Posts filed under 'Tableware'
I can’t believe my daughter has just turned one — time has flown. Now I know a one-year-old might not appreciate a proper birthday party, but I can’t resist one. And in the spirit of being ‘girly’ there was nothing for it but a fairy tea-party, to be more specific The Toadstool Tea (for those of you unfamiliar with fairy-lore, The Toadstool Tea is a secret party for all the fairies, elves and imps to celebrate the Fairy Queen’s birthday. It takes place under the thicket deep in the middle of the forest (according to Mo)).
Toadstools, it turns out, are not only a really great theme for a party but also rather fashionable. In my month or so of preparation I saw them everywhere (I couldn’t resist adding a cute Toadstool money box from Cath Kidston (stores only) and this adorable Shinzi Katoh print to her presents). Toadstools also make for a fun theme because they are easy to draw and craft. Here are some other toadstool ideas…
I made felt toadstools for the invitations (super easy) and Fimo toadstools for decoration (super, super easy and fun — haven’t Fimo’d for years!)
The fairies ate Toadstool Cupcakes (vanilla cupcakes with bright red vanilla icing from the very brilliant Primrose Bakery Cupcake Cookbook decorated with white chocolate drops) and each got a Toadstool cookie in their goody-bag, made using this recipe and this Toadstool cutter. I did also make Toadstools using quail’s eggs and half a tomato perched on top, dotted with mayo but Mums and Dads seemed to go for these rather than kids.
We had a lovely day and who wouldn’t with their house all a flutter with 1 – 3 year-old girls and boys all dressed up as fairies and elves?
-Mo. x
Mo in London
January 14th, 2010
The Antoine and Lili flagship stores must be some of the cutest rows of shops I have ever seen. I was walking past them today and they were so bright and cheerful on a grey winter’s day!
They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants. If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area, turning the area into a trendy little spot.
Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family.
Antoine et Lili
95 Quai de Valmy
Paris 75010
Tel:+33 1 40 37 58 15
- Emilie
Emilie in Paris
January 8th, 2010
Like Mo said earlier, dragging the kids out to do holiday shopping is unbearable! And how are you supposed to buy gifts for your kids in front of your kids? Thank goodness for great webshops like Smallable — which has SUCH a lovely and wide selection of beautiful children’s gifts, toys and accessories. Whether it’s something big like the Offi Rocking Horse, something crafty like the Mitik Mask’Animo Kit, or something beautiful like the Lalé Suitcases, there is something for everyone.
Smallable recently asked us to choose 8 of our favorite products for their Babyccino Chrstimas Selection (yes, only 8 — can you imagine how long it took to narrow it down?!). And in return, they’re offering our readers 20% off the selected 8 items! Just enter discount code NOELBABYCCINO at check-out (offer good until Dec. 21st). Holiday shopping just got easier!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
December 7th, 2009
We have already sung the praises of the Stokke Tripp Trap chair here on Babyccino. I think some of us have even admitted to owning two — one for each child. (And I’m even contemplating buying a third one!) I personally think it’s the best highchair on the market, especially considering how long it can be used.
I suppose the only qualm people have with the chair is that it doesn’t have a tray (where will you put the Cheerios? how do you keep your table from being destroyed? what if you want to use the highchair in the kitchen, away from your dining table? etc.).
The PlayTray is the perfect solution. It’s a scratch-proof plastic tray which goes easily on and off the chair to be used whenever necessary. The design is sleek yet functional, it easily wipes clean, and it has an outer edge to keep spills and messes at bay. It’s also free of phthalates, PVC and BPA. Brilliant!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
December 6th, 2009
Cookie baking is big in our house, especially when the weather is grim like today, and as you can see from the picture we’ve started to collect quite a variety of cutters. My son loves picking out which ones to use (currently the bear and the lion are particular favourites). I pick cutters up from all sorts of places but I do find Cakes Cookies and Crafts Shop a corker — especially as they usually offer 4 for the price of 3. Cox & Cox also do some good ones (but more on them later as they definitely deserve their own post).
Today however we used our new kid-friendly cutters
by Swiss cooking brand Kuhn Rikon. They are brilliant because they have handles for easy pressing, and the shapes are less fiddly for transferring from work-top to baking sheet. In fact the whole Kinderkitchen range is fantastic for young cooks and is a big feature in our letters to Father Christmas (I’m personally yearning after the Mouse Measuring Cups
).
I’ve tried various cookie recipes that are suitable for using cutters on and I find most to be a bit bland and dry, so I usually stick to using Jane Grigson’s recipe for shortbread (see below), which is delicious, easy to ‘cut’ and particularly good splattered with melted chocolate. If you have a fab cookie recipe that works with cutters then please let me know!
Jane Grigson’s Recipe for Shortbread (taken from her book English Food
):
-225g Plain Flour
-75g Corn Flour
-200g Butter
-100g Caster Sugar
Sift the flours together into a large bowl, add the butter (at room temp) and sugar mix to combine into a dough (a good 4 or 5 mins). Roll out, cut into shapes and then bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 12 mins (or until very slightly browning at edges).
How easy is that!
For a printable version of this recipe, click here.
(NB1: if you do decide to take a look at English Food check out the Parsnip Cake on page 318 (of Hardback version) – it has become a firm family favourite in our house).
(NB2: Again if you do have a look at the book I must warn you it is not very glossy as there are no pictures but it is a fascinating history of English recipes and every recipe I’ve tried from the book turns out great!)
-Mo
Mo in London
December 1st, 2009
Aren’t these personalised plates just fabulous? My kids get a real thrill from seeing their name on things so I think they will be super excited when they receive theirs. The perfect Christmas or birthday gift for someone special — personal, functional and a lovely keepsake for when they grow out of them. What’s more, they are BPA-free, made of a lightweight yet durable melamine and are dishwasher safe. So, they tick all the boxes in my opinion! I bet they could even entice the fussiest of eaters.
You can order them from BébéOnline or, if you are local to Melbourne, from ‘Bebe Boutique’ in South Yarra.
- Sara
Sara in Melbourne
November 30th, 2009
Over the past five years since the time my first baby was born so much has been learned about the dangers of toxic plastics. It is now an undeniable fact that BPA, PVC and other like chemicals are dangerous for our babies. In fact, just this past Monday, the BBC reported another study which highlights the dangers of plastic chemicals. Scary!
Thankfully, the newly launched UK website, VUPbaby has come to the rescue of the growing population of concerned parents. VUPbaby is entirely dedicated to providing parents with non toxic baby products from around the world. Whether it’s bottles, soothers, toys, or utensils, everything is non toxic and carefully vetted, many of which are exclusive here in the UK.
Now, instead of trekking half way across London to find the BornFree baby bottles, I can easily order them. And they even sell the cool Foogoo Thermos that Dina raved about a while ago.
To receive 10% off your first order at VUPbaby, just enter promo code CCINO at check-out!
-Courtney
Courtney in London
November 21st, 2009
The lunchbox. So much at stake. Such a reflection as to the type of parent you are. Such a public declaration of the inner core of your child’s personality.
While some parents opt for the simple, eco-friendly lunch “satchel” (yawn)… others may opt for a more elaborate plastic one in the shape of say, Hello Kitty’s head. And yes….there are even those who will simply throw lunch into a brown bag and call it a day (oh, the humanity!). Whatever the choice – just know that you are being judged. I am not sure why this happened but I have amassed quite a bit of lunchboxes over the last few years — none of which really seemed to work out. They were either too big and bulky or too small and flimsy. This one from Pylones however seems to have hit the right spot on all fronts — and it’s cute! It fits nicely into a small backpack and it has a detachable interior wall to separate hot from cold items.
From the cubby it quietly whispers: “Dina is a good parent, she cares very much that the grilled cheese does not heat up the juice box, and her kids are really cool because they like bright colors and good quality products…..”
In all seriousness, I have road tested a bunch and this one is far and beyond the best for the pre-school years. Not to mention the Foogoo thermos fits perfectly!
-Dina
Dina in New York
November 10th, 2009
Often we’re asked where one can find tasteful, cute party supplies. Here in the Netherlands we are lucky to have Hema, which has a really good selection, but since it seems to be the only tasteful choice locally available, we seriously see the same decorations on nearly every birthday party we attend!
Then there’s Martha Stewart, who comes up with wonderful suggestions for homemade party decorations, but most of them involve complex and time-consuming craft projects which may eventually result in a well decorated house, but chances are that you’ll suffer a nervous breakdown simultaneously.
Now look at this: Homemade Happiness. Great downloadable deco kits for every birthday, holiday or other special occasion.
These super-cute digital DIY designs are downloadable in return for a small fee, and you may print them as often as you wish on card-stock paper. Next cut, fold and glue (even the most non-creative soul with two left hands and 5 children running around can do this!) and presto – you have an extremely original and cute selection of cake toppers, gift tags, gift boxes, party hats and buntings. Seriously everything you need for the cutest and most original birthday party you can think of. Every Homemade Happiness download comes with clear instructions and paper suggestions, and they even thought of including recipes, suggestions for games, sweet to-do-lists, etc. etc. Have a browse, I’m pretty sure you’ll love everything!
Now, the only disadvantage is that the original website is still in Dutch, but the two lovely work-at-home mums behind Homemade Happiness, Caroline and Diana, are working hard to translate their designs and the English versions of most of them can be found in their Etsy shop.
Now… enjoy! Happy birthday Babyccino!
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
November 3rd, 2009
I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen anything cuter! These wooden candle holders take the cake, literally.
They have a hole in the top for the birthday candle, and a stick in the bottom to place into the cake. They’re ultra sealed to protect them from the frosting, and can be used year after year for every celebration.
The Small Object also makes the cutest wedding toppers, wooden magnets, and so many other cute things that I have just spent the past hour browsing and obsessing…
-Courtney
Courtney in London
November 2nd, 2009
There have already been quite a few discussions about bibs here on Babyccino, and Esther has already revealed that the two of us are slightly obsessed (or nerdy, whichever you prefer). All that aside, here is a bib that blows all other bibs out of the water: the Bavetton Original.
It’s a bib and also a tablecloth. It allows your messy little eater to eat as he/she pleases without spilling on the floor or making a mess of the table. With two snap fasteners, the Bavetton bib creates a pocket between the child and the table, collecting all sorts of wonderful surprises! The bib (created by a mom, of course) is a wipe-clean material and is light-weight and easy to roll up and take with you wherever you go. And, it comes in loads of cool colors — I have the fun multi-colored one.
This ‘bib expert’ gives it two thumbs up!
You can buy the Bavetton bib from SitOnDesign, or visit the website for other retailers.
-Courtney
Courtney in London
October 30th, 2009
I thought these plates were absolutely genius and I am totally beside myself that I did not know about them earlier! I will admit, I had the highest of hopes when I purchased ALL of the Annabelle Karmel cookbooks (you did too, admit it). It all seemed so simple… make an ocean of steamed kale with a fishstick sail boat and voila! dinner is inhaled! First of all, totally not true, doesn’t work… and secondly — I barely have time to brush my hair, let alone struggle to make a chicken kebab look like a caterpillar. Who wants to eat a caterpillar anyway? Anyway, the Food Face plate seems to make the whole try-to-get-your-kid-to-eat process easier and you will get a laugh out at least.
The website is a bit clunky but if you just take a look around there are some really clever things for adults (like the pacman oven mitt or the voodoo doll toothpick holder).
-Dina
Dina in New York
October 14th, 2009
Courtney and I have had more than one discussion about ‘which bib is best’. Amongst the two of us and in the past 4 years we have tested a fair amount of different varieties and in the end we have both agreed on our all-time favourite bib. (We also talk about other things, BTW, but we seem to have a strange interest in bibs).
The advantage of our favourite bib is that it’s so big it covers a lot of your child, including the shoulders. It is made of terrycloth, which makes it ideal to use as a napkin during dinner or to wipe faces and hands with afterward. It can be washed at high temperatures, doesn’t require ironing at all and still looks great. It is super durable – it is well possible that my grandchildren will be using these bibs! And last but not least, they are easy and cheap to make yourself: you can use any old towel you have around and for the binding you can use any old piece of fabric you have left over from previous sewing projects. You’re free to make your own colour combinations — the possibilities are endless! And you can make plenty – I always have a nice, clean stack of these bibs on hand.
Now, even though I love sewing, I’m not at all an expert in this field, so forgive my clumsy way of explaining everything… But I made a bib for my son, Pim, from a kitchen towel and photographed the different steps in the process to give you an idea of how to do it…
Step 1:
Print these 2 download-able patterns: here (1) and here (2). Cut out and stick together following the directions.
Fold fabric (if there’s a print, make sure it will look good) and cut out bib. Don’t cut where the fold is! Don’t worry about seams — there are none.
Step 2:
Cut out 4 cm (1,6″) strips from any cute fabric you have laying around. Iron strips in half lengthwise, then iron edges to fold as shown in pictures. You need about 120 cm (47″) and 90 cm (35″) of binding. (You can also use store bought binding.)
Step 3:
Pin binding around bib at straight edges. Fold binding at the corners as shown in picture. Sew binding to bib. Cut off excess binding at neck part.
Step 4:
Pin binding neatly around neck part of bib. Start in the centre of the circle (with the middle of the binding) and work towards edges. Sew. (The neck part looks sort of tiny but it’s correct!)
Step 5:
Presto!
Step 6 (optional):
I made a little doll bib from the leftover terry cloth and binding, here’s the free download-able pattern. You need about 15 cm (6″) of binding for the neck part, and 82 cm (32″) for the bib part and tie strings. In this case you first start with the neck part and after sew on the bib part (including tie strings).
I hope this explanation is clear enough — the bib is really easy to make! Honestly, it took me much longer to write these instructions down than to make the bib and the doll’s bib together!
xxx Esther
P.S. For on the go: fold bib lengthwise, roll up starting from bottom, tie with tie strings.
P.P.S. These bibs are more suitable for 1+ than for babies!
Esther in Amsterdam
October 5th, 2009
You know it’s kind of a slow day at home when I am sitting here trying to write something creative about a thermos… but I must spread the word about this particular one as it will change your life. The ante for the lunch standard in New York City has changed quite a bit since the ’70s and a boring old sandwich is simply unacceptable. We now send our kids with “food jars” so that we can offer them variety. The Foogo thermos is perfect for packing pasta’s, soups, fruit, cheese, etc; and it keeps food hot or cold for up to five hours. It’s the perfect portion size and fits nicely into a backpack. Let’s just say it is a far cry from the Thermos from back in the olden days when I went to school. All I’m saying is that mine totally leaked, always smelled like rotting apple juice and rolled around in my lunchbox crushing my sandwich. Kids today….they don’t even know how good they have it.
-Dina
Dina in New York
September 25th, 2009
I love wrapping presents! Picking a wrapping paper, choosing a ribbon, adding an accessory… I love it. These days it seems we have one children’s birthday party after the next, so it’s always smart to have a good stock of tissue paper and wrap on hand.
I love these wrapping paper sets from Rice which include 15 sheets of paper, perfectly sized for most presents. Rice is a Danish company specializing in colorful home wear, accessories, table wear, and quirky kid’s products. I love their birthday candles, their magnetic photo frames, their melamine dishes, their…
Here in London you can find their products at Petit Aimé on Ledbury Road or at Olive Loves Alfie.
-Courtney
Courtney in London
August 28th, 2009
Although it’s a bit off the beaten path, it’s worth a trip to London’s Stoke Newington neighborhood if, for nothing else, a visit to the lovely children’s boutique Olive Loves Alfie.
This small but charming shop is chock full of children’s toys, clothes and accessories. Not your normal mass-market toys, but the sort of things that will inspire you to spruce up your children’s toy basket or run home and redecorate the nursery. It’s the perfect place to find a unique birthday gift, a piece of art to cover a bare wall, or even vintage chairs, globes and toys for your home.
You’ll find Djeco toys, Katvig clothes, Rice accessories, and the list goes on. And there’s something about the way it’s all displayed that makes you really notice the attention to detail and the heartfelt selection. A really lovely neighborhood shop that makes you wish you lived in the neighborhood…
-Courtney
Courtney in London
August 18th, 2009
I’ve just returned from a vacation in Paris, and realized how much stuff you need when you have a baby! With my older daughter already 4 years old, I’d forgotten about all the gear one needs for a little one when traveling. And in France, there are two baby essentials that are often lacking in public places: a changing table and highchairs. The changing table you can get away with, making do with a park bench or even changing a diaper discreetly in the stroller. But what to do without a high chair? I tried the first few days feeding my 8-month-old in her stroller, which was a disaster– she had orange puree all over herself and all over the stroller. Ick. Then I remembered seeing the Sack N Seat in a shop and ran out to get one! (I got mine at Monoprix in Paris.) The Sack n Seat is a great portable high chair option– it fits over almost any chair, straps your baby in securely, and then folds up teeny tiny to stash away. That way, baby C was happy as could be to “finger paint” with her lunch all over the cafe table, and not on her stroller! (If you look on the Sack n Seat website, they have a whole list of where to buy the product in countries all over.)
xx Rebecca
Rebecca in Washington
August 13th, 2009
Although they’re pricey, I just can’t help loving these beautiful Wovenplay dolls. It seems everything Wovenplay makes outdoes the next. Simply beautiful.
You can find Wovenplay and many, many other great designers at The Emperor’s New Clothes — a stunning online boutique of beautiful children’s products, some that you’ll recognize and some that are sure to be new to you. Like the collection of Susie Watson children’s pottery, the quirky but cool Coq en Pate bags and backpacks, or these colorful Nume hangers which are perfect for a child’s bedroom.
Justine, owner and former assistant to Paul Smith, drew inspiration from French and NYC flea markets in gathering her shop’s collection. The result is a wonderful selection of unique pieces, offering a bit of beauty and a bit of French flare.
Visit the shop, and enter the discount code BABY09 at check-out to receive 10% off your order.
-Courtney
Courtney in London
August 7th, 2009
An important factor in raising children is, as we are all well aware, teaching them to eat healthy and responsibly. Offering your kids a varied diet with fresh, organic ingredients (and trying to make them eat it too) is one of the big challenges of parenthood! These days however, we have discovered that ’eating healthy’ isn’t just limited to the food ingredients we use. No, the tableware we all serve it on is absolutely of equal importance!
The bowls and utensils from Bambu are completely toxic-free, extremely beautiful AND non breakable, which makes them very suitable for use with children. All the products are made from 100% organically-grown bamboo, and the bowls have a natural, matte lacquer in wonderful bright colours, derived from, who could have thought, the cashew nut tree. A safe bet, and cool looking too!
The very stylish Joslyn from the hip eco-boutique Shakshuka has kindly offered a complete Bambu set to one lucky Babyccino reader. The set will contain (as pictured): a mini-me bowl of your colour choice, a spork (we love it), one set of infant utensils and one set of kid’s utensils.
Just leave a comment below by Sunday, July 26th in which you give us your best tip for eating healthily (weather it’s a recipe, a trick or simply a product). The best tip will win, AND will be published on Babyccino!
Good luck!
xxx Esther
THIS GIVE-AWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
Esther in Amsterdam
July 12th, 2009
Although she says she´ll be a princess, I think my 4-year-old daughter might become a chef. She loves going to the supermarket, she loves helping me prepare the food, and she loves to eat (most of) it. When I brought home a few items from the Berghoff children’s cooking line the other day I must have nurtured this thought; I’ve rarely seen my daughter more excited!
The Berghoff children’s cooking line is one of the coolest kids’ products I’ve seen in a while. The concept is simple: there is a little induction stove, super-easy to use (on/off, high/low). There’s a selection of pans in different sizes, all with big, plastic handles that won’t get hot and with a big plastic Sheriff Duck knob. Very sweet. And there’s a selection of cook’s utensils, like a chef’s hat, an apron, a knife block (plastic) and more, all equally cute and decorated with the signature Sheriff Duck character. Now, of course the principle of induction is smart because the plate heats only the pan, not the plate itself (although it will be hot for a short while because of the heat of the pan above it). A parent should always be supervising, obviously, but I’ve been cooking with my daughter and she can do a lot herself! Yesterday for instance she made a salad of green peas (which she cooked herself), goat’s cheese, raspberries and basil, with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Very yummy, I must say!
I think this concept is so cool. We can teach our kids how to prepare fresh, healthy food in a fun and safe way. They have fun preparing food for us (my daughter is so very proud of her dishes), and they love eating their own creations. It’s a win-win situation for all of us!
If you’re interested in purchasing the Sheriff Duck cookware, I suggest contacting Rowela of Sheriff Duck, as her web-shop is still all in Dutch!
xxx Esther
Esther in Amsterdam
July 9th, 2009
Previous Posts
I can’t believe my daughter has just turned one — time has flown. Now I know a one-year-old might not appreciate a proper birthday party, but I can’t resist one. And in the spirit of being ‘girly’ there was nothing for it but a fairy tea-party, to be more specific The Toadstool Tea (for those of you unfamiliar with fairy-lore, The Toadstool Tea is a secret party for all the fairies, elves and imps to celebrate the Fairy Queen’s birthday. It takes place under the thicket deep in the middle of the forest (according to Mo)).
I made felt toadstools for the invitations (super easy) and Fimo toadstools for decoration (super, super easy and fun — haven’t Fimo’d for years!)
