Oeuf toy storage

I really love these shelves... excellent for storing toys and I'd happily have one in my bedroom to keep all my books and stuff in. In fact I think I'd need a few of them which could prove expensive... Hmmmm... could I make one?

Haunted house countdown calendar

So sad... I'd just found the perfect gift for my north American friend who, being stuck down in here in the southern hemisphere, was missing the enthusiastic celebration of Halloween but too late! Its all sold out... boooo! I was also pretty excited about having found another way to get the advent calendar concept into other parts of the year... I mean, why don't all calendars have doors with cool pictures behind them? Anyway... I decided to post about it anyway so you can bombard Spoon Sisters and get them to restock.

Rustic wooden storage box on wheels

I've just moved in to a new house and the decorating is almost finished... so now I get to do the fun stuff, like picking out new toy boxes! This one is certainly a lot more stylish than the giant coloured plastic baskets we've been using up until now. It's not even crazily priced... but it is in the UK which is about as far away from my house as you can get. I wonder if I could make one... hmmmm. I'll investigate and get back to you....

Stylish oil cloths? Really?

Yes! Seriously... these oil cloths will protect your precious tabletops and won't ruin your decor. Well, perhaps you should judge for yourself... I like them anyway and these two are favourites of mine. Our new house needs a bit of work in the kitchen so perhaps these might jazz things up as an interim measure. I bet the black and white one would be great for grabbing the attention of the teeny tiny newborns. Take a look at the Strawberry and Cream site for lots more interesting finds... and not just for the babies either!

Candela Luau night light

I think this just might be the ultimate in night lights... cordless, whimsical shape, portable... perfect! It even has a dimmer switch! Buuuut... it has an imperfect price tag... coming in at way over $300 this is not cheap. So, lets put this in the luxury-gifts-from-generous-doting-grandparents pile, huh? It's stocked on the excellent Where Did You Get That site... definitely worth a look.

Sharon Montrose prints

I love these prints by Sharon Montrose... I'm looking for pictures to go on the nursery walls in our new house. We move in a few weeks! So rather than delve into the serious business of packing or arranging for the utilities to be transferred I'm thinking about fun things... like decor! There are so many choices out there but these are pretty high up on my shortlist. I like the idea of having real animals on the walls and am thinking about a triptych along one wall... I think it could work! Now... I suppose I should look for some packing boxes.

Voila giant dollhouse

Alert! Alert! Attention grandparents and wealthy philanthropists... this is what my little one wants for her birthday. Well, its what I want anyway... I saw it last weekend in the Edex toy store on Thorndon Quay in Wellington. It's a huge doll house... completely made of wood and containing the most incredibly detailed furniture. Its made by Thai company, Voila and is uber stylish. It's so big your wee ones can actually climb through it and while its not cheap if you look at it as a family heirloom piece it starts to look fairly reasonable... So come on grandparents... don't you just love it?

Picture Me growth chart

There are plenty of height chart options out there but I think this one offers something new and quite clever. The chart has slots to add pictures of your little one as they grow. What appeals to me is that its something you can take with you if you move... I love the idea of marking up a doorway with my daughter's height but we are just about to move house and if I didn't use a height chart I would lose those memories. This is my solution!

Fairy door

Do you have a wee one who is entranced by all things fairy-like? Then check out this amazing fairy door! I love this idea... a teeny tiny door you can quietly install at the bottom of a wall and see how long it takes for your little ones to find it. It's not a "doing" sort of toy... it doesn't open or make noise or anything like that. But it will inspire the imagination, I think. You could suggest they write a note to the fairies and then perhaps the fairies could leave gifts... You can design your door any way you like, choosing from a range of styles and colours. Each door comes with a little key and some fairy dust. It's ace!

Fairytale magic glasses

Looking at Vogue for inspiration is probably not very sensible... everything is a bit on the pricey side but I did find these rather perfect water glasses by Japanese design company D-bros. They feature fairytale images which look almost 3D when filled with water. Only for the older kids I think as you might get a bit peeved if your toddler threw one of these A$75 glasses on the floor.

Cox and Cox love heart sugar cubes

If you've ever thought about planning a sugar and spice themed birthday party at some point let me direct you to the perfect sugar component. Cox and Cox have produced these little love heart sugar cubes as part of their wedding range but I think they'll do very well for my daughter's first birthday which is going to be an afternoon tea. I'm so intrigued about how they're made... I'd love to have a go.

Tree bed by Shawn Lovell Metalwork

And now for something completely different... and unaffordable. Darn! If you have a spare $15,000 burning a hole in your wallet then here's the perfect whimsical bed for your wee one... its made by Shawn Lovell Metalworks. Everything about this bed feels magical... delicate trees twisting upwards towards a nest in the centre of the bed. I'm almost certain this bed would ensure better sleep... or should I say slumber... enchanted slumber. It's somewhat out of my price range unfortunately but I'd be very interested in a cheaper model if anyone sees anything remotely similar out there.

Uten.silo storage solution

Yet more from the Design Museum... do you remember these? A bit of a design classic... I spotted them and suddenly thought how useful they would be for storing all of my daughter's paraphernalia... but super pricey. I'm on the look out for a cheaper option. Let me know if you know where I can get one...

Bold and Noble nature prints

I want one of these SO much... Bold and Noble have created these very desirable prints of leaves from British trees and outlines of various British birds. As a British ex-pat living in New Zealand I really like the idea of introducing this small slice of Britain into my daughter's life. Ideally I would put them side by side with kiwi plant and bird versions if I could find them, but no luck so far. A gap in the market all you budding designers.

Do Frame tape

OK... so this is not strictly a baby or child-related product but it's SO cool... It is instant framing tape and my idea is to put up some photos and prints in the wee one's bedroom along one wall and use this excellent faux-gilt frame tape around their edges... I think it will look pretty cool. There are some very smart people out there, huh?

Working cable car model from the Design Museum

So... still in London and I find I'm coming across far too many gorgeous things to fit in my suitcase... like this amazing working cable car from the Design Museum. Back home in Wellington I get the cable car up to my house from the city centre... it's a great way to travel, as long as you time your trip to avoid all the school kids and tourists. I think this would make a great addition to the nursery... it could travel up and down across the wall... perhaps I have room after all. Hmmmm.

Sugarloop artwork

How many prints can I fit on the nursery wall? Probably not as many as I think... I've come across these lovely prints to brighten up a room... this artwork is produced by Auckland based artist Bernadette Sipkes aka Sugarloop and comes in excellent bright colours featuring cool stylized animals and jungle scenes. Buy NZ made!

Rockin ABC blocks from Beebles

Oooooh graffiti buildings blocks... perfect for all the hipster types keen to demonstrate their down-with-the-kids parenthood status. I like these blocks but I wonder if my daughter will be able to decode the images... I'm thinking, yes. She already seems smarter than me. Each block has a different letter on each side and they come in sets of 26.

Alimrose bird mobile

Oooooh a 3D mobile! Well, I know most mobiles are 3D but the images hanging from them are often only 2D... and this is pretty! The Alimrose mobile would look great over any baby crib... and I know my daughter would be totally transfixed... I think I might be a little transfixed myself. Alimrose is an Australian company... another team of mothers getting creative. It's such a shame that you only really need one of these sorts of things... I already have a lovely mobile. Maybe next time...

Petit Flaneur doll house

These doll houses are pretty special... hand made and printed by a talented etsy seller, Petit Flaneur. They have the look of the tall, thin houses you find in European cities, like Amsterdam. I particularly like the modern design of the furniture... the chandelier is excellent. The colour scheme sort of reminds me of my house... it's a little bit Rainbow Brite at my place. A Canadian friend directed me to them on the One of a Kind Toronto site... there are tonnes of amazing hand made pieces here with links to the individual seller websites. Another excellent reason to take a trip to Canada one day!