Everyone I know is really fed up with February and more than ready to give everything a very well deserved kick into Spring. We have enough of the rain and grey!
One very easy way to freshen up a room is to bring in a new print or two. It really is the cheapest as well as fastest route to ‘something new’. And of course I am here to help. I discovered a lovely UK based studio that does the sweetest prints. And their portfolio includes a lot of fresh, fruity, and lovely prints that are perfect for a ‘jump into Spring’ mission.
Kelly from Wildlings Interiors is based in Kent and has a real passion for children’s interiors and decor in particular. Therefore she went to art college and worked as a jewellery designer and maker for many years.
Since having her own little ones, her focus has unsurprisingly shifted. And she founded Wildlings, where she designs beautiful and timeless pieces to adorn your own mini spaces with.
Looking for more interior inspiration – I highly recommend to have a look at the extensive children’s interior section on my blog. Enjoy!
One of the best things to witness is when a good person realises his or her dreams. Something they always wanted to create, to do, or to achieve. And then one day it is reality.
And today is one of those days for my friend Ing-Marie. I wrote about her before here on Paul & Paula because she used to make these ultra cool toys called Kleine Biester. Because Ing-Marie is the Hille ist die original author and illustrator of the Moffinis.
Who? Yes, Monster and Muffins combined in some adorable collectable figurines who are hitting the stores in Germany as you are reading.
My children received a box filled with a selection out of the 12 available Moffinis. And now the magical muffin monsters, all of which are housed in magnificent, detailed cupcake houses, live here with us:
I have asked Ing-Marie a few questions about her background and how she got the idea to create the figurines. Let’s hear:
Paul & Paula: Hi Ing-Marie, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
Ing-Marie: During summer 1998 I finished my fashion design studies and in autumn of the same year my first son was born.
So I started to work as a freelancer in textile and fashion design and later costume design and production for film and music video productions. I also followed my passion for drawing and painting throughout the years, otherwise something would be missing for me.
A few years later, I was a mum of three boys and founded my own children’s brand called „Die kleinen Biester“. SOft toys with their own stories and accessories. As a young mother, the focus is mainly on children’s things anyway, so it was a good fit. And I also started to develop design and illustration concepts for customers in the wood and plush sector (toy manufacturers & merchandise).
What do you love most about your job?
I mostly like bringing product and storytelling together. That is how the Moffinis started. After weeks of working on fruit and vegetable toys, I thought: “Actually, children much prefer cakes, cookies and muffins, wonderfully decorated and deliciously fun”.
Oh, tell us how the Moffinis were born.
So this is when I got the idea for the Moffinis. They should be cute and colourful, and all different and unique.
Figurines that don’t exist yet and that also magical and a little mysterious.
Of course, I didn’t know exactly how they should look like and all kinds of ideas flew through my head. That is when I grabbed my sketchbook and started drawing. That was in March 2018.
And then?
Half a year later I showed the results to the product manager of a German soft toy manufacturer. And he recommended to meet a great licensing agency in Munich. And that agency really liked my idea and designs and everything went very quickly after that.
Because we decided to work together, they brought the publisher Blue Ocean on board and since then we have been working with a great team on the “Moffinis”. For me, personally, a dream has come true.
Can you tell us three things that connect you personally with the Moffinis?
1. I love children. That is why I have three and our house is always busy.
2. I also love baking and eating sweets. We always have some home baked goods in the house and love to gather for a piece of cake in the afternoon.
3. I love stories. During our afternoon cake eating we usually come up with some fun made-up stories.
By the way, there are two very special Moffinis with bling and glitz to find in some of the bags… fingers crossed!
Oh, it has been a while that I shared a look book. But yesterday I saw the new collection from French brand Emile et Ida and the images are so dreamy. And full of Spring vibes.
And since we are already headings towards the end of February, we are definitely ready for something more light.
The brand is so strong combining classic styles in soft fabrics and timeless prints, with beautiful, slightly retro looks and a modern twist. Everything is perfectly whimsical, with a French touch!
French children’s clothing at it’s best:
The Vichy pieces are so retro but totally scream French summer. The blouse* is made from super soft cotton poplin and I would really wear it in my size too…
Founder and designer Delphine launched the brand in 2010 and set on a mission to create playful but elegant children’s clothing. The collections are made for kids aged 0 to 14 years, and Emile et Ida now offers a lovely line of clothes for women* as well.
And I particularly love their attention to detail. The prints and fabrics are delightful. For this summer you can find lovely floral, cute animal designs, or cool fruits.
Emile et Ida inspires with their creativity and designs that perfectly reflect the free-spirited, fun-loving wonder of childhood.
My favourite pieces are this skirt* for girls and this jumper* for boys.
Hello from the first day of half term. After a weekend full of rain and wind I am so ready to get out and about and full my lungs with fresh air. I always feel rather uninspired when spending to much time inside. Do you have the same?
On the plus side our kitchen was filled with the smell of baked goods yesterday. I made a cake and the kids produced some cookies. And I produced a raw cake coming up with a recipe myself after I checked what we had in stock. Tasty!
And all together we are starting into a fun week of holidays with the leftovers and some sun that did make an appearance this morning.
Over the weekend I also took some time browsing around my favourite sites for inspiration and finds. And stumbled upon these gorgeous vintage leather shoes for children. A very lovely Etsy shop* selling the cutest shoes in heirloom designs. From Mary Jane’s, to Oxford’s, or t bar styles. In timeless tan, soft pink, or happy mustard. These shoes will change every outfit.
Come and see more of these lovely vintage leather shoes:
All shoes are made from very soft leather and have that WOW effect that will put a smile on your little one’s face every time they put them on. And your’s probably too…
Happy Monday everyone!
More shoes? How about some functional yet very cool school shoes or Coolis?
A Letter from Summer – probably the best name for a collection I have heard in a long time. And even so we have storm Ciara blazzing through the streets, there are little signs of Spring already.
The days are getting longer, daffodils are blooming, and we could enjoy some park time after school without their little hands freeze on the scooter handles.
So yes, we are curious to see what summer wrote us. Transmitted through a collection that is fun, light, airy, and playful. Cooiii is a young Chinese kid’s wear brand with adorable and imaginative designs. Founded by two good friends in Shanghai in 2017, and inspired by the motto: “Kids run the world”. To no surprise, you can find it reflected in their designs.
Discover a colourful children’s line that uses innovative new methods, focus on the finer details, and embraces the beauty of an idyllic childhood. Discover A Letter from Summer:
The morning light of tropical islands and the wet coconut forest in the rain are our initial fantasy of adventure. And the stripe element, the silhouette of the sea soul shirt, accompany us to explore another hidden world. Ginger hunting shorts, loose and comfortable strap skirts give us ample space to move. We just want to run on the beach, release emotions, ponder light and shadow, and experience the ease of the sea breeze on the cheeks. Opening the summer letter from the sea…
And there are a lot of really wearable and adorable pieces. All with a very reasonable price tag by the way. Choosing a favourite is very difficult but for girls I love this dress*. I just love the colour combination as well as the simplicity.
For boys I am choosing these shorts*. First of all, I love the yellow colour because boys love to wear something else than navy and brown too. Further – it has all these cool as well as practical details.
