Kids Haus

Jen Talbot Designs

I began following Jen's blog, Cup of Coco, about 4 years ago and was enamored with her creativity and sewing skills. I remember falling in love with a felt birch tree that she was making for someone because it reminded me of something I would dream of wanting in my room as a child but it was always a distant dream {sigh}. Jen has managed to take those childlike dreams and turn them into a whimsical reality - it's a feast for the eyes and imagination, truly beautiful. Jen has recently launched her new website, Jen Talbot Designs, and has been designing custom rooms for kids amongst other interesting projects. I'm seriously contemplating hiring Jen to make something for our newly remodeled basement. Enjoy looking through her projects here.

Poufs & Floor Cushions

I know it's been said time and again but, really, how did we manage before the internet? Before Google? Before blogs? My quest for a great floor cushion or pouf for our newly remodeled basement began quite simply and it didn't take long before I found an abundance of floor cushion choices. In my search, I thought I'd share a few fantastic poufs or floor cushions that I found along the way. My criteria was: dark(ish) in color, washable, durable, modern and at least 2' wide and affordable. Ta-da! In about an hour of pouf-searching, I bought the gray one in the upper left hand corner from a fabulous & inspiring little business called Mookah. Clockwise from there: Poufix No. 24 by EvaForeva, Pumpkin Pouf, Ernest by Donna Wilson (via Small Magazine), Flora Pouf by Modern Dose. Enjoy!

Garlands and more...

I'm staying in tonight...and I actually plan on staying in for the weekend. Do you ever have those weekends where you don't want to make any plans except for a good dinner, laying in bed after the kids have gone to bed and catch up on favorite TV shows from the week? That's exactly where I'm at. I think I might even go to bed without cleaning the kitchen!

So, I think I had one of the best nights with my girls' tonight. In the past several weeks, I've done a complete revamp of the art room and it feels great! There's plenty of space to spread out and I set up the kids table in a spot that I won't trip over anymore. Spontaneously, I tromped downstairs to do some sketching and C followed. It wasn't long before Bean was right along with us. At first, Bean said, "Mom, didn't you say we could watch a show since it's Friday night?...oh...wait...can I paint something too??" We spent a good hour downstairs with watercolors, pens and paper scattered everywhere. I got a little giddy that I was able to keep their attention for so long. My floor is covered with art and I love it...I think it will be a night worth recreating!

Well, not to get extra wordy tonight, but I found myself perusing The Butter Flying's Etsy shop and love her Poetic Butterfly House and Origami Butterfly Garland...they're perfectly delicate and pretty...sometimes those are just the accents a room needs to give it some charm.

Or how about these beautifully handmade garlands by Pretty Swell? The flowers look flouncy and I love the mix of patterns...so pretty! via Mixed Plate.

Pottock Prints

I'm really, really trying hard to focus on creating another series of prints this month and came up with a whale illustration the other day that I think I like...which is unbelievable, since I'm usually a bit tough on myself. It's missing that element of surprise, but I'm getting close to finishing it. Sometimes, it can be such a long process for something seemingly simple. This evening, while searching various online shops for a present for a friend, I found Pottock Prints via Rose and Radish (one of my favorite indie shops). What caught my eye was this fantastic Little Whales Wallpaper - I love the simple silhouettes! Ah, see? It looks so easy but I wonder how long it actually took him to come up with that fantastic design.

Cookie Mag mention

It's not that Roar Growl is one of my newest prints but it's always very, very flattering to have one of my pieces featured. I was surprised to find that Roar Growl was amongst Cookie Mag's collection of nursery art - there is some fantastic art in the mix. Thank you!

Decoylab Modern Baby Clock - Elephant

I love everything that Decoylab churns, in fact I purchased one of Maiko's clocks for our former nanny and it was even more darling in person. One quick glance at Decoylab's laser cut Elephant Modern Baby Clock and I was smitten. True, it may be many, many years before baby will actually be able to tell the time but it's such a sweet design that I don't think it really matters.

 

Anne-Claire Petit Crocheted Clock

Once you become familiar with Anne-Claire Petit's things you can almost spot her beautiful designs a mile away. Her style is very distinct in that everything she does is cheerful and has a handmade quality to them, usually crocheted. I wrote about her hand-crocheted dachshunds about a year ago but now I've got to mention her hand-crocheted cuckoo clock made from mostly organic cotton -- which reminds me of a funny story that my mother likes to tell about my younger brother when he was about 4 years old: Apparently he woke up quite early and tugged on our wooden cuckoo clock's chain. My incredibly mellow brother (still is) quietly went back to bed after this early-morning mishap and didn't make a peep. The only evidence was the broken cuckoo clock on the floor and an egg-sized bump on Chris's forehead. At the time, it probably wasn't as funny as it seems today. I can't help but smile when I see this soft cuckoo clock...

Hijkids

Hijkids is a rather new shop on the block that has a carefully selected, beautiful array of classic apparel and room decor elements. Kristine, the founder, had her first child four years ago and always dreamed of having a shop of her own someday. She searched high and low to find quality handcrafted products that resonated with her own sense of style and, from that, Hijkids was born. When I first perused her shop, the dress that my eyes immediately locked onto was the darling green Sugar Cookie Dress (on the left). Then as I spent more time looking around, I discovered the Vintage Lion Artwork which is from Kristine's personal collection. Say no more! I'm even contemplating bringing him home with me. Enjoy perusing Kristine's shop, you can clearly see that it's a personal labor of love...

A Few of My Favorite Things: Part II

TO PLAY
Left: Bag of Apples
Right: Felt River Rocks

TO WEAR:
Left: Marie Monster Hat
Right: Comfy Boots

TO DECORATE:
Left: Mushrooms Chalkals
Right: Letterpress Alphabet Poster

il posto dei giochi (the place of the games)

Yellow circles like the sun, blue waves like the sea or a wall made of red bricks! The Il Posto Dei Giochi (The Place of Games) are wonderful and imaginative corrugated pressboard sheets by Enzo Mari, first made in 1967 and reprinted in 2008, transformed into a place to play: ten panels of different decorations, perforations and shapes to allow the little creative minds let loose. Wouldn't these be fun? I can imagine all sorts of ways to transform them or pretend with -- plus, they're safe and makes great art when not being used!

 

Romp Store

Are you ready for a feast for the eyes? Romp Store, a new online shop to me, has got an incredible selection of toys, games, decor...etc. As they say, "...everything we bring you will have a magical combination of good design, respect for materials and craft, and of course a serious dose of fun." (Well said). They've even got things that are fresh to my eyes and I feel like I've seen nearly everything. It's a delightful shop to peruse and will be one my destinations this holiday season. All Kids Haus readers can get free shipping on all orders by simply entering "Haus" in the discount code box.

Decoylab Counting Clocks

The very talented designer/illustrator behind Decoylab, Maiko Kuzunishi (who is known for her printed cuckoo clock), has recently introduced her Bunny Counting Clock and Night Owl Clock. The illustrations are so wonderful and I love that she's melded great art and an everyday necessity into one.

LeiLiLaLoo

LeiLiLaLoo is spilling over with creativity. She's doing what I aspire to do...making artful things, constantly. I adore the whimsical approach to all of her pieces. LeiLiLaLoo makes everything from paintings, to home decoration, to clothing. She's not afraid to layer, add new textures and use a wide range of mediums. Very inspiring...

NotNeutral Wall Decals - Seasons

The NotNeutral Reusable Wall Decals: Seasons is a cheery way to brighten up a room (I'm definitely drawn to anything cheery these days). Because the decals are reusable, you can change the leaves and flowers depending on the season. A fun way for kids to dabble in a little creativity of their own.

Pin Boards

These cute pin boards would be great for (obviously) pinning pictures or mementos or whatever else is worthy of displaying. I know ours would consist of scribbled pictures and found objects from the park. Ideal, the husband and wife team out of Massachusetts is using Homasote, a green material made from recycled, pressed newsprint with no resins -- even better!

Tamar Mogendorff's Bird House

Ms. Bean exuberantly told me that her school is making bird houses (out of wood) this morning -- it will be really fun to see the outcome of everyone's creations. What a fun project for kids. So, while on the subject of bird houses, I was simply blown away by Tamar Mogendorff's Bird House  handmade of cotton fabric -- what an imaginative and gorgeous design. You can pair it with Inke's Wallpaper Treehouse.

Kideko Bedding

I'm amazed at how much fantastic design is coming out of Australia these days. Shelley from Kideko introduced me to her company that focuses on bedding and accessories for children.  The bright graphics strike a nice balance between being bold yet not overbearing. Very nice!

inke: wallpaper tree silhouette

How gorgeous is this Wallpaper Tree Silhouette by Inke? I'd like to order a whole forest, please! You can pre-order from one of the coolest online shops, Enfant Terrible, for arrival in mid-late February.

Wooden Mobiles

These sweet wooden mobiles, hand-painted in Germany, are so beautiful and delicate.

Avalisa Rugs

Avalisa, the same company that created the stretched wall art, has come up with a gorgeous line of wool rugs. Hmmm, maybe I'm drawn to this pattern because it's reminiscent of my lollipops!

Old School Prints

If you're in the market for some whimsical and affordable art, these Old School letter press wall prints are fantastic. Hazel Wood Children has plenty to choose from but these were the ones I took notice of.

Kapitza Animal Stickers

Nicole from Kapitza sent me an email about their newest addition: Animal Stickers. They're not your average sticker -- they've got a fluffy, velvety flocked surface! and I love the suggestions of applying them to furniture or personalizing objects like cell phones, greeting cards, etc.

Summer Salt Design

First, you've got to just love the name Summer Salt Design. Second, their one of a kind bird arches are undeniably unique and adorable. Hanging one of these above Ms. Bean's bed would guarantee sweet dreams.

Fairy Tale Ottoman

These felt footstools from Anthropologie are adorned with gnomes, flowers and mushrooms depicting imaginative fairy tale themes.

Artist: Gala Bent

Gala Bent is a local Seattle artist that has definitely caught my eye. She delicately draws animal imagery, patterns and geometric shapes tinted with gouche. In person, Gala's art is really captivating when you have the opportunity to observe the intricate lines that she's so carefully drawn on, what appears to be, tea-stained paper. I recently shared an email exchange with Gala and learned that she's the mother of two boys under the age of 3. Somehow, she manages to fit in painting while her boys nap during the day -- now that's awe inspiring!

Gala is currently showing her work at Caffe Fiore in Old Ballard and is having an artist's reception this Saturday, December 8 from 6-8pm. I'm definitely putting Gala on my list of art that I intend to purchase!

Etsy Find: Gypsy and Twink

I'm absolutely in love with these adorable wood cutouts from Etsy's Gypsy and Twink!

Flensted Mobiles

Flensted Mobiles is a small family run business from Funen, Denmark. You can't help but appreciate the delicate craftsmanship in these fantastic mobiles.

Zid Zid Kids Silver Cushion

Zid Zid Kids is always coming up with wonderful products for kids decor. Check out these sweet silver cushions -- they remind me of the holidays.

Perch Lighting

I love these hand-made ceramic lights by Perch. They would be ideal for a child's room with their sophisticated yet playful aesthetic...

Animal Door Mats

Wipe your muddy shoes on these fun Pictogram Doormats in the shape of a jack rabbit or hippo!

Sandra Isaksson

British designer and illustrator Sandra Isaksson started ISAK in 2006 which is "all about beautiful happy things!" and has already created a phenomenal range of trays, dishes, greeting cards and wallpaper. To top it all off, she created utterly charming kids counting posters! I had so much fun perusing her website and was in awe of how talented one person can be! I particularly enjoyed her description for the 123 Counting Poster: "They can be called a "flock", when there are so many. I have counted them using all my fingers, and all my toes. I see them all when I play in the woods after dinner, they tell me their names but all I can hear is tweet." She also created equally adorable 123 Counting Poster 1-10 and the ABC Alphabet poster.

   

K Studio Pillows

K Studios is a mother and daughter team that creates quirky and endearing pillows made from sustainable materials such as hemp, organic cotton and recycled wool. The production is made in-house and managed by Mary and Shelly Klein. It's hard to resist buying a couple of these pillows especially knowing who's behind each creation and knowing that they're supporting sustainable living. Their range of pillows can be found at Design Public.

Litto Kids Crib Set

Litto Kids line of crib bedding is adorable yet a far cry from being too 'cutesy' or gender specific. The color palettes remind me of the 70's (which is not necessarily a bad thing) but the illustrations are nicely modernized. The owl motif is probably my favorite -- because, seriously, who can resist those bright-eyed birds? The Retro mushroom and Silly owl are both available on reprodepotfabrics.com.

Avalisa Graphic Prints

If you're looking for bold and cheerful art to liven up your child's room, Avalisa is overflowing with a vast range of graphic prints to choose from -- just look at the images below! I love the mixing and matching of different graphic patterns while using the same color palette.

Glug Baby

I've known Glug Baby to have fantastic t-shirts but somehow their pillows flew under my radar. They're just as cute...