A very cool lamp…
You can’t help but feel better if you step through the doors of a Jonathan Adler design store. His bright and quirky designs make for great housewarming gifts, and recently I’ve noticed they are trying to launch a new “Junior” line for kids (although between you and me — most of it is not really my taste). I did however spot, and now worship, this giraffe lamp!! It kills me that the head sticks out of the top! Kills me. Not only is it perfect for a kids room but could work easily as a desk lamp. Selfishly, I am getting it for myself… not my kids.
-Dina
What do you say, dear?
There are some books that you just know you will love before reading the first word. Maybe it is the front cover? The illustration style? The title itself? Or maybe the author or illustrator’s name gets you? This one got me on all levels — a beautiful front cover, an intriguing title (with an equally appealing sub-title: “A book of manners for all occasions”) and with Maurice Sendak illustrating there was little that could keep me from rushing to the till, copy in hand. (more…)
La Queue du Chat — organic children’s clothing
There’s something about cute, crisp underwear for kids. I just can’t stand old, over-washed knickers and I admit to throwing out those once-white undies that were accidentally washed with the dark load. (If only I were as picky with my own underwear, but it seems that for myself I prefer those old pieces!)
I find it quite difficult to find good quality, cool kids undies, especially for boys, but I’m loving the superman undies pictured. I love the tight fit, and I love that the superman logo is in fact made out of little red birdies, giving them that tasteful twist. So cute for my little boy! The grey girl’s set is lovely too, and in fact La Queue du Chat has many more adorable pieces, not at all just for ‘under’, and all made out of 100% organic and fair-trade cotton. Check out the collection on the website, also for points of sale…
xxx Esther
Back to school
It is so strange, we literally have just come back from our holidays and barely 24 hours later I am getting my girls ready to go back to school. The sandals are being put away and being replaced by sensible shoes, new autumn dresses are going to replace their shorts and little sun dresses. I am a little bit melancholic about it, but it is also the start of a new year full of exciting things. Also there are so many lovely back-to-school items…
I love this little school bag by the french label Miniseri — it is so simple and cute and the perfect back-to-school bag. In fact it is so cute I am trying to figure out if my laptop might fit into it… don’t you think it would make a great laptop bag? Though I am not sure my kids will be willing to share…
- Emilie
Berlingot Jackets from Bibaloo
I know, I know… It’s still August and here I go writing a post about winter jackets! But last year I waited too long to buy my kids their winter coats and by the time I got around to it, all the best ones were sold out. So this year I’m on it early. I love the Berlingot Jackets from Bibaloo. I got this reversible one (pictured) for my daughter and I love that it’s long, hooded and puffy — it will keep her nice and covered in cold weather. I also like the Button Parkas for boys — so cute. Bibaloo is a UK-based webshop dedicated to French fashion. Their Autumn/Winter collection is now in (including the new collection from Petit Bateau)!
-Courtney
Really Rosie and the Nutshell Library
If there is one thing out there that can instantly transport me back to being a young child, it’s the soundtrack to “Really Rosie”. Carol King’s bell-bottomed clad voice is forever burned into my memory bank and for those of you who remember the songs “Eating chicken soup with rice”, “One was Johnny” and “Pierre” I urge you to share them with the next generation. I recently purchased the soundtrack on Itunes and also picked up this boxed book set
-Dina
Crazy pinecone creatures
It’s technically still summer here in Amsterdam but in reality it’s been autumn at its worst these last few weeks. Crazy! The one advantage of autumn (the only one, really) is that there are loads of cool things falling from the trees, like for instance pine cones, which are fun to gather on a forest walk. And from which one can create very cool creatures like these pink hedgehogs. In the past we’ve made acorn men and chestnut chaps too. Fun!
xxx Esther
Bembo’s Zoo
My friend, Al, told me about this wonderful website which has apparently been running for years and years and years but I never knew about it. Bembo’s Zoo actually started life as a book, designed by world renowned graphic designer, Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich (I know, fabulous name!). The concept used the letters of the alphabet to create animals (using type font, Bembo). It was turned into a flash-animated website and is utterly mesmerising — you can spend hours just clicking through the alphabet and watching the animals unfold. My children love it and it is a great way to start familiarising them with the letters. Enjoy!
-Mo
Biisoo — Handknit Luxury for Infants
How cute are all these little handknit pieces? I just love that red pom-pom hat! They come from Biisoo — a New Zealand-based label for infants. All the products are handmade from merino wool which is grown and processed on certified organic farms on the south island of New Zealand. The wool is super soft, non-irritating and oh-so cozy, making it ideal for babies. I know it’s still technically summertime here in the Northern Hemisphere, but I’ve just returned to a very dreary, cold London… and I’m in the mood for cozy! You can shop online at the Biisoo online shop.
-Courtney
ONE YEAR AGO WE WROTE ABOUT:
• Back to School with Babyccino – on Etsy• Fruit Tiramisu (sort of)
• Travel bug
Weebits — Beautiful Knitwear for Babies
Gosh, I am a sucker for beautiful knitwear — for myself and my kids. When I discovered Weebits at Magnolia Square recently I was mesmerized by the quality, texture, colors and design and just a tiny bit peeved that they didn’t come in sizes big enough for us! Pure merino wool from New Zealand is the world’s most exclusive natural fibre and it is as scarce as cashmere. Because of its natural elasticity, lustre, resilience, density, strength, warmth and softness, it is perfect for newborns. I totally love these hoodies (pictured) but the rest of the range (especially the ponchos and loop scarves) are equally drool-worthy. The colors are just superb and produced using eco-friendly dyes. Definitely worth checking out. The good news is they ship world-wide. For more details, click here.
- Sara
Elephant Elements
Elephant Elements
What I love about this book is it goes much further then your normal book on opposites — yes you have your ‘big & small’, ‘long & short’ and ‘top & bottom’ but you also have the unconventional ‘visible & invisible’, ’solid & liquid’ & ‘broken & mended’ — and the book always uses an elephant to illustrate them! It is very, very funny and imaginative and appeals as much to adults as to children (beware of the rotten elephant though – urghhhhh!).
-Mo
Jenga
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we’ve been spending the past week at our beach house on Bainbridge Island. The house has no television, no internet, no fancy electronics — just good old-fashioned entertainment like cards and board games… and Jenga
Jenga is a simple game consisting of 54 wooden blocks. You start by building a tower using all the blocks, then each player takes a turn removing one block from the tower and sticking it back on top. Over time the tower gets taller and more wobbly until eventually it topples. Last one to remove a block without knocking over the tower wins. Simple as that!
You can purchase Jenga from Amazon (UK
-Courtney
Our New Bunk Bed. The Pros. The Cons.
I was quite inspired by Natalie’s post a while back when she wrote about this absolutely beautiful bunk bed from Australia. Like her, I am somewhat obsessed with the idea of a bunk bed and it got me to thinking about getting one for my girls. When their recent birthday loomed, a plan was hatched to get one, and after months of hard-core research I decided to get this particular one from Room and Board (which is simple and beautiful in person).
We talked about its arrival for weeks on end – nailing out the details of who was on top, who was on bottom. Talking about how we would drape a sheet and make a cave out of the lower bunk AND how exciting it would be to have a bigger room with more space for toys! The excitement could barely be contained….Then it arrived… (more…)
Native shoes in mini sizes
I am so excited… I just discovered that Little Fashion Gallery are stocking Native shoes in mini sizes! I have long been bemoaning the fact that these cool shoes didn’t come in kids sizes and…well...here they are! The perfect summer holiday shoe in my opinion — so versatile, so robust with the utility of a Croc but really so much more style! And in such delicious colors too. Made from 100% EVA, an environmentally amphibious material that makes them ultra-comfortable and all-terrain; molding perfectly to the foot. I can’t wait to get my hands on a pair (for the kids and also for myself — I am eyeing the shell white here)!
- Sara
16th century dress-up doll
I love this free down-loadable dress up doll from Ce Que Je Veux — do you remember their wonderful pyjamas?
xxx Esther
Think-ets
I love, love, love this! I keep berating myself for having not conjured it up in one of my brainstorming sessions (honestly I am still hopeful that one day I will invent the next ‘lego’). In the meantime, I just marvel at gems like these… it reminds me that the simplest of ideas are the best — a game powered by imagination rather than a USB cable! Think-ets is so simple in concept — a little pouch of random, very charming ‘trinkets’ from around the world. Along with the pouch comes rules for a few games, such as “I’ll take one away, and you tell me which one is missing”, or “Make a story about the item you’re holding” — educational in so many ways, inspiring story-telling, testing memory and just fun for kids to fiddle with. (more…)
Not a Box
Have you ever used a cardboard box as something else? A space-rocket perhaps, a television, a doll’s bed? My kids certainly fall into the category of finding the box more exciting than whatever comes in it. That is why we love Not A Box
We have also ordered the follow up title Not A Stick
Kitasticks Chopsticks
Esther did a brilliant post a while ago on how to make your own child-friendly chopsticks. I admit to being a bit lazier and got my girls some Kitasticks — chopsticks that can be linked to together and are super easy to use. These great little sticks were designed by a Finnish design collective, (it is always a success story when Northern European design meets Asian design) and I picked them up at Merci. The kids love them — the prospect of using chopsticks rather than their usual forks and knives got them so excited that they insisted on eating a sandwich with their new chopsticks. Not exactly what I had in mind, but oh well…
- Emilie
Appaman — Brooklyn inspired clothing for kids
I recently stumbled across the brand Appaman and although I do not have a son… if I did I would most likely outfit him in some of their cool get-ups. Granted, the four year-old-boy in this photo looks about fifteen with that knit hat on but the style is just so up my alley — comfortable, hipster and Brooklyn cool. The Norweigian desinger behind Appaman created the line to reflect a “Scandinavian perspective on Ameripop iconic imagery” and he seems to hit the nail on the head with chic European-inspired styling and quality that is both playful and urban. There are also cute things for babies and girls! I am especially loving their line of down jackets for girls…
-Dina
Fimo Clay
I think Fimo Clay
You can buy Fimo clay from Amazon
-Courtney
