This isn’t your grandmother’s rocking horse; Playsam’s Rocking Rabbit redefines the classic with a modern, Scandinavian twist. The Rabbit Rocker will amuse and get tons of use since toddlers take to his goofy and friendly face very quickly, and you’ll love how it looks in your home! Designed by Björn Dahlström for PlaySam in Sweden and awarded with the ‘Excellent Swedish Design Seal of Approval’ in 2001. The seat is about a foot high making it perfect for those 12 months and up. Great as a 1-year Birthday Gift and a Unique Kids Holiday Gift.
We were so excited when the Crocheted Animal Baby Rattles , an Estella exclusive, finally arrived in our store. We weren’t the only ones, either; Cool Mom Picks, a site featuring hand-picked favorites from trend-setting mothers around the country, featured the rattles as a unique holiday baby gift. Here’s what they have to say:
Holiday baby gifts for baby that are actually more appealing than the wrapping paper
Oh I just can’t wait for all those obligatory stuffed animals that my baby will get over the holidays because really, what else do you give a newborn for Christmas? So here’s a suggestion: An adorable duck rattle baby toy from Estella NYC.
Hand crocheted by Peruvian artisans and designed by the smart folks at Estella, this soft cotton duck has a satisfying rattle inside, beating out any stuffed bear, bunny, or even Rudolph. If ducks are too conventional for you, then you’re in luck; the goat is equally as cute and is guaranteed not to eat the crib bedding or your baby’s onesie. -Kristen
Grunge inspired clothes were all over the runways this year from Burberry to Alexander Wang. The style that originated from the popular music genre of the 90′s and musicians like Kurt Cobain was aptly reflected in the line that has your little rock star in mind. Kingsley’s Plaid Button-up shirt with Striped Jersey Sleeves for Boys is a top they’ll want to pair with their favorite designer kids jeans. Intricate detailing like grommets on the back and purposely frayed edges make this shirt stand out from the rest. Now go on and look for your Nirvana cassettes…
Holidays can be a time of joy and happiness. Finding the perfect gift for that special toddler on your list, on the other hand, can be a bewildering experience. Behold! Vilac’s Cascading Cars Toddler Toy is amusing and trance-inducing for the young and old alike. Vilac, a wooden toymaker based in France, has been making unique children’s toys since 1911 and their methods have surely passed the test of time; our store display model has received a lot of attention since the Cascading Cars Toy first arrived! Bright colors adorn the set which comes with three cars that race down the ramps. Fans of learning toys will appreciate how the movement of the little cars exemplify the physics of motion and momentum. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about batteries running out!
Lightweight and ultra versatile, the Two-Tone Baby Lounger by Oeuf NYC is modern and sleekly styled. Whether it’s a place to eat, nap or just hang out, your little one will love the comfort of this lounger. You’ll love the easy to wash cover and comfortable 3-Point safety belt. The Two-Tone Baby Lounger by Oeuf NYC holds infants up to 18 lbs. or until they can sit up unassisted. Must-have baby gear for the modern nursery.
Wrap your bundle of joy in Estella‘s amazingly soft fleece newborn bunting. This beautiful and practical baby gift set includes a pair of baby booties, connecting mittens, a tie hat and a wrap tie bunting that will be used over and over, wash after wash. Designed and made locally in New York City, this luxurious Newborn Gift Set was made with the modern parent in mind; everything is machine washable and made to last.
If you’re anything like me, this picture instantly strikes fear in your heart and gets your adrenaline rushing. An estimated 3.1 million children in the US have food allergies, and my daughter happens to be one of them. She is highly allergic to peanuts and is likely to have an anaphylactic reaction if she ingests anything with peanut protein.
I still remember getting the diagnosis over four years ago from our pediatric allergist and feeling so devastated. My daughter wasn’t even two years-old at that point and the thought of such a tiny, innocent creature being so vulnerable to such a pervasive ingredient was more than I could handle. I recall going to Whole Foods the next day to re-stock our entire pantry and almost breaking down in the frozen food section because I felt so lost and overwhelmed by all the life or death choices I would now need to make on a daily basis (do you I buy her food that has been manufactured in a plant that uses peanuts but uses good manufacturing practices to protect against contamination or do I forgo it?)
My daughter is six now, and I’m pleased to say that she hasn’t ever had to use her Epipen Jr. and that we lead a very normal life. When you are told that your child has a severe allergy, you very quickly figure out your “new” way of living. You bring Benadryl and an Epipen everywhere you go. You still go out to dinner, but you avoid certain cuisines like the plague and overindulge in other cuisines. In our case, we NEVER bring our daughter to an Asian restaurant but feel relatively comfortable in Italian places. You also quickly discover which food brands are generally safe, which candies are always/sometimes/never peanut-free, and how to make a mean Betty Crocker cupcake for all those birthday parties your child is invited to where the birthday cake may or may not contain peanuts. Play dates at friends’ houses are a tad trickier to navigate in terms of snacks, but we generally send our own with our daughter and make sure the supervising adult is painfully aware of her allergy and how to use an Epipen.
I can’t say that having a child with a severe food allergy is no big deal. However, it’s like many of the things that life hands to you: not what you would have wished for, but in the long run, completely manageable.
Forget about training wheels. LIKEaBIKE’s entire line of pedal-less kids bikes are reinventing the way we look at training for the real deal. Clean lines and it’s non-traditional birch frame make LIKEaBIKE’s Mountain the most popular model yet and is sure to capture everyone’s attention at the park. We at Estella love the bike not only for its unique look, but also for the pneumatic tires that make it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use! The height adjustable seating makes this bike grow with your child from 2 to five years old (13 up to 17 inches) and is a perfect hand-me-down for siblings. Better yet, the pedal-lessness of the LikeaBike fosters motor skills and a sense of balance. Witness the bike in action!
I really love crochet toys that are made by hand. I’m not picky, I like all the different variations–the baby rattles, the kids’ toys, the finger puppets. It’s the fact that they they are hand-made that gets me. It gives these toys more character and a story. Plus, the fact that they are not mass-produced gives their creators the potential to create something offbeat, quirky, and original. And if there’s one thing I really adore, it’s something original.
We recently set about creating some crochet animals of our own. Our goal was to invent some unusual characters that we thought would appeal to babies and kids alike. We of course wanted them to be soft to the touch and attractive, but most of all, we wanted our crochet toys to be DIFFERENT. No teddy bears. No smiling suns. No flowers with goofy-looking faces.
Since much of my inspiration comes from my kids, the first thing I thought of was my four year-old son and his obsession with dinosaurs. In the past year, my husband and I have scoured the internet to find all things dinosaur. We got the dino lunch box. We got the dinosaur shirt. We even got the dinosaur wood puzzle. But nowhere could we find a nice dinosaur that our son could roam the earth with by day and cuddle up to by night.
Eureka. Crochet toys number one and two. We found a wonderful group of Peruvian women who could crochet like champs and set forth the crochet dinosaur challenge. We had to work out some kinks (not so easy to get t-rex’s perfectly stumpy arms right), but in the end we created a gorgeous t-rex and a fantastic stegosaurus (pictures to follow shortly, I promise). The blue guy above is our crochet goat rattle and he will be joined by an orange cat, a grey moose, and a duck rattle. For those of you looking for something a little smaller, we also created some crochet mini rattles: a baby bunny, a baby duck, a baby panda, and a baby elephant. All of these will be appearing shortly in the shop and online.
We’re thrilled with our new crocheted toys and we hope all of you will be as well. I know my son will be delighted to finally be able to sleep with the dinosaurs.
There’s a strange feeling here in NYC these days. It’s one of intense optimism and joy over the elections last week mixed with a more somber mood given what’s happening in the world and with our own economy. I’ve felt this everywhere I go: at my kids’ schools, amongst friends, and even from our European designers who have been emailing us with overwhelming excitement about Obama’s historic victory. People are still enjoying shopping for their kids (many customers have told me that they’d rather continue shopping for the little ones in their lives rather than for themselves) but there’s certainly a sense among some that they should be less frivolous and more practical about what they buy.
We realize that much of what we do here at Estella could be classified as frivolous. Although part of our mission from day one was to carry practical, sustainable, and beautiful creations for kids, we also recognize that many of the beautiful things we carry here are luxuries. It is truly a luxury to be able to indulge in a artfully crafted piece of clothing for your little one. Even though we know that our clothes are of the highest quality and will last an eternity, passed down from sibling to sibling (or from friend to friend), we also realize that “need” can not really describe a marabou tiara or a mini terrier pillow.
Given the current mood and new reality, we’re doing our best at Estella to continue offering our customers the finest in designer clothes for children and babies without breaking the bank. We’re reaching out to more American designers and searching out more affordable European designers. As well, we’re expanding our own collections, continuing to give you the Estella style and ethos at a more affordable price.
It’s a challenging but exciting task that we have before us. Our customers are knowledgeable and style-savvy and understandably want the best of all worlds: premium design and craftmanship, a fair price, and something that hasn’t been made in China. Please stay tuned in the coming weeks as we unveil some of our new creations and the stories of some of the new designers we’ll be carrying for Spring 2009. In the mean time, take a look at this girl’s tulle party skirt we’ve created for the holidays and let us know what you think. It will be in our shop shortly and will retail for $65.
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