Goat-Milk
We’re huge fans of Goat-Milk here at Babyccino Kids. We really like the simple aesthetics of the collection and the strong ethics behind the brand (organic, pre-washed cotton and fair trade production). Besides that, the tailoring of the pieces is just beautiful — the fit is absolutely amazing!
I recently got a few pieces from the summer collection for my kids (like this pointelle tank in a gorgeous ‘pale cloud’ colour and the cotton henley in ‘curry’), and again, Goat-Milk didn’t fail to impress. The items are delicate but strong, and will be enjoyed over and over by my kids, all four of them!
xxx Esther
PS The photo above is of my kids wearing their striped Goat-Milk pyjamas (thermal tops and bottoms). Courtney reviewed them before here – I just love that photo of her kids in those pyjamas!
Little Bird by Jools Oliver
I know I’m a bit late to be announcing it here, especially as the collection is now in its second season, but… Jools Oliver, the gorgeous mother of four and wife of the fabulous Jamie Oliver, has collaborated with the UK high street shop, Mothercare, to create a really wonderful, sweet collection called Little Bird.
Jools recently sent over some Little Bird pieces for the girls, and I’m in love with everything! The vintage feeling of the pieces, the fun, bright colours, the sweet little details… The collection reminds me of my own childhood – retro and innocent.
I love the timeless baby collection (how cute is this gingham bubble bodysuit?! Marlow is wearing it in the photo above!) and the colourful boys and girls collections. And I must point out, it’s all very affordably priced as well! Go, Jools Oliver, go!!
Little Bird is sold exclusively for Mothercare, available in store or online here.
xx Courtney
Mason and the Tambourine (leggings for boys!)
I love the look of leggings on little boys, and these ones, by new Californian brand Mason and the Tambourine, I just couldn’t resist! All the leggings by Mason and the Tambourine are handmade in California out of an excellent quality, organic cotton (with 10% lycra jersey for stretch) and printed with non-toxic, water-based soy ink.
On a side note, when I was taking these photos of Casper, I suddenly realised he was 7 months old this week! Still so little, but at the same time he’s getting so big. He is the most delightful little boy, always smiling at everyone, super snuggly, chatting and laughing out loud when we play with him. He now sits at the table with us, in his high chair, and is loving it. We’re so lucky to have him with us!
xxx Esther
Juniorbeads necklaces
I’m a big fan of the Chewbeads new line of necklaces and bracelets for children called juniorbeads. Elodie is in love with the glow in the dark necklace and bracelet and always puts it outside in the morning for a charge. They are stylish and also double as a brilliant toy for teething babies. So clever!
x Elizabeth
Rasselfisch Cots
I went to visit the Rasselfisch boutique in Stuttgart a few weeks ago and kind of wished there wasn’t a certain someone waiting for me in the car because I would have ended up with a lot more than only a couple of things. It’s one of loveliest boutiques I’ve ever seen. Full of little treats in every corner — I had to use all of my moderate-shopping strength!
And there is something I saw and just can’t get out of my mind – the most darling vintage inspired baby cots which are actually their own creations. They are divine!
The cots are made of a light wood called MDF and custom made in Germany. The height can be adapted to the parents’ bed height and you can also choose your preferred colour and type of bed – with legs, with rockers, with wheels — there’s even a co-sleeping cot bed. It’s true, beds of this size (80×40 cm or 90×50 cm) don’t last that long but they have also thought this part through – you can buy a matching lid and turn the bed into a toy storage (or the co-sleeping one into one gorgeous looking kids’ book case). Perfect or what?
- Polona
La Coqueta, timeless clothing made in Spain
La Coqueta is a new London-based boutique with a gorgeous collection of clothing and shoes from Spain. I stopped into the boutique last week and was blown away by all the lovely details of the shop (see the clever window display below!) and of course the beautiful, timeless pieces in the collection. From the sweet cotton knitwear collection for babies to the adorable smock dresses for girls, and the smart shirts for boys to the colourful range of shoes.
I picked up the most gorgeous little outfit for Marlow (see below) as well as this sweet dress for Ivy. What struck me most was the price point – quite reasonable considering how elegant everything is. I suppose, in that regard, it’s in keeping with traditional Spanish clothing: it is affordable, timeless clothing kids can wear to a party as well as to the playground. Because, from what I know from my travels to Spain, there is no distinction between playground and party wear. Spanish children are always well dressed.
If you live in London, it’s definitely worth a visit to the boutique. And if you don’t live in London, you can shop their collection online.
x Courtney
Sweet prints from Tapete
So sweet, these simple (but strong!) graphics by Dutch company Tapete. I’ve known Judith Vulkers, the owner and designer, for a few years now, and she is as lovely and down-to-earth as her designs are. It’s not easy to create simple, strong and straight-forward prints for t-shirts that stay stylish and cute at all times, but Judith always succeeds!
Tapete designs are printed on great quality shirts — some in a soft, velvety flock; some in wonderful, funky neon colours — whatever emphasises the atmosphere of the print most. The shirts and prints truly stay in great shape, wash after wash after wash, and have a darling, snug fit.
I love Casper’s Tapete elephant shirt (see photo above)! And for the summer, I think I just can’t resist that yellow tractor tee — too cute!
Check for Tapete dealers here — or find a good selection at Milly Mog and Love It Love It Love It.
xxx Esther
Mum & Baby yoga
As I mentioned in this post, I took my first yoga class when I was pregnant with Marlow and after just one class I knew it would become an important part of my life from then on. I don’t know what took me so long to start up yoga, but I am so thankful I finally did. I loved taking pregnancy yoga classes when I was pregnant, and I am so convinced it helped prepare me mentally and physically for the birthing experience I had always longed for.
When Marlow was 8 weeks old we started taking yoga classes together. Once a week the two of us hop on a bus and head over to Triyoga in Primrose Hill for the Mummy & Me yoga class with Nadia Narain. It is always a highlight of the week for both of us! I love that I get to practice yoga even though I have a little baby who still can’t be left with a sitter, I love that every Wednesday I wake up and my muscles are slightly sore from the previous day’s work out, I love being surrounded by other mums with young babies and chatting to them about motherhood and baby stages, and I love ending the class with a little dance with Marlow – a special time for the two of us to share with each other. Marlow loves the bit at the end when we sing songs (Incy Wincy Spider is her favourite!), and she loves checking out all the other sweet babies in the room — I’m certain that she loves our yoga class as much as I do.
x Courtney
p.s. Marlow’s romper in the photo above is from Marie Puce.
H-Luv handmade soft toys
I have been a fan of the H-Luv fabrications since I first saw them and met the designer, Heidi Iverson, at Playtime NYC years ago. The little mushroom men are sooo cute! So full of character with their little hand-stitched faces. I also love the little trees – how the trunks are weighted with polybeads so they stand upright wherever you put them. And the little dolls (below) are so sweet.
When I was at Sweet William in NYC this past March, I picked up one of the H-Luv cloud mobiles to hang above Marlow’s bed. I love the bright colours and the little rain pompoms hanging down. So fun.
Do you see Marlow’s hands reaching out of her cot in the photo above? I’m pretty sure she’s trying to say she likes the cloud mobile too! : )
xx Courtney
‘As They Grow’ on The Littlest Blog
Elizabeth from The Littlest blog (and our lovely LA-based contributor) has started up a wonderful new series on her blog called ‘As They Grow’ which features a different mother & baby duo to highlight the monthly stages of a baby’s development from birth up to 24 months. Each mother will describe how they engage with their baby – how they play with their baby, what songs they sing, what games they play, etc. She asked me to describe the third month in a baby’s development and Esther to describe the fourth month.
Take a peek at The Littlest blog to see our contributions and to see what other mums say about the different months. We’re excited to read about the coming months (months five, six, seven, eight, etc.) in anticipation of our own babies being at that stage. It’s always nice to hear ideas for how to engage and play with your baby at the different stages.
x Courtney
Mon Marcel, lovely fashion from Spain
Don’t you love these easy and adorable summer pieces from Mon Marcel? Originating from Barcelona and inspired by the Mediterranean and Provence, all the Mon Marcel pieces excel in their simple, rich and clean lines. The beautiful, natural fabrics used and the great attention to detail add to the high quality and elegance of the collection. Cute!
Mon Marcel is available through Bibaloo.com.
xxx Esther
Wooden baby toys by Naef Spiele
I recently discovered the Naef brand of baby toys at the TwentyTwentyOne shop in Islington and I was so drawn to the simplicity of the toys. Simple, but so beautiful at the same time. And all the wood is so smooth, the shapes are so perfect for little baby hands, and the sounds the toys make when you move them are so naturally pleasant. I bought this ringl-ring-rattle for Marlow and it’s one of her favourite toys, fitting so perfectly into her hands and entertaining her with the way the rings naturally fall from side to side of the circular ring.
If you’re in the UK, you can order online from TwentyTwentyOne, or you can check the Naef website for stockists.
x Courtney
Crochet creations at 2good2betrue
2cute2betrue is a small Dutch label set up by Judith de Ruyter when she was pregnant with her 6th (!) baby. The label offers a collection of crochet toys and accessories which are designed by Judith here in the Netherlands and are handmade in Thailand as part of a Thai government project to support local communities.
The crochet collections include darling party accessories (I really love the cake toppers!), cute dolls and darling BFFs that come with their own mini house. I just know my girls would love to play with these! Another favourite is the cloud mobile — we have one hanging above Ava’s bed and it looks so sweet in her room.
All the crochet 2cute collections are available from the website (go to ‘collections’ and move your mouse over the photos to discover the different products for sale).
xxx Esther
Cute crochet toys & decorations from La De Dah Kids
La De Dah Kids is an Australian brand with the sweetest collection of crochet toys, accessories and decorations. Take a peek at their bean bags and crochet floor mats – how cool are they?! They also have the most adorable collection of hand rattles and soft toys. Marlow has this little striped monkey (below) and loves playing with it – each of its legs fit perfectly into her little hands.
They also have a fun collection of knitwear for kids – cute hats with colourful pompoms on top! So fun!
I was starting to think I was sick of knitwear after a long, cold winter… but these pieces from La De Dah are just so bright and fun. Love!
Sweet pixie doll rattles
Aren’t these Pixie Doll Rattles so cute? I love how simple and colourful they are, with their sweet pointed hats. They are easy to hold for little babies, and there’s a little rattle hidden inside. Casper loves to play with his doll!
These pixie dolls are made by Pebble Toys (via Family Nation), and next to being such a wonderful first toy for baby boys or girls, they also provide high quality and secure jobs for 5,000 women in Bangladesh.
xxx Esther
Jammies in a jar!
Jammies Prêt-à-Porter is a NYC-based company started by a brother and sister duo. They’ve created a line of cute and comfy baby garments packaged up in sweet little jam jars, making for unique gift-giving. Perfect for baby showers or new baby gifts!
The idea of packaging jammies in jars came from their father who, in the 1980s, would gift baby pajamas in little jars. They’ve adapted the concept, creating modern BPA-free plastic jars as packages for all their items. The idea is that the parents can re-use the little jars as storage for Q-tips, cotton balls, or anything else (I’m using mine to store all of Marlow’s dummies/pacifiers!).
x Courtney
p.s. Jammies is now offering an exclusive 15% discount for Babyccino Kids readers. See here for details.
Craftspring felt toys
When we were in NYC last weekend, Esther and I popped into Sweet William to buy some little presents for the kids. The owner, Bronagh Staley, always has the most adorable little goodies and her shop is such a beautiful and inspiring space. We were spoiled for choice!
I bought Ivy this little wool felt horse by Craftspring, and it was received with such delight! All of the Craftspring toys were so cute – I also loved the woman with baby on her back and was nearly tempted to get it for myself! I was so happy to have discovered this little line of felt toys, all handmade in Kyrgyzstan in workshops founded and run by women entrepreneurs.
x Courtney
Boob design to the rescue!
There’s something so contradictory about the first weeks after giving birth. Of course there is that wonderful, magical feeling of bliss — the birth, that beautiful, earthy smell, seeing and holding your baby for the first time, admiring every detail of him (her), spending your days on the couch, in bed, being so proud, feeling the love, the connection between your loved ones, changing miniscule nappies, dressing that tiny wrinkly newborn in those tiny little outfits you so carefully piled in anticipation for the big day, hearing him, smelling him, learning everything once again. Amazing.
And then there’s the part no one ever really talks about. The pain! Piles of enormous pads between your legs. Walking as if you’ve been horse riding for 3 weeks straight!
Being so tired, so drained. Being angry, being sad, being emotional. The tears! The confusion! The frustration. Endless hours of breastfeeding, every 3 hours, every 2 hours, every hour. Cracked nipples, strong afterbirth pains that make you cringe, the thirst, the sweat, and then, the engorgement. Boobs the size of melons, so big, so hard, and so painful.
I wish I had these Relief Pads from Boob Design when I was suffering from engorgement after the birth of my children. Especially after Ava it was pretty bad! It took a whole week — my boobs were huge, painful, hot, they were red and white and purple and I had to ’sleep’ sitting up which wasn’t so agreeable to start with! I SO needed these pads. Made out of 100% organic cotton and filled with natural flax seed, the Boob Relief Pads can be chilled in the freezer to soothe or heal tender and swollen breasts, or help relieve blocked ducts. They can also be warmed in the microwave or oven to warm up your breast before nursing, stimulate milk flow and prevent blocked ducts. And, they have a healing effect when breasts are inflamed or if you have mastitis.
Boob Design gave me a pair when we met at the Playtime fair, and even though my boobs are now doing fine, I still like to warm my pads in the micro and stick them in to my bra every now and then. It’s just so soft, warm and comfortable! They can also be used to pre-warm baby’s bed or push chair, or to stick around your neck for some relief after carrying a baby around for too long. All in all, if you’re (planning on) breastfeeding, I definitely recommend getting a pair!
xxx Esther
Coos & Knits
As we’ve mentioned before here, we are big fans of Toto Knits. We’re also enormous fans of the inspiring blog, Coos & Ahhs (and even more so after meeting Amanda at Playtime last week!). So it was super exciting to learn about the collaboration between the two: a capsule collection called Coos & Knits featuring muted pinks, electric blues, soft greys and high contrast, unisex pieces for kids aged 0 to 6. I’m loving the color block pullover jumper and the two-tone vests. What a great teaming-up of two creative forces!
x Courtney
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Olli Ella’s new gender-neutral range• The Rocking Company — cool retro finds!
Mushroom rattle from Tane Organics
When we were in New York last week, Courtney and I made sure to reserve some time for a visit to one of our favourite New York children’s boutiques, Sweet William. What a gorgeous, inspiring shop! A true treasure chest filled with the most beautiful clothes, books, and toys for children.
We couldn’t help ourselves (of course!) and bought some little presents for each of our kids to bring home, and for the babies we picked up one of these handmade, organic mushroom rattles from Tane Organics. Cute! Tane Organics is a NY based company, believing that the purest, most luxurious natural fibers should be enveloping your newborn and toddler. They create beautiful, simple and easy-to-wear collections that I really like. What about these cute stripy coveralls for Casper this summer? I also LOVE the look of these organic vegetable rattles I just found on their website. Must be so good for them — better have them start with veggies as early as possible!
xxx Esther
