happy with an adorable animal hat like these ones. Anya has has always refused to wear her Winter hats but now whenever she needs one, she happily reaches for the little grey mouse and keeps it on. And I don’t object because it’s fun, it’s cute and so soft and warm.

Goodbye 2013, hello 2014…

January 6, 2014

Here we are, already 6 days in to 2014. I hope you’ve all had a fun and restful break. I’ve really enjoyed spending time with my family, eating, catching up with friends and having a few lazy days too. When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st each year, even though nothing really changes, it feels like a fresh start. A chance to go after what you want, to make the changes that you’ve been meaning to, to dream, to plan but it’s also a moment where I always look back at the year that was. While I’m not a fan of resolutions, I like looking back at the good and bad and thinking about what I can improve in each new year.

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