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
Fina Du — gorgeous, Scandinavian fashion for mamas!
It’s the season for gorgeous outfits! The end-of-year parties are approaching (not to mention the New Year’s receptions)… and have you found your perfect party dress yet?
Fina Du, a Manhattan based, online fashion boutique offers a stunning collection of sophisticated essentials — all carefully selected from a handful of Scandinavian designers. At first glance, the pieces seem to be simple, but one soon discovers the high-quality fabrics and the attention to detail (like vintage buttons and clever pleats), making these pieces incredibly easy to wear, but at the same time super sophisticated and elegant. And they will surely become a staple in your wardrobe for many years to come!
So which piece would you choose? That stunning black beauty? A lavishly yellow dress? A luscious lacy frock? A shiny silk success number? I got the Black Button Bib dress and I absolutely adore it!
xxx Esther
PS Fina Du is now offering an exclusive discount for Babyccino Kids readers: enter code babyccinokids20 for a swell 20% off AND free international and domestic US shipping. This code is valid until december 31st 2011. Happy shopping!!
Superb silky art scarfs by Bay & Fyfe
Aren’t these silk scarfs just something? They’re made by Bay & Fyfe — a new Australian creative concept company that collaborates with artists from around the world to create the most beautiful pieces of art-inspired fashion and design. Their first collaboration, with Australian artist Daimon Downey, resulted in this super-cool collection of limited edition silk scarves, which I think is really amazing. The scarfs are very royal in size, the silk is stunning and the colours are popping — and they are not only gorgeous to wear, but also make great art for your house (and wonderful Christmas presents)!
xxx Esther
MimiTENS and SmartPretty — Keep those hands warm!
We have mentioned the MimiTENS mittens before, but having recently gotten my kids new pairs… I thought it was worth mentioning them again. It’s such a clever concept — they’re mittens with long, stretchy cuffs that reach the elbow, making sure that the mittens never come off, and won’t fill with snow either.
It’s also worth mentioning that they now make mittens for women too! Each pair of the Smartpretty mittens comes with a pair of soft sleeves which you can wear under your mittens to keep your wrists and arms warm. How handy!
Tribe Bags – The Ultimate Breed of Baby Bags
When I had babies, I was always the least organised and ill-prepared mum. I’d meet my friends in a café and I was always the one asking for a spare nappy or stealing other mum’s snacks for my own children (how it’s possible to forget nappies, I’m not sure… but I did it often!). I’m pretty sure, looking back, it was not entirely my fault — if I had owned one of these baby bags from Tribe I would have surely been more organised (and far more fashionable for sure!).
The Tribe Bags are made of luxurious soft-milled cowhide leather, come in several different colours, and are truly beautifully made. But more importantly, they’re completely practical. They have two large zippered pockets (suitable for spare outfits, muslin wraps etc.), four slip pockets (ideal for teething rings, pacifiers and toys), two side bottle pockets, a water-resistant nylon lining and change mat and two water-resistant nylon pouches perfect for stowing away diapers, medicines and snacks. Wowza! If that doesn’t keep a mum organised, I don’t know what would!
-Courtney
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Rifle Paper Co. Assorted birthday set• Birthday Week: Esther’s top Five
Gorgeous fabrics and must-haves at MondaysMilk
Dutch online boutique MondaysMilk is a little gem. I’m telling you. Please have a look at the gorgeous fabrics, the beautiful quilts and pillows and the hand-crochet bags and hats and I dare you to say you disagree! (Ava has a cat hat in green and it’s really ridiculously cute…)
I’m thinking about re-doing parts of my house, and I’m going to start with the couch pillows. So I have been ‘window-shopping’ at MondaysMilk and I love this fabric here, these cute flowers, this neon yellow… With this depressing fall weather here in Amsterdam, it’s time to get my sewing machine out and make the house cosy!
xxx Esther
C SATHAL — gorgeous hand-crafted jewellery
I always envy women who have that natural talent to choose and wear accessories with an easy flair. (Like: ‘I just threw that bright green plastic bracelet on in the morning, do you really think it looks just perfect with my vintage silk Furstenberg dress that I found in the bottom of my mum’s dresser?’) I really don’t have that talent. When I wear accessories I usually feel like I’m trying too hard…
Not the case with these gorgeous (GORGEOUS!) pieces made by the French Céline Sathal. They’re just perfect, and so easy to wear!! You can pair them with everything, chic or casual, and look effortlessly stylish. Handmade by a crochet technique that combines simple natural leather with gold-plated chains and beads, there is something so easy and un-pretentious about these pieces that they also look beautiful on children. They even look great as decor pieces in the house!
xxx Esther
The perfect onepiece swimsuit
My bikini days are way over! I totally envy the mum who can pull off the bikini… but sadly, my tummy is not worth baring (stretch marks galore!), so I’m committed to a life of one-piece swimsuits… which is not such a bad thing now that I’ve found the perfect one. The dionne swimsuit from Malia Mills is my favourite. I just bought my second one. It has side and front ruching which flatters your curves (and hides any post-pregnancy pooch), and it has a nice, wide open back so you still feel sexy. It’s also incredibly good quality (my first one is four years old and I wore it for 100 days straight in Australia last year… and it’s still going strong!). Malia Mills also makes two-piece swimsuits for all you lucky ladies, and you can mix and match top and bottom styles and sizes. And don’t you love that they use ‘real’ models with ‘real’ bodies?
x Courtney
Oceans Friends Beach Bag (by Coq en Pâte)
If you’re searching for the perfect beach bag for this summer, then look no further — this is it. It’s huge, it’s cool, it’s washable, and it’s made with respect for human beings as well as the environment. It has pockets on the inside as well as the outside so there’s a place for sun lotion, hats, flip flops and frisbee. There’s even a little matching pouch that is just perfect to keep your valuables together and safeguard your telephone from sand and sun. With appropriate sea graphics on the outside, and big enough to fit towels for the entire family, this bag will certainly not disappoint. Beware beach — here we come!
xxx Esther
House of dots — for that vintage feeling!
If you’re in Amsterdam and suddenly see someone trot by with a baby on her arm and wearing this delightful yellow trench coat, it could very well be me! I got this coat from House of Dots, a wonderful Dutch e-boutique with a concept I love: the feeling is vintage, but the product is new! Don’t you love the fun dresses (nurse Jeany is next on my wish-list), those secretary style blouses and the trendy trench coats?
House of Dots is run by two creative women, Hester and Marielle, and you can really feel the fun they have creating their collections — starting with their cool website: knock, knock — come in!
xxx Esther
Clara de Paris
Clara de Paris is a wonderful Canadian based boutique that presents us with a superb selection of the latest fashion straight from Paris! Simply everything in this shop is darling — it’s all brought together with such great taste. I love the silk collection of Bakker Made with Love, gorgeous silk tie die dresses that are so wearable and look beautiful on. And what to think of these silk rompers for babies — perfect for any occasion!
I also discovered new-to-me label Le Petit Lucas de Terre, a lovely brand featuring unique block printed patterns. I’m personally a big big fan of the bags (my handbags these days!), but the clothes are great too and of wonderful quality.
If you are shopping and could need some fashion advice, don’t hesitate to ask the owner Karine — she puts together the most adorable combinations.
xxx Esther
P.S. For North American customers: now $20 rebate on orders over $65 if you shop through Babyccino Kids!
Mamaradscha, gorgeous everyday jewels
So beautiful, these colourful jewels from Mamaradscha. How gorgeous are the shell necklaces? So simple and stylish… They come in two varieties — with a colourful thin thread (I’m sporting the orange one and getting loads of compliments) or with a thin gold band. Both incredibly simple and stylish, perfect for the beach as well as for an evening out! The Mamaradscha products are also fitting for little girls; the bracelets come in 4 sizes and the necklaces are one size fits all. Gorgeous!
Check the Mamaradscha website for points of sale (the necklaces are available here).
xxx Esther
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Handmade Dolls from Warm Sugar• Mosaic Memory Box — Travel with kids part II
Shirin Kids
I am so jealous of how little girls get to dress nowadays. Gone are scratchy tights and stiff trousers — the tunic/dress and leggings uniform has taken over — basically they look super cute and get to run around in the equivalent of their PJs all day long! I love the Shirin Kids dresses — they’re super comfortable to wear and so original and pretty. The dresses are made out of organic fabric and screen printed by hand. The summer collection is divine.
PS -I have also realised that if the leggings and dress look is good enough for my girls, it is good enough for me too, and I am now a proud owner of a Shirin dress of my very own!
Personalised charm bracelets from Merci Maman
I have always loved the idea of charm bracelets. My mom still wears one which she inherited from my Great Grandmother and I think it’s such a lovely idea to pass on something like this — such sentimental value! I recently got a lovely personalised charm bracelet from Merci Maman (like the one pictured) with three charms for my three children. I love how simple it is with the black string and the gold-plated charms. A modern take on a classic piece.
Merci Maman offers several different styles of bracelets and necklaces (including ones for kids or even for dads!), and you can choose between an array of different colours of string and types of charms.
-Courtney
My Handbag Dilemna
Though it looks innocent, my handbag is an explosive device! Every time I put it down, its contents seems to self-eject and spread themselves in an approx 1 m radius from the bag. It even puzzles my 5-year-old, who the other day asked me with awe how I get my bag to explode…
I have tried everything: small bags and huge bags — but between wallet, phone, chapstick, lipstick, note pads, headphones, the book that should be read, the hat in case it rains, tissues (which have normally fallen out of their sleeve), cheap plastic toys, USB sticks, hair bands, stamped and ready to send letters, old bits of chewing gum wrapped in a receipt, random bills and even more random foreign change…. I have the feeling that my handbag is winning the battle of control over its content – not me. What about you, do you manage to take control of your bag?
The handbag in the photo is (obviously) not mine but my current dream bag, the Mulberry Alexa.
-Emilie
Is that a nappy bag? Yes, it is!
Beautiful, this nappy bag by new company Rubizu! Rubizu is formed by two sisters Roba and Azza and together they design and produce a series of exquisite nappy bags that are not only beautiful and luxurious but also very practical indeed. It works as follows: the pretty turquoise insert pops out completely. The ‘empty’ bag can be used independently from the interior compartment as it has its own side pockets and is beautiful as is. The interior compartment can be easily organised once out of the bag. Very soon, a laptop insert will be available too which transforms the bag from mummy bag to business bag in a few seconds! (I’m particularly excited about this feature because my laptop bag is such an embarrassment — I think my husband got it for free at a conference about 15 years ago. It’s gross.) All in all, these Rubizu bags are pretty amazing. For available styles and more info on the functionality, check the Rubizu website. The pretty leather bag featured here is available through Blossom Mother and Child.
xxx Esther
Introducing Morley at Couverture
Morley is the brand new label by Anouk Robyn, the former designer of cult childrenswear label, Quincy, and is launching this season with lovely, understated pieces for children aged 6 months to 12 years. I’m loving the washed-out cottons and summery pastel colours — it is all so effortlessly cute, so easy to wear (I suppose you would expect nothing else from the woman who spent more than ten years designing for Quincy!).
All of the pieces above (and more!) are available from Couverture, one of my favourite London-based boutiques. Have a look at the rest of the childrens collection — all SO cute! And then… if you can stand the temptation, take a look at their womens and homewear collection as well — flawless.
-Courtney
Stylish summer dresses from Pink Chicken
Loving this bright green dress with Mexican inspired embroidery. It’s so effortlessly cool and stylish, and so hip combined with those oversized shades! Sara will rock this look this summer; I just need to figure out where to get the sunglasses (any idea?). Pink Chicken is a lovely line of bohemian chic tunics and dresses — simple, original, and of great quality. I love dresses like these for my daughters this summer and am eyeing one of those cool tunics for myself! Available through wonderful webshop Arte Bebé, where you’ll definitely find more treasures.
xxx Esther
Fjallraven Kanken
When my son was still a babe in arms I bought him a Fjallraven Kanken rucksack for when he started Kindergarten. I bought it from an uber-cool kid’s boutique in Berlin (Le Petite Boutique on Auguststr. in Mitte if you happen to be in the area), and just thought it was the cutest thing to imagine my little boy carrying it on his back to and from school some day.
His rucksack (in colour ‘Putty’) is now very well used, and we also have a navy blue one ready in waiting for my daughter, who starts kindergarten this year. If I have any more children I want to add a Grasshopper Green and a Warm Yellow one to our collection. I think it is the perfect kid’s rucksack. Big enough for a lunch-box and water-bottle and with a pocket in the front for treasures (torches, sticks, string etc). The back is kept sturdy with a removable foam pad which is handy for impromtu picnics when the ground is a bit too cold to sit on. They come in a great range of colours and are really durable. You can buy them at the very cool Austrian webshop, Der Kleine Salon.
-Mo. x
Sweet Swimsuits from Sabina Swims
I’m not going to go in to detail about where exactly my body needs to be lifted and by how many centimetres, but let me just tell you that Sabina from Sabina Swims picked the exact right bikini from her gorgeous collection. A little bit of padding here, the exact right cut there… really does the trick!
Sabina Swims Swimwear is the perfect place to browse to if you’re looking for a swimsuit or bikini, especially if you’re a mum with a bit to lift or hide. I love how you can select your own ensemble — you can pick the top that suits your boobs best, and then choose a matching (or not!) bottom in the size and shape of your preference. There are more daring and more modest choices, cute swimsuits and tankinis too. I also love the look of the maternity collection! And Sabina very kindly included a tiny swimsuit for Ava in my order — in matching fabric to my bikini — so sweet!! Bring on the summer; I’m all set for the beach!!!
xxx Esther
