KidStyleFile

Today’s post written by Leah

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Birthdays, christenings, baby showers and the birth of a new baby are joyous occasions that I eagerly anticipate. There’s nothing more special than welcoming a new little person into the world, and I often prepare months in advance. I seek out the finest gift  that my budget can manage; something, that when unwrapped will be loved, used and appreciated. I know it’s not all about the present….but for me the giving is extremely pleasurable.

I’ll let you in on a little secret spot where you can stock up on some of the greatest gifts around: Kids Gift List – www.kidsgiftlist.com.au. Filled to the brim with delights – Quirky – check; Fashionable – check;  Cute and snuggly – check;  functional yet attractive – check; unique – check;  affordable – check – the perfect gift waiting right here for you to snap up!  I have my eye on the Cuddle Cat and M is for Metal book (both featured in Shop 4 Kids magazine) for an upcoming ‘Lil’ Rocker’ birthday party and the Lark Easter Egg Box as a possible treat for my colleagues over the holiday break (they always refuse chocolate, but I’m sure they won’t be able to resist these!).

Another great feature of the Kids Gift List site is that you can create your very own gift list to share with family and friends, which I’m sure will take the frustration of gift selection away from some of the relos who, despite their best intentions, never get quite right.

Now for the biggest celebration of the day – for the next 3 days only until midnight 28 February 2010, the lovely Monique at Kids Gift List is paying it forward and offering all KSF readers a whopping 30% off store-wide – including sale stock reduced by up to 65% (also be sure to check the Sooki Baby category for more sale pieces!): that means you can save up to ***75% off!**** Woo *hoo*! The magic code to enter at checkout ‘LOVEASALE‘. (Don’t we all?) Pass it on to give this gift to your friends

Prices quoted below are available with code (read above), while stocks last only until midnight 28 February 2010.

1. KGL Marble Game $8.95 LESS 30%= $6.27
2. Build-It Space Exlporer $39.95 LESS 30%= $27.97
3. Lark Easter Egg Box $39.95 LESS 30%= $27.97
4. Create it Daisy $14.95 LESS 30%= $10.47
5. Cuddle Mouse $64.95 LESS 30%= $45.47 OR Cuddle Cat $64.95 LESS 30% = $45.47
6. Oobi Eek the Chocolate Mouse $29.95 $14.95 LESS 30% = $10.47
7. Cowboy Dress Ups (featured in Shop 4 Kids) $49.95 LESS 30% = $34.97
8. Cowgirl Dress Ups $49.95 LESS 30% = $34.97
9. M is for Metal $31.95 LESS 30% = $22.37
10. Save Some Green for Me! Tee $38.95 $18.95 LESS 30%= $13.27
11. Sudo Frankie Skinny Jean Grey $79.95 $36.95 LESS 30%= $25.87
12. Farm Play Set Was $39.95 LESS 30%= $27.97
13. Sudo Lucas Tee Mint $39.95 $24.95 LESS 30%= $17.47

Kids Gift List stock an immense varirty of items from such brands as: Alex Designs. Baufix, Cinti does Vintage, Cheeky Little Soles, CocoonCouture, Heavenly Creatures, KGL Gifts, Knox and Floyd, Knuffle Kid, Lark Designs, Isa Toys, Little Chipipi, The Little Experience, The Little Experience, Little Red Pear, Look at the Wall, Maiike, Merrigold, Miriam Bereson, Oobi, Raggidy Rag Dolls, Owly Shadow Puppets, Rockabye Baby, Rosie Flo, Sooki Baby, Sparrowkids, Sudo, Taltrade, Tee P, Tiny Revolutionary, Tiny Tribe, Tonic Baby and Zacharia Bier.

Today’s post written by Miki

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Easter is a joyous time of year. Its significance changes from family to family, but whether it be your annual reason to attend church or mass, to go on the hunt for your area’s best hot cross buns, or painstakingly bake your own – my neighbour does this which impresses me more than I can say! – to have a family gathering, to go on holiday, or to eat your body weight in chocolate, Easter is a special time.

Children at Easter time are often the recipients of gifts, and although these have often consisted of chocolate in the past, trends are changing.  More and more parents want to make Easter special for their kids without having to put up with the little ones’ huge sugar-fueled tantrums or clean up chocolate vomit!  And so the hunt for clever, stylish, non-edible Easter gifts begins.

Below is a small selection of my favourites for little people. A couple of stores that deserve special mentions are Happy Little Hippos, who have a wonderful Easter Gift section to make your life easy, and ShopHouse who have a generous 25% off a selection of Cocoon Couture beanbags – the designs which feature bunnies, naturally

Stay tuned for more great Easter ideas, coming every day this week – from fashion to gifts, to craft, we’ve got Easter covered!

1. Egg Shaker – Red, $5.95 from Happy Little Hippos
2. DwellStudio Hand Puppet – Bunny, $32.95 from Urban Child
3. Vice Versa Chicken Teething Device, $9.95 from Bubba Funk
4. Crochet Duck – Yellow, $24.95 from Happy Little Hippos
5. Mamas & Papas Knitted Toy – Bunny, $39.95 from Kinder Kaboodle
6. Alimrose Knitted Bunny Rattle, $8.95 from Just Ripe
7. Cocoon Couture Girls Kinder Bag – Patchy Bunny, $29.95 from Kinder Kaboodle
8. Alimrose Handsqueaker – Bunny Daisy Posie, $15.95 from Happy Little Hippos
9. Cocoon Couture Patchy Bunny Beanbag – Chocolate/Sand, $99.95 $75.95 from ShopHouse
10. Deglingos ‘Lapinos’ The Bunny, $59.95 from Where Did You Get That?
11. Djeco Puzzle – Hen’s Garden 24pc, $25.95 from La Toriana
12. KGL Magnifying Glass – Duck, $3.95 from Kids Gift List

Please check individual sites for shipping and postage details.

Always check the KidStyleFile ‘All Current Deals’ and ‘Magazine Offers’ pages before making a purchase to ensure you’re getting yourself the best possible deal.

Today’s post written by Miki

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On those days when the kids don’t want to go outside, whether it’s because the weather is too hot, too cold or too wet, you probably find that they get bored and restless very quickly.  Having a crafty activity on hand for them can be a brilliant way of diverting bored whines into enthusiastic creativity.

Enter the world of kids DIY craft sets.  Kids can make everything from a pom-pom to a space rocket, from a musical instrument to a handbag, depending on their age, skill level and interests.

Have a hunt through your favourite online kids stores and toy shops, as there are loads of different kits available.  Most of them are bank-balance friendly, starting at about $15 and going up to around $60, and of course you should always look out for discounts on KidStyleFile to get them even cheaper

Here are a few of my picks and where to get them:

Make A Windchime, $16.50 at Young Minds
Make Your Own Balloon Drum, $17.50 $12.25 at Young Minds
Build-It Rocket, $14.95 at Kids Gift List
Pom-Pom Maker, $21.90 $28.95 at Where Did You Get That?
SYO I Made It Tote Bag, $30.00 at The Infant Boutique

Kids Gift List deserve a special mention: Monique stocks an impressive range of DIY kits for kids. Check out the KGL offerings here.

Please check individual stores for postage details.  Also remember to check the KidStyleFile ‘All Current Deals’ page to ensure you’re getting the best possible deal.

Today’s post written by Kat

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It goes without saying that the birth of your first child is a precious moment, and recording every single moment is one of the joys of being a new parent.

It also goes without saying that by the time you get to your second or third onwards, despite the best of intentions, the novelty of dutifully recording every event can start to wane, and finding the time is near impossible. My mum for example, as the third of 4 children, can only find one solitary picture of herself as a bub, and definitely no baby book. Which might explain a lot…but I digress!

Here is a rundown on baby books so beautiful that you’ll be clamouring to fill them with gorgeous memories of your growing brood. All your kids will thank you, except perhaps when you show that cute picture of your now-teenage daughter picking her nose to her cool new boyfriend…

The Binth Baby Journal at Tiny People

This is a gorgeous unisex option. Handcrafted with recycled white stock paper, cotton cloth cover and presented in a beautiful keepsake box. It’s not exactly a budget option but remember, even Mastercard can’t buy memories. Just a nice place to put them.

Generation Wonder have created their own Wonder Year Journal

A beautiful combination of scrapbook and journal, the Wonder Year Journal allows you to piece together a year in your little one’s life. Kids will adore looking back on themselves and as it has heaps of space for personalisation, as adults they will truly cherish their story. It comes in matt green with a cloth case cover, 128 pages of text and 12 insert cards for pictures – and it’s only $27.95!

I love the story behind Milestone Press’ A Book About Me:

“Annabel actually gave Fiona a Winnie-the-Pooh baby journal for her first born.  As they marvelled at Annabel’s momentary lapse in taste (because the book was free)  they dreamed up the perfect baby book.”

A Book About Me not only looks modern and sleek, it has been thoughtfully designed so that if you forget to record when your all little one’s teeth came through, you can just take the corresponding pages out, instead of leaving them embarrassingly blank. There’s room to add and subtract names and photos as you need, and possibly most imortantly, there is no branding on the cover, making it truly a book about your family!

I’ve mentioned the Laikonik Once A Year Book, from Mummy’s Favourite, before but I’m going to do it again because it’s such a beautiful idea!

Every year up to your child’s 18th birthday you add in just one photo of your child, and eventually the book unfolds concertina-style to reveal the story of your child growing and changing. Plus the book itself is completely gorgeous and will make a cherished heirloom!

For something a bit more traditional, the Baby Days Memory Book at Urban Baby is bright, colourful and full of nifty bit’n'bobs like stickers, envelopes and journal pages.

The pages are undated so you can record milestones when you want to, and the simple illustrations will delight your little one even beforen they realise the book is about them!

The very cute My Baby’s Journal, available soon at KidsGiftList

This is sweet enough to be age-appropriate but still stylish enough to be admired for years to come.

And finally, my personal favourite (yes, I found one with an elephant! I’m starting to sense a theme here): the Paper Eskimo Baby Journal.

Available at The Baby Shower Shop (a helluva comprehensive online store if there ever was one!) With simple and incredibly beautiful illustrations, it has heaps of room for photos, records birthday celebrations for up to five years, and comes in a gorgeous keepsake box  – despite being way too cute to keep stored away!

From top left in rows:

Binth Baby Journal $160
Generation Wonder The Wonder Year Journal $27.95
Milestone Press A Book About Me $44.95
Laikonik Once A Year Book $74.00
Baby Days Memory Book $24.95
My Baby’s Journal $44.95
Paper Eskimo Baby Journal $64.95

Please check individual sites for shipping details.

Today’s post written by Kat

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When I was backpacking in Europe and had no cashola/space for a Christmas tree, I simply cut out strips of wrapping paper, interspersed with rows of lollies, and blu-tacked them diagonally on the wall of our flat in Edinburgh.

Little did I know that our improvised wall art (which, by the way, looked pretty cool and was also edible, always a bonus) was actually the height of what’s hip in decor.

Wall stickers/art/decals or whatever you like to call them, are an inexpensive and easy way to update a room (and they’re not just for kids!) Removable – renters, rejoice! – and without the long-term commitment of a new paint job, there are SO many designs out there it can be a bit daunting. So here’s the KSF lowdown on the hippest buys you can nab online.

Mooo wall stickers are made from “a strong fine-weave adhesive fabric that doesn’t stretch easily and will stick to almost any surface including, brick, glass, and painted walls.”

Mooo have a huge range including these delightful Chalkboard Stickers from $15 a pack. Imagine your kids’ delight when they’re told they can write on the walls!

They also have a huge range of absurdly cute sticker designs, all with a plethora of colour options, from $60 for a pack of 48.

I found these For Walls Chalkboard decals over at the The Hip Infant and immediately fell in love. This little owl ($29.95) is possibly too cute to draw on, but he’d look so adorable perched on a wall! THI have a large range of For Walls stickers – look, I found elephants! – suitable for baby, boy’s and girl’s rooms.

Monsters or Robots look totally cool for little boys, while girls will love the pretty Shimmering Butterflies or Magic Tree designs.

For Wall Sticker packs start at $39.95.

Over at Urban Baby, a wide range of Wallcandy kits are just waiting to adorn your walls (or chairs, or tables, or wherever!).

Imagine how cool the Candy Factory ($119.95) would look, and how much fun to use – the kit contains 5.5m of lawn and 12 lollipop flowers for you, sorry, I mean the kids, to ‘plant’!

The Rococco Chalkboard ($49.95 inc chalk) would look equally at home in your kitchen, or try the beautiful Season Elements kit ($49.95) in the nursery.

Quite frankly, I’m lusting after them all!

Ekidna Kids stock wall art by Bosco Bear and My Munchkin Home, and you’re spoilt for choice: each and every design is just sooo cute! My picks? For the nursery, this giant mint Giraffe (on sale for $71.96) including dots to add as you like; for little girls a magical giant Fairy Castle (on sale, $103.96); or a herd of roaring Dinosaurs ($89) for little boys to play amongst! Bosco Bear also do a great range of seasonal decals (like this chic Christmas tree set, $89) so you can totally get into the spirit of the season, without necessitating a total renovation!

You’ve probably seen the gorgeous designs by Little Chippi floating around quite a few of your fave online stores – Shop House stock them all plus some cute Little Chippi Gift cards – and there’s a good reason this brand is so popular: the designs manage to combine cuteness with chic, and they’re Australian made.

I can just imagine a little boys room being suitably adorable with the Drive Time set ($82.95) and I’m seriously contemplating the Red Robin ($82.95) for my daughter’s room…if we can make space around all those elephants and owls…

Surfing around in the name of research, I also found the Wall Sticker Company, based in Melbourne and stocking designs for the home, office, kid’s rooms as well as a custom design service.

Check out this cool Elephant or Giraffe Custom name design (perfectamundo: “Charlotte” on an elephant, my search is over!) for $75, or imagine those most magical of words, “Once Upon A Time” ($55) tucked into your child’s favourite reading corner. These cute Jungle Animals ($65) are perfect for a nursery, or delight little boys with these cool Monsters ($65)! While you’re at it, add a calming influence to your work or study space with this gorgeously simple Blue Wren ($50) or consider inspirational quotes to add a point of difference to other rooms (from $65).

Please check individual sites for shipping details.

Today’s post written by Miki

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He’s making a list and checking it twice… and you can be pretty darn sure that the list of toys he’s going to use is at Kids Gift List – www.kidsgiftlist.com.au.

Kids Gift List is not only chockablock full of gorgeous ideas for under the tree, but pages and pages and pages of the best stocking stuffers under $10!

You see, that’s the great thing about shopping at KGL: there are a fantastic range of toys and books from all the top brands and best-loved authors – but they’re priced so well that they’re really affordable!

The Under $10 category is a prime example of this: choose from excellent quality model cars, musical instruments, books, magnets, games and pull-along toys to name but some of the brilliant products in here.  And just in case it hasn’t sunk in yet, everything in here is under $10!!

Now although it’s hard for me to go past that category, for the sake of showing you the full glory of KGL I shall force myself to.  And there is so much to choose from here!

Now, personally I love the Mirror Art range of decorative mirrors for kids’ rooms. Babies and toddlers love to stare at that incredibly good-looking baby in the mirror and older kids might like to use the mirror to experiment with hair styles (yes, including boys!), so it’s functional as well as a really funky piece to jazz up a room.

I always love to give books as gifts, and the Books section at Kids Gift List gives me a wonderful selection to sift through.  Do I want to give Emily’s Balloon by Komako Sakai or That’s Not My Dinosaur from Usborne Books?  Hmmm, perhaps I’ll just give them both!

Monique is very generously giving away a $10 gift voucher* with every $50 spent to KidStyleFile readers. How great is that?!! Enter ‘KSF’ at checkout to redeem.

Offer ends 18 December 2008. *Conditions apply (see below) and Terms and Conditions of voucher usage will be emailed with the voucher.

Find my picks for perfect gifts this Christmas – I’m sure Santa would agree!

1. Bowl Me Over Penguin Set, $21.95
2. Tin Tea Set – Floral, $39.95
3. Tin Kaleidoscope, $14.95
4. DIY Felt Pencil Roll – Grey, $28.95
5. Height Chart – Jungle Land, $44.95
6. KGL Bag Of Garden Goodies – Orange/Green, $23.95
7. Build-It Boat, $44.95
8. Raggidy Rag Doll Pirate Oscar, $84.95
9. KGL Flower Press, $13.95
10. Table & Two Chairs Set, $94.95
11. KGL Xylophone Crocodile, $27.95

Kids Gift List charge an unbeatable $6.00 flat for delivery, Australia wide (excluding over sized items).

*This offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts, and is not available on postage, gift wrapping, Like-A-Bike products or Dobbin & Drum TeePees.

Today’s post written by Kat
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I have an Auntie who, bless her, gets so into the Christmas spirit she ends up decorating herself like a walking, sparkling Christmas tree – I’m talking flashing earrings, tinsel jewellery, the works. For those of you who prefer a little less Kath & Kim in your Xmas, here’s my top 10 picks for a stylish festive season:

1). Ceramic Word Stars ($12.95) from Biome. Handmade in Brisbane, I love the simple, chic design and positive messages, and they’ll look gorgeous nestled amongst the bushy plastique leaves on our Christmas tree!

2). Laikonik Once a Year Album, ($74) at Mummy’s Favourite. A great gift for new parents or grandparents who, let’s face it, can never have enough photos of their precious little bundles – each year, you pop in one photo and record major events of that year, and eventually it fold out concertina-style to reveal your little person growing up!

3). Cocoon Couture Little Reindeer Christmas Sack $54.95 at Shop House, For the tot who needs more than a measly little stocking, these Christmas sacks are so, so cute and feature cute little critters made with vintage fabrics!

4). Not a Box, by Antoinette Portis ($13.36) at Fishpond. I love the way this book teaches kids to use their imaginations – a young rabbit’s simple cardboard box is transformed into anything he wants it to be, despite being told “it’s just a box!”. An inspiring and beautifully presented book which makes a perfect gift.

5). This wooden musical block set ($33.95) at Urban Baby is another strikingly simple toy that allows little people to explore and create of their own accord. The bright colours are appealing, the noises aren’t annoying, it doesn’t need batteries and ultimately your baby will be learning and developing with each play time!

6). Coco Boheme Elephant Chalkboard ($99.95) at Kids Gift List. I’ve had my eye on this for ages now (actually, I’d love one as an office note board, it’s just so cute!) because my daughter loves elephants, loves to draw, and has lately been expanding her artwork from colouring books to the tiles, carpet and walls. This way we can add some personality to her room AND she can scribble away to her heart’s content!

7). Little Boys (and Daddy’s!) will happily be kept out of the kitchen on Christmas Day if they’ve got one of these to play with – the Plan Toys Parking Garage ($152) from Little Possums Toys. It’s three floors of broom-broom inspired bliss (and it looks mighty cool too!)

8). And now the most important thing: outfits! I’ve actually got Charlotte’s outfit sorted already *blush* – you seriously can’t go past Oobi for gorgeous party dresses, and I can’t wait to bust out her Marilyn Dress in Pink Candy ($43.95) from Baby’s Got Style, and promptly watch it get covered in an attractive blend of roast turkey, fruit salad, and trifle. Oh well.

9). Little Boys will look angelic in one of Baobab’s beautiful summer hoodie tees – I love the striped version for a fresh and edgy alternative to printed tees ($46.95).

10). And finally, a treat for Mum – after all that shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, multi-tasking, just remember that the best things come in small blue boxes from Tiffany and Co., now with online shopping functionality…

Please check individual stores for shipping details.

Today’s post written by Miki.

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Kids Gift List – www.kidsgiftlist.com.au – is an unending source of delight for me.  Not only does Monique hunt far and wide to source beautiful and unique products to stock, her gorgeous website makes the shopping experience a true pleasure.

Plus, anyone who has shopped with Monique before will know all about her amazing customer service and how lovely she is to deal with!

Today when I was browsing over at KGL I found myself drawn to the truly extraordinary toy section.  I really love the range of toys Monique has sourced – they’re top quality, super-appealing and built to last.  And did I mention the enormous range?  No really -  it’s HUGE!!  You’ll find Christmas presents for every child on the planet in there.

My picks from the toys are The Little Experience craft kits.  What a brilliant idea for a Christmas present!  Not only does it encourage creativity and develop fine motor skill, you don’t even need batteries!  There’s a whole bunch to choose from, and plenty for girls and for boys too.

The books section is also enormous and has been thoughtfully stocked with classics and modern classics alike.  My little boy adores the Usborne ‘That’s Not My…’ series so I was pleased to see a good range of them here.  There are books for babies, books for toddlers, books for mummies, books for drawing in, recipe books for making yummy treats and meals, pop-up books and so much more!

Summer fashion is very much in vogue at KGL too, and I had a happy browse around the clothes section finding my picks for summer fashion – see the images below.  I’m loving the Lark Vintage Booties, the Heavenly Creatures Heidi Dress (divine!), and the funky slogan tees.  I also got a giggle out of ‘My Mummy Doesn’t Dig The Gold, She Makes The Gold!’  Don’t all kids of working mums need one of those?

Monique is very generously giving away a $20 gift voucher* with every $100 spent to KidStyleFile readers!  Enter ‘KidStyleFile Gift Voucher’ in the comments box at checkout so that she knows you’re one of the chosen ones (i.e., a KSF reader). *Conditions apply (see below) and Terms and Conditions of voucher usage will be emailed with the voucher.

You’d better get in quickly though – this offer finishes at 12pm on November 30!

1. Lark Vintage Baby Shoes – Peter Rabbit, $29.95
2. Tiny Revolutionary I’ll Change The World Someday Onesie, $38.95
3. Heavenly Creatures Rock Star Tee – Slate, $39.95
4. The Little Experience Build-It Plane, $31.95
5. Heavenly Creatures Peasant Tee – Green, $39.95
6. Heavenly Creatures Heidi Dress, $64.95
7. Knuffle Kid Scurvy Skirt, $39.95
8. The Little Experience Creat-It Bouncy Ball, $14.95
9. The Little Experience Build-It Space Explorer, $39.95
10. Heavenly Creatures Peasant Tee – Yellow, $39.95
11. My Mommy Doesn’t Dig The Gold, She Makes The Gold! Tee, $38.95

Kids Gift List’s enormous range of products comes from Alex Designs, Baufix, Cinti does Vintage, Cheeky Little Soles, Dobbin and Drum Toys, Edenstar, Heavenly Creatures, KGL Gifts, Knox and Floyd, Lark Designs, Isa Toys, Like A Bike, Little Blue Fish, Little Chipipi, The Little Experience, Little Kitchen, Little Red Pear, Maiike, Merrigold, Oobi, Owly Shadow Puppets, Raggidy Rag Dolls, Rockabye Baby, Rosie Flo, Rubys & Robots, Sooki Baby, Sparrowkids, Sudo, Taltrade, Tee P, Tiny Revolutionary, Tiny Tribe, Tonic Baby, Trunki, and Zacharia Bier.

Kids Gift List charge an unbeatable $6.00 flat for delivery, Australia wide (excluding over sized items).

*This offer can not be used in conjunction with any other offers or discounts, and is not available on postage, gift wrapping, LikeAbike products or Dobbin & Drum TeePees.

Today’s post brought to you by Miki.

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In case you needed a reminder, there are only two days left (today and tomorrow) to get FREE SHIPPING and FREE Christmas gift-wrapping at the luscious and divine Kids Gift List – www.kidsgiftlist.com.au.

With KGL’s outstanding range of clothes, books, and toys, this is a prime way to stock up on Christmas presents and stocking fillers with the least stress imaginable – just make yourself a cuppa and relax at the computer, no battling the crowds at the shopping centre.

Kids Gift List have a truly wonderful range of books.  I’ve just been browsing through the category and I’ve seen so many of my favourites!  There are plenty that I want to get as well, especially more the of ‘That’s Not My…’ series as my little boy just adores them.

For stocking stuffers, Kids Gift List have it covered with their ‘Gifts Under $10′ category.  It has pages and pages of colourful, well made toys and the odd book here and there too, with choices for every age group.

The real stand out items for me are the Rosie Flo’s colouring books.  Hugely popular in the UK, the Rosie Flo books are printed on heavy duty paper to avoid colours showing through to the next page.  The main idea behind the books is that the dresses (and the action figures for boys) have been drawn, and the kids need to add arms, legs and heads – oh, and colours of course!

The lines of the pictures have deliberately been kept thin to avoid the ‘pre-school colouring book’ appearance – this means that older children adore them too. There are designs for boys and for girls, and the ideal age range is between 4 and 12 years.  At only $14.95 these are a total bargain and such a great gift idea!

To claim your FREE SHIPPING and FREE Christmas gift-wrapping, just enter ‘KSFXMAS’ at checkout. Remember that this offer finishes on the 2nd of November, so you’re going to have to be quick!

From top left in rows:

Alphabet by Alison Jay, $19.95
Oobi ‘Eek’ The Chocolate Mouse, $29.95
KGL Animal Clap Lion, $5.95
KGL Marble Game, $8.95
That’s Not My Monster by Rachel Wells, $14.95
KGL Bookmark Boat, $1.95
KGL Ambulance Blue, $9.95
Johnny Joe’s Colouring Book, $14.95
Rosie Flo’s Games Colouring Book, $14.95
KGL Colour Plate Bug, $8.95
Circus by Roxie Munro, $29.95
Lark Retro Hairband – Owl Print, $14.95

Kids Gift List stock a big range from Alex Designs, Baufix, Cinti does Vintage, Cheeky Little Soles, Dobbin and Drum Toys, Edenstar, Heavenly Creatures, KGL Gifts, Knox and Floyd, Knuffle Kid, Lark Designs, Isa Toys, Like A Bike, Little Blue Fish, Little Chipipi, The Little Experience, Little Kitchen, Little Red Pear, Maiike, Merrigold, Miriam Bereson, Oobi, Raggidy Rag Dolls, Rockabye Baby, Rosie Flo, Rubys & Robots, Sooki Baby, Sparrowkids, Sudo, Taltrade, Tee P, Tiny Revolutionary, Tiny Tribe, Tonic Baby, Trunki, and Zacharia Bier – enjoy browsing through them all, I do!

Kids Gift List post within Australia for a flat rate of $6.00 (or FREE until Nov 2 with the code mentioned above).

Today, Miki brings you a great selection of budget friendly finds. The current economic climate aside, it’s always great to grab a bargain, especially with Christmas approaching.  Enjoy!

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My husband used to say that I have ‘champagne tastes on a beer budget’ when it comes to our son’s clothing. Not any more though!

I have thoroughly demonstrated that I can satisfy both the budget, and my taste for the finer things, through savvy shopping habits. And you can too!

It is possible to dress your kids in beautiful designer clothes on a shoestring budget with some careful shopping around.  The bargain hunting is actually a whole lot of fun!

So, given the current economic crisis and how we’re all being a bit careful with money at the moment, I thought I’d show you a few of my tricks to getting dirt cheap designer baby and kids clothes, books, toys and accessories.

First stop for anyone looking for discounted designer baby clothes, kids fashion, nursery goods, toys, and everything in between, always has to be that link in grey towards the top of the page, ‘All Current Deals‘.  We all love discount codes, and that link gives you a full rundown of everything we have running at the moment – easy!

Now that you know where the current promotions are happening, have a good browse around, making sure you stop in at sale, specials, and clearance sections.

Besides the discount codes and well stocked sale sections, a few other tips for you:

Buy at the end of the season in a bigger size for next year – you can get some fabulous bargains this way. For example, Bubba Funk currently have 40% off all winter stock, for example; Buckets & Spades have marked all of last year’s summer items down to $20 each (!!) and Kinder Kaboodle have  20% mark-downs on rain-wear – snap up some bargains and put them away for next winter.

I recently snapped up an Oobi beanie and mittens from Urban Child at around 50% off to put away for next winter – I can’t wait to bring them out next year as they’re so cute!

Naturally, many of the most heavily discounted items will only be available in limited sizes, so it can take some legwork to find the pieces that will fit your baby or child.  It’s totally worth it though, for the rush you’ll get when you snap up the perfect bargain!

Look out for freebies: Haggus & Stookles deserve a special mention for their awesome free downloadable kids activities (ideal for long car trips and rainy days), and we love the LMNOP free downloadable magazine; it’s stylish, informative, and inspiring, and doesn’t cost a cent!

Today’s picks come from a variety of my favourite online stores. This was only a tiny sample of what I could have shown; there’s a heap of gorgeous affordable products out there just waiting for you to discover them: invest a little time, and you will be rewarded with the dollars you save.

Every piece shown below is from a top baby or kids wear designer and is under $25.00.

From top left in rows:

Riviera Poplin Shirt, $37.95 $24.95 from Eternal Creation*
Two Bells Bombay Belle Lurex Skirt $64.95 $20.00 from Buckets & Spades
Moppit Polka Dot Pocket Dress, $54.95 $19.95 from Frock You
Oobi Baby Cable Knit Bear Hat, $29.95 $19.95 from Urban Child^
Baobab Guitar Print Tee, $34.95 $24.50 $19.60 from Baobab Online Store^^
Marquise Aeroplane Stripe Tee, $22.95 $15.95 $13.55 from Ekidna Kids^^^
KGL Police Car Black, $8.95 from Kids Gift List**
Ouch Cat Print All-In-One PJs, $27.00 $19.00 $14.25 from Onesies***
Aquitaine Fairy Wings, $34.95 $22.95 from Eternal Creation*
Marquise Blue Track Pants, $19.95 $15.95 $13.55 from Ekidna Kids^^^
Little Beetle ‘Flower’ Kiddie Bag, $29.95 $24.95 from Monkeytail & Wellington
Itch Brace Face L/S Tee, $34.95 $24.95 from Frock You
Baobab Stud Tee Key Chain Print, $34.95 $21.00 $16.80 from Baobab Online Store^^
GUESS Beach Life Palm Tree Muscle Tee $44.95 $20.00 from Buckets & Spades
Eeeni Meeni Miini Moh Stripe Tshirt $49.00 $20.00 from Buckets & Spades
KGL Pull Along Pal – Giraffe, $9.95 from Kids Gift List**

*GWP offer, but it finishes today! (26 Oct) See here for more details.
**FREE Shipping and FREE xmas gift-wrapping offer until 2nd Nov.  See here for further details.
***Discount includes 25% off store-wide for KSF readers, valid until 10th November.  See here for more.
^FREE shipping with KSF Shop4Kids discount code (valid til 31st October).
^^Discount shown includes 20% discount for KSF readers using the KSF Shop4Kids discount code, valid to 30 November.
^^^Discount shown includes 15% discount using the KSF Shop4Kids discount code, valid to 30 November.

NOTE: Shop 4 Kids discount code: grab a copy of the magazine to access a copy, or sign up to the KSF Weekly newsletter to receive the code on Tuesday.

Please see individual stores for shipping details.