Category Archives: Children
Mini Boden’s spring collection
Mini Boden‘s spring collection is here! The children’s line features sweet sherbet colors, lots of stripes, polka dots, florals and the usual Boden quality.
Nordstrom is currently taking pre-orders on items from the spring collection. The department store normally sells only a small collection from what’s available on the Mini Boden website, but this spring it seems that there’s much more available via Nordstrom. Check out some of the new pieces in the line!
Peter Rabbit line at the Gap
OMG. Baby Gap has released its Peter Rabbit line, replete with soft chambray, intarsia knits and onesies galore! Awwwww.
Gap Britwear for boys
I love Gap’s dedication to the union jack! Check out some of their boys’ stuff!
Gap has a 25% off sale on all regular priced items through Sunday. Enter Gap25 at checkout!
Happy Grey Fox Night
Grey Fox night? Don’t I mean Guy Fawkes Night? Well, let me fill you in.
And in a complete utter coincidence, we watched Disney’s “Fox and the Hound” yesterday. My, did I cry. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. It really is quite a lovely little story about the friendship between two unlikely friends, a fox named Tod and a hound dog named Copper in some Southern town where hunting is big. It actually could’ve been set in a pretty British town and have a completely different flavor.
Anyway, it left me quite pro-fox. Until by another sheer coincidence, I read “Chicken Licken” at bedtime, which outlines how a fox manages to lure quite a lot of poultry back to his family’s place for dinner (you know, the whole gang, including Henny Penny, Turkey Lurkey, Ducky Lucky — or not so lucky as it turns out) after they think the sky is falling and are looking to tell the king. No one was ever heard from again. It’s hard to believe this was the same benevolent creature depicted in the Disney film just hours before.
And so, if you feel moved to swap out the usual Guy Fawkes effigy for something more fox-like, well, go ahead. (Sorry, Tod.) Have a happy Grey Fox Night!
The art of skipping rope
My mental image of a girl skipping rope
These days, my ears are accustomed to British English. There aren’t too many expressions that I haven’t heard. But this weekend, well, I discovered a new one:
Skipping rope is the British equivalent to jump rope.
Yes, I laughed when I heard it. Jump rope just seems practical, no nonsense. It’s the kind of manly exercise that Arnold Schwartzenegger does in a gym, quickly shedding pounds. Skipping rope just sounds downright whimsical. The kind of pastime that cannot be done without bobby socks, pigtails, a kitten and maybe a bike with a bell and a basket in the background.
Fall line at Mini Boden
Sniff, sniff. Can you smell that? I think fall is nigh! (Or should I say autumn?) (And should I say near?) 🙂
Mini Boden’s fall line is exquisite, playful and gorgeous, with a British nod to style. I particularly love the cosy gilet, the duffle coat and the Westminster Printed Skirt. Lush!
“The Elephant and the Bad Baby”
When I was growing up, my mother used to take me to the library twice a week. As I result, I’ve got a vivid arsenal of memories of pictures from books – many of which we never owned, and that I have no record of.
For most of them, my memory of the title of the book is completely gone, sadly inaccessible, but if I catch of glimpse of a particular page (now particularly when reading to my own kids and also going to the library) – it all comes rushing back.
“The Elephant and the Bad Baby” by Elfrida Vipont and illustrated by Raymond Briggs (of “The Snowman” fame) is one of those books for me.
It’s a very English story with references to crisps, biscuits, buns and barrow boys, as the Elephant takes the Bad Baby on a tasty trip through a variety of shops. My favorite pages out of the book (and every page, to be honest, is good enough to eat!) is the last scene of his mother making pancakes (in this case, hers are thin, French-style crepes), with lemon and sugar as the perfect accompaniments.
London in a Bag
My MIL sent over this sweet wooden collection called “London in a Bag” last week for the kids and they have loved it. The river has been the thing they’ve been fighting over – who knew the Thames would be so popular? I say there’s plenty of London to go around from the mini version of the London Eye to the Tower Bridge. I’ve been trying to locate it online and there are other versions of the London in a Bag but nothing quite like this collection…
Training wheels
We got my son his first big kids’ bike this weekend at a “proper” bike shop. 
I had an internal debate with myself for awhile now over whether to get a balance bike or just a bike with training wheels. But when one of the balance bike handlebars actually fell off mid-test ride, it seemed a rousing endorsement for a strong, dependable old-school bike with training wheels. Or, as any Brit would say, stabilizers. So we went with it and it’s been a lot of fun so far.
I’m looking forward to many good bike journeys ahead.
Mini Boden goes big with union jack styles
Have you seen the spring line from Mini Boden USA?
I’m loving all of these pieces. They’ve gone really big with union jack items for boys this season – even including canvas union jack sneakers! Sadly, they haven’t shared the Britlove for girls (although there are some gorgeous floral numbers that I wish were available in grown-up sizes).
Get it while you can! These items are sure to sell out quickly!
BRITRISH.COM 