perfect knitted sweater

We enjoy so much the beautiful Autumn in The Netherlands at the moment…and with this season we urgently need a warm sweaters for our boys. I can make a simple scarf myself, but a sweater might be a bit to ambitious. Happily there is many options to choose from and I have selected 3 of my favourite brands for you. They offer beautiful knitted sweaters made in a good fair trade way. It is Oeufnyc, Babaa and Mamyfactory.

All the products offered by Mamyfactory are hand knitted by French grand-mothers («mamy» meaning «granny» in French): chic and authentic clothing made from luxury and natural yarns, with meticulous finishing. Meaningful clothes which are authentically made with love and which will stay for a long time in families. Every item from Babaa is designed and made in Spain. Little family business created by Marta Bahillo is supporting the local textile industry. All made with love and care too…exactly what we would like to offer our little ones. 

Wool and the Gang

" ... We've all done it, purchased low quality, cheap fast fashion made in factories abroad 

and wondered "how do they make it so cheap?"  The reality is not good. 

There has to be a better way to produce, one that allows us to wear with pride and sleep soundly. 

So Wool and the Gang was born — pioneering fashion production that's made in a sustainable way, bringing back knitting as a viable means of production for generations to come...." 

Would you like to know how to make knitting super cool? Well, it is time to meet  

‘Wool and the Gang’! 

I think knitting revolution is on and it’s so good to see that we all can take part of it. Wool and the Gang,  would like to be involved in every step of the process - from design, production and passion for knitting skills. You can purchase a Kit and learn to knit or support people who make the product, by buying their handmade pieces.  I’m impressed so much by this concept…and for sure are going to try it! 

Would you like to see more inspiration from Wool and the Gang , 

don’t miss this Pinterest board: woolandthegang - c-o-l-o-u-r 

Autumn with kids

It’s my favourite season of the year. 

I like the fresh air, the sunny and a bit cold days. I like to walk with the boys, to look, to play and watch the nature changing…..

Wool Week

Last week it was a Wool Week in the Netherlands, according to Campaignforwool. 

I think it is significant and it would be good to support it and show you few beautiful pictures from their Wool magazine. I’m so happy to see that customers become more aware of environmental issues and choose natural and ecological materials and wool is becoming the fibre of choice. 

Few interesting attributes of wool : 

“ .. Merino wool is the finest wool in the world, according to the micron of the fibre. The lower the micron, or diameter, the finer the wool, ensuring superb next-to-skin softness. “  (…) This is because wool not only looks beautiful, but it also has countless exceptional and practical benefits. The natural structure of the wool fibre means it’s elastic, breathable, moisture- regulating, anti-static, stain resistant, fire retardant and even UV-protective. …” 

“ … The history of wool, and the craftsmanship that is so closely connected to it, goes back centuries. The process, from a fleece to yarn and the subsequent creation of a fabric or knit, has been developed over the course of thousands of years. For a long time this process was established by hand but the Industrial Revolution changed the industry forever. Nowadays it’s machines that perform these tasks. The wool industry has become more and more advanced thanks to new techniques and very talented people.  Yet there has been a growing interest in manual techniques. Designers as well as consumers have rediscovered carding, spinning, weaving, knitting and felting of wool. And anyone who works with wool will attest to the soft and rich character of the natural fibre that is wool. …” 

Pictures for this post from: wool magazine

Party time….

What a party time in my life at the moment! 

My older son turned 9 on the 29th of September and today we celebrated birthday of our 5 years old Robert. I think you can imagine how much planning and arrangements it takes…. especially with entertaining a group of toddlers or a team of nine-year old. Well, I like the celebration vibe at home so much.  Decorating with garlands and balloons, makes me smile, so that’s why I’m showing you few of my favourite at the moment….The beautiful garlands are from Atelier Sukha's packed in celebration box and the stars and circles are from Engelpunt. 

Today we are also starting a 10 days school holiday. 

I’m more than happy to slow down a bit and to get cosy and warm at home with my boys…

vtwonen stickers collection

vtwonen is not just a deco magazine, it’s already a strong brand on the Dutch market with their own collection dedicated to living. I like  their style a lot which is conceptual and always one-step-ahead of current trends. I think their concepts are very accessible for people  and easy to try and experiment with at home. 

Today I would like to show you vtwonen new stickers collection. It includes : save the date  -  abs stars - happy quotes stickers. As you see on the beautiful pictures, you can in a very simple and easy way, personalise your space at home. …are you ready to play? 

I wish you a wonderful weekend ahead! 

Guess Who? and special offer for F bunk bed - dark

Two weeks ago ScionUK wallpaper and textile company lunched their 

new kids collection called Guess Who? 

Rafa-kids furniture took part of their shooting campaign. ScionUK selected our F bunk bed and K desk + stool in dark finish for a child’s room with  “Little Fox” wallpaper and accessories.  We are very exited to see our furniture in this playful room with brown&orange colour scheme. It’s looking very cosy and warm…perfect for the Autumn/Winter season. 

We also have a good news today! Our F bunk bed in dark chocolate finish and A teen bed also in dark, are for special price available at the moment on our website. It doesn’t happen very often that we are run discounts, so please grab your chance if you would like to have our bed for your kids! 

children's room in vtwonen magazine

vtwonen is one of my favourite magazines dedicated to home deco. Not only because of their very unique style but also because they often shows kids’ rooms, which are part of the house. It’s really not that common in other deco magazines. 

Today I would like to show you a house, which was presented in September issue of vtwonen.  What stands out in my opinion is a harmony of style and products also within the children's room. This French family enjoys many natural light, wooden furniture and accessories made from natural materials. This interior has warmth and Scandinavian look and feel, along with many funny products, rugs and rich fabrics like old linen and lace. Base is played out in robust materials: grey concrete floors and black steel window in huge frames.  Here and there a pastel colouring matches perfectly the vintage and homemade items.

Photographie Julien Fernandez et Amandine Berthon via : vtwonen