Pattern Showdown!

The spring/summer season inspires gorgeous patterns in fashion, decor, and accessories. Baby and kids style is no different. Many of our favourite brands have brought it this season with exciting, fresh new patterns in diaper bags, carriers, baby books, etc. On the flip side, some of our favourite brands have not upped their game - they are resting on their proven patterns or they have introduced new patterns that aren't that awesome.

Here is Babybot's pattern scorecard:

A+
The top of the pack is easily Petunia Pickle Bottom. PPB designers absolutely dominate the pattern playing field. Every year PPB has a gorgeous collection of patterns that are somehow even better than the previous year's patterns. How do they do it? PPB is clearly influenced by high fashion, seasonal trends, and personal style. They bring an elevated aesthetic to everything they design and they don't feel that mom should have to dumb down their style simply because they are a mom. From diaper bags to onesies and swaddling wraps - Petunia pickle bottom's patterns are beautiful, fresh and second to none.

A
There are a couple of brands who are killing it this season and are giving Petunia Pickle Bottom a good race!

1. Beco baby carriers are known for their incredibly ergonomic design but they also have major cache due to their eye-catching and organic (yes!) cotton fabrics and prints. This year, they came out with several new prints that introduce colour and hipness to the baby carrier world. They have topped their patterns from last season (although we miss the ultra hip deer argyle pattern!) and they remain uncontested as the most beautiful baby carriers out there!

2. Rag & Bone Book Bindery has created new patterns for their baby books and brag books. It is extremely difficult to find style centric, modern baby books but thankfully Rag & Bone has many options to choose from! These books are all impeccably made and the choice of cover styles will appeal to diverse aesthetic tastes.

3. Olli & Lime from the UK consistently offers a clean, simple aesthetic to their bedding and decor stylings. This year, they complimented their George and Billie lines (which are still extremely stylish and relevant) with their gorgeous new 'Charlie' line. They keep it neutral, fresh and avoid, pink, blue & frilly at all costs. Lovin' it! (Babybot will be adding the charlie line very soon - stay tuned!)

B+
Our B-list is strong and have great showings in the pattern space. They got shut out of the A group because they haven't really upped the game with their patterns and have been resting a bit on their proven lines.

Skip Hop is our only B+ of the group because their patterns are still chic and we love affordable style! The graphic impact of their pattern collection can't be denied and they are stand outs in the diaper bag space.

B
1. Litto Kids baby bedding patterns are intricate, beautiful and whimsical. The colour choices are warm and rich and every detail of this bedding has been considered - it is refined! Litto Kids offers some of the most unique and interesting bedding out there and we love that it's not over-played. These patterns are a couple years old but they still stand up among today's crib bedding options.

2. Ok, we gotta talk about Dwell Studio. No one is saying it but everyone is thinking it...what the heck happened? Dwell came out with new patterns last fall and aside from the lovely 'Owls' pattern (ranked in our B category) the new patterns were not nearly as modern and fresh as some of the styles they dumped. They thankfully kept some of their proven patterns like Transportation which also ranks in our B category.

C-
Some of Dwell's new patterns fall into the C category for several reasons. The Paper Dolls pattern has potential but the pastel palette just doesn't say modern. The Sparrow pattern is floral, ornate and busy. It's more classic which may have been the intent but classic is not what Dwell Studio is known for. Compared to Gio Lemon (which was dropped as a crib bedding pattern) these new girl patterns aren't nearly as fresh and modern.

Looking at Dwell's patterns as a whole - it's a solid C ranking on our scale. The pattern collection is not cohesive, there is a huge hole left by the loss of Motif Robin and the modern, graphic appeal that has differentiated Dwell for so long is just missing. Dwell Studio's home collection is stellar so we have high hopes for their next pattern refresh for baby & kids.

New Product Find - Mimijumi

It looks like one, it feels like one, it contains the same good stuff as one - only it's not attached to mom! Yup, Mimijumi nipples look, feel, and act just like a boob! It is a brand new bottle that truly mimics the breast feeding experience!

Worried about nipple confusion? Got a baby that has no interest in anything but the breast? Mimijumi may just be the answer! The texture, shape, and positioning of the mimijumi nipples are the closest thing to breast that we've come across. Mimijumi even offers alternate skin coloured nipples. They aren't available in Canada yet but we can't wait for the dark skin coloured nipples!

And, BONUS! Both the bottle itself and it's packaging are beautifully designed! The 8 oz 'very hungry' bottle comes in a gorgeous little milk carton package. Check it out here: http://www.babybot.com/products/feeding/bottles-soothers/bottle-very-hungry-8-oz.html

New Product Find - Wean Cubes

Wean Green introduces the first ever GLASS baby cubes - or 'wean cubes' to be more accurate. These cubes are intended for storing pureed food for babies or, any food for baby and kids that you want to freeze, heat, or just pop into your diaper bag. Best of all - they are glass! No BPA, no toxins - it's the safest possible material to store your child's food in!

Babybot has had the extreme luck to be able to touch, feel and test these cubes out first hand and here is what we found:

1. HIGH QUALITY GLASS. No imperfections, no air bubbles - just pristine, perfect tempered glass. We don't recommend that you freeze them and immediately put the frozen cubes into the microwave to heat up, but we did just to see if it would hold up. It did! No explosions, no cracked glass. This is a good thing because even though you and I would never do this in real life - you know someone will....

2. BEAUTIFUL COLOURS & PACKAGING. We couldn't leak photos of the packaging in this post but we've seen it and it is beautiful, well designed and smart. These cubes will be extremely giftable for this reason.

3. CONVENIENT & FLEXIBLE. The lid locks REALLY lock and there is a silicone sealed lid so they are so easy to throw into a diaper bag without worrying about spills or leaks. The size is perfect - it's small and portable but still big enough to hold a good sized portion of baby food or cheerios, gold fish, raisins, grapes, etc for older kids.

4. ECO-FRIENDLY. The glass and packaging is all 100% recyclable and sustainable.

5. AFFORDABLE. Wean Cubes come in 4 packs for $28.00 CAD. Choose from raspberry, blueberry, peas and carrots OR get a multipack with one of each colour.

6. These products are the perfect partner for Beaba's Babycook steam & puree appliance.

Babybot will be getting the very first wean cubes available for Canada at the end of May. There are very limited quantities available in May - more are coming later in the summer. To pre-order your wean cubes - hit us up at info@babybot.com

For more information on Wean Cubes, check out: http://weangreen.com/

SMART NURSERY DESIGN

We love finding a nursery that showcases not only beautiful, modern products but more importantly smart spending! This nursery looks like a million bucks but it represents two things we love: design on a budget and spending where it counts.

Let's break it down:

1. The Leander crib ($1699) is the only big ticket spend in the room and it's a smart choice. It's the focal point of the room and every other piece of decor revolves around this sculptural crib. Even smarter - the Leander configures 5 ways starting as a crib for newborns, then a small bed for toddlers and finally a junior bed for kids up to age 9 - all in one purchase!

2. This Blik Wall Decal ($60) adds drama and interest to the room - it is the pivotal piece of decor that really makes this room unique. The contrast of the edgy wall decal with the elegant crib is genius!

3. This Hybrid-Home kitty print ($42) is a striking punch of colour and contrasts so well with the dark wood of the crib and the black decals.

4. Can you believe this shelving system is Ikea? These three glass door shelving units cost around $275! Add your own custom graphics and it becomes high style.

5. Ikea makes another appearance with these 2 Klippan foot stools - $60 each. The red is a striking impact of colour that adds some fun and playfulness to the room.

6. Playsam wooden transport toys ($51/$55) are the perfect accessory for this nursery! These refined toys are collectible keepsakes that look great as decor but they are designed for play!

7. Flensted's wisest owl mobile ($45) is the perfect finishing element to the room. It's fun, graphic and ties all the colours of the room together.

Each item in this room was chosen for it's beauty and form but even more importantly - for it's function, usefulness and flexibility. Inspired yet?

SHOP BY BUNNY

Easter is almost here and we've got an obscenely large collection of bunny gifts. We've also got some chicks, lambs (ok, sheep) and egg looking things too at all different price points in our Easter gift catalog.

We've said it before but it's worth mentioning again - better to give your child a little gift than a cavity this Easter!

Shop by bunny:
1. Manuella plush bunnies
2. Yum-yum onesie
3. Meadow bunny lunchpack
4. Big Rabbit's Bad Mood
5. Circular Bunnies mobile
6. Bonheur Rabbit insulated bottle holder
7. Grain de Ble flat bunny
8. Envirosax reusable lunch bag
9. Shinzi Katoh lunch box
10. Shinzi Katoh melamine cup
11. Duck! Rabbit! book
12. Esthex Pluen music box
13. Peppa sloppy dolls
14. Binth baby book
15. Shinzi Katoh Jiji & Peren tote bag

BEAUTY IN BASICS

We love minimal, clean design (obviously) but, even better, we like it when it’s inexpensive! Stores like Ikea and H&M have been doing it for years and they are living proof that great design doesn’t have to be expensive.

In the land of baby products - there are a few brands that are embracing this concept. The european brand Hoppop (brand new to Canada) has a line of gorgeous potties, tubs and step stools that are clean, simple and affordable.

Boon - a veteran brand in Canada - is an incredibly fresh and constantly innovative brand. They have made their mark in basic feeding and bath items that are minimal, beautiful and inexpensive.

Beautiful basics, affordable price - it’s guilt free shopping for style centric moms!