You will feel double pleased of yourself if you buy a knitted owl by Kanana Knitters as a Christmas gift for a kid. These adorable dolls are fair trade. They are handmade by a knitting cooperative aimed at improving the living conditions of rural women in Kenya. Right now, 300 knitters from nine different tribes export their products to many countries around the world including Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The 15″ tall adult owls have a loosely looped knit coat. They come in several color combination. I photographed the 2 owls at Teatro Verde in Yorkville, Toronto. If I recalled well, they were around $85 CAD.

SOURCING:
+ Giant Hoot Owl baby $24, adult $64 USD at Kenana USA

You might also like these posts

I think this new toy could be a hit this Christmas. Every parent wants to invite again the aunt who arrives with a playful educational toy. Plus, kids need toys that they can easily carry around inside and outside the house.

The 74 rubber wood blocks are cut in smooth, subtly painted shapes. Kids and adults will be able to draw fun faces, fashion animals or illustrate moving objects. You will find a set of illustrations and the unbleached cotton drawstring bag inside the packaged box. Miller Goodman maintains a Flickr group to bring you more inspirations about what you can do with PlayShapes. The carrying bag is cute and simple.

If you wish to order a set of PlayShapes, you need to wait until mid-November. It will be available on Miller Goodman’s online store (called Shhhop) and from select retailers. You will be pleased to know that Shhhop ships worldwide.

SOURCING:
+ PlayShapes £69.95
+ via Inhabitots

You might also like these posts

When I was a kid I used to plan weeks in advance my Halloween costume. One year, I dressed like a poor hunchback and carried a brown paper bag as my treat bag. Otherwise, I always trust my puffy pumpkin treat bag made of plastic to bring home a load of candies. I collected so many sugar treats that I do not recall a year where I ate all of them.

If you are looking for a vast selection of adorable treat bags, Pottery Barn Kids has 15 models in stock. No more plastic. Instead their treat bags are made of soft felt and lined with percale. The regular models cost $12 USD while a few premium treat bag designs cost $19. The Lady Bug tutu costume and the puffy alligator are cute.

Dressing your boy as a pirate like that can be expensive. You could only buy the 6-piece pirate accessories and try to make the attire or vice versa. If you let go the hook that could be cumbersome to carry around, the rest is fairly easy to find at any store that sell toys. In fact, look around your house, you may have some items in the toy boxes or your drawers.  The 6-piece pirate set includes the sword, the pirate hat, the belt, the hook, the eye patch and the bandana.

SOURCING:
+ Treat Bags at Pottery Barn Kids $12 – $19 USD
+ Kids Halloween Costumes $29 -$69 USD
+ Pirate Costume $59 USD
+ Pirate Accessories $59 USD

You might also like these posts

Goop and Goob is a new baby and kids store for the modern design-conscious parents that opened in Squamish, BC. For the rest of us, we can order online with free shipping on orders over $100 (see details on their site).

Before I talk about the backpacks and lunch boxes, let me introduce a cool stroller, the Bumbleride Indie. They say on their Web site that Indie combines the off-road ability of a multi-terrain stroller with the lean agility of an urban jogger. It has a multi-adjustable reclining backrest. For added comfort, Indie comes standard with rear suspension, a height-adjustable handle, large storage basket and removable cup holder.

Back-to-School Gears for Young Kids

Since we are at the start of the school year, I am showing you their adorable insulated lunch boxes by Dante Beatrix. She designed them in heavy-duty laminated canvas for super easy cleaning and kid-proof durability. A name tag and a zipped pocket are at the back. Juju the Bettle is too cute.

Goop and Goob also carries an interesting line of backpacks that will be perfect to carry books and other school essentials. The Little Kid backpacks by Dante Beatrix are from the same collection than the lunch boxes. The penguin is one of the lovable creatures of Maakun Forest.

SOURCING:
+ Bumbleride Indie Seagrass $599 CAD
+ Dante Beatrix Lunch Box $34.99 CAD Juju (bettle), Esther (rabbit), Fei Fei (panda), Nigel (shark)
+ Dante Beatrix Little Kid Pack-Senior Gomez $42.99 CAD
+ Bus Backpack $47.50 CAD

You might also like these posts

Your kids will be proud to show off those handmade creations at school. It is simpler to keep track of what belongs to you when you get small production products instead of buying from chain stores.

+ I Love Books Zipper Pouch is designed to carry typical school writing instruments. Kukubee created original drawings. $12 USD by kukubee

+ Be green and opt for reusable and washable snack bags instead of plastic bags. The Timeless Treasure Apple collection proposes apples, trees, owls and much more patterns. $5 USD by 2lilfrogs

+ Go for one of the cute machine washable fully insulated lunch totes designed by Naturally Felt. There are available in several fabrics. I like the Pears on Brown. $19.50 USD

You might also like these posts

If your little girl is into Barbie, know that Pottery Barn Kids is launching an exclusive collection of bedding and room decor inspired by the famous doll. When you go for an obvious theme like that, I advice you not to buy the entire collection. This way, the result will look more sophisticated and more original.

The Art of Mixing, not Matching

Select the one or two items you like the most and build around your decor around it. Say that you go for the prints, you can display a few barbies on a shelf and then, opt for a pink stripe bedding. Soft greens and yellows goes well with pink. They produced a more refined look than pink walls.

Pottery Barn Kids have many beautiful bed covers and sheets in the pink family. See how the Emily Quilted Bedding mixed floral embroideries with plaid pattern sheets.

There is also an economic reason to do so. Since kids get fairly quickly tired of a theme, you would not have to replace everything to update the look.

Barbie Dream Room In-store Parties

Pottery Barn Kids stores nationwide will host Barbie Dream Room Workshops September 12-13, 2009 with craft sessions where little girls can design their own dream room.

There is also a sweepstakes with a $5,000 gift card from Pottery Barn Kids as the grand prize. Second prizes include a Barbie Three-Story Dream Townhouse and Barbie Fashionistas dolls. To enter and for official rules, visit www.potterybarnkids.com/Barbie between Aug. 27 and Sept. 24.

SOURCING:
+ Barbie Collection at Pottery Barn Kids
+ Emily Quilted Bedding $32-$179 USD
+ Isabelle Embroidered Dot Duvet Cover $18-$149 USD

You might also like these posts

The notNeutral Solid Color sets are available in three color combinations: red/black, orange/yellow and green/blue. The BPA-free new six-piece sets come gift-boxed in eco-friendly packaging and include two trays/dishes, cup, bowl, and an easy-to-hold fork and spoon.

The ultimate refinement in family tableware emerges from the Season collection, which includes a kids dining series and a regular tableware series for the rest of the family. Match the Season Ceramic Gift Set with the Seasons Duplex Placemats, which provide 2 design in 1. I introduced in the past the Transport Ceramic Gift Set.

SOURCING:
+ notNeutral Solid Color sets $26 USD
+ Season Ceramic Gift Set and Transport Ceramic Gift Set $32 USD
+ Seasons Duplex Placemat $14 USD
+ Season Tableware $28-$72 USD – count $168 for 4 rimmed bowls, 4 salad plates and 4 dinner plates

You might also like these posts

A way to personalize the décor is to turn your digital photos of a child, pet, or object into vinyl silhouette decals. Several profiles are available: head profile, half-body, full body, pet and objects.

Do not think of silhouette decals only for home decor. Vinyl silhouettes are an easy and affordable way to personalize a birthday party decor with characteristics of the guest of honor.

The silhouette has removable adhesive. Normally it peels off without trouble but be aware that this is not guarantee that you may not encounter a problem.

Each Vinyl silhouette can only be installed once. You can put them directly on the wall for a more lasting solution, on a canvas or most smooth surface. Make sure to read Vinyl Silhouettes tips on taking pictures for their custom made decals.

SOURCING:
+ Half-body silhouette $46
+ Full-body silhouette available 3 formats $48-$86
+ Objects $48 simple, $68 complex objects
+ via Laissez Faire

You might also like these posts

When your toddler or your preschooler kid is all dressed up, how do you protect them from getting dirty when they play with paint or do crafting projects? These cute maxi bibs are a simple option.

Having a toy bag always ready to go makes it easy to accept impromptu invitations. Haciendo el indio’s cloth bags are stylish and fun. You can use them to carry baby blankets, pajama or additional clothing. All their textile products are screenprinted with water inks.

Haciendo el indio is the brainchild of Portuguese illustrator and designer Cristina Serrano. Her online store delivers worldwide. I have to warn you that it will be difficult to select which illustration you want. They all look amazing.

My Childhood Memories

Il était un Petit Navire is a classic children song in France. I remembered singing it. Read the lyrics translated in English here.

Dolls and wall arts complete their kid collections. Oh Dee Doh showcased their favorites. These are mine. I imagine them to be the star of a party decor from a first birthday party.

SOURCING:
+ bolsa Petit navire- Petit navire cloth bag ?18
+ babilleta Pollito- maxi bib/napkin Pollito ?18 – available in small (1-2 yrs old) and large (3 yrs old and up)
+ Simberlina doll ?28
+ Cuadros DOT- DOT wallart collection ?25

You might also like these posts

Thanks to Twitter, I discovered this talented cake maker from Toronto. Juanita Koo of Sweet Things makes adorable cakes for baby showers, christenings and kids birthdays.

I like to showcase Canadian talents. Many talented cake makers operate from their home. They often rely on their blog, their social media contacts and the word of mouth to get new business. Bookmark her name to tell parents living in the Toronto area about her. As you know, artistic cakes are an important part of a birthday celebration for the little ones.

Her latest baby shower cake was an artistic 4-tiered cake that served over 80 people. Although the theme is classic baby items, the execution is fresh. It is fun to have a tiered cake fashioned with usual shapes. I like it! Reading the comments on her blog, the party guests were delighted.

MORE:
+ photos by Sweet Things
+ Sweet Things
1 1 PRAIZED THIS (416) 315-9303

You might also like these posts

You might also like these posts

I would have been excited to get any of the food market items. Land of Nod has a huge collection of fabulous toys. You can start small and build the collection with time. To help you out assemble the entire market, put these toys on the wish list for friends and family.

Toys for 3 years old and up

+ Build the motor skills of your kids with the Cutting Food. Velcro keeps the pieces together. $24.95 with free shipping

+ Playing the Market Grocery Collection contains 12 play grocery items come neatly packaged in a wooden crate, thus helping you avoid the difficult question of paper or plastic. $24.95 with free shipping

+ Pizza! Pizza! can teach your kids how to count with its 54 mix and match toppings, 6 pizza slices, platter, serving spatula and pizza wheel. $24.95 with free shipping.

+ Boys and girls use their imagination to create a vast range of sandwiches and burgers. The two-sided fastener produces a realistic slicing sound when kids slice through the sandwich with the wooden knife. At $24.95, the Kids Cannot Live On Bread Alone Sandwich Kit is a toy that should amuse your kids a lot.

When you are ready to grow your food market, check out what I have to say about the Shop ‘Til You Drop market, shopping cart, cash register and well-balanced scale.

Shipping Information

For delivery by Wednesday, December 24th, order by:

• Friday, Dec. 19th, 11am CST for Standard Delivery
• Monday, Dec. 22nd, 11am CST for 2-Day Delivery
• Tuesday, Dec. 23rd, 11am CST for Overnight Delivery

You might also like these posts