Posts by Lara in London

OUTDOORS
A Den Kit that will make memories!
This is the outdoor den of childhood memories. The den you can imagine a grandfather finding in the corner of his garden shed and reminiscing about the time that him and one of his buddies once slept outdoors in it, watched the stars, then snuck back inside to raid the cookie jar. But this den, ...
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RECIPES
Blueberry Dump Cake -- satisfyingly simple
Ready for this recipe which is easy as pie, and makes a delicious cake? :) Then make room in your day for this Blueberry Dump Cake. It is literally made with ingredients dumped into a bowl, then dumped into a greased skillet, and then baked in the oven. It takes about five minutes to make ...
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SHOP
Specialty Ribbon Store -- V V Rouleaux in London
V V Rouleaux was started in 1990 and quickly became the destination for designers and decorators, lovers of colour, and texture and anyone looking for inspiration. They supply over 5000 luxury ribbons, tassels, braids, flowers, feathers, cords, and other trimmings in 100 colours. It is no wonder why it is one of London's favourite specialty ...
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VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFTS
Love Heart Chain -- you just need paper and a stapler!
This is a Valentine's Day craft at its finest -- simple, sweet, and fun. It requires only strips of paper and a stapler and can quickly be made. You can choose to make a really long paper chain, and hang it across the room. Or hang it so it falls vertically. But you can make ...
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PLACES TO VISIT
Portraying Pregnancy: From Holbein to Social Media
I went to an inspiring opening at The Foundling Museum's new exhibition called Portraying Pregnancy: From Holbein to Social Media. Portraying Pregnancy is a major exhibition exploring the female body through portraits from the last 500 years. I was lucky enough to attend the curator's talk, with my babe in arms and I suddenly felt quite ...
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LONDON CITY GUIDE
Bonnet à Pompon, a shop in London's Marylebone
Bonnet à Pompon has charming clothes for children with charm, and as you step inside and off of the teeny, sweet winding street in Marylebone, you instantly see how adorable everything inside is! A Spanish brand, with a sprinkling of French inspiration, and a great dose of excellent attention to detail. The clothes are intended for ...
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VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFTS
Make marvellous (non-toxic) Marble Paper -- and hearts, and cards, and bunting too!
This is a mega crafting moment. Marvellous marbleised paper, made with only two ingredients, both of which are non-toxic and kid-friendly. This is the perfect Valentine's day craft -- and we made both cards and bunting with it, using the positive and negative shapes. So it is a zero waste craft project (if that is ...
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TUESDAY TIPS
Tuesday Tips: integrating older siblings into life with a newborn 
In the last seven months since our sweet baby, Georgina Rose, was born, time has flown by! And it is amazing how many of my friends have also had new babies too... and one of the most common questions around day two or three of the new baby in the home is 'how do I ...
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EAT
Cute crêperie in London's Hammersmith
In the dark winter days, it seems totally acceptable to eat dinner and desert whenever you feel the desire. So, we booked a table at the cosy little French crêperie, La Petite Bretagne. Located in London's Hammersmith area, it is the perfect treat for a pre-theatre indulgance before a performance around the corner at the ...
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FOOD
Sunshine in a Jar -- Make your own Marmalade!
This is the very best way to cheer up a grey day. It truly is sunshine in a jar, and any marmalade maker will tell you that homemade marmalade is sooo much better than anything store bought. So I thought this was our year to give it a try.  I will not sell this as ...
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CELEBRATIONS
Galettes de Rois -- a goûter of a French tradition in January
A goûter, or a taste, of kings' cake is a tradition in France during January. Traditionally this cake, known as a Galettes des Rois, marks the celebration of Three Kings Day / Epiphany / Twelth Night. Fortunately it is celebrated for the entire month of January, so the good news is that you can still ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Walnut Boat Races -- an easy craft with hours of play
We love cracking walnuts in our home, but those beautiful walnut shells seem wasted in the rubbish bin. So on a lazy Saturday morning, I did a quick google and came up with an easy and instant craft project -- Walnut Boats. These are very simple to make and use a lot of leftovers -- ...
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RECIPES
One Tray Dinner -- A Salmon with Crusted Sesame and Pak Choi
We love having meals together as a family, but with various work, club, school, and nap schedules, it gets a bit complicated some weekdays. But we value good, healthy, home cooked meals around the table together, so we had to find a good way to achieve this in an easy way. And tray baking, or ...
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CHRISTMAS CRAFTS
Little wreaths for little hands -- Christmas decor with foraged goods
We love making crafts over the Christmas season in our home, and this year, we fell in love with these beautiful, delicate, easy to make wreaths. They are very minimal, and look lovely grouped together. And all the items were foraged! Generally Christmas wreaths are very abundant, with greens, and ribbons and additional accessories. But ...
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RECIPES
Cookie Recipe and Holiday Entertaining Tip!
We love cookies over the Christmas holidays, as you may have read earlier this month with our Twisted Candy Cane cookie. A winner indeed! But today I wanted to share a good 'staple' cookie, that can easily be enjoyed as an after school treat without the sugar crash. It is my reliable Cranberry Raisin Oatmeal ...
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CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
Christmas Gifts versus Christmas Experiences
Our family live in two different continents, and with three children, it is easy to accumulate and acquire a lot of stuff! I am a fan of curated living and only the very special items make the cut in regards to clothes, toys, books, and games. But as much as I love Christmas, and as ...
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SEE
Gingerbread City with the Museum of Architecture -- a must see!
  The Museum of Architecture is an impressive place for any aspiring architect or eager young mind! We were lucky enough to visit their recent Gingerbread City pop-up at Somerset House. But don't stop reading thinking this is all about Christmas. The MoA, or Museum of Architecture, is a must-visit venue year round with a ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Resist the temptation for a new Christmas Sweater -- make your own instead!
I understand the novelty of Christmas jumpers/sweaters each year... they are cute, fun, and festive. But honestly, it makes my brain hurt just thinking about how wasteful it is to buy one each year, for each person in your home (especially the kids that keep growing), and multiply that times all the families, homes, countries, ...
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EAT
The Delaunay Counter -- a family friendly Viennese cafe in the West End
I can remember the leisurely late-night meals and date nights my husband and I once had at The Delaunay restaurant. Now we are normally tucked up in bed at 9pm, not going out to start the evening. But I am so pleased that the same owners and chefs are now available, adjacent but in a ...
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CHRISTMAS RECIPES
Twisted Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
  These candy cane sugar cookies are so very easy! And you don't need special cutters, or lots of time to make them. We made them last year when my mom was visiting, and they were really fun for kids (and adults) of all ages. You could even add a bit of mint flavour to ...
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RECIPES
Blackberry Cream Cheese Puffed Pastry
The smell of cinnamon, blackberries, and pastry puffing away in the oven is the perfect way to wake up even the groggiest kid (or parent) after a long week. We had a dozen in the oven, and six people around the table, and they didn't last past one sitting, but I am sure they would ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Autumnal Pumpkins, a simple DIY
Pumpkins are not just for Halloween! And although they could (and should) be perfectly appropriate for early and late October, they are also perfect now as their own Autumnal display or centrepiece. It is not too late to make these, and I plan on keeping ours on the table until after Thanksgiving. Along with our ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Falling Leaves -- make Stained Glass
We love seasonal crafts at Babyccino, and Autumn is such a colourful time to embrace the vibrant Fall outdoor palette, and bring it indoors before things quickly change! I grew up making this 'stained glass' craft each year. Perfect for rainy days, or a relaxed afternoon activity after a walk. My children loved this craft ...
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CHECK THESE OUT

Dotti shopGraceful and playful dresses, made from natural materials in NYC
The NattyModern, minimalistic fashion with a touch of playfulness.
BayíriA colourful, cute collection of beautiful baby knits
Emile et RoseClassic British-designed outfits for baby

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Chirp chirp! These fingerprint cards are super easy and quick to make so if you are in need of a last-minute Easter card read on. ⭐️ You will need: Yellow water colour paint (water and a paintbrush to mix) Plain white card folded in half Black felt tip pen Orange felt tip pen (We found water colours worked great but any yellow paint will do). ⭐️ Mix up some yellow water colour paint, dip a finger into the paint and then place firmly onto the front of a folded piece of card. Repeat and cover the whole card with yellow fingerprints leaving some gaps for the feet and beaks. ⭐️ Once the paint has dried add some little black legs and feet, a dot for the eye and an orange beak. The beaks look great all pointing in different directions. ⭐️ What we love about these cute cards are their randomness. It’s such a simple idea that children of any age can get involved. Anything goes here, long legs/ short legs, big beaks/little beaks!! We guarantee they’ll look great in any style and they will definitely bring a smile to a loved ones face. #babyccinokids #babyccinocrafts #eastercards @soloskates
3 hours ago
Hoppy paper doll bunnies from @laraoflondon were super easy. Just accordion fold a long strip of white paper and cut out! Then add ears, eyes, and a few accessories of course! #babyccinocrafts #babyccinokids #paperdolls #easterbunny
15 hours ago
Decorations that don’t waste too many precious cooking ingredients... yes please! We love this simple salt dough recipe!🧂 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1/2 cup water 1. Preheat the oven to 120 °C and line baking tray with baking paper. 2. Mix flour and salt in the bowl then gradually add water, stirring until combined. 3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, roll out until about 7mm thick and transfer to baking tray. 4. Then all you need is an egg-shaped cookie cutter, which is easy to find at this time of the year. Cut them out and make a hole in each about a centimeter from the top edge. Bake on 120C for about three hours turning them once after about 2 hours. 5. Now paint both sides with one color or each in different and wait to dry completely. 6. After about an hour you can draw your favorite designs on the eggs (again, one or both sides). 7. Leave for about 12 hours or overnight to dry and finish them with glossy varnish. (Clear nail polish works nicely.) 8. Now just string the twine or a fishing line through holes and you’re done! 9. Place on branches or hang around the home. 10. Enjoy! 🥚🧂 More Easter ideas in our bio! #babyccinokids #babyccinocrafts #eastercraftsforkids #saltdoughornaments
1 day ago
Paper, glue, scissors... make your own sweet bunny ears to create more fun for your Easter at home. It’s a 5 minute craft and 100% recycled scraps friendly! See @laraoflondon ‘s idea in the bio and customise the colours for your little ! #babyccinokids #babyccinocrafts
2 days ago
Hello Easter! We have over ninety crafts, recipes & blog posts (yes, that’s 90!) for this season we adore. So click on the bio link and get inspired. And stay tuned as we share all week — natural egg dyeing, making edible egg nests, cakes, salads, cards, decor, and more! #babyccinokids #babyccinoeats #babyccinocrafts #easter
3 days ago
Schedules? Routines? We have pointers from week three of being indoors. More on today’s blog. @estherbabyccino #babyccinokids
4 days ago
How can we manage worrying information around our children? Today’s blog post looks at these ‘unprecedented’ times. With news reels, articles, conversations, not only between adults but children too that are hard to ignore. It is impossible to shield our children from the worries and events of the wider world, and important to share some truths with them about what is happening. We are, as Maria Montessori put it, “Citizens of the World” and our children will be the ones to inherit it. Being in lockdown, (hello to everyone at home!) can make for a really good environment to nurture discussion, as we have time to drip feed explanations, observe reactions and unpick tricky questions. There are some simple ways we can help stem and support the flow of information, manage anxieties and make sense of the world around us all. So today we have tips in our bio, so click on the link and share with loved ones. And please stay safe. #babyccinokids #explainingcoronavirustokids @themontessoristudio
5 days ago
The Dictionary of Difficult Words by Jane Solomon is a great hit. It is filled with over 400 whimsical words which continually amaze us ... words like ‘bumbershoot’, ‘spaghettification’, ‘hurdy-gurdy’ and ‘ombudsman’ are carefully described and fantastically illustrated by Louise Lockhart. I mean how cool is the word ‘hurdy-gurdy’?! Read more about the book on today’s blog. #babyccinokids #babyccinoreads @vanessa_wild_flours
6 days ago
Art for everyone... Julie from @famillesummerbelle shared this beautiful print for colouring in fun. Print out available in our bio. Enjoy. ️ @estherbabyccino @famillesummerbelle #famillesummerbelle
6 days ago
We’ve had a full-on week with home learning (as you all have I imagine) and managed to survive (just) the week in the house together. But this morning I felt we all needed a little time out from the work and we did maths through baking by making these delicious cookies. They were out of the oven just in time for a mid-morning brain break. I think we’ve tried every recipe for chocolate chip cookies but this is our favourite and today I thought I’d share it with you. I must warn you, they are not the healthiest, but during these times I think we are all in need of a little treat. Thanks to @vanessa_wild_flours for this idea ... and click on our bio for her yummy recipe! #babyccinokids #babyccinoeats
1 week ago
Here’s a video of our latest ShopUp in East London (shot and edited by our lovely and talented friend Nadine Brandt). It encapsulates the ShopUp atmosphere really, really well, and it makes us so excited for the next one!
1 year ago
Our beautiful new book, '9 months: A month by month guide to pregnancy' for the family to share, is AVAILABLE NOW! You can order it here: UK: http://amzn.to/2n6eCT7 / US: http://amzn.to/2nVWOZo / AUS: http://bit.ly/2nDYggy
2 years ago
Check out our new book! 9 months: A month by month guide to pregnancy for the family to share. PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE: UK: http://amzn.to/2n6eCT7 / US: http://amzn.to/2nVWOZo / AUS: http://bit.ly/2nDYggy
3 years ago
Check out the cool vibes of our Shop Up event in London in December!
3 years ago
Our 2nd live shopping event in Brooklyn was amazing! Great shopping, delicious treats, tons of kids activities and a super cool family photo booth!
3 years ago
Esther shows us her recipe for delicious mint syrup.
3 years ago
Our live shopping event in London at Chelsea Old Town Hall in 2015 was a big success and so much fun.
3 years ago
Here we show you how to harvest rhubarb from the garden, and make it into a delicious compote. If you make oatmeal at the same time, you have made a delicious and nutritious breakfast that your family will love! (Ours do!)
3 years ago
This gym bag is such a fun and easy project, also for beginners this is a nice sewing project. Esther, Emilie and the kids had so much fun going to the market choosing all the supplies. The fabrics from Little Cube are the cutest!
3 years ago
Our first live shopping event in Brooklyn was a great success. We loved seeing the best boutiques under one roof, combined with great food and fun activities...and some dancing! Hope to see everyone this year again on September 18th & 19th at 501 Union, 501 Union Street in Brooklyn.
4 years ago