Inaluxe Art Prints
I recently discovered the fantastic Australian-based shop, Inaluxe, while browsing Pinterest. I quickly ordered a couple prints (although I must admit, it was difficult to only choose a couple!), and I’m so pleased with them. What I like is that the prints can work in an adult’s space or a child’s room. I think the bright colours and birds would really appeal to children, while adults might like the more abstract pieces. (The prints I ordered are for me, not the kids!)
Inaluxe is run by Kristina Sostarko and Jason Odd, two artists who met in school. Their attention to detail and quality is so immaculate — they use only the best archival fine art papers, and work with the best giclee reproduction print technology out there. And they ship all over the world — my prints arrived super quickly!
x Courtney
Easter Buddies
I came across these cute printable animal sets from UK based company Mibo while looking for last minute Easter decorating ideas. You simply purchase and they email you templates for your animals that you can print, cut and fold for a fun afternoon activity with your kids. They offer a wide variety ranging from safari animals to forest friends with the sweetest little expressions. You’re bound to fall in love with them!
xo Elizabeth
Wrap magazine!
Last week a girlfriend and I went on a little field trip to a cute DIY/haberdashery boutique in Amsterdam called Handmade Heaven. What a cute shop! There’s lots of cool products to browse, and the owner is really friendly and helpful, and she organises tons of workshops for adults and children — we will definitely be back! It was then and there that I discovered and picked up the very cool WRAP magazine. Have you heard of it? The concept is simple but strong (as with all great concepts): the magazine interviews interesting people from the creative industry, and on the back of the pages they have designed patterns that can be used as wrapping paper. The royally sized sheets are held together by an elastic band so can be easily taken out, and as an extra bonus: the back of the cover contains little matching gift tags. All paper/design lovers will love this, for sure!
The last WRAP issue featured a textile designers (Donna Wilson), a ceramicist, an illustrator, an author, a chef (and a recipe!), and a design boutique, and I’m now hooked, so I can’t wait to see what the next issue will bring.
xxx Esther
Petite Alma Birthday Card Packs
Petite Alma have recently launched some new birthday card packs (for grown-ups and for kids) and they’re so cheerful and happy and just the perfect thing to have on hand for all upcoming birthdays this year. I love the vibrant watercolour illustrations, the fun greetings on each card, and I’m so smitten with that adorable little mouse on the ‘You’re a Star’ card in the Furry Friends set (above). So cute!
x Courtney
New Dallas Clayton book! For grown-ups!
Our love for Dallas Clayton is no secret — we’ve written about his talents here, here and here, and, by the way, you can find his ten favourite children’s books here. You can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I discovered his newest book, a selection of his poetry and illustration — this time aimed at his teenage and adult audience. I’ve read the book in one go, and it’s as beautiful and touching as his other two books. You can order the book here, or read it as a PDF. Do you love it as much as I do?
xxx Esther
Personalised presents
Looking for a lovely, personal gift for one of your best friends, you mother (in law) or your spouse? I thought I would recommend these three great ideas that I love and know would make the most perfect and personal presents:
- What about a personalised iPhone cover, featuring a photo of the (grand) children? I love my iPhone cover with a photo of my kids! It’s super-easy to order through Giant Sparrows. The only thing you need is a sweet photo!
- I think a personalised notebook would make a great gift for anyone. Mine is from Sloane Stationary, and it’s gorgeous! (We now have an exclusive promotion running on the shopping portal where you get a free mini notebook with every notebook order from Sloane Stationary!)
- How sweet is this little bracelet with the names of my children? Every (grand)mother would love this! Available through Mum et Moi (and with a 15% exclusive discount for Babyccino Kids readers)!
Happy shopping!
xxx Esther
Rudolph Cards
I already mentioned how I love to send out holiday cards every year… but I also like to have a stack of more generic cards at the ready for teacher’s gifts and other little holiday presents. How sweet are these Rudolph cards? They come in a set of 8, and I think they’re the perfect thing to have around for that reason. They’re available from The Indigo Bunting Shop along with other cute designs!
xx Courtney
Holiday cards from Hello! Lucky
Do you send out holiday cards? I know it’s probably the American in me… but I think it’s such a fun thing to do! I just love getting holiday cards, especially photo cards, from friends all over the world. It’s such a fun way to keep track of growing kids, yearly adventures, exciting travels, moves from one country to the next… etc. (Last year I got a holiday card from a family of six who had moved from London to Angola, Africa! Wow!)
Anyway, I have just ordered my holiday cards from Hello! Lucky, and I’m so excited about them. Hello! Lucky is based in both San Francisco and London and they offer so many cute, whimsical designs. I love their city scape ‘Greetings from…’ cards, and I like the Mediterranean-inspired design of this one… but the but in the end I settled on this sweet Joyeux Noel design. So cute!
Hello! Lucky is now offering Babyccino Kids readers a 15% discount. Click here for details!
-Courtney
Nisee Made
Do you recognise this illustration? It was inspired by this photo which I posted a couple weeks ago! Chicago-based illustrator, Denise Holmes, liked the photo and thought it would make a cute drawing… and I know I’m biased (it’s a photo of my daughter after all), but isn’t it indeed SO cute?!
Denise has a paper goods studio called Nisee Made and sells her products on Etsy. I love all the cute and happy little designs like this panda holding the yellow balloon!
-Courtney
Japanese crafting (This and That Japan)
The Japanese have an amazing eye for style and simplicity. I’ve never visited the country, but I’m pretty sure I will love it as I love their food, their architecture, and their product design! The Japanese also make the most amazing fabrics and print the most wonderful craft books — it’s all so tasteful and simple and inspirational. Now that I’ve decided to start being creative again (I’m attending a craft night every 2 weeks), the gorgeous Japanese craft shop ‘This and That Japan‘ is a true treasure chest! They have an amazing selection of Japanese fabrics and books in stock, plus a good selection of stamps and stickers and haberdashery. I’ve recently ordered some fabulous fabrics (this one with buttons is gorgeous!) and a few books — even though I don’t read one word of Japanese the photos are inspirational and the drawings are clear enough. So now I have to decide — which project to start first? Pot holders? Shopping bags? Baby shoes???
xxx Esther
PS This and That Japan is now offering an additional 15% off to Babyccino Kids readers for one week only! Just enter coupon code Babyccinokids at the check-out page. This discount is additional to the current sale but excludes shipping. Happy shopping and crafting!
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Bloesem Gift Guide 2010• Some MOR pampering please!
• In the mood for Yellow
Doolittle – more than just a parenting magazine
The French magazine Doolittle is one of these fab magazines which thankfully hasn’t forgotten that parents are interesting (and interested!) people. It’s nice to see a magazine focus a bit more on unconventional parenting topics rather than the obvious ones. In fact, I would describe it as a really great lifestyle magazine for parents, rather than just your everyday ‘parenting magazine’.
Doolittle has been around for about 2 years now and I always eagerly await the latest edition. I love the very natural but beautifully styled fashion shoots and the really interesting and international articles about life, children and the world. There is always a cute (and do-able) craft section, interviews, delicious recipes — genuinely interesting stuff!
Now here’s the rub: at the moment, Doolittle only exists in French, but if you are not in the mood for exercising your school French, there is an English version on the Doolittle website.
-Emilie
Jeeetje! Wallet size photobook
Good news: the cute ‘Look at Me‘ booklets are now available in English! Yay! Once a year, just glue a passport size (school) photo in this cool harmonica style booklet. How fun will it be to see how your kids have grown in a few years to come! On the back of the photos you’ll find some questions that are fun to answer now and sweet to read again later. A darling little keepsake (how cute is that little button on the front?) that is also great to give away as a present — it fits exactly in an envelope.
xxx Esther
Perfect by Felicity Cloake
I am a big fan of Felicity Cloake’s “How to make the perfect…” column in the UK’s Guardian newspaper. She saves me a huge amount of time and energy by testing the same recipe on loads of different cooks and then taking the best bits out of every recipe to come up with the “perfect” dish. Genius idea, don’t you think?
She has now published a book of her best recipes. Spag bol, poached egg, mayonnaise and brownies… all things I have wondered how to make and now have the solution for. I love the fact that they are all basic, simple recipes but they are all the kind of dishes that can either be sublime when done well, or taste like the sole of a shoe. I cannot wait to start cooking with this book!
-Emilie
One for the Guys
When we were staying at my dad’s house in France a few weeks ago, there was a copy of ‘Fired Up‘ by Ross Dobson hanging around in the kitchen. Obviously left behind by one of the house guests — my dad never cooks! My husband on the other hand, even though not the cook in our house (that’s me!), does like some occasional, manly ‘outdoor cooking’ (modern term for BBQ), and spent a good few hours digging through the book. Consequently he cooked up a salmon, which was wrapped in a newspaper (the FT, of course, he’s such a nerd), and slow cooked it on the hot plate. And it was the most delicious salmon I’ve ever had!
We’re now back in Amsterdam, and his own copy of ‘Fired Up’ has just arrived (and I have also renewed our subscription to the Financial Times). Next on the menu is Beer-can Roasted Chicken — exciting!
If you have a man in your life who loves to BBQ, then this book comes recommended. Available through Amazon (UK
xxx Esther
Where Children Sleep
I just came across James Mollison’s photographic essay, Where Children Sleep, and I can’t stop staring at those touching photos. Mollison provides stories of diverse children around the world, told through portraits and pictures of their bedrooms. Some photos are simply heart wrenching, others totally fascinating. Isn’t it incredible how wide our world is and how differently people live? The book is written and presented for an audience of children 9-13 years old with the intention of showing kids the lives of other children around the world. Would you show your children? I will definitely show mine!
x Courtney
The Baby Chase
I must say, I am really liking that more and more information is starting to come to the forefront regarding the issues surrounding infertility. My mother pointed me towards this article entitled “My Fertility Crisis” which ran in the Wall Street Journal a few weeks ago and I thought it was a real eye-opener. All too often, when we DO actually hear about a woman’s struggle with conception, it is usually only discussed and disclosed only once “success” (aka a baby ) is achieved. Rarely do we hear about those who have been unsuccessful in the journey to motherhood and/or have been dealt multiple blows over the course of years and years. Infertility is still one of those closely guarded secrets that women keep to themselves, which is why I need to commend Holly Finn, the author of the article and of the new e-book “The Baby Chase” who bravely and honestly shares her experiences of IVF and the quest to have a child. While not the usual post you would find at a place like Babyccino Kids — I know that many of the moms out there can totally relate and I thought it was a good article to share.
-Dina
Hummingbird cupcakes
If there is medically such a thing as a cupcake addiction — my kids and I might need to be treated for it! Please picture the following scene: We had visitors from London last weekend who very nicely brought over some cupcakes from the amazing London bakery Hummingbird (Thank you, Debbie!). I woke up in the morning at 7 am and walked into the children’s room and their beds were empty. I then went into the kitchen and found two very quiet little girls at the kitchen table, each eating a huge butter frosted cupcake with a big, sheepish smile on their face. They had snuck in and helped themselves…. seriously not the balanced breakfast I had planned for them!
Now, we cannot get Hummingbird cupcakes over here in Paris, but to feed our addiction, I did get the cookbook. I know mine might not look as nice as the professional ones but if they are going to be devoured for breakfast, who cares!
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• New York City — a new Babyccino Kids city guide!• Win! Zoocchini animal towels
Junior Magazine Design Awards
If you haven’t yet picked up a copy of this month’s Junior Magazine, this issue comes highly recommended. For the first time ever, Junior Magazine has featured a Design Awards section handing out awards in many categories, including fashion, interiors, toys, books, food, etc. Check out the Design Awards section online for winners, shortlisted entrants, photo galleries and other related articles.
PS – How cute is that yellow Hucklebones top featured on the cover?
La Parisienne
If you have ever wondered how Parisian women manage to dress so well and make it look totally effortless, you need to get the book, Parisian Chic
Maybe for most Parisiennes these tips are self evident. As a non-Parisienne, this type of vital information was not handed down to me from generation to generation, so I need the rules written down in hardcopy! I have not yet achieved the dizzying heights of effortless Parisian chic (especially not on the school run) but I am hoping with a bit more study one day, I might be able to make a pass for a local. The book is available from Amazon (UK
-Emilie
The delightful Anne Taintor
I always see these silly quotes from Anne Taintor in novelty shops in NYC and they always make me smile. I saw these two refrigerator magnets the other day and immediately made an impulse purchase and they have worked wonders to keep me mentally intact when I hear one of my kids break into a “yodel-style” whine for something. Part of me would love to get a giant size poster to hang on my wall, in fact, I am going to look into that asap – maybe I should even look into wallpaper. Here is a link to some of their favorite quotes but there are a ton to browse through so enjoy hard-working mothers of the world!
-Dina
