spell it out…

I Love Gorgeous ‘Love’ Necklace (one size)
How cute is this? And I have to say, I was surprised at the price – I thought it would have been much more expensive. It would make an adorable present for a (not too little – I am definitely not a fan of jewellery on babies and toddlers) little girl. And it comes beautifully packaged in a fluorescent pink gift box. I could definitely see my niece, Holly wearing this. And of course, I can’t help thinking of Sex & The City and the Carrie necklace. Love!
£25.00  ilovegorgeous.co.uk

ps: is it wrong that I sort of want one..?

the cutest pants

Stella McCartney Kids Weekend Underwear (2-6 years)
This little box set would make the most adorable gift for a little girl. Or in my case (or rather Tabitha’s), a gorgeous little ‘reward’ gift for being so good with all things ‘toilet related’ (well, here’s hoping anyway…). 100% organic cotton Saturday and Sunday pants with the prettiest embroidery on the front. Too cute for words.
£28.00  liberty.co.uk

ps: I have the adult version (and all seven days no less!), and although a little on the skimpy side, I absolutely love them too. Although, just to be clear, they weren’t a ‘reward gift’ of any kind!

cloud busting

Zü Cloud Cushion (43×23 cm)
Tabitha and Marlow both have variations of this cushion on their beds, and they look so cute. This yellow is a new colour, and I really love it (it’s that perfect yellow that I’m a little obsessed with – called ‘honey’). There are plenty of other colours to choose from, and they come in two different sizes. Such a simple, sweet design. And would make a great pressie too. Super-stylish.
£35.00  petithome.co.uk

bird watching

Oliver Bonas Set Of Three Mini Birdy Suitcases
Tabitha and Marlow are obsessed with birds, and know all the different types that frequent our garden, so these immediately caught my eye. I love little suitcases (as you already know) for storing small toys (those annoying ones that always get lost…) in a stylish way. And I’ve yet to meet a child who doesn’t love the ritual of putting (then immediately removing) various objects into boxes/containers of any kind. This set of three cases will look so sweet stacked up on a shelf in a nursery or bedroom. I love the muted colours and the charmingly simple illustrations. They would also make a lovely present. Tweet tweet!
£19.50  oliverbonas.com 

teepee with style

Win Green Striped Wigwam
I was obsessed with finding the perfect teepee for Tabarlow before Christmas. Obsessed! It had to be cool and tasteful, and ideally in a ticking stripe (I know, I know…). In a nutshell, I wanted one that looked great (and it did, in the middle of the living room for a while…), but was obviously still fun for the twins to hide and play in (and large enough to house two small people comfortably of course). And believe me when I say that no stone was left unturned in my quest. Now this one was definitely not the cheapest, but it was definitely the nicest. It is pretty big though (I tend to forgot to check measurements of anything I buy online, which has got me into all kinds of scrapes with all manor of things, which I won’t bore you all with now…), so check out the dimensions on the website. You can also buy the matching quilt for the floor of the teepee, which although an extra cost, was a really lovely finishing touch. But to be honest, you could just lay a few mismatched quilts and blankets down for an equally lovely, cosy effect. There is currently a waiting list for this one, but you can pre-order now, which I would definitely recommend. And if you’ve already started searching for the perfect teepee yourself, you can call it off…
£120.00  wingreen.co.uk

me and my guitar

Vilac Toy Guitar
If you’ve been an avid follower of Little Spree for a while now, you may remember this cute red piano that I posted back in April last year. It is still one of the best gifts Tabarlow have ever received. And honestly, they still play with it virtually every day. And the same goes for this guitar (they were given the piano and the guitar to share as a first birthday present from their nanny). And I still love them too. They both have prime position in their bedroom, and have outlived most of the other toys/presents. And I have to say (amazingly), they both still look as good as new. The guitar actually has six musical strings, so no need to cover your ears when the kids start strumming (definitely a bonus!). And it still amazes me what a great price it is for such a lovely, stylish, beautifully made toy, and one that you don’t mind tripping over occasionally…
£17.99  amazon.co.uk

my first hangers…

H&M Baby Hangers (pack of two)
I love a bit of a H&M Home (if you haven’t checked it out, you have to – it’s really fab), and the baby and kids’ collection is growing all the time (just bypass the pink leopard print…). How sweet are these hangers? I also love (and bought) these ones from Cyrillus. And It’s never too early to start hanging up your little one’s favourites pieces (or rather, yours)…
£4.99  hm.com

pretty in pink

Emma Levine April Lace Dress & Knicker Set (0-24 months)
Dream and float through Summer in this enchanting dress and knicker set… That’s what it says on the website, and I couldn’t put it better myself! Such a gorgeous dress. Now we all know that pink is not my favourite colour, but somehow this just feels so right (and it’s a ‘good’ pink). I love the embroidery around the neckline and sleeves. Such a unique and special little outfit for a baby girl. Would make a beautiful gift for a newborn. And if, like me, you are feeling a little crest-fallen about the 24 month cut-off point (yes, I’m still thinking about that Gap dress!), don’t be. Here’s the ‘big sister’ version, which goes up to nine years. Phew!
£29.00  emmalevine.net

barefoot in the park

Vertbaudet Knitted Blanket
Can it be true? Is it actually Spring at last?? Well it seems so (in London at least…). So time to dust off the picnic blanket and get down to your nearest park (Richmond in our case) quick, before it changes its mind! I love this patchwork style. And I love that these kind of blankets are multi-purpose (I always keep at least one under the twins’ pushchair at all times). Perfect for the park, the pram, the cot, the bed… The list is endless. And I love these colours…
£29.00  vertbaudet.co.uk 

head-to-toe in (chic, French) grey

Alice à Paris Knitted Baby All-In-One (3-6 months)
Alice a Paris is still quite a new discovery for me. Gorgeous, simple, French clothes for babies and toddlers at really great prices. I love that they only have quite a small selection of styles, but they all come in various colours and fabrics. Perfect. How chic is this knitted all-in-one? Love the ties at the side. The perfect ‘don’t know what I’m/they’re having’ pre-baby purchase/gift.
£33.00  aliceaparis.com

metallica

Butterfly Home By Matthew Williamson Metal Trunk (Large)
I very rarely find myself in a Debenhams store, but when I do, I always manage to find unexpected hidden treasure (perhaps I should go more often?). I found this fab metal trunk in the homeware department, and promptly bought two for Tabarlow’s bedroom, where they now live side by side on the windowsill. I know £50.00 might seem a little pricey for Debenhams, but it is quite large, and really solid and heavy (and definitely looks expensive). I had bought them both small suitcases from the fabulous store, Merci (if you haven’t been, you must) in Paris a few years ago, and this reminds me of something that you mind find there (but with a much heftier price tag!). I haven’t quite decided what I’m going to put in theirs yet, but it could be anything from blankets and bedlinen to toys to books… I also think it would make a great ‘memory box’ to give a baby/child as a gift. And even if you just leave them empty for the time being (as I have), they just look lovely in any room.
£50  debenhams.co.uk 

my baby emergency kit

Anya Hindmarch Baby Emergency Kit
Now before you shoot my down in flames (I’m talking about the price tag), hear me out. I was lucky enough to be given one of these when Tabarlow were babies, and it was one of the few things that I literally couldn’t live without. Ok, it’s definitely not cheap. But, in the same way that you use your baby/nappy bag every day, you will use this numerous times, every day, day in, day out (sometimes when you’re not using your nappy bag) for a minimum of two years. Wherever the baby (or babies in my case) go, this goes with you. It’s compact (I would just chuck it into whichever bag I was using that day); I could get everything I needed in it for two babies (including four spare nappies); it looks super-chic (no embarrassment in whipping it out to do a quick (stylish) nappy change. But the best part about it is the way it’s organised to make the whole process as seamless and stress-free as possible. It comes with a wipe-clean, black changing mat (no need for a bulky, padded one) that folds up into a tiny size (with attached elastic to keep it in place), and various labelled compartments and pockets so that everything you need has a place. So when you’re in the process of changing a nappy you literally have everything at your fingertips (no faffing around looking for the wipes whilst balancing two babies…). Anyway, I could go on and on, but I won’t because I haven’t had dinner yet… This was one piece of baby kit that I loved, and it made my life just that little bit easier (and particularly with twins, those things can make such a difference, however silly that may sound…). And of course, there’s no getting away from the fact that it looks super-chic and stylish, and is beautifully finished. But with Anya that’s simply stating the obvious. It’s the clever, carefully thought out design, and attention to detail that made in invaluable to me. Mine is currently on loan to my lovely friend, Des, and she loves it as much as I did. And it still looks as pristine as when it was first given to me. This is the kind of thing that would make an amazing present  for a few people to club together and buy for someone as a baby gift. After all, as lovely as it is to have drawers groaning with beautiful cashmere separates in neutral tones, it’s the practical (and still chic, obviously) things that you actually end up loving the most… The end.
£275.00  anyahindmarch.com

the chicest of shops

Howa Wooden Shop
This is one of the best presents Tabarlow have ever received. It’s nothing short of amazing (thank you Granny and Connie). And I think it’s safe to say that I enjoy playing with it as much as they do. Possibly more so. It is definitely one of the most stylish kids’ toy shops I’ve seen (loving that chic striped awning). It doesn’t come with any of the food – you need to stock the shop (this is the bit where I went a bit mad – more of that later…), but I can point you in the right direction (it was a bit hit and miss in terms of scale and proportion, so learn from my mistakes of oversized oranges and miniture milk bottles). Anyway, it’s not just me who loves it, it’s proven to be a big hit with any kids that come to our house (of both sexes and various ages), and has turned out to be a great play-date ice-breaker (I’ve even managed to hold a whole conversation with another mum whilst four kids played happily together with it). You do need quite a bit of stuff to fill it, but it doesn’t take long, and I would recommend doing it gradually, or (like me) you will lose track of what you ordered, and get carried away (who knew wooden food could be so addictive?), and before you know it you have more wooden cupcakes than you know what to do with. After Christmas I went a little crazy, and our poor postman was knocking on our front door every day for weeks with a new mountain of boxes. Anyway, here are a few of my favourite things to get you started: the ice cream lolly stand, the tray of muffins, and the set of juice cartons, but there are plenty more where they came from. I would suggest buying the shop for a birthday present, then asking various friends and relatives to buy things to fill it (there are so many cute things to choose from, all at various prices). I have been known to spend a good 40 minutes re-merchandising the shop after Tabarlow have gone to bed (it’s strangely therapeutic actually). I’m telling you, Mary Portas has nothing on me…
£64.99  amazon.co.uk

ps: I’m so sorry for anyone who tried unsuccessfully to buy the (reduced) Caramel baby coat in my last post. For some reason, once my I had published my post, the coat then went back to it’s original, non-sale price. I have no idea why, but obviously this is incredibly frustrating. I will keep an eye on it though, and let you know if/when it gets reduced again.

petit suitcase

Petit Bateau Floral Print Suitcase
This is such a cute gift idea. Fill it with sweet baby clothes or a little blanket for a newborn, or with inexpensive toys for a little girl’s birthday. Or just buy it for your own daughter to store things in (I know that Tabitha is definitely not the only three year old girl who is obsessed with the ritual of carefully putting random things in bags/boxes/cases, then taking them out again, then putting them in again…). I love the cute details – the silver Marc Jacobs-esque clip fastening and the fabric handle make it much more stylish and special than your average mini case. It would also make an adorable ‘memory box’ (these are still on my ‘to do’ list from when the twins were born, along with their christening photo album…). Anyway, many, many possibilities for this humble floral print suitcase. I think I might just buy now and decide later…
£12.00  liberty.co.uk

ps: Happy Easter to you and all your (stylish) little bunnies. Hope you have a lovely, (chocolate filled) day. It’s the perfect excuse to dress up! Now where are those floral print bunny ears…

hearts & stripes

The Little White Company Applique Cushion Cover
I spotted that this cute cushion cover was in the sale, and I just couldn’t resist it at this new price. I always love stripes and hearts, and I love the simplicity of this design. It’s sweet, but not too girly if you don’t fancy a nursery/bedroom that’s swamped in pink. I for one, don’t.
£12.50 (was £25.00)  thewhitecompany.com

hop little bunny…

Paperchase Floral Print Bunny Ears (one size)
I have posted a very similar pair of floral bunny ears last May, but I couldn’t resist these ones (and I figured that a once yearly post on cute bunny ears was acceptable?). These were a tip-off from the lovely Laura Fantacci, a collegue of mine at Red, who has the most adorable (and super-stylish, naturally!) six month old baby girl called Greta Zeta. She snapped these up for her, and I will be doing the same for Tabitha (Laura knew they would be right up Tabitha’s street…) for the Easter weekend. Hop little bunnies, hop hop hop…
£8.00  paperchase.co.uk

the best bunny

Jellycats ‘Slackajack’ Bunny (small)
This is one of my all-time favourite soft toys for babies (with Jellycats ‘Slackajack Monkey’ and large ’Bashful Bunny’ close behind). This particular bunny comes in two different sizes (this is the smaller of the two). Tabarlow have had them since they were born, and love them (something about the way they feel…). I have bought them for so many babies over the years I might as well have bought them in bulk and stashed them under the bed! It’s hard to explain, it’s just the perfect bunny – looks so cute, is lovely and soft and cuddly, sits up unaided when required (how many other soft toys can say the same?), and frankly, just looks lovely in a baby’s cot. I also think Jellycats are great value for money, so you can easily start building a gorgeous little collection of them (most of them come in lovely, soft neutral colours, so they all look good together). You will also often see a lone Slackajack bunny residing in various Bonpoint stores, just looking cool and stylish, proving that he may be great value but he’s just as at home at the luxury end of the kids’ market too (he can work the whole ‘high/low’ thing…). If you’re stuck for a newborn baby gift (for a boy or a girl), Slackajack is your bunny. Trust me.
£14.99  trotters.co.uk 

the prettiest alice band

I LoveGorgeous Aliceband
How pretty is this? Love the print. Alice bands can be tricky with toddlers (in my experience anyway), but I will certainly be giving this one a go with Tabitha. I would love it on her with more of a tomboy outfit though – a Breton tee and some skinny grey cords, rather than anything to obviously pretty and girly. I’ll let you know how that pans out…
£10.00  ilovegorgeous.co.uk

ps: this would make a lovely (inexpensive) birthday gift if you have any girls’ parties in the diary.