Doll houses can be picture-perfect but are they ‘realistic’? Doll house enthusiast Annina Günter set about creating a doll house that includes coats and shoes crowding the hallway, a bathroom with a veneer of grime and coffee mugs left on the kitchen sink.

Günter’s ‘Victorian Brighton terrace’ is a shared house and brings back memories of so many homes I knew during my university days – mismatched furniture, ‘decor’ pieces picked up on backpacking holidays and a fair degree of mess.

Günter’s student house is true to life – there’s overflowing laundry baskets and rubbish bins, a tiny iMac with several programs open on its screen, a bike propped in the hallway, a washing machine with a noisy spin cycle and pin boards crammed with bits of paper.

Günter found a lot of the pieces of furniture on eBay and specialist miniature shops but also made many pieces herself. Look closely to see lampshades made from pen tops, handstitched bedding and cushions and perfectly scaled plywood replicas of Ikea furniture. She managed the iMac by photographing her own computer screen, reducing the size, printing it and sticking it to wood and aluminium foil.

The charm in this amazing house is the incredible detail – be sure to check out Günter’s blog, which details her other doll house projects and includes lots of photos of her miniature work.

(via The Age)

They say the simple things in life are often the best and it doesn’t come simpler than this.

The iPlunge stand suctions onto the back of your iPhone or iPod, propping it at the perfect angle for easy, hands-free viewing of videos – so the kids can happily watch Kideos and keep their mitts off your hardware!

Priced at just US$5.99, this is one gadget you can probably afford to take the plunge on however the iPlunge is not available internationally at this stage – we will keep you posted.

More iPhone gadgets can be found here.

(via Design Milk)

Those of you kitting out your homes with gorgeous decor items made from walnut, here’s a hall storage option to have you reaching for your credit cards. The Eames Hang It All, famous for its playful multi-coloured wooden ball hooks, has gone all grown-up in order to nab design buffs who like a more sedate aesthetic.

I totally fancy the walnut version in a nursery featuring the stunning Ubabub walnut cots, the new Numi safety gates and the Herman Miller Spinning Tops, all topped off with a Mod Rocker. I might be going into walnut la-la land there but we think you’ll agree with us about the Hang It All’s beauty and functionality.

I have two of the original versions in my hall and can say honestly they are the best hooks I have ever used! Be quick though, the walnut is strictly limited edition so it won’t be around forever. Buy for US$249 from Design Within Reach who suggest MyUS for parcel forwarding.

It’s 2am. You’re fumbling with your newborn’s growsuit after a middle-of-the-night nappy change. Those snaps are darn tricky at that time of night – I always ended up one button out, leaving a gaping hole near one of baby’s knees and a bunchy bit near the other.

Midnight growsuit fumbles are a thing of the past with clever new designs from Red Snapper and Magnificent Baby. Redsnapper onesies were designed by parents who, like me, had one too many ‘mis-snap’ moments. All the Redsnapper onesies have a red snap in the middle of the fastenings so you’ll be right on target every time. The designs are seriously cute – I like all the chocolate brown and pink for girls and the irresistible blue and yellow retro robot for boys. Prices start at US$16.99 and Redsnapper ship to Australia.

Magnificent Baby have replaced the hard-to-line-up snaps with a revolutionary magnetic fastening system – easy-to-align magnets are sewn into the seams of the growsuits so getting baby dressed takes only seconds (in fact the magnetic fasteners practically close themselves). Put safety concerns to rest with the knowledge that the magnets used are too large for an infant to swallow and that  the closure system has passed the US industry standard small parts swallowing test. In addition, the metal contains no lead or phthalates.  All the clothing can be machine-washed and tumble dried and there is a great range of styles including gowns, kimono tops, growsuits and coordinated accessories. Magnetic suits start at US$28 and are available directly from Magnificent Baby who ship to Australia.

Since having my own babies a delightful trend in baby toys has emerged – felted wool. While I couldn’t take full advantage of felted rattles, balls and friendly creatures for my own children, I can for friends with new babies and my first shopping stop will be Asher Jasper.

Vicky, the designer behind Asher Jasper, has a charming international story – originally from England, she fell in love with an American artist on a painting trip to Italy and now lives in southern California where she is now surrounded by a “sea of wool”, the raw material for her exceptionally beautiful baby toys.

There are rattles, balls with bells inside them, ‘egg’ people and amazing felted wool ‘playscapes’. The colours are vibrant and the characters are unique – there are cheeky monkey face rattles, funny little ‘egg’ boys in German lederhosen, sweet Hawaiian girl jingle balls and lots of fabulous animals including birds, hedgehogs, caterpillars and more.

For the ultimate organic toy, the felted playscapes are exceptional – although I love the miniature animals that go with the toadstool playscapes, I do love the story of the Princess and the Pea, so the princess set with its cheeky little pea and rotund princess calls my name.

Jingle balls begin at US$20, egg people at US$18, rattles at US$25 and playscapes at US$115. Asher Jasper ships to Australia.

Future owners of the Stokke V3 Xplory will be loving this one! Fluffy, luxurious and ultimately protecting our tiny people from the harsh winter elements are the new Winter Sets from Stokke.

They’re being released in the northern hemisphere next month so even though we won’t be seeing it in Australia for quite a while, we couldn’t resist showing you how beautiful the new V3 looks all decked out for winter. The sets are just like coats… except for a pram. Delightful!

Here are the specs:

• Luxurious tailor-made sheepskin liner made from 100 per cent New Zealand wool
• Extra-insulated hood with genuine sheepskin rim
• Additional storm cover for windy days
• Insulated rear textile to protect your baby from all angles
• Handmuff with genuine sheepskin rims – keeps your hands warm without gloves
• Available in four stylish winter colours – purple, khaki, navy and limited edition white

We’ll make sure to update you when they arrive for our next cold season. In the meantime, let’s welcome in the warmer weather with the Xplory Summer Kits (below) which we’re hoping will reach our shores soon!

I don’t have an iPad (yet) but this cool gadget could very well make me rush out to buy one.

The Wallee was developed by a group of Aussie Apple fanatics, all of whom flew to New York just to queue up for the very first iPads (I love this part of the story – were they chatting over a glass of wine one night when someone said “Let’s be the first Australians to own an iPad!”?!)

Mission accomplished – they got their iPads and returned to Melbourne. Soon after they realised that to use their iPads the way they wanted – next to the phone for quick message taking and calendar checking, in the kitchen to follow recipes, the bathroom for relaxed movie watching and  the hallway to display pictures of family and friends – the iPads needed to be hung up.

So they designed The Wallee – a simple but ingenious wall-mounting system for the iPad. Watch the video clip to see just how clever The Wallee is. I think I need a Wallee (and therefore an iPad) hanging at the end of my bath…

The Wallee is $49.95 and available directly from the designers at The Wallee. Extra wall mounts are available for $10 each so you can set one up in every room in the house if you like.

My daughters’ numerous party invitations stay up on our fridge for weeks before and after the event, making my social life look somewhat forlorn. That’s just fine but it does make all the difference if they look as beautiful as these ones!

KatyJane Designs have a wonderful selection of all things party. From personalised party invitations to gift tags to bags, boxes and ribbons, KatyJane is your one-stop lovely party shop!

Designed by two Perth mums, this is an expanding range which is really worth a look.

I particularly like the fill-in invitations, a range of ten wonderfully illustrated birthday invitation sets which includes ten invites, envelopes and party gift tags. All you have to do is fill them in and it’s party-time! There’s eight gorgeous designs to choose from, with more due in August.

The fill-in invitations are $24.95 per pack, plus shipping costs. All items are available from KatyJane online where you can also find a list of stockists across Australia.

With trade fair season coming to an end, there are still a few more gems to come. Stay tuned this week for our roundup of the best labels featured at the Playtime Tokyo trade show which kicked off yesterday! If you just can’t wait, revisit our coverage of Tokyo’s February show, plus Playtime Paris and Playtime New York. Also covered recently was the New York International Gift Fair.

We can hardly wait to showcase the best of the best at Tokyo, one of the final international trade shows of the year. In the meantime we’ve given you plenty of reading to do! Playtime Tokyo finishes tomorrow.

Eco-parenting is absolutely the way of the future. Indeed it’s the way of right now, with eco-considerations guiding many of the product decisions parents make. Well-established brands are rising to the global challenge of providing eco-friendly goods which not only take care of the planet but protect our little ones from potentially harmful chemicals.

We checked in on the latest gear from legendary baby carrier company Baby Bjorn and discovered its organic range, which comprises two new carriers and a divine bouncer. The products are made from organically-grown cotton certified in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standards and guaranteed to be harmless to baby’s sensitive skin.

So let’s take a walk through each one and you can decide on your favourite! First up is the Original Baby Carrier ($149.95) which you can see in action on that adorable mum and baby up there. It comes in a gorgeous Walnut colour. Providing excellent neck, back and head support, it leaves your hands free while keeping baby real close.

Next up is the Active Baby Carrier (top right, $249.95) with optimum weight distribution, thanks to the comfortable lumbar support and the broad, padded shoulder straps. It comes in Walnut with attractive khaki lining.

Last but not least is the Babysitter Balance bouncer ($269.95) in Walnut/Khaki. Baby will be googlingly happy (like that little cutie above) when propped up to see the world in this super-comfy organic cotton bouncer. It has three handy positions for play, rest and sleep and folds up neatly for easy storage. It’s for babies and toddlers up to 13kgs and was developed and endorsed by paediatricians.

We have one Original Baby Carrier, one Active Baby Carrier and one Babysitter Balance to give away to three of our readers, total value $670!

For your chance to win one of these three prizes, go to the Babyology Facebook page and ‘like’ or comment on any article.  You may enter as many times as you like.  Each ‘liked’ article or comment gives one chance to win.

Competition ends 30 September and winners will be notified by email and published on Babyology. See all Terms and Conditions here.

When I was little and went to visit my grandmother, the first thing she did was put the kettle on for a pot of tea. I loved the whole ceremony of making tea but never really liked the taste of it – much to her disappointment. I’m still not keen on regular tea and much prefer herbal and fruit teas, which my daughters love drinking too. So these cute and funny tea bags are just my bag!

Tea Party is the name and raising a smile is the game of this German tea collection. There’s so many different characters to choose from, each sitting atop of a tea bag. For children there’s the lovely Zoo ParTea, Pirates of the Tea and the Princess and the Tea. There’s even CreativiTea where, you’ve guessed it, you can draw or paint your own characters on the bag.

All the child-friendly sets are a fruit blend tea but there’s “proper tea” (as my grandmother would call it) in many other forms including various royal family members and soccer legends.

A pack of five costs €7.95, plus shipping. Check out the whole range at Donkey Products.

(via Babyccino Kids)

It’s often the simplest things which are the most ingenious! I must admit that my creativity with food is rather lacklustre since becoming a parent. Increasingly I turn to the web for food ideas and that how I found this little gem of an idea.

I have a whole lot of respect for Jamie Oliver in his crusade to make children healthier. I watch his programs in awe, all the while wondering about the personal sacrifices he must make to travel the world with his important messages about nutrition and food. With baby number four on the way for Jamie and wife Jools, it’s little wonder that children have become his focus.

The idea of flavoured water is one I’m going to employ at my three-year-old son’s birthday party in October. According to Jamie, it only takes a second to turn a plain jug of water into something much more exciting. Add ice, then try a few of these easy ideas:

• Add a few slices of fresh lemon or lime
• Quarter an orange, squeeze in all of the juice, then toss in the squeezed quarters for colour and extra flavour
• Mash up a handful of strawberries or raspberries with a fork then add to the jug and stir through
• Scrunch a handful of fresh mint in your hands to get the flavour going then add that to the jug with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, add a few slices of cucumber too. It might sound strange but it is seriously refreshing.

Love it – thanks Jamie! These ideas should catch the eye of all those reluctant water drinkers, both little and grown, and will go down a treat on those scorching weekends we have coming up. Looking for children’s party ideas? See our feature post on creating a super-special occasion!

We’re loving the clog craze taking the fashion world by storm right now. Who says our littlest people can’t get in on the act? Available in September from Red Nest, are these exquisite patent leather Ugglebo clogs from Sweden. I’m in love with the sunny yellow pair but the blue and pink are just as delightful. The company has been making clogs for more than seventy-five years so they really know what they’re doing.

While you could never describe these clogs as dainty, they would pair up beautifully with most girls’ outfits, even with pretty dresses. I’m really going to enjoy seeing my friend’s daughters clomping around in theses beauties all summer long.

There are health benefits to wearing wooden clogs as they draw sweat away from the foot. Let’s hope this makes for a less stinky summer as they’ll want to live in these all day every day. Little feet will also breathe easy in the heat with the beautiful hole detailing in the top of the shoe.

Ugglebo clogs come in Euro sizes 27 to 35 and will retail for $87. Grab a pair from Red Nest, then take a look at our past editorial on other Red Nest labels.

When I was a kid I used to tote my lunch to school in the same old boring lunch box. It was the perfect companion to the same old boring lunch tucked inside (sorry mum!). So I try to be a bit more creative with the lunches I make for my first-born now he’s started school. We do bagels, lavash, sour dough, Turkish bread and rye with all sorts of fancy fillings. Of course, everyone knows a fancy lunch deserves a fancy lunch box.

Feast your eyes on these cute-as-can-be lunch boxes from UK-based BirdyHome. I know I’m drooling over the retro designs, which come in circus, spaceboy or London bus themes. Perhaps they may even have made my semi-stale Vegemite sandwich on white taste good!

Not just for super-cool lunches, I like the idea of using these boxes to store special little trinkets and treasures for little boys too.

Lunch boxes cost £7 each but you’ll need to find a friend in the UK or Europe if you want to order one because BirdyHome do not deliver to Australia.

(via Kidcrave)

I bet you never thought a dedicated fitness pram could look as hot as this! Indeed, the new breed Mountain Buggy Terrain has eclipsed its predecessor in both looks and functionality, making for a great-looking ride for baby and the consummate fitness machine for you.

This sassy 13 kg pram made from lightweight aircraft-grade aluminium now sports a lockable front swivel wheel which is something the previous model never had. There’s also a new handbrake, allowing much greater control on rougher terrains, with the handlebar adjustable to a height of 118 cm.

Shock-absorbing suspension will keep babies from six months protected from the bumps encountered off-road and the underseat basket will hold a huge five kilograms for all the gear you’ll need to take with you. The bumper bar detaches easily and the hood now has a flip-out sun visor to shield baby from the rays. Prams have now hit space-age territory with the Terrain boasting a tracking device in its front wheel!

We love this latest release from Mountain Buggy with its amped-up rear wheels and new features catering to the athletic or recreational parent. Have a look at this rather high-octane video of the Terrain in action. It will be available from the end of this month for $759 in one sleek colour, flint with marble. There’s never been a better time to get out and about!

Those nameless, faceless parenting experts who haunt the back pages of women’s magazines won’t like it one bit but I have a new mantra when it comes to raising my kids – whatever works! That’s why I’m in all sorts of hysterics about this snappy tea towel from the wicked minds at Twisted Twee.

Part of Twisted Twee’s hilariously funny but totally irreverent Child Labour Collection, it’s a tea towel that sums up what goes on my house now that my eldest child has passed that helpful but all too short-lived toddler phase. Yes, I’m talking bribery.

The silkscreen printed tea towel doubles as a tongue-in-cheek payment chart for dish-drying children. Mugs, it seems, are worth an extra ten minutes of TV (hmmm, substitute Xbox and this could hang on the wall at my place), cutlery scores an extra bedtime story while tackling the plates is worth a lolly. Sweet! But even sweeter is the slogan that accompanies the range – “Let our young embrace drudgery with a happy heart”. See, told you they were wicked.

Tea towels cost £10 plus an extra £6 to ship to Australia. Of course, there’s no guarantee these’ll actually get your kids to dry a single dish. But at least you’ll have fun trying!

Twisted Twee also have an amazing array of pantlets in styles ranging from the bizarre and topical to the downright cute that will keep your baby or toddler’s nappies covered in style.

Stokke, Bugaboo? Stokke, Bugaboo? Stokke, Bugaboo? It’s the question that plagues many a parent-to-be. Get it wrong and you’re stuck with your very, very expensive pram for a very, very long time.  So we can’t believe that somebody hasn’t thought of this brilliant idea before.

Melbourne-based nursery store Bebe is giving parents and prospective parents the chance to test-drive these two immensely popular prams. And we’re not just talking a quick spin around the store. No. Bebe will let you take the pram out for an entire morning or afternoon. So you can check if it fits in through the door of your favourite café haunts. Or through your own front door, for that matter. You can try wheeling it down the aisles of your local supermarket. Have a go getting it on a train, tram or a bus. Or even just into your own car boot.

It’s the perfect way for parents to find out what they like – or don’t like – about each particular pram. Which makes the big decision – Stokke Xplory or Bugaboo Cameleon – so much easier. Now if only they can help you choose the colour…

Visit the Bebe site to find out more or to book your own pram test-drive. Bebe, based in South Yarra in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, also have a baby carrier and sling library so parents can try the most popular brands at home for up to ten days.

If you’d like to compare the features of these two prams against each other or with other prams on the market, please check out our fabulous Chooser.

Thailand has long been a popular holiday spot for Australian families – it’s not too long a flight, it’s relatively safe, good value for money, not to mention that the culture, natural environment and shopping opportunities are amazing.

Phuket and Koh Samui are firm favourites but away from the hustle and bustle of these Thai tourism spots, back from the beaches and higher into the mountains, is something quite special.

The natural beauty of Chiang Mai is breathtaking – here you may find you’re seeing more of the “real” Thailand, with green paddy fields, Buddhist monks and all the vibrancy and crafts the locals have to offer.

It’s a slower pace with plenty of time to take in the magnificent scenery and rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Perhaps you’d like to meditate or further explore Buddhism, practised by ninety per cent of Thais?

For accommodation that will leave you gob-smacked with its beauty, try the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi. It’s the only luxury hotel and resort in Chiang Mai, and the amazing artwork and Lanna architecture has to be seen to be believed.

The accommodation is described as a “visual journey through the history of the Lanna region” with a mixture of northern Thailand, Myanmar, China, Laos and colonial influences. And it’s all set on more than sixty acres of pristine paddy fields and plantations.

Soak up the culture while being pampered like royalty – it’s basically its own self-contained city. Each night you can stroll through this walled paradise and take your pick from the renowned Le Grand Lanna, famous for its Thai food, Farang Ses, one of the most acclaimed French restaurants in Thailand, regional Chinese restaurant Fujian, famous for its dim sum lunch, or a number of other places to eat or drink. You also have the option of private dining – from a barbecue at your villa to a candlelit dinner in the paddy fields.

Why not come away with a few new culinary skills yourself? The Culinary Academy will create a holiday with a difference – in the classroom-style kitchen you’ll become familiar with the Lanna herbs and spices and learn to cook authentic Thai dishes.

With all this cooking and eating, you may want to move those muscles. Yes, there are the usual resort facilities – two swimming pools, two tennis courts and plenty of room to jog, walk or hike, but why not centre yourself in the calm way of life here and take in one of the many yoga classes on offer?

Or have your muscles tended to in a different fashion: if you’re feeling achy from the flight over, or just from harried life in general, you’re going to L-O-V-E love the spa. It’s named The Dheva Spa after the Star Goddess, guardian of longevity and spiritual enlightenment.

The holistic treatments take in residential Wellness Programmes and the Ayurvedic Centre. Balance your doshas or indulge in the spa’s heat and aqua oasis. The design was inspired by an ancient Mandalay Palace and it’s so beautiful you could feel refreshed instantly by just soaking in the ambience. Make sure to check out the roof – it has seven tiers to acknowledge the seven steps to nirvana and the attainment of spiritual and physical perfection.

Even the shopping is an experience in itself: forget the mall outing here, it’s a cultural day out. Interact with the locals and barter at the factories, markets and the famous night bazaar.

With all this in mind, you’d be right to think that your children would be treated to something special too. There’s no stock-standard kids club here: the Lanna Kids Club goes one step further and teaches your young ones about life in Thailand.

There are fun things to do that will definitely qualify for “show and tell” when they get back to school: they’ll learn to write their names in Thai, perfect the art of lotus folding and Thai dance, visit the paddy fields, ride a water buffalo and learn children’s yoga.

The five-day programs also incorporate amazing experiences where your kids can be a zookeeper for a day and mind their own elephant, or be introduced to Thai boxing, take part in a children’s Thai cooking class or go on a night safari where they can see the native wild animals in their own habitat.

They’ll also be treated to a personalised welcome cookie on arrival, while parents of young children will be treated to complimentary baby toiletries and use of baby equipment, such as nappies, bottles and bottle warmers. And baby cots and rollaway beds are also available at no extra charge. Babysitting services are also available by arrangement.

In Thailand, children are much adored – and yours will be treated like royalty, just as you will be.

We’ve got loads more fabulous resorts and destinations in store. Got somewhere you’d like us to explore? Just leave a comment below.

We are over the moon about the response to our $10,000 dream nursery makeover competition. Already we have an incredible amount of entries and we thought we’d update you as the anticipation builds towards selecting our finalists.

We encourage you to keep the entries coming in – as the old adage states you’ve got to be in it to win it and this prize will be the most awesome start to a lucky little one’s life. We’d like to thank you for putting so much thought, love and effort into your entries so far – it’s been a fascinating ride for us at the other end. Choosing five finalists and only one winner may just be the hardest thing we’ve ever done at Babyology.

We’ve got people on the edges of their seats over the biggest giveaway in Babyology’s history so come visit our stand at The Baby and Toddler Show at the Sydney Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour from 1 to 3 October 2010.

We’ll have activities, some groovy iPads to play with and more opportunities for you to enter our competition, plus you can meet the people behind Babyology and have a little chat. We’re relishing the chance to meet our loyal Babyologists in the flesh so drop by and say hello.

So get those entries in for our $10,000 nursery makeover giveaway and we’ll be seeing you in October in Sydney!

Here are a few entries we’ve received so far, everything from current nurseries needing a makeover, newly renovated rooms, storage rooms and spare bedrooms. Keep those entries rolling in!

I am a complete lover of vintage and retro inspired clothing for my daughter. If it resembles clothing design and an aesthetic from the 50s or 60s, I’m the first in line to buy it – or covet it.

That’s why I’m over the moon with the brand new Australian clothier Dear Charlotte, Love Banjo (such a wonderful moniker). Perth-based design duo Sally Roberts and Emerald Leach are the masterminds behind the exclusive, limited-run 50s inspired clothing for babies.

From newborn to size one, the small range includes divine floral and pastel blue dresses for the girls and stunning blue overalls and onesies for the boys. Their ‘Everyday Heirlooms’ range says it all: it’s heirloom quality clothing with a modern touch but doesn’t have to be reserved for special occasions. They can be worn every day!

Now if only they made clothing for bigger kids. I’m wishing and crossing fingers. The online shop for Dear Charlotte, Love Banjo will be up and running in early September so prepare your keyboard to do some purchasing.

This is one for your wishlist so you can come back and purchase when the store has launched.