Friday Funny...

LOL!! Lippy on, hair brushed, house clean & tidy... must be time to sew!!

(With thanks to Fabric Rehab who posted this earlier last week)

Things we covet...

Isn't it funny that when a group of similar aged little ones all play together there is always one favourite toy that causes tears / tantrums because they all want it at the same time?

Even at an early age, they want what another has... not envy but coveting their friend's toy/possession!

This coveting starts when you have a baby - one Mummy will ask another where a particular blanket / top was purchased? It's not envy, it's because they want the best for their little one, to treat them and themselves to something special. Something that shows their little one off to a everyone they meet.

So if you're thinking about buying for a newborn here are the things I was asked about:

At first it was the hand knitted pieces Kathryn was often in:

Anna was regularly asked about her lovely Shuktara blanket:

When the children were crawling about the toy they all wanted was the wooden car Markus had given Kathryn when she was playing in his workshop:

Although the pull along horse was also a favourite when the car couldn't be found [Mummy sometimes hid the car to stop the arguments]

Now my horse coat rack has been admired and commented on while the little ones hang up their coats!

Anna covets our memory quilt and I their personalised breakfast set.

Now I realise envy is one of the seven sins, but I'm not only indulging myself here - I'm spoiling my child, and hopefully her future children as well!

Spoil yourself and your little ones with an heirloom gift. All of the gifts here can be found at http://www.unikgifts.co.uk

Wordless Wednesday

National Breastfeeding Week

Our Shuktara blankets make the perfect modesty cover for breast feeding Mums 

& makes a lovely blanket for baby as well!

It's pinney time!

It's that time of year again when we dust off our u-ni-k pinnies and grace Godalming with our wares.

If your in the area on Saturday 30th June, pop by and say hello and ask for a little demo of our bobbing bunnies, snapping crocodiles, ribbet-ing Frogs and all our wonderful wares.

We'll have a £10 and under basket and plenty to treat loved ones for every occasion.

Monday Mentor, UKhandmade

UK Handmade is a design led online magazine committed to showcasing and promoting the best creative talent the UK has to offer. The term 'handmade' is now an indicator of quality, care and professionalism that is second to none and something we at UK Handmade wish to encourage and celebrate.

Artists and designers from across all of the art disciplines have a place here including photography, textiles, jewellery, fashion, art and design. In a time when people are realising the importance of spending quality time with the family, small businesses are being started from the kitchen table and becoming an integral part of our overall lifestyle. We want to bring back the skills of our grandparents, grow vegetables with our children, to make do and mend and return to an ideology that previous generations took for granted.

But we are realists too; in order to live like this in today’s world we need to be financially self-sufficient. An increasing number of online selling venues are allowing makers and designers to sell their goods with very little set up costs and as a result handmade items are not only experiencing a renaissance but a whole new community of small businesses are working together to promote and support the handmade movement.

UK Handmade is at the heart of the movement, providing advice and resources to its members as well as collaborating and connecting with businesses to further the handmade cause for the benefit of all through the online magazine, website and forum.

UK Handmade Porcelain by Helen Beard at u-ni-k gifts

See the on-line magazine here

Today we use our Monday Mentor Blog to thank Anna and her team for supporting creative people with little business's and for being passionate about what we do.
We have our small business on the UKhandmade directory, we have written an article for the website and also have had our baby wear featured in a Eco baby wear article.

Thank you for allowing us, the little people, to have a voice and for supporting us all.

We appreciate you.

What you do is marvellous!

Thank you

Friday (so awful it was) funny!

It's almost time for Sam's first hair cut, and for those that know me I am not going to let the trauma of Ida's first little trim with Mr K's snippy snipps (I was in another room and unaware) get the best of me. Nor will history be repeating itself! No no no!!

I am taking charge.

Poor Ida

So with that in mind I am reading up on home hair cuts!

Flowery Boys

Having come from a family of all girls (the middle one of three ) when I found out I was expecting a little boy at my 20 week scan I was over joyed but a little bewildered.

What do boys wear? What do they play with? What this, what that?
Yes i know the answers are simple but for me it has been very much a learning curve.

Miss naughty is very much a mini me. Since she was tiny I have adorned her with my love of flowers by dressing her in pretty flowery leggings, flowery blankets, flowery dresses and surrounding her with flowers in the garden.

One of the stupid things I worried about whilst pregnant with BIG boy bump was how can I put my little boy to sleep under a Shuktara blanket...they are floral!!! Can boys do flowers? I just didn't know. To me a Shuktara blanket is a baby basic. A blankie for comfort, a easy washable bed piece, a pretty accessory, a picnic blanket and a breathable blanket in Summer and Winter. Perfection.

I loved Ida's flowers and just couldn't work out what I was going to do with my coming boy.

I had an image of the little boy inside me already, a gentle BIG bear.

He is pretty much just that except  with white blond rather then the dark hair I had in my mind.
I decided the only thing to do was to wait for the boy himself to arrive and then see the face and then contemplate what to do.

And I can happily say that smiley  handsome BIG bear Samson is perfect with certain florals. See what I mean.

So.....the moral to my tail is... 

flowers can be boy and girl...

you just need to find the right flower!

Here is another handsome boy that looks good sleeping under his flowery blanket. Sam's little friend James.

To see the blankets available click here.
If you are looking for a larger blanket for a older child, contact sales@unikgifts.co.uk

We're in the press...

Did anyone else spot our lovely breakfast boards in the Metro on Friday?

OK so they were a little confused about where to put they're boiled egg (in the crook of the tail rather than the eye!) but we're pleased that they included us!

Click here to see a larger image

Monday mentor... Daddy DayCare

Daddy DayCare's birthday is today. A bit close to Father's Day but we don't mind.

He's our Monday mentor because it doesn't matter how silly the game is or what DangerBaby wants to do, Daddy DayCare is always ready!

Friday Funny

For those experiencing the joys of these bright early mornings. 

Hopefully this will numb the pain and make you chortle.

Fingers crossed the little ones give us all a lie in tomorrow!

We can only dream.

Wordless Wednesday...

Thank you for supporting u-ni-k gifts

World Sea Turtle Day!

Today is World Sea Turtle Day!

Celebrate by showing your support; purchase one of our marine themed breakfast boards and we'll donate £1 to the Sea Turtle Preservation Society.

Take a peek!

It's Wednesday, a wordless wiggle for free style movers

Listen here- Winona Carr Nursery Rhyme Rock

*inspired by Mr Kirchers and The Naughties wiggles and moves :)

Simply Crochet- In the press

                        

              

Crochet is a terminology used to describe a process of making fabric with a hook. The name is derived from the french word "crochet" meaning "hook". Many new Mums try to learn to knit or crochet when they find out they are pregnant, hoping to be able to make the new arrival something gorgeous while pregnant. For those less successful there are always our beautiful hat and bootie sets.

In the 19th Century during the Great Irish famine, crochet was introduced as a form of famine relief. A therapeutic form of relief allowing the crocheted lace to become a way of making money for the improvised Irish worker.

The unik crochet team are an inspired mother and daughter duo combining each of their talents to create exquisite handmade clothes and gifts with love and care, inspired by their childhood. Both come from Kosovo where handmade crafting is a tradition. They were raised mostly with handmade clothes and their homes were decorated mostly with things made by themselves. Nyjomza, learnt crafting from her mum; her mother learnt it from her mum, her grandma learnt it from hers and Njomza’s daughter  who is only 3 and half  is being taught by her. Her twin baby girls are still a little small to learn.

Her gift is something so special that Nyjomza has decided to share her gift in a different way. She decided to make her precious baby sets to pass on further as a gift to someone that they didn't know. 

Their style is eclectic, a combination of vintage, traditional with modern. Traditional details and crafting methods are used to create the contemporary items. The clothes and accessories are all handmade using the highest quality natural, organic and Eco-friendly materials and come in a wealth of beautiful and natural colors. What makes them special is that every design has the nostalgic feel of days gone by. 
Cotton is soft, breathable and it is cool against the skin. Its beauty and natural comfort make the world a better place. It's often the first fibre we touch when we are born into the world. The beautiful pieces are mostly made in London with some piece being made in her home of Kosovo.

Mother and Daughter work closely with job creation programs in Kosovo, giving female survivors of the Kosovo war the confidence and the financial means to support themselves and their families. When you buy a nyoki product from u-ni-k, you are helping to rebuild their lives. Every nyoki product made helps to continue a secret tradition and skill of handcrafting, that would be lost without nyoki’s special love and care continuing the age old tradition.

See more treasures made by Nyoki.