Tell me a Picture (Quentin Blake)

My favourite subject at school was History of Art – I loved finding out the stories behind a picture and I loved how the more you looked, the more you saw.  I’ve spoken before (here) about taking my kids to art exhibitions in the hope that I can inspire some of my interest to rub off on them and I recently discovered this book which is particularly helpful in my mission.

Back in 2001 Quentin Blake curated an exhibition for the National Gallery called ‘Tell Me a Picture’ and this is the book that accompanied it.  He chose 26 paintings that he personally liked and he curates them alphabetically to ensure they are all treated equally.  He invites us to look at them, ask questions and discover them for ourselves.  The exhibition was introduced by a collection of children, whom Blake drew onto the walls next to the paintings and who told you the name of the artist and maybe the painting too and themselves gave you their point of view “well I feel sorry for the dragon. What has it done to deserve that?” (about ‘Saint George & The Dragon’ by Paolo Uccello) to start you off with your own views and questions.  These characters have made it into this book and for every painting there is a Blake illustration of children already discussing it – it makes for a charming conversation to have with your own children.

This book is not heavy on facts about the paintings chosen (there is a short paragraph about each painting and where the painting can be found at the back of the book).  The paintings have been printed full page to allow us, the readers, to properly study them and make up our own minds – this is more an exercise (or adventure as Blake puts it) at learning to look at art and it’s great fun!

This book is available to buy here in the UK or here in the US.

-Mo. x

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Last-Minute Holiday DIY: Christmas Tree Ornament

December hasn’t been on my side too much this year. I came down with a really bad cold and my immune system has crashed completely. But I’m finally feeling better after a few long weeks and even though Christmas is behind us already (can you believe it?!) we just started with our December crafts. Holidays have only started and I wanted to squeeze in one last fun DIY before the new year. It’s such a darling one and done in a few minutes. I hope you like it.

Things you need:
Green fleece
Red fleece/felt
Small wooden beads
Nylon thread
Thick needle

First take the green fleece and cut a few (about 5-8) round pieces each different size. Now cut a star out of red fleece (I used the Magic Pen to draw one on first).

Tie a knot around one bead and leave a little thread, don’t cut it.

Thread a few more beads (about 5-7) on the top of the first bead and tuck in the excess thread. This is the trunk of the tree.

Now make a hole in the middle of each round green piece using a thick needle. Sometimes you need to do this step two or three times.

Pass the thread through the hole and add one bead on the top.

Repeat this step until you come to the last round piece.

Make two holes through the star and pass the thread through both of the holes.

Voila! Now you only need to make a loop at the end, cut away the excess but leave a tiny bit of it and burn the end so it doesn’t untie.

That is it. So simple and so cute, aren’t they?

Ps. Wouldn’t they look great as a part of present decoration?

I wish you all amazing holidays and the most magical New Year!

-Polona

To read more from Polona, go to her cute blog Baby Jungle!

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December giveaways!

We hope you’ve all had a wonderful, restful holiday week. We’ve been enjoying some treasured time with our families this week, and some rare (and much needed) time off our computers. We hope you have too! Before it’s too late, we quickly wanted to remind you about the giveaways for December. Santa may have come and gone, but these lovely prizes make perfect presents any time.

Storytime is a wonderful magazine for kids with fabulous stories, gorgeous illustrations, puzzles and games. (Oh, and their subscriptions make a great last-minute present idea too!) They’ve put together a bumper festive pack of story goodies worth over £100 to give away to one lucky winner!

LexyPexy is giving away £50 vouchers for their site to two lucky winners! Take your pick from their stylish, fun, eco-friendly, USA-made teethers and toys.

Bryony and Co. is giving away a complete outfit to one very lucky winner! You can win a full-skirted Martha red check dress, a classic navy lurex cardigan and a red check hair bow! How perfect for the season!

Sapling make luxuriously soft organic cotton babywear featuring exclusive designs. They’re making one mama or papa very happy with £100 worth of store credit this month!

You can see all the prizes here and entering is super easy. Good luck!

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Llamas!

My friend Lisa just sent me a link to Larry the Llama at Land of Nod with a note telling me it reminded her of the fluffy llamas we recently saw in Santa Cruz, Chile. Yes!! It’s so true! How cute is Larry?! The perfect little ride-on toy/decór object! It makes me wish I had children’s bedrooms to decorate right now.

Speaking of llamas, there is also this cute wooden llama rattle from Brimful shop…

This organic cotton shirt with llama print from Waddler…

…and this buttoned vest from HBB Industria Argentina!

Thank you, Lisa, for inspiring a bit of late-night random web searching for llamas! : ) (And woohoo for finally having wifi again after three weeks without it!) Happy almost Christmas everyone.

Courtney xx

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Christmas Eve at The Mellops’, written by Tomi Ungerer

I recently read an article on the Icelandic tradition of gifting a book on Christmas Eve and then spending the evening reading it. Isn’t it such a lovely idea? The thought of each of us cosying up on Christmas Eve with the fire lit and the tree lights sparkling, reading a new book is just perfect to me. It is a tradition which I’d like to begin this year and with so many gorgeous Christmassy books out there it’s such an easy tradition to adopt.

One book I recently picked up from Caramel Baby & Child is Christmas Eve at The Mellop’s. It’s a rather quirky read with such a fine moral. When each of the young Mellop pigs decide to spring a surprise on their father in finding a tree for the house they are dismayed upon their return only to find their father already has one. They make a group decision to gift their trees to the hospital, to the local orphanage and to the prison. However, each of these places already has one. It’s only until they come across a poor child in the street who’s family is less fortunate and so the pigs find the finest place for the trees.

Written and illustrated by French man Tomi Ungerer the illustrations are bold and humorous, and his use of only three colours gives the book a warm calming spirit.

Still available from Caramel Baby & Child and also from Amazon (US) and Amazon (UK).

Happy Holidays!!
Vanessa xx

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A weekend in… Marseille

Living in continental Europe has the distinct advantage that our next adventure is probably only a few hours away by train. I love picking up a magazine and a coffee, waiting for our train to arrive, settling into my seat with a good book and seeing the French countryside flash by.

Marseille, France’s second largest city is about three hours away from Paris. It is such an easy journey right from the centre of Paris and when you step out of the train, you truly are on holiday. Now, Marseille used to have a bit of a bad rep which is quickly disappearing and for good reason: it is a seriously amazing place to visit.

We went at the very end of October and still got to swim in the sea! The nature around Marseille is stunning and we did not even hire a car, we explored everything with the local buses.

So here is a little list of the things we loved about Marseille:

On arrival we walked straight into the Tourist Office (something I do every time on arriving in a new city). I explained what we wanted to do and was given all the information we needed – I love, love French Tourist Offices.

We stayed with friends close to la Plage des Catalans, a local beach which is in  walking distance from the city centre. It is by no means the most beautiful beach I have ever been to, but the kids jumped straight into the water. If you can imagine that they had come straight off a train from rainy, cold Paris – it was paradise to them. The restaurant on the beach serves descent pasta and pizza and a cheeky glass of rosé.

The next day we packed a picnic and took 2 local buses out of Marseille to hike over to one of the Calanques, the bus ride took about 20 minutes. It was a beautiful trip – a great hike through a forest and hills and then the reward of a beautiful inlet with crystal blue water.

The last day we explored the city. Marseille’s old harbour has recently been redone. There is an amazing new museum called the MuCEM, specialising in Mediterranean culture right on the water front that you access via the old castle walls. We spent a whole afternoon there, exploring the grounds and the exhibits and the nearby cathedral – the setting is phenomenal.

We bought fresh seafood off the fishermen in the old port to cook at home and also went for a final swim as it was impossible to keep the kids out of the water for the very last time before the start of winter.

It was so simple and easy and fun! I really recommend it to anyone needing a break (can I point out that a lot of the above photos were taken on the 1st of November!!).

Emilie

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Ida Pearl — The Moon is going to Addy’s House

When we were in NY for our ShopUp event recently, I had the pleasure of meeting the beautiful Ida Pearl, artist, writer, violinist and illustrator. Ida and I had a long chat, and we experienced that funny but special click people sometimes have when they have just met each other — that feeling of comfort, as if you have known each other for a long time.

Ida told me about becoming a mum, about the recent loss of her dad, and about the long journey of writing her beautiful book The Moon is going to Addy’s House. She told me it took her over five years to create this book — based on a simple story, a beautiful memory — simple, but by itself so strong it sums up everything about Ida’s loved, cherished, secure and safe childhood.

The Moon is going to Addy’s House is a playful story about a little girl and her sister, on the way to their country home in the back of their car, playing hide and seek with the moon, which is following them in the sky above. It’s a sweet story my children love — they love the familiarity, they love pointing to the moon and the other sweet illustrations. But there’s also something soothing, more extensive about this book: the deep, thoughtful illustrations, so sensitive in their straightforwardness, and the fact that the moon is always there, as a metaphor for parental love and consistency. I think this is what makes this sweet book so relevant as only a classic can ever be.

Definitely a recommendation, and if you are a parent who sadly once lost a parent, this book will emanate a feeling of comfort and familiarity for you as well.

xxx Esther

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Two books by Ruth Krauss & Maurice Sendak

I had my first child over eight years ago and can’t believe I didn’t find these books until this year – I know I will buy them for every baby born from here on out!!!  In fact I want to buy them for every Mum I know – knowing the enjoyment they will get from reading these little curiosities.

I’ll be You and You Be Me is a collection of observations and odd little poems that feel injected with child’s perspective – you know when your kid says something so sweet – which is not quite right, a bit muddled but perfect and actually strangely insightful?  Those things we all say we should write down to remember (I try but most of the time forget by the time paper and pencil are to hand).  This book feels like it is made up of those things.  Ruth Krauss’s writing and ideas is the closest I have ever experienced to capturing the beauty of children’s imagination.  And to be accompanied by Maurice Sendak!!!  His small, sweet illustrations are perfectly fitting.

My favourite observation in the book is on love; “love is they could push you down in the grass and it doesn’t even hurt – love is the same as like only you spell them different – only more of the same, sort of – Love has more stuff in it! Love is you give them a leg off your gingerbread man. No, two legs, And the head!” Isn’t that just so right?!

A Hole is to Dig is a book of first definitions.  Imagine asking kids what a face is for?  well, “a face is for making faces” – of course!!!! This book is full of those kind of definitions – just as a child would see the world!  To that effect grown-ups will love these books almost more then the children – young children may just think it is all very accurate!!! However my 6 and 8 year old howl with laughter at some of the definitions: Hands: “are to hold” or “to hold up when you want you turn”, A Package: “is to look inside” and Mashed Potatoes: “are to give everybody enough”.  But there are also some very very true observations that I guess we would all agree with Children: “are to be loved”.

I’ll Be You and You Be Me is available in the UK here and the US here.

A Hole is to Dig is available in the UK here and the US here.

Mo. x

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Our Third London ShopUp: Day 2

We started day two of the ShopUp with more sold-out workshops from The Mamahood! The wreath-making workshop with Bloom & Wild (seen below) was a particular hit!

We love The Mamahood’s mission to build community amongst mums in their local communities. We are looking forward to watching them expand over the next few years!

Once the workshops finished, Santa resumed his place in his grotto. His schedule was quite full of excited children (and hesitant babies!), but he still found time to charm us all with songs and jokes, and even down a few mince pies from the cafe!

 

We had so much fun meeting all the shoppers who came from far and wide to visit our amazing shops! Given the number of bags we saw them leaving with, it seems that they had fun as well!

   

  

Another big thank you to our major sponsors who supported this event: Eve Mattress, The London Gifting Studio, and Childcare.co.uk. It was a pleasure working with each of you!

Now to start planning our spring event in L.A.!

Thank you to Sarah Winborn for the beautiful photos! We can’t wait to see the video she is working on for us as well!

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Our Third London ShopUp: Day 1

We were thrilled to see so many of you at our third London ShopUp! We truly couldn’t have been happier with how it all went. We had some of the absolute best children’s shops in the world join us, and they were each truly spectacular — so many beautiful products. (You can see a full list of who joined us by clicking here.)

This year’s ShopUp also brought us a wide array of fun and festive activities. The kids loved the beautiful, interactive Christmas trees that Starting With Art dreamed up.

Adults and kids alike loved the braid bar from Ruuby!

Thank you to those of you helped to support our charity beneficiary, mothers2mothers. They were there wrapping gifts and chatting about the amazing “Mentor Mothers” they work with in sub-Saharan Africa who are trained, employed, and empowered to teach other mothers how to prevent the spread of HIV. If you missed the opportunity to support this incredible organisation, you can do so now by clicking here! Donating as little as £3 can make a real difference in the lives of these women.

Perhaps our favourite addition to this year’s ShopUp was Father Christmas! He was with us both Thursday and Friday and was, by far, the best Father Christmas we have ever seen (obviously because he was the REAL Santa!). He listened intently to each child, asking questions, clarifying gift requests, and posing for photos both from parents and from our elf with an instant camera.

It is no surprise that Santa’s elves did some shopping at Hedgehog in preparation for Santa’s visit to the ShopUp. Their classic toys are always a hit with kids of all ages!

Santa’s beautiful paper flower backdrop was from the talented women behind the Paper Flower Wedding who handmade each of these gorgeous flowers! His furniture was lent to us from sofa.com (who can still get a beautiful new couch to you in time for Christmas!).

We want to give a massive thank you to all of our sponsors who helped make this event such a success. A particularly large thank you goes out to our major sponsors: Eve Mattress, The London Gifting Studio, and Childcare.co.uk. We had so much fun getting to know Eve Mattress and The London Gifting Studio who were able to join us at the event.

Also a massive thank you to (the adorable) Nina Weinreich who provided bubbles for us on Thursday evening! The Weinreich wines are so deliciously flavourful, and we always love seeing Nina!

If you can believe it, this was only a recap of day one! We have another post on the second day coming to you soon, so stay tuned!

Thank you to Lesley Colvin who supplied us with all these gorgeous photos!

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