A/W 2017 Issue 10
magazine
The
ArtIssue Little Flea
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EDITORS LETTER Art. It’s all around us. It’s Energy. Love. Passion. We’re all creative. We’re all artists. We’re all just painting our own masterpiece called life. It’s important that we fuel it. That we ensure the little beings in our lives grow up knowing how to be creative. Whether that’s through cooking or colouring or designing or building. Those little minds full of curiosity and imagination need to be nurtured through art. So this is why we have created the Art Issue. Full of art themed fashion shoots, interviews with inspiring artists, amazing design led products and a selection of exclusive printables for your children to print out and enjoy. We also have an art competition to win vouchers that you can spend on any brand on our website. So get those kids of yours creative juices flowing to be in with a chance of winning! And lastly I encourage you to paint, to draw, to bake or to write. You don’t have to be an expert. It’s good for the soul, for the mind. To give it space and to breathe. I hope this issue inspires the inner artist in you. Stay creative
Anna x
Photo: Binky Nixon Little Flea
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CONTENTS 64
ACCESSORIES Take a look at what accessories all the cool kids will be wearing this Winter.
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TOYS TOYS TOYS This selection of play things will be a big hit with the kiddies.
34 CLEVER CLOTHS Donna Tweedale finds out the science behind thes Etta Loves baby muslins
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10 OF THE BEST... COATS We’ve dug out the best coats for your child this season.
39 TREND PAGES From velvet to forest animals, what will your kids be wearing this winter?
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SWEET BABY We find the cutest baby goodies to take you through Winter.
52 CIRCUS BRIGHTS A bright and beautiful fashion story photographed by Sharon Cooper and illustrated by Jo Bird.
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DAISY ROGERS Tells us how art helped her battle post natal depression.
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WHAT’S HOT Find out what’s on the hot list this season
22 MINI ARTISTS muted colours and stripes are a perfect combination for these creative kids photographed by Binky Nixon.
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COLOUR ME IN Nine incredible artists give us exclusive printables to make/colour in and draw.
111 THE BOOK WORM A selection of great books to spike your childs interest in reading.
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ART COMPETITION Find out how to enter our amazing art competition to win vouchers to spend on Little Flea brands.
112 HUNGERPOTS Bethie Hungerfood gives us three easy and delicious family meals all prepared in just one pot.
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INTERIORS Beautifully designed interiors for the modern home.
120 WE LOVE... This selection of amazing kids brands.
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MAGGIE & ROSE The creative force behind the family members clubs introduces us to her new homewares collection.
126 STORE FOCUS We delve into the world of Lobella Loves to find out more about this charity giving brand.
102 MAMA FLEA Gorgeous goodies for mums. Go on treat yourself!
130 BRAND LINKS
110 THE GALLERY Gorgeous prints to make your walls smile.
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For little people with big imaginationsLittle Flea
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What’s Hot
Find out what we are lusting after this season. From pretty dresses to slogan candles, you’re gonna want to shop ’til you drop!
Pretty Wild Pretty Wild is an Australian brand that encompasses classic silhouettes, heritage liberty prints and hand finished details of the highest quality. The crisp cottons, hand smocking and delicate embroidery gives Pretty Wild a timeless charm, ensuring each piece becomes a treasured item you’ll never want your children to grow out of. The range runs from 3months to 12 years and caters for both boys and girls. 8
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no+mi no+mi London is an online destination with perfectly curated gift sets for expecting and new mothers. At no+mi London, they put the mother at the heart of the conversation. With expecting women leading rich lives, their boxes reflect various aspects of it in one collection. Healthy snacks, readings, accessories, creams and more, they have researched the best of what’s out there, and the most relevant way to put it together. The boxes are organised around the first stages of maternity - pregnancy, hospital and baby and come in various sizes with options of add on products and a concierge service. This is modern pregnancy at it’s best!
JAM London JAM London is inspired by traditional craft with a nod to the sentiment of time where fine attention to detail and quality mixes with innovative, versatile and comfortable clothing. Collections focus on luxury yarn knitwear and natural fabrics and include coats, jumpers, cardigans, dresses, blouses and skirts designed to suit any occasion. JAM London bring to the market exclusive products which use the latest technology such as seamless knitwear. Little Flea
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Mutha.Hood This super cool brand celebrates the strength of motherhood and empowerment of women. Slogans such as Fearless Female, Strong Girls Club and Mother Like No One’s Judging have become synonomous with the brand and a powerful meaning amongst the mama crowd. As well as the tees you can find mugs, bags, jewellery and cards as well as kids items.
Little Knittle Little Knittle make super-soft knitwear for babies and children. Classic styles, like a fisherman’s jumper or shawl collar cardigan, are given a modern update with contemporary colours and textured stitches. The time and care taken over each piece is clear to see - but as well as looking good, these pieces are made to keep kids warm and withstand the rigours of an afternoon of play. These are items to be worn and loved, not saved for best!
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Bertha & Co Bertha & Co showcases a selection of beautiful British children’s brands and includes childrenswear, accessories, toys and decor. What’s special is they work with two incredible charities. War Child UK; the only specialist charity working with children affected by war and Maternity Worldwide; providing essential pre and post natal care to women in developing countries. A donation to these chartities is made from every single sale. How wonderful.
Brown Betty Blue Brown Betty Blue makes quirky, unique and stylish décor items for the little folks in your life. The creator, Aimee couldn’t find the bedroom décor she wanted, only lots of pink and blue. She grew up in a sewing family and with her imagination running wild Brown Betty Blue was born in the middle of the night, during night feeds. Quilts, cushions, mobiles and cuddly friends all made from the softest cotton, colourful wool felt or cuddly fleece. Keep sake items that children will love and the parents will want to keep as a memento.
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Little Carousel Little Carousel was created in 2016 and colour, fun, character and playfulness are at the heart of the designs. The designer, Colleen takes inspiration from time spent with her daughters and injects these experiences into her illustrations and handmade toys. You’ll find illustrated prints, wall banners and soft toys that make perfect gender neutral gifts.
Lucky Gecko Discoveries Offer monthly subscription boxes designed to help children connect the dots between what they learn at school and the world around them. They want to give children the confidence to be curious, to dream and to think for themselves. Aimed at children aged 9-12, there are three different boxes designed for different types of learners. Lucky Gecko want to get kids out in the world - exploring, inventing, creating and asking questions. 12
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PicPop PicPop is a playful mix of quirky kids accessories and mama goods such as oversized pompom hats and cool sunnies. Created in Manchester by mum of one Naomi, PicPop is an online space that is not just about kids items, but is also relevant to the modern day Mum too! Check out the ‘MamaMantra’ candles, they’re a must for Rebel Mamas!
Albetta Albetta creates a gorgeous world for little ones. They’re passionate about fun and colour and introducing everything that’s wonderful into a child’s life, and they put all of this into practice in their themed collections, Albetta Adventures. As well as their usual ranges, these collections include exclusive, limited edition pieces made by Albetta, specially commissioned items from other small, creative businesses and carefully selected vintage children’s furniture. We love these gorgeous wild animal toys!
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BONORDIC BONORDIC is an independent children’s lifestyle store where you will find a carefully selected collection of baby and children’s clothing (up to age 6), nursery and kids room décor, footwear, accessories and toys. Originally from Denmark, founder May, personally handpicks each and every item to offer a curated range of gorgeous pieces for children.
Gooseberry Fool A collection of limited edition handmade pieces for your little ones, inspired by the love of nature, flora and fauna, which is reflected in the muted colour palette. Long lasting quality clothes and gifts for babies and toddlers, all beautifully packaged in hand stamped cotton gift bags. 14
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Lobella Loves Lobella Loves is an enchanting UK online destination for the most exciting brands for babies and toddlers with charitable donations on every sale. Showcasing a beautiful, handpicked edit of brands Lobella Loves gives the gift of time back to busy mums. Lobella Loves is also proud to donate a percentage of every single sale to charities supporting families suffering from pre and postnatal mental health issues.
Cotton Twist Cotton Twist pride themselves on making activities & decorations you’ll love to give and children will love to receive. Nostalgic, chic, simple & inherently satisfying, the crafts draw upon a palette of raw materials from lolly sticks to craft matchboxes, & from twine to felt. It’s time to wave goodbye to all that plastic! Crafts are carefully designed to spark learning & play in a fun & imaginative way. A world of make believe is ready to be uncovered. Activities are perfect for party bags, stocking fillers, wedding day activities, travelling & rainy days. Plus there are also lots of gifts that can be personalised too! Little Flea
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Hope & Fortune Hope & Fortune design luxury organic baby blankets in a sweet little series of prints. These super soft ethically created blankets are designed to last. Hope & Fortune blankets are of the highest quality organic cotton. They are completely nasties-free - no chemicals, no enzymes and Azo-free dyes. The blankets are filled with three layers of organic, unbleached herringbone weave muslin, which means they stay wonderfully soft and breathable too.
Organic Zoo Made for small people with big personalities. Organic Zoo believe that the clothes our children wear should carry a story we can be all proud of. The capsule range, created from 100% organic cotton, is produced entirely in Europe with a commitment to quality, fair trade and the environment. The new collection P L A N E T C H I L D C H O O D reflects the brand’s signature style, a mix of classic and contemporary. A timeless palette of whites and greys with a splash of spicy mustard and pine green.
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RICIA RICIA is a new high-end clothing line for breastfeeding mothers. This occasion wear line allows new mums to breastfeed their babies easily at weddings and events without sacrificing style and quality. The tops and dresses are made in London from gorgeous fabrics and their aim is to make all new mums feel glamorous while out at an event. RICIA clothing allow mums to breastfeed discreetly while still looking and feeling beautiful.
Deborah Campbell Atelier Renowned, for designing wearable art for everyday style, ethical womenswear label Deborah Campbell Atelier help women build a signature look through season-less print that feels special. The Future Female series is about supporting gender equality for women and 20% of the profits from each tee-shirt sold support WOMENS AID , a charity helping women suffering from domestic abuse. Check out the range now.
Etta Loves Etta loves sensory muslins combine science and style to stimulate babies’ cognitive and visual development. They are designed with input from an expert in childrens eye development so that the products complement little ones’ growing eyes. They are split between 0-4 months and 5+ months. Each muslin incorporates a mix of a large and smaller scale of the pattern. The larger scale will be seen by infants just a few weeks old, whereas the smaller scale will interest children of 3-4 months of age. Genius! This is where science and beauty truly do combine! Little Flea
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Nellie Quats Nellie Quats is a London based childrenswear brand specialising in Liberty Print and linen girl’s clothes. It combines traditional, classic design with plenty of playfulness and fun. The clothing is designed with adventurous, active children in mind so it’s comfortable and easy to wear. Made only from high quality natural fabric, each piece is soft against the skin but also practical to care for and can be washed at 40 degrees.
Sesame & Lilly Sesame and Lilly lovingly craft unique children’s accessories that are perfect for play, but also as statement pieces for bridesmaids and flower girls. Seeking to create playful and timeless products that also make the perfect addition to any dressing up box, all products are finished with a sprinkle of magic dust before being sent on to their next adventure.
Zero Fox Zero Fox is an independent British clothing brand offering edgy, unisex t shirts, hoodies and baby grows for all the mini-humans with fire in their bellies and sass up their sleeves. The tiny warriors who have the right to individuality. Born from the loathing of pink equals girl and blue equals boy; you will not find a gender stereotype in sight within the Zero Fox range. All their clothes are soft, durable and perfect for little explorers who want to take on the world.
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Mini Artists
Get creative in a palette of natural hues and stripes.
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Photography: Binky Nixon Styling: Anna Cascarina Models: Lewis & Rosy
Lewis: Green boiler suit, Indikidual. Red & blue stripe cardigan, Bobo Choses. Black Dr Martens boots. Rosy: Stretch ‘Jaques’ dress, Bobo Choses. Stripe leggings, Tiny Cottons @ Dapper baby. Fur boots, Young Soles.
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Rosy: White frill blouse (worn back to front) Olivier Baby & Kids. Stripy dress, Tiny Cottons @Dapper Baby. Beige ribbed socks, Olivier Baby & Kids. Star trainers, Step2wo. Lewis: Grey jumper, Little Knittle. Stripy trousers, Bang Bang Copenhagen @ Dapper Baby. Black boots, Chapter 2 Kids.
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Lewis: Llama boiler suit, Tiny Cottons @ Dapper Baby. Fur boots, Young Soles. Rosy: Cream jumper, Tiny Cottons @ Dapper Baby. Stripe knitted trousers, Doodle Do. Brown shoes, Young Soles.
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Lewis: Stripy shirt, Bobo Choses. Knitted leggings, Indikidual. Fur boots, Young Soles. Rosy: Long dress, Bobo Choses. Stripy scarf, Little Knittle.
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Rosy: Stripy dress and pom pom scarf, Doodle Do. Pink socks, Olivier Baby & Kids. Star trainers, Step2wo. Lewis: BEE Awesome t-shirt, Deborah Campbell Atelier. Stripe linen trousers, Olivier baby & Kids. Black boots, Chapter 2 Kids. Stripy scarf, Indikidual.
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Black & white Beetlejuice suit, Pearl Lowe Petite. Cream silky blouse, Olivier Baby & Kids.
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Rosy: Spotty shirt dress, Picnik @ Dapper Baby. Stripy tights, Molo. Flower trainers, Step2wo. Lewis: Spot pyjama top, The Bright Company. Stripy trousers, Wild & Gorgeous. Grey cashmere snood, Olivier baby & Kids. Black boots, Chapter 2 Kids.
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Stripy wave jumper, Knit Planet. Fishermans waders, Bobo Choses. Black Dr Martens boots.
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With thanks to Soper & Co for use of their barn. To hire visit here.
Lewis: Grey moon jumper, Well Grounded Company. Stripy trousers, Olivier baby & Kids. Black Dr Martens boots. Rosy: Blue stripy jumper, Bobo Choses. Pink magnifying glass skirt with braces, Indikidual. Pink socks, Olivier baby & Kids. Red Dr Martens boots.
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Clever Cloths Sensory muslins for the modern parent
We meet the founder of Etta Loves to talk science, design and style words by Donna Tweedale
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These muslins are clever little tinkers. Not just satisfied with being handy for cleaning up messes, feeding boob cover uppers, comforters and masters of peek a boo. Oh no. They also have engaging prints that look beautiful and enhance your little ones visual and cognitive development. Designed with an Orthoptist [expert in children’s vision] to the finest detail. Inspired by Etta, created by Jen (Etta’s mum) who continues to grow Etta Loves alongside working. We grabbed her between spinning plates to have a chat.
and entered into the second feeling far more confident. I received such a phenomenal response to both the new designs and the idea and science behind the brand, which was a great boost. I just hope the mums and dads love them just as much!
It was totally surreal. To start with I felt very exposed and a little bit like an imposter, especially given that I was opposite Bang Bang Copenhagen who are my absolute brand crush! I actually described it to a friend as being like a lady of the night in Amsterdam trying to woo people over to my window to talk to me and look at my wares, but I got into my swing by the end of the first day
Once Shruti has worked up the first designs we share them with Laura, the Orthoptist, and that’s where the magic happens. We know what will work - shape and pattern wise to stimulate babies’ visual development, but the precise measurements based on a 6-8” visual range come from Laura and get subsequently fed back into the scale, design and colours (for the 5+ month
Tell us a little about your design process, how do your ideas develop from an initial vision to a print that has the science injected into it.
It all starts with me getting an idea in my head around the inspiration for the range, firstly it was animal print and most recently plants. Once I’ve worked out the brief and visual references I’ll get What a year you've had. You were recently at our designer Shruti involved for a thorough briefDot to Dot London with your new range, how ing session face to face, and from that meeting did it feel to show your collection to the indus- we tend to agree on around 5-6 designs for her to try? work up as we need 4 for any one collection.
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muslins). We invariably work through several further iterations, make a call on the final 4 designs and go back and forth with Laura until we’re all happy that the print is both developmental and stylish too. The final stage is making it into a repeat and getting the first samples. I've seen your instantly recognisable products popping up through my Instagram feed, particularly the leopard print which is gorgeous! How does it feel seeing your muslins that Etta so loves being enjoyed by other little ones?
It’s quite simply mind blowing. I started the business because I had an idea that I couldn’t ignore, but that didn’t mean that I thought other people would like it! I’ve been totally blown away by people’s response to it – both customers and retailers - and critically the feedback I get from mums (and dads) who have been able to have a hot cuppa by draping a muslin over a bouncy chair or take a little bit of the stress out of bathtime with one of our washcloths. That’s what blows me away and make every late or sleepless night well worth it. 36
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You're soon to celebrate Etta Loves first birthday, Congratulations! What plans do you have for your 2nd year? It’s really flying by. Can I ask to be stocked in John Lewis as a birthday present? Only that would make my 2nd year something else! In all reality though I’m hoping to launch 2 further ranges in year 2 and we are looking at product development as so many people keep asking for us to make certain things, so I can’t ignore what the people want! The challenge is saying no to the wrong kind of product, so things that either can’t be seen well by
the baby (e.g. clothes for them) or things that are for sleeping time go against the notion of providing stimulation. So you won’t see any sleeping bags from us but you might see other omnipresent items that could do with a sensory injection. Whatever happens it’s going to be super exciting.
Thanks so much Jen, Exciting times ahead for Etta Loves. You can shop all Etta Loves products here.
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TRENDS
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Dapper Baby Little Flea
Doodle Do
Molo
Piupia
Piupia
AlbaBaby
Question Everything
Bonordic Little Flea
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TRENDS
Dotty Dungarees 40
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e W h t o o od t n Bertha & Co
Palava Dapper baby
Scandiborn
Lobella Loves
Bonordic
Olive Loves Alfie Little Flea
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TRENDS
Zero Fox 42
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REBEL REBEL
Olive Loves Alfie
Rebel & Lola
Sproet & Sprout
Sproet & Sprout
Scamp
Knit Planet
Sproet & Sprout Little Flea
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TRENDS
Olive Loves Alfie 44
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Dapper Baby
Molo
Noe & Zoe
Wild & Gorgeous
Raspberry Plum
Mr Wolf
Toyhood Little Flea
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TRENDS
The Wee Store 46
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natural Bonordic
Wild & Gorgeous
Waddler
Ottie & the Bea Gooseberry Fool
Nellie Quats
Albetta Little Flea
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TRENDS
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Knit Planet
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PE CA
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Scandiborn
Dapper Baby
Olivier Baby & Kids
Scandiborn
Bonordic
The Wee Store
Bobo Choses Little Flea
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Wearing head to toe brights, our models have beeN ON A mission to save the circus animals. Camden and Izzy led them to safety and now they are all best buddies for life! Photography by Sharon Cooper Illustrations by Jo-bird Styling & art direction: Anna Cascarina Models: Camden & Izzy @ Bonnie & Betty
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Camden: Leopard zip up sweat, Iglo & Indi @ Bonordic. Blue cashmere gilet, Olivier baby & Kids. Yellow trousers, Jam Boutique. Scarf, Little Knittle. Stripy socks, Sainsburys. Red sandals, Salt-Water Europe. Izzy: Pink hooded cardigan, Waddler. Yellow dress, Owa Yurika. Blue cashmere scarf with pompoms, Olivier baby & Kids. Socks, Sainsburys. Blue sandals, Salt-Water Europe.
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Camden:Blue & orange jumper and orange trousers, Alba Baby. Yellow snood, Olivier Baby & Kids. Blue socks, Sainsburys. Navy sandals, Salt-Water Europe. Izzy: Blue knitted dress, Doodle Do. Yellow beanie, Rockahula. Yellow socks, Olivier baby & Kids Blue sandals, Salt-Water Europe. 54
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Camden: Leopard zip up sweat, Iglo & Indi @ Bonordic. Blue cashmere gilet, Olivier baby & Kids. Yellow trousers, Jam Boutique. Scarf, Little Knittle. Stripy socks, Sainsburys. Red sandals, Salt-Water Europe. Izzy: Red hand knitted jumper, Sophie Ochera. Orange trousers, Raspberry Plum. Blue socks, Sainsburys. Green sandals, Salt-Water Europe.
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Izzy: Red & grey dress and trousers with yellow cuffs, Knit Planet. Pink & red cardigan, Little Knittle. Earmuffs, Rockahula Kids. Socks as before. Yellow sandals, Salt-Water Europe. Camden: Grey jumper, Knit Planet. Orange tousers and mask beanie, Indikidual. Socks as before. Sandals as before. Little Flea
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Izzy: Mercredi jumper, Bobo Choses. Red skirt with braces, Olivier Baby & Kids. Yellow and red snood, Knit Planet. Socks, Sainsburys. Sandals as before Camden: Leopard swetshirt, Sas & Yosh. Yellow short dungarees, Knit Planet. Cashmere beanie, Olivier Baby & Kids. Stripy socks, Sainsburys. Sandals as before.
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Izzy: Red sailor dress, Pepa & Co. Orange cardigan, Molo. Yellow ribbed socks, Olivier Baby & Kids. Blue sandals, as before. Camden: Yellow jumper, Jam Boutique. Tartan trousers, Wild & Gorgeous. Blue socks, Sainsburys. Sandals as before.
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Bertha & Co
Sproet & Sprout
Little Knittle
Olive Loves Alfie
Albetta
PicPop 64
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ACCESSORIES For every occasion
Sesame & Lilly
Olive Loves Alfie
Rockahula
Rockahula
PicPop
Beargood
Organic Zoo
Jam London Little Flea
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Toys toys toys! It’s playtime here at Little Flea and we’d be happy to play for hours with this selection of goodies. Get those kids imaginations running wild!
Little Carousel
Pinch Toys
Scandiborn
Waddler
Beargood
Toyhood Beargood 66
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Scandiborn
Ottie & the Bea Toyhood
Tendre Deal
Scandiborn
Street, available at Toyella
Scamp & Dude
Waddler Little Flea
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10 of the best... Coats Olive loves Alfie
Dapper Baby
Molo
Winter is coming Anna & Louis
Bonordic
But these winter coats will keep your little one snug and warm
Dapper Baby
Olive loves Alfie
Dapper Baby
Bobo Choses Dapper Baby Little Flea
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Sweet Baby Summer has waved goodbye but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ok because Autumn brings some beautiful baby goodies to keep those winter blues at bay!
Sproet & Sprout babygro
Little Carousel toy
Waddler booties Olive Loves Alfie romper
Toyhood teether
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Willa and Bobbin bird mobile
Sproet & Sprout trousers
No + Mi flat bear
Bonordic shoes
Bonordic rattle
Hope & Fortune blanket
Bonordic bonnet
Ilado Paris chiming baby toy Doodle Do romper
Rockbox baby gift box
Lara & Ollie teething necklace
Bonordic baby fold out book
Bertha & Co romper Little Flea
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Daisy Rogers How art helped her through Postnatal depression and kickstarted her creative career words by Donna Tweedale
In the instant world we live in with a camera at our finger tips and a ridiculous amount of filters available we’re so used to seeing images. But, do we really see them? There’s something captivating about a drawing or a painting of a portrait, much more so than a photograph. You take in each mark made, Noticing characteristics you wouldn’t ordinarily pay much attention to. The sparkle in the eye that little brighter. A drawing is instantly calming, exuding an element of the patience that went into creating it. Daisy Rogers turned her attentions to Art as an outlet to help her combat the stresses she came up against when faced with life changes and a difficult start to motherhood battling with post natal depression. 15 years after she had last taken pencil to paper she found her passion and has since refined her skills to be the portrait artist she is today. We met with Daisy to learn more about how she took something from a form of therapy to a business. 76
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Daisy, What a journey you’ve been on. It must feel like things happened for a reason and this is where you’re supposed to be. Your portraits having their own journey from start to finish. It must be so rewarding seeing your pieces finished and your clients reaction? Yes it has been quite a journey so far! But you’re
or get out the house? I’m a pretty focussed person and I also need time to myself each day to recharge in peace and tranquillity. I actually find working at home as an artist very absorbing, but it can be lonely, so perhaps it depends on the task at hand. I also find I have to talk to other adults in a day otherwise I go a bit stir-crazy! Whether it’s my husband, other parents at the school gates, a neighbour or ringing a friend to chat.
right; I really feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing, alongside being a full-time mummy to my three boys. You put it so well – it has been a transformation from initially a therapeutic practise, to now something that I can call a business as well. I feel very privileged when asked to capture the essence and expression of a muchloved family member or pet. At what point did you think. I really want to make something out of this. Make this my business? Whilst I was pregnant with my third son, suffering from ante-natal depression and anxiety, I had been advised to try a creative therapy to soothe my addled brain! I took part in a community drawing workshop and loved it so much that I started drawing my children and husband. I then drew a close friend’s baby as a birthday present to her and I had great feedback from friends. This gave me the confidence to approach another girlfriend to ask if I could draw her daughter; the resulting graphite drawing, which is on my website, brought her to tears – in a good way – so I felt, okay this is something that I’m actually pretty good at! It felt like a wonderfully personal gift and it was an essential part of getting me through some dark months of pregnancy and beyond. I thought if other people commissioned me, it could be a wonderful way of looking forward out of AND and PND, strengthening myself mentally more each day. You have your own studio at home, Many self employed Mamas that work at home can find it quite lonely. How do you prefer to work? In your studio
The beauty of being a portrait artist is that I get a great balance of working in my studio alongside meeting people through sittings. I find a sitting really invaluable as it gives me an insight into the character of my subject; I’m working on a triple portrait of three sisters and they each have such different characters that you might not see when looking at a photo. I prefer a relaxed style, and so it was essential to meet them, see how they naturally sit, smile and interact with each other. You have a very delicate quality to your work, Tell us about your favourite medium you like to use? Thank you so much. I have always liked something to look authentic as well as expressive and ephemeral so I particularly like working in soft pastels as the immediacy of pigment is right there at my fingertips, to bring a colourist interpretation to a commission. I studied history of art and Edgar Degas, Georges Seurat and the female impressionists such as Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt have always stuck in my mind. There is a sense of looking in on a private moment in time about their paintings - relaxed, informal and fleeting, which is something I aspire to and I feel I can express best in pastels. I hope to master the medium of oils in the future, as there is so much nuance and translucent beauty that an oil portrait or figurative painting can exude. But I very much hope that I’ll be an artist until I’m old and grey so there’s time enough for that! Thank you so much Daisy. You can find examples of Daisy’s work and contact her to discuss commissions through her site here. Or follow her Instagram @daisyrogers_art Little Flea
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We have teamed up with 9 amazing artists for this crafty and interactive booklet. These super cool artists have created a selection of printables so that your child can get creative. Just download a printable and get colouring, making, drawing or painting! Be as artistic and as colourful as you like. Then you can email a picture of your completed artwork into Little Flea Towers to be in with a chance of winning a fantastic voucher and arty prize. Go to page 86 for details of how to enter and to print.
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Nia Tudor
Nia Tudor lives on the Welsh Coast with her husband and 2 children. She specialises in custom portraits and has just finished illustrating her first children’s book. Nia enjoys putting her feet up with a good cup of coffee whilst sketching with her three mischievous cats around her.
What is your favourite piece of art? I don’t have a favourite piece of art. I’m a big fan of patterns and textures and love seeing them not just on paper, but on textiles, buildings and in nature. What inspires you? Inspiration for me can come from anywhere, whether it’s a nature walk with my family, a programme on TV that’s triggered an idea, or the children’s books we read at home. Nia’s love of cats shines through in this cute colour in printable that she has kindly given us. Which cat is your favourite? Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read our full interview with Nia. For custom orders and prints visit Nia’s website.
sarah lovell
Sarah Lovell is an illustrator living in Devon. She makes beautfiful illustrated greetings cards, colouring books and art prints, all of which are very popular for children. All of Sarah’s designs are hand drawn, and then printed in Dorset, using biodegradable inks and on ‘Carbon Captured’ paper. What is your favourite piece of art? A painting called Monkey by Laura Owens. If you weren’t an artist, what would you be? In my dreams I would like to be a stunt horse rider. Sarah has given Little Flea a selection of beautiful colouring in printables for you to enjoy. Choose from a butterfly, unicorns, elephant, bird and shark. Print out one of Sarahs printables and enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read the full Sarah Lovell interview. To see more of Sarahs work visit her website here. 80
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Challenge
Techniques
Why is art important for kids? Art helps them to see beyond what is in front of us, gives them a world of unimaginable communication and helps them to understand that there are many ways to thinking about everything.
Laxmi Hussain Laxmi Hussain’s drawings and watercolours exist somewhere between the abstract and the realistic, often presenting what appear to be the free-flowing organic forms of nature through intricately ordered patterns. Her finely detailed line forms are rooted in a fascination with architecture, a subject she studied for several years before shifting her focus to the unconstrained creative possibilities offered by art.
Should school play a part? Definitely! Art for me was above all the other classes. I was fortunate to excel in most academic subjects but I was never as interested as I was in Art. Whilst I kept up my grades, the world was so much bigger when I was in an art class. Art can also engage children in such a different way, for example, my kids are so much more descriptive when they are drawing - they can explain a whole day’s events in one drawing where they might struggle to explain this is words. Vision and imagination, in my opinion, develop so much faster as a communication tool than language in children.
Check out Laxmi’s different techniques and give it a try on one of these superb printables above. Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to enter. Plus read the full interview with Laxmi. Visit her website here to see more of her work. Little Flea
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Why is art important for kids? It is so very important! For them to learn to break the rules and just go a bit crazy in the name of self expression. Life isn’t all about maths or sport, this is a nice world where every kid can at least participate and get to make something. Should school play a part? Completely, but I think in a way perhaps that art shouldn’t be graded, so many people I speak to are shamed at an early age into thinking they are not creative. As kids hearing ‘you can’t draw’ is so inhibiting.
Caz Swanne
As well as illustrating our beautiful shoot on page 52, Caz has produced work for advertising, publishing and the odd private commission or two…plus she has recently started working with walls (generally found in houses, offices, bedrooms, nurseries & commercial spaces) with her own customised wall paper and painted murals.
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Caz has illustrated two amazing cut and colour print outs (see below) where your child can colour in the characters, then cut them out and play dress up. You can be your very own stylist! Can you recognise the clothing from the new AW ‘17 collections? Once you’ve coloured in and styled your outfit, why not enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to enter. Visit Caz on Instagram here.
Doodlemoo
Doodlemoo is the creative mix of Emily, an illustrator-graphic designer and Chris, a fine artist-illustrator creating prints, cards and stationery. Their designs are full of colour, playfulness and humour combined with an element of design and typography. What’s your favourite piece of art? MIRO is one of my favourite artist so any piece from Joan Miro. What inspires you? It can be colours, an impactful image that stays with me for a while, something that makes me feel a strong connection, then I translate it into my own. Doodlemoo have given us a selection of cute boxes to make and colour in. Choose from a doughnut, a unicorn or icecream. Or why not do all three? Enter our colouring competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read the rest of the Doodlemoo interview.
Sas & Yosh
To see more of Doodlemoo visit their website here.
‘Sas and Yosh’ the design house was founded in 2014 by two creative like minded artists Sarah Bellisario and Yoshie Allan. Their luxury and quirky, exclusive lifestyle collection includes wallpaper & wall stickers, printed tshirts & sweatshirts, beautifully hand made cushions, bags, stationery, homewares, art and more.
Favourite place? Wrest Park and inside a good book. Get lost in the magical world of Sas & Yosh with these stunning printables. There’s a monster menagerie and a beautiful mermaid design.
What do you love about art? Everything! But particularly the way it can challenge, amaze you, make you emotional and surprise you!
Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read the rest of the Sas & Yosh interview. To see more of their work visit their website here. Little Flea
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out on a country or beach walk. How do you start a project? Depending what it is, I’ll be discussing with a customer and sketching from that or if it’s my own thing probably drawing with the kids.
Ingrid Petrie
Ingrid Petrie offers a range of modern, design-led prints for kids spaces and the contemporary home. Ingrid designs all prints from her home studio in Glasgow and prints are produced locally using quality, environmentally-friendly paper. Favourite place? Cuddled up with the kids (if they’ll stay still) or
These gorgeous group of penguins by Ingrid Petrie can be printed out and coloured in. What colours will you choose for the rainbow? Wll you make the stars sparkle? Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read our full interview. Visit Ingrids website here to see more of her cute prints.
Litlle Carousel
Colour, fun, character and playfulness are at the heart of Little Carousel. Colleen, the founder, takes inspiration everyday from time spent with her own young daughters and injects these experiences into her illustrations and handmade toys. How did you become an artist? It was always my favourite subject at school. I studied it all through university and was fortunate to get a picture book deal when I graduated. What is your most important artists tool? My eyes for seeing and absorbing the world around me everyday. Always taking in new ideas and inspiration which I apply to my own work. Wall Musings have given us this fab printable to allow your childs imagination to fly. What masterpiece will he or she come up with? Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a great prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to read the full interview with Little Carousel. Visit the Little Carousel website here. 84
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Vanessa Stone
Vanessa Stone is a cut paper artist based on the North Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire border. Vanessa uses a scalpel, scissors and glue to make really bold and intricate layered collages, using paper as her palette to cut into revealing shapes and forms. She is inspired by lots of the town and countryside around her and has developed these images into a range of greetings cards, tote bags and digital prints. © Vanessa Stone www.vanessastoneartist.com
What do you love about art? I love its huge variety and how incredibly ingenious humans are! If you weren’t an artist, what would you be? I have wanted to be an artist since i was about 16 so there was never anything else really, but I’d love to work on a farm as I LOVE talking to sheep and being near things that grow. We are so lucky to have been given a template to make some amazing cut paper creations. Just follow the step by step instructions on how to make them on our website. Enter our competition to be in with a chance of win-
Cut out each shape along the dotted line
ning a prize. See page 86 for details of how to print and to enter. For details of Vanessa’s artwork and worshops visit her website here.
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Art Competition We are running a super-duper art competition for kids. Just click on the link below to go to the printables page on the Little Flea website and choose which one you’re going to colour in or make. Email a picture of your childs finished artwork to Little Flea Towers and we’ll choose a winner. Kids of any age can enter, we just want to see creativity and a love for getting arty shining through. There are three prizes - a £50, £30 and £20 voucher to spend on any Little Flea brand, plus an arty goodie bag for each winner!* Click here to enter 86
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1ST PRIZE
Fifty pound voucher to spend on any Little Flea brand plus an arty goodie bag
2ND PRIZE
Thirty pound voucher to spend on any Little Flea brand plus an arty goodie bag
3RD PRIZE
Twenty pound voucher to spend on any Little Flea brand plus an arty goodie bag
Mermaid artwork by Sas & Yosh
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www.tiddlersandnippers.com Little Flea
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Interiors Design for the modern family home
BUNNY & CLYDE Luxurious and contemporary furniture that needs little styling as it speaks for itself. The lines of the pieces and the sustainability of the materials used make these practical pieces that will serve you for a lifetime. We love the new solid birch plywood Arlo collection that can be converted from cot to toddler bed to daybed. 90
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WILLA AND BOBBIN When you see these charismatic little birds up close you can really appreciate the workmanship thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gone into the detail of them. Versatile little creations that make for an interesting talking point of any room and perfect to hang in a nursery above a newborns cot.
INGRID PETRIE DESIGN A great fit for the contemporary home, these graphic led prints of crisp lines with flashes of colour can work in all spaces. Inspired by Scandinavian design that is minimal yet engaging. The collection of prints is simple, full of character and fun that both adults and kids will love.
LITTLE ME TEEPEE During the finer weather these incredibly well made Teepees need not be restricted to the home, take them outside to fuel the little ones imagination. And when the colder nights draw in, fill them with beautiful blankets, cushions and toys for a perfect cosy space. This natural one is a favourite but there are many designs to chose from to suit every little adventurer. Little Flea
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SCANDIBORN The minimal scandi style lovers among us have lucked out with the Interiors section of Scandiborn. A huge range of hand selected brands offering the finest Scandinavian designs to fit all budgets for all aspects of your home. This stunning curved bed is the very best in Scandinavian quality, design and practicality.
SOSOYOYO Bold graphics and vibrant colours make Sosoyoyo prints so instantly recognisable. The prints translating into other stationery products and cute pins, each product is created and made here in the UK. 92
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WILLA AND THE BEAR Made in Nepal, Willa and the Bear are supporting the local community and encouraging the continuation of the traditional printing methods to create a range of quilts, blankets and bedding accessories. Team up with their beautiful sleepwear for the full cosy and relaxed ready for a good sleep vibe.
WALL MUSINGS Such gorgeous tones and different styles thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a print here for every home. Whether you want to add a vintage vibe, typography or some monochrome with a pop of colour, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find something to suit any wall in any room.
LAPIN & ME Lapin & me are known for their Baby Lapin lamps, woodland dolls and retro toys but they have some exciting new products joining this season such as The Lost Toys Collection and a collaboration with illustrators, Pax and Hart. The whimsical and charming prints by Pax and Hart have long been enjoyed by both kids and parents alike and this new set of melamine dinnerware is sure to be another hit. Little Flea
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PEAS IN A POD Peas In A Pod design a collection of cheekily illustrated gifts and homewares. Their playful images with a rebellious sense of humour are certain to not just put a smile on your face but make you chuckle too. We love their mix of humour and fun bold design.
LOVE FRANKIE Love Frankie offer a huge range of unapologetically eclectic homewares that speak to our pre teens and older kids as well as our younger ones. Not easy to get right. The mix of vintage and modern give their collection huge character.
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SAS AND YOSH Inspirations and ideas from opposite sides of the world collide in the most beautiful manner in the work of Sas & Yosh. A totally unique style that pulls you in. You can enjoy their whimsical style through their intricate wallpapers, prints and other homewares.
NUTMEG STUDIO High quality wall stickers and art that can be personalised Nutmeg Studio can transform a space in next to no time. Whether it be with an affirmation for your child to see every day or a playful flamingo, your kids will love them! We love these personalised constellations (left) and collab with calligrapher and lettering artist, Ellen Waldren (above). Little Flea
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OLIVE LOVES ALFIE Ashlyn is an Interiors styling talent with a wealth of experience. Through Olive Loves Alfie you'll find endless inspiration for various different spaces of your home and an area of the site that makes shopping different styles so easy.
PANDA AND PING The most adorable unique prints in a range of reversible bedding that's made here in the UK, with high quality and durability at the top of Panda and Ping's priorities. They use fantastically soft and cosy 100% cotton jersey for all our products. Which are ecologically sourced from British manufacturers This top hat wearing Hippo design is one of our favourites. 96
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DOODLEMOO The use of bold colours in the kooky characters makes them instantly likeable. Their designs are full of colour, playfulness and humour combined with an element of design and typography. Everything starts with a doodle and all designs are original illustrations made with love. This new YAY print will give any room a dash of colour guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
DILLI GREY The intricate detailing in the print and the quilting within the home accessories range is so delicate but the colourways can really pack a punch in making an impact in your home. With inspiration from travels in India, Dilli Grey uses only the most talented and skilled artisans to lovingly create each seasons collection. Little Flea
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Maggie Bolger and family
Maggie & Rose Maggie quite rightly, couldn’t understand why when you became a family it meant your spaces needed to be filled with plastic furniture and your playdates revolve around dark Church halls. And so, Maggie went out to create a family members club, a space furnished with not only stylish furniture and fun engaging toys but with activities to inspire families, to allow them to relax and enjoy the space together.
It must feel amazing how Maggie & Rose has grown from preparing your first club space with your children, to now launching Maggie & Rose at Home, you must all feel so proud of how it's grown.
I am continually in awe of what we do, sometimes I don’t even know how we got here. It’s definitely not what I thought it would become when I first started all those years ago - teaching make-believe classes with my kid’s friends. I am lucky to have had so many awesome people over the years that have all worked Now this, you understand was long before the their butts off to get us here, for which I will always be days of Pinterest and Instagram came to the eternally grateful.
stand. For over a decade Maggie & Rose Family Your recognition for the lack of inspiration in famMembers Clubs have been raising the game in ily orientated homewares and spaces was so ahead Kid’s Classes and Family Spaces. of your time, how challenging was it to source bespoke products that fitted in with your initial vi-
And now you can bring a little of the Maggie & sion for Maggie & Rose? Rose aesthetic into your own home to enjoy in your space. We met with Maggie to learn more You have no idea how much time we spent at trade fairs going – ‘surely there is something better than about the collection. this?’ 10 years ago it was all pink, blue and white shiny
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wood! So we had to start inventing and customising, a lot of the time we find something that kind of works (from a car boot sale or eBay, usually vintage) and throw some cool paint on it. However, this is pretty time consuming now the clubs are bigger and there are more of them! We have been lucky to attract some super creative and interesting people to help us create our bespoke range and have the most incredible design team ever! Sustainability is clearly a huge drive behind your collections. Your ethos is refreshing in what has felt for some time like a mass production dominated industry. Do you feel people are now becoming more mindful as to where they shop for their home and our impact on the environment?
The colours are all just personal favourites, I am obsessed with paint samples and mixing paint, a lot of the colours are actually things we have mixed – which no one remembers so are totally unique! Adds to the fun of it all. The tools and activities within your 'Make' range are beautifully made, children can really get a taste of what Maggie & Rose is about in their own home. Tell us more about them. It’s stuff we love and use in the clubs, I guess a lot of it is just personal taste. I like things to be calmly chaotic, so the colours we use are more subtle than traditional ‘in your face’ kids stuff. We have so many requests for our classes to be able to be done at home for the people that can’t make it to the clubs, so this is a little way that they can.
We are trying to keep everything we can manufactured in the UK with sustainable materials and work with factories and companies that have their hearts in Visit Maggie & Rose here for more inspirational helping the environment in some way, it is not always homeware and for information on their beautiful easy. I think everyone needs to become aware of what family members club. we are doing to the world, and that as parents we need to make our kids aware of the world they are faced with. I just made my kids watch Before the Flood with Leonardo DiCaprio, to show them what is happening – but most importantly that it is not too late! The Maggie & Rose signature pieces of furniture painted in the style of Jackson Pollock are so fun and tactile. I can imagine your children love to get involved with this part of the process. What an experience to create this collection together. Where do the ideas for the colourway's stem from?
Maggie & Rose homewares collection
and chairs from their‘Splat’ range
Our ‘Splat’ range is kind of what Maggie & Rose is all about – I love the freedom of this type of art – there are no intimidating skills needed – everyone is equal and can create masterpieces worthy of walls. My kids have grown up with these workshops in the club, we play jazz music loud and throw paint – you are just not allowed to do this in the real world! So they love doing this with me and I hope that when they have kids they will throw paint with them! Little Flea
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Mama Flea We like to celebrate Mama’s here at Little Flea, that’s why we have a dedicated Mama Flea section from clothing to accessories to gifts. Or just things to make parenting that little bit easier. Here’s what’s hot on the mum list this season...
Pops of Colour Parties, Events, Celebrations all need a pop of colour. Hand crafted collections of confetti and party products to make announcements and gatherings go with a bang of colour. With a bespoke service you’ll have the perfect individual touch for your celebration.
Ilado The first Maternity Jewellery Brand brings new soft blush tones in delicate form. The gentle chime they create reassures your baby once out into the world as they recognise the familiar sound they’ve heard in the womb. ILADO Paris have revived this Mayan tradition to a range of beautiful feminine timeless jewellery.
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East London Baby Co. Teething jewellery with colourways that make a statement, or alternatively ones with subtle tones. Whatever your personal style, any option is in interesting shapes to keep the little ones entertained. Created to look like gorgeous double-stranded jewellery, they’ll easily take you from playgroup to pub!
Mere Soeur The epitome of bad ass Mama Merch. The iconic ‘Mama Gang’ Tee has seen a tweak in the latest collections such as the Baby Love and Mama Commune tees, but the strong Mama’s message remains the same. Pins, Totes and a great range of Tees sees Mere Soeur celebrating a 2nd year of Raising The Future Mamas.
Tiddler & Nippers The prolific list writers among us. Yes. You. We all love a list! So you will hugely appreciate the work of Tiddlers and Nippers. They’ve created a space to track your little ones journey in all aspects of weaning, milestones and development. Not your standard baby book this will help you identify patterns and support you in each stage of your childs development. Little Flea 103
Don’t Buy Her Flowers From little luxuries to practicalities like COOK vouchers, DBHF care packages have it covered. These packages of TLC make great gifts for everyone from new mums, friends, or even yourself! A token of love to send a friend to say it’s going to be ok, or just to say I’m thinking of you, it’s the thought behind the boxes that translate through to the recipient. With new packages launching like this Gluten Free one, you really can’t go wrong.
Tendre Deal Tendre Deal French boutique began in October 2014 to bring discerning members exclusive discounts on French designer children’s clothing, toys and mama essentials for a limited time only. We absolutely love the daylily natural and hypoallergenic pregnancy products that are developed with a midwife to meet pregnant woman needs. All the gorgeous products can be safely used from the beginning of pregnancy and after delivery as it is compatible with breastfeeding.
Cult of Youth Each piece handmade and personalised by the designer herself you can create custom chains to represent your own individual style and personality. The MAMA chain is to be worn with pride as a representation of strength and empowerment when you become a mum.
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Bax & Bay Bax & Bay are known for their fab line of changing bags like this gorgeous yellow waxed cotton waterproof and washable rucksack. But we are also huge fans of their clothing range and on our wish list this Autumn is this new unisex ‘Be the Light’ sweatshirt. We love that 5% of every sale will go to charities supporting those with mental health issues.
Parent Apparel Each item from the Parent Apparel range screams comfort with the wit and humour that has seen their popularity soar. It’s not all about the Mamas either, the unisex styling lends itself to the Dads getting in on it too. We love that these easy to wear pieces are aimed at injecting colour and humour to the highs and lows of everyday parenting.
Lara & Ollie With their distinctive geometric shapes Lara & Ollie’s range of teething necklaces have collaborated with other Mama brands to bring you signature colourways in their accessories. You’ll easily find a stylish baby proof piece to wear everyday. As well as being great for sore gums and emerging teeth, they are also a useful distraction for a wriggler! Little Flea 105
Southwood Stores Whether stationery, interiors or hygge is your thing. Southwood Stores have quirky Scandinavian influenced products for the perfect Mama pick me up. With a beautifully luxurious range of skincare products and lifestyle accessories to fit all budgets, once you start browsing, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to stop!
Lala & Bea Getting ready for Autumn Winter, Lala & Bea have everything youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need for the perfect winter night in. Comfortable sweats, beautiful skin care and the perfect film night comfort in a huge gorgeous blanket. Having won numerous awards for their ethical lifestyle brand, each product is made in Britain and they also are proud to support manufacturing in the UK and use family-run factories to produce the collections. 106 Little Flea
Rockbox There literally is a Rockbox for everyone for any occasion or just because. A new Dad, your gym bunny BFF or a Coffee obsessive, you could buy as a gift or even as a mama treat to yourself for surviving the Summer Holidays! Each box is beautifully styled with carefully selected products from independent businesses. Their priorities when choosing products are luxury, quality, integrity, and fabulous style, so you can be sure to find lots of treasures within these stylish boxes.
Tiba & Marl The Elwood needs no introduction. The easily recognisable backpack saving us mamas from twee cumbersome changing bags. With a growing range of different styles, Tiba & Marl are going from strength to strength. We particularly love this glossy black Miller backpack (left) and Kasper in khaki and black (below) shown with the Mini Elwood.
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THIS COULD BE YOUR BRAND
GET IN TOUCH FOR OUR MEDIA PACK HELLO@LITTLEFLEA.CO.UK 108 Little Flea
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Gallery
Wall Musings
Lapin & Me
Little Carousel
Sas & Yosh
Sarah Lovell
Southwood Stores
Wall Musings
Scandiborn
Sosoyoyo
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Books
BearGood
Ottie & the Bea
Ottie & the Bea
Rosita Lollipop
Ottie & the Bea
BearGood
Lobella Loves
Olive Loves Alfie Little Flea 111
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BETHIE HUNGERFOOD
HUNGERPOTS
Bethie Hungerfood is a singing, cooking, travelling, dreaming, American mama in London. She has a six-year-old daughter, a three-yearold son, and a busy husband. They live and love in Southeast London where they have been since landing in the UK six years ago.
Bethie’s blog, Hungermama, is all about meal planning and recipe sharing. She has been an avid weekly meal planner for years and loves chatting and writing about all things food. Always looking to make weeknight dinners easier (and more delicious!), Bethie was unreasonably excited when she came across the idea of a dish that cooks together in one pot at the same time. She has called her versions of these recipes “hungerpots” and is excited to share three of them with you! Read on to discover her mouth-watering pots of goodness! Little Flea 113
This is our family’s favourite hungerpot. Not only is it fun and easy to make, it is also absolutely delicious! The combination of salmon, curry, and coconut milk may sound a bit random, but the flavours blend together so beautifully and the result is rich and flavourful.
Salmon Curry Hungerpot
Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
enough oil to cover bottom of pot 12oz of linguine 700ml water or chicken stock (if using stock, do not add the stock cube) 1 can coconut milk 1 chicken or veg stock cube 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 onion sliced 2-3 red and orange peppers, sliced 15 grape tomatoes cut in half 400g of salmon (1 pound) 1 spoon of mild Indian curry paste 1 bay leaf leaves from a bunch of coriander (cilantro) (optional: a few handfuls of fresh spinach)
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Method 1. drizzle the oil on the bottom of the pot before adding all the other ingredients 2. cover and bring to a boil before lowering heat to a simmer 3. stir occasionally 4. cook until the pasta is al dente 5. throw in some chopped spinach during the last few minutes for a bit of extra veg.
Tips: •
Any of the veg could be swapped out for whatever you prefer (or happen to have in the fridge). I’ve made this with green beans and courgette and a variety of other veg and it is always a hit in our house.
•
You could substitute the salmon for prawns or chicken pieces. To make this vegetarian, try swapping in small cubes of sweet potato or simply add more vegetables!
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This is, by far, my most popular hungerpot. Macaroni and cheese always goes down easily, but even more so when it is homemade! Because the pasta is never drained, all of the starch that is released when the pasta cooks remains in the pot and creates a lovely, creamy base for this dish.
mac 'n' cheese Hungerpot
Ingredients • • • • •
• • • • • • •
500g (4-5 cups) macaroni noodles 500ml water 500ml whole milk half an onion, grated 1-2 cups of chopped broccoli (finely chopped cauliflower blends in nicely with the pasta if you have a vegephobe on your hands) 1 bullion cube 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce 1.5 teaspoons mustard powder 180g (2 cups) of grated cheese (cheddar, swiss, monterey jack etc.) salt and pepper to taste garnish: panko-style bread crumbs or crumbled bacon
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Instructions 1. pour all ingredients, MINUS the cheese and garnishes, into the pot over a medium heat 2. stir constantly until the macaroni is al dente. (Add more milk if necessary to cook the pasta.) The mixture should be very creamy before you add the cheese 3. stir in the cheese 4. add salt and pepper to taste 5. if using breadcrumbs, pour over the top of the pasta, and broil in the oven until the top has browned. (You could also swap out more cheese for the breadcrumbs for a nice toasty/cheesy crust. Tips: •
Keep things simple by making this with cheddar cheese, or mix things up with some swiss or gruyere (my favourite!). Cauliflower is a nice substitution for the broccoli in this dish as your kids aren’t likely to be able to tell it apart from the pasta!
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This dish is a heartier, vegetable-heavy version of traditional pesto pasta. The milk and chicken stock add extra protein and the addition of broccoli and tomatoes turns this into a well-balanced dinner. Grating the broccoli helps it blend into the colour of the pesto, making this perfect for your favourite vegephobe!
pesto Hungerpot
Ingredients • •
• • • • • •
500g (4-5 cups) pasta (I used casarecce) 500ml (2 and 1/4 cups) water or chicken stock (if using chicken stock do not add the bullion cube) 500ml (2 and 1/4 cups) whole milk head of broccoli, grated (just the florets) halved cherry tomatoes (about 25) 1 bullion cube 3-6 spoonfuls of pesto garnish: parmesan cheese and basil leaves
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Instructions 1. Place all ingredients minus the pesto in the pot. 2. Place over medium heat and stir regularly. 3. Once the pasta is cooked through, stir in 3-6 spoonfuls of pesto (to taste)
Tips: •
This version is vegetarian, but you could easily (and deliciously!) add in some prawns or chicken pieces.
•
Mix this recipe up by adding small balls or chunks of fresh mozzarella or sun dried tomatoes in before serving.
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We love... We love the super cool new collection from Rebel & Lola. The new seasonless collection, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;You Crack Me Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is inspired by the designers childhood in reflection to their own kids. They wanted to look at how the world has changed but stays the same through love and strength in every generation.
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We love the gorgeous soft products from Scamp & Dude, that aim to help kids feel safe when separated from their loved ones. With the slogan ‘A superhero has my back’ written on the clothing, children feel they can conquer the world! The range also extends to adults too. Plus for every Superhero Sleep Buddy sold another is donated to a vulnerable child who needs a Superhero to have their back. Scamp & Dude donate to children in need via their chosen charities Don’t Forget the Kids, Grief Encounter and the leading London children’s hospital.
We love the stunning range of nightwear and accessories from Atticus & Gilda. The designers, Conchita and Lucy have spent years helping create costumes for hit west end musicals and now create their own designs. Inspired by children’s films and literature with unusual detail, fabulous colours and a vintage feel, this nightwear is an essential part of any little girl or boys wardrobe.
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We love the interactive stories from STORY. The idea of their Walk-inBook is that you can open it up and walk (or dive) in and start making up lots of amazing new stories using all the bits of the book given to you. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect for bedtime stories, train journey stories and just about anywhere stories. In the take-it-anywhere tote bag, there is a large map of different story locations, a soft toy character, a felt mask for you to become a character, 5 different story beginning cards & some quests. All you need is a some imagination!
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We love the new kids range by Disko Kids. Inspired by the 1970s disco culture, there are 5 brand new designs to choose from all to do with music and partying. From Sister Sledge to Chic and underground New York parties, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love the retro vibe of this super cool brand.
We love the super cool brand Scamp. Ranging from cute pillow cases to baby gifts, there is something for everyone. At Scamp youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find vibrant, colourful and funky babywear, bold and simple graphics on bedroom accessories and personalised products created with stylish parents in mind. We love this cute personalised pillow case and new baby gift set. Cute! Little Flea 123
We love the amazing Barney & Wilf who offer a stylish but practical way to display your kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collection of artwork. Their sleek, contemporary solution allows you to treasure those bright and colourful creations in a way that fits in with the home, declutters and frees up much needed space. From your childs first rainbow coloured splodges to a teenage masterpiece, Barney & Wilf will create a guilt-free beautiful piece of artwork curated with love and memories.
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We love the beautiful kidswear by Om Baby. This gorgeous collection inspired by Indian travels and a need for cloth bum friendly fashion. At Om Baby, comfort is key when it comes to babies and the classic yoga harem pant is perfect for your little ones. These beautiful garments are handmade in London using African wax printed cotton, block printed Kadhi fabric and lightweight meditation scarf textiles from India.
We love everything from the Girlstalktoboys denim collection. From the highwaisted Liam dungarees to the Marg midi denim skirt - all pieces are available for both mama and child, so if twinning is your thing, you will love it! These fab oversized dungies feature a drop crotch, oversized fly that features a zip and a clasp hook, huge front pockets, back pockets and straps that can be adjusted at the front and back. The dungarees can even be worn as shown above with the straps taken off and worn as a belt. The perfect loose fit comfy trousers ever! Little Flea 125
Lobella Loves
all seen the blissful beach images W e've emblazoned with profound yet cryp-
tic messages through our Instagram feed about mindfullness. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get that from Jo of Lobella Loves. She gets right in there. No Apology, No fannying around. Just candid honesty about mental health through her Instastories where she shares thoughts from her counselling sessions offering endless support. And why shouldn't she? Why be fluffy about mental health? Post Natal Depression affects 10 to 15 Women in every 100*. PND and Perinatal Mental Health is an all consuming bitch of an illness. Which makes the work Jo does even more admirable. It takes another level of strength to take those experiences and channel them to reach out to other women. The term Sisterhood is often banded
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around, but in Jo, you have a Mama that has your back. Trawling the internet in search of beautiful things to inspire her little one, Jo herself was inspired to create something. Something different. She went out to 'create a space online that takes the stress out of finding beautiful things to fuel your little ones imagination and intrigue.' whilst offering support to women that were suffering with PND. And so Lobella Loves was launched in May. Which, in such a short space of time has seen huge success, winning the 'Junior Magazine, Design Award For Best Toy / Gift Retailer' this Summer and the endorsement of celebrity Mama's sharing the word of what Lobella Loves is all about. We talk to Jo to find out more...
Your Instagram feed is full of blush and gold tones, rainbows and all kinds of gorgeousness, yet your message is strong. It's not an easy balance to marry such a pretty aesthetic with issues that [ remarkably still in 2017 ] can carry a stigma. What you're doing with Lobella Loves is breaking that silence and opening up the conversation through Women coming together over mutual appreciation for pieces for their homes and their little ones birthdays and wardrobes.
Jo, to create something that is so personal to you and to put it out there is such a brave move. It must Each piece has a little something special about it, be such an incredible feeling to see how Lobella You can clearly see when scrolling through the shop Loves has been received by the online community? there's more thought to them than just kids stuff. What is it you specifically look for when searching You’re right it was really scary as the marketplace (I for products for Lobella Loves? hand select every brand) and the purpose (to help other women suffering from PND) was so personSuch a good question, it's quite simple, I look for a al to me. I didn’t know what people would think combination of a quality and beautiful product and beforehand. But it has been really wonderful to see stunning photography. And of course I look to see if how whole-heartedly the online, particularly the insit brings something different to what we already offer ta-community, has embraced the Lobella Loves platour customers. I place a lot of weight on how sellform and the message. The amount of women who’ve ers present their images as these ultimately end up reached out to tell me they feel a little better about end up creating the Lobella Loves shop-front, so it's their own struggle and a little less alone has been incritical they show a product to it's full potential while credibly humbling. It’s certainly made all the stress creating a beautiful and consistent aesthetic online. and late nights worth it. Little Flea 127
Searching for items through the site is so easy, with the function to add things to a wish list, which is a great idea for collating birthday or christening gift ideas. and free shipping to boot! How important is it to you to ensure a seamless shopping experience for your customers? You’re right a gift list that customers can build in their own time and then share with family and friends is so important, particularly when it comes to getting the right baby shower and newborn gifts. And a seamless shopping experience is hugely important; when I was thinking about the design and layout of the website, having a great customer experience was my number one priority. As a seasoned online-shopper I find there’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find the products you’re looking for due to a clunky ill-thought out design. It’s a fantastic customer experience to be able to offer free shipping as stand128 Little Flea
ard on the marketplace because there’s nothing worse than being hit with multiple shipping costs if you’ve put more than one item in your basket from different sellers. With your hashtag #ItsCoolToBeKind you're all about sharing the love. Your 'Tea for PND' events are a raging success. Lobella Loves is building a real supportive community and breaking the taboo that surrounds mental health issues. Alongside the 'Notes Of Hope' where mothers write notes sharing their experiences and write positive messages to other mothers that are receiving support from Cocoon. These experiences where Women can share their stories and experiences is incredibly inspiring, and must be a huge benefit to both parties to open the conversation, How can women get involved and show support? Any time anyone buys something from the site they are directly supporting mums in need as we donate money from every single sale. One of the reasons I selected the charity Cocoon Family Support is that they use every penny they get from donations to actually helping women get the support they need, meaning all our money really goes to helping women through those dark times.
It’s so easy to get involved and show support, tickets for our next ‘Tea for PND’ event will be going on sale soon under the “Events” page on the website, so keep your eyes peeled. And we always welcome more ‘Notes of Hope’. Details about how anyone can write their own note, can be found by heading to the “Charity” page of the website.
With every sale Lobella Loves donates money to Cocoon Family Support which is a charity supporting families suffering with perinatal mental health. You can find out more through the Lobella Loves website.
I'm sure with the incredible momentum you've gained since your launch there are big plans afoot... Want to share with us at Little Flea what you have in store for Lobella Loves?
Words by Donna Tweedale
** Figures quoted from The Royal College of Psychiatrists and Cocoon
There certainly are lots of exciting plans for Team Lobella Loves for the coming year that’s for sure. In the immediate future we will be taking the online store offline, and Popping up at Fount London for the first two weeks of October so make sure you come down and say hello. And we will be holding a Christmas Market on the first weekend in December filled with lots of lovely Christmas presents and stocking fillers.
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BRAND LINKS A
Alba Baby Albetta Alexa Loy Photography Amy & Ivor Anna & Louis Atticus & Gilda B Barney & Wilf Bax & Bay BearGood Bertha & Co Binky Nixon Photography Bobo Choses Bonordic Brown Betty Blue Bunny & Clyde C Chapter 2 Cotton Twist Cult of Youth D Dapper Baby Deborah Campbell Atelier Dilli Grey Dotty Dungarees Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Buy Her Flowers Doodle Do Doodlemoo E East London Baby Company Etta Loves G-H Girlstalktoboys Gooseberry Fool Hope & Fortune I Ilado Paris Indikidual 130 Little Flea
Ingrid Petrie Design
Pretty Wild
J-K Jam London Knit Planet
Q Question Everything
L Lala & Bea Lala & Zizo Lapin & Me Lara & Ollie Little Carousel Little Knittle Littleme Teepee Lobella Loves Love Frankie Lucky Gecko M Mre. Soeur Mr Wolf Mutha.Hood N Nellie Quats No+Mi Nutmeg Wall Art O Olive Loves Alfie Olivier Baby & Kids Om Baby Organic Zoo Ottie & the Bea P Palava Panda & Ping Parent Apparel Peas in a Pod Pepa & Co Pearl Lowe Petite PicPop Piupia Pops of Colour
R Rebel & Lola Ricia Rockahula Kids Rockbox Rosita Lollipop S Sarah Lovell Art Sas & Yosh Scamp Scamp & Dude Scandiborn Sesame & Lilly Sharon Cooper Photography Sophie Ochera Sosoyoyo Southwood Stores Sproet & Sprout Story T Tendre Deal The Bright Company The Wee Store Tiba & Marl Tiddlers & Nippers Toyella Toyhood W Waddler Wall Musings Well Grounded Company Willa & Bobbin Willa & the Bear Y-Z Young Soles Zero Fox
Photo: Sharon Cooper. Jumper: Knit Planet. Hat: Indikidual.
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