little winter wonders - walnut desert boots

For both the little miss and the little master in your household, these desert boots from Walnut are chic yet sensible footwear for keeping cute sausage toes warm (a quick aside - I absolutely adore children's feet - they are so adorable and chubby!). Available in an array of colours and in suede or leather, every child's wardrobe should include a pair of these this Winter.

See here for South Australian stockists (boots can also be purchased online through the Walnut website, but I think you're safer to try on before you buy).

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 - 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 - concealer

Exhausted already from multiple functions in the lead-up to Christmas and dealing with a toddler whose sleep patterns have taken a beating thanks to afore-mentioned functions, I have to admit that I'm not looking my "freshest" at the moment. Not exactly how I want to appear in all the family photos that are part and parcel of the holiday season.

Thankfully the makeup industry provides us with a wide array of concealers to (hopefully) provide cover for those tell-tale signs of fatigue (and ageing!). To cover dark circles, you need a yellow or peach toned concealer.

My all-time favourite concealer (Sue Devitt Automatic Camouflage) is not available in Australia, but here are my two alternatives that are readily available in Adelaide ...

Splurge on:
Touche Eclat Radiant Touch by Yves Saint Laurent
This award-winning concealer claims to be "8 hours of sleep in a pen" and I've certainly found that it effectively covers dark undereye circles. Available at David Jones Rundle Mall, this concealer will set you back $78.

Save on:
Concealer by Napoleon Perdis
Okay, so at $30 it's still not the cheapest concealer on the market, but it does work, and lasts a long time. You may want to use a brush to apply it from the pot, but I must admit that I just use my finger (freshly washed of course so as not to introduce bacteria into the concealer ... when I remember!). See here for South Australian Napoleon stockists.

help your child to be sunsmart this summer

With the weather heating up again this week, I thought it would be an idea to post a reminder about how to help your little ones (and, of course, yourself) stay SunSmart this Summer.

You can't go a moment these days without reading or hearing about the high risk to Australians of skin cancer, and rightly so - more than 440,000 Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer every year (source: Cancer Council SA). The biggest culprit? The sun.

Long gone are the days when children roamed free throughout summer wearing little more than their birthday suit. Damage to a child's skin begins with their first exposure to the UV radiation from the sun, and skin damage caused by this exposure builds up over the years, increasing a child's risk of developing skin cancer (source: Cancer Council SA).

Luckily, there are simple ways to help protect your child's skin, and many resources available to help parents to access information about being SunSmart.

product of the week - mia bossi 'tobey' nappy bag

I love the 'tobey' nappy bag from mia bossi for a quick outing when you don't want to lug around your usual, full-to-the-brim, weighs-a-ton nappy bag! It fits a bottle, a nappy and wipes, mobile phone and some cash. The 'tobey' certainly brings a whole lot of style to the old bum bag! Available in Australia through metromum.

little moo shoes

I've just stumbled across these gorgeous shoes for babies and children - am loving the red and white mary janes for little girls, and the navy and blue sandals for boys (pictured above).

Little Moo shoes are currently only available over the internet through the following stockists - Little Moo, Little Bare Bear, and Soda Pop Kids.

The Little Moo website has a handy sizing guide so that you should be fairly confident of ordering the correct size (I always worry about this when buying over the net).

At around $49, these may not be the cheapest leather shoes on the market, but you will be supporting an Australian brand and they are still cheaper than most Clarks!

i love tiddles and chich

It's official, I am totally in love with the Adelaide and Melbourne based children's clothing brand Tiddles and Chich. If you haven't already discovered it, watch out, as it is utterly addictive!

Founded by two mums, the French-inspired clothes are designed and made in Australia, and are available in sizes 000-10. Currently the label produces two collections a year. Their Summer 2009 collection is currently available and it is completely covetable!

Having a son, I am so thankful to see a label producing beautiful and classic clothes for boys, historically the poorer cousin in children's clothing. I'm not the only one either - I happen to have a friend who has bought almost everything available this season for her gorgeous boys (and I don't blame her!). Of course, the Tiddles and Chich girls' range is equally as stunning!

I unfortunately missed their recent trunk show in Adelaide, but luckily for me (and unluckily for the credit card) Tiddles and Chich is now available online at their website, as well as being stocked by Adelaide stores Baby Bien on Melbourne Street, and Plume Petite in Grange.

My favourite item from this season's collection? These beautiful Liberty-fabric cotton shorts for girls - I have a baby daughter due in February 2010, and I couldn't resist buying her a pair for next summer! Like I said, I'm in love!














(PS, Suri Cruise has been photographed wearing this label - praise indeed from the world's best-known mini-fashionista!)