Label blankets and tag mats

Have you discovered tag and label playmats yet? Babies just love loops of fabric they can chew, grip and hook their fingers in to. There are tonnes of blankets and playmats with tags attached for sale out there... a quick search on etsy.com will toss up a load if you haven't seen these before. Pia Eriksson makes some of the neatest ones I've seen including this fancy Thilde pocket... each pocket has labels attached to attract your little one's fingers - the idea being that you velcro the pocket along the top of the crib and fill the pockets with interesting items. When morning comes you get some extra rest while the mischief maker plays happily and explores the pockets. When I look at this I can't help but feel that it would be easy to make something similar yourself... but even easier to buy I suppose.

Tammy Donohoe's babywear

Check these babies out... I like! All of Tammy's designs are gorgeous. She has even come up with a novel way of dressing up a pacifier by turning it into a brooch. It's certainly not at the budget end of the spectrum and Tammy uses a lot of high end fabrics like silk. But if you have money to burn and a model baby who never spills anything on their clothing this is the collection for you. Perhaps for a special occasion...

I'm always amused by the clothes designers designate as being "for boys" or "for girls"... usually you can re-read it as "unisex" or "frou frou", respectively. The shirt style onesie above is lodged firmly in the boys section but I think it would be lovely on any baby. Same goes for the cute all-in-one below... I'm developing a bit of a thing for these woolly suits. Maybe it's because winter is looming.

Free Range Baby winter coats

I've posted about Free Range Baby before and I'm a big fan... how amazing is this jacket? The quilted moss vinyl jacket is a little bit rock and roll, a little bit vintage and a LOT cute! This coat is seriously limited edition... in fact there are only two of them but the makers faithfully promise that they will be producing more during the winter months. They also provide links to their treasured fabric samples so you can put a custom order in. Tempting!

Is it raining where you are?

Sigh... it's been wet here in Wellington for days... days and days. I could continue to bemoan the fact and wistfully think about summer... or I could use this as an excuse to look for stylish wet weather gear for the wee one. First stop is the quintessential pair of Hunter's... these are THE wellington boots... by appointment to the royals, don't you know? These are high up on my list of essential gear, but it's a bit of a tradition with my family. I'm keen on the traditional green or yellow colours but for something different why not grab some in metallic gold!

Decaf plush

If your little ones are anything like my daughter then they probably just about live in onesies. Lots of other clothes sit on the shelf but the onesies get used all the time. So I always perk up when I spot some bright new designs. Decaf Plush have a great range that ticks all the right boxes - interesting colours, fun designs, and the option to mix and match shapes and styles. My little one is all about feeling different textures at the moment so I think she'd love the designs on these.

Ultimate in pedal power from Pampered Tots

I had a pedal car when I was little but it certainly wasn't anything like these... I'd LOVE to buy one. I'm not sure who would be more excited, my daughter or me.... I might be falling into the nostalgia trap. It would need to be an outside only toy I think... but picture your trips to the park! The yellow, black and chrome plane whooshing down the paths... and the firetruck has a flashing light and ringing bell. You'll be the envy of the neighbourhood.

Egg by Susan Lazar

Hmmm... How to politely drop major hints to the oldies (aka grandparents) that we want them to buy decadent and frivolous clothing from Egg Baby for the wee one? Answers on a post card, please! This range of clothing is seriously tempting. There are so many lovely little things... it's not cheap but it looks good enough to blind me to the cost. The pink heart kimono is a big favourite... and imagine combining it with the little bear hat and booties! The woolly all-in-one looks so snuggly I'd be keen to have a grown-up sized one. Time to hide my wallet...

Build your own playhouse

I found these right on my doorstep in sunny old New Zealand (although it's far from sunny today... winter approaches... woe is me). Hamish and Angie run a business making these lovely pieces for children. My favourites are these building boards (above) that kids can easily construct into dens and houses. There's a whole range of great toys, kids furniture and swings along with these cubes which are perfect for clambering over or climbing inside. Definitely something to get the kids moving around.

Flobibs - super stylish baby bibs

My little one (pictured below) is a big fan of these bibs... well, I am and therefore she is by default. These outfit enhancing bibs are the perfect solution to her dribbly woes. Ever since my daughter started teething she's been a much damper baby with lots of dribble on her shirts. So, we clad her in bibs to keep her dry and these Flobibs are so much more attractive than the average bibs on offer. Handmade by a friend in Sydney using a mixture of vintage and recycled fabrics there is a style to suit everyone... they would make a lovely shower gift.

Fortune cookie shorts

I've definitely shifted in to playing-dress-up-with-my-daughter mode. These cute shorts made by Handmade Charlotte have a secret fortune cookie message sewn in to them and I can already picture my wee one wearing them. Good for romping around at the beach, I think. I hope she appreciates these amazing outfits when she's older... right now, she just covers them in mushed up broccoli... which is why it's great that these are very reasonably priced.

Twirly skirts and skinny jeans

I had the most amazing twirly skirt when I was little... it was a hand-me-down from an older friend of the family. Apple green and a bit too big, it had to be held up by tying a big ribbon around my waist a few times.... but when I span around it twirled up in the air. It was so amazing I wore it for years... and now I think I've found it's equal. A Little Horn red ruffled skirt available at Baby's Got Style. My other find on this site was this pair of skinny jeans by Mine by Kayla... so stylie!

Hide n Seek artwork

Looking for something for the walls in the nursery? I'm in the process of decorating and will be getting a few of these Hide n Seek prints for my daughter... I love them. They seem to balance fairytale sweetness with a bit of mystery... and they are extremely reasonably priced. You could get a whole set!

Money boxes!

Ahhh finally... I've been hunting for a money box for my daughter since Christmas and at last I've found some that fit the bill... and I do love it when I come across something that both works for my daughter and manages to satisfy my desire for something more funky than frou frou (not that frou frou doesn't have it's place from time to time). Three Potato Four sells so many gorious things in the online store it's hard to narrow the choice down at all. Many of their items are one-of-a-kind or vintage and have to be snapped up quickly if you want to score before they sell out. My pick is this french pear money bank... it's so simple that I love it. Also on offer is this antique tiger bank... the tiger slides across the box as you move it. I also really like these coin bank kits... very reasonably priced and it comes flat packed so you get the fun of making the box up yourself.

Easter weekend shoe special

I'm currently packing for the Easter break (well, supposed to be packing anyway)... and I decided to do a monster sized post to cover the next few days while I'm away. Also... I have a bit of an obsession with shoes anyway so it was only a matter of time before I started buying for two. So to begin, the Heidi red leather shoes (above) are handmade and good enough for me to wish they came in grown-up sizes (although I feel that way about all of them). Next we have the gold mary jane peep toe sandals from See Kai Run. These guys have such a huge range that it's hard to narrow your choice down to just one pair. The blue Veja sneakers are super tempting as I wear Vejas myself... like mummy like daughter. They are an excellent choice for the ethical shopper as they are fairtrade products, oh and organic, bonus! Or, how about some funky red hightops... super cute for boys or girls I think. Etsy seller TinyWhales makes these lovely wool and tartan baby boots... perfect for keeping a non-mobile baby nice and warm. Vincent make famously good children's shoes and have buckets of styles and colours to choose from. These little leather sandals are my pick as a good option for a little one ready to take first steps. The final shoes on the list are a fun pair of wooly moccasins from the ultra hip Kido store... if you're a big design fan this shop is the place for you. They sell gorgeous things and ship from Australia.

Wooden teething toys

My daughter is in serious teething mode at the moment and is frantically trying to chew on everything... her fists, my fingers... umpteen plastic rings and toys. I've been looking for something more natural for her to dribble on. Maple seems to be the wood of choice for those crafty types who have made these lovely toys. EenieBeanieThread make these rattles (above) and Etsy seller, Little Sapling has made a whole range of teething and grasping toys which will fit the bill. Little Sapling also make a whole range of larger wooden toys and rockers that I really like the look of.

Kids On Roof eco friendly dolls house

This turquoise doll house is great. I love its modern, functional design... it's made of cardboard so it's super portable and ready to be decorated inside and out. Good for taking to the grandparent's place. Kids On Roof also make a playhouse version of this that the little ones can actually get in. The totem tree would look lovely in the kid's bedroom... I think it would make an excellent prop for elaborate games and make believe. It's all dutch design like so many of the best kids products on the market but there are NZ stockists... huzzah!

Looking for something for Easter?

Cradle Rock have created these limited edition seasonal bags in collaboration with Itch Design and I think they're pretty cool... big enough to hold a huge stash of eggs at the end of an Easter egg hunt. If you're looking for something more cuddly how about these one of a kind bespoke bunnies from Palomino Morgan? This ski pattern bunny is my favourite. If the weather turns sour then you can always set you little ones to work colouring some free, printable Easter drawings.

Little mouse felted merino baby ankle booties

Baby booties are by definition super cute and are sold practically everywhere so you don't really need any help from me to track them down... but, even so... these little numbers are pretty special and worth a mention. Hand made even down to the traditional felting method by Pretty Little these bespoke slippers are definitely some of the best I've seen.

Amazing playmats from Helicopter Studios

These are so so fantastic... a whole range of 3D landscapes for kids to play on/with/around featuring cities, forests, fishing holes and campfires amongst other things. And then best of all, when playing is finished for the day you can fold it all up in a portable little tote. I've had a look at the whole collection and can't figure out which one fires up my imagination more. So creative, I just love them and seriously reasonable in price too.

Binkie tees

These Binkie tshirts are so good I'm planning to get one for myself but they also make a great range of kidswear. If you're looking for something handmade and a little bit different these are the shirts for you... How about springing for one of these rocking guitar firework shirts? The sizes range from six months upwards.