etsy find - personalised world map print

I have blogged about My Sweet Prints previously (see here) and I was very excited the other day to discover they have added a customised world map print to their collection. Maps make an educational yet beautiful addition to any child's nursery, so why not consider treating your budding Christopher Columbus to his or her own personalised map?!

product of the week - hug a bub baby carrier

Shortly after bringing my new daughter home from hospital, I discovered that she is a baby that will often only settle when she is held. Obviously this poses a bit of a problem when also trying to care for ,and play with, a very active toddler. I already had a Baby Bjorn Active carrier, but, just as I had experienced with my first child, this felt a bit unsupportive for such a tiny baby with very little head control! After a lot of research and an afternoon spent trying out slings at my local baby mecca Baby Bunting, I settled on the fabulous Hug a Bub carrier. Basically, this is just a very long piece of lycra that you wrap around your body in a specific way as demonstrated on the dvd that accompanies the carrier (at first this tying technique is a bit time consuming, but, trust me, it quickly becomes second nature).

The beauty of the Hug a Bub is that you can carry your baby close to your body, and it feels very secure and comfortable. By tucking my baby's head under one side of the sling (called the "Peapod" method), I can even bend over without worrying that she will fall out or hurt her neck. There are four carrying positions that are demonstrated in the DVD.

Retailing from $79 upwards, the Hug a Bub comes in various colour combinations, and can be purchased with or without a front pocket. See here for stockists.

Image from http://www.hugabub.com/

product of the week - clarins beauty flash balm

Had one of those nights last night - you know, the type where your 3 week old baby doesn't want to sleep because she's slept all day, so you end up cat-napping in your feeding chair between 2 and 5am whilst holding a wide-awake baby, only to be waken by a screaming toddler in the next room. After negotiating with hubby, you agree that after the next feed you will deposit baby and toddler out in the family room with hubby so that you can grab a few hours of catch up sleep, which you know will not make up for the night you've just had, but at least it saves you from breaking down in tears at the thought of getting through the day on so little sleep!

All of this is really just an introduction though to this week's product of the week (a bit belated I know, but I figure I have a decent excuse at the moment!) ... Clarin's Beauty Flash Balm. The mother of all rescue products, I have long been a fan. It used to come in handy after a big night out, now it is invaluable after a night like I endured last night (oh how times have changed!!!!).

Beauty Flash Balm is an instant pick-me-up for the skin - I can actually feel my skin firming after I apply it, and it provides much needed radiance to sallow/tired skin. I can't recommend it enough for tired mums!!!!

Available from Clarins stockists throughout South Australia.

product of the week - oops-a-baby! couch covers

I have to admit that, thus far as a mother, I have deprived my toddler of his own little fold-out couch. It's not so much that we don't need another piece of furniture in the house (although this is probably true), but more to do with the fact that I haven't wanted to introduce such a large piece of cartoon imagery into my lounge room!

Teeny Me offers gorgeous alternatives to the Thomases and Doras, but at $249.95 a pop, I just can't justify one knowing that it will end up covered in yoghurt, watermelon juice and who knows what other culinary delights!

Luckily a friend of mine recently put me onto these flip out couch covers from oops-a-baby!. They are made to fit onto a child's foldout couch and come in an assortment of non-offensive colours (shown above in Chocolate)! Retailing at $49.95 each from oops-a-baby or $59.95 at Out Of The Cot on Magill Road, they make a less cost-prohibitive alternative to the Teeny Me sofas for keeping Thomas on the tv rather than on my furniture!

product of the week - commemorative jewellery from uberKate

With baby number 2 due to arrive in less than 3 weeks, I've been dreaming about ways to commemorate her birth (I know that having her in my arms will be enough, but a girl can always fantasise about more jewellery can't she???).

There are a number of artisans out there who are producing what I like to call "commemorative" jewellery - items that celebrate and commemorate family members - but my favourite would have to be the Combination ubercircles from uberKate (are you reading this hubby dearest?!). I love the idea of having a large circle for my husband and me, and a medium circle for each child. Designed by Sydneysider Kate Sutton, the uberKate range is sleek and contemporary, yet classic. See here for uberkate products and to order online.

product of the week - family planners from kikki.k

With the family continuing to expand, I am loving the 2010 family diary and 2010 family calendar from kikki.K. Each provides space for each family member's commitments, activities and events so that you (and hubby) can keep track of what everyone's up to and when. Essential for keeping organised!

P.S. Does anyone out there know what happened to Sorted Space on the Parade? It used to stock lots of kikki.K products and was a heavenly store for obsessive organisers like myself!

product of the week - play kitchens

I have to confess to a "thing" for play kitchens - I think it harks back to cooking up weird and wonderful concoctions in my cubby house utilising Mum's herbs and spices, flour and water.

However, finding a decent one amongst the offerings can be difficult. I was adament that I would avoid anything too plasticky or garish, and thankfully there are some companies out there who have taken the initiative and produced play kitchens with sleek, modern lines whilst avoiding cartoon characters.

Here are my two current favourites:

Ikea Duktig play kitchen (part of the Duktig range)

I love the Scandinavian simplicity of this kitchen, and my son loves the stove top that lights up at the touch of a button! The microwave and top unit are an add-on that need to be purchased separately.

The Duktig play kitchen is not currently featured on Ikea's website, but is available in-store (I purchased one about a month ago). You may wish to call the store to check availability and avoid disappointment, as they are selling like hot-cakes. I had to wait for a new shipment before making the treck down to Adelaide Airport (Ikea do not take personal orders).

$139 without add on
$60 for add on

Plan Toys Kitchen Centre

My eco-friendly choice, this kitchen is two-sided, with one side featuring a cooking centre, and the other a washing up space. Featuring an oven, sink and dishwasher, the entire set is made from  recycled rubberwood.

It can be difficult to find Play Toys in-store in Adelaide, but there are plenty of online retailers that stock the Kitchen Centre (just Google Plan Toys Kitchen Centre for results).

This kitchen retails for around $400.

product of the week - baby jogger city select

With only 2 months to go until I become a mother of two (!) I have attempted to get out and purchase the final required items for baby’s imminent arrival.

Top of my list – the perfect double pram. After much research and advice from friends, I thought that I had found it – the Baby Jogger City Mini Double. However, I found out this week from a mother of four (who obviously has a wealth of knowledge of all things pram-related - thanks Bronny!) that Baby Jogger has just released this little number. Upon seeing the City Select Twin, I just knew I HAD TO HAVE IT!!!!

Due to hit Australian shores in March 2010, this pram has been likened to “the double Bugaboo if Bugaboo made one!” – the City Select can start off as a single pram, with either a bassinet or seat, and then allows for either a double seat or single seat and bassinet combination. The bassinet and seats can be attached in a variety of positions (see photo for just some of the combinations).

I spoke with the Australian distributor for Baby Jogger this week, and was advised that current Baby Jogger stockists should be able to stock the City Select. I have put in a call to Baby Bunting to place my order, and am currently waiting to hear back from them.

You can view a demonstration of the City Select here.

product of the week - kiehl's nurturing baby cream

I love this product - it's the only unmedicated cream I can use on my toddler's skin when it's inflamed with eczema without causing him pain and discomfort. With the key ingredients of shea butter, apricot kernel oil and purified honey, and currently available from David Jones in Rundle Mall, Kiehl's Nurturing Baby Cream for Face and Body is this week's "product of the week".

product of the week - Ikea Expedit shelving units

Ok, so it's not a new product, but I like to think of it as an "oldy but a goody". I have 5 of these throughout my house, and whilst that may seem a little excessive on initial thought, they're all currently put to excellent use.

Reasons why I love the Expedit? Here are but a few:

• variety - the Expedit is currently available in a number of sizes, ranging from a 1 cube x 4 cube style (narrow and tall) to a 4 cube x 4 cube style. It is also available in white, birch and walnut colours;
• value for money - priced from $89 - $249 per shelving unit (depending on size), the Expedit is a relatively inexpensive piece of furniture, and yet my experience is that it doesn't appear cheap or to be of poor quality (compared with some other similar units I have purchased from bargain shops);
• versatility - pre-children, my husband and I utilised a 4x4 Expedit as a kitchen cupboard. It now lives in the nursery, housing toys, books, blankets, and clothes;
• appearance - simple, sleek lines scream Scandinavian design, and allows for your own creativity and displays to become the focus point;
• ability to customise - from the drawer and door inserts available in white, red or black, to a large array (does Ikea ever do anything to a small extent?!) of baskets and storage boxes that fit into the cubes, the Expedit's appearance can easily be altered, depending on its required function or your desire for something different!

I've also recently stumbled onto Grippiks Surface Accents, a Sydney-based company that manufactures and sells online a range of pre-measured, pre-cut graphic prints that stick to Ikea furniture. There are currently 6 designs available for Expedit drawer and door inserts - they're worth checking out if you want something a bit different for the nursery or playroom, without the hassle of cutting wallpaper yourself! Now why didn't I think of that?
I could go on all day, but, in summary, if you're looking for a relatively easy Ikea piece to put together (I have actually managed to put one together without help from my husband!), that provides a space for housing all manner of children's gear, I highly recommend the Ikea Expedit.

product of the week - woolly wugs sleeping bags

A heatwave has well and truly hit South Australia this week, with temperatures soaring into the high 30s. Luckily for me, my dad and stepmum gave my toddler these fabulous new sleeping bags from Woolly Wugs just in time.

Made from 100% cotton, these light weight sleeping bags have kept my little man comfortable all night despite the heat. I've been dressing him in a short sleeved onesie and just popping him into the bag with no other covers over him in his cot.

The sleeping bags come in packs of two, and and are sized for newborns to two year olds.

I love the design, the fact that they dried in less than half an hour after their first wash (!) and that they are Australian-designed. In fact, they are the brainchild of two mothers from right here in South Australia. It's always great to know that you can support local companies whilst also benefitting from a great product.

I have already seen them in Kidzone on Unley Road, but you can also purchase directly from the Woolly Wugs website.

With the predictions for a long, hot summer, I know that these sleeping bags will be getting a lot of use in my household!

image from Woolly Wugs