Do you do knitwear in Summer? I am so in love with this Spanish range of handmade knitwear for kids. These bright and colourful cotton knit sweaters are perfect especially for those cooler Summer days. Aren’t the colours just gorgeous? All of these sweaters are unisex and handmade to last so they can be passed down from one sibling to another. In addition to the sweaters, there are cardigans too and like the sweaters, many have contrasting coloured pockets which are so cute. The sweaters even come in larger sizes for women. While I am not in to wearing matching clothes with Anya, I think I would have to make an exception for these cotton sweaters. Perhaps navy for me and yellow for her.
A few weeks ago I talked about adding yellow accents to a kids room because yellow is such a cheerful and happy colour. Another colour that I’m currently crazy about is mint. It’s so fresh, so fun and like yellow works for both sexes and little babies too. Besides, Spring and Summer are the perfect seasons to add a bit of minty green freshness in to your home. Even if you’re not re-decorating, you can easily add a hint of mint in to any kids room or even your own to give it a fresh new look. Mint beautifully compliments most colours and all styles of decor. So if you want to add a little brightness and light, here are some ideas on decorating with mint green in a kids rooms to inspire you:
Probably the easiest and quickest way to add a hint of mint to a nursery or kids room is by simply putting up some mint green art. That large poster in the nursery pictured above adds a real breath of freshness to the room. And even though there isn’t a lot of mint green in this room, the poster is so impactful that you don’t need more.
From a modern baby nursery to a vintage kids room – here is another easy way to add a splash of mint to a kids room. Any old piece of furniture that needs updating can be painted in a mint green colour. Often the furniture in a kids room gets the most wear so it’s the perfect excuse to freshen it up.
How gorgeous is this little girls room? Here little mint coloured decorations have been dotted around which work so well with the whites, golds and pinks in the room. From the soft toy with mint ears to the graphic mint blanket, it’s just little things like these that can add that splash of mint to a kids room.
If you want to go for a bolder mint green look, then paint the walls! A room painted in mint from floor to ceiling may be a bit too much so instead, think about colour-blocking like in the beautiful nursery above. The block of mint green goes so well with the pale grey, pink and darker green. And colour blocked walls look so cool.
Yet another way of decorating with mint green is to add some mint bed linen like in this room above. It’s the perfect way to add some Spring freshness and can so easily be changed every season. I also love how they’ve used a rug with a tiny splash of mint which just makes the bedding stand out even more. And also how great does mint look with deep, dark colours too?
Who has time to curl their lashes everyday before getting out the door? I know I certainly don’t. I can barely make it to the school gates on time as it is, so adding steps to my beauty routine in the mornings just isn’t an option. I’ve often said I like time-saving make-up and beauty products that still work well and do exactly what they promise. And if I find any goodies, I will share them here.
I’ve long been a fan of Benefits ‘they’re real!’ mascara as it is probably the best mascara I’ve used in ages. So last week when mine ran out, I headed back to the Benefit counter to get another one. When I got there something that I hadn’t seen before caught my eye – a new curling mascara. So I asked a few questions and then tried it for myself. The new mascara from Benefit is called roller lash and it’s all about curling and lifting your lashes without needing to use a curler beforehand. I snapped it up and I’m really pleased with it. It definitely curls and lifts and makes your eyes look wider and more open. And it cuts out the need for curling your lashes first so saves time too. In truth, I hardly ever curled my lashes beforehand as I am somehow always doing my make-up in a hurry, no matter what time of day. But I have straight lashes so always had the best intentions of doing a bit of curling. Now I don’t need to and that makes me very happy! I think I may have found the best curling mascara for me.
Benefit’s roller lash will probably be even more effective if used with ‘they’re real’ mascara but for me, I’m quite happy to stick to one for the time being. It lengthens a fair amount and curls well so I’m pretty happy with the results. If you look especially on the left eye in the pic above you can see what I mean. I am already a Benefit cosmetics fan as they are one of the brands that I’ve found that really do what their make-up claims to do and also products like this curling mascara that save me time are always welcome in my beauty bag. What’s the best curling mascara you have tried? Any recommendations?
I should add that this isn’t a sponsored post – in fact none of my beauty posts are sponsored. I buy things I like the sound of, I try and if I like them, I share them with you.
Animal themed decorations are so lovely for a kids room. Even if you don’t go for the whole hog animal theme, a few touches here and there are so fun. Of course you can choose colourful versions of animal decorations but I’m in love with these kind of natural tones for a nursery or kids room. I know some people think brown/beige/sand type colours are boring for a kids room but just look at these decorations – nothing boring here. All of these would look great in any colour scheme but I love the idea of combining lots of white with natural tones like these.
I’m always so last minute when it comes to a Father’s Day card or organising something for the day. So this year I thought I would try and get ahead of the game and have at least a fun card and something fun lined up well in advance of the day. We’re not in to giving gifts or anything major but it is nice to do something to mark the day. So I’m planning a family lunch and I also wanted to find a cute card for Anya to give Richard. I would love to have created my own little DIY with her and may still do next week but in the meantime I went looking and I found these sweet free father’s day printables. They’re not all cards but they can all be turned in to one or used in different ways. I like them all but I suspect Anya will choose the glasses or the cute little bow and tie one!
If you read my first inspiring stories interview then you’ll know what these interviews are all about. Today it’s time to meet another incredibly inspiring lady who is also a mum. Everybody has setbacks in life – some have bigger setbacks some have smaller – but we all have them. It’s not these setbacks that define us but how we deal with them. So I hope to share stories that will inspire us all and help us to realise that no matter what, we can achieve those dreams and goals. In today’s story, despite numerous delays, setbacks and medical problems, a gorgeous handmade teddy bear brand was created and launched.
Meet Rachel Beasely who is the founder and designer behind Bear Good – a range of traditional teddy bears made in England that are given a contemporary twist. But Bear Good isn’t just about the bears, it’s also about doing good. Read on to find out more about these bears and about Rachel’s story of sheer determination.
Tell us a few words about you? I’m a mum of two – a 3 year old girl and an 11 month old boy – who are both the apples of my eyes! I’m originally from Yorkshire but have been in London for almost 15 years. I used to be in advertising and marketing but then took the leap in to entrepreneurship and tried a few different things. In 2012 I had the idea for Bear Good and the rest is history as they say. A pet hate of mine is noisy eaters – I can’t sit next to them as it drives me nuts! Only adults though, I don’t mind kids eating noisily which is a bit strange!
What has been your biggest struggle so far? Getting my business launched! You have a plan in your head but then things happen that you have no control over. I planned to launch in February 2014 but the products were late so I had to delay. I was also pregnant with my second child and due to deliver very soon. Unfortunately my obstetrician didn’t listen to me about my past medical history and gave me some incorrect advice which resulted in a traumatic birth leaving me with severe back problems. On good days I experienced pain but on bad days I couldn’t even get out of bed. I learned to cope with this as there was no choice.
Things got progressively worse with with my back throughout the Summer of 2014 but I wanted to focus on the positives in my life like becoming a mum for the second time and enjoying my son. I knew I couldn’t give the business all the time it deserved but I tried to look at what I could do. I decided I could slowly build the website myself just to keep things moving and planned a soft launch just before Christmas 2014. However on December 1st my back finally gave way. One minute I was stood up and the next I was on the floor.
The next few weeks are a bit of a haze! On December 19th, the day before my birthday, I was wheeled in to hospital for an injection in my back. A few hours later I was wheeled out the same way as the injection hadn’t worked. I had another in early January which enabled me to shuffle along. But then I had an operation on my back on 16th January and the change was amazing – the following morning I was sat up in a chair having a cup of tea after having been for a short walk!
Where and how did you find the determination to carry on with your plans? Aside from my family, my business was something I could focus on that wasn’t related to my back. And because I had committed to a charity already I didn’t want to let them down. Financially I’d invested a lot too so giving up just wasn’t an option.
A lot of people in your situation would have given up on their dreams. Did you ever feel like giving up? And how did you pull yourself out of those dark moments? Oh yes! I felt like giving up plenty of times! Especially when the pain was unbearable. But I had the love and support of a great family who helped me get through this. My mum practically moved in with us to help keep the house ticking so that my partner didn’t have to worry about the washing and ironing. My partner was my rock. At my lowest points he picked me up and helped me see a future past the pain, past being in bed and running around with the kids again. I had six weeks post-op where I couldn’t pick my baby up and when I did it was wonderful, as was getting my daughter on my knee for a cuddle. I also kept imagining my company being successful and achieving the goals I’d set myself. So I can’t believe it but I launched the website a couple of weeks after the op. Looking back, launching the site then was probably pretty stupid, but I think I just needed to close a chapter and open a new one.
Tell us a bit about Bear Good. What inspired you to make teddy bears? It wasn’t so much about the bears to start with but more the idea of interweaving doing good with a business. We were told that having children would be difficult for us. Following a lot of mountains climbed and hurdles overcome we welcomed our daughter in to the world in 2011. I felt very, very lucky to have been given this gift and I wanted to protect her, nurture her and ultimately give her everything I possibly could. Filled with all the new mum wonderment (and exhaustion!) I started thinking about all the children out there who haven’t got a safe environment to live in, a nurturing loving family, good healthcare and access to quality education. I knew I wanted a shift in direction post-birth, so combining my business and branding background with the urge to do some good at the same time led me to come up with Bear Good. The company has been built on a real commitment to giving, so much so that we give 10% of our sales to the charity and the non-profit we support. This means donating is intrinsically built in to our business model as the charity gets their share come what may, rather than being profit share based.
As creatives we are always looking for new ideas and ways to make them a reality. Tell us how you look for inspiration and how you turn that in to a teddy bear? The teddy bear is the flagship product and my inspiration came from imagery of children carrying a teddy bear. It said to me that there is a whole lot of love from a child to their bear and that’s the kind of love that we want to pass on to the children we are trying to help. I also recognised that to be a bit different we had to look again at design and I opted to go classic where high quality is part and parcel, design is simple and there is somewhat of a legacy created. After all, we are aiming at the gifting market where someone is looking at buying a gift that is incredibly special and meaningful for a special occasion like a birth.
A teddy bear is for life. I wanted to make sure I made bears that would last a lifetime, that a child could have adventures with and it would still be in one piece in years and years to come. Yet I didn’t want them to be old fashioned. So whilst the designs are classic, the fabrics are contemporary like moleskins and corduroy. We wanted to support British manufacturing as much as we could so the fabric has been sourced from a mill in Todmorden, Lancashire. The bear’s t-shirts are all inspired by the American raglan motif t-shirts from the 70’s. Perfect for everyday wear and gifts alike. I love them and would wear them if I could!
I’m really excited to say that every child that has come in to contact with them wants to take them home – the bears have a real personality to them are just waiting for good homes to go to!
What’s the best part of running a small business? As most mums would agree, life with children is busy and non-stop. So the flexibility I have makes life much easier as a family. I also like the fact I can make my own decisions and put my ideas in to action.
The world of soft toys is so incredible these days. There is so much choice out there for any budget and taste. Apart from your own, which soft toy creators do you admire? I adore traditional teddy bears, I love Lucky Boy Sunday softies as the designs are wonderful and I also like Sew Heart Felt puppets. Of course Jellycat has to be in there too – my son and daughter both have different characters whom they love.
What is your best piece of advice for anyone who has suffered big setbacks in life? Don’t beat yourself up if you have to change your plans. If you need time to heal, take it as it will pay back ten-fold in the long run.
Would you change your past if you could? I would have listened to my gut instinct in the hospital as I honestly believe I wouldn’t have been through this if I had. The times when I haven’t listened to my gut instinct are the times when things have gone wrong.
What’s next for you both professionally and personally? Professionally I am aiming to build the Bear Good business quickly to make up for lost time. Personally I am making my back as strong as it can be in the hope that I never have to go under the knife again. On a lighter note I am already planning Christmas 2015 in my head as I missed that, my birthday and the new year last year so I want to make this one really special for my partner and my children.
Thank you Rachel for sharing your inspiring story withus. What I loved most about getting to know Rachel was that giving up was never an option for her. In our chats and messages to each other I got a real sense of sheer determination from Rachel. Nothing would stop her achieving her goals and making her dreams a reality. As Rachel explains, apart from family, it was visualising those very goals and ambitions that kept her going through her darkest days. Giving up may seem like the only way in short term and who would blame you if you did under such circumstances but if you slowly chip away at your goals, they can and will become a reality no matter what life throws at you along the way. Do take a look at Rachel’s gorgeous one of a kind teddy bears that would make a lovely gift for a new baby or an older child especially to mark a special occasion.
P.S. If you have a story of overcoming a set-back (of any kind) and would like to share it, please get in touch – I’d love to hear from you (only requirements are that you are a parent with a blog or business but if not a parent you have a baby/kids related business). You can get in touch privately through the contact page or send me a private facebook message and we can chat more to see if it’s something you would like to share.
Anya has been asking a lot of questions about infinity lately. I’ve tried explaining the concept to her but it isn’t an easy concept for a six year old to understand – I only just about understand it myself! :). Her interest in infinity started when she asked what the biggest number in the world was. I told her about infinity and for a while she thought that the biggest number in the world was infinity because she just couldn’t grasp the idea that numbers never finish. But then I came across this book called Infinity and Me and it seemed like just the book to help in explaining infinity to children.
Infinity and Me is about a little girl who gazes up at the night sky and starts to feel very small in the vastness of the sky. She begins to wonder about infinity and just what exactly infinity means. She starts asking everyone she meets and soon realises that maybe there are infinite ways to explain infinity. Infinity and Me is a very simple and sweet book with illustrations that are equally adorable. It’s a great first book to give some meaning and relevance to the concept of infinity to kids. While the main character in the book happens to be a girl, I think this book is equally suited for boys as it is for girls. Any child curious about infinity would enjoy Infinity and Me.
I have been looking for a maxi dress for Anya for ages. I really wonder why maxi dresses for little girls are so rare. They may not be the most practical for playing in a park or running around but they are great for other occasions like a meal out or even a birthday party. I finally found one last week and I had to snap it up. They look so cool and stylish and Anya loved wearing it and twirling around. In fact it’s been a struggle to get it off her – she even wanted to sleep with it on!
We decided to pair it with orange ankle boots to give the maxi dress a bit more of an edgier look. Sandals would have been the obvious choice but I didn’t want too girly a look. And besides we’re still waiting for proper sandal weather in London – will it ever come? While out in the dress so many people stopped us and asked where the dress was from. We were mostly stopped by mums who also wanted a long dress for their little girls. Have you come across any maxi dresses for little girls? I’d love to hear as I would like to get a couple more for the Summer.
The other day I was told a story about a three year old girl who was given a book. She opened the book and she tried to press it. She then started sliding her finger to get the pages to move. She continued pressing, sliding, scrolling and got increasingly frustrated when nothing happened. This child had never seen a real book before. Her only experience of books had been electronic. I haven’t made this up even though I wish I had. This was told to me by someone who knew the little girl, while we were discussing technology and kids. And that got me thinking, how much tech is too much but also is there such a thing as too little?
People often ask me if I let Anya use my ipad and other devices and how much I let her use them. The answer is yes, I do let her use the devices but there are rules and restrictions. Since I’m asked a lot I thought I would share some of the things I do to limit her use of iphones and ipads. I do believe that our kids are growing up in an age where technology is everywhere and that they need to be exposed to it as it is so much a part of our lives. And there are a lot of good things about technology so I want it to be a part of her life but not take over and or become her main source of entertainment. So here are a few things I do to limit her ipad time:
1. She has to ask before using the ipad/iphone. She can’t just help herself!
2. We treat the ipad like a treat! So just like any treat, she knows that it’s not something she can have everyday but instead it’s something that can only be used once in a while. But I never use it as a reward.
3. If she asks for it when I don’t think she should have it, I suggest another activity rather than just saying no. So I’ll suggest colouring, dressing up or anything else that she loves doing and this often works because thankfully children forget easily! Or if that fails, I will suggest reading together or something else we can do together.
4. When she does get to use it, I usually limit her time and tell her that upfront. Then when times up, it’s up. Sticking to your resolve really counts here because the inevitable ‘5 more minutes, please, please, please’ will always happen. (Of course , there are times I’ve given in to extra time especially when I’ve got stuff to do myself – naughty mama!).
5. Buy books. Lots of them – story books, activity books, colouring books. And keep books accessible so your kids can reach them easily. I’ve found that a new book for Anya is far more exciting than a new app.
6. There are certain situations where I don’t allow the ipad at all like mealtimes and car journeys because once you allow it, I think it can easily become the norm. So sticking to never is easier for me and for Anya because she doesn’t ever expect it at these times.
7. Obviously don’t buy them their own device because that’s just asking for trouble. This might sound very obvious but I actually know 5, 6, 7 year old kids who have their own ipad and it never fails to shock me no matter how many times I come across a kid with one.
There is one exception I make to all the above and that’s when she wants to listen to music because she loves music. Right now the ipad and iphone are our only sources of music so if she wants to listen to something I never stop her. In fact I encourage it.
We all know kids learn by example so the amount of screen time you have will have an influence. I rarely watch TV but I am guilty of spending too much time on my laptop and this has naturally influenced Anya and her tech consumption. I’m trying to make sure that once she comes home from school I shut off and then do anything pending after she’s gone to bed. There are days when I manage this but there are others where I fail miserably. What can I say – I’m still a work in progress!
Having said all that, there are times when rules go out the window. I’m not perfect at following my rules and especially recently with all our house renovation upheaval she has had more ipad time than I would have normally allowed. But sometimes you just have to do what makes life easier and not feel guilty about it.
What do you do to limit your kids screentime? Any tips for all of us? Or do you prefer your kids never to use ipads and iphones? I’d love to hear in the comments.
P.S. This is a fun book on tech vs. real books to read with kids.
Yesterday, my friend’s 70-something dad came to the school gates wearing yellow trousers and a purple sweater. I can’t tell you how cool he looked! I think yellow is such a striking colour but so under-used in clothing, in decor and everywhere. I love kids in yellow and one of the best places to use yellow is in a kids room – boy, girl or baby room. It’s a colour that transcends gender and age and above all it is such a happy colour. In a kids room I wouldn’t go so far as painting walls yellow because for me a little yellow goes a long way. But adding little yellow touches can quickly brighten even the dullest of rooms. And any kind of decor – modern, vintage, retro – can benefit with a bit of yellow. Here are some inspiring kids rooms that show how stunning decorating with yellow can be:
This baby nursery isn’t all about the yellow but just the smallest touches of yellow really brighten this room. And the yellow works so well with the minty green too.
How cool is this room? This room has the smallest yellow accents and yet the yellow adds so much cheer to the room. This is a boys room but black, white and a little yellow thrown in is a winning combination for for any gender or age.
This is another boys room where the yellow comes in the form of the metal bed – such a great way to add your splash of yellow. If you can’t find a yellow metal bed, you can always get a white one and paint it. This vintage inspired room looks so fun and cosy and the yellow bed would work just as well in a girls room.
How gorgeous is this girls room? The yellow is used sparingly by adding just the odd cushion, storage basket and a few objects but that’s all this room needs. The colour combination of soft pink with light grey and touches of bright yellow really is beautiful.
Last is this sweet vintage room which again uses lots of yellow decorations in different shades of yellow. Imagine this room without the yellow – it would look quite bland. The yellow brings the white walls to life but still doesn’t overpower.
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...
