I really love these bright baby ballet slippers from the mother/daughter team behind Dimmalimma Shop. They're retro-stylin' is reminiscent of the booties worn by my grandmother's doll. Yet they've been updated with snazzy colors and functional (read washable) ultra-suede fabric to make them perfect for the' [...]
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who like wicker and those who don't. Or rattan, for that matter. My family is going to be fleeing the city for the wide open spaces of the suburbs soon and I've been getting very excited about [...]
This could be the most sophisticated stocking-filler you come across this year - and its shape is just perfect for that purpose. Clementine modelling dough from Fawn & Forest contains no chemical dyes or other additives, and instead is coloured by turmeric, carmine and spinach. If [...]
The chances are that you've already heard of Three Potato Four - they are darlings of many interiors and design blogs, and have been featured a lot online. Rightly so, I should add: I count myself amongst their fans too. I regularly have dreams of giving' [...]
Typical, this, I must say: we've bought our Trunki and they've gone and brought out a new design that's even nicer than the one we chose. And now, the very quality that had us cooing - in this case, the Trunki's robustness - is beginning to [...]
Yes, it's a little bit mental, but I have to confess that it's a great idea, too: the baby-measuring sheet may actually be the most practical way of discerning your baby's growth there is.
Because really, at this age, it's not about height, it's about length, [...]
Russell & MacKenna is a small 'cottage industry' concern, located in Maryland. Their primary desire is to bring robust but witty pieces of furniture to the market, and they do so very successfully. Sadly, for many of us, the cost of a hand-crafted custom piece of furniture [...]
It's hard to believe that winter is nearly here. Of course, I'm in denial. With that in mind, I'm seeing all sorts of outdoor furniture sales and trying to capitalize on them since outdoor furniture is yet another money pit for the average homeowner. Of course, I'd' [...]
I gasped with admiration when I saw the alternative family trees from My Tree and Me - actually gasped out loud, before sending the link to a couple of friends. That's when you know something's good.
I mean, who would have thought that the family tree [...]
My child is a virtuoso procrastinator, especially when it comes to actually sitting down and eating a meal that's on the table for her - and when she does, she'll complain it's cold. So, finally, I understand the point of egg-cosies! Some might say a little discipline' [...]
When I first received my iPod Touch, I viewed it as very much an adult gadget. However, I soon found that the much-praised intuitive interface means that even the youngest of kids can get to grip with it (probably faster than the adults can, if we're brutally' [...]
I rather like the fabric designs of Aussie Saffron Craig - you may find something just perfect for your nursery curtains from her selection of hand-printed fabrics. Just like the Babygadget team, she seems to have a particular soft spot for ornithological motifs, with parrots and [...]
Need to keep your children quietly employed at an adult dinner table, while still convincing them that they're joining in with the grown-up stuff? Then bring out these dot-to-dot place mats, from Carton Chic. Sophisticated enough that the adults will want to have their own too,' [...]
In my daydreams, I'm an illustrator. I'm sure that in this parallel world, I'd still be hideously jealous of Helen Dardik and her seemingly effortless style, though. Wow. As if her finished works on Etsy aren't enough to turn me green with envy, she also keeps [...]
It's a while ago now that Swiss Miss featured the GoodbynTM lunchbox (April - wow!). I took note of it, but as is the way with these things, it took my daughter starting school to really focus my mind on the whole world of lunchboxes.
Now [...]
Lin Osborn has a simple formula for her artwork: she takes multiple photographs on a theme, and arranges them in a grid.
It was her single-colour pieces that first caught my eye for Babygadget, but when I looked closely, I saw that they were, in fact, too [...]
I'm (finally!) past the age of carrying my kids, but these Hawley Sacks almost make me want to go back! They're that fab!! Developed by an innovative, stay-at-home Mom named Kelley - who couldn't find a fashionable, affordable pack for son Hawley - they're modeled after [...]
What's cuter than a pair of ruffle pants on a baby? Nothing, that's what: thanks to Bettsy Kingston, all you have to do is choose whether you're going to buy a pattern and make your own (kit AUS $ 24.00, shipping to anywhere) or take the' [...]
I haven't seen a neoprene nappy bag before, but it seems like a good idea when you think of the likelihood of leaks from bottles and less mentionable sources. It's stain resistant, cleaned via a cold wash, and tough: one begins to wonder why all nappy bags' [...]
Swiss Miss posted about John Green's dual-purpose piece Embrace and we just have to agree with her 'Yay for adaptable furniture'. This toddler-sized table and bench, handsome as they come, converts niftily into a bench, shelf and magazine rack for the older child. This is [...]
We'd all like to be the type of parent who has craft materials on hand, as well as the imagination and the energy to supervise fabulous art projects with our children - but reality just isn't always like that. Sometimes it's good to leave it to people [...]
Perhaps not a long-term practical solution, but the Book Bound picture book shelves from Jennifer Delonge are an attractive way to display pre-schoolers' books in a way that's easy for small people to access. I imagine they'd work well for small soft toys, too. The price [...]
First-time pregnant ladies of my acquaintance have been drooling over beautiful onesies and gasping at how much they cost: it doesn't seem to help when you tell them they are likely to be changing their baby's outfit several times a day, and that after many washes, even' [...]
Well I remember the early months of our daughter's life when we would have tried anything to get her into a better sleep habit. Looking back, it's hard to know whether any of the things we did try actually worked, or whether she had some random good [...]
This is a simple idea which has been very neatly executed: Glory Daze make bags, and decorate the front panel with the fabric of your choice from their extensive gallery (my personal favourite is the 'retro' section, seen above).
Choose from four models of bag, including [...]
"Ben the Illustrator" is the enigmatically-named creator of these assured and inspirational prints. Take your pick from various positive thoughts to create a not-so-subliminal message around the house for your kids to grow up against - "Track down some colour" seems like a good [...]
Put the finishing touch to homemade clothes, or personalise the shop-bought ones you keep seeing on kids everywhere: it's cheap and easy with buttons. I'm told it's easy to cover buttons with fabric oneself, but these designs are pretty special, and the assortment on offer keeps changing.' [...]
Here are some pieces that would contribute to a very sophisticated nursery.
Animals abound in artwork made for kids, but there's something about Sarah Downer's creatures that would appeal as much to the adult eye as to the child's. Her work is unfailingly realistic, the note' [...]
I picked up this 70-piece chubby felt pen set as a treat for my daughter during a visit to the big city last week, and I just have to share. The fact that there are so many pens means that there are subtle variations of every [...]
The day I look at an image like this and don't think 'but I could make that myself' will be the day that I have lost it. Crate, wheels, bingo: the coolest children's storage device on the block.
But then, would my crate be so artfully printed? Would' [...]
Bloomsbury: one of the more exclusive areas of London, just minutes from Buckingham Palace. A mews: one of the more characterful types of street in which to live. We should probably accept that not many of us are going to afford a Bloomsbury mews house in our [...]
If you are hoping to raise an iconoclastic rebel of a child, this is just the print to hang - although, of course, you do so at your own peril. After all, how long will it be before the edict is applied to your own rules?
£35.00 [...]
Yep - you know all the care you put into making sure your own home had 'wow factor'? Now you can also apply it to your kids' toys. It's funny: when cardboard playhouses first started appearing, we got very excited at such a new concept. Now,' [...]
Little fingers will love to explore the ridged pages of In My Nest - and when they realise the little bird is a finger-puppet that they can wiggle about, joy will know no bounds.
I always enjoy books when it looks like the illustrator has enjoyed [...]
Baggy dungarees and pussy-bow-fronted marquee dresses are thankfully a thing of the past when it comes to maternity-wear, but still, it's rare to see stuff for expectant mums that is quite as downright cool as this hooded dress (also sleeveless top). No need to give [...]
While vacationing (and I use that term lightly, as those with young children know that there's really no such thing when the kids are along) with my two boys this past week, I came across these bandages from Two's Company in the "baby gift" section of [...]
Most of us are aware of the benefits of swaddling in the cause of getting your baby feeling safe and secure and thus encouraging sleep. I'll admit, though, that I never quite followed the maternity nurse's speedy actions when she showed me how, and my blanket always' [...]
Birds, mobiles, yeah, same old, same old. But wait! These babies from Petit Collage are made from laser-cut, sustainable bamboo wood and my, don't they look something? Plus, they'll last an age - perhaps as toys, after the age for mobiles has passed. Love [...]
Who knew giraffes could fit together to make such a truly excellent pattern - one that can be viewed equally well by the wearer of the http://kids.threadless.com/product/1220/babies/onesie/Such_A_Great_Height/size,?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=gg_aff&utm_campaign=k109972" target="_blank">onesie or t-shirt, no less? Not me, but then I clearly haven't been paying much attention because I didn't" [...]
It's really rare to find a children's picture book that speaks directly to the child. I don't mean that figuratively: I mean that the text uses the second person. There Are Cats In This Book, by Vivianne Schwarz, begins with one of those promised cats asking,' [...]
I'm having a hard time believing we haven't yet covered the Bloom Fresco, but multiple searches are bringing up nothing. Please correct me in the comments if you know better, because it's not that new, and it is *so* Babygadget.
Inspiration for this egg-shaped baby-seat looks [...]
An online baby store named after two children? My, how original! Hmm, but perhaps once I've seen Tania Urban's range of designs, I'll forgive Ella and Otto. Bringing together her careers in children's fashion and graphic design, Urban has created a capsule collection based around four [...]
Did you ever make your own stand-up dolls or figures when you were a kid? I did, but these look like a lot less hassle, especially for littler ones. Larger than most paper dolls, these come in A4 (foolscap) sizes, and have enough characters to act out [...]
Little Duckling is a very small-scale enterprise, putting out just a few designs for 3-months to 2-year-olds every season - but that, of course, means that you get something pretty exclusive. You won't bump into anyone else wearing these striking designs, especially if you order from' [...]
Aussie brand Three Little Trees has blended two of my favourite things this season: oriental-style shaped baby kimonos, obis, and wide pants, and bold retro prints that owe more than a nod to Orla Kiely's iconic stem print.
The two go together beautifully, somehow, to make [...]
They're going to be part of your interior decor for a couple of years, and you can take one of two approaches to stair gates. Either you accept that they're a piece of baby gear and ignore whether or not they fit in with your interior design [...]
Whoever is behind Haba's product design has a really good grasp of what kids dream of: in fact, I'm beginning to suspect they may be a kid! Just imagine the joy of this Expedition Trolley - to ride in, or fill with treasures and pull yourself.' [...]
Did you ever make your own stand-up dolls or figures when you were a kid? I did, but these look like a lot less hassle, especially for littler ones. Larger than most paper dolls, these come in A4 (foolscap) sizes, and have enough characters to act out [...]
If you like to have a tool for every purpose, the Wean Machine may appeal.
Fill it with any cooked or soft food, squeeze the handles together, and you have an instant baby-sized portion in the integral bowl. Nothing you couldn't do yourself with other kitchen implements' [...]
Lurking innocuously at the rear of this image you'll see the bunny-ear boxes from Heirloom we featured some time ago: now these glorious children's chairs and table from the same company have caught my eye. I just love the egg-yolk and white colour-scheme.' [...]
Hmm. Clearly I'm rather drawn to dragon-inspired costumes for kids. I never would have realised, but that this one - from Indian Summer Company - reminded me of the tracksuit we wrote about in July 07. And I'd still be happy with either. Well, there's' [...]
Anyone remember the colour-in skirt we featured a year ago? A skirt might be a daunting project for a pre-schooler - and there is a lot of it -so why not start easy with a smaller project like these colour-in bags from [...]
It's cute, it's humourous, it'd be as happily welcomed in the living room as the nursery. And a kid near you would be happily entertained for hours by following those trails. Yes, Donna Wilson has done it again with her BirdWalk rug. My only question' [...]
A couple of years ago, we discovered the Aden & Anais muslin swaddles. Now this Australian company has gone and done it again with their soft pre-washed sleep sack in the same great patterns and material as their swaddles. This wonderful gauzy fabric is so [...]
I admit it: I'm a sucker for all those online companies out there - usually Dutch, it seems - who take vintage fabric and repurpose them into cute little baby clothes. I've certainly featured a load of them here on Babygadget.
Bear with me one more [...]
Hot on the heels of the Baby Flash Chairfix, I now discover 3D puzzle furniture from Elin Basander André. Why, one might almost sense a trend.
This kit allows you to make a rocking chair, shelf and table. There is no need for any tools, making [...]
Of course paper boats fall into the category of toy you'd never dream of paying for: they tend to be fashioned out of chewing gum wrappers or old pieces of newspaper to while away boring train journeys or fill a need at the local pond.' [...]
The bright colours of these candy-like seats look a lot like plastic - but believe it or not, they're made of bamboo, with a high lacquer finish on the outside. When flipped over, they can be used as super-sized tubs for toys, although in my opinion they're [...]
Not all the plates available at Hunkydory Home call to me, but these three examples certainly do. Very cute.
[...]
There's something I like about the sass of these animal canvas prints, each of which comes with a little-known (or in some cases, widely known - but I didn't know about a cat's whiskers, did you?) fact. Choose from a random variety of creatures which includes' [...]
Back in March I posted about a new contender to the swinging cribs arena: the Kanoe. Now, via British baby blog Bambino Goodies, I discover the Swedish Mawok, basically another design option for the same basic swinging concept - although the Mawok also allows [...]
Surely everyone would appreciate the simple yet sophisticated design of this owl wall clock? Sadly, at £49.99, it doesn't come cheap. OK, stop me now before I riff on the 'and it doesn't GO cheep' jokes.
It's so rare to find breastfeeding gear that you'd actually voluntarily wear even if you weren't nursing, that I thought I'd share this with you. The Diva dress has a lot of features I like, from its colourways to long cuffs, and a great cut for' [...]
Simple and sweet, and made out of bamboo yarn: what could look prettier and be more comfortable on a baby's little feet than these crocheted baby shoes?
Found on Misi ("Make It, Sell It") - yes, yet another glorious makers' Etsy-a-like.
' [...]
God knows (or more like "Parent Knows") it's hard to get many kids to eat their vegetables! Why not make it easier on yourself by exposing them even before can eat. Just hang Petit Flaneur's veggies mobile over crib and watch as its gentle movements [...]
I just had to laugh when I saw this - the most full-on house-cleaning toy I've ever seen.
We all know kids love to help around the house, and a toddler-sized broom or mop is a great way to get them started on the concept of' [...]
A recent school project had us making family trees at home. The kids really loved learning about their "ancestors"; we went back several generations, a jumble of Irish, Russian, Salvadoran and Nicaraguan folk. Sarah Neuberger of The Small Object has always made CUTE products that appeal to [...]
Play gyms: brash, plastic, obnoxious bleeping things, right?
Think again. I love the restful calm of this wooden play gym from Erzi, which allows for kids to play on each side and features pears, plums, and a tree. Simple, and gorgeous.
Website Ptolemy Toys will ship [...]
My husband is the one who found this interesting Peekaru fleece baby carrier cover at Mom 4 Life a few weeks ago. As a mom who has recently re-joined the Baby Bjorn/Ergo Carrier ranks, I can absolutely see the value of this product on a [...]
I just love the sweet simplicity of Goose Grease's dolls. Pure wooden forms always enhanced with lovely hues and just a dash of creative detail make them irresistibly charming. Perfect for decor or creative play...you can also order "portrait" dolls of your whole family.
[...]
Are mealtimes a source of frustration? This pop-art meal tray might just add a little levity and sunshine to the sometimes tedious duty of spooning the good stuff into a recalcitrant small one's pursed mouth. Just one of the many bright goods on offer from [...]
Seems like the love for Alexander Girard is never ending. Now available exclusively at Urban Outfitters a few of his designs for the home. I am smitten with this paper doll wall art to decorate a little girl's room. Sweet, simple, punchy.
[...]
This cardboard tree with its pretty leaves and half-hidden avian surprises, along with apples and mushrooms, is beautiful enough to be a display item in its own right, I think. But it's a toy as well as an ornament: kids can peg each leaf onto the [...]
If anyone has a spare £2,700 I could certainly use it. The object of my affections? The alphabet drawers by Kent & London, inspired by printers' letter blocks.
Tragically I can't see us ever having quite enough dispensable income to justify this particular purchase, but imagine [...]
Craftsman Patrick Donovan creates these simple, but lovely Waldorf inspired wooden toys like this 10 inch truck. Using wood, glue, and non-toxic water based paints, US Wood Toys is a side venture for this entrepreneurial stay-at-home dad.
Aren't these wonderful? Yes, these are rings are cast in washable crayons, designed by Timothy Liles and packaged in these minimally cheeky boxes.
Available for sale at the Future Perfect.
via Twig and Thistle
