I’ve long been a big fan of Taro Gomi who I first discovered through the simple and very sweet book called My Friends which was Anya’s favourite book for ages when she was around two years old. But it’s been a while since I’ve checked out anything more by Taro Gomi until last week when I had a birthday party gift to buy for a six year old. I came across these fun doodle place mats and immediately bought it for the birthday girl.
Sitting still at the dining table is still a bit of a challenge for Anya and many of her friends too so I thought these doodle place mats are the perfect answer. They come in a book of 50 tear-off sheets and each page has a different drawing activity. There is already a doodle on each page and then there are some instructions like the images show. There are three different ones – animal, story and yummy. Not only do these fun place mats for kids make unusual gifts, they’re also handy for a kids birthday party and they would be great to take to restaurants to keep kids occupied while waiting for their food. I know Anya gets impatient at restaurants and asks to play with our phones which I don’t like to encourage. But I would have no objection to pulling out one of these sheets to keep her busy.
I’m in love with this new French design studio – how great is their art? I love discovering new designers for a range of things but especially for kids art. Art like this that may be aimed at kids but really it’s ageless and will be loved by adults too. I’m loving the posters as well as those quirky animal trophies. Every child should have some art on their walls and I’m planning to have a lot in Anya’s new room – the only trouble is choosing from all the amazing kids art out there. But I think those animal trophies and that adorable juggler print are going to be hard to pass up! Visit Melanie, the designer’s shop to see the rest of her striking collection of kids art.
It’s Wednesday and that means time for more photography tips. This week it’s all about styling your photos. I will start by saying I am no styling expert but over the years of writing this blog I have learned quite a lot about styling. I used to drool over the photos you find on pinterest and wonder how they did it. Then I decided to see if I could teach myself through some basic courses and practice. We all know one part of a great photo is the photography but the other part is how and where you place everything. Ordinary, everyday objects can look stunning with just a few styling tricks. As bloggers we all know how important our photo and styling skills are but also if you’re just interested in photography and want to learn a bit more about taking better looking shots, then these photo styling tips for beginners will help you create beautiful images.
1. Get inspired! Before you even touch your camera and start trying to compose images, gather lots of inspiration. You can do this online or offline but with pinterest it’s so easy to do. I have set up 5-6 different secret boards by subjects that I’m interested in learning to style like food, toys and beauty. Any styled shot that appeals to me gets added to these boards and over time I have built up quite an inspiring selection of images. The plan here isn’t to copy but to get inspired and get ideas of ways to style your shots. In addition I write notes on each pin as you can see from the snapshot of my food styling board. I write what I like about that shot or why it’s inspiring me – is it the colours or the positioning of something or an unexpected touch that brings the image to life.
2. Practice, practice, practice Once you’ve gathered some inspiration, grab your camera pick a few objects and get styling. The first few times you try, it may look nothing like you had hoped – I’ve been there! But don’t give up. As with most things, the more you practice the better you will get at it. And by practice I mean take a few household objects and put them together and photograph them. Move them around, put them on a different table, put them on the floor, on the bed, add objects, remove objects and just keep trying till you get a shot you like. This won’t happen in a day but over time you will train your eye in to learning which compositions work and which don’t.
3. Keep it simple This is key. When you are starting to develop your styling skills, keeping it simple and small helps a lot. So to start with take a vase, a jar of make-up, one toy or a book and start styling that object with a few props. If you start trying to style a whole bedroom as a beginner it will feel overwhelming. Styling entire rooms or big gatherings or anything on a big scale comes with a lot more time and practice.
4. What’s your style? Styling is all about style. As you practice, you will find that you are drawn to a particular style. This could be bright and light or dark and moody, it could be minimal, monochrome shots or shots bursting with colour. So choose your style and experiment with it. You are much more likely to produce great shots with a style you are naturally drawn to.
5. The props Don’t go out and buy props – just look around you. Regular household objects can make fantastic props. The kitchen is my favourite place to go to find props and another great source of props are Anya’s toys especially the smaller ones. Also look in your garden (or a nearby park) – leaves, twigs, flowers all make great little props to add to a photo.
Speaking of props, if I buy something that comes in nice packaging or a nice jar, I always keep the jar once I’ve used up the product. I never go out and buy props as styling isn’t my job. Instead I collect interesting boxes, bottles, toy parts – anything that has a bit of beauty in it. For e.g. in the shot above that little glass bottle was some hair oil I bought and after using the oil I hung on to the bottle. I also went to a park next to my home and found a little flower to put in to it. The little vase just adds a bit more interest to the shot but it’s still a very simply styled shot.
6. Backgrounds and backdrops Props are one aspect of styling a shot and another is the background. Look around your home – do you have a wall painted in a colour that would make a good background? Do you have a wallpapered wall? Do you have some interesting floor tiles? Or even some fun wrapping paper that you can use as a background? A tablecloth maybe? I use anything and everything that I can find in my home from walls to scraps of cloth that I can make a backdrop out of. I also occasionally buy some pretty tissue paper or wrapping paper if I come across something that catches my eye. Or else I just use a white wall as I love keeping my shots simple, white and bright. For e.g. In the picture above, I wanted to show some ingredients against a dark background to help them stand out. I found a piece of slate I had lying around and it made the perfect background. Don’t forget you will always crop your photo’s so the background doesn’t have to be huge.
7. Play with your angles You’ve set up a shot and you keep clicking but it’s just not working. Of course you can move things around but instead try moving yourself! Photograph from above, from below, from the side, straight on, go in closer or take a step back and just keep playing with your angles. The same objects in a shot can look completely different when you change the angle just like in the example above. I didn’t move the trees at all when I took those two shots, I only moved myself and you can see how different each shot looks. The first just doesn’t work while the second is so much better as the little trees look like a forest which is the intention of the shot.
8. Just start Nobody can become an amazing photo stylist in a day or a week or even a month. And the idea isn’t to become a top stylist but just to lift your photos and make them more interesting. You will see a huge improvement in you styling skills over a period of a few months if you practice often. Remember to take your first styled shot and keep it hidden away then after six months take a look at it and compare it to your latest shot. You will see a world of difference. The secret here is to get started so why not look around you now and see what you can photograph today.
So those are my top photo styling tips for beginners. For us bloggers it’s an important skill to have but also for anyone interested in photography or anyone who just wants to take better photos. Once you learn how to style your photo’s it will become addictive and you will realise it’s not so hard to make an ok photo look amazing just by adding a little thought and effort.
If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know how much I love kids books. And every time I come across a great book, I love sharing it here. While I love many of the better known kids books, I also love searching for lesser known gems and today I have one such gem for you. The The Wolf’s Whistle is a book I am so glad I came across. At it’s simplest form it is a twisted tale of the Three Little Pigs and the big bad wolf. But this book is so much more. It could be the story of how the wolf came to be so bad or even how superheroes are made. It features a lone wolf called Albert who is a bit of a misfit. He and his group of three friends, none of whom really fit in, are tormented by the ‘honeyroast brothers’ – three enormous pigs! Albert has a dream of becoming a comic book artist and his story continues from childhood in to his adulthood where tragedy befalls him and yes the ‘honeyroast brothers’ are involved.
The Wolf’s Whistle is not only a great read but also the illustrations are beautiful. The drawings are created in a retro style which works so well with the story. The book is aimed at 5 to 8 year old kids but I think the upper end of this age group will appreciate it better. Anya enjoyed the story and loved looking at the pictures but couldn’t fully understand the subtleties in the book. For her it is a simple story of a good wolf and bad pigs but that is what is so appealing about this book – it will grow with her and I see her reading it several times over the years. I love this book for it’s originality and the beautiful illustrations.
Have you come across any lesser know kids books that are unmissable? Do let me know in the comments.
With royal baby fever hitting new highs in the UK, I can’t seem to get newborns off my mind this week. Earlier int the week I shared some great tips for photographing newborns in the first few days of their life. And that reminded me of a beautiful photo series that I had come across last year. Jenny Lewis, a photographer, had the idea of photographing mothers with their one day old babies. The series called ‘one day young’ is incredibly heartwarming.
Jenny Lewis felt that there are far too many negative birth stories floating around, there is fear and mystery surrounding birth especially with first time mums. We hear all the horror stories about birth but positive birth stories aren’t so easy to come across. And there are a large number of births which are positive so Jenny wanted to show this happy, beautiful and fulfilling side of giving birth and becoming a mother for the first time. I love the idea behind this as I myself was told a lot about what could go wrong before giving birth and that did put the fear in to me. Towards the end of my pregnancy I worried constantly about the birth and about all the things that could go wrong rather than focusing on the beautiful miracle I was about to experience.
I wanted to share this photo series because I think it sends an important message to women and also it’s just to lovely to see. And with the royal baby due any day, it’s yet another excuse to celebrate the miracle of birth. Of course things can and do go wrong while giving birth and this photo series isn’t about taking away from women who have experienced a traumatic birth but instead it’s about knowing that things can go right and birth shouldn’t be feared. And look at what you get at the end of it – there really can be no better experience in life. There are lots more photo’s on Jenny’s site so take a look for a guaranteed warm & fuzzy feeling!
How did you feel about giving birth? Were you worried? And if you are soon to give birth, hopefully these photo’s will make you feel a bit more at ease.
Have a wonderful long weekend and enjoy your little miracles – nomita x
Do you make your own kids party invites or do you buy them? I always plan to make them myself and sometimes do but sometimes life gets in the way and I end up buying them. Most of the kids party invitation cards you find in the shops tend to be a bit samey and are often themed with TV or cartoon characters which isn’t really my thing. Recently I went looking for something a bit different for a friend and I came across these really fun and colourful party invite kits.
These invite kits aren’t just for kids parties but they have baby shower ones, general ones which can be used for a range of occasions and of course kids party invites too. They come as a complete kit with the invites, envelopes, envelope seals and party favour bags included. All the designs just scream fun and cheer, exactly what a party should be! For our next kiddy party I’m loving the colourful heart ones or maybe even for my next grown-up party!
Probably the most memorable day of my life was the day I gave birth to Anya. How could it not be? And afterwards Richard and I got to take this tiny bundle home and stare at it wondering what to do next?! But as the days passed, we slowly learned to become parents as do most first time parents. The one thing we didn’t do properly though and I sincerely regret to this day is take any great newborn photo’s. In that crazy haze that is the newborn days (especially with the first baby) photo’s didn’t seem like the priority or even much of a thought for me. Thankfully Richard took some but I wish someone had told us, warned us, advised us that don’t miss capturing those precious first few days. So today, that’s what I’m doing for you – telling you that no matter how you feel, don’t forget to capture those incredible first few days of a new life. And to help you today’s photography post is on the best newborn baby photography tips for parents by Suzi Bowles – an incredibly talented photographer.
I have yet to meet Suzi in person but I already feel like I know her through our many online interactions. Suzi specialises in contemporary family photography including newborns, maternity and children. Her style is distinctive, bright and very fresh. The expressions and little details that Suzi manages to captures in newborns is second to none. She snaps those exact newborn moments that you want to remember forever and so I am very excited to have her here today telling us exactly how she does it. Now over to Suzi.
I love photographing newborns. Those euphoric first few days of a child’s life are so very unique and special. Capturing these moments to immortalise those special memories is one of my absolute favourite parts of my photography life. There are so many magical new moments to capture with the arrival of a baby but there’s nothing more frustrating than snapping away only to find that your picture is missing the very detail that you were hoping to capture. These ten tips should help you immortalize those memories of the days when your precious bundle was still tiny, fresh and very new.
1. The ‘best’ time to photograph The best time to photograph is between 6 and 10 days. In photography terms your newborn is only considered to be a newborn for the first two weeks – sounds crazy doesn’t it! But some of the reflexes that they are born with, which make them all curly and new looking, disappear after that time. Many babies develop baby acne for a while around the two week mark and they become more alert and aware of the world around them each day so achieving those classic newborn images are much more difficult after the first two weeks of life. Having said that, there’s something delightful about a curious newborn stare and capturing those little eyes looking back at you so there are still plenty of other special shots that you can get after this time.
2. Keep your camera close Keep the camera close to hand so that you don’t miss an opportunity while you’re fumbling around around trying to remember where you last left it!
3. Find the light Pay attention to the light in your home. Think about which rooms are the brightest and and which times of day they have the most light. Daylight will generally produce a much prettier image than artificial light so daytime is your friend. Turn your baby towards the light source to photograph her. Diffused, indirect light consistently produces good results so having your baby facing towards a window but not in the direct sunlight is a great option. Have her head nearer to the light than her feet as this will produce shadows that fall in a natural looking direction.
4. Keep it warm and toasty Babies inbuilt thermostats don’t work very well and they can get cold really quickly. Also they love being bundled up all warm and cosy. If you’re planning to photograph your baby au naturel, crank up the heating – a lovely toasty 28 or 29 degrees is what I recommend for my newborn sessions to keep them content while I’m shooting. The parents and I are usually peeling off our layers but baby is cozy and content.
5. Capture the details As well as photographing the big picture, don’t miss those tiny details as babies change so very quickly! Make sure you capture tiny hands, feet, eyes, nose, rose bud lips and the top of their head so that you can always remember it exactly as it was. These kind of shots of my kids still transport me right back when I look at them today; I can almost smell that newborn freshness!
6. Think about family and friends Who is visiting to meet the new arrival? Document those precious first cuddles with grandma, those story times with siblings and those evenings when your baby barely moved from your other half’s chest. And whether it’s mum or dad who is taking the lions share of the photographs, don’t forget to hand the camera over sometimes so that you exist in some of the pictures too. You will really cherish these in years to come.
7. Keep it simple and let your baby be the focus If you trawl through pinterest you’ll find a plethora of ideas for posing a newborn – dressing them up as Oscar the Grouch, covering them in lipstick kisses or putting them in a tutu. Personally I’ve found that no matter which props parents bring to their session, the most treasured images and the ones that my clients usually choose from their gallery are the simplest ones. Brand new babies are so very gorgeous as they are and props can often just distract from their fresh and captivating beauty.
8. Make your baby feel secure Sometimes a newborn’s startle reflexes can go in to overdrive as they may not be comfortable with their arms and legs being free. If your baby won’t settle while you put him down to photograph, try swaddling him as he is more likely to relax when he feels secure. A bit of white noise can also help him relax – it will drown out some of the background highs and lows and send him right back to the womb. There are a couple of great white noise apps that you can download on your phone – I like White Noise Lite on the iPhone.
9. Print your images Don’t leave those beautiful images of your newborn sitting on your phone or computer. Print them out and put them where you can enjoy them! Frame them, share them with family or have them made into a photo book like the quick and easy Pop Books that were mentioned in a previous photography article.
10. Keep that baby safe I’ve intentionally saved this point till the end because it is the most important point by far. It may seem obvious, but I’ve heard of several unfortunate incidents where proper safety precautions have not been taken. Always keep within reach of your baby. If you are taking the photograph, have someone else as a spotter to give their entire focus to your baby’s safety. Never place your baby near the edge of a surface which they could roll off or in a glass or ceramic bowl which could shatter. Always carefully check any baskets, crates or other props you use for sharp edges, snags or anything which might hurt your baby.
Some of the poses that newborn photographers create such as the baby leaning up on his elbows with his head in his hands, or hanging from a branch in a muslin hammock, aren’t what they first appear to be. Some are composites – that is, they are made by stitching together two or more images in Photoshop to create the final picture and others are shot from above with baby lying on their side to give the illusion that they are suspended in mid-air. This is absolutely vital for safety – babies necks aren’t strong enough to hold up their heads at this age, they shouldn’t be placed anywhere that there’s a possibility of them falling, and certain positions will require a hand to hold them at all times.
Thank you Suzi for these very helpful newborn baby photography tips for parents – I just wish I had these when Anya was a newborn. But you have them now so once again I say don’t miss capturing those precious first days of your babies life with these helpful tips. Suzi has also recently started photography workshops in Surrey for beginners, bloggers and intermediate photographers so if you’re interested in learning more check them out at A Happy Capture.
I absolutely love kids books and can spend hours upon hours choosing books for Anya and then enjoying them with her. We all know that it’s important to encourage our kids to read but to develop their interest and keep it going it’s so important to pick the right books for them. Apart from searching online, I tend to ask friends and colleagues for recommendations, browse real bookshops in London and on holiday (where I have found some gems) and I even ask on my facebook page which gets me some fabulous suggestions. Over the years we have discovered many fab kids books in this way but there have been some disappointments too. While I love searching for kids books, sometimes I wish there was a less time consuming way. And that got me wondering about a kids book subscription box as there seem to be monthly subscription boxes for everything else these days!
I went searching and I found some – yay! In the UK there is The Willoughby Book Club where you can subscribe for 3, 6 or 12 months and it’s aimed at children from 5-12 years of age but they also offer toddler and baby book subscriptions. You just answer a few questions about your child and the books are tailored to their age and interests. In the US you have Giftlit which works in pretty much the same way but has a few advantages. I especially liked that with Giftlit you get to see the books you are getting before you order and having briefly browsed their selection I have to add that it looks really good. So if you don’t like the sound of one, you can substitute it with another and you can also return books. This ensures you only get and keep books you and your kids love. Lastly again in the UK is Prudence and the Crow who specialise in vintage books for kids and adults. You don’t get to see the books which is a shame but I still like the idea behind the service.
I haven’t tried any of these book subscriptions yet but I am very tempted. I love the idea of a kids book subscription box because of the element of surprise and also any kid would love to receive a monthly package in their name. The anticipation would just add to their excitement of reading and enjoying the book. And especially for those months when you don’t have time to search and find books you know you’ll at least receive one in the post. Apart from your own child, these book subscription boxes would make great gifts too. Have you tried one? Where do you look for inspiration for your kids books? Do you know of any other services? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments.
Who doesn’t love a bit of time wasting and surfing the net aimlessly? I know I do! That’s what my Friday finds are all about and I haven’t done one in a while so here’s the latest dose. To start with, here are 15 hilarious things nobody tells you about parenthood.
Fox prints are all the rage and they don’t get cuter than this foxy shirt.
Make these and you’ll probably be the most popular mum ever.
I’m a big fan of playful clothes for kids of any age. Who said rompers should only be for babies? Even though Anya is six, I still want her to have lots of fun clothes in her wardrobe – heck I even want some for myself! So I went looking for fabulously fun clothes and accessories in peach for the coming Summer months and here are my favourites. I cannot resist that Mr Shy romper and those ice-cream knee socks are just too cute too:
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...
