{Interiors} Top 10 coolest kids bunk beds

Bunk beds are a fantastic way of saving space and avoiding the bedtime argument of who switches the light off and when. Each child has some privacy as well as control over their sleep.
Since our 2 years old and 8 years old share a bedroom, we decided to tackle the sleeping arrangements last weekend.

Houzz

I turned to one of my favourite Pinterest boards for some inspiration for the best bunk bed ideas for kids rooms. Here is a selection of my top 10. They really make me wish I was a kid again...

Pinterest

Single Bunk Bed in White

Apartment therapy

Annipalanni

Leiliving

Bunk Bed with Storage by Arthauss

Twitter

Or what about this cool sleeper with built in stairs.

Bunk Bed Tala

I love the simple metal frame of this black metallic bunk sleeper.

Single Metal bunk bed

I have chosen the IKEA Mydal bunk bed for the kid's room, and I look forward to doing my very own IKEA hack. I'll keep you posted on the progress. Check out this really cool IKEA Hack for inspiration!

Ikea Hacker

{Travel} Just a car!

This was my mother in law's car in the early 70s. Isn't it so cool!

I would love one of them for an Alpine road trip.

© Rue du chat-qui-Pêche

{Kids} Juguetes para la crisis by Natalia Aguado

One for the kiddies! Product design student from Escuela de Diseño de La Rioja in Spain, Natalia Aguado, has designed these really cool "toys for the crisis". Or as she calls them: Juguetes para la crisis.

It’s a simple toy made ​​with a few basic wooden and cork shapes that can be put together simply. You can swap them around to create different shapes: police cars, boats, buses.... Kids can also let their imagination run freely painting the different pieces. There are endless possibilities!

VIA Natalia Aguado

{Kids} A party fit for a Birthday boy!

It seems like such a long time since I last posted... I have had such a busy time lately, but school is finally of for my eldest and summer has arrived in London.

Giant Silver Foil Balloon

One of the many things in the diary in the past few weeks was my boy's 2nd birthday. Last weekend, my baby boy turned 2! Since he is a July baby, a picnic in our local park was obligatory, and will be for years to come. We were very lucky with the weather, as summer decided to arrive just in time for the party.

The first thing we did, was the all important Birthday walk! It is a tradition that my daughter's school has started for us, and I love it! Every year, we make a poster for the Birthday person through the years. It is a great way to see how baby has changed: newborn to 2 years old.

After a long breakfast at home, we took the party to our local park, where many of our friends came to celebrate with us. I loved chatting to everyone and catching up over a glass of wine and some cherries.

The birthday boy was so happy with the celebrations and all his amazing presents. Thank you all for coming and helping us celebrate in style!

Here are a few of my ideas for the party:
1. Healthy Bento boxes: a hit with both parents and kids.

2. Brownie tower, decorated with icing sugar, colourful sprinkles and Legos. He loved blowing the candles so much, we had to do it 3 times!

3. Potted succulents as party favours, since the birthday boy is a keen gardener these days.

Jad was so happy with the celebrations and all his amazing presents. Thank you all for coming and helping us celebrate in style!

There are so many cute ideas that you can find these days to make your child's party a little bit more personal and crafty. Check out my Pinterest board on Parties for my selection of more great Party ideas.

Has anyone been planning birthday parties recently? I'd love to hear some more ideas...

{Design} Life's Journey measuring stick by Baum Kuchen

I knew as soon as we moved into our home, 6 years ago, that I wanted to track my daughter's growth on a doorframe. But since I am not 100% positive we will live under this roof forever, I looked for a wall mounted growth charts.
I love Baum-kuchen's new product, the life's journey measuring stick. A simple, blank measuring stick where you can record the special milestones in your child's life. You can keep it hung on your wall and can take it with you when you move. I also love the philosophy behind their brand and hope to see more elegant products from them.

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{kids} playing with cars

My 21 month old baby boy is obsessed with anything with wheels at the moment... Since we are spending time away from home in Morocco, we don't have many toys for him to play with. I took 2 toy cars with me, and the stripy berber blanket in the lush Marrakech garden seemed to do the trick to keep him busy. So I unleashed the camera and started snapping. Here are a few pictures.

{Travel} Tips for parents travelling with kids in Japan

Today I have a special post to share! 

My lovely friend Donatella, her husband Ben and 2 kids Alvar (6) and Austine (2) are taking a 47,090 km Big Adventure around the world. 

I have not been very good at keeping up to date with where they were at over the past few weeks, but today I found some time to catch up and read about all the wonderful places they have been to... What an amazing experience! Reading the family blog is like being part of their experience and seeing the world through their eyes. Thank you so much guys for sharing!

This particular post I am writing about is one where Dona shares great Tips for parents travelling with young children in Japan. Check it out, it is well worth reading if you plan on travelling to Japan with your little ones.

VIA Ben and Dona

I can't wait to read more about the great adventure and also hear about it all when we catch up next! I hope you enjoy reading about it too.

{Kids} Wooden Lego blocks by Mokurokku

Lego was pretty much the only toy that lasted all through my childhood, spending precious hours playing with them. The 40s toy is enjoying a revival via the Japanese firm  Mokurokku and their wooden lego blocks. Each box contains 50 bricks (2x4) and I think they might even be compatible with regular Lego blocks. I'd love to see a combination of the colourful ones and the wooden ones together.

I could take this opportunity to have a go at Lego for their gender specific marketing with the Lego Friends range. In my days, Legos for girls were called Legos... Yellow, red, blue! 

I might have in the past, but it is only since we introduced the pink bricks into our home that my daughter has taken a keen interest in building with the little bricks. 

We now have a huge collection, since we have all of Nico's ones from his childhood, as well as many from the new friends range. Her most recent constructions have included a space ship, a pen holder & a 2 storey house for her Moshi Monsters.

VIA Highsnob

{Craft} Washi tape DIY inspiration

So I told you about my washi tape obsession lately. It is this gorgeous Japanese paper that you can use on your floors or walls if you like changing things around often. It is an easy way to play around with colour without having to paint your walls.
Pinterest is a great place to fish around for ideas and inspiration. Here are a few of my favourites.
Have fun and send me your creations!

Images via | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

{Food} Make great crêpes in a snap

I never miss crêpes day! In fact we love crêpes so much in our house, that we make them every weekend. The great thing is that you can keep the batter for a few days in the fridge, and keep on making them as needed.

VIA REMAIN SIMPLE

Here is my mum's recipe for you to enjoy.

Ingredients
250g flour
3 medium eggs
500ml milk
pinch salt
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp vanilla sugar (only if you are making sweet ones)

Preparation
I like the batter to be lump free, so I use this fail free technique.

1. In a large bowl, make a well with 1/3 of the flour. Add the eggs, salt, vanilla sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. It will be lumpy at this point but don't worry.
2. Then, add just enough milk to cover and mix. It should become smooth very quickly. 
Repeat adding flour, mixing. Then adding just a bit of the milk until you have used up all the flour.
3. Add remaining milk and sunflower oil and whisk.

Cooking
One thing worth having if you plan on making them often is a crêpe pan. They are thin and shallow, so perfect or the job.

1. Heat the pan & oil it with a brush.

2. Pour a ladle of batter while moving pan around to spread it and cook on one side for about 1 minute or until the edges start being crisp.

3. Flip crêpe and cook on the other side another 30 seconds.

Assembling

The filling possibilities are endless. Sweet or savoury. So add you favourite filling, roll up and enjoy!

My favourite filling has to be banana & chocolate. Miam! Miam!

What's your favourite filling?

{Kids} Wooden magic wand

My daughter would love one of these lovely wooden magic wands! She has always loved dressing up and still does at the tender age of 7.

VIA Fashion loves people

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{Kids} Vintage Montessori letters

My eldest child (7) is in a Montessori school, so I was amazed when I  found these today. I am smitten with them. These old education tools which were designed to teach children the motions for writing letters, Montessori style.

In these vintage motor letters, the circular knob moves cleanly around each shape, which is cut out to reveal red or green beneath. Unusual and wonderful. I'd love some for child no2.

VIA PRESENT AND CORRECT

{Design} Plates by Maxime Ansiau

Don't you just love these plates by Maxime Ansiau. I have an obsession with all kitchen related things as you can see...

VIA Artnau

{Travel} My 10 favourite things to do in Paris

Once upon a time, I lived in Paris for a year. A friend recently asked me for tips and I could not think of a single one on the spot. So this is for you J.

VIA ETSY

1. Rue Montorgeuil
This is a great place to spend the day. It is a pedestrian street where you can eat well, sit in a sunny café, shop for kitchenware, and buy phenomenal breads, chocolates, cheeses, and pastries... I can also recommend it as a great neighbourhood to stay in when in Paris. Very central and still reasonable. If you are planning a visit David Leibowitz has a lot of great recommendations.

2. Hit the market
Every day in Paris, except on Mondays, there’s an outdoor market somewhere taking place. The Marché d’Aligre is a daily market, and has a small flea market in the center. If you are like me, you will love looking around for that special something that you need for your place. You can find a market no matter where you are on the complete list of Paris Markets.

3. Jardin des plantes
This is the one that made my kids happiest last time I was there. A wonderful botanical garden with a small zoo. I particularly like the Evolution gallery: beautiful displays of animals, very inspiring and educational.

4. Mosquée de Paris
I love sipping a glass of mint tea and eat Moroccan cornes de gazelles in the courtyard. If I am feeling more indulgent, I would spend half a day at the hammam. It is a lovely building and I feel transported back home. There are specific days for men and women, so I always check online before I go.

5. Use a Velib
If I could choose anyway to get around Paris, I would most definitely choose the bicycle. It is the original Boris Bike! Self hire bicycles on docking stations dotted around the city. the first half hour is free and you pay for what you use. Choose your route and enjoy. Be careful though!

6. Montmartre
Not much of a discovery there... But I can't help but have it in my favourites. I like seeing the view and the getting lost in the streets at the south-west of the sacré coeur. I can also indulge my fabric buying impulses in the shops below the sacré coeur.

7. Picnic on the pont des arts
Du pain, du vin, du boursin! Beautiful views of Paris.

8. L'Ile Saint Louis
I love to have a Bertillon ice cream l'ile Saint Louis followed by a stroll around Notre Dame. Favourite flavour: pain d'épice.

9. Macarons La Durée
I can't resist them! My favourite treat: a box of 18 macarons au caramel salé.

10. Le Bon Marché
There is more to this grand department store than great fashion. La grande épicerie de Paris is just magical: I usually raid the cheese counter, the sweets aisle and the charcuterie counter.

So this is my Paris. I notice it mostly involves getting somewhere to eat something...

Share your favourite things to do in Paris?