Two shops that stock an astonishing array of ecclectic, unusual and enchanting gifts, party supplies, crafts and decor for the more particular child.
a random selection from the treasure trove at Mes Habits Cheris - (pictured above)
Lark - always full of vintage, cuteness and kitchness.
This is a great idea- more fun, less waste and clutter. Join Spark-box toys and they will send you a box of personalised and developmentally appropriate toys for your child play with and return once they have new interests. All the toys are beutifully crafted, always safe and clean and selected for its engaging and educational qualities. Lean all about it here. I think it would be a great new baby gift.
sample boxes for a 24 month and 12 month old.
We love Giddy Giddy and have featured Teri Demalanta's crafty ideas and sweet hair clips and bags (check out the cute octopus bag above!) in many issues of Small and Smaller. You can see her DIY snow globe postcard for issue 19 here
As well as the barettes and bags they are known for, Giddy Giddy also has adorable hats, headbands and gift cards. All perfect to give away now or keep a collection on hand for birthday gifts.
You can also check out Teri's blog jpournal of creativity.
wee gallery for all kinds of art specifically designed for babies. We like the wall chart picturedon the left.
becky bauer for fabulous cushions, card, ceramics and prints. top right
famille summerbelle for all kinds of cool decor, hand screened prints and papercuts. Check out their printed paper cut city maps here. So cool!
Molly-meg- the wonderful vintage children's chair shop has expanded into a full design shop for kids. I found the little children wall art there by Zoe de la Cases. Zoe is a French illustrator and designer with all kinds of lovely art. accessories and paper toys on her website. I love these paper dolls and tiny fold up paper shops.
So sad! Moomah the shop and craft class spot is closing March 1st. If you are in New York you still have a chance to get down there- it is such a lovely place to go with a little one. They are going to reappear in a another incarnation but in the mean time they have great prints by Jacquline Schmidt (you can read our interview with her here) and art kits in their Etsy shop
All kinds of hanging designs at Bride and Wolfe
Wall art and mobiles at Petit Collage
Heath Ceramics is one of California's last remaining midcentury era potteries of dinnerware and tile. There online shop stocks their own products as well as many other homewares and table wares made by ethical and small scale producers. Heath Ceramics are bringing out a new range of bright and beautifully made and designed table wear and topys for kids. You can see the full range here.
This year in their stocking each of my kids recieved organic toothpaste and a cute toothbrush by Jack and Jill. The toothpaste comes in five delicious fruit flavors. The paste is 100 per cent natural and completely safe for kids, so it is not a problem if (or more usually- when) they end up swallowing it. Once the toothbrush is ready to be replaced you can snap off the head and recycle the handle in the compost. Jack and Jill is an Australian family run company but they ship all over the world. Small steps to a healthier world!
Have a wonderful day.
take a look at the personalised kiddiboxes by Tiphaine Verdier Mangan
Lots of lovely new stocking stuffers and gifts at Coral and Tusk. You can also read our interview with founder and designer Stephanie Houseley in issue 19 of Small
Glædelig jul is Merry Christmas in Danish- maybe I shoudld be typing it in Swedish...I am not sure. Either way these decorations give a lovely Scandinavian feel.
Waxed hand printed bunting by Mangle Prints
Nativity scene at Fjorn Scandinavian
Screen printed stockings from Jane Foster
My clever sister Madeleine has just finished her hand painted animal alphabet. Available as a poster, book or name plates from her Etsy store - The Academy of Gentle Arts
Have you seen Judy Kaufmanns wonderful work? Judy is based in Barcelona and believes their should be less of a division between graphic and fine art. She has great orignal art, t-shirts and more on her sites and also does custom and comissioned work.
You can find her prints for sale in her etsy shop and you can see more of her work on her website and find out even more about her on her blog
Why wear a beanie when you can be crowned! Sequinned bonnets from LouLou Eskimo. Very beautiful clothes, bed linen and photography on their website.
So many beautiful clothes and accessories, including this bonnet, at Les Zigous.
One of the many Birdskull headpieces at Thumbeline
Feathered headress from C Sathal Boutique. All kinds of lovely acessories there.
Puppet plays are so much fun. We have been making shadow theatres in our house recently. By backlighting a white curtain you have a super simple and very effective shadow stage.
Wanneke has new marionettes here. Two Sad Donkeys make huggable marionettes from felt- find them here and if you prefer the magic of shadows, we love the ones at Owly Shadow Puppet shop here
ghost with removable mask and moose accessories from Ouef. They also have lots of other great knitted tails and ears.
You can find every kind of super hero accessorie at Katies Capes. Pictured is the bat mask
Hand felted animal masks from Kalon Studio.
Donna Wilson has new products out and everything is lovely. You can admire it all here and find her shop here
We were lucky enough to have Julia Staite do the illustrated fashion story in the Issue 17. We loved the circus themed images she mad and now they are availble for sale in her etsy shop. If you click over there you will find - alongside her prints and stationary - these very cute alphabet blocks
Not all fairies are pink!
Left- Eternal Creations. You will also find lots of 100percent cotton brightly colored and ethically made sleep wear and clothes on their site.
Right- Sarah's Silks rainbow silk wings.
There is so much great jewellry around we decided ot show you a little more.
Anna Artmann has just put out a new range of jewellry, for adults or kids. She started with a line of delicate stars and hearts, and then did personailised sillohuettes and has now produced a gorgeous bunch of creatures. I would love to have all four and be able to wear them togehter. They are all handmade in her tiny workshop in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany, using only the finest materials- 925 silver - partially dyed using no chemicals at all - and very strong natural silk. The silk wont rip, but to has a saftey clasp to make it safe for children.
head over to the Renegade Craft fair in Brooklyn today and tomorrow to pick up some original mimi kirchner tattoed dolls, little hero capes, hand made plush toys from zoogu, wooly baby upcycled booties (see our post on 9th) Screech owl prints and cards (see our post on the 8th) woolies from pipsqueak chapeau and tons more of our favorite designers and makers. See the full list here.
I have always dressed my girl in boys clothes and the boys all have very long hair but for now I am being very color coded!
onesie by Kit + Lili
rabbit by rabbit rabbit softie
blanket by pink chicken
reuseable wall stickers from mae
toy bus made form recycled skateboards at boardgames
organic soap from babybear shop
booties by wooly baby
From Double Merrick - a new limited edition print of La Terre. The beautiful La Lune poster (and many others) is also available in their shop (in A3 size only).
Karamba toys are hand made by Magda Bielecka in Poland. Exceptionally quirky and full of character her little people are made to be brooches, puppets or free standing toys.
what inspires you to create your toys?
Ideas usually come unexpectedly pulling my sleeve and shouting at the same time: ‘ It’s my turn now, I’m to be sewn now! I sew KARAMBA! toys as a kind of continuation, advance and extension of my childhood.
I hope they bring fun and play to everyone who comes across them.
Dragon in a cave from the Play Store
Wooden sword with leather pouch and natural wood Sheild from Birch Leaf Designs
Castle wall blocks from Romp
Knight dress ups from Wovenplay at Acorn
(all four of these stores are great resources for imaginative and well made toys and gifts)
Kico Kids is having a huge sample sale with up to 80% off. We love Kicokids and feature their unique and stylish designs in Small when ever we can. They also have terrific pencil kits which make great gifts so it's a great time to stock up!
when: December 2nd and 3rd
where: number 3 Ninth Avenue at the corner of Gansevoort St in the Meatpacking district.
contact: [email protected] or 212 675 5426 (please note- its a walkup so strollers will have to be left downstairs)
Advent Calendars are a great way to answer the "how many more days to Christmas" question. Here are four of our favorites, all reusable year after year. We have copied the stories of how these designs came about from each site - lovely little stories.
Sweet Petunia "Twenty five 2" x 2" boxes have been decorated with Christmas retro feeling paper, then numbered to help you count down the days to Christmas. They are ready to be filled with whatever your heart desires. The boxes are attached to hefty chipboard and hung with a ribbon. The lids are fully removable so if you want to mix up the days for more of a scavenger hunt you can. The last thing we need is more mass produced advent calendars going into landfills after this holiday season. I believe that this will become a lasting part of your families holiday tradition."
Happy Thoughts Pdf Pattern. Emails within 24 hours direct to your inbox! So stylish no one will know you were last minute! Check out their super cool Christmas garlands and reindeer decorations too.
Peppermint Pinwheels "When I was little, my family had a handmade advent calendar in the shape of a Christmas tree with little hooks on the branches and a special little toy that was hung on each hook every day until Christmas morning. I remember how exciting it was hanging up my toy, knowing every day I was one day closer to Christmas. This year, I decided to make a new advent calendar. This calendar is designed to look like festive holiday bunting, but each of the 25 pennant triangles is a fully lined, button enclosed pouch, perfect for small presents or candy."
Nouveau Design "I remember my family having an advent calendar while I was growing up and I was always so excited to open a new window each day in December until Christmas. I have decided to make my own, featuring my digital illustration of some shop fronts, inspired by the quaint little shops in Amsterdam. Windows and doors are numbered 1-25, and reveal a tiny symbol of Christmas behind each one.
This calendar is printed on thick watercolor paper, which gives a nice texture to the print and a substantive quality to the overall piece. The print is then mounted with strong adhesive spray to a white foam core board. I have tried to make this calendar sturdy enough to be used year after year and hopefully it can become an anticipated tradition during the holiday season."
If you are a fabric addict like us, Sew Mama Sew is going to be impossible to resist. Their collection of fabrics, especially their Japanese imports, is perfectly selected to inspire big ideas for future sewing projects. You can justify picking up all that new fabric by also collecting a few patterns by Oliver + S or the many others in their shop to make up some new outfits for yourself or your little ones.
As well as fabric, patterns, tutorials and gifts you can check out their blog for wonderful handmade gift ideas. Each year they do a round up on their blog of the best hand made ideas for the holidays. You can see last years collection here or keep checking in for new great ideas for this year including the hand made fabric wings we featured in our summer issue.
jewelry and accessories for biggies and littlies..
Hand dyed Fried Kahlo clips by Soil
rabbit necklace by atsuyo et akiko at Pink Olive
crochet rose clip by Wren Handmade
color wheel bracelt by Nest Pretty Things Tamar
lamb necklace by Little Lamb
pink flower brooch and blue flower hair comb by A Alicia Accessories
yellow crocheted flower clip by Two Seaside Babes
You can find some of our favorite handmade Halloween costumes in the Fall issue of Small. There were so many more we wanted to share with you that we will keep featuring them here over the next month.
First up from Ouef- Halloween costumes with staying power. There woolly hats are cute all winter and its always fun to wear a tail. Pictured above are the 'little devil' tail and hat and the 'wild thing' tail and knitted crown. Team them with a leggings and long sleeved tee, or a one piece suit and you are ready to go. All Oeufs products are eco-friendly and hand made sustainably under fair trade in Bolivia.
We love puppets and here are a few our favorites.
man and woman finger puppets- Pintassilgo Prints
Morskoi Tsar laser cut puppet -Isabellas Art
Zebra drinking a Martini - Crank Bunny
Owl - Pin Pals
Bear- Shak-Shula
Dinosaur shadow puppet- Monkeytail and Wellington (Buy
3 or more single shadow puppets and a Shadow Puppet Theater Screen, and
get the screen for just $10.00. Pick up the discount code on their site and enter at purchase.)
Owl hand puppet- Romp
Crackle bath and green bath tint
Lalabee Oragnic Sweet Orange Bubble Bath
QED Customised scent Skin care - Bath bubbles
Handmade cotton Bamboo baby wash cloths
Scrubbies bath toys and appliques -BPA and Phthalate free
Frankie magazine is an Australian bi-monthly based in Australia. Super funny, stylish, sarcastic and engaging, Frankie also occasionally puts out irresistible cookbooks. First came Afternoon Tea and now they have published Sweet Treats. Some of these sweets you will not have seen for decades but all the old favorites are collected here, beautifully photographed and laid out.
I noticed that some of the recipes call for Copha Butter which is really hard to find outside of Australia so if you need some you can stock up on it online here and store it in the freezer for years.
Pick up Sweet Treats and Afternoon Tea from the lovely Lark
We came across Twirling Betty when we were looking for summer accessories for our 'The Waters Edge' shoot in the last issue. Christen sent us lots of caps but we could only send back a few as the models and crew each wanted one to keep after they tried them on. So we bought a bunch on the spot and handed them out. Easy to carry in a bag and put on when the sun comes out, these caps are stylish, cute and very convenient. Leave a comment below about the caps and Christen will select one and send a cap in the mail to you.
One lucky reader will be
picked at random and notified by e-mail. The winners name will be
posted the following Monday.
Our winner last week (picked by random.org) was comment 53 - Megan Sanchez! Congratulations Megan.
After much consideration (and requests from our readers), Small is excited to announce that every Monday we will be giving something special away. Hooray!!
To help kick off this new event, Misha Lulu generously gave us their Ocean Dress. This super cute dress is made of a linen/cotton blend fabric and is available in a size 2-4-6-8.
All you have to do is post a comment before the weekend on what inspires you the most about this line.
Good Luck!
1 lucky reader will be picked at random and notified by e-mail. The winners name will also be posted the following Monday.
If you are a maker or designer interested in participating in our Small Giveaway email us [email protected]
Small had a great time and met some really talented artists in
Austin, TX so we decided to check out the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, NY too.
It did not disappoint! Besides thoroughly enjoying ourselves at the Lotta Jansdotter for
Rowenta DIY craft booth, here are some other fun and beautiful things we
wanted to share.
Michiko Shimada - we loved the life like apple trinket box and banana salt/pepper shakers
Small Object - adorable painted figures and we love her blog too
Coral and Tusk- no matter how many time we see her stuff....we swoon.
kg+ab - we loved all the glass dome enclosed animals and the mixed nuts!
Bobo Babushka- Irene was born in Taiwan and bred a New Yorker and now has moved to Australia. She was just in the US for a visit and the fair. We loved everything about her fantastically detailed nesting dolls. She covers everything and can custom anything. Our kids couldn't get enough. You can see much more of the detail on her website.
A few others we loved were..........
Little Korboose -gorgeous alphabet poster
Gold Teeth Brooklyn for prints and jewelry..and their very cool name!
Mimi Kirchner for her creepy and charming dolls
Forest Bound for durable tote bags made from salvaged materials.
And Julianna Swaney at the Shiny Squirrel
little pink rose earrings (Tamar Schecner of Nested Decorating has a lovely new etsy shop. Perfect when you are looking for gifts for any girly-girls in your life.)
baby shoes
Here is a bit more about one of our favorite new ideas from last year. Brooklyn based husband and wife team, Dennis and Kelsey started Stomping Ground after volunteering to take the school photos at their daughter's co-operative nursery. By involving the kids and letting them bring something of themselves to the session, they discovered the school photo could become a treasured image that really captures the child's spirit. The nursery school parents were so happy with the portraits Dennis and Kelsey realized they were onto something. 'We’ve found the way to bring high quality children’s portraiture to people at an affordable price is to create the work in the child’s world -- in school. And because of the economy of scale, we are able to offer great prices,” says Kelsey.Stomping Ground’s focus is on schools whose administration wants to offer parents an alternative to the status quo. The photos are unlike any “school picture” you’ve ever seen. Stomping Ground shoots on clean, bold backgrounds and their portraits
honor the individuality of children. “We treat kids with respect and collaborate with them,” says Dennis.
Stomping Ground offers Open Studio Days throughout the year for the public where mini-sessions can be booked at a discount. They have one coming up May 22nd and May 23rd in DUMBO Brooklyn. If you are going to be in New York you can visit their website to book your half hour mini session at a discount. Dennis also accepts private commissions for family environmental portraiture.
When: May 22nd and 23rd 9.45am- 4.30pm
Where: Rabbit Hole Studio, 33 Washington Street Dumbo.
Please visit information page on their website to make a booking.
Brooklyn Design Market is going on this weekend at St Ann's Warehouse, 38 Water Street in Dumbo. We went last year and it was a lot of fun and very inspirational. This year there will be a plenty of live music and a kids lounge featuring fun, functional, and fabulous childrens’ furniture by BKLYN DESIGNers. There will be crafts and free 100% biodegradable balloons for the kids. Some of the designers included are Colleen and Eric, Argington, Casakids (there is an interview with Roberto Gil in the last issue of Small) all pictured above. Pictured below is a sample of the funky and very bright wall paper from Flavor Paper, amazing furniture from Hugh Hayden and Katie Vitale and narrative wall paper from Grow House Grow.
image above: a child's drawing and the rug it was made into.
One of our readers, Nayla Ventura, just wrote to us about her new project. We thought it was such a great idea we wanted to share it with you. Nayla told us how she has always been a big carpet lover. 'I find it so
cozy warm to have my floors covered in “art” I or people I love made.' For her it
is like walking through memories. As she sees it 'people see their floors all the time, so why not make them
completely personal, just like we do with our walls?'
Nayla has arranged so anyone can order a
rug in the size and shape they want and, most importantly, in the
design they send in. Children's drawings make the most amazing carpets
(and not only for a children bedroom)! They can also choose between having
the rug pile all at one height or with several elements at a higher or lower
pile, which gives it a relief or a hollow effect. Their rug will be
handmade in the best New Zealand wool, only once and only for them. The
wool will be dyed especially for that one carpet in the colors of the
design and then handtufted following the drawing. About 10 weeks later, their completely customized carpet will arrive at their home. No child labor involved in any
part of the production process and this is certified by the Rugmark
Foundation.
Nayla is Spanish and now lives in Germany with her husband and baby girl, but Carpetzz
ships worldwide (and is also very reasonably priced!). We will definitely be getting one!
Bunny Mobile by Flensted Mobiles
Bunny Pillow by Fauna
Bunny Broach by Chikagraphy
Lewis Poster by Le Train Fantome and Elisabeth Dunker
Some simple craft projects for Valentines day...or just for the love!
Love shadow box, heart softie and Valentines day place-mat from Moomah
For a weekly dose of easy creative kids crafts, including valentines day ideas like this heart tree, sign up to Kids Craft Weekly and have it delivered to your inbox.
Jumpin' Juliet party favor from Mahar Dry Goods
Crayon shaving heart decals from Fuzzy Sheep Crafts
Matchbox treats from Jane and the Ducks
1: The awesome collective 'Doodlers Anonymous' - the home for spontaneous doodle art- has put out their first doodle coloring-in book featuring the work of 29 artists from around the world.
2: We love Moomah and the work of their art director Jacqueline Schmidt so we are super excited about the new coloring book they have put out called 'Connect with your Neighbors'. You can read more about Jacquelines diverse practice in our in depth interview here.
3: Since we are talking about independent coloring books we have to do some shameless self promotion and mention the Small Magazine Coloring Book which features the first 12 contributors to the ongoing 'small draw' series in Small. You can also download these drawings individually by clicking on 'small draw' in the tool bar above each issue of Small magazine.
4: One of our favorite illustrators, Adolie Day, is soon going to release her coloring book through the gorgeous French papeterie La Marelle. We can't wait to see it!
Mathilda's Market showcases and sells beautiful handcrafted and limited production baby and kids goods. They carefully handpick their stallholders to bring you the most divine and original clothing, accessories, homewares and toys for the little ones. Their exquisite wares are lovingly made by some of Australia's most talented crafters and designers – many of them parents themselves.
It is a wonderful resource for people looking for gifts or who want to dress their
children or decorate their kids' home environment, but don't want to
buy mass produced, chain store items.
Mathilda's Markets are held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and
Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart. Recently we had a chance to visit the Melbourne market. Although the markets are only in Australia most of the vendors have online shops so you can pick up their items anywhere. There was so much to see but here are a few stalls that we loved.
Created in West Brunswick in Melbourne,
Squirt Baby is a clothing and accessories company featuring handmade creations
catering for children 0-8 years. The range features vintage fabrics reminiscent
of the creator and designer, Fiona Heathcote’s childhood. Products include
pinafores, shift dresses, frilly shorts and cotton beanies. Pictured are the unique and
ever so gorgeous ‘Frilly shorts’ and
the ‘Sweet Tweet a-line dress’. These
colourful shorts and this simple yet stylish a-line dress have been attracting
growing interest for the company which will be expanding in 2010 to incorporate
online shopping.
Created by Alice
Harris from Carnegie in 2009 following the birth of her first child, Alice discovered
a gap in the market when trying to locate imaginative, unique and stylish
mirrors for children.
With a fine arts
background all mirrors are designed by Alice using mirrored acrylic material
which is laser cut to ensure they are child friendly and lightweight. Her
current range includes mirrored letters and customised silhouetted mirrors, as
pictured. Ally Pops
bottom right: Lad and Lass
(L&L), founded in Perth by Clara Jane Stojsavljevic, boasts a range of
beautiful artwork and interior products. The range includes lamp shades,
variety of screen prints and vinyl wallpaper made from organic soy based inks,
100% recycled papers and organic cottons.
Pictured is a range of lampshades currently available. The latest addition to these European inspired shades is the Counting birdies table shade (bottom middle) and the Wheelie Traffic light shade, a current best seller.
By purchasing Lad and Lass products you are supporting children through charities such as Starlight Foundation. Lad and Lass
Poss Bloss PVC and laminated art smocks, aprons, bibs and change mats were designed due to the need for practical and hard wearing clothing for busy children. The material choice does not substitute for style, comfort or affordability.
Smallish is a boutique bedding company stocking blankets, quilts, change mats, bibs and sheets and pillow sets. Custom made designs can be accommodated to suit individual preferences.
Scally Bags are
specifically designed ergonomic bags which support and maintain a safe and
correct posture for children. The bags, pictured, featured PVC pockets, bright
contrasting coloured materials and pockets labeled with pictures to help
children pack their bags and find objects. The bags also include innovative
designs such as expandable pockets, insulated sections and a drink bottle
pocket.
Designed and
created by Philippa Thompson 18 months ago, Magic in the Kitchen originally
consisted of aprons contrasting quirky, original printed fabrics. The range
dramatically expanded, to now include a variety of kitchen sets for children of
all years. Inspired to attract children to explore and play in the kitchen,
explore healthy food and to play alongside adults Philippa has created
children’s cooking utensils which are adult ‘like’ and made out of real
materials. Pictured is the ‘Kitchen gift set’ which comes in a variety of
colours, includes a range of utensils and to top off the pack, Philippa has
designed recipe cards unique to each pack.
Photgraphed by Jody Person
Lillibulle is a baby and children’s store in Paris that offers a large selection of handmade clothes, accessories and toys and supports independent French designers. The Christmas window displays has been created by designers Gabrielle Aznar and Les Filantes whose work I especially love, as well as the sewing and knitting kits and the indoor hopscotch which has been a family favorite for years now.
Lillibulle 3, rue de la forge royale 75011 Paris
Photos by Anne-Christelle Beauvois at Lillibulle.
Text by guest editor Irene Nam
20 percent off all Rose De Bois on the 5th and 13th of December (code St Nicholas). The shop is at 6 Rue Messonier, Paris
The wonderful annual sample sale in Dumbo. Kit+ Lili, Nochalant Mom, Bebe Sol swimmers and Lucky Fish. Pick up play clothes at a fraction of the price.
December 10th and 11th (Thursday and Friday) 10 am to 5 pm
55 Washington Street Suite 728 Brooklyn New York 11201
Supervente Crafts Market in Paris on Sunday the 6th and 13th of December. Participants include Anastasiajamin, Annabel, Clothilde, Coloriste en Herbe, Dollymix, Encore Petite, Hibou Caillou Chou, Lala Rose, L'Atelier d'une Fée, Les Ronds'Chapo, Lou Lou & Oscar, Mamzelle Drash, Mupmup.
Wish we could be there!
