Happy Mum, Happy Baby

Today I had a lovely chat with a friend about the latest ingenious inventions in baby gear and, out of that, I want to pull together some gift ideas for new mummies as I seem to be beset by them at the moment. When you have a baby, you are spoiled rotten with presents. It's a lovely time and people are very generous. Ever since I became a mum, I have discovered that the best presents are often those that have some benefit the mum as well as the baby. This is because, as you soon discover, there are things that you NEED to make your life infinitely easier but you don't actually KNOW you need them until you have charge of your child. Likewise, during pregnancy, there are about a billion things you become convinced you do need and actually have little use for at all. Using those hoodie towels with my daughter, for example, was like trying to wrap a blancmange in an envelope - frustrating and chilly. So get a load of these amazing ideas now currently on the market. Some are practical, some are pretty, some are both. All are a flippin' Godsent! So next time you have to buy a new baby present, give something different and clever and leave the flowers and layette sets to the amateurs:

1. Totseat from £18.00

The brilliance of this lovely sling as a gift is that new parents very rarely think about where their baby will sit when out and about and they want to be out of the carseat. I gave one of these to a good friend last month and she was delighted with it. They roll down into a pouch you can keep in the baby bag and fit almost any chair. The comforting softness of a sling keeps the little ones happy and supported long before they can go into a highchair.

2. BuggyTug £3.99 & TugTrio £9.99

Here's something rather wonderful that wasn't around when I was looking for new baby gadgets for my daughter but I really could have done with. The Buggytug is a wrist strap that securely attaches your wrist to your pram. It brings fantastic peace of mind for you when you temporarily really do need that second hand. Similarly, the Tugtrio is an ingenious extension of the same idea. A lovely gift that comprises the Buggytug plus a Toddletug which is a strap for an older child to hold onto that is also attached to the pram and finally and (so crucially) the Teddytug designed to counter that sense of mild bereavement you get when a much loved toy gets jettisoned out and lost when out and about. I know it well. Sniff! 

3. Wondercubes by My Wondercube from £14.99 

Nobody tells you in NCT classes how much babies and toddlers like to empty things. It has to be something to do with the repetition or the urge to discover. Whatever it is, it is a real pain to discover tissue boxes and wipe packs have been decimated while you're back was turned for half a minute. Someone's been paying attention though because they went and invented Wondercubes. Lovely, colourful box-shaped toys containing a string of multi-coloured swatches for the little darlings to empty to their heart's content over and over again. Check out the website because there are different styles and extra accessories you can buy to mix things up a bit. Wonder-ful!

4. Crayon Rings by Timothy Liles from £3.50 for six

For those who like the added dimension of a bit of genuine art. These lovely diamond rings are made of child-safe wax crayon and come in six different colours and are derived from a concept by artist Timothy Liles. Little fingers can slide through them easily for hours and hours of rampant scribbling fun.  They only seem to be available from America at present but you can order them through Ebay. You may think they're gimmicky but talk to me again after an afternoon of picking crayons up every ten seconds! It's a great idea.

3. Car Tidy from The Mod Mobile on Etsy £12.34

Fact: Babies create crap. At the end of each day, your car will be strewn with a fresh layer of used wipes, tissues, snack packets and food remnants. And once you've got said child and all their paraphernalia out of the car and into the house, it's understandably tempting to avoid venturing out again with a plastic bag to clean up. I love these funky waste collectors from The Mod Mobile's Etsy shop. The strap fits around gear sticks, suit hooks and headrests. I reckon I need at least six for my car but one would be a great starter for ten and makes a very original and thoughtful pressie for the new parent who "has everything".

6. Ma Petite Princesse by Maileg at Sister's Guild £5.50

When I announced I was pregnant, a group of older ladies from work very thoughtfully gave me a set of pretty satin baby hangers which I still treasure. Then, when my daughter was born, another friend gave me a lovely set of Maileg wooden hangers very similar to this lovely one, above, from online boutique Sister's Guild. Now I finally realise their true value because baby girls only live in babygros, t-shirts and leggings for a very short time before you want to buy them about a million pretty dresses...dresses which need hanging up! Now, I have started a small collection for her to keep for her own children one day. I bought her this one last year. It's a near obsession.  

7. Think King Mighty Buggy Hooks (2 pack) from Huggle.co.uk £15.00

At first, I turned my nose up at these hooks because I thought they were too expensive. Two years later and thirty quid down on cheap plastic alternatives and I realise I was wrong. There has been a lot of criticism about buggy hooks because of the risk of the weight of the shopping tipping the pram but, what I say is, you've got to be a real idiot to let that happen and sadly stupidity is not a crime in this country. Honestly, there is only so much you can carry on your shoulder or in the under-basket of a buggy and it is a good place to keep your handbag accessible and in sight. We should give mother's the benefit of the doubt and assume that they won't attempt to hang a £90 Tesco shop from them. Actually, I often hang my keys on mine so I don't have to lose my mind searching for them in car parks. 

8. Unisex Baby Blankets by Lily+Sid £35.00

You can never have enough baby blankets. I knitted three small ones for my baby before she was born and received two further handmade ones as gifts after she was born. They are invaluable and it's good to have a few as they quickly get coated in all manner of crud and need endless washing. Advantages? They are comforting, they keep babies cosy warm, they can lie on them on grass and cover the pram on a sunny day at nap time and about a million other things. Never underestimate the usefulness of a beautiful knitted blanket. I love the range at Lily+Sid because they have that lovely vintage handmade look and are unisex so they make a great present for a girl or a boy. Prepare to be popular!

Bathroom Bliss

I am in the unusual position of having a week where I am not looking for a present. This rarely happens so I've taken the opportunity to go shopping for bathroom treasures for myself. I am about 99.9% happy with our bathroom - we've got all the essentials - but one thing it presently lacks is extraneous decoration - bits and bobs. Sadly, this is not the kind of bathroom that will take well to driftwood ornaments, signs that read "To the Beach" and great big letter friezes compelling me to "bathe" or "wash" and other such imperatives. Such things are very popular at the moment and rightly so. But if I tell you that this  bathroom has quite a busy patterned duck egg blue wallpaper and a dark brown tiled floor with white woodwork, tiles and suite you will appreciate that anything of that nature is going to make it look WAY too busy and quite probably smaller (God help us!) So the purpose of this post is to find things that are clean, unobtrusive and have a simple elegance. I'll need hooks, hand towels, artwork and ornaments for the window sill. Here's what I found:

1. Sailing On The Broads Lino Cut Print by Fiona Carver £50.00 (unframed)

2. Marie Antoinette Lavender Bags by Ingrid Storm £4.99 (pair) 

3. Metal Soap Dish by Rockett St George £4.95

4. Shower Curtain Hooks by Rockett St. George £13.00

5. Venice Shower Curtain by The Green Giving Co at Mens Society £38.00 

6. Forest Found Hook by Anthropologie £24.00

                                                            

7. Embroidered Hand Towels from Marquis & Dawe £7.95

God Bless You Ma'am

With the anniversary today of Her Majesty's accession to the throne and a summer full of Diamond Jubilee celebrations planned, just for the fun of it, I'm digging up some royal loveliness. Not a "Keep Calm & Carry On" motto in sight. Here are some truly original patriotic present ideas fit for a Queen. God Bless You Ma'am!

1. Karen Hilton Designs Set of 3 Cushions £94.04

2. Queen Bee Pendant With Crown by Emillina Ballerina £9.73

3. Handprinted Commemorative Cushion by HELKATDESIGN £41.00

4. Empire Ribbons (Set of 6) 150cm of each from The DotComGiftShop.com £3.95

5. Corgi Brooch by Finest Imaginary £15.00

6. Chess Piece King & Queen Salt & Pepper Grinders from Sage Inspired by Life £38.00 

7. Drama Queen Shopper from Alphabet Bags £12.00

Happy New Year! Let's Go Shopping

Hellooo! I hope that everyone had a peaceful and happy Christmas. It's taken me a few more days than I envisaged to get back into my stride for reasons that are not important but I'm back and I'm into the sales (as well as a pretty dramatic detox - damn those mince pies!). My first stop is the sale at Cox & Cox that they were kind enough to notify me about via e-mail a few days back. Cox & Cox is a one-stop shop for lovely gifts at any time but a perusal of this sale is highly recommended and with up to 50% off,  I'm thinking of starting my Christmas shopping now. Here are my favourite finds:

1. Set of 3 Numbered Glass Votives Was £16.50 Now £8.25

2. 20 Monogrammed Correspondence Cards Was £15.50 Now £7.75

3. "This Book Belongs To" Stamp Was £8.50 Now £4.25

4. Set of 2 Photo Hooks  Was £14.50 Now £7.25

5. Photo Cube Was £4.50 Now £2.70

6. Glass String Cover Was £12.50 Now £6.25

7. Seedling Paper Pot Press Was £10.50 Now £5.25

8. Shadow Box Large Was £62.00 Now £31.00

9. Animal Sticky Notes Was £11.50 Now £8.05

10. Large Log Basket  Was £45.00 Now £31.50

Stocking Fillers 21

Here is something that parents either love or hate. It's up to you but I know for a fact that kids absolutely love them. Bath Crayons £4.00 from Hawkins Bazaar is the perfect way to encourage creativity even whilst bathing (we should all be so lucky). I have given these before and received withering looks as a consequence so choose your audience. They do wash easily off all surfaces and have a clever retractable mechanism for storage between use. Hours of splashy fun! If you are too late for the post, find similar at The Early Learning Centre. 

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Amazing and original and packaged in a lovely tin with a hand-drawn design printed on it. This witty range of Clothes Plasters (from £2.99) are embroidered patches designed by artist Jennie Maizels and require only a hot iron to affix individuality and flare to your children's clothes. They come in packs of one, two, five or ten (£9.99 the ones in the tin above) and there is a style to suit all. My favourite is the "Love" range mainly because I have a favourite jumper with a moth hole at the chest and I think one of these would prolong its life considerably. Gorgeous!  

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Practise makes perfect! It's perfect for whiling away the hours on a rainy Boxing Day and comes beautifully packaged. Ridley's Magic Rope Cutter £3.99 available at Ripe along with a number of other Instant Illusion toys. Magic!

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Only a week left until the big day. So exciting! I took my daughter to her first birthday party yesterday and to save a lot of aggro, we all drew names in a Secret Santa style arrangement so that each child got one present from another child. So simple. So sensible. I drew my friend's son Oscar and we chose two Rubber Ducks £5.00 each from John Lewis for him; the two blue ones at the top in fact because I love the little rubber ring they have 'boy' written all over them. Also a great stocking filler idea for some seriously stylish splashing. 

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How cute? Why not stuff a stocking with this Blue & Red Rose Coathanger £4.20 from This Is Pretty. I met someone once who (quite vehemently) believed that padded hangers were the work of the devil and I could never understand why. Obviously some are nicer than others (pastel yellow, crocheted and smelling of mothballs are a no-no of course) but who could say that this child-size hanger isn't cute as a button and wouldn't look so smart with a pretty dress hanging from it in a wardrobe or on the back of the nursery door. It would also make a lovely present for a 1st birthday or new baby. 

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A nice little stocking filler with an original and enchanting design. The Moth Mirror £3.00 from Warbeck & Cox is one of a series of illustrations including Beetle, Damask, Key and Leaves patterns. This is my favourite because I love, love, love this classic shade of turquoise. The mirrors measure 6cm in diameter so they can go into pockets, makeup bags and teeny tiniest of clutch bags. They also look really lovely as part of a collection on the dresser of a boudoir or guest bedroom. See the image below from my recent post showcasing the artisans at the Manchester Gift Market for some other examples.

.   A lovely pressie for 'ladies' of all ages.  

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More sweet treats for your little ones (and big ones as well) this time from master confectioners Hope & Greenwood. A great way to reward all that good behaviour, For A Good Boy/Girl £3.50 are perfect for stockings of for trimming the tree. Each small decorative box contains milk chocolate balls wrapped in silver foil and topped off with a ribbon. I also think they would make rather original favours for a festive wedding or formal dinner. Vintage sweetie heaven. 

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This probably won't come as much of a surprise but, I actually like making and writing thank you letters and cards. If there is only one thing I manage to teach my kids over and above life's little social essentials, it will be to recognise the imperative of knowing when to say 'Thank You' and then really meaning it. It IS the thought that counts. Likely, there will be a few thank you letters to write when Christmas is over so how about these simple and delicate Thank You Tags £4.50 with bird motif from vintage stationers Edge Inspired. Measuring approximated 7cm x 4 cm (business card size) and sold in packs of ten, they would make a lovely embellishment for a thank you gift and are pretty enough even to be sent on their own with a little ribbon in a tiny handmade envelope and a short hand-written sentiment on the reverse. Pure class!

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Three lovely things today because frankly I couldn't choose between them. Trinket Box Felt Craft Kit £2.95, Spaceboy Set of of Colouring Pencils £1.50 & Three Stripey Mouse Craft Set £4.95 all from the DotComGiftShop.com where you will find many, many more lovely things for under a fiver to stuff your stockings. I chose these three from the creative kids section because that's my bag. I love the little felt and ticking mice in particular. They are simply the essence of innocent childhood magic.  

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I was so excited when I found these. Can you guess what they are? Legomen! Yes. Obviously. But there's a difference because they are also Legomen Crayons £4.00. Small pleasures. I found them on a website called Colour Me Fun and they come in 8 colours in a free cloth bag. A sensational stocking filler  that would also make a great children's party bag. The site is stuffed with different designs from stars to dinosaurs. There is even a pick'n'mix option. I like the space invaders myself but then I am the wrong side of thirty. Legomen are timeless and great for unleashing the creativity in any young artist. 

Showcase: Manchester Christmas Market

For my daughter's first birthday, we took her into Manchester for some Christmas shopping, pretty lights and gluwein (for mummy of course) at The Christmas Market. This is our second year visiting and it really really is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours in town. Here's some of our finds. 

We found some lovely gift shopping at Quite Contrary Designs just outside the Town Hall. I bought these two fabric covered mirrors £6.00 each as small gifts for friends. I love the contrasting fabric and the soft punched leather pouches they come in. Artist Mary Shears hand makes all her products working with vintage inspired fabrics, buttons, leather, tweeds and wool fabrics to make seriously gorgeous bags, scarves, keyrings, brooches and cushions. Her business is resident at the Manchester Craft & Design Centre in the Northern Quarter if you don't make it down to the market this Christmas.                                                                     

It has become a custom to find a new Christmas decoration for my daughter every year. It's a really nice thing to do for a baby (her godmother does it as well) and it means that eventually, our tree will be covered in unique and unusual baubles that will hold a lot of meanings and memories (for us more than for her I imagine but nobody says gifting has to be selfless!) Yesterday, I added this small nativity £3.50 to our current collection from one of the traditional German stalls. It is made from wood with tiny figures exquisitely painted. It was the little sheep on the right that sold it to me though. So cute!  

Speaking of sheep, we found this lovely Sheepey Scarf £10.00 as an additional birthday present for Her Majesty. I particularly liked it because, at the moment, she refuses to wear hats and it comes right up around her ears thereby giving her head at least some coverage. It's by a company called Jomanda and they make a whole range of soft toys and children's accessories that are suitable from birth. They are definitely a business to add to my Fantasy High Street. I don't know any parent who wouldn't be thrilled to receive something like this for their baby. 

Another lovely find was the ceramic stall by Interlude Ceramics. Based in the heart of the lake district, they product a simply stunning range of wheel-thrown stoneware crockery, mugs, jugs, bowls and one-off pieces. They also receive commissions. A few days ago, I posted an Engagement Album featuring gift inspiration for couples and this (above) makes a lovely addition. Last night, I bought this delightful little stoneware Christmas Pudding £1.00 to put on the mantlepiece in our sitting room for the festive season. Yummy.

Finally, no journey home from a Christmas market would be complete without having to share the passenger seat with the top half of a seven foot fir tree £15.00. We picked up ours in the main square outside the town hall for an unbelieveably reasonable price. The vendors there said that they have plenty in stock but they're going fast and the prices will most probably go up as demand intensifies and supply begins to dwindle so get down there fast. Completely in the mood for Christmas now. Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly...Fa-la-la-la-lah.............

I Heart MCR!