May 13th, 2008

Enfant Terrible

My new favourite shop; Enfant Terrible. A shop with many carefully chosen and very beautiful items for babies and children – to wear – to play – to read.

Inside the little parcel that arrived for Astrid today were some very sweet leggings by mor mor rita. I find it terribly exciting the label says made in Brooklyn. We’ve never had clothes from Brooklyn before.

Sweet little leggings – perfect for running around on the Heath – perfect for wearing under little dresses and skirts – perfect for our next summer.

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May 10th, 2008

Our lovely morning

This morning we walked down to the Pyrenees for breakfast. A lovely stroll down the hill, through tree-lined streets, past elegant villas with pretty gardens and tall trees.

Mt Albert’s one of the early Auckland suburbs, complete with both Bowling and Croquet clubs. And quite a few two-storey villas. And lots and lots of trees (just none at the bowling club).

Down the second hill – look babychops! There’s daddy pushing you in your pram.

Down the hill for a yummy mocha and croissant sitting at the big rustic, communal table where one may browse old books about Paris, or add delicious morsels to their shopping basket. A place to read the paper, or just to watch the morning go by. Astrid even gets to sit in a very nice highchair when we’re there.

On the walk back home we take a wrong turning and get to see even more lovely houses. Our favourite street is called Violet Street. Mummy also takes lots of photos of her feet in amongst all the autumness on the footpaths near Violet Street.

She took a lot of photos of her feet and a lot of photos of houses she likes, by which to come back and look at to remember the old neighbourhood.

This is mummy’s favourite house. And here are mummy’s feet again with leaves and different flowers in a different location this time. Nearly home.

But not until she trotted up the hill to take another photo of her also-favourite house.

And not until she’s taken a photo of this letterbox tucked neatly inside the local hedge plant whatever it’s called.

Back down the hill, around the corner and there’s daddy pushing the babychops up the road now. Up the tree-lined road that greets us every day on the way home.

And when we arrived home we found a lovely treat in the letterbox, all the way from Sweden.

And what a little treat it is. I think I love the packaging as much as the contents.

See the Manos post for more info. A lovely morning indeed. Hooray for no car!

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May 9th, 2008

Hello

More lovely tempting delicious things out there in blog-shop-land. We’re painting and sewing curtains this weekend. What are you doing?

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May 8th, 2008

Today,

I am having trouble concentrating. Today I needed to focus. One week of work left. Instead I am having fantasies about lying on hotel beds, eating satay noodles, watching television. Currently I am in love with television. Every night when Astrid is asleep I get out my sketchbook, my pen and pencil and I draw whilst watching crap tele. The other night I inadvertently watched a horror film, dark water, based on a Japanese book. Last night I watched some English drama with lots of people from Spooks in it.

Today I have made notes of nice things, taken some photos, had lunch with Dad. Today I am thankful for my host of moleskines, each with their special task, to help organise my life. I like crossing out tasks completed.

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May 8th, 2008

London to do

I’m going to keep adding to this – this is my repository of things to remember to do in London when we arrive:

Cabbages & Frocks Jewellery Show: 11th-12th June
Cabbages & Frocks Summer Festival: 13th-15th June
more info

Petit Aime delightful french children’s shop that might have a certain doll I seek

Tate Modern membership
Kew Gardens membership

Rob Ryan mini show at Tatty Devine, 236 Brick Lane E2 until June 20th

Why Are You So Naughty Handprinted Tile by Rob Ryan (image from Rob’s shop)
Rob’s shop | Rob’s blog

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May 2nd, 2008

Window shopping…

It’s funny what the clicking of one link can lead to. A link via Blair’s flickr led me to Swallowfield, and one thing led to another and we’ll have this lovely print waiting for us when we arrive in London. And so another thing led to another thing and this is how my quest to collect my favourite blogland shops began.

Veil of Flowers by Swallowfield

I’ve been saving the links, which you can find on my new links page. I’ve also hooked my del.icio.us into my blog - so it will always show my most recent twenty bookmarks. You can find that over there (she says, pointing), at the bottom of my right side bar.

Note - images are from the shop websites and are copyright © their respective owners.

Please keep on reading to some more favourites…

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May 2nd, 2008

Ashley G

Every good blogger must have an Ashley G, so this was my second port of call in my shop quest. I just adore the family sweet family print, and the idea of the story time print is also very beautiful.

family sweet family and story time by Ashley G 

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May 2nd, 2008

Lisa S. + Lisa C.

I’d seen Lisa’s first letterpress print ages ago, and in my quest last week I found my way back to her shop, admiring her beautiful hand-stitched prints.

And at Lisa Congdon’s shop I found some beautiful cards on sale. They’d be very nice framed as a set. I love all of them.

top: the tenderhearted card set by Lisa Congdon
bottom: blue stitch print by Lisa Solomon

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May 2nd, 2008

Blissen

I’ve loved Jill Bliss‘ style of drawing for a very long time now. Hers was one of the first four links on my blog way back at the very beginning.

So in my quest for all the good handmade, blogland shops I liked, of course hers was to be included. If I had to pick two favourite items they would be the native flowers stationery set and the mini journal set.

native flowers stationery set and the mini journal set by Jill Bliss

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May 2nd, 2008

Manos

With Manos‘ newly launched online shop, Karin Erikkson and Camilla Engman’s exhibition pieces sold out very quickly. But there are lovely butterfly pebbles aplenty, with a choice of big butterfly or small butterfly. Very pretty.

caress small butterfly and caress big butterfly by Karin Erikkson 

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May 2nd, 2008

yoo-ii

Yu i Chan is a very nice person who sometimes comments on my photos, so I was very happy to visit her etsy shop by chance when the sale was on. It’s all sold out now, but her amazing prints are currently available from reform school, satsuma press and shiny squirrel. Lucky people might also find one or two (three in fact) of her very-scrumptious-indeed hand woven scarfs still available.

nocturne 02 and desert 02 by yoo-ii 

Sorry I can’t spell scarfs properly. I also cannot spell wharfs, drawers, affect/effect or seperate.

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May 2nd, 2008

Krakatoa + Camilla Engman prints

I’d always thought the Krakatoa poster by Elisabeth Dunker of Fine Little Day was sold out, but no, it’s available at Little Red Stuga. And Camilla Engman has a lovely, fairly affordable set of four a4 size prints available in her shop.

krakatoa by Elisabeth Dunker and 4 prints by Camilla Engman

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