Coquette Maman

My Town by Delphine Doreau - A Paper Town Kids Can Build

We love crafty things in our home and when they are small and cute, it's extra special. My Town: A Little World for You to Build ($11.48 on Amazon) by my friend Delphine Doreau is just that sort of special, magical book. The book (translated into English from her French book Mon Village) features perforated buildings and animals that can be made into a fun play town. Featuring Delphine's adorable illustrations of animals, you'll love building the various stores and houses that make up the little town.

The back of the book features a pull out map that acts as a sort of playmat for the buildings. The pieces were easy for my 4 1/2 year old to punch out and I helped her fold them into place and glue. I loved how each building had it's own special magic to see from the pastries in the bakery to the fruits and veggies at the grocery store. There are also pages where your child can color in their own buildings and animals. This is the perfect activity to keep your child busy and entertained. Chloe would build each little house with me and start playing right away with the characters. We are looking forward to making more together on the weekends.

(Photo: Non Dairy Diary)

Here's a version Delphine's son built complete with cars at each house and a big truck. I love how each child can interpret their own imagination into their own special town. Read more about it in her post here.

My Town: A Little World for You to Build ($11.48 on Amazon)

For daily inspiration, visit Delphine's blog at Non Dairy Diary. She has lots of paper toys you can download for free.

Style Mom: Stephanie from All About Ami Talks Pregnancy & Nursing Fashion

(All Photos: All About Ami)

Stephanie Lau from All About Ami doesn't just crochet cute amigurumi animals. She's also a very fashionable new mom to six month old Myla. I became friends with this Canadian beauty a few years ago when I was an editor at CRAFT and she did her first published pattern, this crochet spring bunny. I have been loving her recent blog post on her nursing fashion tips so I decided to do an interview with Stephanie on how she stays so stylish and fashionable as a new mom.

How would you describe your fashion style?

I would describe my fashion style as classic and feminine. I love wearing dresses and romantic pieces such as delicate crocheted shawls and items with ruffles and lace. With that being said, comfort is also key for me, and I enjoy layering different pieces together (such as my chambray tops and oversized sweaters), which is key to surviving the Canadian winter! I also love accessorizing as I feel that accessories really help pull an outfit together. I'll usually sport my stud earrings, a necklace and a stack of bracelets when going out! I loved accessorizing from a young age as I have pictures of myself as a toddler wearing chunky beaded necklaces and bracelets with little clips in my hair!

The first few months post-pregnancy is probably the most fashion challenging for a new mom. What was your solution to looking great?

I remember my "What to Bring to the Hospital" pamphlet stated to bring a going-home outfit that would fit you when you were 5 months pregnant… And so, I knew to expect to continue to look somewhat pregnant for a little while even after the baby was delivered! I definitely did not fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans and most of my bottoms, so I continued to wear what I wore when I was pregnant (flawy tops and leggings)! This turned out to be a little more challenging as well since I was also nursing. Now all of my outfits had to be breast-feeding friendly, particularly since newborns feed so frequently! I layered pretty cardigans, oversized sweaters and blazers over my nursing tank tops to continue looking stylish post-pregnancy!

What 3 pieces of clothing could you not live without?

I could not live without my jeans, my leggings and my little black dress.

When you were pregnant, what maternity pieces did you live in?

When I was pregnant, I lived in my leggings, long tunics, maternity jeans and maxi dresses. I continued to accessorize a lot and I also belted my outfits to help give some definition and to make them look more polished. I had a lot of fun trying to figure out how to style my ever-growing baby bump!

What are some of Myla's favorite things?

Myla absolutely loves her pink bouncer- she enjoys sitting in it and taking in her surroundings. She likes it even more than her swing or any other baby item! She also has a little ribbon tug blanket that she loves playing with: this minky blanket has ribbons of varying textures along the edges that she enjoys feeling and tugging! Myla loves it when I sing songs and read books to her as well. She especially likes books that have songs associated with them, such as "Five Little Monkeys" and "Ten in the Bed"- it's really cute because she vocalizes along when I read and sing to her!

You are also a very crafty mom. How does crafting/crochet play into your life as a working mom?

I am currently on maternity leave, and I am really enjoying my time with Myla. Everyday we have story time, song time and floor time. Myla is so inquisitive and curious. She enjoys watching me do everything, from washing the dishes, preparing meals, to doing my hair! It's definitely been more challenging finding time to craft, crochet and finish projects, but thankfully Myla actually enjoys watching me crochet. I think she likes seeing the yarn and crochet hook moving so quickly! However, I do most of my crafting when she is napping or at night when she is sleeping. I continue to enjoy crocheting items for Myla and designing new projects. Crocheting is so therapeutic for me, and the blog motivates me to keep being creative and working on new projects!

Visit Stephanie's blog All About Ami. You can also see her previous post on her maternity fashion.

Harrisville Designs Potholder Deluxe: Great Beginning Weaving Set for Kids

Thanks to my crafty friend Nancy, I bought this fantastic weaving set for Chloe. The Harrisville Designs Potholder Deluxe ($19.26 on Amazon) is a great set that comes with everything you need to start weaving right away. I liked that the material provided were cotton loops that were easy for my 4 year old to attach on to the metal frame of the loom. While she organized her colors for her potholder, I helped her weave the metal rod down and over the loops on the frame and she did the rest on the her own which was attaching on the new loop and bringing it through the frame to hook it on the end on the other side. I did help her a bit in case the hook got caught on the existing loops.

I like the deluxe set because it comes with 3 bags of cotton loops to make 6 potholders. There is also a smaller set set but that one only gives you enough to make 2 potholders. You can buy extra loops Harrisville Designs a-Lotta Loops ($15.82 on Amazon, makes 8 potholders) or a smaller pack of cotton loops for $7.28.

These kinds of projects help your little one with fine and gross motor skills as well as teaching them about color combinations and patterns. The loom isn't limited to making just potholders. It comes with an instruction booklet to show you how to make a purse, stuffed animal/doll sleeping bag, magic box, tissue box holder, or a little quilt. I love that this helps teach kids about working on longer term projects. It's something they can do a little bit at a time and finish it over a course of a few days or week if they have to.

Vickie Howell's Sheep(ish) Yarn + Cloverfield Cardigan Pattern

There's a sense of inner peace I get while I'm knitting. It's like using all my senses together from design, crafts, to even math. This sweater, Cloverfield Toddler Girls Cardigan (Sizes 18 months, 2T, 3T - featured on Petite Purls) by Vickie Howell is particularly dear to me. Vickie is an amazing crafter I met while working at MAKE/CRAFT and as a fellow mom, she's inspirational. I still remember one afternoon when I had to do a conference call with her. I didn't know Vickie that well yet and I definitely wanted to be professional. I had timed our conference call for one of Chloe's nap time. Of course, this was the one time she didn't take that second afternoon nap and I was frantic at trying to juggle between getting her napping right and moving her into a bouncy chair. I just remember Vickie telling me that she didn't mind. It was all going to be ok. It made me so relieved I just took a deep breath and relaxed. She made this new mom feel so much better and I'll never forget it.

To me, knitting for kids is perfect because the projects are small and your little one is old enough to appreciate your handiwork. For the Cloverfield Cardigan, I let Chloe pick the main colors she wanted so that she felt like she was a part of the making process. Ideally I could have knit this project within a month but life as a mom is hectic as you all know. I finally finished it about a year and a half later, only having to add around an inch of length to the sweater in the middle to ensure the right fit. Knitting the little bobble flowers while you knit the cardigan was a really fun process too! This sweater made me realize how much I loved the idea of short sleeved sweaters for girls. Even as we live in San Francisco which is year-round sweater weather I never have to worry about these sweater sleeves getting all grimy as all of her messes end up on the t-shirt sleeve. hehe.

Chloe loved the fittings when I would try the sweater on her in different stages. Today she wore the sweater to school for the first time. She couldn't wait to tell her friends that "My Mama knit this sweater for me."

Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) Yarn from Caron

Vickie sent me some of her new Sheep(ish) Yarn produced by Caron to knit this project. The yarn is so soft and is a blend of acrylic and wool making it very affordable at $3.99/ball. You can machine wash the yarn in cold water and dry flat. You can find this yarn at your local Michaels, Jo-Ann's and more. Use the store locator to find out where to buy Sheep(ish).

I used Teal(ish) and Turquoise(ish) for the main colors of the sweater with the flower bobbles in White(ish) and the stems in Olive(ish).

And let's just say, kids will be kids. In order to get the few wonderful smiling photos of Chloe for this post, I had to endure five minutes of her silly faces and infectious giggling. I wouldn't change that for the world!

Note: Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) Yarn was provided by Vickie Howell/Caron for this project.

Wildlife with Love by Betz White

Make some holiday cheer for the little ones with Betz White's Wildlife with Love patterns. Each PDF pattern is only $12.95 and you can sew up an endangered animal with her baby. Animals include seals, polar bears and penguins. The collection was inspired by Betz's 10 year old son who donated some of his birthday money to the National Wildlife Foundation. Betz created Wildlife with Love with all children in mind, to raise awareness and to support NWF. It's an extra special gift to make something and here's a chance to create a treasured toy that will be fun for you to sew up.

Betz White is one of my favorite artists and crafters and you can visit her at betzwhite.com. Follow her blog, it's very inspirational!

Wee Wonderful Dolls at Land of Nod

I have been a long time fan of Hillary Lang of Wee Wonderfuls blog and have a lot of her doll/toy patterns. She's just launched her new Wee Wonderful dolls ($39 each) with the Land of Nod, just in time for the holidays. Choose from Winx, Fern, Skip, Bertie, or Charlie. Each doll is handmade and measures 11" wide by 17" high.

For crafters:

If you want to make your own dolls, pick up this PDF pattern or booklet to make Kit, Chloe & Louise ($15 at Wee Wonderfuls). I have this pattern and love it. I plan on making the Chloe doll for my own Chloe some time soon.

Hillary also has a fabulous book called Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love ($18.15 on Amazon) where you can learn how to sew up 24 dolls and clothes.

Paper Sack Halloween Costumes by Wee Society

Turn a paper grocery bag into a chic costume with Wee Society's Paper Sack Halloween Costumes, inspired by their Wee Alphas. Download the how-to PDFs for a fox, lion, owl, and gorilla. The PDFs also include templates for you to trace and cut out pieces for the costume.

Post up a picture of your little one in a Wee Alpha's costume to Facebook/weesociety by October 31st and you'll be automatically entered to win a Wee Alpha's art print.

Bernat Baby Month: Modern Knitting & Crochet Patterns for the Stylish Baby

When I first started knitting around 12 years ago, one of the things I loved to knit was baby projects. I thought of them as great gifts but that they were very small and fast projects I could use to practice knitting, learn new stitches, and try out different kinds of yarn. It's fun to think back on all the baby gifts I knit for my friend's babies. These were the days way before Ravelry so I never thought to take pictures of all my completed projects. It has been even more special these last few years to knit projects for my little girl and show her now the things I've made for her when she was just a baby.

Bernat yarns celebrates all things baby this month with some new stylish knit fashions for babies and toddlers. From knit leg warmer to crochet cardigans, little ones will be oh so cute, while you get to practice your knit and purl stitches or double crochet.

One tip: if you are just starting out, don't try and tackle a large baby blanket. As easy as it is with it's simple garter stitch, it will be tedious. I have seen many a newbie knitter get discouraged because it shows uneven knitting more clearly and they aren't sure how to fix mistakes and have gotten to far down the road to "start over". Baby blankets are fun to knit but wait until you have at least a few knitting projects under your belt first.

Personally, I like starting small with socks or a hat because they are instant gratification pieces and will allow you no pressure time to finish. These knit socks pictured above are fun to knit with the added touch false intarsia. This yarn does the color change for you and will make you look like a knitting pro when you give these bagy socks as gifts. The pattern features Bernat Baby Jacquards Yarn (acrylic, machine wash and dry).

For this month only, shop online and buy 4 balls of yarn and get 1 free with the promo code: BERNATBABY. (Promo expires August 31, 2012)

Here are more of my favorite knitting and crochet patterns for Bernat Baby Month that super stylish and are fast to make. Sign up on the Bernat site for access to all of these free patterns.

Baby Jacquards Baby Legwarmers (knit)
Yarn: Baby Jacquard

Kitty Hat (coming soon)
Yarn: Cottontots

Helmet Hat (coming soon)
Yarn: Softee Baby

Softee Baby Top Down Cardigan (knit)
Yarn: Softee Baby

Giggles Flutter Sleeve Vest (crochet)
Yarn: Giggles

View more Bernat baby patterns online at Bernat.com and visit the Bernat Blog.

Rosie Flo Coloring Fashion Show + Giveaway

Chloe and I spent a rainy afternoon busy with the Rosie Flo Coloring Fashion Show by Roz Streeten (published by Chronicle Books). You may know Streeten's line of popular Rosie Flo coloring books. Everything for the little fashion show comes in the box and I let Chloe punch out all the pieces we needed. She picked which dresses she wanted for the show and the audience while I put together the the little theater and runway.

We both got lost in coloring the dolls. I had to help Chloe draw some of the features but she was all game to color in the dresses herself.

We had to have a little pink poodle in the show since it looked like her favorite stuffed poodle, Dodo.

The show was a hit for us and our dog Lulu who watched with curiosity as we were laughing and playing. With 18 paper models as well a complete stage to color, there are lots of ways for kids to be creative with their own fashion show. It's the perfect craft to keep them busy for a few hours. I love that everything also can be taken apart and put back in the box for storage when you are done!

Giveaway
One lucky Coquette Maman reader will receive the Rosie Flo Coloring Fashion Show! Just leave a comment to this post by Monday, April 16th at Noon PST.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Spring is the time everything's in bloom and it's also a great time to teach kids about gardening. I love this Scholastic Root-Vue Farm ($23.69 on Amazon) that lets kids see how veggies are growing from the roots on up!

Here are more of my kids' gardening picks:

My Little Box of Gardening ($16.99 at Pottery Barn Kids)

Green Toys Indoor Gardening Kit ($12 at Pottery Barn Kids)

Veggie Tales 8993 Grow Your Own Veggie Garden Kit ($5.99 at Amazon)

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Blossom Bright Tote Set ($12.19 at Amazon)

Toysmith Garden Tote With Tools - Toysmith 2284 ($20.95 at Amazon)