Party on!

I don't know about you, but I always feel really guilty when I throw out yet another handful of plastic toys from the latest party bags. I am not sure how I feel about party bags. I can see how they have evolved, and the idea/sentiment behind them is lovely. However, I really do not see the point in handing out bags full of plastic and sugar.

Over the years I have come up with some fairly creative ideas as alternatives to party bags. Plant pots and seeds, lucky dip, drinks bottles....and now the boys are older I simply give a piece of cake and thank the guests for coming (controversial)!

We are having a party on Sunday for our youngest and I have put together some really cute party bags for the occasion. I have used our recycled paper bags which we will decorate for each child. Inside there will be a small wooden toy, a piece of birthday cake, some bubbles and a balloon. All things that will hopefully get used and provoke a few giggles in the process.

That's Not Fair!

I have just been looking at school uniform for when the boys go back to school in September. I was amazed at just how cheap some school uniform is these days. It made me think how on earth the suppliers of cheap school uniform can make it for the prices they are offering. I found packs of 3 shirts for £3.00, 3 polo shirts for £2.75 and trousers from £3.00 a pair.

As a mum of three I am keen to save money where I can but on the other hand, I don't want to send my kids off to school in uniform made by kids who will never have the opportunity to go to school.

I felt much happier when, after some searching, I found school uniform with the Fairtrade mark.

Having looked at the Fairtrade foundation and what it does, I would urge you to do the same (go on, take some time to read all about the greatthings they do) and wherever possible, buy Fairtrade.

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. It gives people a fair chance to sell their products at a fair price. For a small percentage on the price of many everyday products, you can help provide safe, sustainable employment for people in developing countries. What a great lesson to teach your kids before they even go back to school in September!

School's out!

We are on the cusp of the Summer holidays. Do you remember that feeling as a child? 6 weeks off school seemed like such a long time. Some of my happiest memories are of just playing with the neighbours: hide 'n' seek, racing on our bikes, days on the beach.

Now, as a mum, I still feel the same excitement at the thought of six weeks without having to do the school run. We are hoping for some sun. It makes everything so much easier (and cheaper!)

I don't mind the odd wet day. We all have waterproofs and I am not one to stay in all day, whatever the weather. I can build dens, make cakes, make junk models, play board games, do play-doh, painting....heck, I can even get the kids involved in a bit of cleaning/tidying if necessary. BUT I can't do this every day of the holidays without the cracks starting to show.

Do you have any great ideas of things to do with the kids if we get another wet August? If so, please share them here, the lower the cost, the better!

Fingers crossed for some sun....

A Design For Life

Have you taken a look at the latest product from the clever designers at Stokke? If you are interested in design (which you probably are if you are a Stokke fan!) this interview with the designer of the Stokke Bounce 'n' Sleep is worth a read:

Interview with designer Tore Mortvedt.

Head of the design team developing the Stokke® Bounce ‘n’ Sleep concept.

When you are tasked with creating a new product, where do you begin?

“Every project starts with an initial brief and as a designer my first challenge is to turn this starting point into a viable commercial product. Observation and market research are key. What’s missing from items already in the market place? Are they lacking key functionalities? How can they be improved?

Observations should validate the initial brief and highlight a need for what we are about to create.

We believe that our mission is to create physical products that enhance our abilities and help us in everyday life.”

Does your design process stay the same or has it been different for every product that you have created?

“Fortunately, since creative minds are not best served by repetition, projects do differ and inventiveness in the methodology of design is beneficial for the innovative solutions we provide. We could create products that follow traditional guidelines and stereotypes or we can question, challenge and push boundaries to create something totally unique.

In this instance, the initial brief could have been to design a bouncing chair, or it could have been to create a suitable play / rest environment for a baby from birth to 12 months. The second option is sure to result in a more innovative, exciting solution than the first? It did and it allowed us to create something new that works in synergy with a modern lifestyle.”

When you look at Stokke Bounce ‘n’ Sleep now that it has been produced, how different is it from your initial idea?

“There where many ideas in the beginning, possibly too many. The challenge is always to choose the right idea, and then to nail it! There’s always one idea that sticks with you and the worry is, of course, that this is not the best idea, but on reflection, these first ideas are often quite good! With Bounce ‘n’ Sleep the idea we ran with changed aesthetically but in concept it’s not too far away from our original idea.”

Can you explain how it evolved?

“Our challenge was trying to balance innovation and expectations with our design methodology. I guess it did develop into a more typical looking chair than some of our initial ideas but the key user insights of mobility, closeness and ergonomics remained.

From our observations in the home and in the maternity unit we explored solutions around mobile rocking cradles that retain the lay flat position - then the project developed quite rapidly.”

You designed the new seat for the Stokke® Xplory®, how did it feel when you first saw one out on the street?

“I must admit I was a bit proud. I truly believe that this relaunch has enabled the product to meet it’s potential. I saw it, the new Xplory V3 on Aker Brygge in Oslo quite soon after the market launch in 2010, and I turned to look one extra time, making sure I would remember it. It was a seat with the light blue basic textiels and beige summer kit. It was an empowering feeling as a designer.”

Quick Q & A

What was the first thing that you designed and created and how old were you?

“It was a paper bicycle stand and a paper bicycle placed in and leaning towards it - at the age of five.”

What inspires you?

“I´m quite inspired by nature, and the fact that Stokke headquarters, on the West coast of Norway (the city Ålesund) are located in what I would describe as the most beautiful location you can imagine, makes it an inspiring place. I must admit that I´m also inspired by other design and their use of the latest materials, technology, as well as the freedom of fashion, photography, and music. Music inspires mood, and good mood is what you need to create great designs. It becomes a long list here, but most of all, I´m inspired by the process of creation itself.”

What is your most treasured possession?

“Ha, I won´t tell you ;)”

Where in the world would you most like to live?

“There´s a lot of places that I would like to live for a while, but settle? On the west coast of Norway,!!! It´s paradise.”

What is your favourite smell?

“One of two: The first breath of salty fresh sea air when I leave the plane at Ålesund, Norway after being abroad travelling, or the smell on my Irish setters forehead. Unfortunately she is no longer here, but I can still remember this to be the best smell ever.”

What is your most unappealing habit?

“Being too much of a perfectionist, but I´m really trying to loose some of that.”

What is your most guilty pleasure?

“Besides the one or two I won´t tell, it would be take the day off after the most perfect snow fall and go with my friends to the mountains skiing on an untouched surface, painting the mountainside with perfect lines.”

What would you most like to be remembered for?

“Good question, well, I had hoped to become a legend someday, but I´m not so pretentious that I have decided on any “epitath”.”

Take a look at the Stokke Bounce 'n' Sleep....

Focus on Inch Blue

Did I mention that at heybaby* we love to support UK based brands?!

We have been selling Inch Blue shoes since the day we opened nearly 10 years ago! I originally came across them when I was desperate to find a way for my first baby to keep his socks on. They really do stay on!

They are made of soft leather, nothing else, and are ideal for babies to wear all the time until they have been walking unaided for 6 weeks, and from then on as slippers, indoors or at nursery.

Inch Blue leather is Chrome 6 free and exceeds the British Safety Standard requirements to pass BSEN71-3:1995 and conforms to all European safety standards.

To top it all off, they are designed and made in-house in Inch Blue's factory in Wales, providing local employment and reducing transport miles.

A good choice we think!!

Happy at Home

Being a working mum, I have mixed feelings about having the flexibility to work form home some of the time. It is great that it offers a pick 'n' mix approach to working times (currently 21:30 and I am blogging!) but also means that my work is never really done because I cannot pack up and walk away.

I have worked through all 3 of my children's baby days with minimal childcare. Again there are pros and cons. They have never been left screaming at a nursery but are often left to their own devices whilst I work next to them on the kitchen table!

We took delivery of our first Stokke Bounce 'n' Sleep today. I have had a good play with it and I have concluded that not only is it a beautiful piece of furniture, but it would have made my life so much easier when my 'babies' were small.

We have one on our shop floor if you would like to take a look, or you can find the Stokke Bounce 'n' Sleep on our website.

Potatoes

We have had a full day out at a football tournament with our eldest today. We had a lovely day, but as usual when we all go out for the day, arrived home hungry! I don't know what it is like in your house, but in ours, I am the default chef. Unless I get really organised, delegate in great detail, prepare food and instruct another capable person, the meals are generally down to me. I realised that I needed to come up with something pretty quick, and wandered down to the veg patch to see if we could harvest anything.

We had a little dig and found some potatoes just about big enough to bake (delicious, a big success) and picked some courgettes to make into a pie (delicious, not a hit with the kids!) A few salad leaves and we had the basis of a balanced meal, magic! This is the best time of year in the life of the family vegetable garden. We get to reap all the rewards of our previous work to make a dinner from home grown ingredients. It is a great feeling!

If you have a bit of space in your garden (you don't necessarily need a lot) the whole family can benefit from growing your own veg. It is great to have a family project, something you can all work on together and benefit from and research has shown that if children are involved in the growing process, not only does it teach them about the growing cycle but they are far more likely to eat the food produced.

If you are nervous about giving it a go or don't know where to start, for a relatively small investment you can buy a box of plants ready to go. Try The Family Vegetable Garden.

Good luck!

Farmer's Market

Right outside of our shop in Poundbury, Dorchester, on the first Saturday morning of every month, there is a Farmer's Market. It is a great way to try and buy produce from local farmers and manufacturers. Many of the stall holders have samples, some of them even cook their wares for you to sample. They tend to use far less packaging and will have almost certainly have travelled a fraction of the distance of food that is sent to supermarkets.

Combine these benefits with the pleasure of wandering from table to table, chatting to the people who have been involved in the production of the products and are always passionate and informed about it, bumping into friends, sometimes live music....the atmosphere is wonderful.

Critics say the prices are high, but I reckon you get what you pay for and for me it is money well spent!

Focus on Organics for Kids

When I arrive at the shop in the morning I tend to do a quick check around and make sure everything is looking good. Every so often something 'jumps out' at me and provokes thought (dangerous I know!)

This morning, I was tidying the rack of babygrows and thought how lovely the Organics for Kids range is looking. We have been selling Organics for Kids for years now, they are a real favourite with our customers.

Organics for Kids use a factory in Nottingham to manufacture the majority of their range, providing UK employment and doing away with air freight or alternative transportation from overseas. This in itself is an achievement. As far as I am aware, of the clothing brands we sell, only 2 (including Organics for Kids) are made in the UK. The entire organic cotton range is also Soil Association certified, so you dress your baby with peace of mind.

Even better, the range has some beautiful colours, fun prints and quite a few reversible items. Thoughtful details such as turn over cuffs at hands and feet (to cover up when cold, and prevent scratching), multi coloured buttons, hoods that un-popper so you can lie them flat when your baby is lying down really prove the garments have been designed and produced with the care and attention your baby deserves.

With so much of the range being mix and match it is a practical choice for your baby's wardrobe and makes a great present too!

Take a look at the range and get in touch if you have any comments, requests, ideas. We love to hear from you!