what piper and poppy wore // Merino Kids.

piper wears //  duvet gogo sleeping bag by merino kids.
poppy wears // 100% superfine merino pyjamas by merino kids.

We have been long time lovers of Merino Kids. Their newborn goodies were staples with my first winter baby. Then my summer baby came along and the hand-me-downs were put to use. Yup, opposite seasons, same gear.

They are all about what we believe in. 100% natural, sustainable & fair trade. The trifecta of clothing goodness. Merino is the world's finest wool. Soft and fine it breathes well, keeps cool in summer and warm in winter, easy stain removal, retains it's colour after washing, and is naturally flame retardant. If only all clothing was made of it. They wash and wear again and again.

Merino Kids generously sent the peas a few items to try and adore. The colour and style of their clothing and accessories are brilliant. Gender neutral but stylish.

The sleeping bag is soft and light but will keep little people warm to a temperature of degrees. It is lined with 100% superfine merino and uses a 100% Indian organic fleece on the outer. Designed for rooms between 16-20 degrees it will be the perfect winter bedding. Divine.

The pyjamas are perfect for layering. Cozy, airy and a great fit. A fast favourite by poppy and mom alike.

Thanks MerinoKids. We adore them.
♡ ashley
This post is not sponsored but both items were provided by the folks at Merino Kids for our review. All opinions and cosy feelings are our own.

enter to win some eco lunchbox snack packs here.

enter to win instagram magnets and a phone case here. 

three year old wisdom.

"when people yell nobody really listens but when people whisper everybody has to be quiet to hear them"

♡ piper

8/52

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Piper: the two most important "things" you own. puppy and lovey. 

Poppy: elbow to mom's face. you were too busy focusing on jumping from my bed to want to work on selfies with me.

i think it is very telling of a busy week that was when all i have for my 52 project is a late post of two instagram photos. this week i vowed to use my real lenses. 

linking up with jodi. 

♡ ashley

enter to win some eco lunchbox snack packs here.

enter to win instagram magnets and a phone case here. 

little eats // kids lunches for busy mums + a giveaway.

The last round of little eats was filled with preplanned goodness. Perfect for those time that life is running smoothly, things working as they should.

Lately, around here, smooth and things working as they should have not been the theme. Instead we have been living in chaos. Sleepless nights, early starts and the need to have four people washed, fed, dressed and wearing a bag of the day's necessities well before 8.

The thing is, the kids still need healthy packed lunches. In fact it seems some days all they want to do is eat! Here are a few quick ideas to avoid the pre-packed treats that can easily be the morning quickies. I know it seems like some work but it is maybe an extra minute or three to make the hummus, slice the fruit, etc. Then you know your people are nourished and can face life's occasional stages of chaos.

Carrot + hummus Roll-ups.

hummus // 1 tin of rinsed chick peas, 2 tbsp. tahini, 2 cloves garlic, salt, lemon juice (1/4 lemon), and olive oil. process until smooth.

-roll a piece of bread (ours is rye) out flat with a rolling pin
-spread with hummus
-grate on some carrot
-roll + slice

this would work with cream cheese & grated cucumber. tuna and mayo with grated zucchini. cottage cheese and grated apple. something spreadable and something grated makes the perfect sandwich sushi.

Cheese Puff Cookies.

*adapted from here
this is a bit of a cheat on the quick theme but takes under 10 minutes to prep (night before and bake up a treat)
all done in the food processor. easy peasy.

1 c. wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 c cheese (we did swiss and cheddar) grated
6 tbsp. cold butter
1/2 tsp salt
tbsp milk

oven to 180º. add all ingredients but milk to your processor. blitz until it forms a loose dough. add the milk and process until it is a ball. roll teaspoon size balls in your palms (piper loved this job) and put on you lined baking tray. bake 15 minutes until gold + puffy. add some black pepper or chili flakes before baking for grown up treats.

Kitchen Sink Mix.

our trail mix is usually made from the dregs of our seeds and fruit and biscuits. this combo is goji berries, pepitas, sunflower seeds, apricots, pretzels and banana chips.

other ideas:

-frozen peas
-cubes of cheese
-yogurt
-cherry tomatoes
-sliced fruit (my little ones are convinced it tastes better in pieces)
-carrot- a whole one is the perfect Piper snack

We were sent the 4MyEarth snack pocket, food pocket and sandwich wrap to review. They are truly ingenious. PVC + BPA free, non-toxic, food safe, reusable and keep food fresh. They are also in adorable prints with clever tags for names to go on. They will be a part of our daily lunch & snack routine forever. I am coveting the bread bags and food covers now. Goodbye cling wrap.

4MyEarth have generously offered two winners a food pocket each. One in the apple and pear print and the other in robots and blue. To enter follow the rafflecopter prompts below. Open Australia wide. Winner will be announced in one week. Good luck and happy munching.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

♡ ashley

stickygram giveaway // open worldwide.

I love Instagram. Seriously. It is such a simple way to connect, share and keep memories. Simple to use with great photo filters and quick edits. I also love holding my memories in my hands. Whether printing photos for albums, creating wall posters, or other precious items.

I stumbled upon Stickygram recently and fell in love with their clever memory keepers.

Stickygram is a fun printing service that makes magnets, phone cases and iPad covers using your instagram photos. They ship worldwide. Anywhere. From Iceland to Timbuktu and for free.

Until the 28th of February they are offering 25% off all iPad covers. Pop over to have a look.

Piper + Poppies has teamed up with Stickygram to offer one lucky reader an iPhone case and set of 9 magnets. This giveaway is open to everyone, everywhere around this precious globe. To enter you need to be a follower of both Stickygram and Piper + Poppies on Facebook. You can submit your entries on the rafflecopter tool below. The giveaway is open from 12 am today until 12 am next Sunday and the lucky winner will be contacted via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy snapping!

♡ ashley

eye candy // white + wood + ocean breezes + family friendly.

the stylish beach bungalow inspired home of the designer of petunia pickle bottom. more here.
♡ ashley

you are clever. you are kind. you are important. you are loved.

Eons ago we watched the movie, The Help. It was a brilliant film {a much better book but that's the case 99% of the time} and left me with plenty to think about.

The biggest thing I came away with was the beautiful words that one of the characters said to the little girl in her care.

"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."

So simple and so beautiful. More than that, so important.

As a mum to two little women I am very aware of the impact my every action can have on them. The way Piper emulates me when I get ready for work/ play. Pretending to pout her lips and put blush on her cheeks. The way Poppy watches my every move. Giggling but taking it all in, every detail, already.

I am also aware of how often we women like to see the bad. To pinch our chubby roll. To stare at the spot on our otherwise smooth chin. To suck in our tummy, and stand tiptoed revealing some semblance of muscles left in our calves.

I don't want my girls to think that is who I am. Who they need to be.

This morning Piper looked at me in the kitchen and said, "you have a big tummy mama." Deep breath. "Yes I do, it was Poppy and your home and I am lucky I could grow you there." Cue a huge grin and hug from my little lady. My tummy being big means nothing to her. An observation, not a putdown. She sees nothing wrong with how I look. It's me with the issues.

And I don't want to pass them on.

So every night I say to my girl as I tuck her in

"You are clever. You are kind. You are important. You are loved." She repeats each line. With a look of pride on her face.

To make her believe it, I need to start telling myself the same. We are what we eat. We are also what we think. Love yourself.

You are clever.

You are kind.

You are important.

Xx

oh, and if you are feeling kind please pop onto the apartment therapy blog here to vote for piper + poppies as the family blog of 2014 (we got nominated- hooray!)

7/52

  "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014." 

Poppy: you are a lady on a mission. travelling at high speeds to whatever catches your eye. This photo is you rushing along to attempt to catch your scooting big sister.

Piper: lining up to hop on. this weekend you finally mastered scooting with speed and accuracy (before that you walked the scooter everywhere you went.) i told dad, this is it, you are no longer a little girl. on the move and no stopping you now. bloom. 

linking up with jodi. 

don't forget to enter our skincare giveaway here. 

little innoscents // organic baby + kid skincare review & GIVEAWAY!

On our 2014 quest to bring you products that we believe in, we have teamed up with an amazing Australian baby skincare company. Little Innoscents provides parents with 100% natural, Australian made and grown, baby skincare products. All of their skincare have genuinely certified organic ingredients. The best part? They are very affordable for the quality they offer.

Little Innoscents sent Piper and Poppy a summer fun pack which included their hair and body wash, organic moisturising lotion and organic sun screen.

The parcel smelled divine before we even opened it. Seriously, I was in love and contemplated taking  the treats and claiming them as my own.

The zinc based SPF 30+ sunscreen goes on easily, not too thick but with great coverage. We are a bit fussy with our sun creams as my little porcelain skinned redhead goes through a lot of it. With ingredients like aloe vera and calendula, and completely chemical absorber free, I feel good about using it on my girl's precious skin.

The hair and body wash combines spearmint, lavender and sweet orange essential oils. Plus, it is 90% organic certified. The bath smells like a party when we use it and it is so gentle on their skin that it can even be used on babies with eczema.

The body lotion is scented with ylang yang and smells dreamy. Made with avocado and sunflower oil and shea butter is is uber hydrating and provides mum and dad with a lovely way to connect with your little ones for a gentle massage post bath time.

Little Innoscents is a brilliant company. Australian owned and started by a mama with love for organics and caring for little people gently and safely.

We want to share this love with you.

Up for grabs are 2 x summer fun packs (RRP $45.97 each)
There will be 2 lucky winners each winning one pack!

To enter click through the rafflecopter draw below. Open Australia wide, the winner will be drawn one week from today. Good luck! Any questions? Contact me on [email protected]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pop over to Little Innoscents to check out their lovely goodies. Or grab yourself a summer fun pack at a discount price here.

this is not a sponsored post.

eye candy // an off the grid home.

built by hand and clad in cedar wood from top to bottom. this home may not be for everyone but it is so inspiring to see people using sustainable style to create a beautiful home. off the grid. read more and see more here.

♡ ashley