Spotted! Brilliant oilcloth tunic cover ups for toddlers.
What a fab product from the equally fab Messy-Me. They specialise in really very lovely products, all made from oilcloth (genius, no?) that’ll keep your small person (and your house!) just that little bit easier to clean up.
And I love this tunic because we all know that they grow out of the bibs LONG before they grow out of dribbling food down their fronts. And even when they’re not eating this can be used for messy play too.
PLUS – when was the last time you saw a children’s bib look this darn PRETTY?
Fably.
(they do bibs, mats and ingenious high chair covers too!)
Read MoreSpotted! Funky Fresh Fashions for Kids at Captain Tortue
Have just been browsing the new Summer clothes on the Captain Tortue website and spotted some really nice stuff.
Click here to find a Captain Tortue consultant near you.
Read MoreThe Squirrel Point Hoodie from Lucas Frank
You know how buying stuff for older boys is just… tricky?
The style is never what you AND they agree on.
The fabric is never soft/smooth enough (or is that just mine that insist on the Soft test before they will wear anything?).
The quality is never good enough to withstand the Boy Thing.
Well. Here’s your answer.
Lucas Frank haven’t been around for long, but they’re making quite a splash as they have spotted what needs doing – and are getting it right. By focussing on making good quality basics (there’s just polo shirts, tees and hoodies in their range currently) you just can’t help but love the styling. It’s classic, simple – and yet contemporary enough to be wearable by certain young men. They also go up to age 10.
We’ve had the above Squirrel Point hoodie on review, and it’s a total favourite – one of those items that you have to sneak in and steal to get it in the wash as it is worn consistently.
I love the off-centre wooden buttons, and I know that the subtle quilting makes it the top he reaches for at all times, sliding it in with a sigh of contentment when he’s tired or chilly.
The quality is such that it’ll have years of hand-me-down wear in it, and for under £30, you really can’t go wrong.
Read MoreSpotted! Perfect Car rug.
One of the things I’ve learned as a parent is that a blanket of one’s own is invaluable.
You drag them downstairs with you on a chilly morning, you use them in bed for a little extra snuggability, you curl under them in the corner of your room when you read (or are in trouble…), you lay on top of them when you’re sorting out your soldiers, you take them in the car for sleep-comfort on long journeys, you take them when you visit anywhere overnight for a little feel of home…
Invaluable.
And this rather lovely one from John Lewis is great – soft, big enough, and not too babyish to still be in use when they’re 9.
We love it.
The Here, There and Everywhere Cars Throw is £20 from John Lewis.
Read MoreThe MOST perfect child’s lamp – The Bunny Rabbit
Oh how I love this lamp!
And oh how my daughter loves this lamp too!
What a darling little rabbit he is – though at nearly a foot tall he’s not really in the ‘little’ rabbit class.
(and yes, he is a ‘he’. Wully, actually, is how he’s known around here. Just in case you were wondering)
Just a gorgeous gorgeous lamp.
Bright enough to read by, and yet dim enough to not make you yelp with eye-burny-pain if you turn him on during a 2a.m. emergency. And perfectly safe to leave him on all night as a night light for those small people who are afeared of the dark.
Really – what more do you want in a child’s bedroom lamp?
The fabulous Heico Rabbit Lamp can be found at Petit Home for just £35. I can’t imagine your home is complete without one, to be honest.
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Spotted! Charlie & Lola Writing Set
You can’t beat a nice set of writing paper, can you?
I know we don’t write many letters these days, tapping out our instant missives on a keyboard instead.
But who doesn’t LOVE to receive a hand-penned note?
And how much more likely are the small people to get into the habit if they have fabulous paper to write on?
My girl saw this and instantly oooh-ed in longing, instantly visualising the notes she would write to Sophie, Keira and the real-life Lola on it.
And at that price, I’m thinking that’s a bargain.
Charlie & Lola writing paper set is just a note over £5.oo on Paperfly.
Read MoreSpotted! The Most Beautiful Giant Floor Cushion
Just. Want. This.
Isn’t it beautiful?
And yes I know it’s £150, but this is a cushion that will last your child a lifetime – sit on it as a child, and also use it for their own child to learn to sit on.
Perfect for the book corner of a child’s bedroom, but equally at home in your own sitting room.
Like I said. I just *want* one.
We Spotted it on Etsy in the fabulous Big Bird’s Boutique. (please note each one is made to order, so there’s some weeks delay before you can get your hands on your own one!)
Read MoreTOOTSIE & FUDGE FLASH CLEARANCE SALE!
Fabulous and fun online children’s retailer Tootsie and Fudge are having a flash clearance sale this weekend to make way for new summer stock.
Sale starts at noon on Friday 11th May, with 50% off many items it’s well worth a look to grab yourself a bargain!
Read MoreSpotted! An Absolute Classic – The Yellow Macintosh.
It can be tricky sometimes, finding a decent raincoat that is acceptable to a ‘tween’ – that tricky age where they’re too old for dinosaurs on their coats, but too young for the dullness of older coats.
And this is exactly where the fabulous Yellow Macintosh steps right in.
The fact that it is a design that hasn’t changed much in a hundred years speaks volumes, I think.
And (more importantly) I LOVE it.
Who wouldn’t?
And this Hatley version of the perennially popular raincoat has it all – just the right classic yellow colour, a comfy cotton terry lining, zipper opening to the front with additional velcro fastening, detachable hood, front pockets… just what’s needed for this delicious weather.
Available from the brilliant Bubbahubb in ages 6-12yrs for £37.50 (and being Hatley it will probably last two seasons with their generous cuts)
Read MoreFabulous Art Box Tin – mais oui!
I LOVE this little tin!
Actually – it’s not so little; at over 20cm long it’s perfect for holding brushes as well as paints or piles of collage scraps or a gazillion colouring pencils or a family of Sylvanian Rabbits or the entire collection of hair bands/clips/ribbons…
That’s the trouble with useful Pots to put things in. You never know what to put i them when you’re 5.
I had this tin neatly placed in the cupboard with all the brushes and pots of poster paint in it, stacked perfectly away. Foolishly, I let the girl help me stack them. Therfore she knew where the tin was, and just what a great and sturdy thing it is.
Consequently, it’s never where I expect it to be, and when I do come across it (on the stairs, under a bed, behind an armchair…) I’m never quite sure what i’ll find inside.
Ah well – life’s an adventure, yes?
The Art Box tin is from the rather fabulous Wise House, and is £21.50. There’s a whole range of the French tins – I’m rather tempted to go complete my set…
Read MoreNew Pokémon TCG are coming: BLACK & WHITE — DARK EXPLORERS! Eeeps!
I have three boys. Ergo, I know ALL about Pokémon. It seems you can’t have one, and not the other.
But actually – I have a bit of a soft spot for Pokémon. It’s a well-branded series, it is highly moral in it’s storylines, the games are absorbing and never-ending (LOADS of play value) and the Trading Card Games take them off screen and into really good interactive games with each other. Really – what’s not to love?
So, you can imagine the excitement when I announced I’d had a press release about the new Black & White Trading card game about to hit the stores in May – calling something ‘Dark Explorers’ is just going to have small collectors everywhere spontaneously combusting with excitement.
So here’s the lowdown on the new set (yes, it’s all very very tedious. Unless you’re 9, in which case you will lap up every word, I promise):
DARE TO EXPLORE THE DARKNESS OF THE POKÉMON TCG: BLACK & WHITE — DARK EXPLORERS!
In stores May 9th 2012 | Theme Decks RRP: £9.99 | Booster Packs RRP: £3.49
As you explore the darkness, the Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion ushers in the return of the immensely powerful Darkrai-EX and a lineup of Darkness-type Pokémon, like Zoroark, Umbreon, and Sableye, to knock your opponent’s lights out! Playing with Trainer cards like Dark Patch, included in the expansion to help give Darkness-type decks an edge you’ll not only navigate the darkness, you’ll rule it!
The fifth Pokémon TCG: Black & White expansion also continues an impressive run of featuring Unova and non-Unova region Pokémon-EX cards, more powerful Pokémon that deliver devastating attacks to your opponents. Darkrai-EX is joined by Tornadus-EX, Kyogre-EX, Raikou-EX, and Groudon-EX, all featured as Pokémon-EX cards and rare Ultra full-art Pokémon-EX cards!
Key features of the new Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion includes:
• Six more Pokémon-EX from the Unova region and beyond
• New strategies for Darkness-type Pokémon
• More than 100 cards, including three Shiny Secret rare cards
• More Restored Pokémon options
• First Eevee cards since the Pokémon TCG: HS — Undaunted
• Parallel foil card guaranteed in each booster packEach new theme deck and booster pack includes an in-pack code card that unlocks virtual cards for play in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. Expand your personal deck and battle against others from around the world! Battles are taking place now at www.pokemon.co.uk/tcgo.
For more information about the Pokémon TCG: Black & White — Dark Explorers expansion and Pokémon TCG Online, please visit www.pokemon.co.uk.
Spotted! Panda Sleepsuit! *CUTE*
I no longer have a person in the house small enough to wear all-in-one sleepsuits. Which makes me a bit sad.
But this panda suit? TOTALLY worth having another child for!
Just how CUTE is that suit?
Panda sleepsuit £26 from Floppy Buddha over on NOTHS
Read MoreThe Whirlee – another review classic from @becaboop
Right. I’m going to be honest with you. This Whirlee ride-on toy and I have a serious love/hate relationship…
LOVE the fact that despite its plastic it is actually a fairly stylish piece of kit. We had the red design to review which I loved, why can’t more toys be red instead of the obligatory blue or pink that is thrust upon us? (They do offer the gendered red or pink but this third colour way saved their butts in my opinion.)
HATE the noise it makes on my floorboards. I don’t know if it is it’s plastic material but between the 6 children that have whizzed around on this (not all mine, I am a child minder) the teeth clattering NOISE it makes on my floorboards has meant that at least once a week I have exclaimed RIGHT! ENOUGH! And banished it to the utility room. Sorry whirlee.
LOVE the price point, at just under the £20 mark it is a mahoosive bargain.
HATE the price point, yes, I know. No pleasing me is there. But I can’t help feel if the price point was a little higher, then the problem of the oh so flaming noisy wheels could be rectified. Thicker rubber? I don’t know the answer but I do know they are noisy.
LOVE the design, great shape, quirky, modern.
HATE the lack of padded seat. This has been used by the one year old I look after, my two year old, right up to four year olds and ME! Yes I’ve tried it! And it hurt my bum. Pad that seat! That being said kudos to the whirlee at spanning those age ranges.
LOVE how hardwearing this is. I’ve had it six months and it still looks great. Bear in mind I look after lots of children this has definitely been put through its paces.
If you have carpets, then this makes a great little first birthday present. If you have floorboards, do be prepared to get naffed off with it and huffily sling it in a cupboard for a moment’s peace!
The Whirlee is currently available from Amazon for a rattle under £20
*reviewed for us by Goddess Bec, who can usually be found over at Beetroot and Gherkins
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Spotted! Gorgeous child’s mug from Big Tomato Co – PLUS a secret 20% discount code!
Love love LOVE the Big Tomato Company – and love love LOVE this range of children’s mugs. The duck is my favourite, but the lamb is seriously lovely too.
PLUS… we happen to know that for the next 48hrs there is a Secret Sale.
Oh yes.
20% discount on everything if you use the code SSHHH1312.
That makes this utterly brilliant £30 Retro Robot child's breakfast set reduced to just £24...
And this £70 Use Your Loaf bread crock is reduced to just £56...
Go, look, shop – there’s Pretty to be had…
Browse The Big Tomato Company ‘s site – there a factory clearance section too, which is always worth a look.
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Spotted! Simply fabulous wall art. There’s Penguins and Whales and Balloons!
This was genius spot by Katy – how much do you LOVE these prints?
The Showler & Showler site is crammed full of sheets of brilliance, and we want them. All of them.
Mr Penguin above is wonderful, but so is this piece of Happy...
Or maybe being a big fish is more your thing?
All prints come in various sizes, ready for you to frame. Prices start at £12.99 for an 18 x 24cm print, and there’s about a gazillion fantastic styles to choose from over at Showler & Showler.
Read MoreLamaze’s Mittens the Kitten – Sweeet!
My daughter has had this since she was a couple of weeks old – she is now a whopping 6 weeks old and Mittens is really coming into her own. She is usually dangling from the baby gym and helps the little one to focus, and also to attempt to reach out and touch – she particularly seems to like the square beads that are on the ring and make a nice sound when clunked together.
There are also other sounds from different parts of the kitten all of which engage her attention and help her development by encouraging her to focus with her eyes and also helps to make her spatially aware through trying to touch the kitten – or the kitten moving in response to her touch.
When I first received it I did wonder where it was intended to be hung from, as it has a thick clip from which to hang (there’s also a short cord) and the clip doesn’t open too much - I haven’t pushed it too far. However it has worked fine on the gym, and now she is about to go into the big cot I will try it there – and you could always get a bigger buggy clip later if needed.
Sir Prancealot
We now actually have a collection of Lamaze toys in this range – the donkey (named Prancealot!) and dog have joined Mittens on the quest to take over the baby gym, much to the baby’s delight – also Prancealot accompanies her to the change mat for entertainment where she engages in baby babble with him – either that or tries to eat him!! All in all a well made colourful toy.
The Lamaze range is all available from Amazon, and Mittens the Kittens is currently £11.
Read MoreSpotted – Hootie McTootie baby blanket!
Love this Hootie McTootie baby blanket from Scamp. It’s pink, but not too girlie, not too babyish so it has longevity in your baby’s room, and backed with super-soft bobbly lushness.
And, of course, it has OWLS!
Hootie McTootie Snuggle Up Baby Blanket is £35 from Scamp Handmade Baby gifts.
Read MoreWee Gooseberry Sale – 70% off!
oh yes, we love a good sale, don’t we?
How about this Geox Tech Jacket Anthracite, reduced from £125 to £50?
Or this gorgeous Geox Rope Cardigan, reduced from £65 to £35?
Maybe this Darcy Brown Peony Pink & Mocha Tartan Dress is more your thing? Esecially when it is reduced from £55 down to £20!
Go, have a wander with one of our oldest and best-loved friends, The Wee Gooseberry. Show them some love, and snap up a bargain!
Read MoreThe Bird Pocket Dress. *happy*
CQQCP6M6Q5SH I asked the daughter to pose for a few pictures so that I can show you the beauty that is the Bird Pocket Dundelina Dress we were sent by Mayamin. She didn’t quite get the point at first…
Then she started to take it very seriously...
And rather bossily insisted that I show you the very best thing about the whole dress
Yes! Bird pockets! SWEE-E-EET!
The Apple Bloom blouse was very popular too - tops with flowers on are ALWAYS a hit
Then Model's-Bored-ism started to set in... (can you tell?)
Eventually we decided to just sit (on a rather chilly bench) and listen to the evening blackbird - who was OBVIOUSLY chatting to her own bird pockets.
We LOVE this Norwegian Dundelina dress and blouse. The quality is excellent, the fit is roomy and the weight is very light which means that it will carry Pink right through the summer.
The blouse has a pretty ruched collar (carefully hidden by my daughter’s spectacular modelling), and loose-fitting bloused sleeves over a nicely-long body (perfect for my own daughter-long-back).
The pinafore dress is fully lined in the Apple Bloom fabric, and is cut to a circle so it has the most fabulous swinging movement (that she finds very difficult not to make the most of whenever she’s wearing it). It’s pretty enough for ‘going out’, but practical enough to cope with running and jumping and spinning. Just the way a dress should be.
And those bird pockets? I’d buy a grown-up sized version, just for those.
Bird Pocket Dress is available from the incredibly fabulous Mayamin for £40.50, in ages 2-6yrs, and the Apple Bloom Blouse is £29, also ages 2-6yrs.
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Lego 6860 – The Bat Cave. *meep*
Not to say we’re big fans of LEGO in this house, but if you look at this picture here…
See those white tubs stacked up? They’re ALL full of LEGO.
Oh yes.
So when the Son asked for yet ANOTHER set for his birthday we may have rolled our eyes and huffed a little… but of course we gave in. Because really, there’s no other toy we’d rather buy. Nothing else has the play value, the durability, the lasting value and the sheer absorption factor of LEGO.
And the Bat Cave set? It’s one of the good ones.
The atmosphere is a little mean and moody – but it is aimed at ages 7-14, and isn’t a set suited for younger LEGO-ers. There are enough figures (5) and vehicles (2) and buildings and details (all the little extra’s that LEGO are so good at) to really get into an entire play scenario with no need for further rummaging for bad guys/more props/hideout construction. It’s all here.
Building it didn’t seem to take long at all – though of course would no doubt take ignorant aged parents MUCH longer to figure out. I don’t even try any more, I just leave him with the box, and an hour later find him pottering happily with the completed set.
Of course, the one big issue with LEGO is the price. It’s not cheap, is it? I don’t really quibble too much – you get what you pay for, I think – but one thing I DO hate is finding it £10 cheaper two days later.
If you are looking, try using the price comparison site Idealo – it’s where we found ours the cheapest (Amazon, £64.99 – compared to most retailers’ £70.99 price tag). Here’s a tip though – if you’re searching Idealo for LEGO, use the LEGO number code. if you use the set name, you’ll be less successful with your shopping bargains.
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