ebabee likes

Fun with feathers

November 28, 2011

My nearly 3 year old bambino was playing animatedly with a feather the other day. While watching her I started thinking about a post on feathers. There’s something about feathers that makes them special. I don’t know what it is but they’re so soft and lovely to touch. So I went searching for some lovely things made of these tactile objects and here are my top 3 finds:

1. How utterly gorgeous are these feather adorned fairy wings?! Delicate and so feminine, I can’t imagine any little girl not being enamoured of them. They’d make a perfect addition to a dressing up box although once worn, I’m not sure they’d ever be put away. They’re by Atsuyo et Akiko and with Christmas coming up, they’d make the perfect gift too.

2. These full feathered necklaces are a great accessory for slightly older girls. Take a simple dress and elevate it to new levels with these lovely necklaces by Christa Davis.

3. Last but not least is this feathered headband which isn’t just for dressing up days but also just to add a bit of drama to an everyday outfit. It comes in a range of colours and is by the super creative American kids fashion brand Wovenplay. If you’re Europe based, you can also get it at Little Fashion Gallery

3 Advent Calendars so lovely

November 27, 2011

I was away on holiday when one of my regular readers contacted me looking for some advent calendar recommendations. I had planned to do a post on advent calendars but had completely forgotten that time was running out… that’s what holidays do to you! I know I’m still a bit late but I thought I would share my finds anyway especially since today is advent Sunday (also thanks Juliet for the reminder). I’ve come across 3 that I love very much so they’re the ones I bring you today:

1. These gorgeous little numbered boxes are by Noix de Coc. Each has a wooden handle which means they can even be hung up. The boxes can be customised by your kids who can paint, draw or sticker them and you can fill them with whatever little goodies you like. They’re available from smallable.com

2. I was browsing the lovely Paul et Paula blog where I spotted this advent calendar. It was instant love. Made up of lots of little boxes covered in pretty paper, you get a pack of frosted sweeties and a little Nina doll silhouette that can perch atop the boxes. There’s also a special surprise gift for the 25th. This advent calendar is sold in extremely limited numbers… just 10 available and it’s from The Kidsboutik.

3. Last are these drawstring bags with matryoshka dolls. I have a big soft spot for these Russian dolls so I was instantly drawn to this advent calendar when I saw it. These can be hung up and filled with little treats or tiny toys. Also sold in extremely limited quantities, just 6 available, they’re from Thymbyl Designs on etsy.

Have you seen our 2011 Christmas gift guide? There are lots and lots of gift ideas for the kids.

Incredible India! (And a guest post)

November 24, 2011

Today’s post is a bit different. I am heading back from my homeland of India where I have spent a glorious and sunny 3 weeks. I thought instead of posting about goodies I would share a few pictures of my holiday. So here’s a peek in to my 3 weeks of joy. But if you also want to read about some goodies, head over to my friend Honest Mum’s blog where I’ve done a guest post on Indian goodies for the kids.

Delectable dresses by Anthropologie

November 23, 2011

Some time ago I wrote about the stunning clothes by Kicokids for Anthropologie. But the stunning kids clothes at Anthropologie don’t end there. There are some other lovelies on offer that have me drooling every time I look so I couldn’t help but share. And if you’re a regular here you’ll know how crazy I am about Anthropologie… what a store it is! Today’s obsession is for the dresses on offer especially the ‘Dotty Little Frock’ and the ‘Love Letters dress and bloomers’. I keep looking at them and wanting – they’re so feminine and gorgeous, how can anyone resist? Anthropologie have a way of creating things that are just so stylish and delectable and that’s exactly what these dresses are. The kids line isn’t available through the UK Anthropologie but you can order from the US Anthropologie who thankfully ship internationally.

Delicate beauties: Baby mobiles with horse and birds

November 21, 2011

I’ve always been a fan of baby mobiles but when I started writing this blog I discovered some absolute gems. Some of my favourites that I’ve written about are the whimsical mouse mobiles, the majestic bird mobiles and the simple style your own bird and clouds mobile. And today I bring you another to add to this list. I absolutely love these bird and horse mobiles by Specks & Keepings . They’re a little shop filled with delicate and beautiful objects. The kind of objects that make you happy when you look at them… that give you the little pleasures in life. And these mobiles do just that. They are hand sewn and made of vintage fabrics and each one is different. Beautiful and unique, just the type of combo that always gets me excited. You can have a closer look at Specks & Keepings online store. They’re based in the US but also ship internationally – just drop them a line with your address.

*Via Smaller blog

Hand made lions so cool!

November 18, 2011

How absolutely amazing are these hand made lions? I fell for them the second I spotted them on Babble. Their gorgeous manes, their cool stance and their expressions make for very special and very unusual hand made soft toys. One of the lions has a mane fashioned after dreadlocks, another has a gold tooth and a wooden leg and there’s one donning an eye patch too. Each soft toy has so much personality and I think any kid would come up with all kinds of imaginative stories about them. They’re made in Germany and you’ll find them at JipiJipi’s store on etsy. So, so cool!

Pancake and Franks: Simple and stylish kids art

November 16, 2011

“Simplicity is the glory of expression” [Walt Whitman]… that is the philosophy behind Pancake & Franks and a philosophy I subscribe to whole-heartedly. That’s probably why I’m loving this nursery art so much. Colourful graphics against a white background make for children’s art so modern, fresh and of course simple. This cool art that I discovered while browsing Bloesem Kids (a blog so beautiful) can be personalised with a name, date of birth and any other details you fancy. The graphic images are childish enough without being cutesy and could easily adorn the walls of a nursery, a play space or even the room of much older kids. It’s hard to choose a favourite but I am drawn to the elephant and camel one… I just love the camel silhouette brought to life with the camel jewellery (I don’t think it’s really camel jewellery but you know what I mean!). The prints are all available at Pancake & Franks who you’ll need to email for any orders outside the USA.

Traditional toys: Beautiful spinning tops

November 15, 2011

There are some toys that will never go out of style and the spinning top is one of them. Eons ago kids got immense joy from these little spinning wonders and nothing’s changed. Even as a grown-up, I still love tops. I often find one of those little plastic ones in a Christmas cracker and I can’t help but incessantly spin it. So when I spotted these absolutely beautiful spinning tops, I fell in love. Made by Mader, they’re so elegant and graceful looking. There’s a huge range available, with some coloured, some natural, some tall and some short. I have never seen a collection of tops so stunning. Mader was founded in 1991 in Austria by a husband and wife team and all their tops are made by hand. To check out the huge selection visit PucciManuli or try amazon.com who also have loads.

*Via Handmade Charlotte

P.S. Have you seen our 2011 Christmas gift guide? If not, check it out as there’s loads of lovely gift ideas for the kids.

Dominique Ver Eecke: Quirky and playful kids clothes

November 14, 2011

While browsing the Spanish online boutique Nobodinoz, I discovered Dominique Ver Eecke. I was instantly drawn to the wonderful children’s clothes that this Belgian designer creates. The clothes are bright and colourful, the prints playful and fun with a vintage vibe running through the creations. On offer are quirky dresses, skirts and cardi’s for the girls and shirts and trousers for the boys. I’m loving that all the pieces are statement’s in themselves but still work beautifully well together. Truly unique stuff. The photography too deserves more than a mention. The settings, the backdrops, the colours, all of it comes together for a magnificent feast for the eyes. You can find Dominique Ver Eecke’s children’s collection at Nobodinoz or Zoenkids, both of whom have a different pieces and ship internationally.

P.S. Have you seen our 2011 Christmas gift guide for the kiddies?

2011 Christmas gift guide: Wooden toys

November 11, 2011

Today I bring you the next lot of goodies in my 2011 Christmas gift guide for kids. And this one is all about wooden toys. It’s no secret that I love wooden toys so I’ve searched the web to bring you some of the loveliest ones around. Here’s the list:

1. A modern dolls house that’s so cool. By Hase weiss.

2. Create your own city with these chalkboards, cars, traffic signals and trees. By Kiko Kids from Sisters Guild.

3. Cute little wooden cat and dog toy from Baileys Home & Garden.

4. A push along giraffe by Manny & Simon. It’s from Huggle (you’ll need to call as they’re not selling online yet).

5. A wooden matching memory game from Little Sapling toys.

6. A sweet hand painted necklace that’s also a stamp from e-side.

7. Colourful and beautiful alphabet blocks with a wagon by Uncle Goose. From Peanut & Pip.

8. Very simple but stylish doctors set all in wood by US based Soopsori. (International shipping’s available but it’s not cheap).

9. A cool wooden laptop that’s a chalkboard. It’s called i-wood and comes from Oliver Bonas.

For lots more gift ideas for kids, check out our other gift guides: Paper gifts, gifts for newborns and babies, kids books and soft toys.