I frequently post about cardboard toys and furniture – as the compact/travelbility (is that a word?) of them is beyond convenient. As I travel light – and now with two boys that will become more of a challenge, I need to think about how to have enough “amusement” at our destination – sans the bulk, weight and general annoyance of a Great Toy Shlep.

I adore Calafant toys for this very reason, but for your children that are still too young to really decorate their own toys – Kroom toys, available from Abe’s Market (my new fave green store), give you that light cardboard portability, pre decorated, and ready for playing.

Both of the above are less than $30 (each)! Ship them to you destination – and spare yourself the agony of dragging toys about a dirty airport and being told by some snug, underaged ticket counter bird that your luggage is over the limit of 2 pounds and will cost an extra $500 dollars, will that be cash or charge?

In addition to the farm and Noah set, you can send this lovely Kroom table set ahead, which the grandparents can easily store under  a bed when not in use.

This dollhouse is compact enough to store under a chair.

As is this castle.

Kroom toys are lovely, durable, inexpensive and easy to store. The perfect thing to send and keep at grandma’s – which is where the boys and I are headed next week!!!

Florida, here we come….

Still in search from a desk/chair set for the nursery, I saw this Green Lullaby “Benz” set in the Fall issue of Vogue Bambini. Sturdy, ecofabulous and available at Abes Market for under $60 dollars, this sweet desk and bench set is perfect for the toddler than won’t color within the lines. After a year of art resulting “oops”, the desk will either look cool enough to keep – or you can, with a clear conscience, toss it and buy a new one.

(The sets are 60% recycled and are completely recyclable. Also biodegradable, with any the additives being water-based and non-toxic, these sets are practically edible!)

Green Lullaby makes other, equally green products for ephemeral childhoods – most of which I have already covered in earlier blogs. But as it’s early, and you most likely haven’t had your Free Trade coffee, I’ll re-post them here.

A cradle, perfect to keep at Grandmas house…

A dollhouse that is perfect for a trip when you haven’t much packing space for toys…

And blocks, that I think would make brilliant party toys and favors…

Green Lullaby has cracked the cardboard code – I can’t but imagine that many more affordable, recyclable and biodegradable nursery items are in the works. Heavens. You could furnish an entire nursery and playroom for less than it cost to buy a good nappy bag!

This is the sort of thinking that will save us.

Have a great weekend!

I can travel out of the country for a month with just one carry on duffle.  I am a master clothes roller, and I know to leave the blowdryer at home. I also never travel with more than 3 pair of shoes – taking two ballerina flats and wearing my stomp about boots on the plane. So you can imagine that I had no intention of looking like a gypsy when I travelled with my son for the first time – and yes – I kept us both to ONE carry on bag. (A feat of which I am most proud.)

So. Whenever I see anything compact (and green) for babies – I dance about gleefully and clap.

This is one of those times.

Belkiz has created a “highchair” as compact as two September Vogues, that you can take with you or send ahead when traveling. You can’t expect every cousin and friend to have all the things baby needs – but who would object to a cardboard highchair that you put together, and can then fold away?! Damn thing is genius. I want a dozen!

At $40 (AU) bucks a pop – you can’t go wrong.

Bon Voyage!

Via Handmade Charlotte, these gorgeous cardboard creatures from the French designer Claude Jeantet. From the beautiful Lion crib fit for a king, to this tres adorable night stand…

…and these very wise book ends…

…these magical cardboard sculptures are the ultimate in recycled chic.

Available at Lisa Fontanarosa, I wish that I could create an entire nursery of these whimsical beings. Claude even did a clock!

Oui. It’s about time….

Are you a Capricorn who isn’t about to buy a Swann chair for both grandmums’ homes – but don’t want your little lad or lass to sit in that vile, cheap plastic thing your sister-in-law uses?  Are you a Libra who just likes cool baby design? Are you a Save-the-Whales Pisces who needs a high chair when you go visiting, but are worried about the environmental impact of buying more than one? Are you a Gemini who thinks one thing one day, another thing the next?

This post is for you.

From down under – more cardboard furniture for baby. Affordable, recycled, good for the Earth, easily disposed of after Jr. makes it to the table.

Looks cool enough for a Scorpio baby, but is practical enough for a Taurus.

For more cardboard furniture from Paper Tiger, click here.

I tend to post about boy things (us poor boy mums!), as little girl things saturate and dominate.  But, in this case, I’ll make an exception.

Green Lullaby, who make brilliant cardboard furniture for babies, has just introduced two new green cardboard toys for little girls.

This cradle  is perfect as is, though I imagine your little girl could also paint, paper or otherwise make it her own.

And this dollhouse is just right.  Not too heirloom dear, not plastic rubbish.

Both are available at Oompa, and are under $40.

(Hint: These would be great to keep at abuelas house, as after the darling leaves, gran can unfold and put away.)

These Quixotic  windmills, yet another charming color it yourself toy from Calafant (whom I corazon) will be available this November as a LIMITED EDITION of only 100 units – so order SOON if you want one, Sancho!

Also available next month in only 100 editions?  This gorgeous Cotswold’s farm that looks like it would accommodate any manner of small wooden animals and lucky farmers.

Both are under $30, each.

What to color these two bucolic gems on?

Why, a cardboard table  that needs a whole weekend to decorate, of course!

Which maybe your little ones can buy themselves after they make money with this could be, among other things, psychiatrist stand, Lucy.

Don’t wait!  Order Now! (Said in loud Cockney accent.)

Send pictures!

The last post leads into this one.  Sort of.

If you were creating a Balmoral meets Green nursery, you would need one of these.

Made in the USA from 100% recyclable cardboard and free of toxins, these o’er the fireplace delights  are sure to bring a smile to your wee son, and every man that is dragged into the nursery.

This rhino even works for a “Safari” theme.

I wonder if they might get a bit moldy in humid climes – but they would certainly work here, in the Midwest.

The men folk will love’em.

Happy Hunting!

We all have that frugal friend who is horrified at how much we spend on this or that.  She usually is the one who scolds you for not maximizing your 401k, (which is not a new brand of jeans), she knows words like “diversification”, (which, apparently, has nothing to do with having a choice of several little black dresses), and just shakes her head when she realizes that you paid an extra $400 to have red soles.  She doesn’t understand it.  

This post is for her.

When I bought my Cariboo bassinet my frugal girlfriend was confused. “But you have  a crib, and he’ll grow out of that in a year”, she lamented.  But, as I wanted to nurse, and am afraid of smooshing my son, I knew that a movable, keep by the bed bassinet, was the answer. It’s an important year.

Anyway - what to give a friend like her, when you know a wee bassinet or cradle IS helpful to have about, and schlep around?  Why, a recyclable and biodegradable cradle  which adhesives, paints, lacquer and fire retardant are water based and nontoxic, that’s what!  For how much? About the price of two bottles of Veuve. $99.50.

And what to give Ms. Automatic Savings if she is already borrowing a cradle (these friends are very big on borrowing baby things)?

The uber practical equally non-toxic, cardboard storage boxes! Price? Less than a bottle of Grand Marnier at $59.99.

And what if her child is already big enough to pretend to run his own business? Why…a non-toxic cardboard executive desk is just the thing to play CPA…

(Dog sold separately.)

So. Now you have three genius, recyclable, practical gift ideas for those mamas that just don’t understand how an acai, caviar and champagne facial is, actually, worth four bags of groceries. From Whole Foods.