Send a thought!
Do you have a friend who just found out she’s expecting? Wouldn’t it be cute to send her a little gift box to show her how excited you are for her? Or perhaps you have a friend (or many) who are sick with a flu bug, and you just want to tell them you’re thinking about them and hope they get well soon. Send-A-Thought makes it easy to, well, send your thoughts!
You can send chocolate medicine to your sick friend. Or expectancy tea to your expecting friend. Or you could even send a little ‘hot stuff’ package to your husband at work to tell him how hot you think he is! Fun! Just think of all the thoughts you can send…
Each thought comes wrapped in a gift box and includes your custom message hand-written on a little note card. In a world obsessed with e-mail and text messaging, I just love the idea of sending something fun and unexpected to your friend’s letterbox! (And I’m sure he or she will love it too…)
-Courtney
A letter a year
Last week I read the most lovely idea in the new Dutch ‘me-time’ magazine ‘Flow’. Judith (38) writes that every year around their kids’ birthdays, her husband Jacques writes a letter to their children Joseph (16) and Hanna (9). In this letter he discusses what happened the previous year: sad things, happy things, the development of the child, what happened to the parents and family etc.
Sometimes writing the letter takes an afternoon, sometimes it takes him a whole week! When he’s done, he dates the letter, puts it in an envelope with a stamp and mails it to their own address. When the letter arrives, it is put in the safe, unopened.
The whole thing became a real ritual; Jacques started writing the letters when Joseph was one year old…
When the children reach the age of 21, they may open their letters.
I think this is such a wonderful idea. Only one letter a year, so it doesn’t become too detailed. No pictures. In the end it will be a small novel about the life of the child, written by the father!
I think my husband could be reading this… Idea, darling??
xxx Esther
A beautiful record
One of the joys of the past six months has been looking through old photo albums from when both my husband and I were babies and trying to work out who our baby looks like. So far my husband is winning out! But it got me thinking it was time to start creating a photo album charting the growth of little C. The months are already slipping away and while I have a computer full of photos, I don’t have a single one printed off. Shameful, I know.
So when I saw the beautifully designed “Once A Year” book by the talented Kasia Jacquot of Laikonik I had to put an order in immediately. The idea is you have one page per year for the baby until they are 18 years old so you can chart their progress. There’s also room to write notes on the back of the page so you can record key developments. Not only is it a beautiful memento but something that is entirely achievable for busy parents.
-Natalie
Eva and Oli
Sometimes I wish I was three years old. Not because I would like to feel free to roll on the ground or think that stepping on cracks on the pavement was the most exciting thing ever. No, I would love to be three because there are so many cute and, to coin one of Courtney’s favorite words, “cozy” kid’s clothes out there that I would love to wear.
I recently discovered Eva and Oli, a kid’s label run by the American-Danish design duo Michelle and Jeanette, who are based in Paris. I love the philosophy behind it: It is a line designed so that kids can wear the clothes on a long-haul flight and be comfortable, but still look cute when they get off at the other side. Cozy, practical and cute: it ticks all the right boxes.
Not only do they design cute clothes but also great maternity bags that turn into a laptop bag once you have phased out nappies.
They also have a great line called the Love Line which supports children’s charities. One euro of every product goes straight to the Montechristo Ministries.
There will soon be an Eva and Oli webshop. In the meantime you can contact Eva and Oli to find out where you can pick up their very cute range.
- Emilie
Ed Emberley’s drawing books
Back in 1988 artist Ed Emberley came to my elementary school and sat in our little library to give a drawing seminar for all the interested students. I remember this day so well… I was sitting crossed-legged in the front row, watching him draw animals on a big pad of paper. He was charming and funny. Afterward he signed a couple of my books, including his award-winning Drummer Hoff
I recently found my old Ed Emberley books in the attic at my parents’ house and quickly snatched them up for my own boys. I figured my 3½-year-old is the perfect age for them.
In his drawing books, Emberley teaches kids to draw in a step-by-step method using the simplest shapes. All his animals are super cute and easy to draw when you follow his steps. My son loves it, and even I still have fun drawing all the animals with him! (more…)
Supernana
Last Sunday I went to a huge children’s trade fair here in Amsterdam: the Kleine Fabriek (Little Factory). It was great — I saw tons of wonderful products, some of them familiar but a lot of them were new to me! I think I was there for over three hours, and I came home exhausted, but happy! In the coming months I will definitely let you know about a lot of the cool things I discovered…
Let’s start with these wonderful rattles from Supernana. Supernana is a Dutch company that was started a couple of years ago by the very kind Philine, mother of three young children, who had a high-fly job at Volvo before she decided to switch careers.
Supernana produces extremely simple, durable and beautiful baby and children’s goodies, often inspired by vintage products and patterns. In this world overflowing with cheap throw-away products, Supernana makes timeless products, that will be passed from child to child and eventually to the next generations. All the products are made from natural products of superb quality, where possible organic and all handmade in Europe with the utmost care.
I’ve got a ladybird rattle lying in front of me, and it is just perfect. The baby rattle pictured is even more basic (and absolutely beautiful in all its simpleness), and is available in 30 gorgeous colours. It has a teething ring, bell and squeek and is made from 100% wool felt. What else does a baby need?
xxx Esther
P.S. You can email Philine about PayPal options!
Matryoshka dolls
A Matryoshka doll is a set of dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other; they are typically Russian, made of wood and have been around from the early 1900s. The shape is mostly cylindrical, rounded at the top for the head and tapered towards the bottom (the dolls have no hands, unless they are painted). Traditionally the outer layer is a woman, that contains other figures that may be of both genders, usually ending in a baby that does not open.
I’m not sure they were meant to be toys, but they have proved to be extremely popular with both my children. They love to play with them, opening them in particular…. maybe it’s the renewed surprise of finding another one inside? Between us and my parents we have at least three sets of Matryoshka. One is a set with peasant girls in traditional dress, another one is a set of Santa Clauses and the third is one that represents the most important Russian presidents starting from Gorbachev and going back until Lenin.
My first son liked this one in particular, and when he was about 2 he was so obsessed with it that he had learned the names of all the presidents. It was pretty hilarious to hear an Italian toddler boy saying the names of Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Lenin and Stalin!
-Michela
Dombo Cup
Esther is very proud of Dutch designs and so she should be. Dutch design equals practicality, style and affordability.
The Dombo cub by Dutch designer Richard Hutten is a great example of Dutch ingenuity. It is cool to look at and super easy for kids to use.
I have seen fights erupt between kids about who gets to drink out of the cup. I guess it make kids feel like grown-ups, while still having the security of the handles. It is the perfect training cup, which appeals to parents as it is fun to look at. Now…who can guess why it’s called the Dombo cup…?
- Emilie
Rock music for your baby?
Okay, I’ll admit it. As far as music goes, I’m stuck in the ’70s and ’80s. If I turned on MTV today, there’s no way I would recognize even one single artist. My radio is tuned to the ‘mellow magic’ music station where I listen to songs by Madonna, Elton John, Queen, The Beatles, and even (please don’t judge me) Lionel Richie!! (My husband will die of embarrassment when he finds out I’ve just made public this ‘weakness’ of mine!)
If you’re a fellow ‘mellow’ music lover, or even if you prefer newer, edgier artists like Cold Play, U2, or Aerosmith, you’ll be happy to know you can pass your (excellent) music taste on to your babies and kids! The Babies Go line of CDs offers a large range of popular artists in melodic reinterpretations which are perfect for babies. You’ll recognize the music (and if you’re like me, will be singing to the tunes), and your baby will love the soothing melodies.
Check out the full range of Babies Go artists here. Babies Go is an American company, but they do ship internationally.
-Courtney
Victoria Beckham
I am hoping I’m not bringing the tone down here at Babyccino, but seriously, what do you girls think about Victoria Beckham? (You can really tell that I am thinking deep thoughts today….).
I really, really used to dislike her — she represented everything to me that is wrong with today’s celebrity culture. But recently I am starting to get grudging respect for the girl. She can’t sing, that much is clear, but she really has managed to create a career out of nothing, and (again grudgingly) I’m quite impressed by the dress collection she recently designed. She has in fact marketed herself so well that she does not often embarrass herself in the gossip pages of magazines and yet she is everywhere. As far as I know she is not thrusting her kids into the media headlights, she seems to be married to a guy she got together with because she liked him, and yet — or because of this — she is slowly morphing into a style icon instead of the trashy C-grade pop starlet she once was….
- Emilie
Name your design
For the past couple of weeks, we have had this print from Name your Design standing on the little table in our entrance hallway. It doesn’t say ‘the Spencer family’, which would be kind of odd, but ’van de Paal’ (our family name) instead, and has the same birds. It looks awfully cute, and everybody who enters our house compliments us on our new art addition! It’s very original; none of my friends has ever seen anything like it before!
What is especially cool about this artwork is that 20% of the profits will go to the Nie Nie Recovery Fund.
Did you know that on the 16th Stephanie will be back at blogging? Such wonderful news…
xxx Esther
Belgo — for mussels and frites!
Twenty years ago London had a reputation for having bad food (let’s be honest, ‘bangers and mash’ are not the most innovative of foods). Now however, thanks to an influx of new British chefs, even traditional English food can be tasty. But, what truly makes London’s food so interesting in my opinion, is the growing number of international restaurants in this city. You can now find some of the world’s best French, Italian, Spanish, Indian, Middle Eastern and Chinese restaurants across London. (My only complaint is the lack of good Mexican restaurants!) Seriously, if you’re craving it chances are you can find it!
Belgo is one such restaurant… where you can walk from the rainy streets of London straight into a Belgian world of traditional (and tasty) mussels, frites and hundreds of Belgium’s best beers.
There’s nothing really fancy about it, but the food is good and the atmosphere is authentic. And what’s more? It’s extremely kid-friendly with loads of highchairs and a kid’s menu which includes a mini pot of mussels and an activity kit. And, want the best news? Kids eat completely free!
-Courtney
Quick fix
When faced with a list of 22 name label retailers recently I did what any time-starved mum does. I phoned a friend. She used Stuck On You. And so that’s were I headed the day before Little C was due to start his first day at daycare (whoops!). At first I was a little bamboozled by the choice but I kept my focus. No iron or sew-on labels for me. I wanted the ones my friend had – I had seen her just stick them on when she lent me some of her son’s clothes before my little boy was born. Then I had to choose between what seemed like a hundred icons – the surf board appealed. And I was definitely tempted by a skull-and-cross bone. And the musical note. But in the end I decided on the scooter. So cute! And such a timesaver being able to order them online. They’re also available in more than 16 countries. Yep, that’s a lot of choice.
-Natalie
The naked teabag
In Italy teabags always come in individual envelopes, maybe it’s because Italians are not big tea-drinkers so tea is better preserved if it’s wrapped in paper. Whatever the reason may be, when I was growing up, I never questioned the fact — that was just the way teabags were.
When I moved to England I immediately noticed that teabags came in big boxes of at least 50 pieces and most of them didn’t have single envelopes, they were sleeveless… or as I started calling them: naked!
I got so used to them — definitely less waste of paper, quicker in the mornings and, not less important, naked teabags can easily be stored in nice jars. Once I moved back 3 years ago, I kept drinking English tea thanks to frequent visits and a frequent-flyer husband. Recently my regular supply came to an end, so I started looking for naked teabags everywhere but they are not for sale in Italy. After all, individually wrapped teabags do their job greatly, I admit I was being a bit picky.
That’s when I stumbled across British Corner Shop, a web-shop that sells British groceries and delivers worldwide. They carry a huge selections of everything you may miss when away from the UK (yes, come on… it can happen). Cereals, biscuits, marmite, beans, cleaning products and baby food. Prices are good but the delivery is not too cheap; just order loads of stuff to make it worth it (that’s what I did).
So that’s how I got my teabags, but that’s also how we finally had Christmas crackers on our table this year!
-Michela
Shabby Apple
How I love pretty girl dresses. My mum used to make my daughter a couple of the cutest summer dresses each year for her birthday, like she did for me when I was a little girl… I will so miss that this year, and all of the future years to come!
The girls dresses of Shabby Apple have the right amount of uncomplicated loveliness to them. They look a bit like my mum could have made them!
I got one for my daughter (the Canary dress), and I (we) love it! It’s perfect for a festive occasion, layered with a long sleeved T-shirt and tights. But it is also simple enough to be worn everyday, and for summer it will be wonderful as is!
Next to making the cutest girls’ dresses, Shabby Apply also has a selection of wonderful accessories in their shop. I love those hair clips!
xxx Esther
For a rainy day
It was my daughter’s third birthday recently and she got a lot of fabulous presents. One stood out particularly and I stashed it away for a rainy day, which was a good thing, as there have been many rainy days this freezing, cold January.
The Animodulos by Mitik are perfect for an afternoon of creativity. The pack comes with 13 white cardboard animals, which are easily assembled into 3D toys. You can then let your imagination run free when painting and decorating them.
Though the Animodulos are the only toys I have tried out on the Mitik website, they have a great selection of self assembly toys for all age groups.
Unfortunately the website is currently only in French but here is the link to the list of shops that stock their products worldwide.
- Emilie
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• British vs. American English (the funny differences)• With a little help from my friend
Banana Bread
My pregnancy hormones are in full swing, and I am finding myself craving anything home baked! I’m somehow no longer satisfied with just a simple bowl of cereal for breakfast — I need something more substantial, something sweet… like banana bread! Yummm….
I know everyone has a recipe for banana bread, but I just LOVE mine! It’s a mix between my mom’s recipe and Martha Stewart’s recipe, which calls for crème fraîche instead of milk. It’s perfect and moist, and while some recipes call for nuts, I like it without.
Here is the recipe… (more…)
Place mats for everybody
On my last trip to IKEA I bought these new (at least to me) round place-mats, named Panna. They are made of a plastic with a rubbery feel and come in very nice colours.
They are different in shape (and feel) from the usual plastic place mats and with the unevenly ribbed surface look even a bit more sophisticated!
They are ideal for kids as they’re wipe-clean and that means that the table will look nice and a more grown-up than before. They were a hit in our family; my three-year old has even ditched his Thomas place mat to fit in with his parents!
I still have not tried, but I think they would look great even over a regular tablecloth, below each plate, as they would add colour and make your table setting a little more special.
-Michela
Barbie
I was never allowed a Barbie. My mother was a student of the 68 era, so Barbie went against all of her principles. I was even taught at the tender age of four why Barbie was so wrong.
I think I must have been a little know-it-all, as I would consequently lecture my little girl friends about how they should not play with Barbies: the dolls were an insult to feminist ideals…. imagine how popular that made me on the playground!
Now that I have two daughters myself, I have mixed feelings about Barbie. I am still ingrained with my mother’s zealousness, but I also come from a much less radical generation and cannot really see the harm in a doll. Actually my main gripe with Barbie is a lot more superficial: I find her kind of ugly….
Barbie is about to turn 50 and has survived all the polemic surrounding her and yet the pro and anti Barbie debate goes on.
Urbanity
My son’s second birthday is rapidly approaching. Well, it’s another 7 weeks to go, but still, I caught myself thinking about invitations, and maybe a theme already!
Stationary company Urbanity Studios might help me out a little with both ‘problems’. With their cute ‘Airplane Invitation’ I can invite the little guests to ‘fly in for a party’, and thinking of an airplane themed party I envision loads of suitcases around the house (my kids love playing with those), white balloons like clouds, little suitcases for party bags, chairs lined up like a real airplane; I could even use our tea cart to deliver beverages! Anyone have an idea where can I find a hostess uniform? (I’m sure my husband would like this too!) (more…)
