Rainbow House

The Rainbow House has been around since 2009, where have we been?  Ab Rogers' living artwork has us inspired.

  

The Rainbow House, London from Ab Rogers Design on Vimeo.

Playhouses

Sometimes a playhouse is in order and if you aren't in a DIY mood check out Awesomeplayhouses on etsy. 

How adorable is this General Store?

A classic doll house.

Wishbone Design

Balance Bikes are kinda a big deal around here. These fabulous creations save adults' backs while allowing wee ones to balance on their own.  But now there is a new bike in town... Enter the 3 in 1 by Wishbone Design. This little darling moves with a child from trike to bike, with a stop by balance bike. We adore any gear that can live with a family for awhile!

Rocking Moto

Check out this Heirloom Motorcycle from Etsy's hi4heather.  Each moto is handcrafted and made to order.  Rock on. . .

Oscar's on our mind....

This Sunday is Hollywood's biggest night and since we live in the land of Tinsel it is hard to not get swept away with dreams of good Old Oscar. Here are a few items that are inspired by the films on the top of the awards lists this season...

The Stevenson Brothers have pleased the Queen and many others for years!   Also a new addition we feel would tickle even the toughest cowboy. The makers of the most remarkable rocking horses in the land the Stevenson Brothers have been hand making these exquisite equines since 1982.

Love the ballet? Did you know that you can take a piece with you? The ABT sells autographed shoes worn by it's dancers! Choose from Principals, Soloists, or the Corps de Ballet and the dancer whose autograph you would love to have.

And if a wee one was going to accept an award they would need to be properly attired... here are a couple lovely offerings from I Love Gorgeous

Sleeper Cell Hotel

We're obsessed with indoor/outdoor camping options and Suzanne Husky's Sleeper Cells have us smitten.  Perfect little play environments!

(Via Little Paper Planes)

Piutre

Another of our favorite finds from Toy Fair was The Piutre Company, these handmade magnificient stuffed animals speak for themselves, but the enthusiasm of the companies fans are contagious. We spoke first with two friends of the company who had attended Toy Fair just to show their support! This company has been family owned for almost four decades. It was sold to a larger company in the 1990's, but the family bought it back when they felt their product was diminishing. All their designs are made in Italy and they can even make them to order if you prefer, want the polar bear looking in another direction, or the dog lying down in a different way- they can make those alterations for you. It was really exciting in an ocean of large companies making disposable creations in factories unseen, to meet companies striving to continue to preserve the art in toy making.

RJ Wright Company

This may have been our favorite find of the entire fair- RJ Wright and Company has been making exquisite dolls and stuffed animals for over the last thirty years. Designed and hand-made in Vermont, these dolls have been winning the hearts of collectors for decades. While not dolls that will be anyone's daily lovey, these would look amazing in a nursery as a work of art.  We were delighted to meet the artists' daughter and speak with her at great length about these amazing works of art. Here's a look behind the scene at their studio in Vermont.

 The facial detail on all their dolls and stuffed animals are air brushed by an artist.

 Master seamstresses sew each of the outfits.

Getting dressed and ready to go. Et Voila!

March Hare is fully jointed, stands about 17" tall, and is one of 250 created. 

Little Red Riding Hood is out of production, but we love her so much we wanted to share!

The Wonderful World of Stuffed Animals.

We think it's fair to say that most of us are familiar with  Hansa's amazing stuffed animals. They have been proudly displayed in FAO Schwartz for years. They have amazing animals and are  known for their craftsmanship. What we found out when we stopped by the Hansa booth at Toy Fair is that the larger animals can hold up to 200 lbs.! They can literally be ridden! How fun is that?!

But German company Kosen, has stolen our heart a bit it's hard to tell if it's just that their fairytale collection is so adorable, that we are suckers for barnyard animals in spring, or because they have been handmade in Germany the same way for 100 years.

But these are so great for spring!

Oh and for all you Bo lovers out there-

Morgan Cycle

These classic designs stopped us in our tracks! Morgan Cycles are so much fun!  One feature that makes this company exciting is that while they keep classic designs, they also unveil new designs as well. Their bike helmet which will be available for this Holiday Season.

And speaking of the holiday season....

They claim bragging rights to unveiling a hip trike like this one way back in 1936. To keep your tike's trike, bike, or classic roadster in tip top condition Morgan Cycle recommends coating them in a layer of car wax to prevent humidity and moisture from destroying your tike's fun!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Happy Valentine's Day! We know you have already gathering all your gifts for your sweethearts, but for next year... check out this lovely confectioner located in Minneapolis (almost our hometown!) We'll tell you more about what the owners of this delicious shop are up to in future posts, but for right now, on this day of love, here's there chocolates!
Look for Maud Borup at a specialty retailer near you!