shak-shuka

Map It, Crumple It - for Kids!

Over the next few months I'll be travelling quite a bit - mostly with the kids. That means plenty of packing, organizing, and of course mapping out what our itinerary will be and the best kid-friendly spots to visit. It's funny how things change once you have kids - even your old stomping grounds of places you used to live seem like outerspace when you travel there again as a family. No more hitting the latest nightclubs and bars, instead your looking for playgrounds, accessible toilets and kids shops!

Needless to say we'll be ditching our Lonely Planets this time around for a new set of maps that I saw over at the great travel blog Boz Around. If you ever needed a travel expert (with kids!) - she's the one to trust! Needless to say I fell in love with the Crumpled Maps Junior that she featured, and since we'll be visiting many of the cities that they have maps for (Paris, London and New York), I think we'll have to buy a couple. And since they crumple and are (practically - remember we're talking kids here!) rip-proof, you only have to buy one and not invest in many since they'll hopefully survive many many trips!

Make: One Hour Girls Skirt (seriously!)

Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I don't care. Even though the weather has been wonderfully sunny, I don't care. Something has shifted inside of me, and despite being busier than ever, I crave a bit of a creative outlet for me to express myself. A dance class? No time. A painting? Too much mess. Aha - sewing! That's the ticket!

Since I don't have enough time to go into an extensive project, I consulted my "mini me" and she declared that she wanted to "make" a skirt for herself. Hours later, we decided on a fabric, a tutorial a la Martha Stewart which also included a video which was really helpful for brushing up on my French Seams, and literally one hour later she was rocking her new skirt! Great for a beginner or someone like me who just needed to find a little outlet of that creative energy that's spinning around that empty loft in my head.....

Now onto the next project! If I can find the time....

Here's a picture of the end result - paired with a Sunbirds Rib Tee, of course!

 

Birds of a Feather (Tchotchkes)

I've hit a rut in my quest for interior perfection (since outdoor decoration is currently on hold thanks to the nasty cold weather we're experiencing!). The walls are pretty much decorated, the floors are sorted, now just those final finishing touches of knick-knacks, or as we call them "tchotchkes" in our house. I was never really good in this department, plus I think both my husband and I fear having our house look like something like a tchotchke hoarders dreamhouse.....

When we were in Copenhagen last summer, at the HAY store, I saw these handmade wooden Birds made by Kristian Vedel (a Danish designer) and fell in love. There is something so incredibly zen about their simple shape, and faces that I think really are so cheerful without being cheesy at all. The Birds come in various sizes, and the idea behind them is that they represent a familiy of sorts, so you can pick and choose as many birds fit you and your family (or budget! :). I'm also loving the color variation so that they don't ever teeter on the "matchy matchy" scale....

Since we're in the Netherlands, we found our flock of birds here, but you can find them available in other stores worldwide as well - like here.

Smile-Inducing Tissue Boxes

Even though it's May, the weather sure is acting like it's March. Or February. Or January. Cold cold cold! I thought that April showers were supposed to bring May flowers, but our garden says differently....

Along with the lingering cold weather has come the lingering sniffles in our house. Not bad enough to be considered a "real" cold, but enough to call for an open box of tissue to be in each and every room. To be honest, looking at ugly tissue boxes has always been a pet peeve of mine. Plain or decorated, I always think they're the eye-sore of the room. Then I remembered that there was an adorable solution that I had seen years ago on Etsy by this maker named Sparkly Pony. They make the most smile-inducing tissue box covers I have ever seen. The rectangular Whale seems to be the favorite of the store, but I think the small square box Elephant is to die for cute.

So even if the weather really blows, at least you have a way to blow your nose in ridiculously cute style, no?!

Eco (Dream) Outdoor Playhouse

The weather is *supposed* to be taking a turn for the better, as we heard it's springtime?! You'd never guess it with the weather we've been experiencing, but nonetheless we're turning our attention from interior decorating/construction to everything garden related. Sprucing up the vegetable garden, fixing the crumbling fences, and designing a proper kids play area.

I'm not sure you all have run into the same conundrum as us, but when choosing outdoor playhouses and such for kids, you have two choices: 1) wood, which looks beautiful but doesn't always wear very well over time/weather or 2) hideous plastic which wears well but looks trashy at best. You can imagine my eyes popping out of my head when I read on Inhabitots lately that there is an eco, recycled and pretty (!) outdoor playhouse set made from recycled plastic jugs! Hailing from Minnesota, Loll Designs makes a kid-friendly Loki Playhouse with coordinating table and chairs. It comes in seven colors to defintely go with any house facade color. The only catch? Well, the price tag is quite high leaving it out of most of our price ranges ($1,600 - yikes!). But it's good to know that companies are thinking green with kids outdoor playspaces, and surely they'll be more brand to follow suit.....we hope!

The Hip Tee with Heart

Whether or not we like to admit it, as mothers, most of us at some point post-baby fall into the tunic/long top (to cover all the lumpy bumpy areas) and leggings uniform. Five months post-baby, I'm still rocking this ensemble and always looking for new tunic-y tops to spruce up my look!

Our good friends at Le Souk have a tee that fits the bill this summer - the Heart Bow Tee. Not only is it long enough to wear over leggings, but has a heart shape cut-out in the back with ribbon weaving through. The tee has a vintage feel and is from a brand called Hip Tee from Spain. To top it all off, the tees are made from organic cotton and under fair trade conditions. I think you know what I'll be sporting this summer (along with my capri leggings!)

How's it Hanging? (City Coat Rack Solution)

When decorating, do you ever find yourself in one of those "hanging" modes where all you can think about is getting stuff off the floor and onto shelves or hanging hooks and racks? Well even if you don't - I do and lately that's all I can think about!

We purchased this Tas-ka (a favorite site of ours, now with their own store in The Hague!) City Coat Rack and I keep running from wall to wall thinking up spaces where we need more well-designed organization. Personally I'm pining over getting another one, as I think one rack of city just isn't enough......because we always have the stuff to hang on it so it'll be put to good use!

 

HanaBlomst: Japanese/Danish Design

As a parent, I feel like I'm always looking for ways to make mealtime more beautiful and enjoyable. This joy could come in the form of a special cup which will make drinking that much easier, cutlery that'll be cute and help shovel the food in, or plates so special that even the parents can't keep their eyes off the food! That's what we felt when we saw Hanablomst tableware....love at first sight! Instead of being made from melamine or BPA-filled plastics, these are made in Japan from recycled plastic. I love the story behind Hanablomst as well - a Japanese/Dutch couple who raised their daughter bilingual, and one of her first words in both languages was flower ("Hana" in Japanese and "Blomst" in Danish). These are not your tableare styles either: mugs (how cute would they be for hot chocolate days?), a divided plate (really - I mean, who wants your peas and pasta touching anyways?) and a bento box that is just so cute and functional I wouldn't be surprised seeing mamas running around with it on their lunch days! Of course we couldn't live without Hanablomst line of bags made from Japanese fabrics for mamas  - reversible, gorgeous, and the kids can steal them for toys or "role play like mama" time.

Banana Bread Recipe

Get ready to dash away from the computer and start this recipe. It has drool-worthy, screen-licking taste-ability. Healthy, light, fluffy, and easy banana bread that will make you jump out of bed in the morning ready to start your day with a slice, or two, or three....you get the drift.

Banana Bread

1/2cup oil (flavorless oil - I like a neutral coconut oil)

2 large eggs

1/2cup yogurt (soy or dairy)

1 tsp vanilla extract

about 2 ripe bananas (to measure about 1-1.5 cups)

1 cup sugar

1.5cups unbleached flour

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

a handful of nuts of your choice: we've done walnuts one time and almonds another to increase the protein factor

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180c/350f.

In a bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, salt). In a blender, add the liquid ingredients (bananas, eggs, vanilla extract, oil, yogurt) and blend until very smooth. Line and oil a rectangular bread pan. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, making sure that all the flour is incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan and place in the preheated oven to bake for 1 hour and about 15 minutes, turning halfway during the cooking time, and making sure the center is cooked by inserting a toothpick to make sure it comes out dry. Once the bread is fully baked, place it on a wired rack to cool and invert to remove it to a plate once fully cooled.

Oeuf Does Good Bag

Yes, yes - you know as well as I do that I despise bags. But yet they are a necessary evil since having kidlets (I used to run around town with a mini camera case that held my money (read: cards) and my camera) - I mean, how else are you going to schlep your whole house around?

This week we were lucky enough to be featured on this great site Gold Jelly Bean, and in the same feature about us was this Artecnica bag from Oeuf that I. must. have. now. It is cooler than anything I've ever seen before: it packs flat, is made from recycled billboard ads, there's no glue or stitching but yet it can hold 33lbs (I think that's about the weight of one of my children - hey! a new stroller!) and to top it all off, a portion of the proceeds go to charity. Seriously, what's not to like, even from an avid-non-bag-lover? And the price ($17), well, let's just say it might be the only piece of Oeuf that doesn't carry a three-or-four-digit price tag!