If you're a passionate foodie with kids on the side then Hey Bambini is your go-to-resource in the world of child-friendly cafes. Melbourne Mum Jolie created the Hey Bambini website not long after her son was born and has been tracking down and reviewing awesome eateries ever since. With Sydney and Brisbane cafes now in her sights it's time for some more Mums to get on board with this comprehensive guide to family friendly cafes and restaurants.
In between sourcing cafes and chasing after a busy toddler Jolie has taken some time out to share some of her 'must-have' items. Love the fact that cupcakes are on her list!
△ Smart Phone – must be always charged and ready for tweeting, emailing, music, Google, maps and of course Facebook. Although sometimes l have to fight Mr 2 for it – he has his own page of games and kid friendly apps, which is a god send when we are dining out.
△ Morning Cup of Tea – always start my day off with a hot cup of tea and pending how busy my morning is, it sometimes turns into cold tea, which l still drink anyway!
△ Lip Balm / Lip Gloss – l have several placed {lost} around the house and car. A simple swish of gloss can make a dull tired face feel a little fresher.
△ Cupcakes – a weekly visit for cupcakes and coffee is always high on the priority list for me and Mr 2.
△ An Op Shop Fix – another weekly event that is a must to get my shopping fix. I adore sifting through Op Shops looking for vintage children’s books, old sewing patterns, bric-a-brac and vintage tea-towels.
△ My Camera – my camera comes with me everywhere to snap up family memories, beautiful things and of course the odd child friendly café or two.
Beatrix NY backpacks and drink bottles have just landed at Kiddy Couture. A favourite among the celebrity kiddy set, Beatrix NY will have your little one heading off to school or kindy in style. Ester and Baxter are two of my personal faves however there's also a very cool looking shark by the name of Nigel who I have my eye on. International customers do even better as GST is automatically deducted from these items and with a great exchange rate at the moment, seriously, how could not bag one of these cuties?! Available from my sis-in-law's fabulous store, she has been raving about them. And now, so am I.
Congratulations to CORINNE, winner of the kid's swimwear and beachdress, and TRUDY winner of the women's bikini. A BIG thank you to Stella Cove for these awesome giveaway prizes.
I usually get a tonne of emails alerting me to new on-line stores popping up and UK newbie Niddle Noddle recently caught my eye. The 'old-world' vintage feel and retro wares definitely sets it apart from many of the other kids' retailers. I love the Warm Sugar dolls (seen here a while ago), vintage Fisher-Price toys (hello, nostalgia) and the little 'pocket money' novelties that you just know kids are going to love. Bookmark this site now. It's definitely one of my new-found favourites.
Recently I've been obsessing over this Blink Design Colours Wall Chart. First spotted in a popular house and home magazine (don't ask me which one – I have no idea), then picked up by my sister-in-law on her recent trip to Sydney. I almost grabbed one when she bought hers but resisted the temptation. Now I'm wishing I hadn't. This rainbow colours wall chart would look right at home on Poppy's bedroom wall. Or any other wall in our house.
Is that spring in the air already? The warmer months will soon be upon us and you know what that means? Time to break out the swimsuits and soak up some sun. I am super excited that two of my lucky readers are going to score themselves some gorgeous swimwear courtesy of Stella Cove. This fabulous brand is stocked in some of the world's best boutiques and is a favourite among the celebrity set. Stella Cove swimwear creates some of the most divine swimwear for mothers and daughters including a range of beachwear for tweens and super cool board shorts for boys. I've already had a little sneak peek at the SS 11-12 collection and it's ridiculously hard to pick a favourite. I know where Poppy's summer swimsuit is coming from though – a certain Lady Marmalade design has definitely caught my eye. Delicious.
For your chance to win one of the following:
1. Child's swimwear plus beachdress
OR
2. Women's bikini
Simply head over to Stella Cove, browse the collection, then leave a comment below telling me the name of your favourite piece. As there will be two winners for this giveaway please make sure you state either number 1 or number 2 next to your comment.
Terms and Conditions: Competition is OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. Competition closes August 18th 7pm EST. Winners will be notified via email and announced on the blog August 19th. Some prints are currently limited in stock however Stella Cove endeavours to ensure that winners are completely happy with their prize.
There's a sweet sense of nostalgia going on with these new vintage-inspired Baby Lapin Lamps. The adorable curl, those rosy pink cheeks and ruby red lips. Gorgeous replicas of the Lapin and Me signature vintage toy made in Germany. Light the way, little Lapins.
