Click here to visit the Buckets and Spades website
Click here to visit the Millie's Playground Website
Click here to visit the Ekidna Kids website
Click here to visit the My Child website

Three Potato Four: An Inspiring Mix of Goodies to Style Up Your Space

Posted: June 11th, 2009

Today’s post written by Edwina

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Today I’d like to introduce you to Three Potato Four - www.threepotatofourshop.com - the ideal place to pass some time with a cuppa and a piece of toast and invest in some quality products.

A truly inspiring mix of vintage, new and limited edition pieces from design duo Janet Morales & Stu Eli, this delightful store is full of the kinds of desirable objects that would fill any home with cosiness and comfort.

Three Potato Four’s kids section is super cute: there are dreamy vintage toys, French money boxes, home decor and accessories to be found here.

There are also some wonderful new and vintage prints in-store and exclusive to Three Potato Four. I love the photographs by Elizabeth Soule of toy cars out on adventures - perfect for boys rooms.

I am also completely smitten by the retro feel of the Manhattan Poster by Jim Datz, the colour, the boroughs - I love it!

Also look out for some lovely 1960’s Montessori Posters with inspiring quotations, the artwork is done by Lucia Pearce, an artist who went on to work for Charles and Ray Eames.

Here are some images to get you inspired, head over and check it out for yourself. Enjoy!

From left to right in rows:

Hand Decorated Zoo Bank - USD$65.00
Tin Wind-Up Globe - USD$35.00
Bird Botanical Print - Sunflower - USD$30.00
“Missouri” by Elizabeth Soule - USD$62.00
Around The World Children’s Tin Pail - USD$25.00
Montessori Poster - USD$120.00
Plush Blue-Eyed Bunny by Shinzi Katoh - USD$32.00
French Money Box - Owl - USD$32.00
Denmark Coin Bank Kit - USD$10.00
French Money Box - Pear - USD$24.00
Manhattan Poster by Jim Datz - USD$48.00
Chubby Nutcracker Drummer Musical Wind-Up - USD$65.00

Three Potato Four ship internationally. Email the store for a quote for postage to your location.

Play Smart with Intelliplay - Crazy Forts, Paper Animation, Brain Teasers, and Construction Toys. Selected Stock Now 50% off!!

Posted: June 9th, 2009

Today’s post written by Angela

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It’s no secret that I have a ‘thing’ for toys. Browsing through toy shops has always been a favourite past-time of mine, and now I have kids I have a good cover story!

It’s true that there a lot of toys to be had out there - hundreds of thousands, to millions - but not every toy fulfills the promise of its marketing, and meets the true purpose of it’s creation: to be played with and enjoyed by children again and again.

Intelliplay - www.intelliplay.com.au - sell and distribute only toys that have been tried, tested and loved by children. Their range of toys are selected because of their educational properties, affordability, long-life, and joyfulness!

Intelliplay is the Australia/New Zealand source of the ultra-cool Crazy Forts ($89.95), a package of 44 geometrically shaped sticks and 25 connecting balls which can be used to create castles, rockets, tunnels, igloos, free-form sculptures and whatever your imagination inspires. Just add a sheet to turn your creation into an instant cubby! This is a wonderful toy to encourage creativity in children, and is a great activity for the whole family.

Intelliplay also stock the ingenious The House of Flying Pigs Paper Craft Animation Kits (an outrageously cheap $9.95 each!!) - pop out the creature, glue, construct, crank the handle and watch your creation come to life! -  the cult status TIPP-KICK German Soccer Board Game ($39.95) - tap the head of your metal player to make his right leg lift up and kick the ball. You can also purchase star kickers ($14.95 each) from many soccer playing nations: a must for any soccer fan!

Intelliplay are have a wonderful 50% off sale on selected products, while stocks last, including Professor Puzzle Lab Test Puzzles (now $7.98-$9.98), visually appealing 3D brain teasers in a variety of difficulty levels, and Eitech Construction Toys (now just $7.48-$39.98), ranging from basic construction of planes right through to designing and building your own solar powered helicopter!

A heads up too, on Intelliplay’s own product, Ecoblox, an environmentally friendly range of Australian Made traditional wooden building blocks, available soon from the Intelliplay site. I’ll keep you informed as news comes to hand!

Intelliplay are sponsor of the 2009 KidStyleFile Annual Reader Survey: complete the survey and go into the draw to win 1 of 12 Crazy Forts valued at $89.95 each.

Intelliplay charge $10.00 flat-fee delivery, Australia-wide.

Are You a Closet Designer? Design a Tee and Win $200 at The Hip Infant, Plus GWP Offers & Hot Sale On Now!

Posted: February 12th, 2009

Today’s post written by Edwina

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The Hip Infant - www.thehipinfant.com.au - is adding some fun to ur world this Feb: they are on the look out for a new design for their winter tee range and the winning entry will receive a $200 gift voucher to spend in-store on anything you please!

Don’t be put off by the word “design” - this competition is for everyone! They don’t mind if it is a witty slogan or a cool image – whatever you fancy.The work just has to be original and the graphics or image something you have created yourself.

Entries close on the 5th March, click here through to the homepage for more info.

Lucky for us the fun doesn’t end there. The Hip Infant has extended their Id Tee range to bibs, bodysuits, aprons and library bags (perfect timing for Back to School smocks and book bags!).

Spend over $50.00 on products from the Id Tee range and in addition to getting a package of cool personalised gear you also will receive an I love my Babycinos book FREE! (value $9.95)

ID Tee - Singlet, $25.00
ID Tee - Short Sleeved T-shirt, $35.00
ID Tee - Long Sleeved T-shirt, $38.00
ID Tee - Bodysuit, $31.00
ID Tee - Bib, $17.00
ID Tee - Library Bag, $29.00
ID Tee - Apron, $26.00

Have you come up with a great idea for the new winter tee yet? Perhaps you need some inspiration and a just a few more cool reasons to enter.

I could spend $200.00 at The Hip Infant in a flash, they have such a great range of Pure Baby, Aden + Anais, Babylicious, Dwell Studio, Gertie and Me, Tiger Tribe, French Bull,  and, Baby Legs just to name a few.

I couldn’t resist spending a little time creating a wishlist of great products, this is only a small selection of the items I would snap up an instant.

1. Pure Baby Essential Sleepsuit With Mittens $29.95 100% Organic Cotton
2. Pure Baby Organic Cot Sheet Set White $89.95 100% Organic Cotton
3. Pure Baby Essential Singlet $9.95 100% Organic Cotton
4. Music Box Carousel Bunny $24.95
5. Trunki Frieda The Cow $89.95
6. Rush Wall Clock Elephant $79.95, $69.95
7. Candela Night Lights Blue/Green $99.00
8. Ouch Button Up Iris Swirl Dress $42.95 $34.35
9. Custom Made name by Rondeau Industries $85.00
10. Floral Pintuck Dress $39.95 $31.95

P. S. Be sure to check out their SALE section there is a lot of great stuff and great discounts!

The Hip Infant charge a flat rate of $7.50 for postage Australia-wide.

Tedde: the new Teddy

Posted: February 11th, 2009

Today’s post written by Edwina

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Searching for a very special bear, a bear as unique as your child, to be their constant companion and best bud? Tedde - www.tedde.com is the place for you!

Tedde is based on founder, Sky Khan’s fundamental belief that all teddy bears should not be created equally, and so Teddes are exclusive, limited production, always handmade and never identical.

Working with designers and artists to create one-of-a-kind bears, with loads of individuality, and personality a-go-go, Manhattan-based Tedde’s mission is to rid the world of factory made bear clones.

For those living outside Tedde’s Big Apple headquarters, there is the Tedde website, where you can meet and adopt a little Tedde of our own. Here are some of my favourites…

Clockwise from top left:

Jones. Origin: New York, $US25.00
Andy.
Origin: Grand Rapids, $US26.00
Herman.
Origin: Maine, $US26.00
Mac
. Origin: Minnesota, $US89.00
Tiki.
Origin: New York City, $US41:00

They also have some very cute Bear Food, which I imagine would be a delicious treat for all our beloved bears and stuffies.

Coney Island Hot Dog. Origin: Conneticut, $US22.00

Edamame Pod. Orgin: California, $US13.00

Check the Tedde site for shipping costs to Australia.

Meet & Greet: A Moment with Kathryn Hetherington from TikiBoo Kids

Posted: February 9th, 2009

Today’s post written by Angela

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Today, I’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Hetherington from the delightful baby and kids clothing label, TikiBoo Kids - www.tikiboo.com.au.

Kathryn’s sense of style incorporates impeccable tailoring with bold colours and rich, lively prints and appliques, that is sophisticated, fun, and blissfully original. Kathryn sells her label through stockists nationally and also through her beautiful online store, All You Need - www.allyouneed.com.au (don’t miss their sale, on now!)

Kathryn lives in Brisbane, Queensland Australia, with her husband, Craig and their 3 year old daughter, Alexandra.

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What is your professional background?

Prior to having my baby I worked in IT product marketing. The best thing about that? It’s where I met my husband!

Tell us a little about your label “TikiBoo Kids”

When Alexandra was little I searched high and low for unique clothing for her that no-one else had. Enter my Mum, Christine, who has been designing and creating everything from babies booties to wedding gowns for more than 40 year. She created the most fabulous pieces for Alexandra - our little ‘TikiBoo’ - just like she made for me when I was a child, and when she retired, our long held dream of creating our own childrens designer fashion label became a reality.

We design and manufacture quality, age appropriate children’s clothing which expresses our philosophy that “kids should always be kids”. Catering for children aged between 2-6+ years, we use high quality 100% cotton fabric, contemporary colours and simple classic tailoring to create a collection that is stylish yet practical. Our collection offers a refreshingly simple, contemporary and high quality alternative for the modern and active child.

What is your favourite part about designing and what’s the hardest part?

I love selecting fabrics and matching them together, sitting on the floor surrounded by yardage, wondering whether to match or to contrast and trying to anticipate what my customers will love.  Often they will love colour combinations I wasn’t too excited about and avoid those I adored.

The hardest part would have to be trying to juggle being a stay at home mum with running a business.  A cranky child who isn’t getting enough attention will borrow my tape measure to tease the cat or scatter pins all over the floor.  It does mean a lot of late nights working while she sleeps.

What are your top 3 best-selling pieces?

1. Our Samba dresses have been incredibly popular this summer, they’re perfect for the heat and are an incredibly versatile style, transitioning through sizes and seasons.  They were designed for summer but look fabulous over leggings or jeans with a long sleeved top underneath.

2. Twirl skirts are a perennial favourite, little girls adore them.  They are perfect for dancing and prancing all year long.

3. The new personalised Kindy bags – they are the perfect size for kindy nap sheets or library books and we appliqué the name of the child on the front.  Kids seem to adore having special little personal things, we’ve had great feedback from happy little girls and boys!

If you could see your clothing on any child in the world who would it be?

Sasha Obama is utterly adorable and fits into our age group.  Did you see her give Daddy the thumbs up after his inaugural speech?  She is going to be a fashion icon, that’s for certain.  I also have a soft spot for Violet Affleck, Jennifer Garner’s little girl. Jennifer is a few months older than me, and Violet is a few months older than Alexandra, so I followed her pregnancy throughout mine.

What or who are the biggest influences on your designs?

Like most Mummy-designers, my daughter is my main influence.  I always trial our little girl designs on her, if they meet her approval then they get the green light!  Watching her play with her friends also gives a lot of inspiration, every child is so different and individual that often one of her little friends will inspire a design.

Living in Brisbane heavily influences my designs, both in style and colour.  We have such a relaxed lifestyle, having clothes that are comfortable and easy to wear is important.  The vivid hues found even in our suburban streets – Poinciana, Jacaranda (below) and Bouganvillia flowers, the equipment at our local playgrounds, all play their roles in our designs.

For our upcoming winter designs, I had to sit in the airconditioning and read a lot of books, magazines and northern hemisphere blogs to get inspiration!

Here’s a secret…we have an exciting trip to France coming up, so expect to see a lot of little Parisian touches next summer!

What is your favorite childhood memory?

I grew up in Auckland, so have many memories of playing at Manly beach where we spent all our holidays.  Childhood back then was so carefree, we could go off exploring for hours and our parents just knew we would be safe, as long as we were home before sunset.

My childhood is also full of memories of mum sewing.  Being “accidentally” poked with pins while she tried to get a hem absolutely perfect.  Going to school wearing beautiful creations and being jealous of the girls with $2 nylon shorts – the horrible fire hazard type – while the mothers of the other girls were begging my mum to make dresses for their girls.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I’d love to see TikiBoo Kids grow into a recognized brand both here and overseas.  A little boutique store would be fabulous too, hopefully growing to one in each state.

Once my daughter starts school I am seriously considering formally studying fashion design…Project Runway?  I also have a hankering to buy a big old rambling Queenslander house and travel more.

Meet & Greet: A Moment with Belinda Blooman from Baobab

Posted: January 20th, 2009

Today I’d like to introduce you Belinda Blooman, the beautiful ‘face’ behind great Australian baby and kids fashion label, Baobab.

Belinda has lived all over the world, and has been a fashion industry professional all her adult life. The combination of these experiences has culminated  in the freshness and uniqueness of Baobab.

Baobab is one of my personal favourite labels for my kids. Belinda is such a warm and energetic person, and she’s imbued her label with this spirit: the clothes are visually dynamic, and designed to be lived in with passion.

Belinda lives in Sydney with her muse - 6 year old daughter Anya.

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Tell us a little about your background? How did you come to be a baby and kids fashion designer?

I have always been involved in fashion in one way or another. I remember skipping sport at school so I could hide away in the library and immerse myself in out-of-date issues of Paris Match and French Vogue!

In my ‘pre-Baobab’ existence I worked as a model (in my 20’s), followed by a stint in retail and buying  (for Versace and Prada), and a photographer’s agent and producer of fashion stills shoots. I’ve moved around a lot too; I lived in Japan, Spain and France before moving back to Sydney.

Baobab came about with the birth of my daughter Anya, and the desire to dress her in lovely, simple and comfortable clothing that wasn’t covered in Disney characters or brand logo’s.

My aim was to develop a label of modern children’s basics, made from soft 100% cotton knit with a sumptuous feel and simple but stylish look. I was intent on making Baobab fun for kids but also practical for parents, meaning easy to dress, easy to wear, easy to wash and affordable.

What inspires your work, and what do you want to inspire in others though your work?

My daughter, Anya is my primary source of inspiration as like most children, she has a truly magical view of the world. She is now 6 and has a very strong individual style. I find her way of combining colours and wrapping fabric around herself to be quite awe-inspiring.

I am also inspired by the everyday things around me… in nature, art, object design, vintage clothing, retro films and obscure online design sites.

I would like to think that the children who wear Baobab clothing can really just be themselves, relishing in their own creativity, running around, getting dirty and having fun. Baobab is about encouraging self-expression.

Who are your top 3 favourite baby and kids designers?

I love European kids labels as they have access to amazing fabrics and there is a true workmanship in their garments. Some of my favourites are:

Petit Bateau - for wonderful classic basics for kids (and adults). They make great quality cotton and I am mad about their kids undies which we stock up on whenever in Europe.

Imps&Elfs - a Dutch label with brilliant contemporary basics for babies and kids. It’s quite wearable but with a definite rock n roll edge.

Maan - a gorgeous Belgian label. Maan make really beautiful clothing from amazing fabrics in amazing colours. I love the Maan look.

What are your favourite things to do with your daughter?

At the moment we love to swim, we are both Cancers (crabs). We go to a variety of Sydney beaches and ocean pools but our favourite at the moment is Wylie’s in Coogee. We love to swim together in the clean water, climb the rock platform and re-house the shell creatures in the rock pools. We can lose ourselves for hours.

If you had one whole day to spend as you wish, what would you do?

I would like to take Anya back to the Cotswold house of my uncle, and on a perfect English summers day, have lunch under the willow tree surrounded by family and dogs. Or in autumn, we would travel by gondola along the Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco in Venice, marveling at the golden beauty. Or we could walk down down Omote Sando dori in Tokyo, for the best window shopping and stop for coffee and sandwiches at my favourite café in the back streets of Aoyama.

Or we could just spend a glorious summers afternoon at home, the windows and doors open wide, kids running through the house dressed up as princesses and fairies, the dog sleeping on his chair and I would be busy planting, weeding and raking the garden - heaven! In fact that was our day today!

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Riding my bicycle with friends from the street, pedaling madly down the canal and through the back streets of Cape Town, South Africa, where I grew up. In those days things were more relaxed and we could disappear for hours. What a sense of freedom we had.

Complete this sentence “baobab is…”

“Essential ‘everydaywear’ encouraging self-expression in kids.”

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Baobab Autumn/Winter 2009 is currently in-store.

Just Launched: The Little Kidz Closet - A Great New Resource for Kids Furniture and Decor, Fashion & More - 15% off Tea Princess, 25% off Cocoon Clothing

Posted: December 4th, 2008

Today’s post written by Angela

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There’s a gorgeous new kid on the block that I’d like you to meet: The Little Kidz Closet - www.thelittlekidzcloset.com.au.

The Little Kidz Closet online store has just launched, and specialises in  lovely range of baby and kids fashion (Baby Vintage, Cocoon Clothing, Monstar Kids, Tea Princess), toys (An Angel at my Table, Mooo, and some very affordable wooden toys) and accessories( BabyLegs and  Lindy Loo).

Most notably, The Little Kidz Closet stock an extensive range of quality children’s furniture and decor pieces from Lilly & Lolly, Treehouse, and Teeny Me. This is a great boon for parents living out of major metropolitan areas: you now have a choice, and these fine pieces can now be delivered right to your door.

Lesley at The Little Kidz Closet is offering KidStyleFile Readers the following treats until 25 December, 2008:

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Where do you live, and what’s your family life like?

I live in Silverdale NSW, with my  husband Chris, and my two children Joshua 5 and Emma 2. Chris is a builder, and I currently am working part-time in the finance industry. We live on acreage with our Guinea pig spotty , and 3 chickens Popper Bindi and Noisy. (You guessed it: the kids named them!!)

You’ve just launched your online store. Tell us a little about it.

The Little Kidz Closet was established not by chance, but from the constant battle of shopping with 2 children whilst juggling work and home duties. I enjoyed shopping, but the reality is I can’t shop practically with children. So to save time, parking, travel, petrol, long cues, time limits, and children having to be brought along, I created a solution to my problem - The Little Kidz Closet.

My passion is children’s fashion. I Just love it. I love to dress my son and daughter and stand back and look how gorgeous they both look. I constantly have people stop me at places to ask me where I purchased their clothing. And so my love has been now divested into my business.

Our store’s promise is to provide you not with every brand on the market, but brands that we guarantee are of the highest quality.

Being a mother of 2, purchasing, wearing and cleaning clothing, I understand the quality needed to help in all these aspects.  Through research, meetings, traveling, and maintaining constant connections with many suppliers, I have had the ability to provide what I believe is a great range of quality priced clothing.  Once you have purchased the product you won’t look back, rather you will be waiting the next seasons’ range!

Other accessories for children’s bedrooms, gifts, toys and other items have also been incorporated into my business to help mothers find what they want with little fuss.

“The Little Kidz Closet is…”

A high quality affordably priced children’s shop, where customers will be able to find something special and unique.

What have the challenges been in starting your own business?

Starting your own business is a challenge and commitment and so requires vast quantities of time, motivation, understanding of products and customers, marketing strategies, and customer service.  All these areas provide their own challenge but are vital as they come together to provide the product the market wants.

What are your  favorite products for baby and kids right now?

1.      My Favorite would have to be An Angel At My Table Teepees. An heirloom that could be passed down through the generations.

2.      Tea princess Enchanted garden dress. This is the dress to have. The images are beautiful but still don’t do it justice. See, touch, and feel, and you will also fall in love with it. My little girl thinks she is actually a princess in it!! The Enchanted Garden Muslin & Crochet Dress is always perfect for little girls who love pink!

3.      Cocoon Clothing beach Hoodies - These are great for the beach or swimming lessons. The quality is superb, and hard to do justice to in photos. You have to feel it to believe it - it’s incredible!

4.      Lilly and Lolly Furniture - This furniture is made to last. When I met with the owner I was very impressed. I have just purchased the sweetheart bed for my daughter.

5.      Wooden Toys - The Animal Bowling set is a great present for Christmas. Mind you, the Insect Bottles are too - who would have thought that something so inexpensive would be such a big hit! These keep the kids entertained for hours catching, and examining (without harming) the little creatures they find.

What’s your favourite thing to do with your kids?

Cook - both my children love to cook. Once or twice a week I make the effort to do some cooking with the kids. We always have fights at the end over who gets to lick the spoon, but in the meantime the glow it brings to their faces is priceless.

The Little Kidz Closet postage charges start at $6.95. Clothing orders over $150.00 are shipped free of charge. Visit the Little Kidz Closet Information page for full details.

A Moment With…Mihiri Udabage from Generation Wonder: An Extraordinary Fair Trade, Eco, and Organic Emporium

Posted: December 2nd, 2008

Today I’d like you to meet the beautiful Mihiri from Generation Wonder. Mihiri lives in Sydney with her husband Raj, and their two children Maya, 6, and Arjan, 3.

Mihiri provides us with the most inspiring eco, organic and Fair Trade products through her specialty store Generation Wonder, and it is truly a wonder to discover these gorgeous goodies accompanied by such uplifting stories of how they came into being.

Mihiri’s passion and care shines through all her choices. I hope you enjoy meeting her, and hearing her story today - Angela.

Mihiri is extending two very special offers to KSF Readers for the next 7 days, ending December 9, 2008:

  1. 15% off Zid Zid Kids (one of my very favourite Fair Trade brands!!) Enter ‘KSF Zid Zid’ in the Special Instructions Box when ordering.
  2. 10% off the stunning New York artists Ida Pearle’s framed custom name prints. Enter ‘KSF Ida‘ in the Special Instructions Box when ordering.

Hot Tip: To locate all the brands on the Generation Wonder site, I like to use the site map.

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Tell us about your life, and what you did before you had your children?

Right now life is hectic…and I’m loving it!  I think between my husband and I we have more jobs than there are people; we’re still working out why that is!

My life revolves around our little family of four and the communities we exist in.  Generation Wonder takes up a big chunk of the day, we have a small extended family we see often, lots to do with school and preschool life, and a  lovely group of friends we enjoy spending time with.

I’m also thriving on doing voluntary work with a very special charity called Room to Read, which builds schools and libraries for children (mostly in Asia and Africa) who would not otherwise have access to the lifelong gift of education.

Life was certainly moving at a more reasonable pace a few years ago, and before children…well, looking back, it seems like we had all the time in the world, even though we felt very busy at the time.

I grew up in Sydney, then Brisbane, then back to Sydney for University.  I qualified as an Occupational Therapist and worked in the field of mental health for many years before taking up a human resources training and development role in the health sector.

I always had this sense of wanting to do a job that helped people.  I did return to work after my first child but after the second, decided I needed to do something that was closer to home and allowed me to spend more time with the children and less time running them up and down to day care.

You stock only Fairtrade, eco and organic products only at Generation Wonder, and they’re all based around ‘stories’. Tell us a little about that.

As a child, I could always be mesmerised by a story.  My happiest childhood memories are long lazy days reading books under the bed covers.

Of the things I remember learning about at school, much of what I remember is because I learned the story of it, the background, the bit that makes a trivial fact or figure vivid and real.  So when I started Generation Wonder, the love of story, combined with the desire to do a job that helped others, led me to find wonderful products with wonderful stories.

I really believe our littlest citizens have the biggest capacity to make a difference in the world.  Children are so receptive to learning, I feel it’s a missed opportunity not to introduce to them from a young age, stories that connect them to their global community.  I believe that if we give them the opportunity to learn about the environment, or someone else’s human experience, we give them the opportunity of growing up knowing that they matter, and that they can make a difference in the world, just by the choices they make.

Because a major role in the life of a child is play, and that is how they learn, at Generation Wonder, I’ve combined the wonder of play with global stories, and hope that a little learning follows.

What are your top 5 bestsellers, and why?

My First Doctor’s Kit and My First Picnic Basket are very popular.  Perhaps it’s the wonderful story of the ladies in Thailand who are supported by a local group of nuns to make these beautiful toys by hand.  Plus they are delightful and imaginative and have lots of stuff in them!

Fair Trade dolls by Lanka Kade - I think everyone can find a doll that looks a little like the child they are buying for, because these dolls represent kids looking different, and that reality is generally not represented very well in children’s dolls.

Crocodile Creek bibs and place mats - These are selling well encourages me a lot.  The message about the value of PVC FREE items for our kids and in manufacturing processes must be getting out there.

Zid Zid Kids Mini Poofs - I’ve barely loaded these on to the website and they are flying out the door!  Zid Zid Kids is a family business in Morocco - their pieces are just beautifully designed, beautifully hand made - the stuff of whimsy and fantasy.  I sigh with awe every time I see them.

The Purple Flower Felt Bag by Third World Craft, Nepal, is tops  - it’s such a gorgeous colour and I think it’s just the right size for a young girl, not too big, not too small, just right.  And teamed with a Lanka Kade skipping rope and a TWC heart purse, it’s a gorgeous, and completely Fair Trade, gift.

What’s your favourite activity to do with your kids?

Can I say putting them to bed at night??  Seriously though,there is something very soothing about that time of night when rapid-fire conversations slow down to hushed whispers and restless little bodies relax into the sheets.

We do love to go to the swimming pool or the beach.  It’s an activity we can all do together, gets us outside, and everyone gets to relax.

Complete this sentence: Generation Wonder is…

…a community of families out to make a difference in the world!

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Generation Wonder stock the following brands:

Hot Tip: To locate all the brands on the Generation Wonder site, I like to use the site map.

Kidsonroof, Barefoot, Zid Zid Kids, Fleurville, Thermos, Crocodile Creek, Craft Aid Mauritius, Essential Angel, Taylor and Khoo, Ethica Accessories,  Global Fund for Children, Global Mamas, Kindred Magazine, Lanka Kade, OBON, Organic Bubs, Papoose, Plato Puzzles, Remarkable UK, Sisters of Good Shepherd, Third World Craft Nepal, Tiny Revolutionary, Turtlegreen, Whole Child Series, and Blessed Earth.

Generation Wonder charge from $7.00 for postage Australia wide. Read the full post charges schedule here. Generation Wonder also ship globally. Contact Mihiri for a quote.

Meet the Store Owner: It’s Mariana from Bubba Funk - PLUS bonus Discount Code for News & Reviews Readers

Posted: November 27th, 2008

Today’s guest store owner is Mariana from Bubba Funk - www.bubbafunk.com.au. Mariana and her husband Sam, live in north-west Sydney, and are parents to Jacob, with a new arrival due in March 2009. You may not have known it, but it’s a 22 month old Jacob whose picture is all over the Bubba Funk website modeling the funky clothes!

Mariana is gifting us all with a lovely Bubba Funk 10% store-wide discount plus free gift wrap right up until News Year’s Day - 1 January 2009. Enter ‘KSF-XMAS’ at checkout to redeem.

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What inspired you to start Bubba Funk?

Bubba Funk is a business born from personal experience and needs. A close friend of mine and I went through pregnancy at the same time - our babies are only 3 week apart.

She and I used to spend our days talking about how hard it was to find baby clothes that were funky and affordable. That’s when Bubba Funk was born, a one stop shop which offers the latest and funkiest clothing for babies, there is even something for yummy mummies and cool daddies too with a “home” style service that will sure keep you coming back.

My inspiration is my little prince Jacob; I want to give him the best of everything. I want to be there with him and share all the joyful moments as he experiences growing up. These factors, plus my wonderful husband’s amazing support, were mostly what prompted me to start up Bubba Funk.

Bubba Funk is relatively new on the scene, but you have made a big splash in the baby and kids world. What’s your secret?

I’ll be the first to admit that I am a bit of a fashion fanatic and I think that is the biggest secret to Bubba Funk’s success.  By developing strong trading relationships with Australian designers and many talented mums in the baby business I can ensure that my customers have the latest trends and best quality in baby fashion.

My aim is to bring you quality designer children clothing, baby products, baby gifts, toys and accessories at affordable prices, and the best customer service possible.

Each item has been personally selected by me and is beautifully packaged and delivered promptly. I also have a section on my website which is called funky gift boxes for newborn babies that have just arrived into the world. People love the idea of having an already gift boxed present ready to be delivered to the parents of that special newborn baby.

What are your top 5 bestsellers?

Minihaha: It’s beautiful quality, and this season’s designs are so gorgeous - it’s just been flying out the door!

Minihaha Dress with Pleat Straps - Sunset $51.95
Minihaha Belle Print Pleated Skirt
$59.95

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Woof!:So smart for boys!

Woof! Linen Shirt with Turn Back - White $59.95
Woof! Plain Linen Blend Shorts – Cashello $48.95

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Tiny Mammoth: Their prints are so cool and fresh.

Tiny Mammoth ghost glasses tee- white $39.95

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Moppit: One of my all-time favourites, and I’m not alone here!!

Moppit Dexter Button Shirt - Blue/Orange Check $59.95

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Heavenly Creatures: This has been so popular, we only have a small amount left, so be quick if you want it!

Heavenly Creatures Short Sleeve Creature Patch Envelope Tee - Pale Blue $39.95

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Tooli: These used to be made by Vessel when they were called Candela. They’ve now changed hands, and Koda Lighting is making these new and improved versions. They are very practical, and make great statement pieces for the bedroom.

TOOLI - 2 set Orange/Fuchsia (also available in blue/green) $99.00

What’s your favourite activity to do with your son?

I love to spend time with him, even if it’s watching Wiggles and Hi-5 all day long!

He loves to play outdoors and is obsessed with playing in the water and having long baths…Sometimes a jar of bubble liquid will provide hours of giggles and fun for him not to mention driving his 10 different types of cars around our house for hours.

Complete this sentence:

“Bubba Funk is… what every precious baby deserves. Just remember you’re never too young to be funky!”

A Moment with…Bronwyn O’Loan from ShopHouse

Posted: November 25th, 2008

Today’s guest really needs no introduction - I’m sure many of you have ‘met’ her through your shopping expeditions - it’s Bronwyn O’Loan, the vivacious personality behind dynamic online boutique ShopHouse.

Bronwyn lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband Greg, their three children Finn , 6 years, Tara, 5 years, and Grace, 2 years, Greg (Husband), and Fred, the 6 year old golden retriever who goes to work with Bronwyn every day. Read on, to find out more! - Angela

PS ShopHouse has some lovely offers happening for KSF readers right now, including FREE postage! Click here to get all the details. There’s also up to 55% off selected Penny Scallan stock today only!!

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Tell us a bit about yourself: what makes you tick?

I live in the beautiful leafy suburb of Wahroonga in Sydney, NSW and I absolutely love running my own business.

I started out as a primary school teacher, moved to marketing and product management in the IT sector, and ended up lecturing at a university.  Sounds a bit dry doesn’t it?  Wait, it gets better!! Three children later I worked on a plan to be able to have more time to be right amongst their lives as well as feeding my own appetite for working and ShopHouse was born.

My friends and family mean a lot to me, they are my world.  So I’m happiest when I’m with them - this means lots of impromptu dinner parties, good red wine and laughter.  (I sound so middle-aged don’t I?!)

Apart from my family and friends, my other great love is coffee.  I’ll meet you in a coffee shop for a chat anytime.

Tell us a little about your business?

ShopHouse was born over a coffee (of course) at our kitchen bench.  Operating for just over 2 years, we have strived (and our customers tell us we have succeeded!) in developing a wonderful shopping experience through our gorgeous products, new and improved website, with a priority on customer service (we ship overnight delivery for just $6.95 Australia-wide).

I have a great team of people working with me: Brenda, our customer service and finance team member, and our two part-time packing fairies, Rachael and Sharon,  without whom we couldn’t get all of those wonderful parcels out the door and on to your doorsteps within 24 hours.

Our customers are very loyal and we love seeing them come back again and again and again.  We have created a business that I am just so proud of.

ShopHouse is a great name. Does it have a meaning?

Our name originates from the wonderful traditional Shophouses found in South East Asia.  The concept of a Shophouse contains a shop with a separate space for living. Especially found in Singapore, the old-fashioned Shophouse has recently been revived with a urbanised edge.  One of the most important features of a shophouse is the open-to-sky spaces that provide lots of natural daylight and fresh air (we designed our website on that brief).  Residents of a traditional Shophouse would use this space for quiet reflection, places to dry laundry, or for cooking, playing and reading.  It’s a space for living, and we see our store as a place for living too.

You stock a lot of beautiful products. Where do you find them, and what do you look for when finding them for your store?

I spend many hours researching the best and most unique brands available.  We have an extensive selection process to ensure that only the finest quality of products are presented. Products have to be useful and/or very very beautiful!

What are your 5 favourite baby and kids designers right now?

I absolutely love Oobi Baby + Kids.  The Summer 09 collection has been extremely popular and is so easy to mix and match.

ShopHouse and Cocoon Couture are right in the middle of a love affair at the moment!  The quality of these products are absolutely amazing.  The beanbags, wall charts, wooden charms and Christmas sacks should be a part of every single home - truly an inspiring decorating dream.

ShopHouse is very loyal to mill&mia, who are the epitome of designer children’s fashion, in my humble opinion.  The cut and fabric of every piece is superb and so wearable for kids. Think ‘the perfect Christmas Day outfit’.  It is a wonderful day when we receive our mill&mia shipment for the season.

One of our all time faves is Penny Scallan.  Renowned for fabulous backpacks, insulated lunchboxes, bags for Mum, swimbags and overnight bags - the designs are scrumptious and so very popular.  My favourites this season have been Navy Star, Blue Stripe and Daisy designs.  What I love most about this brand is that you can give your kids the ‘designer traveler’ look so simply - team a Daisy lunchbox with matching overnight bag and you’re all set for a weekend at Nan’s place. Or how about grabbing your Navy Star swimbag and matching mini backpack and heading down to the beach.  You get the idea.  Sweet.

Our final favourite designer right now is Milestone Press, and my what a buzz they are creating around the place at the moment.   We are so proud to be offering our customers the beautifully bound ‘Master Planner’ diary (perfect Christmas gift for busy Mums) - the diary for right now and up until Jan 2010, ‘About Me’ baby book and ‘My School Days’ record book (document each precious year of school in one brilliant folder - get one for each child).  The girls at Milestone Press know exactly what we need in these essential items - good looks, quality and usability.

What’s your favourite thing about running an online store?

The best thing about owning and running an online store is the limitless boundaries available to the business.  I get a great feeling when we receive orders from faraway countries where buyers are seeking fantastic Aussie designer products.  I have found that an online business can also move quickly with changes and trends which is gratifying - it means we can keep up with our discerning customers, and what they want in an online shopping experience.

Our suppliers are another great part of running an online store.  Developing long term business partnerships is important to us, and this, coupled with working daily with the wonderful ShopHouse team, keeps my days busy and brilliant.

Apart from all of that, my most favourite thing about running an online store is the people I get to meet, the customers, who never fail to impress with beautiful compliments and comments about their experiences at ShopHouse - Cheers!

Visit the ShopHouse blog for news on what’s happening now, and coming soon to ShopHouse.

Premiere

Click here to visit the Baobab website
Click here to visit the Little Possums Toys website
Click here to visit the Generation Wonder website
Click here to visit the Metro Mum website
Click here to visit the Where Did You Get That? website
Click here to visit the Moppit website
Click here to visit the Babes in Arms/Peanut Shell website
Click here to visit the Bloesem Kids blog
Click here to visit the La Toriana website
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Click here to visit the BabyLegs website
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Click here to visit the Urban Child website
Click here to visit the Little Styles website
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Click here to visit the Little Pinwheel website
Click here to visit the Intelliplay/Crazy Forts website
Click here to visit LMNOP Magazine
Click here to visit the Bubba Funk website
Click here to visit the Pastel Pink website
Click here to visit The Hip Infant website
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Click here to visit the Mooo website
Click here to visit the My Baby Rocks website
Click here to visit the Chic Kids website
Click here to visit the Kindergallery website
Click here to visit the ShopHouse website
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Click here to visit the Little One Baby website
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Click here to visit the Miss Tati & Friends website
Click here to visit the Heart on Your Sleeve website