I WANT MY HAT BACK | JON KLASSEN

Some books for kids are the most fun for adults as well.

In my opinion, the best picture books are the ones in which the pictures and the words are adding up to something more than the sum of their parts. It’s where the illustrations aren’t just depicting the story, and the words aren’t just describing the pictures.

Jon Klassen’s new picture book I Want My Hat Back is such a book. It’s the story of a bear and his missing hat.

The bear, as seen on the cover, visits various animals to see if they’ve seen his hat. He (and all of the animals) tend to have this deadpan expression the whole time, which gives the book a slow, solemn tone … until the bear remembers where he’s seen his hat.

I read this to my kids, and they absolutely loved it. And honestly, maybe I loved it even more..

KATTUSKA - STYLISH ECO FRIENDLY TOYS

No more make believe boats or fort walls from sofa cushions! Now there is Kattuska, a Hungarian brand, which has created two very cool wooden play structures for your kids: a boat and a castle.

Made from 100% natural beech plywood, and measuring just over a meter, the Boat and Castle are both perfect for young kids looking to exercises their imaginations. And, according to the creating couple behind the brand: their own kids are their biggest inspiration and the most honest critics:

"They are the first testers of our products. For example, we had to produce 3 prototypes of the boat to be able to say it was finished, because Soma (our son) managed to flip it over every time. But now we know that we are selling a stable and well tested rocker."

Ready for games and adventures, Kattuska is available via www.kattuska.hu.

DIY AUTUMN LEAVE CRAFTS

Look at these adorable animal creatures! And so simply made from what comes from the trees around us. How nice to spend these Fall holidays with your kids, collecting the most beautiful leaves and twigs from the sidewalk or the woods, and to create these pieces of art? There is no how-to, just use the inspiration below. All you need is some paper, a glue stick and a sharpener. Easy satisfaction!

 via kokokoKids

 

Enjoy your holidays!

TIME FOR AN UPDATE!

Hi all,

How have you been?

Time for an update, it’s been a while!

After an amazing year of family life in Ibiza, I am back in Amsterdam.
We have enjoyed lovely Sunday beach picnics, campfires, picking fruits and vegetables from our own garden (!) dinners outside till late and watched the most beautiful sunrises. A year to never forget, although it is also nice to be back home. Below a little photo collage of some highlights..

 Meet Marijke, the new addition to the Gray Label team.

We have been working very hard the last few weeks to put everything in order for Gray Label’s next steps.  There are so many ideas and possibilities, we are full of energy and ready to go!

In September we went to Portugal for production, to see the new styles are being made in the factory. We had fun but did some serious business as well and new designs are coming from November. Also we will introduce a brandbook and some changes on the website will be made, so there is a lot to look forward to!

Fall is seriously ongoing nowadays. Stay tuned and follow my blog for inspiration on things to do, things we love, things we experienced, things we discussed and updates you don’t want to miss.

LOVE to be here and share with you.

xxx
Emily

CAT RABBIT

 

 Somewhere in between all the sewing, stuffing, exhibiting and making a children's book, Melbourne-based textile artist Cat Rabbit finds time to manage a kick ass Etsy store. All the work is made by hand without a pattern. As a result of this, everything turns out differently. Have a look here to find some more crazy cool stuff of Cat rabbit!

NEW SEASON NEW COLORS

Yes! This is one kind of a week! We've reached over 1000 likes on Facebook and two new colors are added to the Gray Label collection for coming season: Mustard and Forest Green. Check them here.  Have a lovely weekend!

JOOLZ POSITIVE STUDIO & GRAY LABEL

We are very proud to announce our presence at the first Joolz Positive Studio.

Coming Saturday a whole month of inspiring, healthy and fun activities for kids and (future) parents kicks off at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam. This is the place to visit this summer: start a sunny morning with baby-yoga, share your experiences at the Friends of the Brand Sessions, get a free fun echo (with photograph to take home), check out the new Joolz Positive Design buggy’s and come visit us, while we expose our Gray Label collection and introduce our 2 new winter colors.

Joolz Positive Design is famous for their buggy design. They focus on ergonomic comfort, based on the human body of both the parent and the baby, at the time of pregnancy but also in the first few years after birth. They bring a range of products to optimize the use of the buggy, but they also contribute to a healthy, happy and convenience lifestyle by organizing inspiring events, such as the Joolz Positive Studio. We would love to see you there!

The Joolz Positive Studio will take place from the 17th of August till the 13th of September 2013 in the area called “Zuiveringshal” as part of the Westergasfabriek, every day from 10:00 am till 18:00 pm.

You can check the full program and sign up for the activities via www.my-joolz.nl. Entrance and participation in activities are free of charge.

Address: Joolz Positive Studio, Westergasfabriek, Pazzanistraat 41, (between Pacific Park en de Espressofabriek), 1014 DB Amsterdam.