Little flea - The Happiness Issue - Issue 15

magazine

Spring 2019 - Issue 15

The Happiness Issue

R ENTE LEA’ F E L ‘LITT FOR A T U O ECK T AT CH COUN S I D

10% S THE S O R AC N ECTIO L L O C

BLOOMING LOVELY JEWELLERY

®

BEAUTIFUL JEWELLERY BASED ON THE PREGNANCY TRADITION OF THE CHIMING MEXICAN BOLA. RE-TOLD AND DESIGNED FOR MODERN MOTHERHOOD. BLOOMING-LOVELY-JEWELLERY.CO.UK

Hooligans shoot

trans-seasonal unisex brand Koopsen.

We also are excited to introduce you to Teasy + Friszi who are two New York based designers who have collaborated in an exciting childrens interactive clothing collection. Read all about it on page 62.

pg. 14

I was delighted to meet the gorgeous Jessie Ware at the launch of her amazing new childrenswear brand, Anyware.

We have a special interview with her on page 42 where she tells us about why it was important for her to create a mostly unisex range that grows with your child.

Jessie Ware

pg. 42

Is that Blossom I see? This time last year, I’m sure it was snowing! It’s been positively balmy these past few weeks and apart from worrying about what that means for the planet, I have to admit, i’ve been enjoying it.

What it has done is got me in the mood for all the Spring/Summer 19 collections that are starting to launch. Usually we can’t fathom wearing a t-shirt or shorts at this time of year, but the warmer weather has certainly helped me start thinking about summer clothing. Check out the trends section on page 28 to find out some of the emerging trends.

We have had some exciting new brands join the directory lately including beautiful interiors brand Bababou and

Camp Bestival

pg. 26

Funny Bunnies

pg. 48

Our mega ‘ The Hooligans’ fashion shoot shot by Sharon Cooper was a fun and colourful day with amazing kids and lots of disused tube trains! Plus we also have a fun ‘Bunny’ fashion story shot by Natalee Wine that will get you in the mood for Easter.

You’ll also find the usual trend pages, baby goodies, toys and of course Mama Flea. Our interiors section includes fabulous finds for your kids room plus a great interview with Katie Woods from Come Down to The Woods who tells us all about how she managed a huge house renovation with 4 kids in tow!

To finish off we have 4 yummy recipes by Abi Waters to help entice more veggies into your kiddies tummies. see page 86.

Woah another jampacked issue! Hope you enjoy it.

Anna Cascarina, Editor

Teasy + Friszi

pg. 62 3

CONTENTS 8 Hotlist

48 Funny Bunnies

Natalee Wine shoots a bunny

14 The Hooligans

inspired Easter fashion story

56 Toys

The hottest brands right now!

Graffiti, trains and the coolest fashion for kids

26 Camp Bestival

see what’s in store at this years super fun family festival

Take a look at what’s hot in the

world of toys.

58 Baby Love

28 Trends What’s on the Spring trends list.

39 10 of the Best

We chat to New York designers

Teasy + Friszi about their inspira

tional and interactive kids clothing

Put your best foot forward with our selection of cool socks

The cutest goodies for little ones.

60 Nice to Meet You

42 Jessie Ware

64 Interiors

What do we love in the world of

interiors this Spring

We chat to Jessie about her new kids collection, anyware.

46 Easter goodies

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A few alternative gifts that are just as good as chocolate!

70 Katie Woods

Come down to the Woods

instagram star Katie Woods tells us

about her journey into ineriors

74 Mama Flea

Our pick of the best Mama products you can buy.

76 4 outfits, 2 ways Tips on how to wear 4 pieces of

the season, 2 different ways.

80 Camp Wilderness

Pippa & Alfie-May tell us about their 3 day wonderful adventure with the Camp Wilderness team

84 A Taste of Spring Abi Waters cooks us a feast of

yummy recipes to help get the kids veg intake up.

94 We Love What are we loving this Spring?

98 Stockists Where to buy.

Cover shot by Sharon Cooper

On the cover

Styling: Anna Cascarina Models wear from left: Pink hoodie, Dapper Baby Pink smiley face jacket, Noe & Zoe, Monkey jacket, Olive Loves Alfie

Photo: Sharon Cooper We are the Future tee, Cocoon Child. Jeans, The Mini Edit. Hair Clips, Rockahula Kids 5

MUSIC INSPIRED CLOTHING & PRINTS FOR KIDS & ADULTS 6

WWW.DISKOKIDS.CO.UK

@DISKOKIDS

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Litt

Hot

le F lea

list

minifili Quality and design is at the heart of minifili and their carefully curated selection of home decoration accessories, toys and gifts easily integrate into a contemporary home. From wall stickers and pencil cases to bedding and small furniture all products are innovative and stylish, carefully sourced from the best European and Scandinavian brands.

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Bababou The Hugg® Organic, Sustainable Co-sleeping Crib gives baby their own crib space, while snuggled up next to the parent’s bed. It can be used as a bedside crib, moses basket, or a standalone crib. Once baby grows out of it, the Hugg Crib can also be used as a stylish mid-century style desk and bench for the playroom or nursery. The design philosophy at Bababou is to produce products that are kinder to the environment by having a longer use.

Mutha.Hood Mutha.Hood was born out of a desire to celebrate the empowerment of motherhood and if you’re not following Gemmas Instagram, then you are missing out as her warm and infectious stories have gained her a loyal following.

The bold statement tees and accessories aim to help others know their worth and the ‘Strong Girls Club’ sweats and tees available for both women and kids empower the next generation of girls.

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Their Nibs The SS19 season at Their Nibs looks at the garden and all the creatures busy there. The muted, pretty colours, soft yet crisp cotton and full bespoke embroideries are shown against the beauty of nature and the fields uniting their hand painted prints and folk embroideries. Their Nibs children bring their own curiosity and imagination out into the world and make it their own.

Small Stories Small Stories SS19 collection includes bold prints like camo, ladybugs, dots and flowers in oranges, blues and greens and pastel yellows and blues.

Deigned in the UK, the Small Stories ethos is to create timeless collections inspired by a child’s artistic approach to self expression.

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Sproet & Sprout For their summer collection Sproet & Sprout will take you on a road trip through New Mexico. A dĂŠcor of deserts with abandoned dusty roads and old trees. They will drive till sunset, pass vintage caravans, eat tacos in diners and sleep in retro motels. Sproet & Sprout is all about fun and playfulness. They strive for craftmanship and are socially responsible but ultimately their aim is to put a smile on your face!

Koopsen Koopsen are a trans seasonal, British designed, eco friendly new clothing brand for kids and adults. Their products are designed to last, not just for the season but loved, worn and passed on. Mindful of the economic and environmental impact in the fashion industry Koopsen ensure this is at the heart of their brand.

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Teasy + Friszi “Nice To Meet You” is a collective project by New York-based designers Teasy Shiruo Sun and Friszi Tianyang Jin. Comprised of handmade interactive garments, the timeless pieces are inspired by an original children’s story written by the designers themselves. The collection features high craftsmanship such as felting, knitting and natural dying. The collection aims to educate adolescent life values and encourage imagination through its innovative, playful and earthfriendly textile design. Read more about these amazing designers on page 62

Gather & Co Gather and Co is a luxury British brand creating beautiful products that encourage gathering, interaction and spending quality time together, anywhere. Their debut range of all-purpose playmats have a hand-illustrated characterful scene on one side and a light, luxury British waxed cotton on the other, these portable playmats will fit effortlessly into your life and provide you and your little ones a comfortable place to engage and play.

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Dotty Dungarees Is there anything cuter than a little one running around in a pair of dungarees? Each pair of Dotty Dungarees is carefully designed to fit both boys and girls, aged 3 months to 5 years old, from crawling to climbing trees. The best thing is that they are adjustable. You can lengthen the shoulder straps and tweak the dotty turn-ups to ensure you won’t be running out to the shops within a month to replace them. Genious!

Cocoon Child Created by three sisters and inspired by their shared love of travel and passion for adventure, every item in the Cocoon Child collection encapsulates that timeless sunshine vibe whilst delivering style, comfort and quality all year round. We love their curated selection of interesting brands like Another Fox (pictured)

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the hooligans Springtime is for fun prints, comfy clothes and getting up to mischief!

Photography by Sharon Cooper

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Stylng & Art direction: Anna Cascarina Models: Shuo, Yasmin & Pepper. Shuo: Black all in one, Sproet & Sprout. Yasmin: Sweet jumper, Tiny Cottons at The Mini Edit. Rainbow leggings, Lillan Gorillan at Dapper Baby. Sneakers, Converse. Pepper: Smily face short sleeve jumper, Knit Planet. Monkey print leggings, Mini Rodini at Dapper Baby. Sneakers, Converse.

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Pepper: Blue stripe jumper, Knit Planet. Stripe leggings, Noe & Zoe. Star sneakers, Converse. Yellow hat, Sometime Soon. Shuo: Bug tee, Another Fox at Cocoon Child. Dungarees, Dotty Dungarees. Socks, ASOS. Sneakers, Converse. Blue hat, Sometime Soon.

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Smiley face jumper, Tiny Cottons at The Mini Edit. Spot dungarees, Small Stories. Socks, ASOS. Sneakers, Veja at Olive Loves Alfie

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Camo jacket, Velveteen.

Green panther joggers, Mini Rodini at Olive Loves Alfie. Sneakers models own.

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Strong Girls Club sweater, Mutha.Hood. Grey track pants, Sometime Soon.Yellow banana bucket hat, Indikidual.

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Stripy all in one, Knit Planet. Blue quilted jacket, Indikidual. Socks, ASOS. Sneakers, Converse.

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Pepper: No Vacancy towelling jacket, Sproet & Sprout. All in one and green cherry socks, Bobo Choses at Olive Loves Alfie.

Sneakers, Converse.

Shuo: Beige slogan shirt, Bobo Choses. Gorilla face shorts, Lillan Gorillan at Dapper Baby.

Black leggings, Maxomorra at Dapper Baby. Star trainers, Akid at The Mini Edit.

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Peace sign tee, Sometime Soon.

Red check trousers, Noe & Zoe. White socks, ASOS. Black sandals, Dr Martens. Bum bag, Rockahula Kids

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We are the Future tee, The Bee & The Fox at Cocoon Child. Bleached jeans, It’s In My Jeans at The Mini Edit. Star sneakers, Converse. Hair clips, Rockahula Kids.

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camp bestival

By Anna Cascarina

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Camp Bestival is back with a bang for 2019 and here at Little Flea we can’t wait!

With a Heroes and Superheroes theme, we’re expecting a fantastic feast of fabulous costumes to bring the festival to life and with a line-up that includes The Human league, Jess Glyne, Sister Sledge and Goldie, it promises to be a weekend like no other!

As well as the best party starters you could hope for, Camp Bestival also has a full to the brim programme of entertainment from CBeebies Story tent to Science and Art tents to Silent Discos and a Superhero Sports Day. Plus as always there’s mouth-watering food and drink to keep you nourished throughout the weekend.

the place was heady with excitement.

It felt safe and inclusive and there were so many friendly faces around, many of whom we knew, and they all wore an array of sequins, glitter and feathers.

New to 2019, the Camp Bestival team are launching Wild Tribe, which is a brand new kids area designed to encourage screen-free time, something us parents will welcome. The unique area will include wild adventures, mud slides, drumming circles and yummy

food to fuel hungry tummies.

One thing is for sure, Rob and Josie, the creators of Camp Bestival, will welcome you with open arms into a magical world full of exciting entertainment and music that will bring the whole family together.

See you there!

Camp Bestival 2019 is on 25-28th July.

For more information and tickets go to www.campbestival.net

We had our first Camp Bestival experience last year and stayed in one of the beautiful Yurts in the Boutique Camping area. We loved every second of our weekend (even when it rained) as the setting at Lulworth Castle was stunning, kids laughter filled the air and 27

TRENDS

on safari

Olive Loves Alfie 28

Olive Loves Alfie

Olive Loves Alfie

Dotty Dungarees

Cotton Twist Molo

Dapper Baby

Jam Boutique

Sarah Lovell Art

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Sproet & Sprout

TRENDS

Stripes

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Cocoon Child

Molo

Knit Planet

Indikidual

Dotty Dungarees

Cocoon Child

Rochahula Kids

Beyond the Stork Dapper Baby

The Animals Observatory

TRENDS

Browns

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Knit Planet

Bobo Choses

Molo

Bobo Choses

Bonordic

Olive Loves Alfie

Scandiborn

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TRENDS

Fruit & Veg

Bobo Choses 34

Bonnie Mob

Dapper Baby

Dinosaurs & Daffodils

Bobo Choses

Indikidual

Stella McCartney Bonordic 35

TRENDS

Hang Loose

Little Creative Factory 36

Bobo Choses

Bobo Choses

Indikidual

Beau Loves

Cocoon Child

Small Stories

Knit Planet 37

10 of the Best

2. Scandiborn 1. Dapper Baby

Pop Socks!

3. Olive Loves Alfie

7. Beau Loves

4. Dapper Baby

5. The Animals

6. Bobo Choses

Observtory

10. Dapper Baby

8. Sproet & Sprout

9. Tiny Cottons

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anyware A new childrenswear collection by Jessie Ware

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When super cool singer/songwriter and podcaster Jessie Ware annouced she was launching a kids collection, I knew it was going to be something special. And how right I was. Together with renowned childrenswear designer, George Reddings, they have created a beautifully modern and LF: With an amazing singing career, a successful podcast and a baby on the way, you are a very busy lady.

Where did you find the time to add a kids collection to your already hectic schedule?

JW: Working with George has made the whole journey so easy. We are a good team and with all her experience, it’s been a joy and so nice to work on something new. I’m learning so much and we are having a lot of fun.

Q: How did anyware come about and why did you start it?

JW: I’ve always loved clothes and it just became far more fun when I

wearable kids range that you will want to wear yourself. I spoke to Jessie and George at the launch of their collection and you could see the passion they felt about creating sustainable and unisex clothing that has longevity. I chatted to Jessie about how it all came about. Read on to find out more.

became a mum, but over time I noticed how much I had bought for my daughter that she had already grown out of and I want to build a collection that would challenge the over-buying we all do and that I have totally been a perpetrator of. Then I met George and it all fell into place. Between us I think we’ve come up with something really special.

Q: It seems like sustainability and longevity were important factors when creating the collection. Why was this so important to you?

JW: We wanted something that would last but that you could wear for longer. People are over buying and we 43

have to change the way we think about clothes, especially for our children.

Q: The collection is mostly unisex and seasonless, was this something you wanted from the beginning or did it evolve?

JW: We always wanted the collection to be gender equal as children should be free from stereotypes and wear whatever style and colour they like. And regarding seasonless style, that was important to us as we wanted people to buy an item from our launch collection (out end of March) which can be teamed up with something from our next collection which comes out in June, so you get more wear out of the items you buy.

Q: You’re working with renowned kidswear designer George Reddings, how do you think you have complimented each other during the design process?

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JW: I think we make a really good team and both bring something different to the table. It’s been amazing to see the designs that we talked about months ago finally turning into actual clothes. She’s been so enthusiastic to my ideas and has developed them into the real thing with her own brilliant creative injection.

Q: Your own style is very understated and androgynous preferring neutral colours and simple silhouettes, do you think your own style has influenced your ideas of how you wanted the collection to look?

JW: Absolutely, we wanted simplicity to be very key in the collection, making the shapes classic and easier to love for longer. We wanted more muted, sophisticated colours but still fun as it’s a kidswear brand – but something that you would want to wear yourself.

Q: You have a gorgeous little 2 year old girl. With another on the way, it’s going to be an exciting and busy year. Is there anything that frightens you about having two little ones?

JW: I am just super excited to add to my family and give my daughter a sibling. We will take every step a day at a time as we always do. And I have such a great support network around me who have been through it. I’m not worried. If anything it will force me to slow down which is what I didn’t do enough of the first time around.

Q: The first collection is out in March, with another set to launch in June. Any plans for the future and where anyware is going to go next?

JW: We have big plans for anyware but for now, you will just have to watch this space!

The collection is available to buy now. on www.anywarekids.com

We wanted simplicity to be very key in the collection, making the shapes classic and easier to love for longer.

We wanted more muted, sophisticated colours but still fun as it is a kidswear brand.

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Easter is on it’s way, but it doesn’t have to all be about chocolate. It can be about bunnies and meadows and flowers and sunshine too. Ok but mostly chocolate!

Sleep Mask, Atticus & Gilda

Personalised choc tin, Cotton Twist

Pin the tail on the bunny, Nutmeg Wall Art

Wooden rattle, ToyDrop 46

Bunny socks, Scandiborn

Chocolate sweater, Organic Zoo

Bunny wooden toy, Scandiborn

Easter hunt bag, ALL by MAMA

Vegan and refined sugar free brownies, Norah’s Brownies

Easter

Personalised wooden bunnies, ALL by MAMA

Bunny slippers, Dapper Baby

Floral dress, Nellie Quats

Bunny colouring book, Olive Loves Alfie

Rabbit socks, Bobo Choses

Two pair socks, Dapper Baby

Care package, MiniBoo Gifts

Rabbit rattle, Bonordic

Embroidered Easter decoration, ALL by MAMA

Flower trousers, Bobo Choses 47

Funny Bunnies Photography by Natalee Wine

Renata (left): body & shoes H&M. Varvara: blouse & shoes, Zara

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Blouse & body, Zara.

Socks, Calzedonia.

Shoes, Mothercare

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Alice (left): body, H&M. Dariya: blouse, Zara.

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Milana (left): blouse, Bershka. Body & shoes, Zara. Socks, Calzedonia.

Varya: blouse & body, Zara. Socks, Calzedonia.

Shoes, Mothercare

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Sonya (left): blouse, Zara. Body, H&M. Socks, Monki. Shoes, Zara.

Varya as before

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Blouse & shoes, Zara Make-up & Hair and set design: Ann Lotan Models: Alice, Milana, Daiya, Renata, Sonya Varvara and Varya.

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The fun starts here with our curated selection of fantastic playful toys

Magnetic monstro, Ottie & the Bea

Dinosaur pull along, Bonordic

Knitted doll, Toydrop

Pull and go plane, Scandiborn Shark soft toy, minifili

Dolls bedding, minifili 56

Musical mobile, Bonordic

Maileg cot, Ottie & the Bea

Toys

Tent, Beyond the Stork

Robot, minifili

Rocking horse, Bonordic

Wooden Fractions, Dinosaurs and Daffordils

Pull along with whistle, Olive loves Alfie

Soft toy, minifili

Bilboque toy, Scandiborn

Faces puzzle, Toydrop 57

Super cute baby goodies in Springtime colours and gorgeous prints.

Towelling rompers, Organic Zoo

Sleepsuit, Lella

Romper, Sproet & Sprout

Orca baby shoes, Organic Zoo

Dungarees, Small Stories

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Playmat, Gather & Co

Muslin squares, Mama Designs

Baby Love

Teether, Bonordic

Tiny Dancer bodysuit, Lala & Bea

Baby booties, Amy & Ivor

Ducks romper, Bobo Choses

Robots romper, Indikidual

Rattle, minifili

Harems, Om Baby

Bonnet, Piupia

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nice to meet you

By Teasy + Friszi

T

here’s something about the tactile nature of textiles that I love. The feel of the fabric and variety of techniques used can evoke different feelings in us whether it be a memory, a sense of calm and belonging, warmth etc. That is why this collection of

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childrenswear by New York based designers Teasy Shiruo Sun and Friszi Tianyang Jin, has captured my heart! Their ‘Nice to Meet You’ collection is a collaboration of the two designers different styles, which has resulted in a playful, innovative and interactive collection of garments.

Totally handmade, the collection is inspired by an original story written by the designers themselves. It focuses on a child who has been living in a comfortable glass house since birth until a bunny enters their life. The bunny enthralls the childs curiosity and encourages them to step outside of their comfort zone, eventually leading the child to find their true selves in nature.

The idea of this is so enchanting and so real in todays modern world where the use of social media and video games is taking up so much of our childrens lives. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for the children of the world to put down their devices and just go outside and play?

The collection aims to educate and encourage imagination through its innovative, playful and earth-friendly textile design.

Teasy wants the wearer to play and learn through her designs which is why she created the interactive toy elements to the garments. Children can use their imagination to create a make-believe fantasy world full of fun and wonder to play and fuel their curious minds.

Friszi has always been obsessed with nature and she loves working with natural elements in her designs.

She has visited indigenous tribes who have kept natural indigo dyeing alive for generations and she is aware that people live with the cycles of nature without any high-tech involvement. She likes the theme of fantasy as it brings more fun to life but also believes in the ‘less is more’ approach so this is reflected in her designs.

In all, the collection of garments is about storytelling. About adventure, fun and imagination. In our fragile world where climate change is at the forefront, it is the next generation that we will look to to help heal it.

Perhaps interactive garments like the Teasy + Friszi collection which bring children closer to nature, may be the start of it.

To view the full collection visit www.nicetomeetu.net. The collection isn’t yet available to buy.

But they are working on something special so watch this space!

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10% discount code*: LELLAFLEA *one use per customer - code ends 30.06.19 62

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Scandiborn With a huge range of Scandi inspired furniture, interiors and toys, Scandiborn is your go to place for beautiful and contemporary Scandinavian style. We love this gorgeous range of nursery funriture by Cam Cam Copenhagen.

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Interiors

Forivor This reversible bedding takes you on a journey from daytime to nightime, where a calm woodland or underwater scene on one side of your bedding transforms into a secret world on the other; where creatures inhabit a magical world of wonder to get lost in. Truly beautiful heirloom bedding.

Bonordic The founder of Bonordic, May, has a fantastic ability to source original products for emerging brands as well as bigger international brands. The result is a curated selection of lovely things for kids like this amazing circus birthday train for special birthday celebrations and this beautifully simple shelf that could work for any space in the home.

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Bundle Beds Whether you have stay-at-home sleepover kind of kids or you all love to go camping for the weekend, a Bundle Bed is what you need. The self-inflating mattress and built in luxury duvet and pillow provides warmth, comfort and a great night’s sleep. The Bundle Bed is simply unclipped, unrolled, unzipped and it’s ready to use. Equally, deflating and packing up is simple too!

tullibee Every piece of the tullibee range has been meticulously designed & developed to meet the very highest standards and only natural, organic & sustainable materials and used. tullibee keep their footprint as small as possible & make things that last, encouraging items to be passed on through generations.

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Interiors ALL by MAMA ALL by MAMA began as a place for talented Mamas with families to sell their products, with 40 sellers joining at their launch. Now they have a community of 350, featuring over 4,000 products – everything from specially blended teas to get you through pregnancy to personalised jewellery. We love this gorgeous moon mobile by Popsidaisickle.

Beyond the Stork The passion for Scandinavian and vintage interiors shows through the huge range of covetable products on the Beyond the Stork website. Create beautiful spaces for your little ones, with their collection of wallpapers, soft furnishings, shelving and lighting Whether you spend the day making dens, discovering new worlds, dressing up, losing yourselves in stories, or simply cuddling up as a family under a cosy blanket in your pyjamas, Beyond the Stork have everything you need.

This wallpaper by Wild Hearts Wonder is simply divine.

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Southwood Stores With a new website and logo recently announced, the new Southwood Stores website gives you a unique shopping experience allowing you to step into each room in Hayley’s ever evolving home.

Hayley selects her favourite products from each of her rooms, designed to inspire and show you how they can be styled in your home. This new brass table is stunning and the baskets, below come in slate, blush or olive colourways.

Ottie & the Bea Originally known for their vast selection of books and gifts - it’s well worth a visit to their Blackheath store to have a browse or to attend one of their awesome events - Ottie & the Bea also sell a fantastic selection of homewear including prints, storage, mobiles, lighting and shelving like these gorgeous TeeVee shelves below.

Nutmeg Wall Art Nutmeg’s wide range of colourful and stylish wall stickers means that you can find something that truly suits your home. Quick and easy to apply, the huge collection of high quality designs are perfect for anyone looking to update their home. Nutmeg also do bespoke designs too so if there’s anything you have in mind, just get in touch to discuss how they can help.

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Interiors

Poppy & Honesty Poppy & Honesty are a handmade British brand that creates beautiful bedding, homewares and accessories from Liberty of London fabric. They combine classic prints with contemporary design to make products that look gorgeous but are functional and will stand the test of time. Everything is handmade from start to finish from Cornwall.

Mama Designs Now 10 years old, Mama Designs has grown from launching with a discreet breastfeeding cover to now include sleeping bags, dribble bibs, organic bedding and bamboo products.

Everything is tested to UK and European safety standards and road tested by mama’s and babies. New to the product range is a selection of simple geometric prints. We love this gorgeous heart print.

For the Love of Mum At a time when you have very little control over your body, your time or your sleep, surrounding yourself with practical products that also reflect your pre-motherhood style can be hugely empowering. FTLOM products are practical and make every day mothering life as easy as possible while being stylish and looking great.

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be easy but we also knew that this home was meant to be. We plunged right in with our eyes closed and our fingers crossed. It was only in September 2016 that I opened an Instagram account as someone suggested that I turned to it for some interiors inspiration. I fell down the rabbit hole and don’t think that I came up for air until November! The blog followed quickly after as a way to document the history of this epic build. Each post gathered momentum and before I knew it, people were asking me for advice. It’s all been a bit bonkers.

Katie Woods The wonderful Katie from Come Down to the Woods has a home to die for. We chat to her about her journey into interiors.

Your home inspires so many people and has led to a serious following on Instagram. Can you tell us how it all started?

I call myself an accidental Instagrammer, an unexpected role that I have somewhat stumbled in to. A role which not only fills me with joy but also has me pinching myself with disbelief on a daily basis. It all began 3 years ago when a heavily pregnant and extremely hormonal version of me decided it was the perfect time to uproot the family and move house. We had a house, a beautiful one which was finished, decorated and really rather lovely but this one came on the market and it was too special not to take a look at. Within 30 seconds of stepping through the front door I knew there was no going back. It was risky, there was a phenomenal amount of work to be done and baby number 4 was just about to make her debut appearance. We knew it wouldn’t 70

You and your husband are both dentists by day. Does he share your love for interiors?

I wish I had a photographic evidence of the number of puzzled and quite frankly panicked faces that my husband has pulled when I’ve suggested design ideas.

There has been the ‘I fancy a pink bath for the en suite face’ (think you’ve just put salt in your tea instead of sugar) and the ‘let’s paint the ceiling black’ face. Whilst he loves design, he’s just not much of a risk taker. The key to this happy design partnership has been to make him think that it’s totally his idea. The casual drip feed of images and inspiration shots, the subtle hints of what might be en trend. It’s all worked out rather beautifully.

You have 4 young kids and have undergone a huge house renovation. Please let us in on how you manage it all?

Put quite simply, I don’t. When you’re winning at one thing, another part of your life takes a hit. It’s all about riding the highs and rolling with the lows. I really believe that nobody is nailing everything, we are all just spinning our plates and trying not to smash them. I just try not to put too much pressure on myself or my family. It’s so easy to get caught up in what we think we should provide for our children, they are loved, happy and just generally full to the brim of good stuff. These are the things that matter to me. One thing that did really help during the renovation was that we were able to move out of the house. We factored this into our budget and it was

the best decision we made. Having a safe, dust free environment to relax in made all the difference. Your home is your sanctuary and living in a building site just isn’t conducive to good decision making or big smiles.

What is your favourite room in the house and why?

The littlest rooms in my home tend to be my favourite. I find it easy to take big risks in small rooms. The study is hidden behind a secret bookcase (our joiner is an actual legend) and occupies the space of the old pantry. It’s small but has the most incredibly bold wallpaper coupled with a vintage steel desk and velvet chair. I’ll admit to hiding in this room sometimes when the chaos rains down.

Your house was a lovely hue of peach before the renovation! Are there any hints of the old Peach Palace left or has all the peach colour gone to the grave?

I sometimes find it difficult to believe just how peach the Peach Palace was. We lived in it for almost a year before the work started and it became so familiar. It was also really obvious that it had been an incredibly happy family home. The colours reflected the era when it had been lovingly decorated. Just as I wanted to delete the peach, I predict in 20 years time there will be a load of millennials rolling their eyes at the grey walls they are painting over. I always knew I wanted a nod to the peach in the renovation, a celebration of its history. Our downstairs loo is the peachy shrine. It houses an awesome original peach marble sink which initially I’d wanted to get rid of. I’m so glad that we lived there before the work started, it would have been the first thing to be ripped out had I not grown to love it. It now pops against the black walls and the perfect shade of peach wallpaper.

What’s next for Come Down to The Woods? Any exciting projects?

Whilst we managed to get most of the work finished on the ground and first floor, there is still a completely untouched second floor. It houses two bedrooms and

a bathroom and is ripe for renovation.

If I had a magic wand I’d be waving it in the direction of upstairs right now but of course I haven’t. It’s something that can wait until we’re ready. I also always thought that this would be our forever home but once you’ve renovated there is always a little bit of you that wants to do it again. It’s a bit like childbirth, time heals and you forget the stress and angst it took. Never say never* *to another renovation project not a baby. 4 is plenty!

— To see more of Katies home, folow @comedowntothewoods on Instagram or visit the blog at www.comedowntothewoods.com

Katie’s top picks from Little Flea include a tooth soft toy as a homage to her day job!

Blanket, Tullibee

Tooth Fairy soft toy, minifili

Teepee, Scandiborn

Wallpaper, Beyond the Stork

Lockers, Ottie & the Bea 71

www.norahsbrownies.com 15% off with Code: Littleflea

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Chiming pregnancy necklace, Blooming Lovely Jewellery

Khaki leopard print sweat, Scamp & Dude

Adults Sweatshirt, Disko Kids

Changing bag, no+mi

Nourishing oil, no+mi

I am... print, Sas & Yosh

Bax & Bay

Baby gift box, Miniboo Gifts 74

Soothing oil, Honest x Tiba & Marl

Mama Flea

Sheepskin buggy liner, Tiba & Marl x Binibamba

Hummingbird Pj’s, Their Nibs

Yay cushion, tullibee

Changing bag, Beyond the Stork

Strong Girl Print, Mutha.Hood

Bees t-shirt, Cocoon Child

Fingerprint necklace, Ickle Pickle Prints

Bath Salts, Olive Loves Alfie

Sling, For the Love of Mum

Mum candle, ALL by MAMA 75

44outfits 2 ways

Slogan tee, €89 Anine Bing

Pearl earrings, £15.99 Mango

Fringed coat, £490 Studio B

Pleated skirt, £69 Arket Woven bag, £19.99 New Look

Jeans, £140 Tomorrow Denim at Laboo London

Western Boots, £55 M&S 76

White trainers, £75 Boden

Style Files

We show you 4 key Spring 2019 pieces and how to style them two different ways to give you multiple ways to wear

Black wool blazer, £89.99 Mango

Belt, £9,99 H&M

Satin vest, £9.99 H&M

Heart print dress, £175 Radish at Studio B

Green shoes, £49 Charles & Keith Wide leg jeans, £79 Cos

Snake bag, £130 Tiba & Marl

Leather sneakers, £290 Acne Studios at Net a Porter 77

Style Files

Side stripe trackpants, £89 Mint Velvet at John Lewis

White shirt, £50 French Connection

Merino roll neck, £29.50 M&S Gold bracelet, £1339 Anine Bing

White bag, £63 Dune at Debenhams

Black heels, £150 Arket

Velcro sandals, £49.99 Zara 78

Blue zip up utility boilersuit, £55 M&S

Leather belt, £25.99 Zara Hairclip, pack of 3, £8,99 Maison Archives

White trainers, £140 Laboo London

Pink bag, £45 Charles & Keith

Mules, £89.99 Zara

Oversized bag, £59 Kin at John Lewis 79

Camp Wilderness

Best friends, Pippa & Alfie-May go on a summer adventure to find out if they can survive three days without tech.

W

hen Pippa and her bestie, Alfie-May were invited to stay at one of Camp Wilderness’ summer camps last summer, they jumped at the chance! The 3-day or 5-day residential camps are held at six different woodland locations across the UK and Pippa and Alfie-May attended the Hertfordshire site.

There were 3 main areas of concern that the girls were worried about - germs, being away from home and no-tech! What were they going to do without their precious phones for 3 days? How would they cope?

Well unplugging for a few days is what Camp Wilderness is all about. They want kids to be wild again, to experience the outdoors, to get back to

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nature and remember what it’s like to be a child and have fun.

Held in safari-style tented camps in the middle of the most magical woodlands, days at camp are spent participating in a host of different activities, from traditional fire-lighting and shelter-building, to archery and wild swimming. And with evenings spent enjoying big bushtucker feasts, playing football and rounders in the fields, and roasting marshmallows over the campfire, Camp Wilderness is the perfect place to make great friends and long-lasting memories.

Here’s what Pippa and Alfie-May thought of their first experience at Camp Wilderness...

“I volunteered to eat a fish eye.

It was chewy and crunchy and it kind of popped in my mouth

”

and loads of liquid came out!

I was nervous, says Pippa. I don’t like change and I was worried that I would miss my family. It was a new experience and I didn’t know what to expect. But I wanted to challenge myself and knew I could do it especially as Alfie-May was with me.

When we first arrived we played loads of games to make us feel relaxed and get to know each other. We sat by the

campfire and talked about the rules of the camp and safety etc. The camp was huge. Loads of big bell tents placed in a half moon shape around the campfire. I was excited to find out who I would be sharing a tent with.

The leaders were really kind and fun, they made it easy to make friends and I loved how welcome I was made to feel, says Alfie-May. I didn’t feel at all

uncomfortable.

We did so many activities like walking in the woods to collect firewood for the campfire and pizza oven, we learnt how to make a survival bracelet and whittle a tent peg, plus the leaders also showed us how to build traps and then in teams, we created our own! There was archery, den building and loads of games.

I think building the shelter was the thing I felt most proud of, says AlfieMay. It was such an achievement and so much fun. Once we’d built the shelter we had the opportunity to sleep in it if we wanted to, says Pippa. It was a bit scary but i’m so glad I did it!

The food was great, Pippa remembers.

One of the activities was making pizzas and cooking them in the pizza oven and another was watching the leaders gut a big fish. They showed us how to prepare it and when they took the eyes out they asked if anyone wanted to eat one of them. I volunteered! It was chewy and crunchy and it kind of popped in my mouth and loads of liquid came out of 81

“There wasn’t anything I didn’t like, says Alfie-May. I want to go again this year.

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it! It was a bit gross but tasted just like salmon!

I think my favourite part of the whole experience was when we all helped to make the fire and cooked burgers over it and sat around chatting and eating, says Pippa. My least favourite was going to the toilet in the middle of the night.

We always had to go in pairs, but when I was waiting outside for my friend, there was no noise and the camp was so dark and still, it was a bit scary!

them so well. They stank of smoke had dirty hair and were buzzing when we collected them at the end of the 3 days.

It was a sign of a great time had by all.

Their faces were covered in war paint and their smiles went from ear to ear.

They exchanged numbers with friends they had met and all gave huge cuddles of goodbyes.

It reminded me of the summers of my youth when we would go out from

morning to night with no phones, no technology, just friends, bikes and fun. Camp Wilderness give magical experiences to children that are priceless.

To find out more or to book a stay visit www.campwilderness.co.uk. Camps run throughout the summer holidays.

Watch out for a special competition on the Little Flea instagram page to win 2 places to a 3 day camp of your choice!

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like, says Alfie-May. I want to go again this year.

I had so much fun. I learnt that I can manage away from home and have fun without technology. Plus it was so pretty and I loved being part of nature.

I feel proud that I faced my fears about creepy crawlies and survived sleeping on the floor, Pippa says. I did something that doesn’t come naturally to me and I just got on with it and loved it.

The girls had so much fun and the team at Camp Wilderness looked after

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a taste of spring As the days get lighter and the temperature starts going up, we can start to move on from the cold weather comfort of stews and slow-cooked food and move our thoughts to fresher, more vibrant flavours and ingredients. It’s also a great time to start upping your fruit and veg intake. This can be tricky at times for kids, but the following recipes are a great way of encouraging the whole family to tuck in to a rainbow selection of foods. Read on for three tasty recipes that the whole family will enjoy.

By Abi Waters

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Mini Frittatas These mini frittatas are great lunchbox fillers and perfect for spring picnics in the sun. Pack them with your favourite combinations of vegetables to encourage even the fussiest of eaters. They are delicious served with tzatziki for dipping.

Makes 6 mini frittatas

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

5 free-range eggs, beaten

Place 6 silicone cupcake moulds on a baking tray.

8 cherry tomatoes, chopped

Beat the eggs in a measuring jug and add a little salt and pepper. Pour them into the moulds, filling about two-thirds full.

1/2 red pepper, deseeded and chopped A handful of kale leaves, woody stems removed and chopped 75g feta cheese, crumbled A little grated Cheddar cheese, for sprinkling

Divide the fillings ingredients between the moulds so each one has an even mix of ingredients. Top with a sprinkling of Cheddar cheese.

Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden on top and cooked through.

Leave to cool for a few minutes and then remove from the silicone moulds to cool completely.

Salt & black pepper Tips: As with all of these veg-packed recipes, you can change the combination of fillings to use your favourite flavours.

Tasty combinations are: roasted red peppers and courgettes and feta; cooked potato, spring onion and chopped cooked bacon; chopped cooked broccoli and mushrooms; sweetcorn, peas and smoked salmon (omit the cheese).

You could also make this as one big frittata by using a 20cm silicone cake mould instead of the cupcake moulds and baking for 20–30 minutes until cooked.

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Prawn Spring Rolls These light and fresh rice paper spring rolls are packed full with crisp vegetables. Getting the kids involved in choosing and prepping the veg they want in their rolls is a great way to encourage and inspire them to eat nutritious food.

Makes 12 rolls 1 nest of thin rice noodles 2 carrots, chopped into matchsticks 1 red pepper, chopping into matchsticks 3 spring onions, chopped into matchsticks 200g cooked king prawns A few springs of coriander 12 rice paper wrappers

First, make the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside until needed.

Put the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with just boiled water. Leave for 10 minutes to soften, then drain.

Start to make up the spring rolls. Dip a rice paper wrapper in a bowl of just boiled water and then lay on a board or plate.

Start layering up the filling ingredients in the lower half of the wrapper – I normally start with a few coriander leaves, then some vegetables, followed by some noodles and topped with prawns.

To roll up, fold over the bottom edge over the ingredients, tuck in both sides, and then roll over to fully roll up. Keep tucking in the sides as you roll. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and ingredients.

Serve with the dipping sauce.

For the dipping sauce: 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Tips:

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

This is an easy recipe to personalise, so feel free to change the ingredients to suit your family’s tastes.

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

Let your children choose their favourite salad vegetables to be included and hopefully they will be more likely to eat it.

Juice of 1/2 lime

This works equally well with cooked chicken or smoked salmon instead of the prawns.

1 spring onion, finely chopped

You could use rice instead of noodles, but it may be trickier (or a bit messier) to roll.

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Veg-loaded Baked Potatoes This is a great transition from warming winter food to lighter spring foods – and who doesn’t love a baked potato? Mixing some vegetables into the cooked potato and re-filling the jackets is a sneaky way of upping your child’s veg intake.

Serves 2–3 2 baked potatoes 1/2 head of cauliflower, broken into florets 1/2 head of broccoli, broken into florets A knob of butter 75g Cheddar cheese, grated, plus extra for sprinkling Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until soft in the centre when pricked.

Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower and broccoli florets until cooked.

Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthways and scoop out the cooked potato flesh and divide between two mixing bowls.

Place the empty potato shells in a baking dish.

Add the cauliflower to one bowl of potato and the broccoli to the other.

Use a masher or a fork to mash them together.

Add some butter, salt and pepper and a splash of milk to each bowl and then mix in the cheese.

Spoon the veg-loaded potato mixtures back into the empty shells so that you have two cauli-loaded potatoes and two broccoli-loaded potatoes.

Sprinkle the tops with a little extra grated cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden on top.

Serve with a fresh green salad.

Tips: You can easily increase the quantities of this recipe to serve more people.

Vary the veg to suit your tastes. Other good combos are: mushrooms, bacon and spring onions; roasted red peppers and tomatoes; kale and caramelised red onions.

These can be prepared in advance and then popped in the oven just to brown the tops when needed.

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Tips for Upping your Family’s Veg Intake The key with getting kids to eat more veg is always in involving them in the choosing and prepping process.

I quite often find that if my children help me peel and prep veg they might eat some raw veg during the process, and then I don’t worry too much if they don’t eat any cooked veg with their meal.

Often children will prefer raw veg to cooked too – my youngest hates cooked mushrooms, but will quite happily munch on raw mushrooms as I’m chopping them. So even though it seems odd to use, don’t worry about serving raw pepper sticks and cucumber with a cooked meal if that’s the only way they’ll eat their veg.

Putting out a platter of chopped veg with some dip (tzatziki or hummus) when the kids get home from

school is a great way of packing in a few nutrients and distracting them from the usual crisps and biscuits.

Add some breadsticks, oatcakes, olives and chunks of cheese to make a delicious mezze platter.

Look out for different coloured vegetables, such as yellow and orange cherry tomatoes and purple carrots, and also mini versions or vegetables, such as mini peppers and cucumbers to catch your child’s interest. _ Abi Waters is a freelance food editor with over 20 years experience in the publishing industry. Check out her tasty meal ideas on Instagram @in_abis_ kitchen. To get in touch email abiwaters7@gmail.com.

Photos by Mark Waters (@ photographymarkwaters) 93

We Love

We love... the gorgeous collection of knitwear by The Faraway Gang.

The British made knitwear brand for children aged 4-7 years old, offers a unisex alternative to grey that is fun, playful and colourful that can be worn by girls and boys alike. The style is a nod to British heritage with a contemporary use of colour and pattern. The Faraway Gang believe great clothes should evoke great memories so want children to go out exploring, having fun and using their imaginations.

We love... This fun and engaging weather station from Moon Picnic at Olive Loves Alfie. This beautiful wooden toy allows kids to learn about weather in a fun and educational way. Move the weather meter, turn the dials, slide the thermometer.This interactive toy has 4 movable parts and 5 weather symbols to display so little meteorologists can report and forecast the weather. Made from sustainable solid Beech wood.

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We love... These aweome books available at Lala & Bea, all about fearless, brave and incredible young women who changed the world and rocked the world. From Florence Nightingale to Anna Pavolova, Coco Chanel to Eva Peron, Aretha Frankin to Emma Watson, these books features women from around the globe, who have all achieved remarkable things. Who run the world? Girls!

We love... The adorable summery collection from Nellie Quats. With gorgeous Liberty Print floral dresses, soft linen jumpsuits and raglan blouses all in beautiful hues of peach, pinks and duck egg blues, this is one collection you won’t want to miss.

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We Love

We love... the new beachwear range by Beanie & Bear. With technical fabrics that promise no saggy bottoms, the mix-and-match designs enables you to pick a combo that suits your childs personality. Plus, each of their products has in-built UPF 50+ UV-protection to keep them protected under the sun. Roll on summer!

We love... The fun and colourful Rockahula Kids accessories collection.

From icecream lolly and jellyfish hairclips to Hummingbird alice bands to cheetah and crocodile bum bags, this is a fruity and playful collection thatyour children will love. They make fantastic gifts too.

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We love... this amazing collaboration between Cotton Twist and Thea Chops Books celebrating amazing women.

Emmeline Pankhurst is the first in a series of Wonderful Women and is a peg doll craft kit where children can create their own mini Emmeline while learning a little history. The kit comes with a rhyming poem from Thea Chops Books about Emmeline & the Suffragettes.

We love... these gorgeous ‘I Beleive in Unicorns’ colouring cards by Sarah Lovell. Beautifully presented in a lovely box, these cards will keep your little one amused for hours. The beautiful gift set of 12 hand illustrated A5 unicorn cards are perfect for your child to experiment with colour and each set comes in a presentation box with 12 fuchsia envelopes tied with a pretty pink ribbon. This colouring card set makes a wonderful gift or to treasure yourself.

We love... The brand new Scamp & Dude collaboration with Soho House owned, British bath and body brand Cowshed. They have created this wonderful collection of ‘Courage’ and Good Luck’ candles with the Scamp & Dude signature leaoprd print and kids ‘Superpower’ sleep spray that is an all-natural calming spray that you can spray on bedding, soft toys and clothing to provide a burst of superpowers when required.

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Stockists

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Gather & Co

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ALL by MAMA

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Parent Apparel

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Piupia

Atticus & Gilda

JAM London

Poppy & Honesty

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K

R

Bababou

Knit Planet

Rockahula Kids

Beanie & Bear

Koopsen

S

Beyond the Stork

L

Sarah Lovell Art

Binky Nixon

Lala & Bea

Sas & Yosh

Blooming Lovely Jewellery

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Scamp & Dude

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Scandibørn

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Mere Soeur

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Cotton Twist

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Tiba & Marl

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Nellie Quats

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Their Nibs

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For The Love of Mum

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Organic Zoo

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If you're planning a party for your children and need a little inspiration, this is your lucky day.

At partyanimals.blog you'll find fabulous recipes, creative ideas, helpful tips on organising the best party ever and lots of fun things to make and do. New content is regularly added, but if you can't find the answer to your question, just ask, we'd love to help! www.partyanimals.blog partyanimals.blog

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