Amelia’s Space

Today we thought it might be nice to share some pictures from Amelia’s room. Being a north facing room, it is one of the lightest rooms in the house, so we often hang out there together playing on the floor and reading books. It’s a nice space to be.

We love the “Milly’s Room” sign that hangs on her door. Grandma found it at the local Piccadilly Market and couldn’t resist getting it for Amelia – lucky us!

Do you remember Juliette rabbit? She has fast become a favourite of Amelia’s. She is the perfect size for a snuggle.

One of the many wonderful things about having a child is being able to buy all those little things you have been secretly eyeing off but had no excuse to actually buy, like the handmade Jenny Harley doll that sits on Amelia’s bookshelf. I am so in love with her. Amelia thinks she’s pretty special too…

But my favourite thing in Amelia’s room is the handmade quilt on her bed. There is just something so special about a quilt made with love.

What does Amelia like most about her room? I think she would tell us Bendy (her teddy bear from Nan that she cuddles to sleep each night) and Juliette Rabbit.

Is your child’s room (or your room) full of little treasures too? I would love to hear about your favourite pieces.

Blog Love Part 1 – The Junior

One of the ways I like to unwind at the end of a day, is to hop online and go hunting for new and beautiful ‘things’ – toys, clothing, nursery art… the kind of things I can be inspired by and dream about (“ooh Amelia would look so cute in that”, “oh that would be perfect in Amelia’s room”, “I always wanted a beautiful dolls house… I mean Amelia would love that dolls house!)

Most of my discoveries, (including many of the beautiful labels found at Millie Abroad), have been uncovered with the help of talented bloggers with a good eye for all things fabulous, and so I wanted to share with you some of my favourite. With quite I few on the list I will share just one at a time.

The first blog I would like to share with you is The Junior.

Written by Helena, a graphic artist and mum to the gorgeous Lykke, the pages are filled not only with the “latest and greatest (in) childrens fashions”…

but also with little snippets of family life told through beautiful photographs. (Oh how I wish my family album looked like this…)

Should you fall in love with something Lykke is wearing (or like me EVERYTHING she wears) then be sure to check under the photo. Every now and then Helen very kindly shares her wardrobe selection with you.

Helen hopes for “The Jnr. to be a place for all style conscious parents, to collect inspiration and indulge in great kids fashion”… and indulge I have – I encourage you to do the same.

Holding onto the Summer Sun

Summer may be over, and winter fast approaching, but I am not yet willing to say goodbye to the summer sun. And so I have gone hunting for things that make me feel sunny and bright.

1. I love nursery art that can be enjoyed by both the young and old. Belle and Boo’s “Belle and Boo Fly a Kite” art print is just one of many of Mandy Sutcliffe’s beautiful creations. Belle and Boo art prints are now available at Millie Abroad.

2. Have you discovered these beautiful handmade dolls by Alis Fox ? They have been lovingly made from up cycled fabrics and each piece is completely unique and fabulous. They can be found online at her Etsy shop WhiteFoxinBlackBox.

3. The colour of buttercups and sunshine, this gorgeous summer creation by Velvet and Tweed is happiness in a dress and can be found at Millie Abroad.

4. I have a secret obsession with cushions and it was love at first sight when I discovered this “Ballooning Cushion on White Linen” at roddy&ginger’s etsy store.  Fun, vibrant and sunny!

5.  I love what a simple wooden letter can add to a room. This one will surely add a touch of sunshine. OldNewAgain have a wonderful collection of timber letters and other equally lovely items.

6. I love yellow and I love shoes and I especially love them when they are combined. To wear these Heart Ankle Boots by Chupeta would surely feel like walking on sunshine.

7. Light, bright and cheerful the Sally Anna Banana dress by Australian designers Dear Charlotte Love banjo is oh so sweet, like home made lemonade or catching butterflies in the garden. Best of all, it is available no at Millie Abroad.

8.  I have already shared my love for Sonatina shoes here. But I can’t resist sharing again. These Rollins Shoes with their vintage charm just melt my heart.

9. I love that wallpaper has made a come back and must confess that I will happily surf the web for hours at a time hunting down new designs. I am in love with this Julia Rothman Wall Paper “Daydream (Sunshine)” available at Hygge and West

Leaving on a jet plane

Tomorrow morning we hop on a plane to Bali for a family holiday. My last task for tonight is to pick out Amelia’s wardrobe for the trip. With so many favourite pieces it isn’t an easy decision, but it’s the end of the wet season in Bali, so it’s hot and humid. This means I need clothing that is light weight, non restrictive and comfortable.

The obvious first choice was something from the Dandelion range. A Balinese label, it has been designed with comfort in high temperatures in mind. I love the linen Elodie pants for some sun protection and the Anna Maria Blouse is an absolute favourite in our house.

We are also big fans of sunsuits here at Millie Abroad. They are fresh, light and allow for lots of robust play in comfort. I couldn’t resist including the Anita Sunsuit from Violetta e Federico. I love the earthy tones and floral print, but more importantly (for Amelia), it is beautifully soft. But, loving sunsuits as we do, one simply isn’t enough so we have also included the newly arrived Crossed Romper by Je suis en CP. After all, who can go past polka dots?

We have also put in some of our favourite Dear Charlotte, Love Banjo pieces from their last season collection. We loved these sunsuits so much we got one in white and one in yellow and they have been much loved.

And last but not least, we have decided to bring the lovely Juliette Rabbit from Hazel Village. She was supposed to be an Easter gift, but with long flights ahead of us I have decided she can come and help entertain Amelia.

Juliette is a budding young artist and tells me she is most looking forward to taking part in some batik classes.

Wish us all luck on our flight!

Meet the Maker – Violeta e Federico

On my mission to find beautiful and unique clothing for my little girl Amelia, I spent many hours browsing the web, reading blogs and magazines; sifting through the boring and mundane to find that something special that really jumped out at me. And that is exactly what Spanish label Violeta e Federico did. Their designs are classic but casual. The kind of clothing you can pop your little one into every day, whether it’s a catch up with friends at a cafe or a play at the park.

Natalia, one of the three women behind Violeta e Federico speaks with us about the inspiration behind the label.

Can you tell us a little bit about Violeta e Federico for those readers who haven’t yet discovered you? VeF was born in Barcelona. Owned by 3 women that wanted to create a stylish and comfortable baby collection, something between tradition and modernity, lovely and functional (easy to wear and easy to wash)… clothes with soul for babies with personality.

 When did you get started and what was your inspiration? Violeta e Federico was born 5 years ago, when my second daughter was born. My 2 daughters were my main source of inspiration. I have always been interested in fashion, but I didn’t know much about baby/children’s fashion until my first daughter was born. In that moment a lot of brands were coming out in France; Belgium or the Nederlands, but you couldn’t find them in Spain.

What do you most enjoy about what you do? Starting a new collection. New fabrics, fresh ideas. Creating all the time. Reinventing.

 What do you feel makes your work unique? We are a small company and that is what makes our work unique. We work with small workshops specialized in baby clothing, so that makes possible that every customer can personalize the collection, making it fit perfectly in different countries, different styles and different kind of stores.

Do you have a favourite item of clothing to design? Rompers. I love baby rompers. I think is the most comfortable piece of clothing for mothers and babies, and they look so sweet…

What is your favourite ‘indulgence’ that is just for you? Hand knitted collection… I really love our new hand knitted braided rompers.

 Do you have a favourite city for shopping ? I love shopping everywhere and I can find very nice shops all around the world, but no where like Paris… There are incredible shops in every small street, in every neighborhood window shopping is amazing…. Definitely , Paris is my city…

A snapshot of Natalia’s workspace shows her family are always there to inspire her.

The Violeta e Federico collection has just arrived at our doorstep, and will be available for purchase at Millie Abroad very soon.

‘Once in a Leap Year’ Sale Today

At Millie Abroad we love a Leap Year, so we are celebrating with a one day sale. 29% off store wide! Discount will be applied at checkout. See you there!

Once in a Leap Year Sale – 29% off Storewide