Boot lusting.. what my feet are craving this Autumn.

The weather is pretty grim out there as I sit at my desk tapping away.  The rain is coming down in sheets.  Despite that, Autumn is such a gorgeous time of year.  I love kicking through leaf piles as I stroll along.  There's something so fun and childlike about kicking crunchy leaves.  I love doing it with the boys too!

Autumn and winter is a time for boots.  OK, if I'm honest, about 10 months of the year in the UK is boot time.. but they are essential at this time of year.  For years and years I have been a calf to knee height boot devote.  However, over the last year I have definitely found love for ankle boots.  I'm not a total convert, I still love my knee highs.  I have a foot in both camps, as it were, just not at the same time, I don't think even I could get away with that as a "look".

Ankle boots are everywhere.  They vary from cheap as chips (£8 in Primarni - just how do they do that?  Not a good thought) to crazy money.  There's quite a few in the middle price range though. The "more than I'd normally pay but these will last me a few seasons and the quality is great" range.

As I'm sure you already know, I recently became a consultant with Me&i, the ethical Swedish clothing company.  When they announced a few weeks ago that they were bringing out an ankle boot, I'll admit I did a happy dance.  This isn't just any ankle boot.  It's a very on trend Chelsea wedge boot with a beautiful and Autumnal flash of cayenne elastic to make them easy to slip on and off (brilliant for the school run!).

Well, today my friends, these boots are available for sale.  All sales consultants are eagerly anticipating orders.  And most of them want them ourselves.  I know I do.  I do need (hehe) a pair of comfy and easy to slip on boots for the cold and yucky school runs so I'm going to put some money by this month and buy myself a pair as soon as I can.  If, unlike me, you aren't strapped for cash just now and you are in the market for a new pair of boots, I'd recommend these!  They are made in Portugal (known as one of the best places in the world for quality leather).  The leather is vegetable tanned which means it's as close to organic as you can get and, as with everything Me&i, they are ethically produced in a factory paying proper wages.  You can only buy the boots via a consultant, so if you are interested, let me know, I'm your gal! You can check out my facebook page for more info!

Me&i - Ethical Scandi clothing for women and kids!

Hello everyone! Are you there? It's been a very long time.  To be honest, I thought I'd given up blogging, but a couple of weeks ago I was chatting with Amber who writes over at Meet The Wildes and, after showering me with compliments (still getting my head around that!) she begged me, and I do mean begged me, to start blogging again.  I admitted that I had been thinking about it because I do actually have something I'd like to share on this platform once again and so I agreed I would.  So.  Here we are.   Amber, this is for you!

In just a few short days, my youngest little man heads off to school.  Yikes! This means that I have time to work now.  Proper time.  This time a year ago I tried looking for work but finding something I want to do (yes, I'm lucky enough to be able to wait for something I want to do rather than have to do anything) that fitted around preschool and school hours was nigh on impossible.  I started freelance writing, I started doing a lot of creative writing.  I volunteered in a charity shop.  But I didn't feel like blogging.  However, back in July I decided that I wanted to take the plunge and become a consultant for me&i.   Me&i are a Swedish ethical clothing company who make wonderful (as you'd expect from a Scandi brand) bright and bold clothes for women and kids.  My love affair with Scandi style started over 8 years ago now, when I was pregnant with Ethan.  That's pretty much how this blog came about too.  I loved Scandi clothes, which were hard to get hold of and very unusual where I live 8 years ago so I decided to record our outfits and write about them here.  When I heard about me&i they seemed like a perfect fit for me.  I thought, why not?  No one else is working for me&i in my town.  People like my style and my boys style.  They are always stopping me to inquire about our clothes.  Why not?

Me&i release two collections a year, Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.  They don't create a vast range, they concentrate on quality over quantity.  Their focus is on quality materials and fair pay for workers.  They use Oeko-Tex material and factories in Turkey and Portugal.  They visit the factories they use and stipulate that the employees must be able to live on the wages they make.  As a result, you can't expect Primark prices from me&i.  But I think more and more of us are getting switched on to the idea that you get what you pay for.  We'd all rather a fairer world for all.  Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a bit of a bargain but I do like to shop as consciously as I can afford and I know I'm not alone in that.  I like to buy a few more expensive purchases each season and pepper them with my charity and eBay bargains!

As well as their ethical credentials, the clothes are comfy, soft and practical without forgoing style.  Pockets in dresses.  Cuffs on sleeves that fold up or down to allow longer wear.  Seamless socks.  The kids clothes go up to age 14 so many women find they can fit themselves into the kids collection too!

You're probably wondering how it works?  Well, you can buy online via their website, but it's much more exciting if you get in touch with a local consultant and they bring their collection to you.  Even more fun if you get friends to come over too, then it's like going shopping with friends, no kids in tow!  You know, like when you were 13 in those communal changing rooms in Miss Selfridge.  Except without the overpowering smell of Impulse and the risk of slipping over on an abandoned copy of Sugar or Just17.  Plus.  Have it on a evening and add in wine.  Sweeeet! Can you tell I'm excited?  Well, I am one of those consultants now.  I have the entire collection in my home and anyone who wants to can buy via me!  Even you! Yes, YOU, right there, on your phone.  If you're nearby (North Somerset/Bristol) I can cart my collection over for your perusal!

If you aren't nearby but you still love the clothes, I can still be your consultant, I can place an order for you.  Or you can order via the website and select me (Alexandra Bridger) as your consultant at checkout.  It's that easy! If you still want your own party, I can put you in touch with your nearest consultant too.

Personally, I feel the clothes speak for themselves.  They look lovely on hangers, they look even better on a person!  They pop in photos but once you see them in the flesh, you really get it.  Just feeling how soft they are, how they have so much give in them.  Seeing how they fit on a real body.  They really are exceptional!

Well. There we have it, my first blog post in an age.  It's good to be back.  Now I'll have to spruce up the blog, maybe even move over to Wordpress at last!  I hope people will read again, I have missed many aspects of my blog, especially my fellow bloggers and readers! Thank you, anyone who is still there!

Linking up with Hannah at Make, Do & Push. 

All clothes featured in this post are from me&i.  This is NOT a sponsored post. 

Quality leather bags with a mission.

I love clothing and accessories.  I don't follow trends religiously or go crazy for brands.  I don't have the time or the money.  But I do get excited when I discover a brand that are about more than just creating an item of clothing, a bag or shoes.  If I can, I love to buy as ethically as possible.  It's why I love organic cotton or buying second hand.

I came across MAHI leather bags recently.  Several things about them as a brand caught my eye.  Firstly, they have an actual mission statement:

"MAHI’s mission: To connect consumers with craftsmen, offer unmatched value, and hopefully do some good along way."

MAHI believe that consumers don't get a good deal from big brands.  Due to the amount of "middle men" between the creation of leather goods and them actually reaching the consumers, prices are inflated, the craftspeople receive less money for their work and consumers get less for their money.   MAHI work differently.  Every item is made to order and shipped directly from the person who made it to the customer who ordered.  This helps reduce wastage and saves on costs created by stockpiling huge quantities of product.  That makes total business sense but also means that consumers pay less for good quality items.

Obvously, I love the idea of more bag for my buck (oh, hahaha) but what I like even more about MAHI is that they use full grain leather (that's the best quality leather you can get) and.. this is where I get really excited;  they donate to charity with every bag they sell.   MAHI is named after the Mahi river in India and each time a MAHI bag is bought, they donate $1.50 to FRANK water charity.  That might not sound like a lot of money but it all adds up.  Reading up on MAHI you find out quickly that they've raised nearly $7,500 for FRANK  This money has provided over 510 people with clean water in their homes.  FOR LIFE. They provide detailed information on their website about FRANK, the work they do and how the money helps but details include:

* $1.50 Provides the materials necessary to carry out water testing to a whole community of 250 people in FRANK Water’s Samerth project

* $15 Will provide clean, safe water and access to improved sanitation for one person

* $100 Provides water testing across two communities reaching 5000 people in FRANK Water’s CURE project

* $1,000 Enables FRANK Water to support 158 individuals in their Samerth project to claim access to land rights and improved sanitation through India’s Clean India Campaign

If there's a way for a brand to make me like them more, it's donating to good causes.  I know I feel better about a purchase if I feel it's doing some good as well beyond adding something to my or my families life.  

So.  Now you know just how fantastic MAHI are, I bet you'd like to see one of the bags!  You won't be disappointed.  They have a large range to choose from, backpacks, duffles, holdalls, satchesl, totes and even wash bags.  There are several styles of each.  I love that they are pretty much all unisex.  As a family of four, I love the idea of purchasing a bag that my husband would be as happy to lug around as myself.  And even my two boys as they grow.  You can't really go wrong with leather, it's classic and it lasts.  You can even get your MAHI bag personalized.  They can embroider initials or names in black, cream or brown so great if it's a present! 

My favorite is the Roma backpack:

Now my boys are a bit older, we no longer need to carry around nappies, changing mats etc.  However, we still have to carry around quite a lot when we go out for the day.  And, we no longer have a buggy to help us carry around our essentials.  In fact, having two energetic boys means we have to be able to run around after them whilst still carrying water bottles, wet wipes, waterproofs and about three trillion snacks.  Therefore, a backpack is perfect!  One like this is unisex, practical with it's pockets and would definitely look fantastic too.  After all, as I've always maintained, being a parent doesn't mean you have to forgo style!

I think you'd be hard pushed not to find a bag for your requirements from MAHI and knowing they are donating to charity too, you can feel good about your purchase.  So, if you're in the market for a new bag, go and check them out!

Christmas jumpers.. of course!

I couldn't really write a fashion piece at this time of year and not mention the old Christmas Jumper, could I? How long is it since they've been back in fashion now?  Seems it's been quite a while.  I know it was ironic to start with but I think it's gone beyond that now, and to be honest, I think we should just admit that most of us just love the chance to fling on some cheesy chic.  Am I right?

We do love a Christmas jumper in our house.  Pete only had one, which I bought him a few years ago, and he lamented recently that he liked the look of a geeky one he'd seen online (a Street Fighter one if you wanted to know!) but it was over £25 and he just couldn't justify it.  Well, it got me thinking.  Why not get him one for Christmas but give it to him early so we could all "enjoy" it well before the big day.  So I did.  And I think he was extremely happy to find it waiting for him after a long day at work one day.  He's hardly taken it off since!!

Christmas jumpers for all!

I have quite a few Christmas jumpers, t-shirts and dresses myself.  Even tights.  The boys really have heaps of stuff though.  They both have an actual "Christmas section" in their wardrobes.  I love seeing them wear the clothes each year.  I do add to them each year too and of course, they grow out of things.  Though I have to say that we have quite a bit of Smafolk and DUNS Christmas wear and it just goes on and on.  Ethan has a beautiful Smafolk top he's been wearing for 4 Christmases now.

I don't think many of us don't go in for festive wear these days, but just in case, I'll post the question.  Do you go in for the cheesy clothes fest or do you avoid it like the plague and stay classy?

Me - Merry Christmas Robin t shirt - Cath Kidston (very old).

         Elf t shirt - Tee Fury (I think - sorry!)

         Gingerbread people dress - DUNS - Funky Little People

Pete - Streetfighter Christmas jumper - Amazon

Ethan - Mini Rodini Christmas print top - KyNa Boutique

Felix - Reindeer Print Christmas jumper - Sainsburys  

Linking up with gorgeous Hannah today.  Congrats on the Insta 10K lady! XX

Spring in Autumn

Spring in Autumn.  What am I on about?  Well.  I got dressed this morning and the dress I put on, if I'm honest, it looked more like a dress for a Spring day than an Autumn one.  Having said that, today is particularly beautiful in this part of the country.  The exact kind of Autumn day you dream about.  Crisp air, colourful leaves in the trees, no rain and blue skies.  So I suppose, if it weren't for the leaves around my feet I could be fooled into thinking it was a little spring like out there.  If it weren't for the smell in the air as well...  Do you find the air smells different season to season?  I know I do.

I like this dress.  It hangs in my wardrobe (which is bursting at the seems..) and doesn't come out very often.  It's one of those dresses, when I put it on, I'm not sure whether I like how it looks on my or not.  Today I like it.  And it suits the bright blue sky.  So whilst it has cherry blossom splashed all over it, it feels lovely and bright, just like the weather.  I'll take that..  Stick a pair of tights under and cardi over the top, I think it still works!

Smile woman!

Dress - Who knows! Sorry...

Cardigan - Yumi

Tights - Ebay

Belt - H&M

Do you ever wear clothes that don't seem quite right for season but go with it anyway?  Oh, and before you comment. Yes, I am wearing my slippers.  I'm in my house! No shoes in the house!! Perhaps I should change the title of this blog to "Style in Slippers".  Or "Slip into Style".  Perhaps "Style V Comfort"?.  Hmmmm....

**Linking up with lovely Not Dressed As Lamb for #iwillwearwhatilike**

Handmade kids leather shoes - What's new with Belle & The Bear

When Felix was a baby I got heavily into handmade leather moccasins.  I loved finding new small brands mostly run by WAHMs who were putting their hearts and souls into these gorgeous little shoes. There's something about baby shoes, isn't there.  I especially loved buying ones that I wouldn't mind saving.

As Felix got older, he continued to wear leather moccasins, often as his main shoes. Even out and about.  Whilst they don't have a hard sole they are very heard wearing shoes and research has shown it's good for developing feet to be as free from constraints as possible.  It's better for their development.  Obviously I wouldn't let him walk around in them if there was any danger on the pavement from glass or similar, but for most situations, they were perfect for him! I found them invaluable at playgroup. They were perfect for running around the hall but were soft enough I didn't have to worry about him crushing a baby's arm as he absentmindedly played with the toy cars.

Felix is three now and most people who make these beautiful shoes don't go up to his size.  This is quite a source of upset for me.  I loved those shoes.  And I think even though they wouldn't be right for him to wear outside of the house nowadays, they would make the perfect slippers.  I have all of his old pairs and I treasure them.

I am aware though that all these lovely shoe makers are still out there and there are still heaps of you who would love to buy their wears.  As such, I thought today I would feature one of my favorite online stores, Belle & The Bear,  Belle & The Bear are US based but their moccasins still come in at around the same price as UK ones, postage included.  I do try to buy from the UK where I can but I'm not apposed to not doing so.  It's still, in this case, supporting a small parent run business!

Belle & The Bear have a few new styles so I thought I'd feature them today.  First up is the retro & reminiscent of our own childhood days T Bar Strap shoes:

I love them in the gunmetal, makes them a little more modern.  I know Felix would love these if they came in his size because he's got a pair of what he calls "school shoes" which are T-Bar and he chooses them more than any others at the moment! These are available in other colours too including a gorgeous yellow.  These shoes are $44.

Second up are these beautiful boots:

I don't think even I could quite get away with these on Felix.  And to be honest, I don't think he's much of a bow fan.  But I do think they are beautiful.  They look soft, easy to pull on but look like they'd have good staying power on little feet,  Always a plus!  These come in at $55.

It's fair to say that these shoes aren't cheap.  But having bought from Belle & The Bear in the past I can confirm they are fantastic quality,  The leather is great quality.  The attention to detail and quality of the work is without fault.  They last.  They would last more than one child too.  I love them.

Linking up today with lovely Hannah for Funky Kid Friday.

Duns it right (again)

If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I love Scandi kids clothes.  In fact, my love of Scandi brands is one of the reasons I started the blog!  Back then it was Katvig, Molo, Plastisock and a few others.  I still love those, but I have to say that season upon season, Duns are my go to favorite for an appropriate print.

Duns are always eye catching.  And unisex.  Something I love.  I have two boys but I love that they can share their clothes regardless and they can be passed on to boys and girls alike.  Like all the other brands, Duns bring out a S/S range and A/W range.  For me, the best A/W print out there goes to them.  What says September/Autumn to you?  Autumnal colours, that's for sure.. leaves?  But how about the conker?  Everyone loves conkers! Amusing to find, fun to collect, a favorite toy throughout the generations.  I was ecstatic to see the conker print Duns created.  It's so bold and gorgeous.  

I bought Felix a long sleeved top from Funky Little People and myself the age 12 top (which fits perfectly, maybe even a smidge too big).  You know I love a bit of twinning.  They look brilliant.  Felix has worn his every few days.  As always it's washing brilliantly.  Anna from Funky Little People also stocks this print in a single bedding set and I can't tell you how much I want it.  I am truly in love.

Well DUNS! ;-)

Linking up with my lovely buddy Hannah for Funky Kid Friday. 

Funky Kid Friday

Hey Hey Hey!  Welcome to another Funky Kid Friday, a kids fashion linky hosted by myself and the rather awesome Hannah of Make, Do and Push.

Last week, as always, there were some fantastic link ups.  I really love the adorable Zara dungarees shared by Baby Sausages.  Adorable!

Now, back to this week!  If you have a kids fashion post you'd like to link up, please do so below!  Don't forget to tweet us your link so we can retweet for you!

Here are our guidelines:

- Link up your kids fashion post/s below

- Comment on the hosts and at least one other post
- Display our badge (see sidebar)
- Tag us on Twitter - I'm @medicatedfollow and Hannah is @mamamakedopush. We will retweet your posts. Don't forget to use the tags #funkykidfriday and #FKF as well!
- The linky opens on Fridays and is live until the following Monday.

Happy Friday everyone! X

Funky Kid Friday

Hey hey! It's Friday... so it's Funky Kid! Today is the day to join us with your kids fashion posts.  Link them up below.  We have a few simple guidelines:

- Link up your kids fashion post/s below
- Comment on the hosts and at least one other post
- Display our badge (see sidebar)
- Tag us on Twitter - I'm @medicatedfollow and Hannah is @mamamakedopush. We will retweet your posts. Don't forget to use the tags #funkykidfriday and #FKF as well!
- The linky opens on Fridays and is live until the following Monday.

Thank you to Hannah for hosting last week.  Last week Karen from Would Like To Be linked up some lovely posts including a selection of dresses worn by her girls.  As ever she showcases her gorgeous photography skills.  Such lovely photos, girls and dresses :-)

Over to you lovely lot now - link up your posts below and don't forget to tweet us!

Happy Friday!
X

Funky Kid Friday

Hey guys! It's Friday so it's Funky Kid! Today is the day to join us with your kids fashion posts.  Link them up below.  We have a few simple guidlines:

- Link up your kids fashion post/s below
- Comment on the hosts and at least one other post
- Display our badge (see sidebar)
- Tag us on Twitter - I'm @medicatedfollow and Hannah is @mamamakedopush. We will retweet your posts. Don't forget to use the tags #funkykidfriday and #FKF as well!
- The linky opens on Fridays and is live until the following Monday.

As always, thank you to my co-host Hannah for hosting last week.  There were a fantastic bunch of links last week.  I particularly loved Bex from The Mummy Adventure's Tootsa MacGinty post.  I'm a big fan of Tootsa myself and I love the items her boys were rocking.  Tootsa are a unisex brand so of course they get my approval!

Like to link up?  Simply use the linky below!

Happy Friday everyone! X

Funky Kid Friday

Hello and Happy New Year! 2016! Wow, the years sound so futuristic now. You can even ride on a hoverboard.  What's that about?!

I hope you all had wonderful Christmases.  It was good here.  Rushed past as ever.  A blur of family, friends, gifts and food.  Always over too quickly and now we're back to the daily grind.  But that's OK.  I don't mind really!  In fact, we're currently having our kitchen ripped out and replaced so it's all a bit hectic here!

Thank you to lovely Hannah for hosting our last Funky Kid Friday.  So many wonderful link ups.  In particular I have to give props to Hannah herself.  I loved her post.  Twinning is winning in my book so a big yay!

Fancy linking up this week?  It's simple!

- Link up your kids fashion post/s below
- Comment on the hosts and at least one other post
- Display our badge (see sidebar)
- Tag us on Twitter - I'm @medicatedfollow and Hannah is @mamamakedopush. We will retweet your posts. Don't forget to use the tags #funkykidfriday and #FKF as well!
- The linky opens on Fridays and is live until the following Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend! X

Mini Rodini Pre SS16 Collection

Sound the horn!! One of my absolute faveorite kids clothing brands, Mini Rodini has just released a small pre SS16 collection.. and it includes a unicorn print!!

Fancy a look?

This is just a selection.  Unicorns - such a good choice.  I don't know anyone who doesn't like a unicorn print.  I think it's great to have a more unisex unicorn print as well.  My two love unicorns but so many clothes that have them on are unbearably pink and glittery.  I'm going to order one of the jumpers!

I love the bold orange and black spot print.  It's simple but a real statement.  The bag looks gorgeous but I love it on the clothes as well!

You can shop the collection over at Mini Rodini's online store but I also know that Scout & Co Kids have some of the Pre SS16 collection in stock.  Just in time for Christmas! The perfect Christmas Day outfit, don't you think ;-)

Custom coats from Lottie & Lysh

Are you ready for another cool brand to be thrown in your face?  Get those credit cards ready!!

Like pretty much all brands I buy from these days, I found Lottie & Lysh on Instagram.  Whilst they sell some of the more "standard" handmade fare (leggings, headbands, bibs) they also make the most amazing coats.  They have some ready made ones (and they can be reversible!) but they also happily take custom orders!

Felix is a real animal lover and right now he has a thing about raccoons.  He has a raccoon helmet for when scooting, he has raccoon socks and now, thanks to Lottie & Lysh, he has a wonderful raccoon coat!

Our custom order was for a monochrome raccoon.  I chose monochrome cloud print for the liner and I believe the coat can be worn inside out, should we want!  Best of all though, the hood has a raccoon face on it and it's just the cutest thing!

When the coat first arrived Felix didn't want to wear it.  He does that thing that kids often do and decided that as he hadn't seen it before it wasn't his and therefore, he wasn't going to wear it!  A couple of weeks of seeing it hanging up on his peg and some cold weather this week and he was finally ready to wear it.

I'm so glad.  It looks brilliant and as you'd expect, we've had heaps of compliments!  Now, if we're going out scooting, Felix says "Raccoon hat, raccoon coat and my golden boots Mummy!".

Lottie & Lysh will be launching their new collection soon so if I were you I'd like their facebook page, bookmark their Etsy shop and follow on Insta!

Funky Kid Friday

Happy Friday everyone! It's Friday so it's Funky Kid! Thank you Hannah for hosting last week :-)

Just a reminder of our guidelines:

- Link up your kids fashion post/s below
- Comment on the hosts and at least one other post
- Display our badge (see sidebar)
- Tag us on Twitter - I'm @medicatedfollow and Hannah is @mamamakedopush.  We will retweet your posts.  Don't forget to use the tags #funkykidfriday and #FKF as well!
- The linky opens on Fridays and is live until the following Monday.

Thank you to everyone who linked up last week - it was nice to see so many of you!  I would like to give a shout out to Jack's Paper Moon and Noah's wonderful knitwear! What a hat!

This week, I am writing about (shhhhhh) Festive Fashion!!

Now it's over to you!  Please link up below and spread the word!

Funky Kid Friday - Festive Fashion for 2015

Is it too early to be thinking about Christmassy clothing?  Well, as November is just hours away, I think not! After all, if you don't get planning and buying now, it'll be too late!

Last December I ran a kids fashion tag on Instagram, #12DaysChristmasKids.  I gave 12 prompts and asked people if they would like to join in and tag their photos.  Quite a few people did and it was a lovely display of festive fashions.  Great fun.  At the moment, I'm not sure if I'll be doing the same this year but one thing is for sure, I'll be digging out all our Christmas clothing.

Christmas or festive clothing is a tricky one.  After all, if something has Father Christmas printed on it, it's only going to be worn a few times a year.  Add in the fact that children grow quite quickly when they are young, well, you have to think carefully about cost.  I tend to buy Christmas/Halloween/themed clothing larger than the boys need so they can wear it for two or three years in a row.. And of course, anything Ethan wears I hold on to for Felix to wear later on.  So at least most things get a good few wears.  I also look out for bargains online and in charity shops.

My top places for festive clothing are:

1) Smafolk & DUNS (available at Funky Little People and others) -  Smafolk and DUNS relese a new range of Christmas clothing every year.  Their clothes last really well, wash well, are soft and look wonderful.  Ethan has a top from them which he has now been wearing for 3 Christmasses.  It still looks fab.

2) Supermarkets - Each year I pick up a few little bargains.  Festive socks, slogan tees.  If you are looking to boost your child's Christmas wardrobe for a small price, places like Asda and Tesco are great for this.  Sizes tend to be more snug so I often size up.

3) Charity shops - Obviously Christmas clothing doesn't get much wear and charity shops often end up with a heap of it which is in great condition.  Come the end of November they start getting it out.   Great for Santa suits and fancy dress items.

4) Independents - If you are looking for something a bit special and want to support smaller business, independent is the way to go.  Etsy and Instagram are awash with cool small brands showing off their Christmas '15 wares.  My faves this year come from Fred & Noah.   They are seriously storming it with their Christmas collection.  An amazing geo print Father Christmas, reindeer and good old candy stripes.  Love it!

Have you ever bought any Christmassy clothing for your children?  If so, do you go all out or is it just for Christmas day itself? Don't forget to link up your kids fashion posts today (see top post).

Slowly Slowly Skated the Sloth - Born Free & Me

A few months ago I discovered the gorgeous Born Free & Me on Instagram.  Quite how Jules (who runs the business) does everything she does, I don't know.  Not only does she have a baby, run Born Free & Me, she's a Doctor too!!! I hardly manage to blog and all I do is look after the boys,  For shame!

Born Free & Me are a UK based kids clothing company.  At present a small number of products are stocked (leggings, headbands and bibs) in two prints.  I think this is a great idea though.  It keeps things simple which I imagine is a must for Jules with a baby and another job.  The other thing is that the two designs (skateboarding sloth and flamingos) were designed for Born Free & Me.  So, these prints are unique and you can only buy them from BF&M.  On top of that, they are just gorgeous.  Hand drawn and then printed in the UK.  Wonderful.

A while ago I bought Felix some Skating Sloth leggings.  I knew they'd become firm favourites with him because he's obsessed with Slowly Slowly said the Sloth.  I was right, he calls them his "Slowly Slowly Sloth legs".  He always pulls them out of his draws if he sees them!

As he's worn them a lot I can tell you that they wash really well.  The material is lovely and soft.  The design is well printed, it's not wearing off in any places.  For £14.99 I think they are a bargain.  You are supporting a small WAHM business in the UK and getting something really different.

We hope that Felix grows out of these leggings SLOWLY SLOWLY ;-D

Linking up with my gorgeous co-host for Funky Kid Friday today.  Come and join in! Our rules are simple:

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Zazzle - THE place for printed tees & vests!

Have you heard of Zazzle?  I have to be honest and say that until I was contacted by them I hadn't.  At least, I don't believe I had, I may well have stumbled across them without really realising!  Zazzle are an online retailer that allow you to upload your own images or use ones they have already (designed by lots of different artists and designers) and have them printed on to all sorts of objects from mugs to bags and even clothing.

I was offered the chance to choose some items of clothing from them, in particular from their range of tops and vests.  I must admit that the choice was so wide that it took me a long time to choose the "perfect" designs for the whole family.  There were just so many cool images to choose from.  There is literally something for everybody out there.  You can even upload your own images.  The possibilities are endless!  The choice of clothing you can have images printed on is also vast.  There are several styles of t shirts, long and short sleeved.  A new ladies vest collection (all styles, racer back, skinny straps, thick straps, exercise wear). Hooded tops.  Heavy weighted tees, light weight.  All sorts of colours.  There are several different brands of clothing used for printing including American Apparel so you know that quality will be good.

In the end I plumped for a raglan style tee with different prints for myself and the boys.  I also chose a strapy vest top.  For Pete I ordered something a little geeky in a heavy weight tee (he likes to wear tees all year round but appreciates a warmer one in Autumn/Winter).

Ethan was ecstatic when he saw what I'd ordered for him.  He loves animals, in particular dogs, so I chose a dog design.  One a little different - a dog painting spots on himself!  I've found it hard to get this top off Ethan since it arrived.  He adores it.

For Felix I chose a train design because he loves all forms of transport.  He enjoys wearing this top.  What I like about it is that it's something he likes but it's still cool and not tacky.  I'm not a fan of overly branded clothing or stuff that's too garish.  I like that he can have something he likes but I like too!

For myself, I chose a narhwal design on my raglan (love narhwals!) and a geometric diamond on my vest.  I'm all about geometric just now!

I chose something a little geeky for Pete.  He's a programmer.  I wanted something that was a bit geeky but not overly so.  Something he could wear to work to make his colleagues chuckle but that wouldn't get him stared at (everyone understands the term "programming" not everyone would understand a tee with a lode of C# on it).  I went for a green tee.  He's very fond of green, we all are.  Green suits him.

All of the tops are fantastic quality.  They have all washed very well.  The boys in particular.  They've been washed the most.  There's are American Apparel.  They are lightweight.  They've stayed soft, not shrunk and haven't bobbled.

My raglan and vest are made from slightly thicker material.  They've washed well.  The vest has come up ever so slightly smaller on me than I'd like ideally but that's a case of getting used to sizing.  It's quite a short style.  With vests I usually prefer longer length.  That's just personal preference though.  It just means that if I were to order that style again I'd size up.  The vests are sold in S,M,L,XL.  I am an 8/10 on top usually but I do have quite big boobs.  I chose S but perhaps M would have been better.

Pete's tee is nice and thick.  It looks fantastic after several washes.  The fit is great. He has worn it several times which is a good sign!

Overall, I am very impressed!  Prices are good, especially for something which is going to look quite individual.  It's around £12+ for a kids tee and £19+ for adult sizes.  I love the fact you can upload your own images.  For special events that could be great!  I've just been back on their site just now and noticed a load of Halloween designs so I'm tempted to order a few for the boys! Maybe myself too.  I'm a fan of wearing things that are slightly different to the standard so really this is a perfect site for me.  I've got it bookmarked now!

Funky Kid Friday - Slugs & Snails Tights

Hello all.  I'm sorry for the radio silence.  We moved house last week so both in the run up to that and the aftermath, it's been rather chaotic.  We are starting to get back to some semblance of reality but there is a great deal to do in our new house.  We are all tired out!! Getting the laptop out and blogging isn't my highest priority just now but I don't want to leave it too long.  So, Funky Kid Friday is here today.  Just don't expect to see quite so many posts at the moment!

A few weeks ago we received some exciting news.  The boys and I had been picked as UK brand representatives for the amazing unisex tights/clothing company, Slugs & Snails.  I have been a fan of S&S really ever since they first began, as Kat (the creator) will testify.  I reviewed a pair on the blog years ago and my boys have had Slugs & Snails tights in their draws at all times.  Even now, aged 6, Ethan will happily wear tights.  He either wears them as an extra layer of warmth in winter or under shorts or dungarees in colder months.  He loves S&S in particular because they are bright and fun.

Kat created S&S because she felt there was a gap in the market for tights that were unisex.  It was something that I had spotted as well which is why I ended up finding her tights.  Like Kat, when Ethan was born I wanted to help keep him warm.  The solution is tights or leg warmers but it was quite tricky to find tights that weren't overtly "girly" (gah, detest that word) or frilly.  Now, I will push the boundaries when it comes to what I put my boys in and I was happy enough to buy "girls" tights for Ethan.  He had purple spotty ones.  Pink ones.  It wasn't an issue for me.  But it did create some stares.  As he got older, the issue continued.  Whilst I didn't mind putting him in "girls" tights, I'm not much of a pink fan.  It'd be the same regardless of the sex of my child.  I just don't like a lot of pink!  And so, discovering S&S was a great joy to me.  To be able to buy tights in a good array of colours with some fantastic child and adult pleasing prints on was wonderful.

I still continue to get some looks and raised eyebrows when people realise my boys are wearing tights.  I remember giving some of Felix's old pairs to a friend's wife for their baby daughter.  She had a very funny look on her face and she said "Where did you get the tights from?" I told her that they were Felix's, that he used to wear them.  She looked incredulous! However, we also get a great deal of compliments!

Just look at the wonderful bounty we received from S&S this week!!

I was bowled over.   Felix will be able to wear different tights every day of the week! Perfect timing for winter too.  Even more wonderfully, Kat branched out into clothing and Mama sized tights last year so the boys were sent some beautiful dungarees and elf hooded tops.  And a pair of tights for me so we can all match!  You all know how I love to twin.  I wonder if we could wear our Duns radishes and our S&S tights at the same time.......

Boys in tights?  What do you think?  Practical or weird?

Now it's over to you guys.  Got any kids fashion posts?  Please link them up below!  I would like to say a BIG thank you to my new co-host, Hannah of Make, Do and Push for hosting two weeks in a row - thanks gorgeous!  I don't know how she manages so well with a toddler and non sleeping baby.  Puts me to shame.   I would also like to wish her a happy first wedding anniversary :-)

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