I’m sure my heart stopped for a second when I fell upon the exquisite store and goodies of Mimmi Staaf, a designer and upholsterer from Stockholm. The first thing I saw was a sea of pastels which were at once soft yet striking… lots of furniture in pale blues, purples and pinks that are oh so pleasing to the eye and would be fit for mama or baby.
On digging further I found that Mimmi re-styles and restores old furniture which she sells along with other delectable pieces for the home and for kids. Take this little elephant stool or that origami mobile; both are beautiful pieces with lots of charm and style. That’s what you can expect to find across Mimmi’s store and I also love that practically all her offerings will appeal to any age.
Mimmi also makes some stunning crochet pieces including baby blankets, bedspreads and stool covers. The way in which she is able to combine colours and bring pieces to life is nothing short of exquisite. Mimmi’s store is dripping with style and the only bit of bad news is that she doesn’t yet sell online but from what I could decipher (through google translate) I think she might start soon. In the meantime visit her site Mimmi Staaf or head to Stockholm and visit the store… I know I want to.
I really love that the vintage trend is here to stay and we’re now spoiled with all the choices on offer. Vintage furniture has bags of charm and character and for me it’s always a winner. These pieces are from a lovely French boutique who have a very small but beautiful selection of vintage furniture for kids. The low wooden bench with the bright yellow or pink mattress is a versatile piece that was crafted in Latvia around 30 to 50 years ago. It would look super stylish in any kiddy space but is light enough to be used in the garden in summer too.
This vintage rattan cot is another winner. The shape is open and welcoming, almost resembling a flower in bloom… so beautiful, so poetic. And then there are some sweet little chairs on offer that would make charming additions to any kids room. All the pieces are carefully selected but many are one-offs so when they’re sold, they’re sold. Head to Les enfants du design to see their entire collection.
The thought of Argentina conjures up such a romantic, beautiful, colourful image in my mind and I just know it won’t disappoint. That’s why I’m dying to visit… maybe one day. In the meantime, while my fascination with the country continues to grow, I have discovered that there are some very cool kids toys and designs coming out of there. It all began with some wonderful crochet toys I found and since then I’ve discovered more with my latest find being these delightful wooden construction toys.
Mamell toys are all made by Argentinian craftsmen using only wood found in Argentina. The toys come in natural wood with bursts of colour. Many of the toys have a strong vintage vibe which just adds to their charm and appeal. A lot of construction toys these days are a bit too modern looking (for my taste anyway) with sharp lines and linear shapes but not these. They are a pleasure to look at with their soft shapes and curves and I’m sure to touch and feel too.
I seriously am very taken by these beautiful toys and I don’t think I’ll be able to resist the Mamell store if I ever make it to Argentina! In the meantime, I shall admire from afar. The Mamell site is currently under construction but you can visit them at their blog and contact them if you wish to buy.
I’m a big fan of Milk Magazine and when I saw the cover of their latest Japanese issue, I was hit by a sea of blue. There was something very inviting about the blue tones which instantly captured my imagination. The article I found was about kids chairs but it was the blue decor that made my heart beat a little faster. The pictures are so inspiring with lots of creative touches and decor ideas for any kids room. And of course there’s the abundant use of blue in different shades which comes together to create a space that’s oozing style and charm. The rustic feel of the unfinished walls and bare or tiled floors adds even more character. As you’ve probably guessed, I’m in love with these inspirational images and wanted to share. I’m now seriously tempted to try a one colour room for my daughter… but sadly I’ll have to wait till we next move house which may be a while!
A few weeks ago I shared the brand new Tree House collection for babies by Anja Schwerbrock and what a collection it was… minimal, European style at it’s absolute best. Today I have another amazing baby and kids collection to share. It’s European, it’s minimal and ever so chic. From Italy, Minimu had me swooning from the second I laid eyes on their offerings which include beautiful dresses, tops, trousers, baby rompers and more.
The styles are simple often embellished with a subtle ruffle or a contrasting tie detail or even a sweet bow. Then there are the adorable polka dot prints in deep maroon, soft lilac and pale grey. The clothes look comfortable and easy to wear yet really pack a style punch. That’s exactly what kids clothes should be about. There’s no fuss here, just exquisite style that’s clean and effortless and very pleasing to the eye. Minimu don’t sell online but I’m sure you can contact them for stockists.
I’ve been feeling the love for neon lately. I feel like I can’t move for neon… it seems to be all around me and yesterday I even bought myself a gorgeous neon pink shirt. With neon on the mind, this is what a found for the kids:
Industrial themed rooms for adults have been very popular and still are. This style is now making it’s way in to kids rooms and it can look amazing. I love the raw, almost unfinished feel of this style. I’m not talking pure steel or cold hard-edged industrial style but industrial furniture with warmth and soul.
This could mean one or two industrial pieces against an exposed wall complimented with some softer furniture like many of these rooms have done. The first room is quite stark but has a quirky appeal while the bunting brings some softness. Even though it’s the starkest it did wow me when I first saw it.
The other rooms are much more a mix of industrial with vintage and this combo works so well. Industrial works for boy or girl as these rooms show and if done well, can be hugely appealing.
This past weekend I was browsing Paper blog when some brown mustaches caught my eye. On delving deeper I found a beautiful site filled with utterly divine looking recipes and I’ve picked out some that I think would make super fun food for kids parties. I know I’m going to include some of these for my daugther’s next birthday bash:
You’d never dream of eating a mustache but how delicious do these chocolate mustache lollipops look? So perfect as a sweet treat for a kids birthday party. But I don’t think the adults will be able to resist either! (I NEED these at my kid’s next birthday do.)
Put these heart shaped pies on a stick and teddy bear bread rolls on your kids party menu and watch all the kids make a beeline for them. You can fill them with whatever you like… sweet or savoury or maybe even a few of each. With the pies, you can go for any shape you like including stars, circles (lollipop pies!), triangles… the list is endless.
I love this idea of elevating a simple cupcake to new heights! These balloon cupcakes look so pretty and best of all you don’t need to spend hours decorating with icing to make them in to a party treat. This couldn’t be simpler but has a huge wow factor.
All these divine looking (and I’m sure tasting) treats are the creation of Sandra Mangas Hernandez, a Spanish mama who has a flair for creating extraordinary food. Sandra gives much of her food, especially the kids stuff, a fun and exciting twist making it extremely inviting to eat. Serve up any of these inspired treats at your kids next birthday do and you’ll impress not only the kids but the adults too, not to mention how stunning and tempting your table will look. You’ll find all these recipes and more at Sandra’s blog called La recita de la felicidad and thankfully there’s an English version of the site too.
I have some super exciting news… the lovely folks at Oeuf NYC are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a ‘Wild Things’ crown in the colour of your choice. You’ll find all the details of how to enter at the bottom of this post. But first, I’d like to share a preview of Oeuf NYC’s delightful Autumn/Winter 2012 collection.
When I opened up the Oeuf NYC Fall/Winter 2012 look book my heart skipped a beat. My eyes feasted on clothes, dressing up goodies and toys that took my breath away. How can anybody not fall in love with this collection? The clothes are playful and fun yet infinitely wearable and practical and always complimented by fabulous design. What more could you possibly want from children’s clothes?
Year after year Oeuf create hugely covetable clothes, toys and nursery furniture and this latest Fall/Winter 2012 collection is no exception. Their dressing up pieces are also second to none. Whether your child wants to play wolf or be Santa Claus or even a cat for a day, Oeuf has lots to choose from and all created with bags of style and subtlety yet lots of drama. I know it’s too early to even mention santa, but I just couldn’t resist picturing the adorable hat and beard combo!
All the clothes are made in Bolivia from baby alpaca wool. Not only is the wool a soft and luxurious natural fibre but by making the clothes in Bolivia, Oeuf supports the local women artisans who earn a fair income and are able to educate their kids. If you’re a mama with a penchant for style and all things beautiful, then Oeuf is the place to go. Oeuf NYC certainly has a special place in my heart and I don’t think it’s difficult to see why.
GIVEAWAY ENTRY DETAILS:
One lucky reader picked at random will win the ‘wild things’ crown in the colour and size of their choice. All the colours are pictured above and there are 2 sizes: small (0-4 yrs) and large (4-8 yrs). You can confirm size and colour once the winner has been picked.
For your chance to win the ‘wild things’ crown, just leave a comment below… easy! Say hi or whatever you like but keep it nice! One comment per person. Entry is open to all my readers no matter where you live. The competition closes at 8am (UK time) on Monday July 16th. Any entries after this time will not be counted. The winner will be announced on Tuesday July 17th on our facebook page and on this post. Good luck!
P.S. Feel free to share this post by clicking on the ‘facebook like’ or ‘tweet’ buttons.
UPDATE JULY 17th 2012: The winner of this giveaway is Ann-Sophie. Congratulations Ann-Sophie and a huge thank you to Oeuf NYC for this giveaway and for their wonderful collection. This is now closed so please do not leave any further comments. Big thanks to all who took part.
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...
