Show casing local (sorta) - Nature Baby

I should be more like this lady, or this one, when it comes to clothes for myself and my minis - reuse, recycle, re purpose, create... But I'm not a great sewer (I can, but we're talking pretty basic stuff), I can't knit, and I've always been a terrible op shopper (although truly jealous of those who just seem to walk into secondhand jobs and find fabulous stuff, Grr). 

However that's no excuse not to shop mindfully*.

 

Nature Baby is a New Zealand store that makes beautiful organic clothing and sleep wear for minis, and have an Australian online store (so sorta local).

It's well constructed (designed in NZ, made in India) and therefore should outlast both my girls and possibly (blueberry stains and rough and tumble dependent) be passed on again. And it's pretty darn cute to boot! 

 

Facts and Figures:

 

They specialise in organic wool and organic cotton clothing. The range features sleep and day wear - girls, boys and unisex designs from newborn to 4 years.

 

The fit is long and lean so the size 2 fits my 19 month, 11kg, 87cm tall mini almost perfectly. 

 

The clothing range has bibs for $14.95, tops start at about $19.95, pants at $24.95, and the range runs through to $59.95 for hand knitted merino cardigans. 

 

 

The website also has cloth nappies, organic toys and gifts for Mum, natural remedies, furniture and room decor. 

*I'm saying mindfully rather than ethically, because for me ethically brings up a whole realm of questions and not many clear cut answers. If we try and always buy local are we taking away from Chinese workers who desperately need the jobs these factories provide? Is the Bangladesh accord  enough? (Target and  Cotton On are members. Cotton On also donates sales percentages to charity's and is Australian owned, is that enough)? How do you check Eco/ ethical cred? Only some brands put up statements on their web sites... should we be supporting Australian designers who still get their garments produced in 3rd world country's because they are getting pushed out of the market by 'fast fashion', and sadly buying from local craft markets can still leave wardrobe gaps. (Gumboots, for example )). When you make/ sew/ craft your own where does the fabric come from? Are those manufacturers just as bad as those who make jeans? anyway this is all beyond the scope of my knowledge and journalistic ability. And it's certainly beyond the scope of what I want this blog to be...

Showcasing Local - Alimrose

With the arrival of her little sister imminent, I wanted to find something special for Bug to be a gift for her from the new baby.  Ideally it would be something beautiful, something timeless, a keepsake, a treasure, but also something age appropriate (she'll be 19mnths if Bebe is on time), something she can play with and enjoy.  I didn't have to look far.

I've brought gifts from Alimrose before. The dolls are beautiful, unique and well made. I have a select few go-to sources for new baby gifts and Alimrose squeakers are one of the chosen few.  I love that the range includes Princesses, Poppets, Pirates and Super heroes. 

The brainchild of  of two mums who couldn't find dolls to suit the needs of their minis, Alimrose aims have changed over time but they are still giving back to NSW children's hospitals, Bear Cottage children's hospice and save the children (read more here).  You'd be hard pressed to find a product with more love bundled up into it that that!

Facts and Figures

Starting at $13.95 for bibs, to $59.95 for a large rag doll, with something to suit every budget in between. 

Not available to purchase on the Alimrose website, but there is a large list of stockists here. I have used both Button Baby and Birdsnest to buy products.

Appropriate for all minis, newborn and up.  All the dolls I've brought have stitched eyes and are very well finished with no loose threads or ribbons, but of course one should never leave mini-minis playing alone, or sleeping, with any toys.

Some of the above Images are from Alimrose, please give credit where credits due and link back where possible. Thanks

Cruisey Crafting: easy cloud mobile

I wish I was one of those crazy super talented crafty people (see here, and sigh with jealousy). I want to be. I have 100s of ideas I want to try, projects I plan to accomplish, but I'm usually too ambitious, and I tend to be a bit impatient and gung-ho when it comes to completing something.  At the moment, creating in snatches of time between the demands of family means well it kinda doesn't happen all that much. And yet I still doodle my ideas and dreams into sketch books and think one day... Well this little mobile is something I successfully whipped up in about 10mins, it cost next to nothing, and best of all it looks pretty good.

Step one. Choose some paper and cut in half. 

Step 2: draw a cloud shape and cut through booth halves of the paper

Ideally run a strip of double-sided tape along the bottom of one cloud. Begin at the middle attaching different lengths of ribbon to your cloud.  If you can't remember where you put your double-sided tape (baby brain!), or don't have any just stick each ribbon individually. Try and keep your spaces as even as possible. 

When you've completed attaching ribbons to one cloud swirl on some glue and stick the second cloud on top. Hold down with a heavy book for a few minutes. Then leave to dry. 

Use a hole punch to put a hole in the mobile at the top and thread with a ribbon, or some embroidery thread, or bakers twine. 

Hang.  

*K*

Baby Hands, Simple Decorations and Keepsakes

Little handprints are the cutest things, but they can be super hard to capture. While I find it really hard to get Bug hold her hand flat in order to get a clear print, and yet my mirrors have beautifully clear little prints all over (sigh). I have found, though that she thinks getting her  hand traced is pretty cool. Yeah she still wiggles her fingers a bit, but you can edit the print (filling in gap's, straightening out wobbly bits) afterwards.

The beauty of tracing is you can cut the prints out from basic white card and use them as a template to make as many sets as you want. You also don't have to worry about where on the original paper your child puts her hand because your cutting the prints out anyway, so even if some overlap or are upside down it doesn't matter, just choose the best ones to cut out at the end.

I traced the template onto pretty paper giving me an instant grandma pressie, (I hope to mount on white card, along with Bebe's hands (when she arrives), date and frame).  Another set will also make a great addition to Bugs photo album. There's loads of simple potential projects. A hand wreath, or bunting would be cute. And at Christmas time you could make simple, but effective gift tags.

But my main project became Bugs gift for Bebe. While on the Dolls in Dolls website I found a blank wobble toy (it has a little bell inside, Bug loves shaking it about), and decided it would make a great project. My problem tends to be settling on a particular theme or idea. I get overloaded with potential concepts and find it hard to settle on one. But eventually I decided on black and white and red themed based upon the theory that those are the colours babies see best. After using two coats of black acrylic I used a thick layer of gloss varnish to stick two of Bugs hand prints on. 

Due to the pear shape of the doll the hand wrinkled a bit. Decoupage instructions suggest a damp sponge can smooth out bubbles and wrinkles but I think little nicks in the paper to accommodate the folds would have been a better plan. Over the next few days I applied several more layers of varnish, and I'm actually quite happy with finished result. 

A word of warning though, now almost every time we colour I'm expected to trace around her hands, and once, her feet. Are you sure you don't want me to draw a cat I ask, no she replies, hand! OK Bugelicious you win... 

The Facts and Figures

Costs: Depends on the project. For Bebe's gift, I used black acrylic and varnish I already had, same with the spotty wrapping paper, so it cost me $9.95 for the blank wobble doll. It might cost $15-$20 if you needed all the supplies. 

Gift tags and paper bunting would be super cheap if you already have a craft stash of paper and ribbons. 

I was thinking preschoolers would enjoy tracing the hands of each family member, and choosing paper to represent each person. Then after mum or any other adult helper has cut out the prints they can be sorted into size order or other patterns. They can be mounted and dated as a alternative snapshot of 'my family'. 

Let me know if you come up with any other fun handy projects. 

*K*