Have you noticed the cool cactus home decor trend? I don’t mean just the actual cactus plants, although they are pretty amazing too and a great option, if like me, you aren’t green fingered. For now I mean the cool cactus prints popping up for all kinds of home decor stuff. The almost sculptural shape of cacti lends itself so well to all kinds of things for the home. When I finish decorating my home, I know I’m going to be adding a few cactus home decor touches and definitely some real cactus which make stylish indoor plants.
Did you know that in Finland every expectant mother gets a baby box as a gift from the government? The box contains all the newborn essentials she’s likely to need including clothes, bath products, nappies, a sleeping bag and even a mattress. This is such a lovely idea and for those of us not in Finland I’ve always thought it would make a great gift idea for a mum to be. It’s as if Almondella, a Finnish company read my mind because that’s exactly what they’ve done but taken it a step further. They’ve put together a range of monthly gift boxes for kids that aren’t just for newborns but for babies and toddlers.
Now they’ve gone even further and partnered with Peggy (the super stylish blogger behind Paul et Paula) and together created this great box of delights. Peggy thought why are these boxes for babies only, why not for older kids too? So she put together a gift box that is unisex and perfect not only for babies but for all kids up to 6 or 7 years old. The box contains fun decor items that will work in a nursery, a playroom or a kids room.
Peggy kindly sent me a box for Anya and when I opened it there was much excitement from Anya and me. Anya was immediately drawn to the iconic elephant money box (which needs no introduction) and the Evolution colouring book. The Evolution colouring book is a colouring book but so much more too. As well as colouring in the pages there are more interactive elements like flaps to lift, die-cut holes and stencils that can be drawn through and decorated. And then there is text that describes the evolution of life. So the book is fun to read, interact with and colour.
I was excited with all the bits that will work so well in Anya’s new room but my favourites are the animal poster and the wall sticker. The black and white animal poster has been created specially for this box so it’s not available elsewhere. And then you have a wall sticker – either ‘You are loved’ or ‘Grow Strong’. You don’t know which one you’ll get so it’s a nice little surprise. Lastly you have the cute sleepy hedgehog cushion.
I’m always looking for exciting and unusual gift ideas and this box would make a beautiful gift for any child. It’s a box of things that will grow with your child and they can keep for ages. And the best part is that you pay much less for all the things in the gift box than if you had bought them separately. This box is limited edition with only 50 boxes but I hope Peggy and Almondella will make more such boxes in the future because I so love the unisex, ageless aspect of it and of course the stylish Scandinavian delights inside it.
It’s been a while since I did my last Friday Finds post so I thought today I would share some sweetness from around the web. To start with I’m loving this adorable new collection of Scandinavian interiors for kids and adults too.
How many of these crazy things have you done as a parent?
I know that black and white kids decor isn’t for everyone but I am a big fan. So if you are a fan like me then this new Dutch shop is for you. En Las Nubes does some of the cutest black and white posters, wall stickers and decorations for kiddies as well as some adorable tees. There are lots of stars, triangles, clouds and raindrops featured on a range of goodies, all in black and white but sometimes with a hint of pink or grey. I’m especially loving those sweet posters that have happy little thoughts printed on them.
Whenever there are holidays coming up, I try and stock up on a few ‘at home’ activities for Anya specially for those days where I am either too busy to play much or we can’t go out for whatever reason. Luckily this Easter we are going away so I haven’t needed to plan but if you’re staying home and looking for some indoor entertainment, these new giant colouring posters from Omy could be just the thing. When they say giant they really do mean giant as the posters are 1.8 metres long! That means a lot of colouring. The posters can be put up on a wall or simply laid out on the floor and the colouring can begin. There are Paris, London and New York city posters as well as a world map poster and you can find a selection at Petit Home. If you feel like it, you can join in the colouring fun too. I know I would have to have a go.
Sometimes I think I’m more drawn to kids art than to art aimed at adults. It’s rare that I come across an affordable artist where I feel I’d love to own his work but with kids art it happens pretty often. I wonder if that says something about me?! Maybe I’m just a big kid at heart and maybe that’s why I am so drawn to Jon Klassen’s illustrations. You may remember a book called I want my hat back that I wrote about a while ago. Jon Klassen was the author and illustrator and while he’s written a couple of great kids books, it’s his illustrations that really capture my imagination. He does all kinds of projects but also illustrates for other kids authors and his pictures are so good that many are sold as prints or even originals. Jon illustrates a lot of animals and many landscapes or outdoor scenes. While I love the landscapes and would love one for my walls one day, it’s the animal illustrations that are truly mesmerizing. His style is so distinctive and original and each animal has so much character. I think Jon Klassen could be my favourite kids illustrator and if you like his work too you can find a selection at Gallery Nucleus.
I’ve never been a fan of baby journals because all the ones I’ve come across tend to be far too cutesy for my taste. But I do like the idea of recording memories especially from a baby’s first year. When Anya was born I couldn’t find a journal I liked, so I decided to create a large photo book where I recorded each month of her first year in photos and at the back I wrote about all the things I never wanted to forget. My photo book was by Apple and it was beautifully printed with all my photo’s and written memories. As much as I love my photo journal, I wish I had known about this baby journal by Pleased to Meet which I discovered a few days ago. It’s so sweet but not cutesy with it’s simple illustrations and bold, bright colours.
Pleased to Meet are the creation of a German couple who make other delightful journals like the Book of Friends which is lovely for slightly older babies and a wedding journal called ‘We did it’. They also have some really fun and chic limited edition prints with my favourite being the cat one even though I’m no cat lover! Then you’ve got other stationery including cards, pretty boxes and more. I found this lovely brand at Mokkasin which is a Swedish store I love and they have a selection of these goodies to buy.
Even though I’ve been married 10 years I’m still so very tempted by this beautiful wedding journal. Sigh!
The 2012 games have been magnificent. The atmosphere in London has been amazing and I know I’m not alone in saying that I’ll really miss the Olympics. But as we know, all good things must come to an end… for 4 years anyway (roll on Rio!). I’m really looking forward to the Rio games and I’m expecting lots of partying, lots of colour, lots of celebration delivered in a way only the Brazilians can.
So as a little goodbye to the Olympics and in anticipation of the next one, I wanted to share the works of an Argentinian artist that sums up everything there is to love about the 2 countries involved. The ‘Love London’ print highlights all of London’s major landmarks in a cute and childlike way. Perfect for a London themed kids room or for any kid who has a love for London. Then there is the ‘Brazil’ print so full of colour and vibrancy just as I imagine the place to be.
I love the way Migy Blanco, the artist, brings the country/city to life through the use of colour and cute little drawings that capture the essence of each place. There are many more wonderful prints of other countries and cities on offer but for today, it’s about an ode to the games that were and the games that will be. Goodbye London, hello Rio…
A pear with a personality… quirky, a bit crazy even but so cool, so creative, so wantable. That’s what I love about this poster by the Swedish Fine Little Day. Called Pirum Parum, it has tons of personality, it’s funky, it’s perfect to liven up any kiddy space. You can get your hands on this Pirum Parum poster over at Bodie and Fou where it costs £23 plus £3.50 delivery. While you’re there, check out the Apple Papple poster too… you may just end up getting both.
P.S. If you’re as taken with Pirum Parum as I am, then checkout theseStudio Violet prints too. They’re equally quirky, equally unique and super cool too.
Today I discovered a shop called Zoe de Las Cases. French, fun and quirky-licious stuff is what you can expect here. Of all on offer, it was these 3D posters that caught my eye in a big way. You can get a shop, a kitchen or a laundry room to make up yourself. Then, put them up and let the imaginative play begin or just admire them as fabby wall art. What a cool idea. And in the looks department, the colours, the backgrounds, the details are all fantastic. The laundry one even has a little wall cupboard to store all your detergents! Unusual, quirky and oh so much fun! These posters each measure 42x30cms and cost £19.92 each. You can get yours at Zoe de Las Cases where delivery to the UK costs £7.06. They also deliver to the US, so fear not if you reside across the pond, you too can indulge!
Posters first spotted at nobodinoz (that will be a whole other post!)
About
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...
