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Life is peachy! In honor of National Peach Month (bet you didn’t know that was even a thing!), we’ve gathered some fun peach-themed baby items.
Clockwise from Top Left:
Sweet Peach Organic Nursing Pillow Cover from By George Baby Boutique on Etsy (starting at $45)
Crocheted Peach from Rainbow Happiness on Etsy ($4)
Crib Sheet from West & Arrow on Etsy ($44)
Sweet as a Peach Print from Bellberry Lane on Etsy ($5)
Custom Allman Brothers “Eat a Peach” Onesie from Fawn & Birdie on Etsy ($18)
We have seen the simple yet very thoughtful design and style influences of Japan trickling in to the mom & baby category recently. Brands like Tea Collection have been drawing inspiration from Japanese culture with the Citizen Blue line and its Japanese florals and we expect to see more inspired design in light of Tea’s textile designer’s recent trip.
It’s not just the patterns and aesthetics of Japan that are finding their way into the mom & baby category, there is also a big lifestyle aspect. You may have heard of the best-selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing where Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing. This book has described as life-changing for many and the Japanese minimalist approach is now being applied to all aspects of the home. As a result, we’re increasingly seeing the word “minimalist” on Gugu Guru registries. Here, our report on what we’ve been spotting and loving from this trend and cultural influence:
As far as mini style, aden+anais kimono tops are a must-have for your layette.
While the Micuna OVO High Chair is manufactured in Spain and not Japan, its clean, modern design certainly fits with the Japanese aesthetic. Moreover, the high chair is multi-use (it converts to a toddler chair), which is key to a practical, minimalist approach for baby.
What’s Japanese fashion without some super comfortable footwear? These Iori Baby Stripe Shoes are made with the softest cotton. Perfectly simple in design – yet totally functional.
Again, multi-function is an important feature if you’re building a minimalist registry and cribs are no exception. There are lots of great options in convertible cribs but for a thoughtful and sleek style, we like the Danish-designed Leander baby bed that coverts from crib to toddler bed to junior bed.
100% organic cotton and soft as cashmere, it seems like no Japanese-inspired registry would be complete without luxurious, organic towels from Imabari, the cotton capital of Japan, like these Kontex Organic Cotton Towels. Imabari towels are known for their construction using traditional slow-weaving techniques to bring out the natural softness of the material.
Another Spanish company – Babyhome – offers the thoughtfully constructed Wave Chair that is so simple yet smartly designed. The pleasant, steady, front-to-back rocking motion will help relax your baby and ensure a zen experience.
The Puj Tub is a minimalist’s dream with its compact form. The tub cradles and comforts baby and fits in all standard-sized bathroom sinks. It also hangs flat for easy and convenient storage.
This beautiful 100% GOTS certified organic Karamiori Pillow from Coyuchi presents the perfect finishing touch to Japanese minimalist themed home or nursery. Karamiori, an ancient weaving technique in which a pair of warp threads are entwined in figure eights around the weft, is used in Japan to create textiles ranging from gauzy mesh to strong netting.
And as baby grows or maybe as something for the older sibling, Japanese parents rely on a Jinbei for reliable but functional fashion – like this set from Watanosato constructed in a super comfortable “shrink textile.”
As parents, we’re always concerned with our baby’s safety, so we strive to make our homes as safe for them as possible. But, we also want our homes to be stylish places for adults, too – which is why we love the concept behind The House of NOA! The House of NOA, founded by mompreneur Elizabeth Granados, creates traditional foam play mats for babies and kids – however, these are crafted with gorgeous designs – which are sure to add style to any room of your house. Elizabeth’s vision was to create a beautiful play mat both mama and baby would love. She teamed up with Illustrator and Designer, Sophia Vincent Guy, to create a unique and original design unlike any other play mat available. When you lay down the foam mat pieces, they create the illusion of a beautiful rug – but this “beautiful rug” is easy to clean and able to withstand the rough and tumble of a toddler! Unlike anything else on the market, the Little Nomad play mats are an elegant addition to any room of your house!
GG: How did you decide to launch your business? Tell us a little more about Little Nomad.
E.G.: The idea for Little Nomad came to me long before I was ever pregnant with my first and only child. In fact, at the time I was struggling with infertility. A friend of mine invited me over to her gorgeous new home and upon opening the front door – the otherwise tastefully decorated family room was covered in tacky foam plats. I began to have visions of how they could be reimagined, but felt that maybe I didn’t have the authority to have an opinion on the matter since I wasn’t a Mother myself. Years later and several months after giving birth to my daughter, the idea resurfaced in my mind, but this time with the confidence I needed to turn the vision from dream to reality. I decided to launch on Kickstarter as a way to validate the product rather than using investor funding because I wanted to get close to my customers from the start. What better way to build a company than to attract a community of tribe members who have your back and believe in what you’re doing?
GG: How do you balance work and family?
E.G.: I started working on Little Nomad when my daughter Taliah was about 6 months old. As an entrepreneur, my mind is always thinking of ideas and ways to change or improve what I’m working on. Sometimes, it can be difficult to turn these thoughts off so that I can focus on my family.
Additionally, I feel like my iPhone can be a terrible distraction – so I try to keep it out of sight when I’m spending time with my daughter. With my husband in residency and working very long hours, my most cherished moments of the day are at about 5:30AM when my daughter gets up and we eat breakfast as a family. In this fast paced world, its important for me to always be mindful of what matters more than any email or Facebook post, my wonderful husband and daughter.
GG: What’s the best part of being an mompreneur?
E.G.: When I was nine years old, my Mother developed an educational board game. She took my brother and I with her to Taiwan to meet with manufacturers. I didnt realize the impact that had on me until recently. My Mom taught me to be a fearless entrepreneur, leading by example. I hope to show my daughter that as women, we can achieve any goal we set our minds to. I hope to give her the same gift that my Mom gave me.
We became absolutely smitten with Micuna at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas this past October. When you browse through their products, you can see that design and high-quality craftsmanship are top of mind considerations for Micuna. Recognized for their commitment to design, quality and safety of its products, Micuna was one of the first Spanish companies to comply with the high standards of European quality and safety. What’s more, Micuna products are crafted with eco-friendly practices and materials including wood obtained from sustainable forests.
Today we shine the spotlight on the LIFE crib collection and HARMONY evolutive crib (but the Micuna U.S. collection also includes the OVO high chair and SMART FRESH bassinet.)
LIFE Collection
You may remember our recent trend report on customization and personalization and Micuna’s LIFE collection is completely on trend. With its endless combinations and constructions, the Micuna LIFE Collection is designed for parents looking for something original and different, something that will make baby’s environment a unique and special place. Micuna gives parents the tools to create their own original crib model with LIFE, designing combinations to suit their individual taste with a variety of options available. Parents will have fun designing their own customizable crib with a range of 15 spindle shades from which they can choose three and combine them with their crib base in natural wood or white.
Micuna has created four color combinations for the crib’s spindles that draw inspiration from magical places: Life Provenza, Life Kenya, Life Tribeca, Life Brooklyn. Also available are other standard colors as (White, Natural or Grey poles). The crib is simple to assemble, the spindles feature innovative spring technology allowing for them to snap in easily.
The life of the crib can be extended as baby grows older by allowing for multiple mattress heights, easily removing spindles for easy access for toddlers or even converting the crib to a toddler bed with an existing crib mattress up to age seven (additional parts needed). Handcrafted from solid beechwood.
HARMONY SINGLE EVOLUTIVE CRIB
Micuna has also created an evolutionary crib, HARMONY, to accompany children from birth to several years providing a familiar environment for baby that makes them feel good and grow safe.
This innovative modern crib offers the perfect solution that links practicality and space saving. Designed especially for those seeking baby products with exceptional features, quality and most importantly, safety, HARMONY can easily evolve from crib-to-twin size bed as a child grows.
It is crafted from eco-MDF and Micuna offers an optional Kit for conversion to twin bed available.
Learn more about Micuna by following along:
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See Kate Sew partners with Gugu Guru again to share a fantastic DIY tutorial. This time? Paint splatter bibs to match up with her BABYBJÖRN Watercolor collection. Read on to get the details…
Make these cute and contrasty bibs for your curious new eater. They are also great for younger droolers and the stark black and white contrast will keep the attention of any little.
These bibs are super simple to make and chic enough for your modern baby bag! And I had a great time splattering paint everywhere!
I loved styling them with BABYBJÖRN’s on trend Watercolor collection. The Baby Bouncer Balance in mesh is awesome for a few reasons! It packs down pretty much flat so you can hang it or store it easily when you’re not using it. We always put our bouncers in a closet in between babies and they are awkward and annoying to stow! But this is so flat it’s amazing!
The bounce is right on and it has 3 different levels, that adjust like a chaise lounge-chair. Super simple to set up and super simple to use. I took it out of the box, lifted it up and snapped it in place. Shown is the Turquoise Turtle color that is so pretty and gender neutral (but not yellow! Hooray!) My little model had a blast bouncing in this chair and we just can’t wait to put our newborn baby girl in it. The mesh will be especially nice this summer as the weather heats up.
The BABYBJÖRN Travel Crib Light is so different than our old travel crib. It was also designed to flat pack, including a soft mattress that folds right into the carry case. It’s totally amazing how little it folds down to, but mostly how easy it was to set up. I usually make my husband set things up (I can’t read manuals, too boring!) but I didn’t need to even read the manual to get this crib up in 5 minutes. We are excited to take it to hotels and to also have an extra safe spot to put the baby at home. Safe from her rowdy siblings, that is. 🙂
The best part about this collection is the minimalist color scheme that will really go with anything. No tacky kid designs, just chic and functional.
So to round out your chic and modern baby collection, let’s make some bibs! I started with pre-made muslin bibs that are super soft and good for size 0-12M. But you can also make your own plain white bibs if you like sewing and then decorate them
Materials:
OR make your own white bibs with this basic bib tutorial
-spatula, large paintbrush or spoon (for splattering!)
–heat set fabric ink
Other Supplies:
-large paper or newspaper to cover workspace
-clean piece of cotton muslin for pressing
-iron for pressing
Instructions:
-Mix the ink with a little bit of water to get a better “splatting” consistency. The ink listed in the materials is water-based, so it will thin out with a bit of water.
-Do some practice splatting on your paper.
Unsnap your bibs and lay them all out on your work surface.
Then get splatting! There are no rules here, just dip your brush and fling paint all over the bibs and paper. You’ll figure out a technique as you go for getting good lines and blobs.
This is really a fun and satisfying project, so go crazy! You can do as much or as little as you want.
When you think you’re done, let the bibs dry. If you can leave them where they are to dry do that so you don’t smear any paint. Let them dry. This may take a day or two depending on how thick your splatters get. If you need to speed up the process, use a hair dryer.
When they dry, lift them up and follow the instructions on the ink to heat-set the bibs. Use a press cloth (or a clean piece of cotton muslin) over the bibs to protect them as you heat-set the ink.
And you’re done! Snap your bib on and enjoy the paint splatters! These are extra great because food stains won’t show up as much!
1. Limited Edition Personalized Mint & Salmon Headwraps ($20) available from Jennifer Ann Put your little girl’s name on one of our headwraps and she’ll have a truly one-of-a-kind and unique headwrap! Great for babies and toddlers.
2. Organic Personalized Baby Blanket and Hat Set ($17.50+) available from Petunia on Etsy. Super soft and stretchy organic interlock knit fabric printed with my digital designs. They look so cute tightly wrapped around your little one. It makes a brilliant baby gift and looks wonderful in pictures. It is sure to be an instant favorite.
3. Personalized Pacifier clip ($16.422) available from Boiteadoudou on Etsy.Handmade with wooden beads and acrylic or wooden letters, the pacifier-clip measure 8 inches to avoid any risk of strangulation of the child. The cord used is a 100% Polyester.
4. Custom Wooden Name Sign available from lucysletters123 on Etsy. (Starting at $50) Our name signs are 100% customized just for you and make wonderful keepsakes for your homes and nurseries. Each custom sign is hand-cut, hand-sanded and painted by me.
5. St. Tropez Stroller Blanket ($12) available from Pottery Barn Kids. This soft design keeps little ones comfortable and stylish with its tile-inspired pattern.
6. CUSTOM ‘STANDARD BANNER’ ($9) available from Daydreams and Dandelions. All custom banners are hand painted and custom made to suit your wishes.
7. Little Miss – Little Mister($19)available from Newborn Must Haves. The onesies are made of 100% cotton and will be made every friday. All orders before thursday 11:00 AM are made and send on Friday. Newborn Musthaves print the onesies themselves, with professional equipment (no iron).
I’m excited to partner with Guru Guru and 4moms today to bring you these DIY pom pom swaddle blankets! Pom pom trim is so fun to sew with and adds a fun pop of color to any project!
For these blankets, I used solid color double gauze and paired with a fun trim color. I never have enough swaddle blankets around with a new baby and with my third coming soon, I wanted some cute, washable swaddles that will also look really great in photos!
The 4moms rockaRoo is so stylish in its sleek grey and these blankets look great with them! Some of my favorite features of the rockaRoo are the washable grey cover (no more pastel yellow baby products, yay!), iPhone jack and swing speeds.
We are super excited to use this with our new baby, but our model seemed to love it.
DIY Pom Pom Swaddle Blankets
Materials:
-1 yard double gauze fabric
-5 yards mini 1/4″ pom pom trim
Tools:
-Sewing machine
-Rotary cutter & Mat (optional)
-Scissors
Instructions:
Trim double gauze down to 36″ by 44″, making sure all the edges are even and straight. (Diagram below shows a right and wrong side for clarification, but double gauze fabric is generally reversible.)
2Fold side edges over 1/4″ and press well.
Repeat on top and bottom edges.
4. Fold over all edges one more time, this time folding over 3/8″ on each side. Stitch around the rectangle 1/4″ from the edge. Backstitch when threads meet. You’ll have a nice clean edge, all ready for trim!
Get your pom pom trim ready. Pin or clip it to the back of the swaddle blanket with the poms right up against the edge of the blanket.
Stitch along blanket 1/8″ from edge, securing the pom pom trim as you go. You’ll end up with 2 straight lines of stitching that leave a nice clean finish to the blanket.
When the pom pom trim meets itself, overlap the ends and taper them into the inside of the blanket before stitching. Trim excess.
All done and ready to snuggle your sweet baby or package up for a baby shower gift!
Kate Blocher is a mother of 2 (and a half!) and creator of See Kate Sew, a DIY and sewing brand that focuses on a creative lifestyle. While she isn’t teaching her kids to make creative messes, you’ll find her designing fabric and sewing patterns and buying more fabric! Find more from See Kate Sew at seekatesew.com.
We have seen the design and style influences of the Central and South Americas trickling in to the mom & baby category over the past six months and the trend does not seem to be slowing down. Some brands like Land of Nod and Anthropologie offer textiles and decor that hint to the regions – such as the use of the iconic llama. Other brands like Tea Collection were ahead of the curve with their Fall/Winter collection of children’s clothing completely inspired and directed by the respective aesthetics of Bolivia and Argentina.
As the trend continues, we are seeing cause-driven, philanthropic brands that give back to the countries of manufacture, as well as brands that simply draw from the beauty of a Central or South American culture. Here, our trend report on what we’ve been spotting:
Clothing
To inspire Tea’s Fall and Winter 2015 collection, the brand traveled to Argentina and Bolivia. “From the European flavor of Buenos Aires to the indigenous pride of La Paz, our newest collection pays homage to the people of Argentina and Bolivia. The sophisticated style of the gauchos and traditional elegance of Cholitas. The passion of tango musicians to the wild color of las mascaras for Carnaval.”
What we particularly enjoyed about Tea Collection’s approach was the beautiful photography, whimsical illustrations and storytelling that accompanied the line.
One to keep an eye on: Joobles on Fair Indigo is an award-winning collection of beautiful fair trade products like the organic baby booties above. Purchasing Joobles products not only lifts up workers with a living wage and a safe workplace, it also helps support small family-run organic cotton farms in Peru.
Other brands to check-out: Humble Hilo, Nena & Co
Brands like Nena & Co and Humble Hilo are sourcing directly from the artisans of Guatemala, while also giving back by giving Guatemalan women the income to work from home with their children. Alejandra Hynek, the founder of Nena & Co, has Guatemalan roots herself and was taught about her Mayan heritage by her mother and grandmother, which ultimately inspired her to start the company. Humble Hilo adds another philanthropic layer by allowing customers to decide which humanitarian project to support with their purchase.
Baby Bedding & Accessories
Petite Vigogne is a new high-end brand that sources its fine textiles from Peru. The founder of Petite Vigogne – a mom and native of Peru herself – was inspired to start the company after her difficulty in finding high thread-count Peruvian Pima cotton bedding for newborns in the US. In addition to luxurious Peruvian Pima cotton, Petite Vigogne sources Vicuña – one of the highest-quality threads in the world – and wonderfully soft baby alpaca, also from Peru, to make perfectly crafted products for lucky newborns worldwide.
Other brands to check out: The Joobles Collection on Fair Indigo
Toys & Other Handcrafts
While not suitable for children under 3 years old, these eco-friendly, finger puppets are perfect for older siblings. Moms on team Gugu Guru have personally enjoyed using them during story time with our toddlers. Each puppet is handmade by a number of artist collectives from the rural areas of the Peruvian high-plains. Finger Puppets Inc. sources ethically, practices fair trade principles and strives to help these artisans extend their products’ reach.
Other brands to check out: The Joobles Collection on Fair Indigo
The husband and wife co-founders of Snuggin‘ – the adorable and super soft pacifier holder – are redesigning the product’s packaging and they need your help. Take this quick poll and let us know which packaging appeals the most to you!
The husband and wife co-founders of Snuggin‘ – the adorable and super soft pacifier holder – are redesigning the product’s packaging and they need your help. Take this quick poll and let us know which packaging appeals the most to you!
