magazine
Spring 2018 - Issue 12
The Spring issue
It’s time to shine Shop our new reflective ‘Light Catcher’ collection at grassandair.com, the latest product from our award winning brand. Follow us @grassandair
Luckily you can immerse yourself in this issue of Little Flea and get ready for the warmer weather as we unveil some of the lovely new pieces from the S/S18 collections. We talk to awesome designer Vickie El-Rayyes about her beautfiul brand, Dilli Grey. Plus we chat to founders of Beyond the Stork about their online store and their love for independent brands.
The 12th edition of Little Flea Magazine is dedicated to friendship. In hard times, fun times and whether they’re old or new friends, a good laugh with a friend can get you through anything.
One of our favourite instagrammers, Susie Verrill talks to us about her new collaboration with ‘From Babies With Love’ and the Queen of interiors, Dee Campling tells us all about her signature style. If all of this gets you feeling a bit peckish, then have a look at our interview with co-founder of HelloFresh, Patrick Drake who is all kinds of wonderful. We went to their beautiful kitchen where their head family chef, André cooked us two delicious meals perfect for the whole family.
Friendship has led to new collaborations one being with the amazing signal-studio.co.uk who have helped with the design of this issue. They can help brands with logo design, website development, graphic design and all kinds of advertsing and promotion.
Along with all of this, we give you all the regulars such as Trends, Interiors, We Love and Mama Flea plus we have two fantastic kids fashion editorials, including a beautiful floral story by photographer Nisha Todd! This issue is jam packed full to get you ready for the sunshine.
The first few months of 2018 have dragged. It seems like an age that we were all celebrating Christmas. But this past week, the snow has made Winter seem even longer. Come on Spring. We need you!
Hope you enjoy it!
pg. 74
This issue was designed in collaboration with signal-studio.co.uk They create brands for people like you.
pg. 54
pg. 88
Anna Cascarina, Editor
pg. 16
pg. 42 3
CONTENTS 8 Hotlist
We look at what’s new on Little Flea
16 I’m Bored Four kids get up to mischief in
our Spring fashion shoot
28 Trends We look at what trends our kids
will be wearing this Spring.
39 10 of the Best Gorgeous baby goodies for your
precious little ones.
42 Susie J Verrill
We chat to Susie about all things motherhood and her exciting new collaboration with ‘From Babies with Love’.
46 Dilli Grey
We chat to the founder of Dilli Grey about her inspiration and the ethos behind her stunning brand.
52 Easter
We hunt out the best Easter goodies for your kids. Way better than chocolate!
54 Nature’s Playground
Nisha Todd photographs a floral springtime shoot.
60 Interiors
4
Take a look at what’s on our radar in kids interiors.
70 Design queen
82 We Love
Dee Campling talk to us about interiors plus gives us her 5 picks from our Little Flea brands.
72 Mama Flea
It may be Mothers Day in a few days but we think you deserve a treat any time of the year!
74 HelloFresh
From yoga to his mums Shepherds Pie, we get the lowdown from Patrick Drake, founder of HelloFresh. Plus, we get some tips for feeding fussy kids from head chef, AndrĂŠ.
What gorgeous brands are we loving this spring?
88 Store Focus
We delve into the world of online store, Beyond the Stork to find out what makes their brand tick.
92 Stockists
All our fantastic brands in one place with links to take you straight to their stores.
On the cover Cover shot by Sharon Cooper Styling: Anna Cascarina Models wear: Rave Ing grey sweater from Lella.
5
follow us on instagRam @lalaandbea
AD
Ethical FAMILY lifestyle brand
www.lalaandbea.com 20% OFF CODE - LITTLEFLEA20
Little F
lea
Hotlist
Indikidual Good vibes only is the mantra for S/S18 at Indikidual. Taking us to the Caribbean and the Tuff Banana Sound System where everyone is dressed in motif vests, wave print leggings and crazy banana swimsuits. With a tropical colour palette mixed with washed out pastels, this collection is playful with an extra pinch of personality. 8
Beyond The Stork Passionate about helping families find their adventurous side, Beyond The Stork wants to get all kids outside, jumping in puddles and discovering new treasures. We love these amazing balance bikes with wicker baskets. One in adult size please!
For the Love of Mum For new mums or mums to be, For The Love of Mum sell super stylish products to help mums retain their own sense of style and identity. With products that are practical yet design-led and on trend, style conscious mums can find a curated selection of beautiful items either as a treat for themselves or for their baby. We especially love this great range of gym wear for pregnant women.
Lala & Bea We love these new Mother Earth adult sweats from Lala & Bea. Coming in two colourways; a pale peachy pink and a dark grey, the simplicity of design is perfect for those wanting an understated and modern feel. Also new this season are ‘design your own’ blankets and kids tees that come in a cute cardboard box, perfect for a gift.
9
Hot Tea Mama Many pregnant women are worried about drinking too much caffiene and want to cut down while pregnant or breastfeeding and Hot Tea Mama provide a gorgeous range of wholeleaf herbal teas in biodegradable tea pyramids designed to support women in pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and motherhood.
Lala & Pom If you have a love of pompoms, then you’re going to adore Lala & Pom. With a range of darling berets and pompom accessories ranging from hairclips, necklaces, hairbands and bags - you’ll want to buy them all!
10
Too Many PJ’s Is a modern nursery and childrens interiors brand made in London. The collection of playmats, sensory toys, cushions and blankets are made from their own design fabrics using different textures and bold colours.
Lella Cool kids slogan sweats and tees, personalised prints, adult clothing and bags and pouches, Lella is all about creating stylish clothing that’s a bit different from the norm. We love the affordable pieces, with a focus on typographic prints and contemporary artwork. Sizes go up to 11yrs.
Norahs Brownies Not only are these hand-made gourmet brownies absolutely delicious, but they are also gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! Created by Leah who has type one diabetes, Norahs Brownies came about when she needed to find an alternative to the sugary treats she loved. After experimenting with alternative sugars and a variety of ingredients, Leah finally created the perfect recipe. Pure chocolatey indulgence without the guilt! Yum!
11
12
Grass & Air
Mini Wallers
Award-winning outerwear brand Grass & Air is launching its new Light Catcher Rainsters this Spring. These waterproof jackets reveal lightening bolts or clouds when bright light hits the fabric helping kids be seen in the dark. The range also includes Stompersuits, Rain Runners and colour- changing wellies that reveal a rainbow of raindrops when they hit water.
These bold wall decals transform a blank space into a portal of endless possibilities and adventures. Born out of a desire to create something fun, safe and stimulating for little ones, the illustrative style is bold and unique with graphics that engage and inspire stories and will allow your child to run wild with their imagination.
Lazy Baby This baby clothing is designed to make you smile with a range of slogan tees, hooded tops and babygrows made from soft organic brushed cotton. Lazy Baby ensures better prices, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world, so you are helping to change lives just by looking good!
Beanie & Bear The gorgeous swimwear collection from Beanie & Bear is designed to be mixed and matched to deliver endless combinations with bags of character and attention to detail. The new S/S18 collection delivers, once again, a colourful range of kids swimwear with a touch of fun and no saggy bottoms!
This Mama Does This fantastic range of milestone cards, greetings cards and slogan t-shirts give a chance to laugh with other parents in the solidarity of sleepless nights and tantrum negotiating. Founded by Christina in 2016 after becoming a mother, This Mama Does aim to help tell a story, make a statement or perhaps send a little SOS into the world of parenting, with a smile.
13
Signal studio are a great graphic design company We create brands for lovely people like you This friendship issue of Little Flea magazine was designed in collaboration with signal-studio.co.uk
Photography: Sharon Cooper. Stylist & Art direction: Anna Cascarina Location: The Clapton Laundry who support independent brands with reduced location fees. Email hello@ashlyngibson.co.uk Models: Elizabeth, Tiana and Braxton from Bruce & Brown and Felix from Grace & Galor 16
When boredom strikes no amount of toys, food or friends to play with will keep them out of mischief!
From left to right: Beth: Pink Fresh Dinosaurs mermaid sweat, Olive Loves Alfie. Light denim button down skirt, Dapper Baby. Red socks, Bobo Choses. Tiana: Black rainbow tee, Molo. Green stripe skirt and pink socks, Dapper Baby. Glasses: ASOS. Felix: Demand the Impossible sweat, Barn of Monkeys. Pink linen shorts, Olivier Baby & Kids. Stripe socks, Olive Loves Alfie. Braxton: Stripe knit jumper, Bobo Choses. Denim dungarees, Dotty Dungarees. Yellow socks, Bobo Choses. 17
Braxton: Denim boiler suit, Olive Loves Alfie. Tiana: Check jumpsuit, Bobo Choses. 18
Beth: Warrior grey t-shirt, Zero Fox. Black & white pleated skirt, Givenchy Kids. Red socks, Bobo Choses. Felix: Yellow print tee and jeans, Molo. 19
Tiana: Towelling orange ‘ Chef ’s Choice’ jumper and pink socks, Dapper Baby. Blue mini skirt, Barn of Monkeys. Glasses, ASOS. Beth: White cat print tee, Sas & Yosh. Jane pink trousers, Bobo Choses. Braxton: dinosaur print shirt, Olivier Baby & Kids. Felix: brown check short dungarees, Barn of Monkeys. knitted tee, Knit Planet. Orange socks, Dapper Baby. All books from Ottie & the Bea. 20
Tiana: Rave Ing grey sweater, Lella. Orange stripe culottes, Bobo Choses. Beth: Taupe dungarees and matching tee, Knit Planet. Speech bubble cardigan, Dapper Baby.
21
Braxton: Grey Brother sweat, Calf & Co. Red trousers, Jake & Maya. Felix: Yoof sweater, Lella. Pink stripe trousers, Bobo Choses.
22
Tiana: Yellow stripe tee, Dotty Dungarees. Red pinafore, Alba Baby. Felix: Boiler suit, Unauthorised. 23
Beth: Check shirt, Milk & Biscuits. Embroidered jeans, The Mini Edit. Tiana: Love tee, Dapper Baby. Yellow playsuit, Nellie Quats. Stripe socks: Olive Loves Alfie. 24
Felix: blue and green jacket, Alba Baby. Spotty all-in-one, Unauthorised. Black socks, Olive Loves Alfie. Braxton: Yellow raincoat, Beyond the Stork. Black jeans, Molo. Yellow socks, Bobo Choses. 25
Beautiful kids nightwear and accessories
email: info@atticusandgilda.co.u
LONDON
uk www.atticusandgilda.co.uk
Sproet & Sprout
TRENDS
Under the Sea
28
Brown Betty Blue
Indikidual
Palava
Albetta Toyhood Store
Rockahula Kids
Albetta
Lobella Loves
no+mi
Bonordic 29
Atticus & Gilda
TRENDS
Enter the Dragon 30
Atticus & Gilda
Olive Loves Alfie
Dapper Baby
Gooseberry Fool
Scandiborn
The Mini Edit
Dapper Baby 31
TRENDS
Double Denim
Dotty Dungarees 32
Dotty Dungarees
Olive Loves Alfie
Sproet & Sprout
Doodle Do
Lobella Loves
Jam London
The Mini Edit 33
Tiny Cottons
TRENDS
Checks & Squares
34
no+mi
Dapper baby
Unauthorised
Olive Loves Alfie
Milk & Biscuits
Dapper Baby
Dapper baby
35
Willa and the Bear
TRENDS
Land of dreams
36
Tiba + Marl The Wee Store
Southwood Stores
Lapin & Me Bax and Bay
Bonordic
Scandiborn
Beyond the Stork
Scandiborn
Lapin & Me
Milk & Poop 37
10 of the Best
2. Toydrop
1. Anna & Louis
4. no+mi 3. Milk & Poop
What 10 baby products have us cooing this Spring?
5. Bonordic 7. Piupia
6. Olivier Baby & Kids
10. Calf & Co
8. Scandiborn 9. Olive Loves Alfie
39
www.lobellaloves.com @LobellaLoves
Hop Hop Horray, Easter's On It's Way
AWARD WINNING CURATED MARKETPLACE OF COVETED BABY, TODDLER & MAMA BRANDS
FREE UK STANDARD SHIPPING SUPPORTING WOMEN WITH POSTNATAL DEPRESSIONÂ WITH EVERY SALE
41
Getting to know...
Susie Verrill With her honest, no bull approach to motherhood, Susie Verrill, mother of two and partner of athlete Greg Rutherford is taking the insta and blogging land by storm.
Her hilarious musings on Instagram stories and blog ‘My Milo and Me’ are connecting with mums due to her real and frank discussions on motherhood. With a new collaboration with From Babies With Love just launched, Donna Tweedale catches up with Susie to find out more.
42
Susie, Woah. Babies, animals, house renovations, work and a trip to the states. Busy! You guys are like a well oiled parenting machine. We often see you sharing elements of your family downtime together on Instagram. You guys have a real sense of adventure. We Love that. What do you hope your boys go on to remember what they loved most about their childhood? Both Greg and I have substantial memories from our childhoods which aren’t so great for one reason or another, so I just really want both our boys to feel safe and loved. Whether that comes from adventures or the day to day walking of the dogs, playing in the garden or making collages with what we find in the woods, I don’t mind. Travel is a huge part of our lives and very important to us; we want Milo & Rex to grow up experiencing different cultures and meeting people from all walks of life. We’re not particularly organised, we’re not especially tidy in a beautiful monochrome house, but we get stuck in to fun and our only hope is that the boys can look back and remember all we did together. Neither Greg nor myself had the opportunity to travel much as children so we just want to be able to show them how much is on offer and for it to be something they genuinely enjoy. Childhood should be about adventure and innocence for as long as possible so we’re really keen to facilitate that! There was that Mumsnet thread and is it fair to say your hilariously dry wit and sarcasm can get a little lost on the average Daily Mail Online reader? I mean, Heaven forbid the girlfriend of a famous fella has her own opinion. In 2018. Here at Little Flea we’re big fans of your honesty and ability to see the funny side on all things parenting. As an influential Blogger and a Mama it must be tough handling the internet at times. How do you get that balance of having a healthy relationship with social media? Oh well thanks so much! I think the key is ensuring you don’t take yourself (and
I know that behind all these decadent homes and smiling faces, is a mum who’s lost her mind at some point the internet) too seriously. You can shut it all off if necessary. I’m very realistic about everything; I know that behind all these decadent homes and smiling faces, is a mum who’s lost her mind at some point in the last couple of weeks so I very rarely flick on to Instagram and pine for what others have got going on. You have to laugh, you have to joke about the rubbish stuff because hey, we’re all going through it (unless you’re like, Mariah Carey). In person, I’m pretty relaxed about the day to day stuff and don’t relish argy bargy or falling outs; Greg and I rarely argue and I just like laughing about silly things Milo says or a funny looking duck at the park. It makes sense to use social media in the same way; I don’t try to go on there if I’m cross or emotional, it’s more about celebrating the good stuff.
I think the work it can take to build a great blog can be underestimated, What is it you love most about your blog, What drives you to keep typing? It’s definitely taken time to get to where I am now, I’ve been writing since Milo was three weeks old but it’s only been in the past year that I’ve really monetised it because I didn’t want it to be a website overrun with advertising. I really did just want to create a hub for likeminded mums and chat about my experiences. I had no-one near me who I knew well enough to talk about the tribulations of motherhood when I first gave birth and it isn’t easy, but the burning fire to write should be there organically otherwise you just won’t keep it up. Feedback I get from other women is a huge drive for me, I think I just love a good natter and 43
that ‘oh gosh me too!’ moment that ‘oh gosh me too!’ moment when you feel like you can be honest & open about something.
(they’re the softest things I’ve ever felt),
You’re working on a collaboration with ‘From Babies With Love’. Having seen in the media just a small amount of how children are affected by War and events beyond their control, this is such an incredible project.
as great gifts. Cecilia just wanted to
Can you tell us about it?
the detailing on the labels to those who
Absolutely! So From Babies With Love was set up and run by a lovely lady named Cecilia, who got in touch a while back to ask if I’d help her spread the word about what they do by teaming up to launch my own line. They’re the most wonderful brand who not only give 100% to charity, but also make sure they don’t just sell any old product. Their clothes are made from organic cotton 44
are gender neutral and come packaged
To read Susies blog visit
up in adorable little bundles which work
www.mymiloandme.com or you can see daily pondering over on
give people the opportunity to buy high end baby products while giving back to those who need it at the same time and I couldn’t be happier working together. So much thought goes in to it all, from the monies help (there’s even a function on their website so you can click to see where it’s going). I really do hope people consider From Babies With Love when they’re shopping from now on in because they’re a real gem on the market. It sounds so exciting and such an amazing project to be involved in. Thanks so much for talking to us. Susie.
her instagram @susiejverrill
Susie is a big supporter of small independent brands and here she picks a few of her faves from Little Flea along with one of her own designs from her collaboration with ‘From babies with Love’. From Babies With Love
Norah’s Brownies
The collaboration with From Babies With Love includes this adorable elephant print sleepsuit, hat, bib and muslin which come in gorgeous packaging. How cute does little Rex look in the collection (left).
I think it says a lot if you get an order from a new customer within 5 seconds of them finding out you exist (I just ordered the glittery blue cherry brownies for my friend’s 30th and will DEFINITELY be using them again)
Cult of Youth The only woman you need to buy jewellery from. I love everything Kelly puts her hand to.
Mutha.Hood
Indikidual
Anything from Mutha. Hood gets the thumbs up from me because it’s just so empowering and sassy.
I love Indikidual’s style, it’s always so bright and funky. Their SS18 collection is awesome
45
DILLI GREY
Written by Donna Tweedale
The moment you open the web page for Dilli Grey you soon realise that you’ve discovered something very special. The detailed pictures of the collections showing each intricate detail and vibrancy in the pattern. Founder and Creator of Dilli Grey, Vickie El-Rayyes inspired by her travels around India and the Far East, has created 46
a range of homewares and clothing. These pieces aren’t just inspired by the colours and patterns you’d recognise from these regions, they also encapsulate the energy, vibrancy and translate so much more of what Vickie feels about this part of the world she speaks so passionately about. We had a chat with her to find out more.
Vickie, You’ve been travelling the Far East, India for the length of your career in design, and as a buyer. Tell us about What it is that has that pull for you?
harnessed in their use of materials and colours. Have you noticed many changes in that time, in terms of the fabrics, colours, processes?
I spent much of my childhood around China and Asia, and discovered India through work in my 20’s. India is such a spiritual place. It’s somewhere I go to when I need to recharge my batteries. Aesthetically it’s such a feast for the eyes, The architecture is incredible and the sunlight is just amazing. There is colour everywhere, even people from the humblest backgrounds wear the most brightest of colours, neon pinks, greens and oranges together. It’s just incredible to see. There are areas of poverty of course, but with that are areas of simplicity and happiness. It’s so humbling and a place where we can learn life lessons from. It’s a joy to take my work there, it doesn’t even feel like work. I embrace it.
The hand block prints, hand embroidery and quilts are where Dilli Grey started. India is just amazing at textiles. I come across new techniques all the time, but they’ve been using them for years, With my collections I take these processes and prints and implement them in new ways to make them fresh again. India is very traditional in the processes with textiles and they produce some of the most incredible detail in their prints and fabrics.
And it’s that, that you translate in to your collections, The far east has a signature style, but in the time you’ve been visiting, with your appreciation for the love of design and the ways it’s
Pieces that have longevity and are wearable is so important to me. Your use of neutral tones in your designs with punches of vibrant colour are a powerful combination. How do you decide what colourways you want to use?
My clothing range is made up of clothes that are designed for chilling, lounging. This starts from the quality of the fabrics and from there the collections grow organically. I can have some beautiful pyjama’s and then take that to a pouch bag to compliment them, Colour also plays a huge part in my collections. I pull the colour back a little to suit the western world, so that these are pieces that can be worn alongside a western wardrobe. 47
Neutral’s with pops of colour is quite a western aesthetic, and a very elegant way to wear colour. It’s this relationship with colour I harness in my designs. There’s something very wearable in having a tone of grey to compliment pops of colour, allowing the colour to really sing. Similarly with White. With my beachwear collection, in particular, I LOVE white. It just allows everything to breathe, the colour, the embroidery and the print. Allowing it to stand out. Toning it down to make everything very wearable to suit how we live and how we dress. My experience in buying has taught me how to channel the colour in this way to appeal to our way of living. With your ‘Mini Dilli’ Collection, Something about their boundless energy and sense of adventure. It must be a great feeling seeing children in particular enjoy your designs?
can look cute doing it! My daughter has a rail of Dilli Grey dresses in every colour and she loves them! My Summer Kaftan’s are particularly loved by mothers and daughters for their matching potential. They compliment one another rather than matchy matchy they’re perfect for holidays. I’ll be evolving my Mini Dilli collection to include some beautiful harem trousers and I’m always interested to hear what my customers are interested in seeing us do next. Dilli Grey’s ethos and backbone are hugely based on your values. With sustainability playing a huge part in ensuring your products are not only beautifully made with naturally luxurious materials, but ethical. It feels like our lives can be so fast paced and consumerism so instant. how important is it to your brand, and to you personally to ensure that these values stand strong? Every single supplier, artisan we work with I have met in person and would happily take people to show them how our pieces are made. It’s hugely important to me that we have total visibility of where our products come from and that the artisan’s we work with are paid a fair price for their work. As it’s just me and the artisan’s I work with, there’s no agents or middle man, so I can be totally transparent with our processes, And with that I’m able to maintain a fair price for my products, and that’s so important to me. My ethics drive everything, not everything comes down to price.
I have 2 children and as a family we’ve grown up with my brand. My children are my muses. My son is obsessed with how things feel and having comfort. They’ll try new pieces on and I can get a sense of the detailing, make sure they’re comfortable and easy to wear. It’s about allowing children to have fun, but of course they 48
I’m so passionate about people keeping things that they love. I use natural materials, all fabrics are 100% cotton. I’m in love with our latest bamboo basket, it’s really beautiful. Every Dilli Grey piece is handmade, and with that everything has a handmade touch of individuality. I want people to buy things that they’ll love and keep, and pass down to others. I don’t want fast fashion pieces that are destined for the landfill, It’s not what I’m about.
Sustainability is hugely important to me. So much love goes into everything we create. Pieces have so many uses, our Pyjama’s don’t need to be limited to pyjama’s enjoy them at the beach, in the summer months. Wear them, enjoy them. Pieces to invest in. Absolutely Vickie. I totally champion the buying less and wearing it more ethos. There’s a real movement to rebel against the faster fashion and look for pieces that have less of an impact on our climate and landfill. Buying pieces where we know exactly where it’s come from, and that it’s been a fair ethical process is becoming more important. I think it’s something we’re definitely as a nation becoming more aware and mindful of. And brands such as Dilli Grey are instrumental in that. bsolutely. My brand values have ethics A and sustainability at their very core. It’s something I’m very passionate about. I’m very much a lifestyle brand and have so many ideas in future collaborations in the holistic world, that’s a very natural move for me personally and Dilli Grey as a brand. I’m in the process of working with some bespoke projects which is a very exciting time. We’re becoming tuned into our wellbeing and it’s about time. It’s important to get that balance and Dilli Grey was a conscious choice to achieve that. It’s something I want to grow and be proud of. I think you can be Vickie. An incredible collection of pieces that in themselves can remind us to just slow the pace a little. Enjoy the luxurious feel of something so beautifully made. Thank you Vicki for your time. We are so excited to see where you take Dilli Grey to next. To see more of the collection, visit www.dilligrey.com
So much love goes into everything we create. Pieces have so many uses, our Pyjama’s don’t need to be limited to pyjama’s enjoy them at the beach, in the summer months. Wear them, enjoy them. Pieces to invest in. 49
Handmade Liberty Print Bedding and cushions
POPPYANDHONESTY.COM
fortheloveofmum.co.uk
For the Love of Mum is an independent online store selling super stylish products for Mums to use in pregnancy, with baby and beyond. Our ethos is to help Mums retain their own sense of style and identity during a period of huge emotional and physical change in their lives. Our products have been carefully curated to be practical for use during pregnancy or with baby, but are also design-led and on-trend for the style-conscious Mum. So if you’re looking for a beautiful baby shower gift or a lovely treat for yourself, browse our selection of high quality, super stylish products now. Curated by a Mum for Mums – styling motherhood!
With Easter round the corner, we go on the hunt for gifts for your cute little bunnies
Easter tins, Cotton Twist
Bunny sleeping bag, Scandiborn
Top & skirt, Nellie Quats
Bunny pillow cases, Little Carousel Farm playset, Toydrop
Chick cups, Ottie & the Bea
Bunny purse, Lobella Loves 52
Bunny tee, Olive Loves Alfie
Apron set, Scandiborn
Easter
Albetta bunny
Melamine dinner set, Lapin & Me
baby hat with ears, Organic Zoo
Pompom headband, Lala & Pom Sheep stall, Scandiborn
Easter hunt set, Lobella Loves
Bunny hairclips, Rockahula Kids
Friendly farm mini books, The Wee Store
Backpack, Ottie & the Bea 53
Photographer: Nisha Jayne 54
We get playful in the flora and fauna of springtime
55
56
Necklace & hair clips, Sesame & Lilly
57
Sunglasses: PicPop
58
59
Love Frankie This unique and eclectic collection of statement wallpapers and wall murals are a collaboration between Love Frankie and Scandinavian designers Rebel Walls. There are plenty of different styles to choose from; ranging from bright, fun kids patterns, edgy concrete and brick effect murals or even bold, feminine and flirty florals. Our favourite is this beautiful toadstool mural.
60
Interiors Bundle Beds Whether friends are having a sleepover or are off on a camping adventure, Bundle beds are at the heart of all things sleep. The bed is a self-contained, fully-bundled bed, complete with a slim, but deceptively-comfortable self-inflating mattress, built in luxury duvet and pillow with ultra cosy sheets to provide comfort, warmth and a great night’s sleep.
Nutmeg Wall Art For a huge range of designer wall decals from standard designs to personalised to bespoke, Nutmeg is a must. These cute fox stickers are a colaboration with Louise Brainwood who is inspired by the clean lines and minimal style of Japanese and Scandinavian art and design.
Olive Loves Alfie The Charlie Crane collection at Olive Loves Alfie are contemporary baby interiors that will fit into any modern space. This TIBU chair is inspired by 1950s French industrial design and is available in 3 colours and offers ten different seating configurations. Check out the other products on the Olive Loves Alfie website. 61
Tilly & Cub Created by talented fairtrade African Artisans, and made from natural fibres, the Tilly & Cub moses baskets are truly beautiful. Born from a love of sustainable conscious purchasing, beautiful homewares and a love of adorable baby products. Tilly & Cub support small creators, fair trade enterprises, and the promotion of hand made sustainable products.
Doodle Moo Creating playfulness through typography and design, Doodle Moo brings us a range of new art prints including this beautiful Spanish typographic Te Amo print and the fab You Rock lightning bolt print which is inspired by music and David Bowie.
62
Interiors
Toyhood Store Cute affordable toys are at the heart of Toyhood Store with most items coming in at under ÂŁ10. Sourced from UK designers and a few select European brands, the products found at Toyhood are creative and fresh like these super cute Kawaii unicorn, kitty and panda lights (above) and gorgeous new melamine tableware (right).
Scandiborn This gorgeous scandi inspired online store sells a huge range of interiors products from wall decor, lighting, mobiles, shelving, furniture and more. This cute monstera leaf playmat is a must for plant loving homes and the cute elephant chairs and pink letter board would make any playroom look super stylish. 63
Willa and the Bear This super soft Bath Cape from Willa and the Bear is made from 4 layers of muslin and block printed by hand. With a little hood to keep small heads warm straight out of the bath, the muslin is very gentle on peachy skin and perfect for drying those hard to reach folds. Available in dusty pink and smokey blue.
Ingrid Petrie Design Known for her primarily monochrome designs, this beautiful Toucan print is slightly different for Ingrid Petrie, but we love it. With it’s bright blue background, it would brighten up any room for a touch of fun and colour. We also love Ingrids new Alphabet print colours perfect for a gift or a treat for yourself.
64
Sarah Lovell Art
Interiors
This detailed hand illustrated A3 print by Sarah Lovell features a stunning rainbow unicorn, delicately decorated with rainbow swirls, prancing on a contrasting grey and black background.
Calf & Co Consciously designed and of the highest possible quality, Calf and Co is the height of luxury. From bespoke cashmere monogrammed blankets to cute pillows, their range of interior products make the most gorgeous gift for a special little person.
Lapin and Me
Sas & Yosh
We are huge fans of Lapin and Me due to their subtle vintage styling and charming characters. Their Lapin lamps, mini fawn lights and the new Pax and Hart melamine dinner sets, are just divine. Ultra cute and super stylish all in delicate colours, the lamps are the perfect addition to your kids rooms and the tableware sets are almost too good to eat from!
Inspired by Circus characters and motifs the fabulous ‘Circus of Wonders’ wall sticker collection from Sas and Yosh is digitally printed ensuring you have a beautiful, high quality design for your home. These vibrant and colourful illustrated wall stickers are a stylish modern way to decorate a room or carry out a room makeover, without the mess. 65
Hope & Fortune Hope & Fortune design luxury organic and ethical baby blankets that are soft, perfectly stylish, and designed to last. To wrap a newborn, to be nuzzled by toddlers and dragged on childhood adventures they contain nothing synthetic at all, but are filled with three layers of organic, unbleached herringbone weave muslin, which means they stay wonderfully soft and breathable.
Milk & Poop The Milk & Poop coordinated nursery sets transform your little ones room in no time. You can buy the complete set or mix and match your favourite items. Leaving you time to focus on the things that matter most – like sleep. We love this hand knitted monochrome Bowie bunny made from soft merino wool, perfect for a little rockstar. And this dusky pink hot air balloon print from Wonder and Rah is a great addition to any modern nursery or kids playroom. 66
Albetta Soft, subtle and gender neutral, the Bobby Bear and Little Lamb collection by Albetta includes super cute clothing, accessories and toys. This Bobby Bear crochet rattle (above) is beautifully handcrocheted from top quality cotton, with a wealth of detail on the face and ears so that Bobby is the friendliest bear around.
Little Carousel
Brown Betty Blue
This super cute F is for Flower print from Little Carousel is part of their alphabet series inspired by the first word gestures, experiences and obsessions of little ones as they explore the world around them. The prints are printed on smooth, heavy weight, 100% cotton fine art paper and are all signed and dated on the back by illustrator Colleen Larmour who illustrates, designs and makes everything from her small home studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland.. Perfect for a new baby’s bedroom or playroom,
Brown Betty Blue has teamed up with the wonderful Munks + Me, who make gorgoeus children’s posters. Taking inspiration from the posters, they created this super cute safari animal garland featuring a lion, hippo, giraffe and zebra. It would look adorable hanging over a cot or on the wall of a nursery. Other designs include a sea animal, woodland animal and unicorn garland and are all handmade with love. Why not complete the look with a Munks + Me poster too? 67
68
69
After 25 years in a corporate job, I’m really anti traditional meeting spaces! When you initially moved in to working with Interiors and styling, you had your Vintage Caravan and Huddle. Your vintage edge still remains within your signature style with your use of lighting and boho vibes, is it the vintage edge where your heart lies? Yes I think my heart will always lie with Vintage. I love the fact that you can own a quality piece with history and a story. These pieces are often inexpensive compared to new and they keep their value. My dad is a carpenter and has brought me up to look for understated quality and we have always salvaged things from skips even when I was a child!
Design Queen
Interior designer, Dee Campling works with clients across the country on design and styling projects and runs interiors and Instagram workshops. With over 100,000 followers on instagram she is the go to person for all things interiors. Donna Tweedale caught up with her to find out about her own style. You’re so open through your social media in how to re-create the looks you’ve styled, It’s clearly really important to you to help enable your followers to feel confident to experiment with their Interior ideas? Yes I think it’s really important to be open and honest about everything! Styling Your Home shouldn’t be difficult or expensive and I guess I’m rebelling against the magazines and traditional interior designers who have historically made it seem unattainable. I don’t see the point of not sharing knowledge and experience - it makes more room in my head for new ideas! 70
Dee, Your workshops sound so fun, and held within your homes or well Instagrammed pop up spaces. I guess that hosting them within these spaces where the attendees can really get to grips with pieces, and how a space works and feels translates ideas clearer than hosting within a meeting space , in the traditional sense? Yes we wanted our workshop attendees to feel completely at home, as well as being inspired by their surroundings. We’ve chosen venues where the owners embrace their own style and hopefully the whole package makes everyone feel more confident about embracing their own style.
Your home looks incredible! Where’s your favourite space in your home and what is it that makes it stand out from the rest for you? Thank you! My favourite space in my home is my kitchen / diner. We extended the house to achieve it and it really works with family life. It’s also very light and sunny (due to skylights and large windows) so it feels summery all year round. I absolutely love blurring the boundaries between outside and inside and this space accommodates this need very well. The content you create is beautiful, Any exciting plans for the coming year you’d like to share with Little Flea? ... If it isn’t already in the pipeline I think a Dee Campling book would be a great place to start! I’d LOVE to do a book! This year I’m working on some cool interior design projects. I’m also working with a few lovely brands with workshops and influencing campaigns, as well as continuing workshops in Instagram homes. It’s really fascinating to see how Instagram is exploding with opportunities and I hope to continue to be part of that. There are no boundaries! Thanks for talking to us Dee. For more info find Dee on Instagram @deecampling or on her website www.dee-campling.com
Mama Poppins big basket, Tilly & Cub
Dee’s five picks from Little Flea range from mini collectable dolls to homeware baskets!
A Superhero has my back romper, Scamp & Dude
The Lost Toys mini sized collectables, Lapin and Me
Penguin Rainbow Catcher print, Ingrid Petrie Design
Fleece picnic blanket, Lala & Bea
71
We celebrate everything that mums do by selecting the very best products from our Mama Flea brands. Go on treat yourself! You’re most definitely worth it. Tiba & Marl no+mi
Cult of Youth For the Love of Mum
Bax & Bay
Scamp & Dude
Lala & Bea 72
Southwood Stores
Mama Flea
Lara & Ollie
Scandiborn
Scamp & Dude
Mere Soeur
Ricia
For the Love of Mum
Deborah Campbell Atelier
Beyond the Stork, available from April
Parent Apparel x Style Me Sunday
Mutha.Hood 73
Interview by Anna Cascarina photography by Sharon Cooper
W
e all love having healthy and delicious food on the table that the whole family can enjoy, but sometimes busy family life can get in the way and there just isn’t time. That’s where HelloFresh come in. They provide fresh ingredients
74
delivered straight to your door with easy to follow recipe cards and the exact portions you need to cook a delicious family meal. We spent the morning in the Hello Fresh kitchen talking with the co-founder, Patrick Drake and cooking up two yummy meals with their head family chef André.
Patrick, you used to be a lawyer, what made you change your career so drastically? I went into law for all the wrong reasons. The lure of pinstripe suits, meetings and conference calls... it all sounded so high-powered! The reality was obviously nothing like Ally McBeal led me to believe. There was no karaoke bar below my office. And so I spent every day trying to hatch my escape plan. Cooking was always a passion of mine and I love teaching people as well, so I decided I wanted to go into food and have a TV show. It was the best way to teach the most people about cooking good food and let’s be honest, it just sounded like a lot of fun! And so HelloFresh was born. What was it about subscription boxes that excited you? Well, I wouldn’t say & then HelloFresh was born. There was a lot of hard grind, self-doubt, plotting and opportunism before HelloFresh would even be on my radar. And it’s important to recognise that. No success story is without all those elements I mentioned. In fact it’s those moments (and the way people break through them) which are the most inspiring and insightful. To answer the question, recipe boxes had me gripped from day one. For me it was the absolute perfect way to do exactly what I wanted: to teach people how to cook from scratch. The best bit about it was that we could take away every reason why people weren’t cooking from scratch - no menu planning, shopping or faff. We just left them with the fun bit: cooking and eating fresh, simple, delicious meals at home. Have you stayed true to the original ethos? Or has the growth of the business created difficulties along the way? We’re a Founder-led business and the people who were there on day one are still here and still every bit as passionate about our mission. When we started we said we wanted to ‘Change the way people eat. Forever.’ It was fairly grandiose considering we were delivering about 10 bags of shopping to our friends and family, but six years later we really are
delivering on that promise for millions of people.
What I want is connection with other humans and to make a contribution. Having a family seems a natural step towards that. You’re well known for your complete love and appreciation of good food. How important is maintaining a healthy diet and how has this shaped the HelloFresh recipes? What could be more important and more intimate than something you put in your mouth, that travels inside your body and then becomes part of your body? I think we forget that fact sometimes. The saying “you are what you eat” has become such a cliché that we don’t assign the right amount of importance to it. There is nothing more important than good food. It’s the starting point for everything else that is good in life. Health, relationships, work, you name it... what isn’t made better by having the proper fuel to optimise yourself? We’ve always put a huge emphasis on making HelloFresh
meals nutritious and delicious. We are not ‘health’ food (with the various restrictions that can imply), but instead we are about healthy food. A proper balance of all the right things with a focus on freshness. I hear you’re a big yoga fan. What is it about yoga and meditation that you love and how does it help you in your day to day life? Yoga and meditation allow me to take control of my life. If you can control your breath and you can control your movement it sends a signal to your subconscious that you are in control of your life. When you wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is reach for your phone and start thinking of 20 things you ‘need’ to do or ‘should be doing’ you are already out of control. Your monkey mind is leading you by the nose. But when you stop, when you tell that stream of thoughts “No. You are not the highest part of me. You are not driving this vehicle” and you take the time to breathe and stretch, it allows you to take control of the day. It quite literally puts your calm, higher self (the part of you that doesn’t sweat the small stuff) right back in the drivers seat. I appreciate that this all sounds a bit lofty and out of reach, but it’s not. Look up a YouTube video on ‘kapalabhati breathing’ for one of the most powerful and accessible exercises I have to kickstart my day. 75
Can you tell us what a typical day in the life of Patrick Drake looks like? There’s no typical day that’s for sure. I make sure of that. In fact, when days become ‘typical’ that’s when I start to question what I am doing and find something new and exciting to do. A day for me can involve anything from speaking to journalists about HelloFresh, cooking on camera, helping our various teams on projects or new products, mentoring people and generally getting people excited about our mission. My most recent project has been our first ever cookbook. It’s been a lifelong ambition of mine to publish a cook book and the HelloFresh team have helped make this a reality! The Little Flea readers are parents and we all know how fussy kids can be when it comes to food. How does the family box make life easier for busy parents? The Family Box is the brainchild of our Family Chef André who combines an incredible depth of cooking knowledge
I grew up in a single parent family and my mum really has been the driving force behind my own motivation to succeed. Her work ethic and her selflessness have always inspired me. together with his experience of being a father. Add into that mix a panel of children who helped us develop the concept and you have something which suits everyone around the table. It’s all the freshness and deliciousness you’d expect from HelloFresh with the added simplicity that you can cook the meal to a certain point for the kids, and then add a tweak at the end for the adults, for different levels of flavour. And the new Rapid boxes. Can you tell us a 76
bit about them? The Rapid Box came directly from customers saying they’d occasionally like a speedy mid-week option for when they’ve got a busy week. Again, it’s all the things you would normally expect from us but recipes have been simplified to be on the table in 20 minutes. You’ve mentioned before that family is important to you and that you are looking forward to having children in the future. What excites you about having kids? I’ve come to realise in the last year where my happiness really comes from. Beyond living in a home I love and being able to have beautiful experiences (an adventure abroad, a meal with special people...) I don’t want for material things. What I want is connection with other humans and to make a contribution. Having a family seems a natural step towards that.
my brother never wanted for anything. She worked long hours and always put us before her. Her work ethic and her selflessness have always inspired me and I try to emulate those qualities every day. She taught me to never settle for second best, yet to always have compassion and integrity in everything I do. She also had a few killer recipes up her sleeve so food was most definitely something I appreciated from an early age! What’s your favourite meal and why? That’s easy - mums shepherds pie. Why? Because it’s my mums of course! What does the future hold both for HelloFresh and for you personally? I’m so excited for the future. HelloFresh has never been stronger and to know
Can you tell us a bit about your childhood? Do you think your family helped shape your entrepreneurial spirit and your passion for cooking?
that every day we’re a positive force in
I grew up in a single parent family and my mum really has been the driving force behind my own motivation to succeed. Like many single mums her only priority was making sure that myself and
Watch this space!
peoples lives makes me so happy. We’ve come a long way and yet in terms of our ambitions we’re still at the beginning.
Thanks so much Patrick, it’s been a pleasure. To explore the HelloFresh recipes, visit www.hellofresh.co.uk
‘HelloFresh Recipes That Work’ is available to pre-order on Amazon here. 77
HelloFresh in-house Family Chef André attributes his love of food and cooking to his father, a Frenchman and a chef, and says that his fondest childhood memories are of long family meals around his parents’ kitchen table. Having earned his stripes in some of the world’s best kitchens, from L’Atelier to Roots & Bulbs and Chez Bruce, he is now the mastermind behind HelloFresh family recipes, converting fussy eaters into adventurous foodies one delicious meal at a time! As a father of two, André is certainly no stranger to fussy eaters. He shares his top tips and tricks for coping with fussy eaters so that you can stress less in the kitchen, and enjoy more time with the family. How do I get my kids eating more veggies? I hide them in pasta sauces and blend the sauce so it’s smooth. Kids love pasta, and tomato sauce with veggies is a good one – I’ve incorporated this technique into many of the new family box recipes so kids eat their greens! I also give kids their veggies first as a healthy snack. So carrot sticks with hummus as a snack or cucumber sticks or chopped cherry tomatoes. Then the stress of them eating lots with a meal is taken away. Also Just serving one veg per dinner isn’t overwhelming for them. Just broccoli or 78
green beans for example. How do I get my kids to try new foods? Give them a taste of it first before trying to give them a whole plate. How do I get my kids to help in the kitchen? Make a simple dish together. Ask your child to peel the carrots, potatoes or garlic. They can pick herbs and using a small knife they can do simple chopping of veggies too. Pop an apron on them and get them involved. Asking them to do things makes the child feel important and included however small the task. Stirring cold ingredients is good and with baking, weighing ingredients too. What do you do if your kids refuse to eat something? Encourage them to try new foods but don’t force new flavours on them. Maybe try one new food a month. Add a new food / flavour to a sauce and see how they react. A simple spice or a new veggie. I always sneak new flavours into popular dishes - cumin in a tomato sauce or on a piece of fish, spinach in a sauce etc. Best coping mechanisms against fussy eaters? Don’t show your stress to the child. They will not starve or become unwell by not
eating. Persevere and eventually your child will eat a more varied diet. One step at a time - it’s a milestone if they finally eat a whole banana or a whole tomato. Take it slowly and don’t force them to eat. They’ll get there in their own time. Any other tips? I think positivity and perseverance works well. Keep trying with different foods. My daughter, Florence didn’t eat anything when she was little and slowly we got her to eat veggies and fruit one by one. Don’t try to overwhelm them with complex dishes and flavours. Often children like things separated out so they can see what they’re eating. Plus simple flavours and textures work best. We’ve tested the family box on a number of adults and children and figured out what flavours and textures work best, so hopefully they’ll be no table tantrums! You can be adventurous with ideas but keep it simple. Thanks so much André. These are fantastic tips. André cooked us two recipes from the family box, Turkey Stir-Fry and Veggie Shepherd’s Pie. They were quick and easy to make and absolutely scrumptious. Plus more adult flavours can be added last minute after you’ve dished up the kids portions. Genius! To try out the family box recipes visit www.hellofresh.co.uk
79
We Love
We love... The fantastic new sleepwear range from The Bright Company. A cute selection of prints in colours ranging from mint green, rust orange and blue. We’re excited to see a hooded sweat with front pockets coming too. Get in line!
We love... The cool sunglasses from PicPop. Spring is approaching and the sun is beginning to stay out for longer than 5 minutes, so it’s time to get those sunnies on and walk into summer like you mean it! We love these fab cats eye glasses and the cute round pixie shape for a cool retro vibe. 82
We love... The new collection of muslins from Etta Loves. The new designs are available early April and not only are they super soft and absorbent and made from 100% organic cotton, but they are designed so that the scale, pattern and colours stimulate your baby’s cognitive and visual development.
We love... The beautifully hand embroidered heirloom pieces from Apolina available at Olive Loves Alfie. These stunning designs are inspired by far-off places, designed whilst daydreaming and made to treasure. Olive Loves Alfie is a proud supporter of ethical brands and Apolina is ethically made in India by the most talented artisan embroiderers.
We love... Everything from the new Scamp & Dude collection. Soft towelling tops and trousers, cute new sweatshirt designs (that come in adult size too) kids hoodies and leggings all in a gorgeous colourway of soft pink, blue, grey and yellow. This stripy towelling sweatshirt with their Superhero Has My Back slogan is a favourite.
We love... Bonordic for their huge range of carefully selected baby and children’s clothing, nursery and kids room décor, footwear, accessories and toys. The style is modern, contemporary and playful with an emphasis on simply great design like this stunning indoor baby / toddler swing in oak. There is a choice of a black or white leather seat and is suitable from age 3mths to 3 years. 83
We Love We love... The new spring/summer range from the awesome Young Soles. Always evoking childhood memories, this season takes us back to camping as kids in the long hazy summers of our youth - remember those? Also new this season is the early walker collection which include these gorgeous Poppy t-bar shoes (below) that come in both baby blue and pink. All styles have a velcro strap making them perfect for little feet.
We love... The fantastic selection of kids goodies from Happy Little Dolphins. You can find such a wide selection of products on the site including clothing, interiors and toys made from high quality materials. Happy Little Dolphins focus is on products that are fun and attractive for the parents as well as the little ones. We love this super cute donut pompom maker (bottom right) and huge United Kingdom colour in map.
84
We love... the gorgeous new range from Mutha.Hood. Whether you’re moving mountains or in the Strong Girls Club, these products are sure to inspire you and your mini me. This super cute Power of the Girl tee and pouches are a must have.
We love... Well Grounded Company for their simple yet stylish designs where comfort is key. This gorgeous denim culotte pinafore is perfect for mini explorers. With deep pockets for collecting random stuff and a cartwheel friendly design, this is the dream springtime outfit. We also love this cute little racoon tee. Super soft cotton with a little elastane to give stretch without losing shape. Unisex kids t-shirt designed to be mixed and matched for boys and girls. 85
We Love
We love... Manifesto Kids, which is an online marketplace focused on childrens items where parents can buy or sell great quality clothing, toys and accessories, like this Bobo Choses leotard (left). We are excited for the launch of Manifesto Woman which will be full of vintage and secondhand designer and high street clothing, shoes and accessories. Millions of clothing is sent to landfill each year (over 230 milion in the UK alone), so this is a great way to help reduce that number.
We love... Amy & Ivor. Every season Alice, the designer, brings out a stunning collection of leather moccasins and booties that somehow surpasses the range before it. This season is called Garden Party and is full of delicious florals in delicate hues of nudes, pinks, blues and greens. Always beautifully made with the signature Amy & Ivor stamp on the sole, these adorable first shoes are a must have for little feet. 86
We love... Lucky Gecko. Their amazing boxes are jam packed full of games, puzzles, challenges and competitions, this mini-pack will keep your child entertained and engaged throughout the Summer holidays. The content is designed to educate and inspire your child - keeping their minds busy whilst making sure they have lots of fun. This mini-pack is available as a one-off purchase and will be online nearer the summer holidays.
We love... Iggy Mint who create beautifully styled images for web, social media content and magazine publications for Family Lifestyle Brands. They style, shoot and edit from their London studio, and they also have a courtyard garden for photography if natural light is needed. They are happy to travel or can book a special venue for your shoot. So if you are a new family or kids brand and need stunning imagery - look no further!
We love... The gorgeous soft knitwear from Little Knittle. They make luxury knitwear for babies and children using traditional techniques, unchanged for nearly a century. At their small, family run factory in the Scottish borderlands, skilled knitters hand frame each item before it is then carefully linked together, washed, pressed and finished by hand. made from the highest quality lambswool to ensure a beautifully soft finish. Divine.
We love... Foodini Club, the club for creative young cooks. Alongside scrumptious one-off and subscription Postal recipe kits there’s a Recipe Card Club designed to get your kids aged 3+ exploring and cooking real food with colourful illustrated step-bystep recipe cards. The latest exciting addition to the collection are Party Bag Kits - a memorable mini recipe kit take home for your party guests. Because kids who cook, eat!
87
Store Focus
Beyond the Stork Beyond the Stork plays host to some gorgeous brands for quite literally the whole family, for all occasions. The curated space of brands have a signature Scandinavian and Vintage inspired look. This combination makes for a minimal design focussed aesthetic across all of the products. Claire who co-founded the business with her husband Ben, took some time to talk to us more about Beyond the Stork. You have literally every base covered from pregnancy to our babes becoming little people and all that that journey involves in a parent’s lifestyle. You have some incredible independent brands, you mention them on your site as them ‘joining your family’. Love that. Clearly the family dynamic and that relationship with your brands means a lot to you both. What do you look for in brands for Beyond the Stork? Well, thank you! First and foremost we look for uniqueness and great design in a product. We set up Beyond the Stork as 88
Written by Donna Tweedale
we struggled to find products we loved on the high street. We firmly believe that you shouldn’t have to compromise your style just because you have children and so we are constantly expanding the range for kids and big kids alike. We also look for practicality as our products should stand up to the rigours of everyday family life.
Working together on your business, quality family downtime must be a real priority for you both. Beyond the Stork emphasises a real focus on playing a part in bringing families together, whether that be through your toys and games, or cosying up for a family film night in fabulous PJ’s! What’s your favourite thing to do as a family to get some quality time together?
As you know we love working with independent, often family run, brands. A big part of what we look for is a strong story behind the brand. We love finding out how our brands started and the people that make them. Each brand has a page with information about them and we feature interviews with many of our brands’ founders on our blog... our customers love reading the posts as much as we love writing them! We are constantly on the look out for new, inspiring brands and we love it when people get in touch to tell us about themselves, it’s just a shame we can’t take everyone on!
We live in South East London which has some amazing green spaces to run around and let off steam! When we are in London we can be found most weekends exploring the local parks and woods, followed by an inevitable stop at one of the many local cafes! We also love to escape London, whether it be for the day or longer. A favourite spot is East Sussex. My grandparents lived in Rye for many years and I have fond memories of exploring the cobbled streets of Rye, having teddy bear picnics at Bodiam Castle and climbing the sand dunes on Camber Sands. Nan used to prepare amazing
picnics and Grandad would take us shell collecting for hours! We also love heading to North Wales and Chester where my family live. Ben and I were keen hillwalkers and climbers before the kids arrived and so trips to the hills and mountains make our hearts sing. It is a passion we can’t wait to share with the kids. Billy will soon be old enough to start bouldering and climbing. And your sense of adventure is so evident in the products you have and through your blog where, with your brands you encourage a child’s sense of adventure, fuelling their imagination. It’s fairly unchartered territory for us parents of young children in terms of achieving that balance. Some days can feel like a constant negotiation on ipad time. What are your thoughts on the increasing technology available to our children to play?
cushions by Roommate. The moon made a guest appearance on Billy’s show and tell day! Another firm favourite is the amazing concrete grey globe which lives in Billy’s room. We use it to teach him about continents and countries. Olivia adores den building and we spend a lot of time playing in the tipi by Roommate and canopy by Konges Sløjd. We pile up the cushions and blankets and give them a mini picnic to eat inside. There’s a real sense of rebellion within your grown up range, particularly in your accessories for us parents going against the ‘mumsy’ vibe. You totally represent that being practical doesn’t have to mean dull.
Its clearly evident that maintaining a sense of individuality is important to you for the families you cater for? Absolutely. The loss of identity was something I really struggled with as a new mum. I didn’t buy a changing bag when Billy was born as the options on the high street did not fit my style. Why should parents compromise their style when they decide to procreate? It was this that prompted me to look around and discover amazing brands such as Tiba + Marl, Jem + Bea and The Nappy Society. Changing bags are and always will be part of our core collection. We have since expanded the range with Cam Cam Copenhagen and Konges Sløjd bags which
We love to encourage the kids to be outside and we make an effort to inspire them and fuel their imaginations with toys and games. Saying that, technology definitely has a place and there are times when we hand them the digital babysitter. Let’s be honest, it is as much for our sanity as it is to please them! Life can be stressful enough without allowing ourselves to feel guilty about these things. We think it is a case of whatever works for us and finding the balance that we are happy with. You have some great in house product testers in your children! Any specific products they adore? They love so many of them! The best thing about running a shop is that you can touch, feel and use the amazing products! The kids live in waterproofs by GOSOAKY. Such an amazing brand, great quality and design which can be passed down to siblings and friends when they outgrow them. Billy has been learning about space at nursery and is obsessed with planets at the moment. He corrects me if I call the sun a planet… “it is a star Mummy”. Both Billy and Olivia love the star and moon 89
Store Focus
have a lovely, relaxed Scandi vibe. For the same reason we stock amazing raincoats by Swedish brand Stutterheim. I got fed up wearing my “mum coat” when pushing my newborns around the park in the pouring rain. I am also very aware that I need time for myself. It is easy to forget about self care when you are juggling work and a family. Some of our most popular products are by Sleepy Doe, Spacemasks and Seven Seventeen. Perfect gifts for stressed and burnt out mums. Watch this space, the grown up collection is growing... And 2018 is gaining traction, Can you believe we’re in March already? Are there any family adventures wyou guys have planned this year? I know! Time is flying by! We have so many ideas but finding the time to do them all can be a challenge. We are lucky that the kids adore their grandparents and the grandparents are happy to take the kids off our hands for a few days. Earlier this year we spent a weekend in beautiful 90
Paris where we scouted for new brands at Playtime. We stayed in the stunning Hotel Providence…House of Hackney wallpapers and amazing cocktails. It came at the perfect time, last year was just nuts and so in addition to the craziness of a trade show, we managed to squeeze in some much needed downtime. We headed to beautiful Monmouthshire for the February half term, staying at the amazing Chicken Shed at Parkhouse. Stunning design overlooking the Black Mountains. It was so relaxing, we can’t wait to return. Billy has been on about going camping since we went last summer. We are going to dust off our Bundle Beds and invest in a bell tent later this year and head to Sussex and North Wales for some mini adventures! We might try and throw a festival into the mix as well since we had so much fun at The Good Life Experience last year. Finally we will be heading to Babington House in October for a mini adventure without our minis to celebrate my 40th!
To see more from Beyond the Stork, visit their website at beyondthestork.co.uk or visit them on instagram @beyond_the_stork
91
Stockists A Alba of Denmark
Happy Little Dolphins
Organic Zoo
Albetta
HotTea Mama
Ottie and the Bea
Amy & Ivor
I
P
Anna & Louis
Iggy Mint
Palava
Atticus & Gilda
Indikidual
Parent Apparel
B
Ingrid Petrie Design
PicPop
Barsham Barns
J
Piupia
Bax and Bay
JAM London
R
Jake & Maya
Ricia
K
Rockahula Kids
Knit Planet
S
L
Sarah Lovell Art
Lazy Baby
Sas & Yosh
Lala & Bea
Scamp & Dude
Lala & Pom
Scandibørn
Lapin and Me
Sesame & Lilly
Lara and Ollie
Sharon Cooper
Lella
Southwood Stores
Little Carousel
Sproet & Sprout
Little Knittle
T
Lobella Loves
The Bright Company
Love Frankie
The Wee Department Store
Lucky Gecko Discoveries
This Mama Does
M
Tiba & Marl
Manifesto Kids
Tilly + Cub
Mere Soeur
Too Many Pjs
Milk and Poop
ToyDrop
Dotty Dungarees
Mini Wallers
Toyhood store
E
Mutha.Hood
W
Etta Loves
N
Waddler
F
Nellie Quats
Well Grounded Company
Foodini Club
no+mi London
Willa & Bobbin
For The Love of Mum
Norah’s Brownies
Willa & the Bear
G
Nutmeg Wall Art
Y
Gooseberry Fool
O
Young Soles
H
Olive Loves Alfie
Z
Hope & Fortune
Olivier Baby & Kids
Zero Fox
Beanie & Bear Beyond the Stork Binky Nixon Bobo Choses Bonordic Brown Betty Blue Bundle Beds
C Calf & Co Cotton Twist Cult of Youth
D DapperBaby Deborah Campbell Atelier Dilli Grey Don’t Buy her Flowers Doodle Do DoodleMoo
92
Photo by Sharon Cooper. T-shirt & dungarees, Knit Planet. Cardigan, Dapper Baby
93
www.norahsbrownies.com @norahsbrownies
We believe in the power of the Pompom 10% off use code FleaMe www.lalaandpom.com
@lalaandpom