A crayon make-over
Not too long ago I wrote about the shoe boxes of broken and discarded crayons that take up residence in my home. I thought they just might sit there forever but thanks to a recent project from my favorite playdate crew, Kulinary Kids, I was reminded of a great way to recycle all of those rejected nubs. This project is SO so easy to do and great fun for your kids. All you really need is a mini-muffin tin (or other shaped tin pan). Here’s how to do it…
Step 1: Peel paper labels off crayons, break up crayons into small pieces and distribute into muffin tin (filling cup to the top). Then place in 275°F oven.
Step 2: Melt — for around 15 minutes
Step 3: Let muffin tin cool for about 25 minutes. Then place tin in your refrigerator or freezer for about 5-10 minutes. If you place in the refrigerator/freezer before cooled — the muffins may crack from the extreme temp.
(Photo and instructions from Instructables.)
The Elephant Parade
I happened to be in the heart of London, on Oxford Street, the other day when I came across some wonderful painted elephants at Selfridges. As I continued my stroll through town I saw more and more … on Bond Street, in Green Park — what were they all about?
London has become home to The Elephant Parade. During May and June, 250 colourfully painted elephants will be dotted around the capital to shine a spotlight on the plight of the endangered Asian elephant. The campaign is from the charity Elephant Family, whose aim is to try and protect the elephant’s habitat which is increasingly threatened by human expansion.
The elephants here in the capital have each been painted by an artist or celebrity and together they make up London’s largest outdoor art event on record (with an estimated 25 million people viewing them over the next weeks). (more…)
The Angawandi Project
At long last we have decided to move on to a new Babyccino Kids Charity. Thank you so much to all the people who gave generously and who got in touch about the project – every little bit helps! Here’s an update on the Angawandi Project – the charity we chose as our first Babyccino charity.
The Angawandi Project helps build pre-schools for children in the Gudjurat state of India. Jodie, an Australian interior furnishing designer and founder of the fabulous brand Bholu, has worked a lot in Gudjurat and developed a strong bond with the country and its people. She realised the desperate need for a decent environment for children to come to and thrive in every day. With the help of volunteers and generous donations — both local and foreign — she has now managed to open 8 schools.
Here are a few words from Jodie, and a few photos to show you where all her hard work as gone: (more…)
Fresh Press, cool cards with bold backs
I recently got thank-you-cards printed at Fresh Press. They are of the Later Gator range, and they are very cool! Love the green alligator, and love the funky red/green back, which is very refreshing. All Fresh Press cards have the signature patterned back, which gives the cards that special distinction… I also had address labels printed, and some note-cards and calling cards. All from the same range, all very cool.
Together with my order, Fresh Press sent me a sample pack and these delightful birth announcements were part of it. I think they are just adorable. They’re printed on beautiful linen paper and have that classic yet contemporary look that I love. If you’re expecting a baby and are looking for the cutest birth announcement — you should surely consider these! Personalising your cards is extremely simple at the Fresh Press website, but if you still have questions the people behind Fresh Press are really super kind and attentive!
xxx Esther
Angel Dear Blankets
My little girl has an addiction — to a soft little blanket in the shape of a rabbit. Courtney actually got it for her when she was born and two years on, she is still addicted to it. I am not sure if it is the material, the shape or the size, but there is something about this little Angel Dear soft blanket rabbit that she absolutely loves. To be fair, in Paris, kids are encouraged to have a special soft toy or blanket (‘doudous’) to bring with them to nursery.
The problem with the Angel Dear blanket is that it is only available in the US and I am not the most organised person in the world — we are now on blanket number 7. I finally have two spare ones, courtesy of my lovely friend Petra who sent them all the way over from Miami.
The moral of the story is: Make sure your child gets addicted to a doudou that is easily available in your country, so you can replace it without too much trouble if it gets lost. If not, it is a huge pain. If you are, however, in the USA, do check out the Angel Dear collection. They are a lovely baby shower/birth present. They even have a two and a spare pack which I think is a genius idea.
- Emilie
Non-toxic baby teethers
I’ve already professed my love for Sophie the Giraffe — I think it is my all-time favourite baby toy because it’s easy for babies to hold, non-toxic to chew on, it squeaks when you squeeze it, and it’s cute. However, when my daughter was born she received the Gnon teether, handmade in France by the famous Sophie creators, and I must say it outdid Sophie in the popularity contest. I think it’s the cute, round eyes and that little handle to hold/chew on. And like Sophie, it also squeaks when you squeeze it.
Both teethers are available in the UK from VUP Baby, a fantastic webshop specializing in non-toxic baby products… from baby bottles and sippy cups to toys and accessories.
-Courtney
Sweet for Baby: Natur-elle soft baby booklet
Because they can hardly see any contrasts, it’s a known fact that babies prefer to look at black and white patterns during the first few months of their life. These little fabric booklets from Dutch label Natur-elle are specially designed with newborn babies in mind. One side shows funky B&W patterns, the other side displays a patchwork of different fabrics. Made from organic fabrics and produced in European sewing ateliers under fair working conditions, these cute baby books are safe, friendly, fair and definitely stylish enough for my baby!
Available from the Natur-elle webshop and from the stylish eco-boutique ShakShuka (they’ll ship worldwide).
xxx Esther
The Ergococoon
Are you one of those slightly neurotic mothers (I include myself here) who creep out of their beds to double check their partner’s baby-wrapping techniques or sometimes just lay awake in the middle of the night obsessing over whether the baby is properly wrapped — not too tight, not too loose, not too high, not too low? Then this one is especially good for you! As an alternative to the traditional swaddle, this Australian creation by Ergopouch is nothing short of genius. The ErgoCocoon is a simple contraption which certainly would have given me peace of mind in those early baby days.
Made of stretch organic cotton, the Ergococoon gives your baby the security of feeling snug, but without strapping your baby’s arms down the way that a traditional wrap does. So whilst the baby can’t get his/her arms out, they are still able to move their arms around if they wish — but they are still protected from the startle reflex. At the bottom of the wrap, there is an open end which allows you to transfer your baby into a car or pram and also allows access to the nappy area without having to unwrap your baby. And, with poppers in the arms, the Ergococoon readily converts into a sleeping bag for when the time is right! Practical and simple!
Available world-wide, for stockists please click here.
-Sara
Win! A Newborn Essential Package from Paige Lauren!
As I’m sitting here writing this, my baby is wearing her long sleeve romper from Paige Lauren… and I can tell you — it is SOFT. It must be the softest baby jersey I’ve ever touched in my life!
Paige Lauren is a young LA designer who started producing baby clothes because she was frustrated in her search for simple, classic baby clothes for her friends. In the LA boutiques she visited she was unable to find garments without the ever-present design gimmicks or pop-culture-kitsch. Before long she had started her own line of super simple, assuredly luxurious baby clothes. And, again, with the highest degree of softness on the market!
Feeling is believing… which is great news for one lucky Babyccino reader! Paige Lauren is giving away a collection of newborn items (value worth more than $150!). The give-away includes: one classic long-sleeve tee, a sleeveless bodysuit, a jersey romper with feet, a jersey cap, a classic footie pant, and a long-sleeve bodysuit. How fantastic is that?!
Just leave a comment below by next Friday, June 4th, and we’ll pick one winner at random. Good luck!
xxx Esther
P.S. Congrats to Jessica in London who won our last give-away: The Priti nail polish set from Shak-Shuka.
Baby Massage
When my first daughter was a tiny, little newborn, there was only one thing that got me out of bed for 9:00 in the morning, sleep-deprived and all. It was the baby massage classes in my local town hall in London. I started them when my little girl was about 2 weeks old and it was a great experience both for her and me. She really relaxed during the sessions and, after I got the hang of it and started massaging her on a daily basis at home, she started associating it bed time. It became a nightly ritual for us, and I do think it played a role in her becoming a good sleeper.
For me the baby massage classes were a life-line to meeting other mums in my neighbourhood. We were all in the same boot — we had been working on our careers and suddenly were discovering a completely new way of life, and it was great to hang out with other woman who were going through a similar experience.
Baby Massage ateliers are popping up all around Paris now. I know of some at Mum and Babe and at the Bonton flag shop, though I have not personally tested them. I am pretty sure you can find them in most cities now –I cannot recommend baby massage highly enough.
- Emilie
Sweet for Baby: Alison Jay Nursery Art from Happy Spaces
One of my favourite children’s book illustrators is the talented Ms. Alison Jay. If you haven’t laid eyes on her books or illustrations before, you should check them out for sure! I love her signature style with the sweet colours and cracked varnish, and there are always a millions things to discover in her artwork…
Courtney has already reviewed her Magical ABCs, and you can find more of her books in our bookshop.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when I found these two Alison Jay prints in the new Happy Spaces web-shop (an online art gallery offering wall art for children). And imagine my trouble selecting one of the two pieces for the nursery! I really like both of them equally, and even though in the end I chose the bunnies, I might have to get the bees as well…
If you’re looking for fun wall art to decorate your child’s room, have a look at Happy Spaces as they have an amazing selection — I keep thinking my son would love this vintage looking car…
xxx Esther
I am a Bunny
I still have my original copy of Richard Scarry’s I Am a Bunny
-Courtney
Sugar Coated Almonds
There is a very old tradition here in France to offer sugar-coated almonds — known as dragées — when a child is born. They are actually traditionally given out at baptism, but as there are not that many baptisms around anymore, I think it is a great tradition to carry on to celebrate the arrival of a new little person.
When I was born dragées only existed in pink and blue and white. My mother searched the whole of France for some green ones (she had a very May 68 approach to colour type casting of genders, which did not mix very well with something so traditional as dragéés). The tradition goes back as far as the 12th century when an apocathery figured out that almonds lasted longer if sealed in a coat of sugar. Almonds were reputed to combat sterility — hence the tradition of offering them to celebrate a baby. (more…)
Capturing your baby’s hands and feet
I know it seems like that new baby phase (i.e. sleepless nights, spit-up on every shirt you own, messy house, baby brain, etc.) drags on and on… But I swear, you blink your eyes and then that baby is an active toddler. Babies just grow so, so quickly. Which is why I love the idea of capturing their tiny little feet… because they’ll never be that small again. Image Casting is a London-based company which creates the most beautiful bronze and silver casts of your baby’s hands and feet. I got my daughter’s feet casted when she was a baby, and I now have her little feet sitting on my desk… a daily reminder of how tiny she once was (memories of her baby-hood only cheery, of course)!
In addition to their beautiful casts, Image Casting does a really nice job of framing the pieces. Simple but beautiful, with emphasis on the casts. You can pop into their London Bridge studio, or the team will come out to your house if you live within the M25 in London (home visit included in the price). Check their website for more details.
-Courtney
Sweet for Baby: Super soft, stripy Mini McGee blanket
I LOVE these stripy baby blankets from Mini McGee! They look so modern with the fresh colours and the stripy pattern… But at the same time they’re very sweet, and truly extremely soft (I actually first thought they were made of cashmere, but in fact it’s 100% super soft lambswool. Oh, what do I know?!).
They’re the perfect size for the car seat, or pushchair, or crib. Nice, don’t you think?
Available through Peace & Jam or Velvet Boutique…
xxx Esther
Gittabags
I was never really into the diaper bag thing. I think that the litany of awful maternity bags out there screaming ‘I am an unsightly post-partum bag’ with very little in the style-stakes really ruined it for me. Instead I opted to use one of my larger handbags, although I never found them particularly practical — mainly for want of a milkproof lining. Yes…sigh…regrettably I ruined a couple of my beloved bags (consider this a warning for those entertaining the very idea — milk spillage, inside bag, ruins bag). But, maternity bags have come a long way and if I had my time again I think the Gittabag would be a strong contender. In terms of practicality, it ticks all the boxes and then some and there is a design and color combo to suit almost everyone.
These diaper bags run the gamut from small backpack to medium and large messenger bags and even a handy tool-belt style kit for your waist. The colors are bright but neither too baby nor too feminine. The bags are of very high quality materials, meticulously sewn and machine washable with so many nooks and crannies that it is impossible to mention them all. But the standout feature is the ‘Activefold‘, a patent pending foldout, collapsible activity bar. (more…)
Serena and Lily Moses Basket
Serena and Lily have always been known for their beautiful and luxurious sheeting. I splurged and purchased a set of their crib sheets a few years ago and I will say, they have held up longer than any of the others that I bought and still look next to new. I recently spotted this beautiful Moses Basket in their catalogue and while I realize that the shelf life on it is fleeting – I just love the idea of having one for a newborn. What I especially like about this one is that it is pretty enough to hold on to for years to come — I thought it could serve as a nice storage basket for toys or stuffed animals. Do check out their crib sheet sets though — beautiful!
-Dina
Sweet for Baby: Bonnie Baby Vintage Fun Collection
You might know Bonnie Baby from their signature striped cashmere and cotton baby knits, but this season they’re on to something different: a vintage inspired collection!
How sweet can these be?? I love them! The colours are fantastic, love the mole greys and dusty pinks pictured, and check out this Air Force blue! The quality is great and the detailing reminds me of the craftsmanship my grandmother employed. The designs are classic but definitely contemporary at the same time, exactly how I like it.
Another plus: the pieces come in beautiful gift boxes, and the crochet booties come in a handy gift card, just perfect to send as a gift for a new baby.
xxx Esther
Celebrating all things BABY!
Following the birth of Esther’s beautiful baby girl last week, we have all suddenly gotten in the baby mood! It’s spring, after all, and it seems babies are everywhere… even I’m starting to get broody (okay, not really… but nearly!). Anyway, we’re dedicating this week to all things baby-related, including some of the best new baby products, some fun little baby traditions, and other baby inspired topics. We hope you’ll enjoy! And please do share with us your must-have baby products, tips, ideas, etc.
P.S. The photo on the left is from Dick Bruna’s Miffy and the New Baby — a cute little book about a new baby arrival.
-Courtney
Bear foods
I can spot a new kids snack a mile off — it’s like I smell something new in the air as soon as I enter the supermarket. I spotted Bear yo-yos last year and immediately my fruit-loving daughter was a fan. Now we are all fans of the Bear snacks (I especially love the Cocoa Cherry Pie nibbles). They are not just for children — their selection of nibbles are delicious combinations of fruit and granola and come in bags that are all under 100cals — so perfect for my 4pm sugar-fix.
Bear was started by personal trainer, Hayley, last year in an attempt to find a tasty alternative to chocolate, biscuits and treats — clearly a lady with my needs in mind! She chose the name ‘Bear’ after she read an article which said that bears who had found their way into cities and therefore foraged for foods in bins behind fast-food joints ended up being 30% fatter and 30% less active then their wild counter-parts. They also died younger.
So Bear produce all their nibbles as nature intended — no fiddling, no air-freight fruit and fairly-traded. You can buy Bear goodies through Ocado.
-Mo. x
