Baby Jungle

Instangram can be a fabulous source for some of the best finds. Like these animal prints made by a super talented photographer specializing in animals, Sharon Montrose I found at Babiekins Magazine.

I’m extra picky when it comes to art – I think it’s because of the fact it’s something that sticks with you for a very long time (if not forever) and it’s usually one the first things you notice in a room. But I knew immediately this is something we’d all love since we’re big animal lovers. But the photos are just so playful, original and sweet at the same time that you can’t not like them – animal lover or not!

All the prints are available from an online store Sharon runs together with her husband and they do send worldwide!

Ps. Did you know you can find me on Instangram under @babyjungle as well?
 

I wanted to introduce the newest sponsors for a while now and today is just the perfect day. Let’s start with Marjorie Jane an online boutique founded by a mom of a little boy in 2009. The store has been such a success that it soon became too small and the site needed some “remodeling”. So now it offers an even wider range of bold colors and bold designs for kids aged between 0 and about 9 years. You can find many British labels as well as some really cool Scandinavian ones.

And there is one more very cool thing Marjorie decided to add – a special section called “Merry Go Round”, which consists of a small range of new or gently used items from where all the profits go Kid’s Company, an organisation working therapeutically with vulnerable children and young people.

Welcome on board Marjorie Jane, it’s so lovely to have you!

Ps. Sweet Marjorie wanted to treat you all a little bit so she decided to give you 15% off until the end of June. Code: BABY JUNGLE15
 

And here it is – the last but most definitely not the least! In fact, I think this one must be my favorite.

1. I swore to myself that with the next baby my very first purchase will be the swaddling blanket just because it can literally do magic! Tila was crying a lot (and I mean A LOT!) for the first three month but one thing that helped her calm down was wrapping her up tight in a thin blanket. My favorite swaddling blankets are from La Langerie but you should also check out the ones from aden+anais and MoochicBABY

2. Do invest in a good changing bag mummy – don’t think about it, you’ll be dragging around that “baby” for about 2 years at least! I love the Il Tutto bags and Tribe

3. There are too many cute blankets to only go for one and you need more anyway. The one on the picture is from Warm Pixie (lambs wool) but you should also see the ones from Klippans Yllefabrik, Ferm Living, gorgeous cashmere and fine wool mix from Garbo&Friends and these darling bobble blankets from Rocket and Bear – what’s your favorite?

4. I fell in love with this bonnet the first time I found it on Etsy but why only have one when there are so many more just as cute like this one from Misha and Puff

5. The carrier should be used from about 4 months on but Ergobaby also makes special infant inserts with which you can carry your baby from the start. You can’t go wrong with Ergobaby it’s definitely one of the best on the market!

6. I think these Pacifier clips are just genius! Once your baby is done with it you can use it as a memento on your wrist – yes when you take down the clip it converts into a bracelet! From Fashion Loves People

7. I love having both the carrier and a wrap and I have my eyes set on these French ones called Je Porte Mon Bebe – their color combinations are crazy! And just look at the daddy on the photo – he looks darn good with that baby in a wrap! I want one! Wrap I mean!

8. Most parents use sheepskin since it makes a great soft and warm thing for lying your baby down on but I think these are even a better alternative! Organic Noonies are made from 100% organic materials and just as fuzzy and cozy as the sheepskin. And they look super cute! Ps. There are also the “non-organic” Noonies at a little more affordable prices

9. Finally, your baby will need some clothes probably. And if there are the perfect clothes for the first few months of your baby’s life it’s this tubic cotton bodysuit with snaps and sleep suits both from Petit Bateau. Undoubtedly two of the most practical and quality pieces on the market!

A special thanks again to the girls from Babyccino Kids and the Peggy from Paul & Paula for helping me with the list!
 

1. I’ve never got a chance to try this aden + anais Sleep and Feeding System  but it sounds like a perfect newborn gadget – it helps keeping track od feedings, it plays soothing white noise sounds and lullabies and has a room temperature indicator! What more do you need? You can get one from Noeuf or aden + anais home page

2. Love these hand knitted soft rattles from Dandelion made of pesticide-free bamboo rayon and stuffed with natural corn fiber filling. Available from Alex and Alexa

3. How lovely are these teething toys from NiHaMa, Etsy boutique? Love the pastel colors.

4. I’ve been eyeing DINGaRINGs for a long, long time. They just look so fuzzy and fun!

5. Another great product from Hevea also made of natural rubber free of any kind of toxins. Available from The Thinking Baby

6. We had this Baby Gym from Ikea for a long time. When Tila was done with lying on her back she loved exploring it and especially play with the hanging ornaments which are also great for hand motor skills as they can be taken down and put back on through holes

7. The perfect play mat. The cover is made from organic cotton, removable and can be easily washed. Inks used are non toxic, it looks absolutely gorgeous and seems muj fun! See and read even more here

8. I must admit I’m not loving the looks of this Lamaze toy but it’s one of the best tummy-time helping tools ever! Especially with babies that hate their tummy time. It helped our rebellion more than expected. But I’d say it’s for babies from 3 or even 4 months and up not newborns
 

 
So it’s finally here – the first part of “New Baby Essentials” list but there are two more coming. Hope you like them.

1. You can’t find a more convenient baby bath on the market than Flexi Bath trust me! It folds up flat in no time! You can get it from Noeuf or locate your nearest retailer here

2. This Liniment Oléo Calcaire from Gifrer is something I already wrote about and it’s something every single new mama should have for their baby – it is simply genius! Available from here

3. You probably already know this Baby Shampoo & Wash from Weleda but in case you don’t – everybody loves it and rightfully so! I still use it on Tila and don’t tell her but we share!

4. If you’re a first time mum you’ll want to have your hands germ-free all the time I’ve been there! And this PureBerg Hand Sanitizer is a genius solution without getting your hands dry since it contains shea butter plus it’s free of parabens and also has a beautiful scent to it!

5. I love more than only this product from Burt’s Bees but it’s one that still takes me back to time when Tila was only a tiny little bundle smelling divine after I used this Apricot Oil on her.

6. Hevea pacifiers don’t only look super cute but are also as healthy as pacifiers get since they are made of natural latex which is completely chemical free and natural! And they are soo cute – did I say that already?

7. I love these new baby bottles from Garbo and Friends and I’m giving our old ones away but please don’t tell the papa bear – will make him think he misplaced them! Available from Scandinavian Minimall

8. I’ve blogged about some harmful stuff that can be found in some diapers a while ago (here) and I’m still sticking to my original favorite choices – Naty diapers (and wipes!) if you want disposables (you can order them online here) and definitely gnappies if you’re going for the cloth ones. Ps. You can also get the disposable inserts for gnappies!

9. This last product is actually for you! Circles under my eyes were so dark for the first three months of Tila’s life that nothing but this little magic stick called Cle de Peau Concealer helped. It’s expensive yes and I’ve never spend so much on cosmetic before but this baby really helps big time! Definitely worth investing. Available from here or do as I did and try to find the best deal on Ebay!

A big fat thank you again to the Babyccino girls and Peggy from Paul & Paula for helping me put together this list! And remember – two more to go!
 

When I was a kid we had the old-school skates on 4 wheels the rollerblades came into the picture later. But I have to say I always liked skates more. You don’t land on your behind as fast plus in my eyes they simply look much cooler. I already have the left ones back home and I love them now I think Tila should get her own pair this summer as well – can’t wait to teach her how to skate!

You can get them from Rawk, Shiner Skates and I got mine from Surfdome – their shipping costs are really low!
 

I’ve posted about this Japanese brand MarlMarl designing stylish collar style bibs already but it’s time to repeat the drill. Their collection was already gorgeous back than but now I’m speechless – they’ve added a special line of bibs called Dolce.

And also the most gorgeous feeding aprons I’ve seen. They are made of waterproof but breathable material and are meant to protect the clothes from food, drink, paint etc. But the best part is they don’t even look like aprons! Absolutely gorgeous.

They ship Worldwide and their shipping costs go from about €11.50. The bibs costs about €13 – €18.50 and the aprons €30
 

I bought a few Hello Shiso clips and ponytail holders for Tila last year and I think there’s only one clip that hasn’t been lost yet! So it’s a great excuse to finally get some more. I absolutely adore their range – they have the cutest hair accessories collection ever and I also love the fact that the clips actually hold on throughout the day and how gentle the ponytail holders are but again actually hold the ponytail in place all day long!

I have to do some narrowing down to my shopping chart now – papa bear doesn’t really get the importance of the hair accessories as much as I do. “$120 is just too much” he says…
 

 
I’m not really surprised I received quite a few emails on the pregnancy and baby items topic – I think about every second lady I know (or don’t know or I wish I knew) is either pregnant or just had a little bundle of joy! So I decided to do a list of a few must-have essentials for during the pregnancy and one for after – for the baby of course!

I’ve also asked the girls from the Babyccino Kids blog and Peggy from Paul&Paula  to pitch in a few of their own recommendations and I absolutely love the outcome – it couldn’t have turn out any better!

There’s one prego list (this one) and I think I’ll have to do the baby one in a few parts – there’s just too many great items that have to be shared! A big thanks goes to Babyccino Kids and Paul&Paula again – couldn’t have done it without them!

The list:

1. One of the first things you need is a good boob support! I love the Ella Macpherson Maternity line you can find here and here and the Hot Milk bras I wore during my first pregnancy

2. I bought a few books when I was pregnant with Tila but this one was my favorite by far – it answers all you pregnancy related questions. Even the most ridiculous ones – those you think you’re the only one curious about!

3. You can read more on this book here but I say it’s a must-have. It’s the most delicious way to get all those vitamins that get lost with cooking the veggies

4. Mama-to-be also has to look good! I really love TOPSHOP’s Maternity collection plus it’s pretty budget friendly! If you don’t mind to invest in some designer maternity pieces I recommend you to take a look at HATCH Collection – gorgeous is the word!

5. When your second trimester begins never ever (ever!) forget to apply a good anti stretch mark product on that growing belly of yours after every single shower! I used the one from Mustela but supposedly this Bio-Oil is one of the best ones on the market

6. If there is something worth investing in during the pregnancy it’s a good pair of shoes! Repetto shoes are not really known by the lowest price but their reputation on the comfort is very well known all over the globe – your feet will thank you!

7. Genius spaghetti strap top with a secret built in bust support (aka. a bra). G-e-n-i-u-s!

8. This Venadoron from Weleda (I think it’s called Skin Tone Lotion in the UK) reliefs the aching, tired limbs as nothing else out there!
 

Tila absolutely adores princess dresses and if she could (and if we lived in an imaginary world where money wasn’t an object) she’d already filled all our closets with them. But I found a budget friendly solution without compromising on cutness! These Princess Inspired Aprons are cute as they can possibly be and in that non-sparkly, tacky-free way! And each only costs about €17! We need the Rapunzel and Snow White ASAP!

You can order one from Vessel Handmade on Etsy

Ps. I know some of you are wondering – yes, they make them in adult sizes too!
 

 
I spotted these extremely cool looking tents in one of the Family Living’s issue and it was love at first sight! I want a big garden just so I can live in one all summer long.

But they are not only some show-off amateur tents actually – if you’re a tent expert you can read more on them here but if you’re more like me you’ll be already super impressed by knowing these tents are designed to stand up to extreme weather conditions and UV fade resistant so they’ll look great even after bragging there on my lawn throughout the summer.

But they really have so many more great features you should know about – too many to put in the post!

FieldCany tents are designed and manufactured in UK but can be delivered anywhere on the globe
 

This is what I call perfect toys! Made of wood, painted with non-toxic paints and besides looking incredibly cute they also help develop skills like motor, logic, imaginations and taste (take a look at this video to see what I mean!). Made at home by a parent duo with backgrounds in graphic design and architecture. Perfect, I tell you!

If you’d like to know more on how to place an order just contact them
 

I spotted these gorgeous paper lampshades made with origami technique over at Etsy and I though I’d share them with you. Aren’t they just brilliant?

Snowpuppe is a studio based in Hague in Netherlands and ran by an architect-industrial design duo Nellianna and Kenneth.

Their aim is to encourage people to use only energy-saving light bulbs by designing these gorgeous paper lampshades that help converting the natural cold light that those light bulbs create to a warm and cozy one.

They cost from €19 to €139 depending on the design and size and shipping is up to €10.95
 

I think I must have stumbled upon one of the cutest kids’ clothing boutique. PRSPR (pronounced prosper) is based in US and has a small but the freshest range I’ve seen in a while. Think popping colors, unique designs and never seen before combinations. Absolutely gorgeous! My cart is already bursting at the seams (it’s the one that has them apparently) I just need for the Papa Bear to look away for a few moments…

And if I might add – I was positive the prices are going to be cruel to my heart but they are so not! I think their price range can be compared to Zara’s but I bet the quality is far much better.

International shipping costs $25 which is about €20
 

How madly adorable are these Olliblocks? And you actually make them yourself. All you have to do is purchase an individual set (or all three and save a bit), print out and stick the images on plane wooden blocks! Adorable as heck!

Each set costs $5 (ca. €4) and $12 (€9) if you get all three