New Products!

OK, is it wrong to be obscenely excited by new products when they arrive?! I rush to open the boxes so I can catch that first glimpse of awesome new kids' things. I've ferreted them out, researched the brand etc., tested them where possible and then negotiated their order. Then I wait for them to appear at my door in all their glossy-newness. It's like Xmas - seriously! Once I have the box open I gaze at them adoringly, and then imagine the joy they're going to bring. Today's excitement was double as 2 shipments appeared - those boys at UPS are so efficient! The first was my order of Blablas. They sound like a boring conversation but these hand-knit dolls made in Peru are gorgeous. Bright and vibrant colours, funky designs and super cuddly. They come in 3 sizes (12", 22" and a whopping 3 feet) so I can see why an adult might be tempted by them ;) They are unique and I think they will make a fantastic new baby, baby shower or birthday gift. let's put it this way: my son is getting one as soon as he wakes up! Check out www.smallworldkids.biz to see more of them by searching under Blabla.

Today's 2nd treat was a bursting box from Starchild. Starchild make funky leather soft-soled shoes for babies and toddlers. I swore by these for my son as the leather is flexible and breathable which is key for growing feet. Even better, the elasticated ankle strap meant he couldn't get them off (not once and he wore this type of shoe for 8 months - that's no mean feat!!) so no more lost shoes. As any parent who knows the joys of retracing their steps for lost items, this is a very good thing! The Starchild shoes are really pretty (for girls) and funky and trendy (for boys.) I had such a hard time choosing the styles that I had to enlist some mum friends to help over a glass of wine. Needless to say, we went a bit overboard!

It's so fantastic to enjoy the job that you do, and opening the boxes and seeing our new stock makes my day great. It's a small thrill for me, and I'm so lucky to be doing a job now that brings this to me. Sure, there are tribulations with starting and managing your own business but this type of stuff makes that all worth while.

Now I'm off to select a Blabla...oohh goody!

The Inspiration

OK, so I'm a fairly new mum.  2 years ago I was a corporate high flyer: a big job with a big company, with global responsibilities.  I literally travelled the world, out of my home country 280 days a year.  It was fun - I enjoyed the challenge, meeting new people and exploring new things, and all the perks that went with it.  My husband and I tried for a while to have a baby and finally in March 2007 - success!  I cannot tell you how excited - and scared - I was.  On Xmas Eve 2007 my fantastic son came along.  [born at home, but that's a story for another time!]  I had a fantastic year off with him which was the most challenging (but most rewarding too) of my life.  During that time I watched him grow, stressed about his breathing, whether he was warm enough or too warm, whether he liked his food and ate enough, and whether the things we gave him were right.  Were they safe?  Stimulating? Fun?  Good-looking?  [let's face it, everyone wants people to coo over their baby and all the accessories and clothes are part of that!]  I had a great time researching the best options for us when it came to clothes, bedding, travel accessories, feeding products and food.  While I planned for him (before and after he arrived) I discovered that there are a lot of great things out there, but they're not necessarily available to everyone.  We live in the UK - it's big, glossy and urban in London so there's a lot of choice.  I like to think I went that little bit further and found things that really worked for him, and suited our lifestyle.  I found fantastic products - in the UK, across Europe and further afield.  I'm Canadian so stuff from North America was a given - we got tons of fabulous gifts, and found really different and lovely things when we spent our £s for $s.  

Everyone knows about the credit crunch and I'm not going to bang on about that, but instead of finding myself back at work in Jan. 2009, I found myself with a solid redundancy package.  What to do?!   So, I thought about it a lot and decided that the time with my son was precious.  As they go from babies to toddlers they change so much: first steps, first words, first experiences galore.  We worked through our options and I realised that if I could have more time with him (and was lucky enough to have a bit of a cushion to do so) then I would love to be there.  Obviously, we need to eat and buy the necessities (as well as a few treats on the way!) so I worked on what I could do to keep myself busy when not running after a VERY busy toddler and keep a toe in the world of work.  And voila! the idea for Small World Kids was born!

The whole premise behind my fledgling company is this: everyone wants the best for their child.  There are fantastic, useful, unique and stylish things out there.  Some are well-known, others are hidden gems.  These great products are everywhere, and other mums (moms for all you fellows North Americans!) are a great source of knowledge and inspiration.  My aim is to bring the best of these products - from anywhere I can find them - to other mums.  Our life can be tough enough, so why not use great things to make baby happier and life easier?!  I can't tell you how much fun I'm having ferreting out new things so check out the site, let me know what you love or just hang in as I blog about my life and my business - hopefully passing on some tips and tricks as I go!