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Inspiration

FOOD
3 Healthier Ways to Decorate Birthday Cakes
I have a two-year-old, and she has a keen nose for sugar...being that I constantly smell of the stuff, that is unavoidable! However, I try to be a tiny little bit creative when decorating cakes for her birthday, using edible decorations that are attractive, interesting taste-wise, but that aren't full of refined sugar, and I ...
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RECIPES
Smoothie Ice Lollies
These ice lollies are an absolute summer essential. Kids love to help you make them and it's a great way to get them involved and experimenting with different flavours. Whatever combinations you choose, these lollies are packed full of amazing nutrients and purely natural sugars. You can even add some veggies -- carrot and mango, ...
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RECIPES
Funny little face cookies (from 'Bee's Brilliant Biscuits')
Many summers ago, when we organised one of our first ShopUps in London, we had the cutest personalised ShopUp cookies made by Bee's Bakery. Fast forward five years and Bee now has a baby, published two recipe books and specializes in plant-based and allergy friendly bakes! This girl has been busy! Because we all love ...
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FOOD
A cookbook addiction
I would say on a scale of 1 to 10, I am somewhere around a 7 regarding my addiction to cookbooks. Every time I am in a bookshop, an unknown force pulls me over to the cookbook section, where I can spend hours looking at pictures, deliberating over recipes and projecting myself into my kitchen ...
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RECIPES
Bunny Cake -- fun for Easter celebrations and birthdays too!
We recently celebrated a friend's birthday, and surprised them with this fun bunny cake. It is perfect for any Spring celebration, especially Easter, and actually very simple to make. You choose your favourite ingredients, and then simply follow our tips for decorating! Even less adventurous bakers or cake-makers can replicate this idea with success. You ...
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FOOD
Ottolenghi's new 'Simple' cookbook
I received Ottolenghi's new 'Simple' cookbook in a gift exchange on Christmas Day, and it has quickly become our go-to cookbook. I have Ottolenghi's first two cookbooks, but admittedly found the recipes in those books to be too time consuming or they required too many hard-to-track-down ingredients that the recipes were impossible to make.  His ...
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INSPIRATION
A Pizza Playdate
With new friends in my daughter's new school, it seems that there are lots of new playdate requests, so playdates are a big part of our social calendar. I have recently discovered the perfect activity (especially on cold wintery days indoors): a pizza-making playdate. It ticks all the boxes: happy, healthy, and fun. Plus, you ...
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CRAFTS AND DIY
Colourful Papier-Mâché Fruits & Vegetables
I haven't made papier-mâché for years, and almost forgot how much fun it is! You start with such simple and basic materials and end up with an impressive sculpture. Papier-mâché is a great excuse to put on an art smock, and have a bit of messy fun with your children. There are severals steps and a ...
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HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS
Tricks and Treats -- a collection of Halloween Ideas
Trick or treat? Do you celebrate Halloween? What do you prefer -- silly or spooky? Funny or ghoulish? In a lot of Europe it is considered a very American holiday. And as an American living in London, I am happy to see that it is becoming more popular each year. Dressing up (fancy dress as ...
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RECIPES
Super easy Quinoa Brittle, a recipe from Lunch Lady Magazine
We've written before how much we love Lunch Lady Magazine. If you aren't already a subscriber to this beautiful quarterly magazine, then I urge you to head over to the website and sign up now! It's one of the only magazines I read (from cover to cover!) these days. Even Michael can be found scanning ...
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FOOD
School lunch ideas
When we lived in London, the children were able to eat lunch prepared and served by their school. We were lucky that the school's lunch options were mostly good and healthy, and we didn't have to think or worry about what they would be eating at lunch time. (Thinking about it now, I don't think ...
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RECIPES
A Fun First Birthday Cake (and it is sugar free!)
I find first birthdays particularly bittersweet, because I love and cherish the sweetness of that first year of life. I think back to those first moments when they were born, and I am utterly amazed by how much the sweet babies grow in just one year! And because the first year of life is so ...
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COOK BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Little Tables -- Breakfasts from around the World
According to this article, Dutch children enjoy one of the happiest childhoods in the world, and one of the reasons given for this is the fact that many of them start their morning with 'hagelslag' (chocolate sprinkles) on their bread. I'm not sure how much influence the exact sort of breakfast has on the overall happiness of ...
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COOK BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Little Dish -- sponsors of our London ShopUp event
A while ago, I was sent a cook book by the lovely Little Dish Team. Honestly, it is still one of my main go-to books for when I need inspiration for a well-balanced, easy to make meal (you know the way you sometimes get into a rut of always cooking the same thing? It happens ...
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PARENTING TIPS
Preparing for baby -- stocking the freezer!
With colourful Autumn produce spilling out of our local Farmer's Market this weekend, I was reminded of this time last year. I was pregnant with an obvious bump on display, and was enjoying the change of seasons with winter drawing ever nearer as I grew ever bigger. I also recalled the yummy feasts of stews and soups that ...
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RECIPES
Mint Syrup -- a video and recipe
This summer in the country Esther and I decided to see if we could create some of our own mint syrup. You see, Sirop à la Menthe is the ubiquitous summer drink for French children. The original version is luminous green and you will find it at every cafe in France. It is oddly refreshing ...
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COOK BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Chicken and Apricot Curry - a family favourite
We are having the craziest Spring weather here in Scotland. We've had snow and hail and bright blue skies all in one day over the past week and we're on a weather warning tonight! My poor baby plants are now snuggled up inside my kitchen sheltering from the frost. We are also feeling the cold so ...
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COOK BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Happy Face Shortbread Biscuits
We love our sugar cookie recipe, but because the recipe calls for shortening (which isn’t always easy to find) and requires that you put the dough in the fridge for an hour before baking, it’s not one of those quick make and bake recipes. I was on the hunt for an easier version when Ivy ...
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CELEBRATIONS
Happy Easter!!!
Happy Easter everyone! Easter is one of my favourite holidays -- the idea of celebrating the beginning of spring is just so wonderful. We have been spending the days cooking, eating, and hanging out with friends and I thought it would be nice to share some of our Easter traditions with you... A week or two before Easter, ...
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COOK BOOKS AND MAGAZINES
Lunch Lady magazine
Never has going back to school been more fun! I want to feed the girls nourishing, wholesome food, making sure they have enough energy to withstand the cold outside and keep their brains ticking over for the day but there are days when I open up that lunchbox and stare at it complacently wondering what ...
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BIRTHDAY PARTIES
Tuesday Tips: A simple birthday party
Esther has organised some epic kids birthday parties, some of my favourite being the disco party and the stick horse party . I on the other hand am terrible at this! I seriously cannot compete. BUT I do think it is important for my kids to have their friends over, host them in our home and basically say ...
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BOOKS
Gingerbread Wonderland by Mima Sinclair
We've had such a cosy winter holiday spending our days with the fire lit, reading books and baking in the kitchen. We've made our favourite chocolate brownies, delicious soups and even roasted chestnuts on the fire - delicious! We also made gingerbread (for the first time ever). Helena was gifted Gingerbread Wonderland for her birthday and we really enjoyed ...
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FOOD
Alfajores!
It's difficult to think of a time when we didn't know what an 'alfajor' was... but the truth is that we've only just discovered these delicious treats since arriving to Uruguay 6 weeks ago. They are now our most favourite cookies ever! Alfajores are a very common Latin American cookie, most common in Argentina and Uruguay (with ...
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Gallery PiccoloOriginal, affordable art for children’s rooms, set to inspire young minds
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Basic Kids Co.Ethically produced clothing in basic styles and colours for 0-4s
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Join us for this year’s festive fun in two weeks! More info in link and on @theshopup! Amazing brands including @nelliequats @lotsoflovelyart @f.a.u.n.e @almaformula @vali_and_co @apolina_kids @manifestowoman @folpetto_swim @bonordic @catkinkids @littleborn @sisiandseb @binibamba @thesimplefolkco @kittyclogssweden @belhonore @elhee_france @71bis @smartmatkids @maisonjuli @intemporels.baby.knits @minilamode @cutecouturelondon @ollie_jays @risurisuparis @_deuxlapins_ @tilian.kids @thenatty.co @tajinebanane @omibianatural @igrowco @laustineyourdreams @annafielondon @shoppretago @princessandthecake @atticusandgilda @katewoodscrafts @kamsokids @luna.and.river @rainerandbear @finandzee @at.london @marlonandlittlefriends @cherry_bandits @nousetpaname @baininbaby @beabondworld @bulb_london #theshopup #london #londonmarkets #chelsea #oldtownhallchelsea #kidsshopping #shopindependent #shoplocal #supportthemakers
55 minutes ago
Time for some baking? Head to stories and choose a delicious Autumnal recipe from our top fifteen! #babyccinokids #babyccinoeats #bakingwithchildren
9 hours ago
Conker spiderwebs! This is an oldie but a goodie, perfect for a weekend craft, manageable for little hands but also extremely entertaining for bigger ones. And it’s quite an addictive thing to do! You’ll need : Conkers Wooden skewers Any sharp tool like pointy scissors to make a little hole in the conkers Yarn Scissors Make 5 evenly spread out holes in the conkers. Push the skewers in the holes so they are tightly inserted. Choose a yarn to start with. With a flat knot, secure the yarn around one of the skewers. Start weaving by twisting around each skewer before you go to the next one. If you want to start a new colour, just knot the yarn around a skewer to secure it, and tie the new colour to the next skewer. Keep going until you’re happy. Lovely idea from @estherbabyccino #conkers #babyccinocrafts #babyccinokids
1 day ago
Check out our giveaway a few posts back with the stylish & functional @hauptlihauskids. So many uses, and #cradletocradle approved too! Only a few hours left so act soon.
2 days ago
About a year ago, Courtney shared a selection of Wilkie’s favourite picture books, many of which are still on rotation as his favourite bedtime reads. But he’s beginning to enjoy the slightly longer stories now. She snapped a photo of his current go-to books, most of them he can pretty much read to himself because he’s read them at least 100 times! What are your favourite kid books for nearly two year olds? @courtneyadamo
2 days ago
We love open-ended, evergreen and heirloom toys here at Babyccino. Shannon recommends these beautifully made wooden vehicles from @faguswoodentoys which her children love. They are sturdy, clever, and so pretty to look at. More on our blog! @slcorlis #babyccinokids #babyccinoplays #evergreentoys
3 days ago
Giveway! To celebrate the new @hauptlihauskids collection, we are giving away a pack of FIVE new Nuscheli (one of each beautiful colour!) to one lucky winner! To enter, please follow @babyccinokids and @hauptlihauskids and tag a friend in the comments. Multiple entries are allowed, so tag ALL of your friends (one comment per tag please)! We absolutely LOVE these Nuscheli for our kids, they are so versatile: bibs, wipes, bandanas, handkerchiefs, travel cloths.. we use them for anything! This giveaway is open worldwide and will end on Nov. 15th at 5PM GMT. The winner will be announced in the comments on the 16th of September. Good luck!!! This giveaway is not sponsored by Instagram. You must be 18 years or older to enter. #babyccinokids #babyccinoboutiques #hauptlihauskids #nuscheli #familyessentials
4 days ago
Don’t miss it!! The ShopUp is in less than three weeks (Dec 1 & 2!) and we have amazing activities and brands lined up. It is going to be AWESOME! Pop over to @theshopup to follow all of the lovely shops joining us this year and the activities we’re lining up! Fun for the entire family, and find gifts for babies and children but for mamas too!! @hungermama @estherbabyccino #theshopup #babyccinokids @nelliequats @lotsoflovelyart @vali_and_co @folpetto_swim @bonordic @catkinkids @littleborne @manifestowoman @f.a.u.n.e @sisiandseb @binibamba @apolina_kids @thesimplefolkco @kittyclogssweden @almaformula @belhonore @elhee_france @71bis @smartmatkids @maisonjuli @intemporels.baby.knits @minilamode @cutecouturelondon @ollie_jays @risurisuparis @_deuxlapins_ @tilian.kids @thenatty.co @tajinebanane @omibianatural @igrowco @laustineyourdreams @annafielondon @shoppretago @princessandthecake @atticusandgilda @katewoodscrafts @kamsokids @luna.and.river @rainerandbear @finandzee @at.london @marlonandlittlefriends @cherry_bandits @nousetpaname @baininbaby
5 days ago
Have you ever made ‘stained glass’ with your children? Lara is showing us how to create this beautiful art and make it seasonal using fall leaves. So pretty! Check out the link in our profile to see the (easy!) how to. @laraoflondon #babyccinokids #babyccinocrafts
6 days ago
Read the amazing, beautiful story of Maya of @playinchoc on our blog today! ️ We love the deliciously creamy @playinchoc chocolates (entirely vegan and allergy free) — children LOVE to collect the little surprises that come with the chocolates. There’s a fun advent calendar too! (And all of the packaging is fully recycled and recyclable / compostable, and entirely plastic free.) #babyccinokids #babyccinoboutiques #babyccinointerviews
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
2 years ago
Check out the cool vibes of our Shop Up event in London in December!
2 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!
2 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.
3 years ago