Escaping our lives is the fantastic adventure that literature and cinema have always provided. The virtual world is another great source of escapism; wandering from blog to blog can take you far. It allows an interesting exchange of experiences: those who live in urban centers can take a peek at wild land/wild life while those based in remote places can see what’s going on in metropolis. Internet lets us live other people’s life vicariously. Almost simultaneously you can check what people wear in New York, London or Sidney and take a deep breath in the Colorado mountains. Whenever I miss New York or Paris I go to The Sartorialist and when I want to feel the immensity of nature I visit the very inspiring Une envie de sel (pictures above). We live in a wonderful [virtual] world…

If you have a chance to spend your spare time in Bryant Park – New York or Jardin du Luxembourg – Paris, you will be familiar with the iconic Fermob chairs. The French company which started to equip public spaces more than 120 years ago is back in fashion, with a great range of outdoor/garden furniture. To make sure kids are treated the way they deserve, Fermob have declined the Luxembourg chair and a matching table in mini scale. Sandpits, kindergartens, playgrounds and happy parents will have a hard time choosing among the 24 delicious color shades. For more info visit www.fermob.com & www.fermobusa.com.

Photos Stephane Rambaud – Caroline Briel.

Color Bears is an aesthetic, bold book. Adorable, colorful, fun loving, this cardboard book bursting with bears will engage any toddler at first glance. Even infant 3 month old eyes will be attracted by it with the high contrast print that appears on every spread. As the child grows it engages with the color lessons, the simple text and conceptual bear graphics. The stylized illustrations of Judy Palaferro have their roots in both her teenage admiration for rock and roll album covers and the 1980s New York art scene. Judy has worked as a print and web designer and as a book buyer in a Colorado toy store, where she began developing artistically with inspiration from Arthur Ransome, Roald Dahl, and teddy bears. Upon returning to New York City, Judy Palaferro’s fascination with illustration flourished for 18 years while she worked as a children’s graphic artist and textile designer in the fashion industry. Color Bears displays her beautiful sense of bright and pleasing aesthetics and her love for animals, imagination, and children’s art.

Coming back home is a constant surprise. What will the children have invented? One day they are picnicking with bears and sock monkeys under the kitchen table, another day they have created a snow park for their Playmobil out of toilet paper. It’s anyway always fun because children’s creativity is so immense. I try to keep a trace of the little installations they make around the house, the little worlds they create that put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. My favorite is a Playmobil replica of my working station, with mini post it on the wall. And I also love the swan at the hospital…

The “Me and My Doll” project bridges environmental responsibility and fair trade standards with playfulness and good craftsmanship.  To create these dolls, designer Alexa Lixfeld teamed up with a group of Sri Lankan children as well as Selyn, an organization in Sri Lanka that manufactures and exports handloom textiles and handicrafts. Based on children’s drawings (students of grades one, two and three), the dolls, standing about 12” tall, are hand woven using 100% cotton fabrics and printed with non-toxic dyes.  The dolls come in six different personas and are matched as precisely as possible to the original drawings. Lixfeld and Selyn are both making an earnest effort to foster “the intellectual, social, ethical, moral, spiritual and emotional development of the less fortunate children of Sri Lanka”. For more information about those moving, very genuine dolls, visit www.do-not-touch.com.

A dark attic, a light bulb, an imaginative little girl. A great book for the story and for the wonderful illustrations by Suzy Lee. For all ages.

www.Chronicle books.com

A beautiful fashion story published in Marie-Claire Enfants. Thumbs up for the flamenco shoes contrasting the minimal outfits, for the school desks (La Chaise longue) and for the great combination of a Max & Lola dress with a Oeuf alpaca mask. By Cecile Lercier, photos Michel De Sermoise.

British brand Waddler is all about creating a beautiful and wild world for the little monsters around us. Made from natural materials and produced to fair trade standards, Waddler will be showing at Bubble London, 30 & 31 January 2011.

Thanks to Tabara @ Bubble London.

Natacha, Mathilda and their little brother Achille are the main characters of a story that their mother Claude B. publishes on www.itsohso.blogspot.com and www.petitsbonheurs123.wordpress.com. The story of beautiful, rare, precious moments captured with a unique sensibility. Natacha and Mathilda are the first twin sisters interviewed on Pirouette.

What do you want to be when you grow up Natacha surgeon Mathilda painter

What is your favorite famous person Natacha I don’t know any famous person Mathilda Tintin

What makes you happy/laugh Natacha Mum (!!!) Mathilda My friends

What makes you sad/angry Natacha When my sister doesn’t give me her things Mathilda Idem

Your favorite book Natacha Les malheurs de Sophie Mathilda Tintin

Your favorite films Natacha Le Petit Nicolas Mathilda Le Petit Nicolas

Your favorite animal Natacha Horses Mathilda Dogs

The best holidays you ever had Natacha Our last summer holidays on a sailing boat, around Elba Island Mathilda Idem

A city that you would dream to visit Natacha Paris Mathilda New York

Who chooses your clothes in the morning Natacha Me! Mathilda Me under mum’s control (!!!)

Your favorite color Natacha Grey Mathilda Black

Your favorite outfit Natacha Dresses Mathilda Knickers and bloomers

What is the piece your like the most from your wardrobe Natacha My black linen dress from La Princesse au Petit Pois Mathilda My super hero T-shirt from Finger in the Nose

The next item you would like to get Natacha A Polly Pocket Circuit Mathilda A Playmobil Swimming Pool

Claude Blaser

Your favorite children’s brands Finger in the Nose, Bonpoint, Bodebo, Le Vestiaire de Jeanne, Marie et Rose Alice

Your favorite children’s stores I buy mainly online

Your favorite e-stores Little fashion Gallery, Lillibulle, Smallable. For books, I let the kids choose when we go to the library

A website that inspires you All those listed on my blogroll!

The criteria you consider when you buy something for your children Quality, esthetic, price

Last item you added to your child’s wardrobe A Bodebo skirt

Most precious item you bought for your child Brand clothes for kids are a luxury, I consider them as precious

Best gift you gave for a child’s B-day The gifts that I choose!!! More seriously, they generally choose it. If they’re happy with it, it’s the best gift…

Items that are hard to find Nice shoes for big girls

Favorite pieces in the girl’s wardrobe A Bonpoint dress with red/grey prints (winter collection) and a pair of clogs, to see here

Where are you going for the summer holidays Sailing, we don’t know where yet…

Finger in the Nose, Bonpoint, Bodebo, Le Vestiaire de Jeanne, Marie et Rose Alice, La Princesse au Petit Pois, Little fashion Gallery, Lillibulle, Smallable

This is one of five hand-painted Eames Rockers to be awarded as a grand prize in Herman Miller’s Design For You contest (hermanmiller.com). Check the other versions. They are to die for.

Thanks to Rachel @ www.handmadecharlotte.com