I hope you enjoyed the first of my holiday gift guides, and are ready for another one of my lists of favourite products, but this time for all the Big Kids in your life!
You may think, what does a baby store have for the big kids on my list? Well you might be surprised! Thanks to our customers, we've been able to expand our products to cater to a bigger audience, including big kids!
The Cozy Big Kid: Matching Fleece Robes and Fleece Slippers by Hatley
Another beloved Canadian brand, Hatley is the go-to place for anything cozy and holiday themed.
Liven up their bath time routine with this cozy fleece bathrobe! Perfect for keeping them warm when they get out of the tub or for sipping hot chocolate on cool winter mornings, it can be easily paired with the matching slippers for the ultimate cozy set.
We've got lots of different patterns, so you are sure to find one that the big kid on your list will love!
P.S. They're 25% off right now!
Checkout all Hatley products here!
The Grown-Up Big Kid: Secret Agent Play Set by Plan Toys
Founded by 7 university graduates who believed in a sustainable mission, PlanToys offers toys which help develop a toddler's intellectual, physical, social and emotional skills AND are made of sustainable wooden materials.
Role play as a secret agent with this fully equipped playset that includes an ID badge, finger scanner, and more! Children can bring this set with them wherever they go, as it comes with a utility belt that can keep all gadgets safe inside!
Checkout all Pretend Play products from PlanToys here!
The Montessori Big Kid: MandaLay by Erzi
Made in Germany, Erzi's high-grade wooden toys are manufactured exclusively from FSC certified materials, warranting sustainable forest management!
Included in the set is a brightly coloured play mat designed with a fine network of lines to facilitate even positioning. The cute figures simply fire the imagination when it comes to creating fantastic playscapes while stimulating enthusiasm applied to artistic creativity and unleashing free-play resources.
Checkout all Erzi products here!
The Big Kid Show Stopper: Cathedral Building Blocks
The price of this guy may make you flinch at first, but I'm telling you, the quality of this building block set is unmatched.
Made by 3rd generation, Russian carpenters, each and every wooden block is hand carved and painted with a water-based paint.
Part of their Slavic Fairytale collection, these blocks celebrate the shapely onion domes of Slavic architecture as well as its traditions and handicrafts. This set was specifically inspired by the architecture of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Tchaikovsky's music and illustrations from Slavic fairy tales.
Checkout all Raduga Grez products here!
I mean the list could go on and on about what my favourite pieces in this store are, but I'm sure time is of the essence for you, so close to the holidays.
If you want more inspiration, please checkout our Instagram for daily inspo leading up to the holidays!
Cheers,
Lea
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I hope you enjoyed the first of my holiday gift guides, and are ready for another one of my lists of favourite products, but this time for all the little toddlers in your life!
These suggestions are perfect for any child between the ages of 2 and 5!
The Cozy Toddler: The Matching Sweatshirt and Sweatpants by Lola & Taylor
Founded in Toronto, this Canadian brand makes comfy loungewear for little kiddos out of organic cotton.
And since, it seems that Canadian schools will be returning back to online learning in the new year, our kids could definitely use some more comfy clothes for the upcoming winter months.
Offering these matching sweatshirts and sweatpants in 4 different colours, you're sure to find one that matches the toddler in your life.
P.S. they're also 25% off 👀
Checkout all Lola & Taylor products here!
The Grown-Up Toddler: Meal Time by Erzi
Imitation is the name of the game for toddlers all around the world. At this age, toddlers want to imitate their parents all day long, and what better way to do so with wooden food toys. These wooden food toys made by Erzi are made in Germany and hand-painted with water based paint and lacquer, making them safe to put in your mouth and play with!
Pretend play is a great way to encourage imagination and creativity, support social and emotional development, and improve language and communication skills.
Checkout all Pretend Play products here!
The Montessori Toddler: The Orchard Beehives by PlanToys
Founded by 7 university graduates who believed in a sustainable mission, PlanToys offers toys which help develop a toddler's intellectual, physical, social and emotional skills AND are made of sustainable wooden materials.
These cute bees are help develop fine motor skills by matching the bee to its hive using the pincer grasp or the forceps. It also reinforces colour recognition and counting.
Checkout all PlanToys products here!
The Parenting Toddler: Paola Reina Dolls by Minikane
Minikane dolls have been designed in France and made in Spain since 1870. The materials used for their production are high quality: from the raw material to the hair, to the eyes, to the sweet scent of vanilla!
These dolls are perfect for exploring our interactions with other children. Dolls are great in teaching responsibility and encourage creative play.
We carry the Paola Reina Dolls in a variety of skin tones for both girls and boys, so you're sure to find one that looks like the toddler you are buying for! We also carry a variety of clothes, accessories and furniture for them as well!
Checkout all our Doll products here!
The Toddler Show Stopper: My First Race Car by Vilac
The price of this guy may make you flinch at first, but I'm telling you, the quality of this race car is unmatched.
It’s made by the storied French company Vilac, which has been making heirloom children’s toys with an old-world attention to detail since 1911.
Featuring a sturdy, painted steel body and chrome grill, along with moveable front wheels that make steering easy, this vintage race car is guaranteed to inspire hours of fun.
I mean the list could go on and on about what my favourite pieces in this store are, but I'm sure time is of the essence for you, so close to the holidays.
If you want more inspiration, please checkout our Instagram for daily inspo leading up to the holidays!
Cheers,
Lea
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Well fret no more, I'm here to give some of my favourite products for all the babies in your life.
The Cozy Baby: Fleece-Lined Jumpsuits by Quincy Mae
Quincy Mae is a brand that brings you organic + ethically made baby clothing and accessories, brought to you by their sister company, Rylee & Cru.
These cozy fleece-lined jumpsuits are perfect to keep anyone's baby warm and protected against that cold Canadian winter. Made of organic cotton, these jumpsuits feel extremely soft against baby skin, there is not itch in sight!
With 4 different patterns and colours, you are sure to find one that fits your best friend's baby aesthetic ♡
Checkout all the Quincy Mae products here!
The Messy Baby: Silicone Meal Time by Mushie
Mushie has been designing modern, sustainable products for several years now, becoming a favourite for all parents that just want an easy clean up after a messy meal time. Designed in Sweden, Mushie products feature classic patterns, capturing a look that is both timeless and elegant.
Made of silicone, their products do not retain any stains and are easy to wipe off. Their silicone bowls and plates have a suction feature so that the baby will have a tough time throwing their dinnerware on the floor.
Checkout all the Mushie products here!
The Montessori Baby: The Perfect Sorting Set by Elm + Otter
Elm + Otter is always one of the top products which I recommend for parents looking to develop their baby's gross motor skills, and other intellectual skills. Elm + Otter create and curate high quality Montessori and Waldorf-inspired children's toys.
A modern twist on a Montessori classic, the Perfect Sorting Bowl Set features beautiful modernized colours.
Their Montessori Balls sorting set make a perfect first sorting toy! This is a set that can grow with even a very young child. Beginning with maybe only one ball and bowl to using them all at once, so many skills can be learned and reinforced with this classic toy!
What I love about their toys, is that every single one of them can also serve as an open-ended toy so their use never ends!
Checkout all the Elm+Otter products here!
The Exploring Baby: Sensory Tumbling Toys by PlanToys
Founded by 7 university graduates who believed in a sustainable mission, PlanToys offers toys which help develop a baby's intellectual, physical, social and emotional skills AND are made of sustainable wooden materials.
P.S. They're also just so cute!
Featuring smiley little faces, these tumbling buddies are here to develop a baby's basic auditory, visual and touching skills. Babies will stay intrigued with these 3 buddies all day long, giving mama some time to make herself a coffee.
Checkout all the PlanToys products here!
The Baby Show Stopper: Mountain Building Blocks by Raduga Grez
Let's be honest, there's one person on your gifting list that you just want to blow away this holiday season. Well Raduga Grez is THE company that can help you achieve that. Made by 3rd generation, Russian carpenters, each and every wooden block is hand carved and painted.
The Mountain Building Block Set is a gorgeous open-ended toy to invite nature into someone's home and inspire a love for mother earth. Just like real mountains, this set teaches babies to think bigger.
It makes a wonderful heirloom piece to add to anyone's child's wooden toy collection.
Checkout all the Raduga Grez products here!
I mean the list could go on and on about what my favourite pieces in this store are, but I'm sure time is of the essence for you, so close to the holidays.
If you want more inspiration, please checkout our Instagram for daily inspo leading up to the holidays!
Cheers,
Lea
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The Luggy Basket - like the Seeya Suitcase, each Luggy Basket is ideal for your toddler's mini adventures and most prized possessions and it also comes in an adult-size for those twinning dates at the farmers market! // Available in Natural, Straw, Rose and Mint.
The Strolley - imaginative and fun, the strolley can be converted from a stroller to a cart just by lowering the hood. Another excellent choice for pretend play, toy storage, and shopping dates // Available in Natural.
The Mini Chari Bag - handwoven from natural rattan, this functional, multi-purpose bag can be used as a bicycle basket, a treasure bag, a casual mini handbag, or even a backpack to bring on every occasion; little traveller approved! // Available in Natural and Rose.
The Piki Basket - a handwoven classic, your little one will love bringing this mini basket along with them on casual strolls, family picnics, and playdates // Available in Natural.
Functional and fun-sized, all of the products mentioned above use environmentally-sustainable materials, are handcrafted, and are safe + suitable for "small folk" ages 2+. We hope that these featured products have encouraged you and your little one to make the most out of your adventures and travels together no matter the length or destination!
// SHOP OLLI ELLA //
Macrame textiles focus on the technique of knotting in various combinations of hitching, though often half hitches. It may seem like a tedious (and perhaps even intimidating) technique to start and get the hang of, but it's nevertheless a versatile art with endless, creative patterned possibilities that can be achieved through patience and practice.
To help keep you creatively inspired for the season, here are 6 affordable Pinterest-approved DIY macrame pieces that can add just the right amount of texture, beauty, and simplicity into your home, wardrobe, and overall lifestyle:
1) Macrame Wall Hanging (via Hey Lila Hey)
2) Macrame Coasters (via Curly Made)
MATERIALS NEEDED
- 3mm cotton cord
- a cork coaster
- pins
- scissors
- a ruler
- a comb
Click here for complete instructions on how to make your own.
3) Macrame Plant Hanger (via Persia Lou)
MATERIALS NEEDED
- 3mm cotton cord
- 6" metal ring
- a pot with a tray
- scissors
- planting mix
Click here for complete instructions on how to make your own.
4) Macrame Earrings (via Cuckoo 4 Design)
MATERIALS NEEDED
- cotton yarn
- scissors
- a comb
- small hoop earrings
- a clip or clothing pin
Click here for complete instructions on how to make your own.
5) Macrame Net Produce Bag (via Say Yes)
MATERIALS NEEDED
- cotton cord
- scissors
(yes, that's it!)
Click here for complete instructions on how to make your own.
6) Macrame Mirror (via My Attic)
MATERIALS NEEDED
- a round mirror
- cotton rope (approx. 10m)
- wooden beads
- a wooden ring
- scissors
Click here for complete instructions on how to make your own.
Of course, the trend doesn't stop at the few DIY pieces we just covered here as there are countless ways to get creative with the "bohemian" textile art (with easily-accessible step-by-step tutorials and basic guides to make the process a whole lot easier and less time consuming for you).
We hope this short list has inspired you to get crafty regardless of the project, big or small. Happy making!
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Don't have time for a DIY? Click here to shop macrame from our carefully-curated collection that is ready + made for purchase or visit us at our store during regular hours to check them out in-person. We look forward to seeing you!
]]>Known for their "Keep It Lite" philosophy which cohesively emphasizes a formula of environmentally-friendly materials, innovation, originality, and liteness, Native Shoes are the ideal summer footwear brand for adults and kids alike. To top off their many list of pros, the brand is also an approved vegan brand certified by PETA marking their products as "Beast Free".
For a practical, lightweight shoe that can last with your child's play throughout the whole season (and beyond), we highly recommend The Jefferson which are available in both child and youth sizes:
The Jefferson pictured above in various colours.
The Jefferson encompasses all the quality features expected from a Native shoe - they're exceptionally lightweight, shock absorbent, odor-resistant (combating those sweaty, stinky feet), and hand-washable meaning they're ideal for the splash pad and outdoor-wear. They come in an endless assortment of solid colours, though also in different, unique styles such as The Jefferson Bling and their popular glow-in-the-dark variations, The Jefferson Glow Block and The Jefferson Glow:
The Jefferson Bling pictured above in Sakura Red.
The Jefferson Glow Block pictured above in Hamachi Blue/Shell White (Light vs. Dark).
The Miles Print x Sanrio pictured above in the Hello Kitty print.
Native Shoes never fail to impress us with their focus on sustainability, practicality, and comfort, and they continue to deliver originality and innovation as made evident in every product that they design from old to new.
The styles we've just covered are only a few of the many options that we have available from Native Shoes - we've got plenty of more lightweight + practical options for you to browse through and choose from both in-store and online, along with brand new styles coming our way to keep your child geared up and extra comfortable on foot for the whole season.
As always, we'll keep you updated on all of our new arrivals, so stay tuned!
// SHOP NATIVE SHOES //
A mother raising her children is one of the most impactful and powerful things to witness and experience in life - it’s not at all easy; it’s a real super power.
Every day, we are reminded of the efforts and overall presence of a mother (or motherly figure), whether we are ones ourselves or have our very own who we love and respect wholeheartedly.
There are no simple instructions in surviving life without the nourishing guidance and company of a mother, so it is our mission to continue to celebrate each and every one of them every single day.
We appreciate you mamas; thank you for always being exceptionally super.
]]>In the case of motherhood, it can be hard to find time to merely indulge in the peace of your own company when your world activates on caffeine and chaos - you're too busy preparing meals for the week, memorizing the schedules of the others in your household (including your own), scrubbing paint off the walls, resolving familial issues, and in the midst of it all, you're sacrificing your sleep. How long has it been since you've last had a good night's rest? Days? Weeks? Who really knows.
We tend to keep ourselves distracted by the hustle and bustle of our crammed schedules and it is for this reason that we sometimes forget about the little things that matter like our self-care and well-being. Self-care doesn't always mean spa treatments or indulging in the guilty pleasures (though they are still excellent ways to relax and create a peace of mind), but committing to behaviours or activities that can maintain balance for us emotionally, mentally, and physically in the long-run.
Self-care, in a nutshell, is a commitment to sustainable, efficient practices that we find appropriate in promoting our well-being and as a result, can diminish the stresses that come from our daily lives; it means practices that are nourishing, fulfilling, purposeful, and facilitate peace while also instilling balance in mind, body, and soul.
Such practices are unique and dependent on our own individual needs, desires, and interests and can come in various forms - exercising and eating healthy, energizing food can be a form of self-care; taking a walk outside to bask in the sun can be a form of self-care; creating lists as a means of organization can be a form of self-care; writing positive affirmations for yourself can be a form of self-care; sitting down on your favourite comfy chair with a book and cup of tea can be a form of self-care; prioritizing your own sleep (for once) can be a form of self-care.
Eventually, these practices will become second-nature and you will find the right rhythm and structure that works best for you. So long as the practices of your choosing promote a sense of self-awareness and balance in all areas of your life, then you can maintain that personal space and presence you never wished you neglected in the first place.
At the end of the day, we must always keep in mind that self-care is not selfish. We owe it to ourselves to choose the right practices that cater to our needs and help us thrive as women. Finding the time to regularly care for our health in all its forms, even if it's only ten minutes a day, can go a long way in the relationships we build with not only others, but with ourselves.
Because self-care is not a chore, but a commitment and a ritual - a ritual that can ultimately empower us to simply take care of ourselves and others while being key in shifting our sense of being from existing to living.
It is a night filled with glamour, creativity, and the unconventional; a night honouring the world's most revolutionary concepts in fashion; a night when fashion enthusiasts come together to collectively admire contemporary artistry; a night when men and women can openly express themselves in costume and slay.
Like its preceding years, Monday night's Met Gala had our head's turning and jaw's dropping as its attendees set the tone for the night by showing off their most innovative, over-the-top, and even downright outrageous outfits. The annually anticipated fundraising event benefits the Costume Institute of New York City's renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art and is generally known to bring forth celebrities, visionaries, and industry moguls alike. It is widely regarded as one of the largest social fundraising galas in the city as it continues to provide record-breaking amounts of funding for the institute.
This year's fashion theme, inspired by Susan Sontag's 1964 essay "Notes on "Camp"", emphasizes humour, irony, the unnatural, and most importantly exaggerated appeal. Many of our favourite women in the industry attended the gala to deliver every characteristic that Camp fashion embodies, though most even surpassing our expectations.
Here are five inspiring mom bosses who pulled off their exaggerated Camp-themed looks with confidence, inventiveness, and poise:
Celine Dion wearing Oscar de la Renta
Emily Blunt wearing Michael Kors
Ciara wearing Peter Dundas
Serena Williams wearing Versace
Gwen Stefani wearing Maschino by Jeremy Scott
Honorable Mentions
Regina King wearing Oscar de la Renta. Her extravagant look paid tribute to one of the first African American movie star's in the late 1920's, Nina Mae Mckinney.
Diane von Furstenberg wearing none other than a Diane von Furstenberg design in honour of her late mother. At 72, she still continues to exhibit beauty and elegance, doing so with great ease!
Surely, these sensational women made even the unconventional look naturally captivating which is no surprise as they are each fierce, mom bosses personified. With their extraordinary outfits and overall confident delivery of such a groundbreaking concept like Camp, they celebrated their unique, beautiful bodies and made their creative interpretations a reality for the world to witness - this is exactly what we all can aspire to become and are indubitably capable of achieving as strong, powerful modern-day women!
loving you
has always been
part of my nature.
- pavana
]]>What started off as a passion for modernizing kids' goods to suit their modern families has quickly and organically evolved into a growing community of inclusive families. We're so grateful for the support this community has shown us. Together with Little Rebels, we want to show you the love right back!
On Sunday, September 9, the Little Rebels are graciously coming over for 3 FREE classes at our shop! If you haven't been to one of their fun classes yet, come and check out why they're such a hit for yourself at no charge!
The only thing is, our shop can only fit so many people at a time, so space is limited and booking up fast. To reserve your spot, simply click the appropriate link below to RSVP:
1.5 to 3.5 year olds // 10:15 to 10:45 AM - REGISTER
9 month olds to 1.5 year olds // 11:15 to 11:45 AM - REGISTER
2 to 8 month olds // 12:00 to 12:30 PM - REGISTER
Little Rebels Music and Development isn’t your average music class. Their classes are carefully crafted and specifically designed programs, all age-specific to encourage cognitive learning, muscle development, and independent learning through music and movement. Each class includes a series of fun activities, newfangled songs, tactile object play, and depending on age; tummy and mirror time and baby massage, or crawling and walking activities aimed at assisting these amazing tiny humans in reaching those milestone moments. We adore them; we're thrilled to have them; you and your babe are going to love them!
PLUS, they'll be hosting 8-week sessions at our shop shortly after. Info soon to come.
*Should you need any assistance with booking or have any questions, please don't hesitate to give us or the Little Rebels a shout. We're so excited to have you!