Little Sunflowers - Thoughts from the Shop

Toy Story 3 – The history of Toy Story

2010-06-23T04:01:00.001-07:00

Did you know that Toy Story was the first fully computer animated film ever to be produced? The film was released in 1995 featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. It's an amusing film suitable for all ages that tells the story of a group of toys that come alive when there are no humans around.

Toy story was the highest earning film of 2005 beating Batman Forever and Apollo 13. The film has gone on to become one of the best selling films of all time. The sequel to the original film was even more successful than the first. Toy Story 2 was released in 1999 with some new characters to add to the film.

Due to the success of the first 2 films , we now have Toy Story 3 scheduled for release on 23 July 2010. Toy Story 3 will be a 3D film and has been showing teaser trailers since May 2009. Toy Story 3 is set to be another fantastic hit with even more new characters being introduced into the story line.

Great for kids

Toy Story is great for kids and just as funny for the grownups to watch too! Toy Story really lets your children's imagination run wild with the possibilities that their toys could be plotting mischievous activities whilst they're out of the room and not looking!

It's also a really easy watching film that suits all ages. The films are cleverly created to include suitable jokes for all kids (and enough for the adults too!). The story lines are also really easy to follow so even the younger kids in your family won't get distracted and wonder away from the films plot!

Toy Story is one of the very few films whereby the story line is enjoyable by any kids no-matter what their interests are. Some kid's films are focused on just boys or just girls, or on certain types of children. Toy Story is a very universal film with a wide captive audience.

Toys and merchandise

Why not bring the film to life! With merchandise your kids can reenact the film and create their favourite moments from the film. All your favourite characters from the film are available to purchase as suitable kids toys for all ages.

But the fun doesn't stop there. There are different types of toys all with varying prices. For example, you can get a simple 12" action figure of Buzz Lightyear for around £20. Or how about the ultimate Buzz Lightyear programmable robot at £200 for some real-life fun!

The fun doesn't stop with merchandise toys, you can also get dress-up costumes and sets for your kids of all ages. If your kid is a budding actor then why not let them dress up and act out their favourite toy story characters. Dress-up costumes provide great entertainment for the whole family.

So why not celebrate the release of the new Toy Story 3 film with a range of Toy Story merchandise to impress your children. You can even make lunch time a fun time with Toy Story themed lunchboxes and flasks!

Toy Story 3 – The history of Toy Story

2010-06-23T04:01:00.000-07:00

Great for kids

Toys and merchandise

We're football crazy, football mad!

2010-06-14T06:07:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year, and football is all around - you can't fail to have noticed a certain World Cup happening, and here at Little Sunflowers we want to help you to get into the action!

The fabulous Molo have come out with a football themed range of clothing, from rompers to tops, and we want to give YOU a chance to win not only £60 of Molo gear, but also a fab limited edition kids Football!

All you have to do is answer a REALLY easy question, to go in the draw - and you have until midnight on Saturday 10 July 2010!

Enter the competition here

41 Years of The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

2010-06-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

In 1969 Eric Carle produced a book which would become a huge hit worldwide. Even today "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" sells one copy every 30 seconds worldwide.

Now, our friendly caterpillar is 41 and it's still just as popular, if not more so. It's a great children's book with fantastic illustrations and imagination taught throughout.

Eric Carle was born in the United States and then moved to Germany at the age of six. Eric's father would take him on walks through woods and across meadows. His father would lift a stone and underneath it Eric would see an amazing world of creatures and things that lived underneath.

As a child Eric found these adventures with his Father to be quite magical and inspiring. He then went on to re-live these happy and fond memories in his illustrated books. Eric started off his career as a graphic designer. He then later become art director of an advertising agency before then moving into publishing.

Great for children

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great book for children because it has full page, brightly coloured illustrations to accompany the text. The text within the book is also easy to follow making it ideal for children that are learning to read. The book contains 225 words which are in large text accompanied by colourful illustrations.

It can sometimes be difficult to get children to read books because they might have no interest in reading. Many children's books don't come with that many pictures or the pictures are a bit dull. Children need images and colours that are inspiring and magical.

If you give a child a book that's bursting with full-page, bright and vibrant colours they'll want to look through it again and again. Pictures really help children to explore their imagination. The Very Hungry Caterpillar uses images that are perfect for children's imagination. The images are very artistic and slightly child-like. Not just your normal every-day caterpillar!

The book

The book itself follows the story of a caterpillar that munches his way through a variety of things such as ice cream, salami, watermelon, one slice of Swiss cheese, and a lollipop. The caterpillar then finally emerges as a beautiful butterfly towards the end of the story.

The story teaches children to count to 5, the names of the days of the week and also about some types of food the caterpillar eats. Although the caterpillar's choice of foods in the book is fictional, it does teach children the basic concept of the metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar to butterfly.

The book is widely regarded worldwide as one of the best children's books ever written. It's easy to see why when your child becomes fascinated by its colours, words and humour. If your child is learning to read and you want to find a suitable book that's not going to intimidate them; this is the perfect choice.

We do love what is possibly the world's oldest caterpillar and butterfly, and are delighted to stock a whole host of Hungry Caterpillar goodies – click on the pictures throughout this blog to find out more!

How do you keep your children's socks on?

2010-05-31T06:50:00.000-07:00

It has to be one of the most irritating things children do.

You know they'd complain their feet are cold straight away, but some children feel the uncontrollable urge to be free from their socks!

Whether you're shopping and the sock mysteriously vanishes, or perhaps eating a meal at a restaurant and a sock makes its way into someone's dinner!

You almost want to scream when your child drops their sock into a puddle whilst taking a stroll with the pushchair. There's a great temptation to put the sock back on their foot whilst it's still dripping wet!

So what's the solution to this mad frustrating obsession your child has?

Well, let's get cracking with some practical solutions to this headache...

1. Sellotape

For a cheap method that's also easy to reapply try good old Sellotape. You can buy Sellotape in jumbo rolls these days so you don't even have to worry about how much you use. In some cases the entire foot may require a thorough coating of the sticky plastic stuff. Ha! Take those socks off NOW you little tyke! ;)

2. Forget the socks

Ok, we've reached that major point in frustration. If your child is clearly so determined to avoid wearing socks completely; ban them. Search the entire house for all your children's socks and burn them. Problem solved. This is also a great way to save money. With less socks to buy you can even save up for that dream holiday. Hint: remember to remove the socks from your child before throwing them onto the fire; it can be easy to forget. ;)

3. Sock-ons

For a slightly nicer way of keeping your children's socks on, and with tongue now firmly out of cheek, try sock-ons. They're an award winning solution that keeps the socks on even on the most determined of children. One size fits all; these clever little devices were invented by a Mum whose baby wouldn't keep his socks on. They're machine washable and come in a variety of different colours to truly accessorise your baby!

And of course you can buy them at Little Sunflowers (Little Sunflower Sock Ons)

Refer your friends and receive £20!

2010-05-27T04:37:00.000-07:00

We recently ran a survey from our newsletter and discovered that lots of our customers are telling other people about us. Obviously we're delighted at this and we can’t thank you enough for recommending us. We thought it's only fair to reward those of you who are spreading the good word.

So we've revamped our refer-a-friend scheme. It's all very simple; for every 5 friends’ email addresses you give us, we'll give you 1 flower credit. What's even better is that for every friend that places an order, we'll give you another credit. So if all 5 friends place an order, you'll get 6 credits.

Once you reach 6 flower credits you'll be rewarded with a £20 gift voucher to spend on whatever you like at Little Sunflowers! It's our way of saying thank you for referring your friends to us and also rewarding you for your efforts. So how many friends can you refer to us?

Who do you know?

If you've got friends or family that have recently given birth, or perhaps have young children, would they be interested in Little Sunflowers? Once you start thinking about it most people can usually come up with at least 5 friends, if not more!

If you refer 10 friends to us we'll give you 2 flower credits just for their email addresses. As long as your friends have an interest in what we're selling, they're likely to place an order with us. Even if you have friends that don't have children, or their children have grown up, they might still be looking to send someone else a gift.

Is there a limit to how many friends I can refer?

No, you can refer as many friends as you like.

So how easy is it?

It really is very simple to refer your friends. Just drop us an email at info@littlesunflowers.com and include your 5 friends' email addresses. The 5 email addresses must be genuine and they can't already be customers with us. If any of the email addresses aren't genuine or are already customers we'll let you know so you can refer someone else if you want.

We'll then send your friends an email to let them know you've referred them. We won't add them to any newsletter or mailing list. We'll only contact them once to let them know you've suggested they visit our website. We won't pass their email address onto anyone else, and we won't contact them again unless they ask us to.

When your friends place their first order with us they'll need to let us know you've referred them. We just need them to pop your name and town/county in the comments box at checkout. We'll then email you to let you know you've got another credit on your account.

It really couldn't be easier and you're free to spend your £20 on anything you like in our shop. You can either receive £20 off your order or you can place an order for £20. We really don't mind. We just appreciate you helping us out by telling your friends about us.

Sophie la Girafe turns 49

2010-05-25T05:17:00.000-07:00

In France there is a toy which is given to nearly every baby. Since 25th May 1961 Sophie la Girafe has been the traditional toy to give to a new born baby. She's a small teething toy that's ideal for children to hold on to. Her legs are just the right size for babies to grasp with their fingers.

But what's interesting is that until 4 years ago you couldn't buy Sophie in the UK at all. In fact it was only 5 years ago that the French manufacturer Vulli decided babies worldwide should start chomping on Sophie.

This year it's predicted that over 50,000 babies will use Sophie la Giraffe as their toy to chomp, drool, chew and squeak on. With more and more parents giving Sophie the thumb of approval, it might not be too long before she's a tradition in this country too!

What's so special about Sophie?

One of Sophie's most fascinating features is that she simply hasn't changed at all in 49 years. With a very retro look to her, Sophie's seen as safe. She's made from natural rubber and food grade paint. There's no PVC, BPA, Phthalates or other nasty chemicals hiding around to harm your child.

Indeed it's probably her safe features that make her so popular amongst so many parents and babies too. There's no need to worry that the toy may wear down or become unsafe for your child. In some cases other teething toys can cause allergic reactions or skin conditions to children, but not Sophie.

What's even more special about Sophie is her price. You might not see the value in spending a fortune on the latest designer baby wear. You might even be annoyed at how most chew toys need replacing after a few days. But with Sophie you'll be able to join the luxury club.

Celebrity mums such as Isla Fisher, Naomi Watts, Nicole Richie and Sofia Coppola are amongst just some of the parents that use Sophie. All this luxury sounds like it's going to cost more than the designer baby wear right? Well, you're looking at just £12 to get your hands on this exclusive club.

Is she a gimmick?

The strangest thing about Sophie is that she's genuinely not a gimmick. What's even more surprising is that her massive success over the past 49 years hasn't been backed by a huge marketing campaign. Nearly every new-born in France is given one yet Sophie isn’t main-stream marketed.

She's simply a very effective toy that does the job perfectly. Mums and Dads have been passing their recommendations on for the past 49 years. That's how Sophie got where she is today; a sign of a genuine product that actually works. No advertising required.

So if your child's going through the teething phase, consider Sophie la Giraffe. After all, it is her Birthday!

Win £50 with our new reviews section!

2010-05-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

It's always a good idea to research any product before deciding whether or not to purchase it. After all, the product you want to buy might be the perfect solution. But you just want to know what previous buyers think of the product and if they would recommend it.

So that's why here at Little Sunflowers we thought it would be a good idea to let our customers review the products they've purchased. In our new reviews section you can rate and review any product. It's a great way to help out other parents who are unsure about some of the products on the website.

It's almost a bit like shopping with a friend who has already brought an item you're thinking of buying. It's a great way of getting impartial advice that isn't coming straight from the manufacturer or, indeed, from us! Sometimes descriptions of products might not answer your question, where a review might just clear certain things up.

How to add a review

Adding a review to an item in our shop couldn't be easier. First, find the product you want to review. You can either search for the item or browse through the categories. Once you're on the items page, just scroll down the page. Just underneath the "Add to basket" button you'll see the reviews box.

At the bottom of the reviews box there's a button labelled "Write Review". You'll need to register as a customer to do this, or login with your existing details if you've purchased before. When leaving a review you can write a description of your review along with giving the item a rating. Each review can have up to a 5 star rating.

How to read other reviews

Not all of the products in our store will have a review. But those that do will be visible just under the product description. If you're looking at a product on the site, just scroll down just below the "Add to basket button". If there are any reviews for a product they will appear here.

Each review is accompanied with a rating. These are the golden stars you'll see just to the right of each review; the greater the number of stars, the better the rating. Next to each review you can also see the name of the customer that wrote it.

Be in with a chance of winning a prize

To encourage our customers to help out other parents we're offering you the chance to win a prize. All reviews submitted by the end of May will be entered into a draw to win £50 to spend on our site. It's really simple to be in with a chance of winning - all you have to do is leave a product review. We'll know who you are because you have to be logged in to leave reviews.

So why not be part of the Little Sunflowers community whilst also being in with a chance of winning a prize. Who knows, you might be the next customer that's struggling to decide whether or not to purchase an item for your child. Having an independent review of the product could help you to make the right choice.

We love our products, but we love them even more when there's a 'story' behind them, and Sock-ons have a great story!

2010-05-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

The story behind sock-ons

Proud mother of 5 children Kezi Levin desperately needed to find a solution for her baby son's irritating sock obsession. He obviously didn't like wearing socks, and despite the cold, he would always remove them! When Kezi had to attend a family wedding that year she knew she needed to find a solution that didn't involve dressing him in tights!

Whilst trying to sleep one night Kezi came up with an idea that might just solve the problem. Being unable to knit, she frantically cut up a pair of tights and glued them together to create what would be the first prototype for her new invention. To Kezi's delight, the idea worked!

Kezi used her graphic design business to fund Sock-ons and was able to raise enough money over 3 years to get the product launched. Despite being strongly advised against producing the product herself by many business advisers, Kezi wanted to do this herself. Her sheer determination and wanting to prove people wrong became a successful combination.

What are Sock-ons?

Sock-ons are an ingenious design that prevents your child from removing their socks. The softly woven elastic material locks the babies' socks gently into position. Your baby is then unable to pull their socks off from the toe because the Sock-ons gently lock around the heel of the foot. A simple solution to such a tiresome problem!

Kezi's background at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design helped her to come up with the funky design of the sock-ons. Whilst studying for her education Kezi learnt the hard way how to manage her time effectively whilst going through pregnancy. The time management skills now allow her to run her own graphic design business whilst looking after her five boys.

Award winning design

Kezi's Sock-ons invention was short listed as a finalist in the "Mom Invented" competition. This then encouraged Kezi to work even harder to get her invention produced and on the market. She spent, in total, 5 years getting sock-ons completely off the ground. It was a challenging project which has bought her many new skills and experiences.

In 2008 Kezi's greatest achievement since starting Sock-ons came through winning the baby industry's most prestigious award. Sock-ons won the "Kind Und Jugend Award for innovation 2008". This helped take Kezi and her product into the international market and provides her with continued success.

Simple solution turns into award winning product

For Kezi, all she wanted to do was attend her family wedding without embarrassment! She knew her baby son would throw or drop his sock somewhere completely inappropriate! It's bad enough when your child tries to shout when the vicar asks "Does anyone here know why these two people here cannot get married", but to have to go running into the aisle to retrieve a thrown away sock; well that's more than a little embarrassing!

Having found the perfect solution for her son’s irritating sock relief problem, Kezi was able to use her ambition to push her right to the top. So, she proved people wrong, worked hard at her business, and found a way of staying at home with her children whilst solving a problem many parents share! How inspiring is that?

We give Very Good Service!

2010-04-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Here at Little Sunflowers, we've always been proud of our customer service as well as our great children's clothes, so we're delighted to bring you our latest news.

If you're a Fan of our Facebook Fan Page or you follow us on Twitter, you'll know that we were hoping to be listed on the verygoodservice.com website.

verygoodservice.com is a new website aimed at bringing together companies that have won awards for their products and services to make it easy to find the very best companies.

They usually feature award winning companies, many of which are large businesses that are very well known and enter lots of awards. But then there's a smaller part of the website, a part which we love.

Severine's corner is for companies that haven't necessarily applied for awards, may not spend thousands on advertising, and possibly aren't well known. But they DO give great customer service, and are vouched for by their customers.

In order to be listed on the site, we had to get our customers to vouch for us, and we're thrilled that you came in droves!

"have ordered a couple of things from this site and check it all the time -
service is quick and fast and only have to spend £12 for free delivery "

"Great clothes, great service, great people :)"

"Lovely people with fab service and gorgeous products. What more could you want!"

"Fantastic service - nothing is too much trouble - thank you x"

"super service i love to buy stuff from you "

And because you said such nice things about us, Severine now has us listed in her corner - so a huge thank you to you all! We'll continue to try and provide great customer service, and look forward to dealing with every one of you in the future!

What is the Oeketex 100 Standard?

2010-04-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

Before we opened our doors for the first time in 2004 we aspired to stock only childrenswear made from organic cotton. It became obvious very quickly however that, even such a relatively short time ago, this would be difficult to achieve if we wanted bright, bold colours, fabulous styling and all at the right price. However we have come a long way in 6 years, and so has the market.

Many new clothes appearing in store and online are carrying the Oeko-Tex 100 standard label. But what exactly does this label mean and what are the benefits to you and your child?

What is the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard?

Established in 1992, the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard is a worldwide certification and testing system used for textiles. The system is used to limit the use of certain chemicals in textiles, particularly those used in clothing.

Whilst many of us can wear all kinds of fabrics without any reaction, others find that their skin is irritated by the chemicals which are used when manufacturing and creating the clothes that we wear. So by choosing a brand that supports the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard you can be certain you are buying a garment that has found to be free of all substances which are harmful to humans at each stage of the production process.

Safe for children

Since babies and infants have much more sensitive skin, sometimes they can react more to certain chemicals so the Oeko-Tex label offers additional protection for them.

Ethical

The Oeko-Tex label is also a sign of care in the textile production process, including the raw materials that are used to create clothes. Oeko-Tex standards ensure that materials are responsibly sourced. This means re-planting any trees or plants that are used to ensure there is no significant impact on the environment.

Tests are carried out on all textiles in the production process for components such as pH value, formaldehyde content, pesticides, and allergy related chemicals. This means that textiles used in the production process are free from anything that would harm the environment, with the added bonus that the clothes are also free from these things.

Stylish

Of course, any brand that carries the Oeko-Tex label can be stylish too! The label won't affect the price or the style, it's there to provide quality assurance. Many well-known brands are now supporting Oeko-Tex 100 standard which is fast becoming a selling point for concerned consumers.

In short therefore, the Oeko-Tex standard allows you easily see that the garment you’re buying is free from anything that would harm the environment. Something worth bearing in mind is that this doesn’t mean a non-Oeko-Tex standard range hasn’t been produced ethically, to high standards or without the use of harmful chemicals in its production. However with Oeko-Tex you can be sure.

As our offer to you evolves, so does that of our suppliers. There have been so many changes in our ranges since 2004, either because we have chosen a new range specifically because of how it is produced, or because existing suppliers are changing their production methods. Toby Tiger, for example, have been shifting all their designs across to organic cotton over the past couple of years. And some of our other brands are responding to consumer demand in small steps, introducing a small number of organic or Oeko-Tex standard designs at a time.

Stylish and fun clothing is a good way for your child to look great. We will continue to look for brands which meet the Oeko-Tex or organic standards so that you can feel good about your children wearing them at the same time.

Children's Shoes Sizes - European, US, UK & Crocs!

2010-04-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

When looking to buy children's shoes the sizes can be confusing.

Not only do you need to know the right size but children’s shoes are sold in European, Crocs, US as well as UK sizes. To make things trickier, many Kids’ Crocs are dual size so they are designed to cover two sizes rather than just one. And of course when buying shoes online you can't try them on to make sure they fit!

It's important to get the size right to avoid the hassle of having to send items back and exchange them for the correct size. Getting the right size first time also puts a great smile on your little one’s face.

There's nothing worse than being given a fab new pair of shoes only to have them taken away from you again because they don't fit properly!

This is a table that we’ve been using for years to convert sizes when they arrive in the shop (please bear in mind that, whilst we rarely have problems, 100% accuracy between brands can’t be guaranteed):

(Click on the image for a bigger version)

Why we're Proud of our 15,000+ Positive Feedback Record on Ebay

2010-04-09T00:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we hit 15,000 positive feedbacks on Ebay.co.uk.

It's a strange thing that Ebay sometimes gets a bad press yet it is the biggest online marketplace in the world. So why do we sell on Ebay when we have our own online shop?

We have sold (and bought) on Ebay since we opened our first shop in Wendover (2004) and have seen lots of changes. It has shifted from being a bit of an online boot sale with lots of second hand items to a quality marketplace with many High Street retailers now having their own Ebay shops (Argos, Tesco, Debenhams, Next) in their own name, with the emphasis shifting from auctions to 'buy it now'. We have also noticed that many new items sell for full recommended retail price, suggesting that customers trust Ebay even when they could buy for the same price elsewhere and don't necessarily associate Ebay with 'bargain basement' these days.

Some of our designers don't allow their designs to be sold on Ebay for a variety of reasons, usually because they believe being seen on Ebay will devalue their brand. Ebay attracts massive amounts of traffic and therefore exposure for a small brand and, since many of the brands we sell in our Ebay shop sell for full RRP, we're not sure we would agree with the devaluing argument any more. However we of course respect our brands' wishes and do not sell there if they don't want us to - hence you'll find some brands on our website that are not in our Ebay shop.

On Ebay we also have Top Rated Seller status as well as a 100% positive feedback record as I write this (tempting fate or what!) and we are very proud of both - particularly as feedback is being given by customers who are not obliged to do so.

Ebay sometimes makes mistakes but we are great fans of a company which has been very good to us. And of course we have been known to pick up the odd bargain ourselves there now and again!

Do you sell or buy on Ebay, and have your views on it changed?

Take the kids to an airshow this summer - but protect their hearing!

2010-04-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

Summer is a great time for outings with kids - and what could be more exciting than an airshow?

Seeing planes close up, hearing the roar of the engines, maybe even getting the chance to look inside an aeroplane and meet the pilot? If you're lucky, some airshows allow you to book helicopter and plane rides, and what kid wouldn't love that?

The UK Airshow website has a list of some of the airshows in the UK this year - you're sure to find one close to you.

If it's a military airshow you're interested in, definitely check out the Military Airshow website, which has some great information, history and tips, as well as a 2010 airshow calendar.

And last but not least there's Flightline UK, an independent webzine covering the UK airshow scene.

But don't forget, your kiddies' ears aren't as used to loud noises as yours, and so protecting them is a must.

Which is why we're thrilled to stock a fab collection of Baby Banz Hearing Protection ear muffs.

These funky Earmuffs not only look great, but also protect children's ears from potentially harmful noise.

Weighing only 190 grams, Banz Ear Muffs fit in the palm of your hand making them easy to carry with you or store away.

Banz hearing protectors effectively reduce the intensity of harmful loud noises without shutting out other ambient sounds. They are easy to wear with soft cushion cups to the ears and no protruding parts that can catch on things. They are designed to ensure that there is plenty of space for the ears inside the shells.

Banz earmuffs have a comfy leather cover over the headband and their lightness adds to their comfort when wearing.

They are perfect for all sorts of activities including:

going to sporting events, car races or air shows
when Mum and Dad are mowing the lawn, drilling,vacuuming or other noisy activities at home
music concerts
calming young children in generally noisy environments
Mum and Dad's karaoke!

And as well as being practical, they're cool too, as the pictures in this blog post prove!

April showers - we're ready for them!

2010-04-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

It's April already, and with it come the obligatory April showers (although some would say that we've had nothing but April showers since the beginning of the year!)

The great thing about April showers is that the milder weather means they're great fun to take the kids out in. What's more fun than an hour or so splashing in puddles, looking for rainbows and catching raindrops on your tongue?

Keep the kids dry while they're out having fun is.. well... child's play with the fab Kidorable range, available at Little Sunflowers now.

Dinosaurs, fairies, butterfiles, firemen, ladybirds and more - with raincoats, wellington boots and backpacks you could have a different adventure every day!

See below for direct links to the different ranges, available in ages 2-6 (raincoats), and sizes 4-10, there's sure to be a set that your child loves!

Express Delivery Suspended over the Easter Break

2010-03-31T14:53:00.000-07:00

It's almost Easter and we don't want to interrupt all that chocolate eating and egg hunting too much. So here's a very quick update about deliveries over the next 5 days.

The bad news: we suspended the Express Delivery option on our website tonight.

The reason: Friday and Monday are Bank Holidays in the UK, no UK courier company will deliver on Saturday (unless you pay a subsidy of a squillion pounds) and Royal Mail can't guarantee a Saturday delivery.

That takes you to Tuesday which didn't feel very 'Express' to us, hence we've taken that option away so you're not tempted only to be disappointed.

The good news: we'll be working as hard as ever getting your orders out during the break and our usual Express Delivery option will return to the website on Tuesday.

Have a lovely Easter everyone!

Protecting your children's eyes from the sun

2010-03-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

When the sun is shining on a nice warm summer day it's great to wear sunglasses. It looks good and it protects our eyes from harmful UV rays which can cause long term damage. Sometimes it's easy to forget that our children have even more sensitive eyes that need protecting.

Traditionally, to protect your childs eyes you would either use a hat that allows a shadow to form over the eyes or some other way of cover the sun so the eyes are shielded by a shadow. That's all well and good but the eyes aren't actually being covered. If your child looks up there will be no protection.

What are the risks?

The risks associated with prolonged UV exposure on infants' eyes are endless. There are many eye related health problems and even sight loss can become a problem. The young babies eyes aren't able to cope with extreme UV rays and can cause pain to the baby when outside after only a few minutes.

Imagine how it would feel, as a parent, if you child develops problems later on in life; problems that could have been easily prevented by protecting your Childs eyes from the sun.

Baby Banz

Baby Banz are a great solution, allowing your children to wear sunglasses at a very young age. Baby Banz feature a strap which wraps around the back of the head to prevent the sunglasses from falling off or slipping on the face. They also look adorable on any baby!

Baby Banz were first designed in Australia where the suns UV rays are at their highest and toughest. Baby Banz have been clinically tested by one of the world's leading authorities. Baby Banz sunglasses are safe and provide the maximum protection for your child. They've passed very high standards and tests making them perfectly safe.

A stylish solution

You really do have to see the Baby Banz on to see how amazingly adorable they are! They're quite a unique solution since not many other brands offer sunglasses to babies. Your baby can have that cool look and instantly impress anyone they meet!

Whilst some people see dressing your baby up to be stylish as inappropriate, others love it! When it comes down to it, there's nothing wrong with having a fashionable baby! People are likely to compliment you, and your family will have a cool looking younger member.

So, if you're heading out into the sun this summer; remember your children's eyes aren't as strong as yours. If you need to wear sunglasses then your children definitely need to wear sunglasses. It's the responsible thing to do and it will prevent any damage to your child. What's more, you can even get your children looking as stylish as you on the next family outing!

Protect Your Children's Skin This Summer

2010-03-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

Keeping your children safe can be a challenging task in itself! However, when it comes to protecting your child from thesun's damaging and potentially harmful rays there are ways you can keep your child protected. What's even better is that you can keep your children protected whilst also keeping them stylish and looking good!

Children's skin is much more sensitive to UV rays than adults' skin. Because the body is still developing and growing the skin cannot deflect UV rays as well as adults can. If children are exposed to harmful UV rays too often when they're young it can create problems later on in life such as cancer and other skin related health problems.

So it makes sense to keep your child safe and protected this summer. With a range of clothing available your children can look adorable on the beach without worrying about their skin burning. In this article we'll look at just a few of the items of clothing available to protect your children.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses provide valuable protection to the eyes against powerful sun rays. UV rays from the sun can cause long term damage to the retinas in our eyes which can cause sight problems later on in life. It can also be painful to keep your eyes open on a really sunny day and don't forget: your children probably aren't used to such bright sunshine.

Hats

Hats look great and can provide that extra fashion accessory to make your child look cute and adorable. However, hats also provide added protection against the sun. Babies and infants have very little protection on their scalp to protect them against UV rays. Putting a hat on their head will add protection and reduce risks of burning. You can also buy hats with additional UV protection built in.

Bandanas

A bandana is another way to protect the head of your child. Bandanas provide a unique look compared to a hat and can really give your child a nice look on the beach. You'll be surprised at how many passersby compliment you on your child looking adorable!

Swimsuits

Some children love the sea and water, some don't. So if your child can't stay away from the amazing world of water particles they'll need full protection from the sun. A good swimsuit will provide all over protection including arms and legs. Long sleeve swimsuits are better than short sleeved because they cover up more skin. Swimwear with UV protection is also available in a wonderful range of bright colours and styles.

Hoodies

A hoody is a great way to keep your child warm and also cover their head. You might be outside in the sunset when it's getting cold and the built-in hood will provide protection against wind, cold weather and the sun too. They're also a good way to keep your child looking fashionable and cute!

Flap hats

Flap hats have been protecting children's heads for a long time. They're a great solution to harmful UV rays beaming down on your child. Flap hats also provide cover to the back of the neck to protect the skin from burning.

At Little Sunflowers, we stock a wide range of products to protect your children's skin this summer - why not take a look right now?

We love Jibbitz, and the story behind them!

2010-03-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

We love all of our stock, but there are some things that we love for more than the fact that they look great and make your kids look cool. Jibbitz is one line of stock that we also love for the great story behind it.

What are Jibbitz?

Jibbitz are funky little decorative buttons that fit into the holes of Crocs, to make sure that your child has a completely unique pair of Crocs!

Batman, flowers, Dora, Backyardigans and more have been immortalised as fantastic Jibbitz, with more being released all the time.

So what's the story?

Sheri Schmelzer started the Jibbitz brand from her basement, selling each Jibbitz for $2.49, and soon struggled to cope with demand. Who would have thought that such a simple idea could have caught on so quickly?

Her husband Rich soon came on board too, and very shortly after, the Schmelzers had their first distribution deal with the well known 'Clare's' outlet, selling approximately 750 THOUSAND Jibbitz. That's a lot of $2.49s! (Incidentally we sell them for 99p each!)

To cut a long story short, Crocs soon found out how popular these little additions were, and bought the company for a rather nice $10 million, with another £10m in the pipeline if targets are met in the future.

$20 million for something started in a basement - not bad eh?

Where can I buy Jibbitz?

We're thrilled to have a wide range of Jibbitz in stock, see the links below for just a few of our range, or click here to see them all.

Tell us which Jibbitz you own in the comments below!

Hats on for summertime!

2010-03-09T09:01:00.000-08:00

OK, we're a little early, but we're pretty excited about summer being around the corner.

We're working on a few free downloads for you to help you keep your children safe in the sun, but one of the best things you can do is make sure your little one always wears a hat while out in the sun.

We've got some great hats available in the shop at the moment - why not buy a couple so that if one gets misplaced you have a spare?

Baby Banz Hats

Baby Banz have a great range of hats with adjustable headbands to allow for a comfortable fit. The broad rims keep the sunlight out of baby's eyes, and all Baby Banz hats have a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50+, meaning they'll block out more than 97.5% of UVA and UVB rays.

Click on each hat to find out more:

Congratulations to Jamie and Jools Oliver!

2010-03-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

He prides himself on being a hard working family man, so it's with delight that we read that Jamie Oliver and his gorgeous wife Jools are expecting for the fourth time!

They already have 3 lovely daughters, Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Petal Blossom Rainbow - will it be another girl, or will they have a boy this time?

While it seems that Jamie has mentioned his hope that a boy will help to balance out the 'oestrogen fiulled household', we're sure that both he and his wife, who suffers from polycystic ovaries, will be delighted whatever the result.

Huge congratulations Jamie and Jools, from all of us at Little Sunflowers!

Why not congratulate him on Twitter? Or leave a message below!

Do we really want our little girls dressing like this?

2010-02-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

You may have seen the news that ten year old Noah Cyrus (that's her, on the left) is helping to launch a new line of clothes aimed at children for the Ohh La! La! Couture range. along with her eight year odl friend Emily Grace Greaves.

Now, let's put aside the fact that these kids are ten and eight, and let's even take it at face value that they are indeed "designing" the clothes themselves (I have my suspicions on that one!).

Instead, let's look at that picture on the left a little more.

Knee length PVC dominatrix boots. The shortest of mini skirts. Grown up full length gloves. Fishnet tights. All topped off with a face full of mascara, eyeliner, blusher and lipstick.

SHE'S TEN...

According to the official press release, clothes such as those in this this photograph are:

"versatile styles that can be worn with sweet ballerina slippers, casual sneakers or paired with lace stockings and boots for more of a rock and roll look,"

Lace stockings and boots? On a ten year old? (And let's not forget that these clothes are going to be available in baby sizes too, by all accounts).

We know that kids like to dress like their icons and idols, and every little girl wants to grow up too fast, but when we see girls of 6 and 7 coming into our shop looking for outfits that show off their midriff, complaining skirts are too long and looking for the skimpiest of tops and underwear, it makes us glad we have boys!

Call us old fashioned, but what's wrong with a pair of trendy leggings and a bum covering top? It can still look cool and 'edgy' without making our daughters think they have to dress like hookers to fit in, no?

What do you think? Are we being old fashioned? Do we not 'get it'? Is this the ways fashion for young girls is going? Or do you agree with us and think we should let little girls be girls just a little bit longer?

Please use the comments box below to join the debate.

MORE snow? At least we can dig out the wellies!

2010-02-15T07:21:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought it was safe to start thinking about summer, the UK is hit with yet more snow! What IS it with the weather these days?

We can't complain too much though, as it gives us another chance to showcase these fab Kidorable Woodland Fairy wellies, as worn by none other than Miss Suri Cruise!

Another great design from Kidorable, these gorgeously girly wellington boots feature a beautiful pink and green design, complete with their own wings!

At just £14.99, they're great value too!

Get yours now. And don't forget to check out the matching accessories!

A letter to a future grandchild - with a difference

2010-02-10T03:36:00.000-08:00

When you think of your grandchildren, it's more than likely that you know the mother and father of the child, and can begin to imagine which features of each the new baby will have. You'll have an approximate birthdate, and maybe even knowledge of which sex the child is. It's pretty sure you'll know what colour skin your grandchild will have, and the professions of at least one of the parents, right?

That's why this letter to a future grandchild, published in the Guardian a few days ago, made us sit up and pay attention.

Written with love by a Grandad to his future adopted grandchild, it's well worth a read. And well worth remembering that adopted babies come into the whole family, not just the lives of their new parents...

Protect your baby's eyes this summer with BabyBanz!

2010-02-08T01:44:00.000-08:00

Summer is great for kids - no more being wrapped up like the Michelin man, and hidden away behind rain covers and fleecy blankets, but the sun brings it's own 'problems' too.

Of course you've got the sun cream, parasol, sun hat, loose clothing, extra water, and everything else you need to see your baby through the summer, but have you thought of how to protect their eyes?

Well, we're delighted to be able to offer the new range of Baby Banz Adventure Banz baby sunglasses - fantastic protection for your baby's eyes, originally designed for use in one of the sunniest places in the world, Australia!

We love these trendy wrap around sunglasses for babies, featuring an embedded silicone nose and brow piece for added comfort.

But they don't just LOOK cool - Baby Banz have been clinically tested by one of the worlds leading Authorities on UV and meet the stringent UV block out requirements of ANSI Z80.3 - 1996 for the added piece of mind of parents.

Available in a variety of styles and suitable from birth to 2 years, why not give yourself peace of mind with Baby Banz this summer?

Watch out for our competition coming soon where you can win a pair of Baby Banz - follow this blog, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to make sure you don't miss out!

Win a Sophie the Giraffe teething toy!

2010-02-07T03:10:00.000-08:00

One of the most famous baby brands in the world, Sophie the Giraffe (or Sophie la Girafe to give her her proper French name!) is one of the top names in teething and baby toys, and we're thrilled to be able to offer a large Sophie the Giraffe teething toy as our latest competition prize!

Features:

* Natural Rubber is soft, safe & non-toxic for baby to teethe & chew.
* Lightweight & easy to grasp for tiny hands.
* Painted with non-toxic, food-grade paints.
* Stimulating to baby’s senses with her soft colors & gentle squeak.
* Sophie the Giraffe is Phthalate-Free with NO Vinyl (no-PVC)!
* Her bumpy head helps soothe sore, teething gums.
* Hand-made in Rumilly in the French Alps, Sophie the Giraffe is a classic!
* Supplied in a box complete with card which can be personalised by parents with information about the baby.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, simply visit our website and fill in the competition form! It's really THAT simple!

Congratulations to Jennifer Ellison and Robert Tickle on the birth of baby Bobby!

2010-02-07T02:56:00.000-08:00

It seems as if the poor girl has been pregnant forever, and she certainly got her fair share of negative press over the size to which she grew, but we loved the fact that Jennifer Ellison was out and about parading her baby bump for all to see. No looking like she'd swallowed a grape for this expectant mum!

So, we were delighted to hear that baby Bobby came into the world on Thursday night weighing a healthy 9lbs.

The couple said in a statement:

"Jennifer Ellison and her husband, Robert Tickle, are delighted to announce the birth of their first child, Bobby, who was born last night at 9.50pm weighing 9lb."

We can't help but wonder what little Bobby's first outfits will be like, but we think he'd look gorgeous in this fab Molo Kids Monster Romper Suit, available from birth and just £29.99.

Featuring an allover King Kong style monster print, and easy access poppers, it's practical as well as looking good, and we're sure Bobby would love it!

Peter Andre in good taste shocker!

2010-02-03T07:04:00.001-08:00

OK, so the title was a little tongue in cheek, and probably not very nice to Ms Price, but we're delighted to see that Peter Andre's cute little son Junior at least has great taste in clothes!

You may have read last week's OK magazine, which features an interview with Peter, and sees him and the children modelling some lovely clothes, including this gorgeous Yoda T-shirt, from Fabric Flavours and stocked by Little Sunflowers.

Pricess is looking as gorgeous as ever, and with his kids dressed up to the nines, we don't think it will be long before Mr Andre is snapped up by some lucky girl!

Star Wars Yoda Judge Me T-Shirt

Giving birth 'didn't hurt at all' says model Gisele Bundchen

2010-02-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

Not content with being gorgeous, statuesque, and back in her size 2 clothes about 3 seconds after giving birth, supermodel Gisele Bundchen now tells us that giving birth was pain free and didn't hurt in the slightest.

The model gave birth at home in her bathtub, shunned drugs and medicines, and coped with a mixture of meditation and hypnosis, calling the experience "tranquil"

While we're really pleased for her here at Little Sunflowers, we're a little jealous too - good looks, perfect body AND the perfect first birth? Some girls really do have it all!

Tell us about your birth experience in the comments below!

Something more traditional than Teapot!

2010-01-27T09:07:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the ever gorgeous Denise Van Houten, who along with husband Lee Mead, has announced that she's expecting a baby girl. Although the world has known she was pregnant for some time, this is the first time Denise has let us know it's a girl.

They've already decided on a 'traditional' name, but until the little angel is born, she's being referred to as Teapot - I wonder what name they're thinking of?

In the past Denise has had a rather eclectic sense of style - we've picked out a few Little Sunflowers items we think little Teapot will love!

MOLO KIDS Badges Top with Striped Arms (Ellen)

Teapot would look fab in this all over retro badges print top with fuchsia pink and green striped arms. Just £23.99 and available from our MOLO Kids shop.

Girly Rainbow Striped Romper, also from MOLO Kids

What little girl could fail to look good in these stunning multicoloured rainbow stripes with pink trim? Just £27.99 from the Little Sunflowers MOLO collection.

Trumpette Week of Days Baby Socks set

We know that we're biased, but we love the whole Trumpette Socks range, and these Week of Days socks are especially cute. At just £17.95, Teapot (and her mum!) will never forget which day it is again!

Whether you're a celebrity mum or not, your baby can feel like a celebrity kid (with or without a wacky name!) with outstanding kids' clothes from Little Sunflowers bright and bold childrenswear.

Make clothes last a little longer with Clothes Plasters!

2010-01-20T14:18:00.000-08:00

No matter how much you want clothes to last forever, general wear and tear means that they won't. And you can always rely on it being the clothes you like your kids in the most that fray, get holes, or get torn while playing!

But in this age of recession, and in the spirit of recycling and mending, we though these Clothes Plasters were a great idea!

Clothes Plasters are designed by Jennie Maizels, and are basically little iron on patches in a tin. Each tin contains ten 'plasters', suitable for patching, decorating and covering things up!

The pink Clothes Plasters tin contains 10 iron-on Clothes Plasters®: Love Heart, Fairy, Bird, Cat, Mushroom, Flamingo, Star, Tea Cup, Russian Doll & Fairy Cake.

The blue Cloth Plasters tin contains 10 iron-on Clothes Plasters®: Robot, Pirate, Tractor, Plane, Boat, Rocket, Dinosaur, Drum, Shark & Cactus.

A great way to give a new lease of life to your children's clothes! Why not order now?

What's important to you when buying clothes for your children online?

2010-01-18T06:31:00.000-08:00

We're always striving to improve our customer experience over in the Little Sunflowers online shop - and we work really hard to make sure that our customers are happy.

We're obviously doing something right because you tell us all the time that you love our clothes, gifts and toys, on our Twitter page, Fanbook page as well as via email.

But we'd love to know what makes a great customer experience for YOU.

Obviously great items, made well and delivered on time are a BIG part of making you happy.

So how about:

Are these things you appreciate too? Maybe there's something else that makes a great online shopping experience for you? Please let us know in the comments below!

Top 26 Tips To Help When Your Tot Is Teething

2010-01-14T01:15:00.000-08:00

There are no hard and fast rules about what remedies will work for your child, particularly when you are looking for drug-free alternatives to relieve the miseries of teething. The following 26 tips from Little Sunflowers have been compiled from our own experiences and those of our customers, together with guidance from all around the internet. Some may work for you and some may not – but they’re all worth a go! Keep trying different things until you find something which works for your child.

1. Cuddles are the most important thing you can give your teething child to comfort and reassure them – tender loving care goes a long way when your little one’s teeth are hurting.

2. Cold foods, such as yogurt or fruit puree can help to numb the pain.

3. A cold drink can soothe the whole mouth so pop a bottle of boiled water, breast or formula milk into the fridge and offer it to your baby when it’s cold (though not too cold as you don’t want a tummy chill).

4. A weak chamomile infusion, or weak chamomile tea, is useful as a gentle sedative. Offer it to your baby from a bottle.

5. Plenty of water or heavily diluted juice should be given to your baby to replenish fluids when they are dribbling a lot.

6. A wet flannel which has been rung out and chilled can bring relief to a baby who is keen to chew on something – the rough texture really seems to help.

7. 2 drops of chamomile in 15ml of aloe vera gel can be used to massage the child’s jaw and neck area.

8. Lightly massage your baby’s gums with a clean finger the part that is sore will often feel hot to the touch and you will probably be able to feel the tooth coming through under the surface.

9. Dilute 1 drop of clove oil in 2 tablespoons of safflower oil and gently massage the affected area 2-3 times a day.

10. Rub your baby’s gums with a small gauze pad – not only will this bring relief, but it will get your child used to the sensation of what it’s like to have his or her
teeth cleaned.

11. Try a baby teething gel massaged across the gums for babies older than four months (recent articles expressing concern about using gels for this purpose referred to adult gels rather than those designed for babies.) Ensure you check the dosage and expiry date.

12. Crush a little ice and put it in a thin cotton cloth, then rub gently on the gums. Ensure ice doesn’t come into direct contact with the gum, and ensure you keep the wrapped ice moving (children who hold frozen items against their gums for too long can actually get frostbite).

13. Chill some pieces of fruit or vegetables, wrap them in muslin and give them to your baby to chew under supervision.

14. Sterilised teething rings can provide temporary relief for the baby and actually help the teeth to cut through. Try one that’s been chilled in the fridge for greater relief (or even gel-filled rings which can work well when they’ve been cooled in the fridge).

15. Chill a metal spoon in the fridge and allow your child to chew on it under supervision.

16. Allow your child to bite on the knuckle of your forefinger held sideways – it’ll bring them comfort an hurt a lot less than you think!

17. Homeopathic Teething Granules contain soothing chamomilla, a traditional homeopathic remedy for teething pain in an easy-to-use form. They are available in your High Street Chemist – always read the label.

18. Consult a Homeopath, who will who will be able to recommend a number of remedies to relieve the symptoms associated with teething.

19. An amber teething necklace can be worn against the skin to calm and relax a teething child – these necklaces have been worn for generations across Europe in countries like Germany and Switzerland, though it is quite a new concept in the UK.

20. Make teething biscuits by mixing 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of baby cereal and 1 cup of juice. Roll out, cut into shapes, then bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Allow your baby to chew on them (when you are there, in case a small piece breaks off). These biscuits freeze well.

21. Chill carrot sticks, cucumber sticks or bread slices in the fridge and allow your baby to chew on them (only when you are there, in case a small piece breaks off). Avoid anything too hard as they could bruise the gums and make things more painful.

22. Distract your baby with something to play with or a change of scenery to divert their attention from the pain. There are a number of teething toys on the market with a dual purpose: your baby can chew on them and they are a distraction from their teeth. Examples include organic teething toys and rattles incorporating a ring and/or knots which can be rubbed against the gums. Sophie the Giraffe has been around for generations – she is made from natural Alpine rubber and non toxic paints and is designed for baby to chew as well as play with.

23. Keep a soft bib around your baby’s neck and change it often to soak up dribble, thereby keeping the skin dry and so avoiding a rash.

24. Apply a simple barrier cream to sore chins to keep the skin smooth and ease any chapped skin.

25. Consult a cranial osteopath. Cranial osteopathy is a subtle type of osteopathic treatment using gentle techniques to release strain and tension in the body. It is particularly effective for young babies suffering with teething and colic.

26. Medicine (analgesic) designed especially for babies, such as Calpol or Nurofen, can be given to babies who are three months old or more to help relieve the pain and bring down a raised temperature. Always read the label, and check with your doctor and/or health visitor if a raised temperature persists. Follow your doctor’s instructions and never give aspirin to a baby.

These tips are part of the Little Sunflowers Guide to Teething, which you can download free from the Little Sunflowers blog at http://littlesunflowers.blogspot.com/2010/01/help-my-baby-is-teething-what-should-i.html

HELP! My Baby is teething! What should I do?

2010-01-11T14:18:00.000-08:00

It's a fraught time in any parent's life - when their little angel starts teething and turns into a dribbling, grumbling screaming monster almost overnight.

But don't worry, help is at hand - we've compiled the Little Sunflowers Teething guide for all you anxious parents out there.

This free downloadable PDF will answer such questions as:

How will I know when my baby is teething?
When will my baby's teeth come through?
What can I do to help?

There are also 26 Top Tips on Teething, and a whole raft of Useful Links.

So what are you waiting for? Download the Little Sunflowers Teething Guide now, and please do share this link with all your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and in your blogs. The guide is free, useful, and could help set your mind at rest right now!

Let it Snow?

2010-01-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Allow us to be the last to mention that the UK has been under-snow this week.

Unusually for Sussex, this is the third round of snow we've had in a year and we've definitely had the most this time - awaking to 20cm today. The Flower Shop has been closed for a couple of days, we've struggled to get parcels out and deliveries have struggled to get to us. And in other news: our boiler gave up the ghost at the beginning of the week.

We've stayed warm by busily adding scrummy things to our sale to keep little ones toasty during this very chilly spell. And of course we've had lots of 'help' (schools closed again).

Newly reduced items include:

The Snowman Organic Pyjamas

Beautiful Pyjamas by Green Eyed Monster. Official merchandise based upon the classic and beautiful The Snowman by Raymond Briggs.
Reduced from £24.99 to £12.

Knitted Snowsuit - Multicoloured Rainbow Stripe

Toasty Warm Snowsuit by Brighton Designer Toby Tiger.
Reduced from £34.99 to £24.99.

Navy Cord Baby Dungarees

Snuggly navy blue cord dungarees also by Toby Tiger.
Reduced from £24.99 to £18.99.

We will be making further reductions throughout January - watch this space!

Meanwhile we're asking people to post pictures of their snowmen on our Facebook Page. We've started them off with some images which include our favourite: Snoda

So it's turning into a bit of a topsy-turvy week, and the boys are loving it.

I have to confess something though. When The Shopkeeper struggled out today to our local Sorting Office on ungritted roads in a blizzard, there was a tiny part of me that thought, just for a moment: "Can we get back to normal now?"

I must be getting old.

2010 - the Year of the Clearout!

2009-12-31T08:18:00.000-08:00

William Morris once said: "If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful".

As we find ourselves on the brink of a sparkly brand new year, I look around our shop and our home. Two very different environments with one common theme: lots and lots and LOTS of stuff.

Many moons ago The Shopkeeper and I had real jobs. Starting Little Sunflowers took us from one financial extreme (pretty comfortable) to the other (skint and worried about money all the time). In some weird way having money worries was good for us because it made us think hard about where we wanted to be. Far from the ambitious ‘world domination’ ideas we had at the outset, our ambition level has evolved to something which sits much better with us: to build a sound business to fit around our young family and each other. We’d like an income eventually which would allow us to have a nice life (as opposed being ‘minted’ which is what we originally thought we wanted) – but then again, don’t we all.

During the difficult times we didn’t buy luxuries; the money we had went towards buying things for the children. If this reads as ‘poor us’ it isn’t intended to be – it was simply reality and probably in keeping with just about every other new business owner in the country. We were absolutely where we wanted to be with an unshakeable belief that things would work out, and it’s amazing how many things become unnecessary when you don’t have much spare cash. Luckily for us the financial pressure has started to ease, but I don’t think we’ll ever go back to the mad old days when someone else paid us and we spent it all instantly. Do you suppose that little voice whispering ‘what if’ in the back of your head when you have your own business ever goes away? :o)

In the shop’s early days we were very cautious about slashing prices in the sale, being so concerned with original cost and ‘worth’ to us. This was perhaps partly due to being having financial challenges at home which made it difficult to get our heads around selling stock in our business below what we had paid for it. We’re over that now, hence our online Sales have become somewhat legendary. We now heavily reduce prices from day one plus reduce extra stock as we go along to ensure we get a really huge clearout. Now if only we applied the same logic at home...

We already had loads of personal stuff and old stock which we should have cleared before we relocated to Sussex in 2007 from Wendover, but instead we moved it here. So now we’ve got very old stuff, pretty old stuff, recent stuff... too much stuff.

My New Year’s Resolutions are usually hopelessly unrealistic so this year’s is simple. 2010 will be the year of the clearout. We don’t need all this, it’s sapping our energy (is there anything more depressing than looking at a room piled high?) and someone else could probably make much better use of it. This decision hasn’t come out of some kind of zen-like revelation. I’m just fed up with all this stuff.

So I promise myself that in 2010:

Each month I will lose the equivalent of at least one car-load of stuff from the house to the charity shop, freecycle.org, ilovefreegle.org, ebay.co.uk, gumtree.com or, if all else fails, the dump. Actually I’m hoping for higher volumes than this... just trying to keep ambition levels realistic... :o)
Each month we will donate one box of old stock to charity. This stems from the early days of trading when we couldn’t bring ourselves to slash prices in the sale, hence the stock didn’t sell so we dutifully boxed it up and it hasn’t seen light of day since. Of course we were going to sell all this stock on Ebay ‘one day’ and, in truth, are never going to get around to it (other independent retailers out there may be able to relate to this!).
For every non-food item I buy (ie clothes, furniture, toys) I will throw or give away something – yes this is a bit zen and it does work. I used to do it a lot but got out of the habit somewhere along the line.
I’m also going to try swapping things we don't need for things we do – there are some fab sites out there like readitswapit.co.uk for swapping books (or bookcrossing.com for those who prefer to release their books into the wild). Then there’s swapshop.co.uk for swapping cds, dvds and video games, Swapitshop.com for swapping toys and board games.

And so I will rid our lives of as much of this non-useful, non-beautiful stuff as I can in 2010.

Is this something others can relate to, or are we the only ones who need a massive clearout?

Seasons Greetings! Thank you to our customers for your support - see you on Boxing Day for the start of our January Sale!

2009-12-23T04:58:00.001-08:00

Pink stinks? We think tens of thousands of little girls disagree!

2009-12-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

You can't fail to have seen the news recently of the launch of a 'PinkStinks' campaign, aimed at getting rid of pink gifts and toys for little girls. The owners of the PinkStinks website say that:

We believe that body image obsession is starting younger and younger, and that the seeds are sown during the pink stage, as young girls are taught the boundaries within which they will grow up, as well as narrow and damaging messages about what it is to be a girl.

Now, we're all for girls growing up and having great jobs, being as good as (if not better than!) the boys, and having high self esteem. Who wouldn't be? But we're really not buying into the fact that buying them pink things makes them the opposite, no matter who thinks it's true!

Asking around the girls we know, pink is still a huge favourite, and we do think that most little girls go through a 'pink' stage - do people out there really think that having a pink laptop or pink wellies is going to lower self esteem and mean a more menial job?

Pink is a great success in our online shop, here are a few of our pink favourites for little girls (or boys for that matter!)

Away with the fairies organic t-shirt - 0-6 months

It's pink and it has fairies on it - and we love it! Sumptuous, top quality fairtrade clothing in top quality 100% organic cotton. Just £12.99!

Angelina Ballerina Small Barrel Bag

It's a bag and it's pink. Far from being a symbol of oppression and low self esteem, it's one of our best sellers, and at just £6.99 it's great for carrying around your belongings - maybe even your PINK ballerina shoes?

Small Paul Julius Hooded Top with Monkey Ears

For the girly little monkey in your life, this gorgeous Zip Through Hoodie features Julius the Monkey across the front, a black hood and cute monkey ears. At just £27.99, it being pink hasn't stopped it flying out of the door!

Hungry Jungle Butterfly - Insulated Lunch Bag

It's pink, it's insulated and it's perfect for carrying your sandwiches in for school or a picnic. We're sure that you can still become a high powered businesswoman in 20 years time, even though you had a pink lunchbox!

Now, we are being a little tongue in cheek here. Of course, not EVERY little girls wants to be surrounded by pink, and of course it's important that little girls grow up into self confident young women who follow their dreams and don't become downtrodden and self conscious. But think about it, is being surrounded by pink REALLY going to make that much of a difference?

Tell us your opinions in the comments - are you a successful woman who loved (and maybe still loves!) pink, does your little girl refuse to wear anything but pink, and have glitter, sparkles and various shades of pink become a part of your life without you really noticing? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

It's pyjama time! Pyjamas for children at Little Sunflowers

2009-12-15T11:39:00.000-08:00

No parent can resist the sight of their darling child fresh from the bath and all snuggled up in some cosy pyjamas at this time of year, so we're delighted to have some fantastic designs in stock.

New for December, see our great new range of children's pyjamas, including:

Ladybird / Ladybug pyjamas

100% cotton snuggly PJs with a ladybird image across the front, available in sizes 2-3, 3-4 and 5-6. At just £14.99 your little one can be snug as a (lady)bug in a rug for Christmas if you order now!

Cute Dinosaur Pyjamas

There'll be no monsters under the bed with this cute pyjama set featuring a cute dinosaur to guard your little one. Available in sizes 2-3, 3-4 and 5-6, and costing just £14.99, these 100% cotton pyjamas will keep your dinosaur hunter warm all night.

Girls Butterfly Pyjamas

What little girl could resist these gorgeous butterfly pyjamas, for warmth and cuddliness as well as sweet dreams? Just £14.99 and available in sizes 2-3, 3-4 and 5-6, let your little princess wrap herself in pink butterflies this winter.

Frog Pyjamas

Boys and girls alike will love these funky frog pyjamas. 100% warm and comforting cotton, and available in sizes 2-3, 3-4 and 5-6 years old, they'll help your little one hop into bed in a flash!

If you decide to order any of these fantastic pyjamas, let us know on our Facebook page or via Twitter, and don't forget to send us a picture of your little one in our designs - we're always looking for new pictures for our Facebook fan page!

How do you like our Beautiful New Blog?

2009-12-15T09:13:00.001-08:00

You may have seen the recent auction organised by lovely lapsed housewife Kat and hosted at Bambino Goodies to help raise funds for the Cumbria Flood Recovery Fund. We were lucky enough to win a blog makeover by Liz, otherwise known as Violet Posy

With sincere thanks to Liz - we love it!

What do you think?

Best Christmas Gifts for 3-6 Year Olds?

2009-12-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

We recently ran a competition on our Facebook Fan Page, where we offered £100 of Little Sunflowers vouchers to one lucky participant.

Today we'd like to look at some of the ideas we were given for the 3-6 years old age range.

TV and peer pressure is probably kicking in by this age, so how does that affect their choices?

1) We kicked off the list with a VTech Camera - our 5 year old has been asking for a camera all year and this one featured in the Toy Retailers Association's list of toys likely to be most in demand this Christmas

2) Antonia suggested train track - and it's true to say that boys and girls alike love playing with trains. The more track the better in our opinion! An Early Learning centre train set grows with your child.

3) Tinne reminded us that little girls still love Polly Pocket - and the range just keeps on growing and growing.She also pointed out that lego is still a winner :)

4) The Gruffalo was bound to be in the list somewhere, and Keri was the first to mention him. We have a range of Gruffalo gifts in our online shop, so be sure to check them out!

5) Go go Hamsters seem a popular choice with this age range, as Anna told us - and they're set to become the most popular toy this Christmas! Have you got yours?

6) In came Keri again with a great Peppa Pig suggestion, proving that Peppa doesn't have to be just for girls. George's Castle is a great buy. Don't forget our range of Peppa Pig gifts too!

7) Kids on Roof ecologically friendly doll houses were a great suggestion from Sophie in Belgium. Sturdy AND good for the environment - you can't lose!

8) Ride on Trunki suitcases look like loads of fun as well as being practical - another brilliant suggestion from Ailsa. We can already see the stress this would alleviate at the airport!

9) Helen suggested a toy that has lasted well over 3 years for her child - a VTech laptop. We do love the VTech toys and this looks like another winner.

10) This gorgeous laser cosmos projector projects the stars and solar system onto your child's bedroom ceiling and walls - it looks fascinating, so thanks to Claire for pointing it out!

11) Darryl gave us a whole host of suggestions, but we particularly liked this range of cardboard built houses, chairs and outfits from Villa Carton. Children get to decorate their toy before playing with it - what a great idea!

12) Scalextric was championed by Cheryl, which proves that you can't keep a good idea down - are there any men out there that DON'T recall their first Scalextric track?

13) Dressing up clothes, Violet The Hippo, Sylvanian Families, Board Games, Books and cake stands were just some of the other suggestions we had - so thanks to everyone for your great suggestions!

What are YOU buying your 3-6 year old this Xmas?

Last chance to win £100!

2009-12-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

OK people, this is a blatant plug and bribe!

Today is your LAST CHANCE to win £100 of vouchers for use in our Little Sunflowers online shop - that's £100 towards clothes, toys, gifts that will make fantastic Christmas presents.

And what miraculous feat do you have to perform to be in with a chance?

Well, all you have to do is:

1) Visit our Facebook fan page, then

2) Become a fan by clicking the 'become a fan' button top right, then

3) Post in one of 2 threads on our discussion board:

Christmas present ideas - 0-1 year old

Christmas present ideas - 1-3 years old

Christmas present ideas - 3-6 years old

That's really all it takes! 10 minutes maximum of your time, and you could be win big - what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to our Fan page NOW!

Christmas gift ideas for toddlers - 1-3 years old

2009-12-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

We're currently running a competition on our Facebook Fan Page, where we're offering £100 of Little Sunflowers vouchers to one lucky participant.

Entering is easy - all you have to do is suggest a Christmas present for a child in one of three age groups. You can find out more about it here.

Today we'd like to look at some of the ideas we've been given for the 1-3 or toddler age range.

There's so much around for this age group, that it's nice to get suggestions form other mums to see what their kids loved!

Christmas present suggestions for babies:

1) Tinne suggested a Wheely Bug - and we have to say it's a great idea! We've had one in our house for around 4 years and it's still withstanding knocks and bumps. What toddler wouldn't love this cute little thing?

2) A balancing bike was a great suggestion from Kerry. As well as showing us the one her son uses, she also found this really cute Peppa Pig one for little girls. A great idea for getting youngsters used to balancing before they have to tackle pedals, we have to say we like it!

3) Waybuloo is popular with this age group, according to Ailsa. So if your toddler is in love with this pre school TV programme, check out the HUGE range of gifts around this Christmas!

4) Emily is going 'old school' with paints, paper, crafts and things to 'do'. A great idea and ideal for taking time out and sitting with your little one to help! We think that stickers are a great addition to the mix too!

5) Another ride on toy fan, Karen is happy to have tracked down a ride on tractor for her son - and we have to say that this one at ELC does look pretty cool!

6) Gail is another mum going a little retro, with suggestions of wooden toys and balance bikes. There are some great wooden kids toys around and kids really do love them!

7) Samantha is going for the handmade look - but don't worry, you don't have to be a dab hand with a sewing kit - there are some great handmade toys here at NinnyNoodleNoo!

8) The Eco Wind Up Play Rocket is a great suggestion from Emma - bright, hard wearing and more importantly - NO BATTERIES! The bliss of not having to realise you've forgotten batteries on Christmas Day when all the shops are shut puts it on our list!

9) Pam's liking Mega Bloks - a firm favourite with the toddler age group and can be used to play many different games over and over again.

10) We love Solveig's idea of a kiddy sized table and chairs for painting and messy work - no more worries about your precious dining table and PVA glue!

So there you have it - some great ideas from our fans!

Dno't forget, we have a whole range of toddler gifts on our website, and the competition is still open to win £100 of vouchers - just visit our Fan page and post in our discussion forum suggesting YOUR favourite Christmas gift suggestions!

Christmas gift ideas for babies

2009-12-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

We're currently running a competition on our Facebook Fan Page, where we're offering £100 of Little Sunflowers vouchers to one lucky participant.

Entering is easy - all you have to do is suggest a Christmas present for a child in one of three age groups. You can find out more about it here.

Today we'd like to look at some of the ideas we've been given for the 0-1 or baby age range.

Not always the easiest to buy for, so let's see what entries we've had so far, and maybe it will help you with your Christmas gift shopping!

Christmas present suggestions for babies:

1) Wow Toys - Antonia suggested Wow toys for babies, and we have to say, the range on the website is fab! Colourful, bright and easy to grip, their range of baby bath toys should be on every parent's shopping list!

2) Tinne suggested that we took a look at GeoMag toys - they do a baby range that looks great. We liked this shapes and sounds magnetic set, available from Amazon, and suitable for 10 months plus.

3) Sophie the Giraffe is always popular with babies and parents, and Ailsa picked up the fact that we stock her in store. Sophie is always one of our best sellers, so if you have a baby to buy for, definitely consider it!

4) Tinne also recommended a Skwish as having fantastic colours and being easy for baby to get hold of - a quick Google and we found out what she meant!

5) Buggy board books were a great suggestion from Pam - any parent knows the 'boredom in the buggy' point always comes at the least opportune moment! Buugy board books are sturdy and fix to the pushchair so your baby can't throw them out every 2 minutes. We liked this Peter Rabbit one.

6) Only just fitting into this category was Samantha's suggestion of a baby Stella doll, suitable for 1 year plus - you can find this gorgeous little creature at Anara Toys.

7) Leigh suggested something that's both practical and playful - a Sleepytot comforter. The comforter has velcro feet that can hold dummies, teething rings and more, and the soft comforter helps your baby to sleep.

8) We loved Claire's suggestion of an Andy Warhol type print of your baby's face - how cool is that? Something to decorate his / her bedroom, and a great keepsake when he/ she is older!

So there you have it - some great ideas from our fans!

Dno't forget, we have a whole range of baby gifts on our website, and the competition is still open to win £100 of vouchers - just visit our Fan page and post in our discussion forum suggesting YOUR favourite Christmas gift suggestions!

Would you let YOUR 3 year old wear high heels?

2009-12-02T01:29:00.000-08:00

We've never really considered stocking high heels for 3 year olds as one of our ranges in our childrenswear shop, as it doesn't strike us as the most sensible thing to do!

So it's with interest that we've read the press recently and watched the growing furore over little Suri Cruise and her choice of footwear. Suri, the daughter of actor Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes, has been seen out and about regularly in high heeled shoes, and they seem to be becoming a bit of a habit!

While we know that every little girl loves dressing up, we're not convinced that letting her wear high heels (and yes we know they're not 5 inch stilettoes but even so!) regularly is good for her feet.

The Daily Mail today has quoted mum Katie as saying:

'They are actually ballroom dancing shoes for kids. I found them for her and she loves them.'

Well, ballroom dancing shoes or not, we're not sure they're suitable every day footwear for a growing 3 year old with paparazzi to outrun!

We'd love to hear your comments - please post below!

Win £100 of Little Sunflowers vouchers!

2009-11-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

Win £100 of Little Sunflowers vouchers!

To celebrate the launch of our new blog, and to encourage participation, we're extending the deadline on our '£100 Voucher' competition.

It has to be said that this is probably one of the easiest competitions in the world to enter - and just think of all the lovely things you could buy from our online shop with £100!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is share your Christmas present ideas for little ones in one of two places - either in the appropriate thread on our Facebook discussion forum, or in the comments below on this blog!

1 comp entry for every idea you post in any of the 3 topics. Here are the categories on Facebook:

We're sure that even off the top of your head you can think of 2 or 3 ideas for each category, so why not enter now to be in with a chance?

Want to win extra entries into the competition? That's easy too:

Post the link to this post on your Facebook profile and let us know
Share our Facebook page with your Facebook followers
Tweet the link to this page with the hashtag #littlesunflowerscomp
Email your friends about the competition and let us know

Help us spread the word, and possibly help yourself to £100 of our gift vouchers!