Little Flea, The Magical Issue. Issue 14

magazine

Christmas 2018 - Issue 14

The Magical Issue

www.merrieandbright.com Personalised, hand-lettered pieces to add a bit of magic to your Christmas.

Narnia shoot

pg. 18 Christmas gifts

pg. 14

For me, the anticipation of Christmas is always the best part. When the nights draw in, the Christmas lights go up and everyone is just... well happy! It’s such a special time of year.

So this issue is called ‘The Magical Issue’ to celebrate this most wonderful season.

We have a spectacular ‘Narnia’ inspired fashion shoot photographed by Sharon Cooper and gift pages to suit every child and every budget.

We also have fabulous interviews with Mother of Daughters, Clemmie Hooper and interiors queen, Erica Davies. We chat to Girls Aloud singer, Kimberley Walsh about her new exciting kids range, Kimba Kids. Plus we also talk to Nicole from Baby Bare Bubbles about her beautiful childrens skincare range. Our store focus this issue, is on the amazing All By Mama online store, who sell a huge

Mother of Daughters

pg. 34

Photo by AJ Burrows

I had a conversation with my 12 year old daughter the other day. She said her favourite time of year is Christmas because she loves the magic and sparkle of it all, but most of all she loves Christmas day and spending it surrounded with family, eating far more food than we should and playing lots of silly games.

range of products all made by an amazing group of mums!

As well as all of this, we have interiors pages, a fantastic women’s fashion feature by Donna Tweedale and loads of inspiration for what to buy your loved ones this Christmas.

As always, all products are clickable, so just click on a product you love and it will take you straight to the store to get that all important Christmas shopping started!

I hope you love this issue as much as I do.

Let the magic begin!

Happy Shopping!

Anna Cascarina, Editor

Erica Davies

pg. 76

Kimberley Walsh

pg. 90

CONTENTS

14 Christmassy gifts

38 Unisex gifts 40 Ethical gifts 43 10 of the best

16 Stocking Fillers

8 Hotlist

The hottest brands right now!

Our pick of the 10 best winter hats

18 The Lion, the Witch and 46 Equinox the Wardrobe

Zoe Davies photographs our

Our fashion shoot takes us to the magical world of Narnia

30 Gifts for girls 32 Gifts for boys 34 Mother of Daughters

We chat to Clemmie Hooper about life online.

On the cover

Autumnal fashion story

70 Interiors

What’s getting us excited in interiors this season?

76 Erica Davies

We chat to Erica about her passion for interiors

80 Mama Flea

56 Toys

You’ll want these on your Xmas list!

83 Winter Fashion

Be inspired for Christmas with our selection of fantastic toys

58 Baby gifts

90 Kimberley Walsh We explore the new Kimba Kids

The cutest gifts for little bubbas from newborn and up.

62 Baby Bare Bubbles

We chat to Nicole about her gorgeous baby skincare brand

64 Under £50 66 Over £50 Cover shot by Sharon Cooper. Styling by Anna Cascarina. Model wears dress and feather crown both by Tutu du Monde

Donna Tweeedale gives us some outfit ideas for the Winter period.

range by Kimberley Walsh

96 We Love What are we loving this season?

100 All By Mama Read about this amazing store

and how they support mums.

104 Stockists Links to all the Little Flea brands

Overleaf: YAY blanket, Tullibee.

Quilted blanket on floor underneath, Bonordic. Blanket on floor on top, Forivor. Lion head and suitcase, Ottie & the Bea. This page: River wears check shirt, Totem. Knitted trousers with braces, Knit Planet.

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Forivor

This reversible bedding takes you on a journey from daytime to nightime, where a calm woodland or underwater scene on one side of your bedding transforms into a secret world on the other; where creatures inhabit a magical world of wonder to get lost in.

All of the Duvet and Quilted Blanket Sets are presented in a beautiful organic suitcase and are accompanied by a set of Character Cards that provide fascinating facts about the wildlife on the duvet. On the reverse side of the cards, storytelling cues introduce children to the creatures they become at night. Forivor also sell beautiful nightwear to accompany the range.

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Photo by Blake Acres

lea F e

The Faraway Gang The Faraway Gang is a British made unisex knitwear brand for children aged 4-7 years old. The brand has a contemporary twist to British heritage with the use of colour and pattern at the forefront. The Faraway Gang believe great clothes should evoke great memories and so placing the playful, curious and excited mind of a child at the heart of the range will create something unique and beautiful. We think they’ve got it spot on.

Their Nibs Their Nibs’ 2018 collection nods to the brand’s bohemian roots in a celebration of texture, print and embroidery. The Russian Folk Collection is a beautiful embodiment of the romance of Folk Embroideries and quirky shapes. This sensational party dress features the hand painted Snowdrop Print, embodying vintage hippie romance. Their Nibs is celebrated in the children’s fashion industry for vintage inspired silhouettes paired with nostalgic hand- designed prints, a unique British lifestyle brand.

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Small Stories Small Stories is a unique collection of timeless, ethically produced, artistically inspired clothing for little ones aged 0-6. Every piece in the collection features exclusive prints that are designed in the UK. At the heart of their distinctive approach is the brush-painted style technique used by their artists, lending a ‘painterly’, textural quality to the fabric. Fun, inspiring and distinctive, yet comfortable and practical – Small Stories is the perfect attire for that great adventure story called childhood!

Mama Designs Mama Designs create design led products for mama’s and babies.

Practical baby products with an innovative twist including multi tog baby sleeping bags with removable layers, beautiful soft cotton cellular blankets with contrasting cotton trims, soft cotton muslin swaddles and squares in their signature prints and breastfeeding scarves.

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Tullibee We love the simplicity of these blankets and cushions by Tullibee who only use natural, organic and sustainable materials and try to keep their footprint as small as possible. The aim is to bring a lot more colour into the everyday and we think their products would look equally as good in a grown up or kids space!

i.should.b i.should.b is all about positivity, self-love and self-appreciation, and knowing you are more than good enough, and can do anything you set your mind to. The range includes kids & adults clothing and prints. ÂŁ3 of each sweatshirt sale and ÂŁ1 of each print / tee shirt sale will go to the charity www.bulliesout.com.

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Meet Mitsou new rachel ortas collaboration

www.lapinandme.co.uk 13

Advent calendar, £17.95 The Kindness Co-op

Christmas pj’s, £24 Dapper Baby

Deer soft toy, €43 Blabla Kids

Reindeer slippers, €48 Easy Peasy

Xmas tree clips, £6 Rockahula Kids

Pull along deer, £33.95 Scandiborn

Xmas tree cardigan, €95 Oeuf NYC

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The Snowman audio book £14.99 and Toniebox £79.95, Ottie and the Bea

Personalised Xmas Eve box, £39.99 All By Mama

Nativity set, £12.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Christmassy

Personalised sacks, £15 Nutmeg Wall Art

Pompom romper, €67 Oeuf NYC

Reindeer antlers, £8 Rockahula Kids

Tree-Rex mug, £9.95 Dapper Baby Reindeer romper, £22 All By Mama

Pack of 6 Xmas cards, £10 This Mama Does

Advent calender, £65 Southwood Stores

Personalised monochrome stocking, £20 All By Mama Christmas pudding wheat/sugar/dairy free brownies, from £16 Norah’s Brownies

Personalised Santas sleigh kit, £19.95 Cotton Twist 15

Personalised pencils, £8 All By Mama

Origami polar animals, £6.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Record store playset, £7 Toydrop

Butterfly puzzle, £6 Beyond the Stork 16

The Queen Engineer book, £7.99 Beyond the Stork

Budkyns toys, £19.95 Scandiborn

Banana pin, £7 The Kindness Co-op

Hair scrunchie, £4 Dapper Baby

Beaded Swallow bracelet, £8 Sesame & Lilly

Wooden stroller book, £9.95 The Kindness Co-op

Cashmere snood, £36 Olivier Baby & Kids

Dinosaur night light, £9 Rockahula Kids

Stocking Fillers

London iron on patches, £8.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Make your own Superhero mask £5.50 All by Mama

Magic felt pens, £6.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Balaclava, £19 Cocoon Child

Adventure book, £10.99 Ottie & the Bea

Tulle hair clips, £4.50 Lala & Pom

Wooden car, £30 Toydrop Wooden unicorn, £8.25 Scandiborn

Christmas alphabet cards, £13 ToyDrop

Jumping acrobat, £20 Toydrop

Owl sleep mask, £20 Atticus & Gilda 17

The Wardrobe Photography by Sharon Cooper Art direction and styling by Anna Cascarina Post production by Jim Cascarina

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From left: Lucy wears Fairisle jumper, The Faraway Gang. Cord skirt with braces, Piupia. Brown tights, Velveteen.

Shoes, Young Soles. Pompom hairband, Lala & Pom. River wears fairisle jumper, The Faraway Gang. Dungarees, Dotty Dungarees. Check socks, Velveteen.

Shoes, Young Soles. Navy cap, Olive Loves Alfie. Lilly wears fairisle jumper, The Faraway Gang. Bugs skirt and braces, Sproet & Sprout. Knitted leggings, Knit Planet. Shoes, Young Soles.

Models: Lucy & Lilly from Mini Models Agency. River from Kids London.

Hairclips, Sesame & Lilly

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Lilly wears embroidered dress, Cassiopeia at Olive Loves Alfie. Collar, Bonordic. Footless tights, Alba at Dapper Baby. Shoes, Young Soles.

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River wears moose jumper, Dapper baby. Pyjama bottoms, Atticus & Gilda. Shoes, Young Soles. Lucy wears embroidered dress, Apolina at Olive Loves Alfie. Brown tights, Velveteen. Shoes, Young Soles. Yellow beret, Lala & Pom.

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Lilly wears white nightdress, Forivor. blue slippers, Dapper Baby. Eye mask, Atticus & Gilda.

Lucy wears blue nightdress and red eye mask, Atticus & Gilda. Navy slippers, Dapper Baby.

Velvet & Liberty print quilt on bed, Poppy & Honesty.

Enchanted forest quilted blanket, Forivor. Pressed leaves soft pink blanket, Bonordic. Lion head, Ottie & the Bea. 22

River wears spotty shirt, Small Stories. Knitted tank top, Knit Planet. Check trousers, Sproet & Sprout. Shoes, Young Soles.

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River wears check shirt, Totem. Two tone trousers ands braces, Knit Planet. furry boots, Young Soles.

Lilly wears green leotard, Bonordic. Harlequin tights, Alba at Dapper baby. Pompom hairband, Sesame & Lilly. Boots, Young Soles.

Yellow suitcase and lion head, Ottie & the Bea. Blanket, Bonordic.

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Lucy wears feather crown and white tulle dress, Tutu du Monde. Fur coat, Little Creative Factory. Shoes, Young Soles

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Lilly wears red embroidered dress, Their Nibs. Shoes, Young Soles.

Lucy wears black hooded coat, Little Creative Factory. Red shoes, Young Soles.

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River wears bugs print tee, Sproet & Sprout. Green check jacket, Velveteen. Red trousers, Bobo Choses at Olive Loves Alfie.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe book, Ottie & the Bea

We shot our Narnia story on locartion at Moggerhanger Park in Bedfordshire. A Grade 1 listed Georgian Historic House set in 33 acres of parkland and woodland. There are 23 rooms available to book throughout the year.

Perfect for weddings or big parties.

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LONDON

beautiful children’s nightwear

www.atticusandgilda.co.uk

Set of cases, £24.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Baby alpaca scarf, £88 Oeuf NYC

Soft blocks, £54 Too Many PJ’s

Plum dungaree dress and knickers, £39 Dotty Dungarees

Bag, £16 Anna & Louis

Soft toy, £49 Bonordic

Personalised zodiac book, £22 All by Mama 30

Sleepmask, £20 Atticus & Gilda

Gifts for Girls

Personalised bracelet tin, £5.95 Cotton Twist

Headband, £15 Lala & Pom

Unicorn tutu dress, £38 Cocoon Child

Bee bracelet or hairtie, £6.50 The Lion Sparkles

Gold dress, from €99 Numero 74

Leopard print sweatshirt, £36 Scamp & Dude Umbrella, €9 Djeco

Squirrel hairclips, £6 Rockahula Kids

Padded jacket, £45 Small Stories

Ooh La La beret, £35 Lala & Pom 31

Play ‘n’ Pack, £24.95 Beyond the Stork

Sweatshirt, £25 Cocoon Child

Gloves, £19.99 Olive Loves Alfie

Green waistcoat, £36 Olivier Baby & Kids

Brown fur lined boots, £66 Young Soles

Banana hat & scarf, £33 Indikidual

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Dog print pj’s, £24 Dapper Baby

Wooden car set, £58 Bonordic

Gifts for Boys

Personalised puzzle, £19.99 All by Mama Padded jacket, £98 Olive Loves Alfie

T-shirt, £25 Totem Padded gilet, €85 Bobo Choses

Trousers, £26 Small Stories

Aeroplane pj’s, £28 Their Nibs

Dino slipper boots, £14 Dapper Baby

Bomber jacket, £120 made to order Totem 33

We chat to...

Clemmie Hooper aka Mother of Daughters

About the darker side of social media, how she deals with the trolls and how she stays true to herself.

M

other of Daughters, Clemmie Hooper exploded on to our social media feeds as an inspirational mother of 4 girls giving us an insight into family life as well as her life as a midwife. But with a huge amount of followers come a lot of online abuse, some of which has questioned whether it’s all worth it. I chatted to Clemmie about some of the negative aspects of using social media and how she keeps it real.

LF How long have you been on Instagram and what was your first post?

CH My blog, Gas & Air was my first social media platform. I joined Instagram to use the filters on my photos and I think my first post was Marnie, who is now 7, in a swing. So it was back in 2011 and my username was Midwifey_Hooper.

LF Was it ever your intention to grow into the huge ‘Mother of Daughters brand’ that you are today?

CH Well no, because Instagram was just a place to upload a photo and filter it. I don’t think back them you could even tag a brand! You definitely didn’t have as much space to write a lot of content. I never could have imagined what Instagram would turn into. The word ‘Influencer’ didn’t exist. So for me, Instagram was just about posting maybe one picture a week of family life.

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LF For the most part social media is a positive place full of wonderful connections and community. What has been really positive for you?

CH I think the positives have been the opportunities that i’ve been given through my platform. I have been able to do things like go to Madagascar with Simon (Clemmies Husband AKA Father of Daughters and author of Forever Outnumbered) with WaterAid and Soaper Duper to learn about the projects they are doing out there. And that was lifechanging. I’ve been invited to lovely events, written for magazines such as Red, worked with amazing brands and done some really cool brand partnerships. I’ve got an exciting jewellery collaboration with Rachel Jackson, a British designer who’s jewellery I’ve loved and worn for a few years. We have designed a collection of charms and letters to build onto necklaces and earrings. It’s all about making memories and treasuring jewllery that will last you for ever.

LF As humans we crave validation and that’s when the constant demand for likes/engagement can be dangerous.

When social media works well, it’s a wonderful place to be - but when it doesn’t it can be isolating and can create negative effects. Why do you think social media can cause such low self-esteem and anxiety?

CH In all honesty, I never look at my posts and worry if one post gets less likes than another. I know for example that if I open my post for discussion, it engages

more conversation from my followers and I really enjoy that, it’s a really good way to use the platform. Sometimes I might do a simple post with the twins and it gets a lot of likes because it’s cute, but it’s not a discussion. I try and mix it up and have a bit of both. I’m not constantly needing that validation of ‘is this enough’ or ‘am I doing the right thing’. But I think if I was starting Instagram now, I would definitely feel quite anxious about it. It’s more difficult now. There are so many users and with the algorithms, it’s hard to get noticed or seen. I see my Instagram a little like a magazine. So there’ll be a bit of content or a really engaging discussion and sometimes there’ll be ads that you can scroll past. I think as women we are vulnerable anyway and there’s peaks and troughs - sometimes we feel good and sometimes we feel bad. If you’re putting something out there to create more likes to make yourself feel better, then that doesn’t sit well with me. Sometimes I post a picture that has a deep meaning to it or a serious subject and people will message me with ‘what shade of lipstick are you wearing?’ That can be frustrating. I’m glad there’s a new audience now. Someone said to me the other day it’s like there’s a group of Instagrammers that are like the 6th form and now there’s a group of year 7’s coming in! I love that! If I can say that i’ve helped to encourage women to share their voice or worries then that’s amazing.

LF Two of the really positive movements of social media is the body positivity and maternal mental health

campaigns. We have wonderful women such as Nat (Style Me Sunday), Megan (Bodiposipanda), Claire (Panic The Mother) and Jo (Lobella Loves) who have all been so brave, transparent and raw in their posts and stories. But even these movements have had a backlash.

What is it, do you think, that creates this negativity. Especially around women?

CH I think when you open yourself up in a vulnerable way and open up an emotive subject like mental health or body issues, you’re always going to have people that want to pull you apart. The sad thing is that the women who are the most vulnerable and the ones who are the most brave are often the ones that get unfairly targeted. The thing is with Nat (Style Me Sunday), she is so strong and at a place where she’s so confident with her body that I actually don’t think anything that anyone says to her affects her. She has completely unpeeled herself and been the rawest she can be, so noone can take her down. I have felt like this in the past when i’ve shared myself in a bikini. I’ve shown every part of me - you can call me fat, but those comments aren’t going to affect me. I think mental health is harder as it’s not visual and everyones mental health is different and more complex. It’s good to see qualified mental health experts who are mums such as @mumologist and @thepsychologymum who are using Instagram as a place to share advice. But the question of why women in particular are so negative towards other women; a while ago I had a DM from someone that was particularly nasty. I didn’t respond but I was so angry that this person had ruined my day. A few hours later she wrote me another message to apologise.

She’d had a really bad day, her and her husband were going through a rough patch and she was finding motherhood really hard so she had taken it out on me. I engaged with her and thanked her for being so honest and we had a lovely conversation. So I think those really nasty comments can sometimes come from a really deep and unhappy place.

LF Which brings me on to trolls and you’ve had your fair share of them!

“I don’t ever want to offend anyone but I also have to remember that it isn’t my job to make people happy” I’ve always admired the way you deal with the negativity. You try to be as transparent as possible but as someone with a huge following, do you feel a huge responsibility to ensure there is 1.) no misinformation and 2.) you’re as true to yourself as you can be?

CH That’s a really good question.

When you put information out there I have to remember that I’m also a professional so I always hope that I can behave in a professional way. I would hate for anyone to think otherwise. Steph Douglas from Don’t Buy Her Flowers, gave me some really good advice when I was starting Instagram and she said as long as you feel that what you are writing is true to yourself and is as factually correct as you know - although obviously we all make mistakes. But if you believe

that what you put out there is coming from a good place, then I don’t think you can go wrong. But also, I don’t want an echo chamber of ‘Love you hon, you’re amazing’. I want people to ask and question and challenge. So yes, I do feel a responsibility but also i’m not a public service announcement and I am going to get things wrong sometimes. I don’t ever want to offend anyone but I also have to remember that it isn’t my job to make people happy. The information I give as a midwife obviously has to be evidence based research and within current NHS guidelines in the UK, that is always very clear. So if people ask me questions like ‘what’s your opinion on co-sleeping?’ it’s really difficult for me to answer because as a midwife we have to adhere to our code of conduct’. I didn’t co-sleep with the twins as they were a bit prem and I was 35

so terrified because the risk factor was higher. But I do really enforce this is not about me. Sometimes that’s the problem with having a lot of followers, people see you as the ‘oracle of all answers’. But there’s a wealth of information out there and I always advise people to research all the information and then make an informed choice.

LF What do you think of the whole idea of reverse trolling - so when someone challenges you or doesn’t agree with a post, some followers are quick to label them as a troll and the whole comment thread becomes a slanging match. How do you think we can deal with this to enable healthy discussions and debate?

CH To me a troll is someone who sets up a fake account, has no followers, doesn’t post anything and just uses the account to post nasty things to get a reaction. Sometimes I get DMs from these people and I just block them straight away. If I have a few spikey comments i’ll leave them for a bit to reflect and then come back to it. But when someone challenges me and other followers get nasty, that’s when I step in and try to diffuse it. It seems like sometimes it goes round in circles. People say ‘well this is my opinion’, ‘but I don’t like your opinion’ etc!! Ricky Gervais says it perfectly. He gets sucked in to Twitter rows about his jokes as they can be a bit offensive. But what he says is that the problem with free speech now is noone wants to offend anyone, but

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you will always offend people. He is very clever how he describes it and actually I think he’s right. It’s about having healthy interesting debates and I welcome debate because as a midwife, i’m really interested in hearing about womens birth stories and their midwife stories - good and bad.

LF There are certain online forums where we have seen some particularly nasty comments and slurs. How have you dealt with these comments in the past? Do you deal with them differently now from when you had your first one?

CH The first ones are definitely the worst because it’s hard to hear. But not everyone is going to like you and I totally accept that. But I still can’t fathom why someone would tell you something really horrible about yourself. There’s many women and men in the media that I don’t particularly like. But I would never go on their feed and say that I think they’re an idiot or that their kids names are awful! I guess the more negative things you read about yourself, the more they start to flow into each other especially when they’re saying the same old thing. It’s harder when people bring the kids into it because my maternal protection kicks in. I’ve had comments like ‘your kids are gonna sue you when they grow up’ or ‘why do your twins still have a bottle of milk at night, you’re going to ruin their teeth’. I don’t really get personal comments about my appearance, apart from sometimes people call me fat. But that doesn’t bother me as I feel very comfortable in my own skin.

It’s when it becomes really personal, like questioning how many days a week I work as a midwife for example. It’s funny how some people can’t see success. People need to remember that nothing happens over night. I blogged for 4 years before a publisher saw it and asked if I wanted to write a book. I didn’t join Instagram a year ago. It takes years of hard work. I’m not putting content out there just to gain more and more followers because the more followers you get the more haters you get. Honestly, sometimes I wish I only had a thousand followers! I recently shared a post that Natasha Bailie wrote about online forums taking responsibility

for nasty threads. I had private messages from people who were too scared to comment on the post. They felt silenced and bullied. That really shocked me. I was once told that on a particular online forum, it’s good for advertisers if my name is mentioned along with a few other people, as they get their biggest hits and spikes. Basically they’re making money off the back of women being torn apart.

It’s not right for online forums to sit back and let them run and run. There doesn’t seem to be much policing around them.

LF Anyone who has children knows how isolating / lonely and sometimes frightening being a new mum can be. You along with many other ‘instamums’ have helped countless mums gain confidence and feel that they’re not so alone. In those sleep deprived anxiety ridden months, Instagram can be a life saver. Is this something that keeps you going?

CH It gives me reassurance knowing that i’m helping people. So if someones DMs me and says your book really helped me or your post about body positivity or about acne gave me confidence, I feel I am doing something really good for these women. It would be very selfish of me to just want it all for myself. After all, it is my followers who have given me the opportunity to work with brands. I did a post the other day that said I wish someone had said to me that it’s ok to say you were really bored and unfulfilled today and that cleaning weetabix off a high chair can feel degrading. Maybe then I wouldn’t have internalized it and thought I couldn’t moan about being a mother. But actually of course you can. I had comments on that post from people saying thank you I needed to hear that today or yes it’s like groundhog day and that it’s ok to not enjoy it all of the time.

LF So what about the whole hashtag Ad backlash?

Simon and I pick our ads really carefully and I honesty turn down about 9 out of 10 ads that we are offered because they don’t fit for us. And these are paid ads

offering lots of money. I actually don’t think i’m as good at doing ads as a lot of others out there. And i’m happy to admit that. Sometimes I look back and think the content doesn’t sound like me! Simon does ads really well and so does Anna (Mother Pukka). Simon is very funny and he stays within his tone. Influencers can make a lot of money, but that’s not what i’m about. Instagram isn’t my full time job. I have that exciting collaboration we discussed earlier, I have a podcast that I’m starting soon, I have my books, my actual job as a midwife. Instagram is just one branch of my tree. When the Disney ad came in we deliberated over it for ages.

We would only do it if it was during half term as we would never take the kids out of school and as Disney is a massive family brand we felt that we could get it right. I feel it went down really well and we had lots of engagement and above all else, the kids absolutely loved it!

LF My kids are older now and hate me posting about them on Instagram.

How do you feel about your own children on Instagram and the effects social media can have on teenagers as a whole? Do you feel it is just the world we live in today - or is it something that worries you as your kids get older?

CH I don’t really put up anything about the older kids anymore. But with Disney we had to explain to them that this is what we are doing and there will have to be some filming and some photos, and we asked them if they were happy with that? They approve everything Simon posts as we would never want them to be unhappy with anything we post. My eldest wants an Instagram account and we have said no. She has an old iPhone she uses for Snapchat, which we monitor plus she loves YouTube. But when she’s at senior school she’s allowed to take a phone for safety. We have rules about what we post about our children on Instagram and we would never post anything about their school or pics of them in their school uniform. I would never post a photo of them in swimwear and I don’t like to post a photo of the

older girls on their own, I’d rather an adult be in it with them. In fact Anna (Mother Pukka) did a great blog post about child safety online (linked here). I would never geo-tag where they are and I respect that they’re coming into teenage years and they have their own opinions.

It’s interesting because lots of my followers have older children and have asked me to discuss the teenage years and how to cope with things like periods and mood swings etc but it’s very difficult to talk about. My oldest has a laptop for homework and I don’t want to stand over her, I want her to be able to use it. But we have this rule that whatever she’s looking at online, she has to think would she be comfortable if there was an adult standing behind her. But they are very curious and i’m very open, we talk a lot about everything because I want her to know real information about things like how babies are conceived rather than finding out through Instagram or Snapchat!

LF We all know that social media can be addictive and a quick look at the app can lead to hours of lost time watching stories and scrolling through the feed! We all want a healthy balance between real life and phonetime - but it’s often a slippery slope. Do you feel you have that balance right and if you

do - any tips?

CH Yes I do. I don’t have a set time when I post. Simon does, but I don’t. I’m a bit more sporadic and in the moment.

So I’ll post and then put my phone away and don’t look at it. I don’t have any notifications on as that would drive me mad! I might then go back a couple of hours later, but because I am quite busy I don’t have time to sit on Instagram. I have started to get back into books and this has really changed my phone habit, so in bed for example i’m reading books again and it feels like a luxury. I also listen to a lot of podcasts which stops me scrolling.

LF What does the future hold for MOD? Any plans for more books or TV? I’m going to start a podcast hopefully this year. I love podcasts so i’m really excited to launch. I’m supposed to also be writing a third book but haven’t started yet. So it’s going to be a busy year.

I can’t wait to hear more. Thanks to Clemmie for being so open and warm.

Follow her on Instagram @mother_of_ daughters. And click here to buy her latest book, How to Grow A Baby Journal. To shop the jewellery collection visit www. racheljacksonlondon.com 37

Ginger moons biscuit kit, £8.99 Foodini Club Yellow romper, £44 Olivier Baby & Kids

Stripy bodysuit, £28 Organic Zoo

Wooden rattle, £9.90 Beyond the Stork

Yes No gloves, €32 Bobo Choses

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Olive oil rescue balm, £22 Olive loves Alfie

Gardening gift set, £30 Denys & Fielding

Super Moko toy, £26 Olive Loves Alfie

Wobbel board, £135 Ottie & the Bea

Unisex

Leggings, £29 Scamp & Dude

YES jumper, €59 Bobo Choses

Knitwear set, £35 Small Stories

Yoof Sweatshirt, £22.95 Lella

Stripy top, £18 Dotty Dungarees

Duck sweatshirt, £49 Mini Rodini at Dapper Baby

Monogrammed cashmere blanket, £125 Calf & Co

Hand illustrated playmat, £69 Gather & Co

Superpower sweatshirt, £28 Organic Zoo

Slim jyms, £30 The Bright Company

Bugs cardigan, €69.95 Sproet & Sprout 39

Hazel village dolls, £42 each Ottie & the Bea

Basket bag, £45 Olive Loves Alfie

Stripe tee, £22 Piupia

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Deer print leggings, £26 Cocoon Child

Kindness Charity sweater, £26 The Kindness Co-op

Bamboo tableware set, £24 Bonordic

Pass-A-Ball Project ball, £25 ToyDrop

Necklace bag, €12 Easy Peasy

Baby romper, £45 Olive Loves Alfie

Ethical

Fur booties, £52 Amy & Ivor

Baby booties, £44 Olive Loves Alfie

Alphabet sweat, £55 kids £75 adults, i.should.b

Organic cotton romper, £37 Organic Zoo

Island sweatshirt, £28 Small Stories

FSC certified wooden rhino, £30 ToyDrop

100% vegan bamboo toothbrush, £3.99 Small Stuff

Miffy doll, £22 ToyDrop

Toddler quilt, £45 Dilli Grey 41

photo credit @mylittlewildlings

10 of the Best

2.

€29.95 Sproet & Sprout

1. £25 Olive

Keep those little heads warm with our pick of the best winter hats

Loves Alfie

3.

£49.50 Jam Boutique

4. £16.95 Dapper Baby 5. £30 Lala & Pom

6. £29 Lala & Bea

7. €32 Bobo Choses

8. £22 Organic Zoo

10. £29.95 Olive Loves Alfie

9.

£42 Olivier Baby & Kids 43

Never get lost in the crowd. www.thelionsparkles.com Stand Out Accessories for Women and Children who don't blend in. @thelionsparkles 45

e q u i n o x Photographer & Stylist: Zoe Davies 46

Blue knitted vest, Bobo Choses.

Caramel velvet culottes, Milk & Biscuits. Socks, The Animals

Hair Stylist - Gemma Robertson-Spary. Model - Sienna Lenton @ Bonnie and Betty

Observatory. Boots, Chapter 2.

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Jumper, Pull & Bear. Pleated skirt, Milk & Biscuits. Socks The Animals Observatory.

Shoes as before.

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This page: Cats & dogs blouse, Milk & Biscuits. Skirt, Wolf & Rita. Shoes. Chapter 2 Overleaf: Plaid frill blouse and shimmer culottes, Milk & Biscuits.

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Cats and dogs blouse, Milk & Biscuits. Blue knitted vest, Bobo Choses. Pleated skirt with braces, Milk & Biscuits. Shoes, Chapter 2.

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Blouse, as before. Furry gilet, Milk & Biscuits

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54

55

Organic cotton skittles, €50 Numero 74

Globe, £69 Beyond the Stork

Magic drawing board, £27.95 The Kindness Co-op

Mammoth pull along, £37.90 Beyond the Stork

Construction cones, £16.99 Ottie & the Bea

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Play shop, £168.95 Scandiborn

Tiger puzzle, £12 Om Baby

Soft blocks, £54 Too Many Pj’s

Abacus, £45.95 Scandiborn

Poodle, €29 Jellycat

Toys

Dolls house family, £26 Ottie & the Bea

Wicker pram, £78 Olive Loves Alfie

Art blocks, £22 Small Stuff

Swing, £159 Beyond the Stork

Stacking koala, £35 Bonordic

Dolls bed, £72 Bonordic

Personalised tool box, £32.99 All by Mama

Banjolele, £32 ToyDrop

Woodland doll, £15.95 Lapin & Me 57

Leopard print hooded onesie, £59 Dapper Baby

Bunny rattle, £16 Bonordic

9 months babygrow, £25 Lazy Baby

Blanket, £19-£25 Mama Designs

Quilted overall, €98 Little Creative Factory

Hedgehog playsuit, £18.90 Dinosaurs & Daffodils 58

Bib, €15.95 Sproet & Sprout

Cloud jumper, £45 Anna & Louis

Flamingo toy, £17 Beyond the Stork

Baby

Pompom socks, €12.95 Sproet & Sprout

Heart romper, £38 Om Baby

Moon print romper, £28 Organic Zoo

Nutcracker babygrow, £20 Their Nibs Cashmere bonnet, £36 Olivier Baby & Kids

Gentle hair & body wash, £11.99 Baby Bare Bubbles

Crepe bloomers, £31 Piupia

Baby alpaca feminist body, £73 Oeuf NYC

Musical mobile, £32 Olive Loves Alfie 59

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Baby Bare Bubbles We chat to Nicole from Baby Bare Bubbles

about her beautiful new baby skincare products

When babies come along, it’s suddenly so important to want to protect their delicate skin and keep them safe from nasties. Baby Bare Bubbles are free from parabens, artificial colours, SLSs & mineral oils.

These gentle products only contain natural ingredients that are cruelty-free, dermatologically tested and mild and safe for the skin. Even newborns. We spoke to the creator, Nicole about how she developed these products and their special secret ingredient...

bold, and cartoon-like, I wanted to create something timeless and more traditional, taking me back to my childhood days.

The main ingredient is Dandelion inspired by your Grandfather. Can you tell us the benefits of this ingredient and why you decided to use it?

The definition of the scientific name for Dandelion is ‘official remedy for disorders’ which only goes to

show the healing properties that it contains. Dandelion goes back centuries when it was used in Egypt and Arabia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as well as Indian Ayurvedic healing. Rich in Vitamin A, C, B6 and K. It is high in fibre, calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium and zinc. It is known for treating eczema and other skin conditions without the risks caused by pharmaceutical skin treatments.

My Grandfather obviously didn’t go into this much detail but all of his

The first thing I notice when I look at the products by Baby Bare Bubbles is the packaging. Nostalgic and traditional, the beautiful illustrations on the natural coloured packaging gives a feeling of calmness without even opening the bottle! Was this intentional and something you planned when creating the products?

It was very much intentional. The packaging of baby products seems so 62

Dandelion Dream Bubble Bath, Shampoo and Body wash.

Dandelion Dream Moisturiser

“The first set of

to you to include the personal aspect to the brand?

samples were spot

To be honest no, when I started this, the idea was that the story wouldn’t be about me and the boys. I always found the press component really hard with my mother’s brand and didn’t want to bring that into our lives. Then, as I started working on the products everything about them was the boys and was me. I couldn’t not make it personal because without that they were nothing, so we went from one extreme to other. Now I am comfortable with the decision, but it was a tough one to make!

on. I burst into tears when I smelt them because they were exactly what I was looking for!” thoughts on the healing properties stuck in my mind and it was the first ingredient to be discussed.

was the process of finding just the right fragrance and how did you decide on the final one?

You have twin boys and as a mother myself, I know how important it becomes to protect our childrens delicate skin. How much did your boys inspire you to start Baby Bare Bubbles?

The whole project almost didn’t go forward because of the fragrance. I was so set in what I wanted and we just couldn’t get it right. In the end I found this amazing fragrance house in Grasse, the home of perfume and they worked with me to create exactly what I wanted and the first set of samples were spot on. I just burst into tears when I smelt them because it was exactly what I was looking for.

They are the only inspiration for the brand, without them it never would have started. I wanted to design something for them. Every stage has been tested on them, from the very first samples to the final product.

Can you tell us a bit about your background in the beauty industry and how your knowledge has shaped what Baby Bare Bubbles has become? Was it an easy transition to make?

Your heart and soul has gone into creating Baby Bare Bubbles. So much so that you have even shared poems on the packaging that you wrote for your own children. Was it important

Your first products are a bubble bath hair and body wash and a moisturiser. Are there any other products that you want to develop in the future?

Absolutely, we are already working on a massage oil for Spring next year and I have lots more ideas for the future, but it is so important to me that we grow organically and not rush too fast, so one step at a time. The next couple of months are hugely important to us and the future of the brand. Fingers crossed we finish the year off as planned.

We’re so excited to follow Baby Bare Bubbles on their journey. To buy the moisturiser and shampoo and body wash, visit their website at www.babybarebubbles.com

I helped my Mother start her brand Carol Joy London, over 10 years ago.

I worked in every area from product development to packaging, design and marketing, through to sales. It was incredibly special and gave me the knowledge to start my own brand. The transition was easy, everyone seems a lot gentler in the baby world than the beauty industry, which shouldn’t really be a surprise. I was lucky to have met some great people whilst at Carol Joy who were able to help me put my products together.

The smell of the products was extremely important to you when developing the range. How difficult 63

Superfox book, £8.99 Bax & Bay

Wooden till, £43.95 Scandiborn

Bunny set, £45 Jam Boutique 64

Legwarmers, £19 Knit Planet

Musical mobile, £33.95 Scandiborn

Water bottle, £12 Rockahula Kids

Chiming pregnancy necklace, £34 Blooming Lovely Jewellery

Baby’s first book, £40 Olive Loves Alfie

Strong girls club sweat, £24 Mutha Hood

Under £50

Animal print beret, £14 Rockahula Kids

Musical instrument set, £28 Toydrop

Skirt with braces, £40 Nellie Quats

Necklace £8 Lala & Pom

Luggy basket, £45 Ottie & the Bea

Crochet peas in a pod £35 Jam Boutique

Doctors set, £24.95 Scandiborn

Hairband, £12 Rockahula Kids

Fleece gloves, £19 Olive Loves Alfie

Print, £15 Sarah Lovell Art 65

Whale, £99 Big Stuffed @ Scandiborn

Dancing Cat & Mouse set, £62.50 Olive Loves Alfie

Wooden teepee, £399 Cottage Toys

Scooter, £340 Ottie & the Bea 66

Giant Pegasus quilted blanket, £154 Forivor

Travel set, £75 Atticus & Gilda

Wow blanket, £79 Tullibee

Over £50

Rocking elephant, £69.95 Cottage Toys

Workbench, £65 Toydrop

Circus shelf, £105 Ottie & the Bea

Liberty print quilt, from £95 Poppy & Honesty

Banana coat, £82 Indikidual

Fox rider trike, £150 Cottage Toys

Self inflating bed, £199.99 Bundle Beds

Edinburgh Castle dress, £58.50 Palava

Baby gift set, £55 No+Mi 67

The future of sleeping over, sleeping out, camping & adventures...

Bundle Beds come complete with a deceptively slim but super-comfortable selfinflating mattress, a built in luxury duvet & pillow and super cosy sheets to provide a great night’s sleep. Whether kids are sleeping over, or you’ve got the whole family coming to stay for Christmas, you’re fully prepared with a Bundle Bed close to hand.

www.bundlebeds.com Search Bundle Beds!

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Interiors

Too Many Pj’s Is there even such a thing?.. No is the answer, not at this time of year. What we really love about Too Many PJ’s is their balance of cute, with creativity. The Space Age baby blanket, scattered with detailed illustrations that your little one tire of too soon. In beautiful hand screen printed organic fabrics, you can relax knowing your little one is genuinely loving rolling around on their blanket.

I mean, wouldn’t you?! If you can’t abide the predictable Ikea road map rugs, you need to check out Too Many PJ`s for playmates that will ignite your little ones imagination, without being a cumbersome piece that takes over your living room space.

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Poppy & Honesty There`s something significantly comforting in a Liberty print. That security, it’s heritage. So beautiful. Poppy and Honesty handmake each piece within their collection using classic fabrics in stunning timeless prints. The rich tones bring an element of decadence to your home. I am in love with their William Morris collection, those prints combined with velvet is a gorgeous combination.

These Wall Decals have details in layers that really draw you in. Each character, their expression and the use of colour allures you to imagine, a story, a dream, what a gorgeous piece of art to have as a child in your room, your play space. To just sit, look at, look within, seeing something different than you did the last time. New to Mini Wallers are also these gorgeous hooks above and wooden garlands. Gorgeous for kids rooms.

Written by Donna Tweedale

Mini Wallers

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Interiors

Olive loves Alfie With a huge selection of homewear to choose from, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Olive Loves Alfie. With ranges including furniture, bedding, rugs, storage, prints, lighting and wallpaper, and with sustainability at its core. This is the place to go to discover some truly lovely items for your childrens rooms.

Beyond the Stork Beyond The Stork search tirelessly to source such interesting pieces for your home, with their design being as important as their function. A huge range, and I mean huge of pieces to select, to instil an element of adventure in your children’s rooms.

From wallpaper, to light fixtures and all in between.

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Nutmeg Wall Art Sometimes wallpaper just feels like a huge commitment, fuss. Particularly if you are in rented and it’s too much of an investment. But you still want to make your home feel like your home.

Express your personality, personal taste and make your space fun. Nutmeg create wall stickers that can be removed with no mess. Created in clean lines, a huge range with something for any home, for occasions, or for long term. They’re so clever!

Scandiborn Everything that you scroll past on Scandiborn you want to touch. It’s so much easier to shop online when everything is categorised so efficiently and the imagery is so clear that you know exactly what will arrive, no suprises. Scandiborn’s concept has every base covered. They’ve thought of everything, your whole lifestyle as a parent. How you don’t need to compromise on design for your child’s space to work for them, for you as a family.

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Interiors

Lala & Bea Oh I do love a herringbone. I love a rainbow herringbone even more. The award winning Lala and Bea have a gorgeous range of products for you both to enjoy, tucking up chilly toes in pushchairs or rolling on in the summer months and cosying up with on a movie night. These blankets will last you years!

Bundle Beds Say goodbye to lumpy air beds that deflate by moring and welcome in the Bundle Bed. Self inflating, so no need to spend ages trying to find the attachment, with a built in duvet. Then in reverse (and just as quick), it gets zipped, rolled, clipped and you’re done! And of course it’s durable, washable and practical. These are a must have for camping and sleepovers in any household!

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Willa and the Bear Going back to basics, Willa and The Bear take the essence of children’s bedding back to the fundamentals, adorable and innocent. Their manufacturing processes embrace the traditional methods through their long standing relationship with Nepal and the UK. The detail that goes into each blanket and quilt is beautiful.

Bonordic There’s something hugely captivating about the aesthetic of Scandinavian design. The minimal lines, clean materials and attention to detail come together to create timeless interesting pieces.

From storage to soft furnishings Bonordic have a gorgeous selection of pieces that work with each other in a cohesive style, tone. We particularly love this new pear storage box which is perfect for storing anything from soft toys to blankets. .

Calf & Co Calf & Co offer a range of gifts for babies and children as well as sumptuous cashmere gifts for new parents. Whether it is one of their cashmere blankets or a monogrammed cushion all the gifts are sent with the same attention to detail. Calf & Co believe that everyone deserves a little luxury in life and this mongrammed mummy and baby elephant are a luxury we’d love to have!

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brands that take you off the beaten track to source pieces with a story behind them. Longevity. You have some key pieces around your home that have some great stories behind them, Tell us about your favourites?

Interiors Chat

with Erica Davies Written by Donna Tweedale

We only have to mention that ‘Green Stair Runner’ and you’ll probably know who we’re talking about. Erica Davies is known for her love of fashion and interiors and after moving out of the city to the country last year, she has transformed her new home with period style features synonymous with her love of print, colour and sense of fun. Erica took some time to chat with us at Little Flea about her passion for interiors...

Erica, through your posts on Instagram and over on your blog The Edited, you share very clear ideas of what you want and the directions you want to take your house in. Where do you find your inspiration from? And how do you even begin to get the ball rolling with implementing them?

I am very decisive, so I generally have an idea for a scheme in my head and it doesn’t take me long to think about 76

where to go with it. I’m not afraid of colour and so love mixing up tones or patterns - and often think about decorating a room in the same way as I would about putting an outfit together. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places: a stay in a hotel, a gorgeous cushion or even a book cover!

I guess I am always looking for inspiration, so I look at everything!

At Little Flea we’re all about championing the small independents, the

Yes, I love the thrill of the find. I am a huge junk shop and eBay fan - in fact, my dream day out would involve going somewhere with LOADS of secondhand furniture shops! Some of my favourite pieces have come with me from home to home, including crystal door handles that were in my grandma’s house, a couple of my grandpa’s paintings and an old linen cupboard that I now have in my bedroom. I will get a bee in my bonnet about something and won’t stop till I have tracked it down - and if it’s from an independent shop, even better! I found a fab green vintage cupboard on eBay - and also a pair of old German cocktail chairs which I reupholstered. One of my favourite recent buys was a piece of art by Alex May Hughes, who creates amazing old-fashioned typographical art. She recreated a pane of etched glass that’s in a door at my parents’ home, which says ‘family department.’ I wanted my own ‘family department’ in our new house, so asked her to create something for me. I love it and love the fact I can pass it down to my children.

Your home is just that, a home, that your family enjoys. You have the balance nailed. Any tips and secrets you can share with us on how to marry the practical comfort with the stylish furnishings?

Thank you so much, I am always so flattered when visitors come and curl up on the sofa, or stroke things - I love that my home makes them feel at home!

Really I just want my children to grow up somewhere that’s bright and fun and stimulates their own creativity. I would say it comes down to not being too precious about things - yoghurt WILL come off the sofa, knocks and scuffs WILL make things look more lived in and comfortable.

So, any more plans for the house?

Your Pinterest boards must be overflowing! Are they filling up with ideas for the next section of the renovations?

We have SO much more to do!! We are just about to start the children’s tv room and our home office, then next year we will be saving up to start the bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs. I have so many plans - saved boards on Pinterest AND

Leopard dress, £69 Olive Loves Alfie

on Instagram - the visual inspiration never stops!

Thanks so much Erica, we can’t wait to see what’s next! Visit Erica’s blog at www. the-edited.com or on Instagram at @erica_davies

Below, Erica has picked her top 5 items from our Little Flea brands, We knew there would be some leopard print in there somewhere!

Toddler quilts, £45 Dilli Grey

Liberty print bird mobile, £42 Willa & Bobbin

Personalised A3 print., £23.95 Lella

Star print blanket, £75 Lala & Bea 77

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Mama Flea

Rainbow hoodie, £45 Bax & Bay

Pink lemonade tee, £27 Mutha Hood

Gosoaky raincoat, £150 Olive Loves Alfie

Personalised holdall, £40 All By Mama

Strong Girls Club necklace, £43 Mutha Hood Pyjama set, £28 Their Nibs

Care package, £55 Miniboo gifts 80

Mother of Daughters initial & charms necklace, £260 Rachel Jackson London

Clutch, £18 Parent Apparel

Changing bag, £65 For the Love of Mum Memory book, £45 Bonordic Ten Years Young backpack, €96 Bobo Choses

The Bonnie Mob jumper, £109.95 For the Love of Mum

Silver changing bag, £140 Tiba + Marl

Send Gin tote bag, £14.95 This Mama Does

Sweatshirt, £30.95 Lella

Stay wild sweat, £45 Lala & Bea

Silver plated pregnancy necklace, £25 Blooming Lovely Jewellery

Nappy clutch, £10 Mama Designs

Pyjama set, £52 Beyond the Stork 81

e

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Fashion

F

ashion is going through a pivotal phase right now. The impact of social media, Influencers on our shopping habits , the ‘must have’ mentality and THAT Stacey Dooley documentary ‘Fashions Dirty Secrets’. The tide is shifting and more women are beginning to appreciate the power of adopting a capsule wardrobe. Donna Tweedale tells her clients to invest the lion share of their budget in a great piece of denim, knitwear, a couple of great quality basics and a classic coat to give a strong base, a backbone to work with where they can then add

accessories and texture to introduce trends.

Of course this depends on You, Your personal style, what You love. Whether you like to pull it back and keep things minimal or go all out.

There’s some great pieces on the high street that you can get inspiration from and Donna has pulled together some looks on the following pages from both high street as well as innovative small independent brands. She advises you to look at what you already have in your wardrobe that could work in a similar way or that you can add to with these suggested pieces.

By Donna Tweedale

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Check Traditional, Plaid, Buffalo. From co-ords to separates, check is having a moment. If the colours are kept simple and the silhouettes classic, these will last. If you feel like you’re verging on Rupert Bear vibes pull the tones back to neutrals. The thread of the pattern subtle. Or be bold and mix up the check, mix different size of check and clash the print. But keep mindful on the tones you team them with.

Red plaid wool scarf, £59 & Other Stories

Cashmere burgundy box knit, £150 Genevieve Sweeney

Buffalo plaid jacket, £86 Warehouse

Vegan leather skinnies, £35 Manifesto Woman

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Addict trainers, £225 Ash at Hush

mate A shirt dress is hugely wearable, over skinny jeans, with boots, trainers. Layer with knitwear and scarves for these mid Autumn Winter days. Ideal for breastfeeding too, easy access but still feeling wrapped up.

Grey check scarf, £59 & Other Stories

Check shirt dress, £39.99 Zara

Vegan cherry red boots, £135 Dr Martens

Cream cardigan, £36 TopShop

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you're gonna There’s a whole lot of animal print on the high street, the school run’s like a safari these days. From leopard to zebra to snake and croc! So if print is your bag, go for it. Mix it up, but consider textures, If you’re mixing them, then try to keep the print to a minimum and subtle, maybe look to animal print within a colour. Or add an element of animal print through an accessory to dip your toe in. There are some beautiful silk scarves that you can use in your hair, loosely tie a pony tail, a cute neck scarf or even tie onto the strap of a plain tote, just to add a little detail. Or this leopard beret would look perfect with a plain wool coat. It’s an easy way to introduce detail with little commitment.

Blue mohair knit, £120 Studio B

Leopard beret, £35 Lala & Pom

Faux fur coat, £390 Arket

Tiger print scarf, £80 Rixo

Knee-high boots, £250 Arket Green leopard print skirt, £139.99 Whistles 86

hear me roar If you want to go all out with the print, and fully embrace the trend from head to toe. Why not. But I would be tempted to keep the textures simple as well as the silhouettes. The pieces you choose create a relaxed silhouette, and it`s the print that`s the main event. Soften the sleeves on the shirt, by rolling them back to expose the inner wrist, and wear the shirt neckline open to soften the shape and layer some delicate fine jewellery, or a statement with one of these Cult Of Youth Beauties. One or the other, colour and texture. Or bold clashes of prints.

Snake belt, £29.99 Zara Zebra print shirt, £29.99 Zara

Black cardigan, £110 Hush

Crystal chain, £35 Cult of Youth

Leopard backpack, £398 All Saints

Croc Western boots, £175 Jigsaw

Blue wash mum jeans, £25.99 Zara

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tone and I love to experiment with layering and proportion. To do that effectively, and allow the mixing of textures to be the main event try and stay within a similar tone of colour. Whether that`s a neutral tone or a block of colour it can really pack a punch. The key is in the detail. This knit is so soft and layered over a piece that would be considered ordinarily an occasion piece gives an edge to the mixture of the material. The sultry fluidity of the satin like fabric of the Ricia dress, with a chunky knit layered on top is a really relevant combination. Doing this will give you more enjoyment from your occasion wear, and will feel comfortable but feel good. Also. With the smart little moves Ricia has made within the tailoring of their pieces, you can lift your knit and get easy access to feed your babe through the dress, with no palava.

Red knit, £69.99 Arket

Blush maxi dress, £350 Ricia

Leopard socks, £18 Anthropologie

White trainers, €99 Veja Pink wool coat, £49.99 H&M

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texture To wear darker tones doesn’t need to include head to toe black. Black can sometimes be a little harsh, look to rich earthy tones to dress darker but softer. Browns, Greys, Khaki’s and Burgundy. Don`t be afraid to mix these tones up together. Play with hem lengths, proportion. Layer. Smalls have some gorgeous merino wool base layers that are in rich neutrals that if you get a glimpse of them peeking through under a shorter hem length top, they’re a deliberate layer. A considered choice and functional. Enjoy layering as we move into winter, easier to regulate your body temperatures in natural fabrics, wools, merino, cottons. Play with proportions, silhouettes created by pieces and invest in classic, simple lines that you won’t tire of. Minimal does not mean dull. Far from it. Invest in pieces with these characteristics. They’ll serve you well. Not just this season, but every season.

Bum Bag (to be worn crossbody), £55 Tiba + Marl

Boxy sweater, £45 Arket

Merino wool scarf, £55 Arket

Pleated grey wool trousers, £89 Cos

White shoes, £79 John Lewis

Khaki coat with removable vest, £699 InAvati at Wolf & Badger

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Kimba Kids The new kids clothing range

by Kimberley Walsh

F

rom Girls Aloud to a career in acting, Kimberley Walsh is the darling of entertainment. With her infectious smile and beautful persona, Kimberley has won many a heart of the British public not least when she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2012. She now is married with two sons

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and has turned her hand to designing kidwear. This new venture is a family affair as Kimberley and her brother Adam collaborated together to create an exciting new collection called Kimba Kids. We chat to Kimberley about how it all came about and what it was really like to work with her brother!

Wow Kimberley you are a woman of many talents and are juggling many plates from your acting career to launching a kidswear range, to being a mum. How do you find the right balance?

It’s always hard finding the perfect balance for any working mum but at the moment I’m really happy with the balance I have. The majority of time I have is spent with the boys, but I still manage to do the project I’m really passionate about. Launching Kimba Kids has been a challenge but a lot of my work can be done when the boys are in bed which is great!

How did Kimba Kids come about

and why did you start it?

I decided to create my own brand with my brother Adam as I found the market for kids clothing to be lacking when I was buying for my own boys. My brother is a managing directing of a clothing company which is involved with both design and manufacturing, so it was a natural partnership. He was also really passionate about creating and developing the brand and it was great to work with someone who cares as much as I do about Kimba Kids.

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Motherhood is challenging on so many levels. I feel like my boys test me every single day, but at the same time I love getting to know them more each day and seeing their little personalities develop

It must have been interesting working with a family member. Do you and your brother have particular strengths that compliment each other and that help you work together?

Being a mum is wonderful but can be hard too. What is your favourite part about motherhood and are there any parts that you find challenging?

single day, but at the same time I love getting to know them more each day and seeing their little personalities develop. They’re great company and make me laugh out loud every day without fail.

My brother and I very much have our own strengths. He is extremely experienced in the design and manufacturing process and knows what works commercially. I have really strong ideas and I am heavily involved in the design too, but also use my knowledge as a mum to make sure all the pieces are comfortable and easy to wear. There are no fussy bottoms or tight necks as I know how tricky kids can be and kids love nothing more than to dress themselves.

Motherhood is challenging on so many levels. I feel like my boys test me every

Are there any plans for a third child?

The prints are so cute. Was it a bit of a learning curve developing them or did you know exactly what you wanted?

I really wanted lots of colour in the range and lots of fun prints. The coloured camo print developed quite organically and the other prints were literally drawn and developed from ideas I had in my head.

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I love children so I could definitely see more in our future. Justin may need some convincing though!

You are a special guest in the Christmas Spectacular show in London and Birmingham – can you tell us a bit about it?

It’s going to be such a lovely warm, family show full of all the favourites everyone loves to hear at Christmas. I absolutely love Christmas and everything about it, so for me being able to combine singing with Christmas is literally a dream job!

What’s next for Kimba Kids and your plans for the future?

We’re currently finishing our collection for SS19 which we’re really excited about! It’s come together so easily this time and I love how it’s looking so far.

I hope to continue to find the right balance between motherhood and work and just carry on doing the jobs I love.

Well we think Kimberley is doing a fantastic job. Thanks for talking to us!

For more information on the collection visit www.kimbakidsclothing.com

Kimberleys own children Bobby (left) and Cole (right) are seen here modelling the collection. What beautiful boys!

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We Love

We love... the wonderful illustrated pieces from Totem. Each collection sees a collaboration with a different artist and this season is with the wonderful Rob Flowers.

The brand is an eco, fair trade, non gender specific kid’s wear label for ages 2 – 10 years old and seeks to engage through simple story telling. A big thumbs up from us!

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We love... Lala & Bea for their Heads Up! Children’s Cancer Campaign.

They are donating their 100% merino wool bobble hats to The Oak Centre for Children and Young People at The Royal Marsden Hospital. 1 hat for every 4 sold will go to keep a little patient’s head warm while they under go cancer treatment this winter.

We love... The gorgeous kidswear by Sas & Yosh. Their colourful leopards are illustrated by Sarah and Yoshie and screenprinted onto orgainc super soft sweatshirts. Available up to 11 years, all products are made using ethical sources, created with passion and designed with a lot of love of vibrant colours and patterns.

We love... the gorgeous gardening gifts from Denys & Fielding. If your loved one loves houseplants (like we do!), then these lovely fabric plant pot kits are a great gift. There are 4 different fabrics to choose from which all show off the lush green foliage perfectly. This would also make a lovely present for a tricky teen who loves to sew.

We love... These stunning quilts from Om Baby. Made in Udaipur, Rajasthan, these block-printed quilts are stuffed with natural cotton wool and finished with hand stitching. Each quilt has complimentary prints on either side in traditional Indian floral block prints and ornate boarders. They are a large single bed size and work as a throw for a double as well as for kids beds.

We love... Sarah Lovells world of unicorns, foxes, stars, magic, wonder and much more. The images are from Sarahs imagination, inspired by her dreams, children and the magic that is in the air all around us. She sells greetings cards, colouring books and art prints. All of the designs are hand illustrated, then printed here in the UK using eco friendly card and inks. Look out for her gorgeous selection of Christmas cards.

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We Love

We love... These amazing plants by Martin and Cox Living Gifts. A houseplant store with a differnce as they offer you fresh, unique, thoughtful and personalised gifts to send through the post to that special someone, or even to yourself! With a range of different plants and pots to choose from, you can add a beautiful gift tag with your own personal message and even choose your despatch date. These special gifts would make the perfect present for new parents or to say thank you or even a birthday gift. Love!

We love... The AW18 range from Young Soles. Sumptuous fabrics in their signature classic styles, Young Soles always gets the mix between Heritage and contemporary styling just right. We love this seasons patterned jacquard velvet, rustic browns and reflective silver in new styles such as “Howard” double velcro boots and “Jimi” moon boots.

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We love... Sustainable lifestyle store, Manifesto Woman. Find pre loved clothing and accessories from top end designers like Gucci, Burbery and Prada to boutique brands like Ganni, Maje and Sandro to high street brands such as Cos, Whistles, TopShop and Zara. All with a little bit of vintage mixed in. Sell your loved items to make a bit of cash or have a browse and buy knowing you are doing your bit to save the planet.

We love... Hottea Mama and their delcious range of biodegradable whole leaf tea bags.

Each one contains natural, tasty ingredients specially designed to support your body in the most rewarding and challenging time of your life. There are 8 soothing teas to choose from ranging from Morning Rescue which helps with morning sickness to Milk’s Up to support your milk supply. All teas are caffeine free and delicious!

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ALL by MAMA

T

he wonderful store, ALL by MAMA is a marketplace that champions Mama (and Papa) makers. Every product is made by parents who are running their businesses alongside looking after their families. This means that everything you buy from the store goes towards helping a family pay for

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their weekly shopping or paying for swimming lessons for their kids. The founder, Gemma, is passionate about supporting and promoting flexible working and her team all work remotely from home around family life. Read on to find out the story behind this amazing collaborative and supportive community that Gemma has created.

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Gemma loved the idea of supporting another mum who ran a business around family life.

It gave her the idea for ALL by MAMA

While volunteering in South Africa back in 2010, Gemma Whates was amazed at all the handmade products that were made from found goods by the South African women. She was impressed by their entrepreneurial spirit when they sold their homewares, gifts and artwork to tourists in order to support their families.

When Gemma resturned home to the UK and decided to start a family of her own, she knew she wanted to support mama makers. When her first son, Leonardo, was born, the lonely night feeds were spent scrolling social media and discovering and sometimes buying handmade items that were often made by other mothers. Gemma loved the idea of supporting another mum who ran a business around family life and it gave her the idea for ALL by MAMA. The business was developed over a year while Gemma continued her job as a Marketing Account Director and launched in 2014. ALL by MAMA is now 102

a thriving business and community of

beautifully packaged and sent to you

mama makers offering everything from

direct from the mama makers.

gifts, new baby products, clothing and accessories, pregnancy goods, interiors,

ALL by MAMA is more than just a

toys, games and books. Each item is

marketplace. Gemma has created a

listed by the individual mamas for you

supportive community and network of

to browse and buy. Items are then

parents that believe family life and work

“We’re passionate about helping parents to pursue their ambitions after having children, without the stress of childcare or set working hours. We want to help as many mums and dads as possible to follow their creative dreams.” can go hand in hand. Flexible working is at the heart of the business to enable both mums and dads the chance to fulfil their creative dreams while still enjoying family life.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Gemma. Growing a business with limited resources is tough and Gemma had to secure funding via a crowdfunding campaign. Plus running the business around a newborn baby is never easy and is emotionally as well as logistically and physically challenging.

ALL by MAMA are also launching a business kit for parents which will be a resource to help mums and dads who have a business idea, get from the idea stage to execution.

Wow! What a woman and what a fantastic business.

To view the amazing range of products made by parents, head over to www.allbymama.com

But she knew that ALL by MAMA was worth fighting for. She believed in it and the mamas who create the products and that is what has made the business thrive.

Gemma is so motivated by her team, the sellers and all other women who are running businesses around their families. To see how women make it work is so inspiring and exactly why ALL

by MAMA began.

We are excited to hear more about a new project that Gemma and the team have been working on. The initiative encourages creativity and entrepreneurship in young people and they have been working with schools to bring the project to life.

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Stockists A

I

Parent Apparel

Alexa Loy

Indikidual

Piupia

All by Mama

I Should B

Poppy & Honesty

Amy & Ivor

J

R

Anna & Louis

JAM London

Ricia

Atticus & Gilda

K

B

Knit Planet

Bax and Bay

L

Beyond the Stork

Lazy Baby

Binky Nixon

Lala & Bea

Blooming Lovely Jewellery

Lala & Pom

Bobo Choses

Lapin and Me

Bonordic

Lella

Bundle Beds

M

Sharon Cooper

C

Manifesto Woman

Small Stories

Calf & Co

Mere Soeur

Southwood Stores

Camp Wilderness

MiniBoo

Sproet & Sprout

Cocoon Child

Mini Wallers

T

Cotton Twist

Mutha.Hood

The Faraway Gang

Cult of Youth

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The Kindness Co-op

D

Nellie Quats

DapperBaby

no+mi London

Denys & Fielding

Norahs Brownies

Dilli Grey

Nutmeg Wall Art

Dotty Dungarees

O

F

Olive Loves Alfie

Forivor

Olivier Baby & Kids

For The Love of Mum

Om Baby

G

Organic Zoo

Gather & Co

Ottie and the Bea

Willa & Bobbin

H

P

Willa & the Bear

HotTea Mama

Palava

Y

Rockahula Kids

S Sarah Lovell Art Sas & Yosh Scamp & Dude Scandibørn Sesame & Lilly

Their Nibs This Mama Does Tiba & Marl Too Many Pjs Totem ToyDrop Tullibee

W

Young Soles

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Photo by Sharon Cooper Photography.

Styling by Anna Cascarina.

Lilly wears embroidered dress, Olive Loves Alfie. Frill collar, Bonordic

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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!

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