KidsHaus

Wooden Mice on Wheels

I'm a sucker for well made wooden toys and these sweet little Wooden Mice on Wheels, handmade in the Czech Republic, are the perfect substitute for zippy race cars...

 

Pretend Play

What child doesn't love to pretend play? Honestly, the best thing I ever did was move my girls' wooden toy oven in the room right next to our kitchen. It's loaded with wooden fruits and veggie, utensils, pots & pans and mini oven mitts (of course). It has saved many of my dinners from becoming disasters by being the best distraction for Clara. Plan Toys has got to have the best array of wooden toys and that little grocery cart might be coming home with me.

Schnurpfel Pony

I was determined to get Ms. Bean into a "sewing camp" this summer because I watched her sit for hours last winter as she laced two pieces of felt together. When her project was complete, it was such an accomplishment that she insisted she had mastered the art of sewing. Now every time I mention this proposed sewing camp to her, she tells me it's not necessary (oh, wise one). It's not quite the level of sewing I had in mind but I thought this beautiful Schnurpfel Pony was such a nice design...

Haba Sulky Rickshaw

I took a teeny break from posting last week because I was a bit exhausted from a teething child and was also directing my focus into illustrating some things that have been on my mind. I will be happy to share what I've come up with in a few weeks.

Anyhow, a toy rickshaw for kids wouldn't exactly be something I would expect; however, much to my surprise, one actually exists and it's rather brilliant. Haba's Rickshaw Sulky has already won two design awards -- so there must be something to it.

Sok-O 100% Handmade

My friend, Heather, scouted these fun Sock-O toys from our local toy store, Clover. They're too cute not to mention. 100% Handmade Sock-O toys were born from the imagination and inspiration of 4 designers who had a deep-seeded passion for toys. Each Sock-O is carefully handmade with a pair of socks (occasionally an individual sock) and come with a unique birth certificate -- no two are identical.

   
 

Spring Giveaway! Quiet Hours Toys

Spring is on the heels of winter and I'm already feeling a little bounce in my step. In honor of spring and the impending sunshine, Carey from Quiet Hours Toys has graciously opened her doors to a special KidsHaus spring giveaway. If you've never peeked into Quiet Hours Toys, it's definitely worth a visit. It is a mother-owned and operated business that offers a continuously changing array of hand-crafted toys and wares from artisans around the world (remember the crocheted crowns by Jess Nicole?). Quiet Hours Toys consists of a community of creative people from around the world and each of them does the work he or she loves in home studios or shops. I'm a huge fan and am always peeking in to see what Carey has added to her collection of unique goods. Quiet Hours Toys has put together two wonderful packages geared towards spring...

Spring 1 includes:
1 cotton girl bunny by Maileg (designed in Denmark)
2 felt hair clips by One Girlie Girl (USA)
1 set of bunny paper dolls
1 sparrow bag kit by Sparrowkids (London)

Spring 2 includes:
1 cotton boy bunny by Maileg (designed by Denmark)
1 set of bath fizzies by Daisycakes Soap (USA)
1 wooden red sports car by Spiel & Holz (Germany)
1 container of rainbow soft dough by Mary's Soft Dough (USA)

How this works: We'll select 1 winner for each package. Please mention if you would prefer a specific package. All you need to do is leave a comment, no anonymous comments please, from now until midnight PST on Monday, March 24th. I will announce the winners on Tuesday morning, March 25th. One entry per person please! Thanks to Quiet Hours Toys!

 

The Gnome Shop

I'm completely enthralled with these felted wool eggs from The Gnome Shop. The most creative alternative to plastic Easter eggs, you can stuff them with sweet treasures and will be fun to use all year round. Heather is a stay-at-home mom of two children and has been crafting these eggs for her kids for the last few years. She also makes darling forest fairies, mushroom houses and furniture. Really...have you seen anything cuter?

Onegirl: Fleur

How precious is Onegirl's Fleur? Calla and Indigo are handmade from a collection of bright and beautiful vintage, designer, hand printed and hand dyed fabrics. Anyone with a baby knows that this is perfect for baby to chew on or cuddle up with. Each fleur is stuffed with wool. So sweet...

Music Orb

This classically beautiful oak Music Orb crafted by village craftsman on the edge of Germany's Black Forest plays the "Voi Che Sapete" from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (I only need to figure out which song that is). It has 18 chimes and I'd imagine makes a soothing lullaby for a baby to drift off to sleep.

Wool Comes Alive

There's something about this squirrel's big eyes staring back at me! These unique, little wooly creations by Wool Comes Alive are handmade with care and they're all beautiful. Squirrel or bunny would fit nicely into a little pocket too.

Bilibo Mini

The little sibling of the Bilibo, this is the Bilibo Mini that would make the perfect bathtub toy, sand scooper, snow ball maker and generally a cool little toy.

Apple Blossom Baby

Kwan from Apple Blossom Baby sent me a link to her Etsy shop. She's a mother, physician and makes these beautifully handmade balls and crayon caddies in her free time. They would also make great gifts.

Nurseryworks - Loom Storage Trolley

Nurseryworks Loom Storage Trolley is a toy box/storage unit on wheels that also has a removable cushion on top! I'm a sucker for anything versatile and practical. It can also be tucked nicely under the Loom Storage System.

 

Anne-Claire Petit Dachshunds

I grew up with dachshunds and have this secret infinity for the short-legged little buggers. Anne-Claire Petit Dachshunds are all hand-crocheted and very, very sweet.

Momoll Architect House

I have to say that I've been pleased with a lot of the wooden (doll) houses that have emerged in recent years. The plain wooden structure makes it feel like a blank canvas just waiting for a child to add her own design touches. This beautiful yet simple plexiglass & wooden house by Momoll would be my favorite toy if I were 7 again. The house comes in modules, so the child can move the structure around to their liking (young architects in the making).

Playsam Wooden Toys

Swedish toy Company, Playsam, arguably makes the sleekest little wooden toys on the market! Sophisticated enough for big kids too.

dwellbaby Hand Puppets

Most recently, dwellbaby has been churning out a vast array of baby goods and they didn't stop short of making a set of whimsical hand puppets. These are made from left-over fabric scraps so the patterns will vary -- what a terrific way to minimize waste and create something useful!

10 Grain Log Rocker

10 grain is on a roll with a series of simply designed, bent plywood toys and functional decor pieces. The Log Rocker is one of those toys that struck me as a very obvious concept yet I was surprised that no one had thought of it before. I love that it can accommodate a solo kid or two rambunctious ones at the same time.

Netto Polar Bear Rocker

While on the subject of rockers, I couldn't resist mentioning the elegant and eco-friendly Polar Bear Rocker from Netto. Rufus came all the way from the Arctic Circle! What a beautiful gift this would make.

Mahar Drygoods: One Stop Shopping!

If you're looking for unique, hand-made holiday gifts then I have no doubt you'll find that perfect something at Mahar Drygoods. They have pooled together some of the most talented artisans. I'm completely infatuated with the shadow puppets and Ms. Bean was instantly smitten with the bumble bee mittens.