Kindness

Morning All,

I discovered earlier this week that today is World Kindness Day. I like special 'days' and particularly like the idea of a day which celebrates kindness.

Kindness is a wonderful thing, a simple act has the ability to turn someone's whole day around, or can even have a life changing impact. Isn't that incredible! Simple but powerful.

Teaching my children kindness from a young age is something that is hugely important to me. I find myself piling on the praise if Wilf does the smallest kind thing, like giving his sister a toy to play with for example. Sounds small but for him that's a big deal.

To help encourage kindness I've decided that this December we'll be inviting some 'kindness elves' into the house. I'll be taking inspiriation from the amazing Anna over at the Imagination Tree. In a nutshell they're an alternative to the popular (and slightly creepy looking) Elf on the Shelf. Take a look at her blog post which you can find here, if you have children I'm sure you'll love the ideas there. I'm hoping it will become a tradition in our household and help to encourage acts of kindness and thoughtfulness which will go way beyond just one festive month a year.
I'm sure our elves will be popping up on the little maldod instagram page to say hello at some point!

Every so often my husband leads one of the youth groups at our church. Recently he was telling me that the topic they've been looking at is kindness. They were challenging each other to carry out a random act of kindness during the week ahead without making a big fuss about it. One of the ideas that was suggested was, without being asked, emptying the dishwasher for their parents without a big song and dance. I like this idea! Not just because kind children helping at home is something I'd like to see one day but because they're learning about being quietly kind.

The bible has lots to say on kindness. Don't worry I'm not about to write a sermon, but one of the important things I think it teaches is that kindness is quiet. The greatest acts of love and kindness are those which are done humbly, quietly and sometimes almost completely anonymously. I don't know about you but I find that hugely challenging!

Why don't you carry out a quiet act of kindness today? Who knows the impact it could have.

Thanks so much for reading.

With Love,
Lowri x

A big brother and a little sister

Hello!

Prenote, this post was meant to just be a feature about the 'big/little brother, big/little sister' vests and tees. However, I'm afraid in writing it I've realised just how great siblings really are, so this post is more about that now. If you decide to read on you'll just have to excuse the sentimentality!

Watching my son and daughter start to interact and 'play' together is, for my husband and I, the nicest thing ever. Our daughter Anwen is at an age now where she won't sit still for long before she's off and trying to get at her brother's toys, usually causing much fuss in the proceedings. Just yesterday I told Wilf "well let her have just one piece of duplo and she might not try and knock it all down then." But when she's not getting into mischief and he's not grabbing toys (read, anything she picks up) back from her, they genuinely appear to be building up a sweet little friendship.

I have a sister who is just under two years younger than me, exactly the same age gap as there is between my two. Although we're really quite different in character and had our fair share of arguments growing up (oh, I could tell a story or two...) we are now very close. She's one of the reasons little maldod exists and has been a constant supporter/encourager/advisor from day one. She's an amazing, fun and very generous Aunty but most importantly I can without doubt call her one of my best friends.

I have friends who are like sisters and I know my husband definitely has mates who are like brothers too, but I think there's something extra special about the bond that siblings have together. From the memories shared of family parties, holidays, silly things we made each other do and things that used to wind our parents up (yes, a few stories there too!) to just 'getting' each other and being able to talk straight. I'm loving seeing Wilf and Anwen growing up and forming that special bond from a young age.

When Anwen came along our lovely friends and family who visited bought gifts for Wilf and showered him with attention as a new big brother. I've always thought its important to make the older sibling(s) feel really special when a little brother or sister comes along as its such a huge change for them, regardless of their age.

The big/little brother and big/little sister vests and tees are a lovely gift idea, not just for Christmas but also for a little one with a new sibling.

Available in the little maldod shop. 

I'd intended to have big brother/ little sister tops ready and waiting for when Anwen was born but alas that didn't feature in my newborn preparations. However, I'm delighted that they're now available in the shop. I made up samples for my two to model but as you can see from the photos below (the vests being hardly readable) they had other ideas.

Can you tell he's had enough by this point?!

Anyway, you can see them properly above and they're available to buy online now (links above.)

Thank you so much for reading.

Much love,
Lowri 

Christmas has landed!

Morning all!

Hope you had a great weekend and that your week is off to a good start.

I'm delighted to share little maldod's Christmas 2014 range of vests and tees with you all today! Christmas vests were really popular last year so I wanted to make them available to you as early as possible. I've added no less than 8 new designs and really hope you like them.

I've featured a few of my favourites below, but you can see the full range here. 

Rudolph and Penguin Vests and Tees, from £9.95

A couple of cheeky little chaps have joined us this year - Rudolph (his mates) and a Penguin can now be found on both our vests and toddler tees.

Christmas Tree Vest/Tee, from £9.95

I'm a big fan of this Christmas tree design. Perfect for those that prefer things a bit more understated.

Candy Cane Vest/Tee, from £9.95

This design is a festive take on our bestselling polka dot buttons vest/tee. I ended up eating too many candy canes (ahem, props!) while photographing this, I'd forgotten how good they are. Must remember to buy more for our tree.

Limited Edition Stocking, £14.95

I have also added some Christmas stockings to the shop today. Last time I blogged I shared my plans for some limited edition designs. This 'children at play' stocking is the first in this range and is now available to buy. There's only TWO of these though so be quick if you don't want to miss out!

Large Personalised Stocking, £24.95

Large Personalised Stockings were very popular last year and are also now available. Here's a picture a customer sent in of theirs hanging at home last December. We love customer photos!

For anyone interested in ordering one of these, please note that the dispatch times for these are slightly longer than for other products. Instead of the usual 7 working days, these stockings will take 14 working days to be made up and dispatched. I hope, seeing as they won't be put to use until the 24th December, that this doesn't cause any problems! If you need an order urgently though then drop me a line and I'll see what I can do.

Trust me when I say that I have PLENTY more planned in the way of Christmas so do keep your eyes open for the launch of more products. However, I thought I'd offer those of you who like to be organised, a special early bird discount! *** To receive 10% off all Christmas Vests and large stockings until midnight on the 31st October, just enter code: littleearlybird at the checkout.***

I thoroughly appreciate that its still only October and with spooky Halloween around the corner (we're bypassing that altogether thanks!) that some of you may not even be thinking about Christmas just yet. I'm even beginning to wonder if I have enough festive cheer to keep me going for the long haul (will resort to eating more candy canes if not). However every year December 24th comes round more quickly than the last so I don't think it can hurt to get organised and start planning for this extra special time of year. I hope you agree!

I'll keep you updated on the launch of new products over the next couple of weeks. But for now, thanks so much for reading and happy shopping.

Lowri x

My Stocking Bicycle

Morning,

Happy Friday friends.

Just a quick post today, I don't normally write my posts when the children are awake and I've just remembered why...... The tune of Bob the Builder doesn't exactly help the thought and writing process.

But I wanted to pop by and tell you about some plans I have for some lovely stockings.

I opened up my fabric stash the other day and had a good look through at the huge range that I've accumulated over the last year or two. I'm terrible for buying fabrics and taking ages to actually use them for something. However I'll often place a couple along side each other and match up patterns and colours that I think 'work' together.

The other night I hopped back on my stocking making bicycle (took me a while to remember how to make them but appears its like riding a bike!) I made the stocking you can see in the picture below. Its a lovely size, lined with a mint green polka dot and has this gorgeous 'children at play' fabric.

She reminds me of me as a girl!

I loved the process of choosing the colours and making up something with fabric I've been saving for something special. So, I've decided to make up some other stockings like this for the little maldod shop. I'll make up one or two more of the stocking you can see above but as I have a limited amount of the fabric there'll only be a couple available. I'll then make up some more in other fabrics I like together.

Unlike the other products in the shop which are made to order, these stockings will be made up and then added to the shop. This means they won't be available for personalising but can be popped in the post to you pretty promptly.

Below is a small selection of fabrics that I like, not necessarily that Christmassy but I think they'd look great as stockings! Which are your favourite?

The designs of each of these stockings will be limited and I'll pop photos on the little maldod social media pages as and when new stockings are added. So if you see one you like be quick as they might not be around for long. 

Large personalised stockings will be available again this year as well as mini stockings which will be great for hanging on the tree and popping a chocolate or two in.

I'm hoping to have the Christmas stock photographed and added to the shop at some point in the next week or so. I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you. 

Right, off to turn off Bob and get ourselves out of pyjamas......

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Much love,

Lowri x

Buttons for Beti

Morning All,

A friend recently placed an order for a baby called Beti. When she told me the reason for giving the gift my heart broke.

Beti is a beautiful 8 month old little girl who, during this last summer, has had to undergo 5 operations to remove a brain tumour. Thankfully most of the tumour has been removed but Beti now has to undergo a year long run of chemotherapy after which her family have been told to expect to need to travel to America for a period of focused radiotherapy.

I met Beti's lovely parents, Natalie and Stuart, on Friday evening at a local event we both happened to be at. They live locally to me and, with exactly two months between their daughter and mine, I couldn't help but be deeply moved by their story. The friends and family of Natalie and Stuart have set up a dedicated facebook and fundraising page and, as their words are far better than mine, I'd urge you to click on these links if you'd like to read more.

Various events have been planned to help raise funds for any necessary treatment Beti may require in her fight against Cancer. I've thought about this family a lot since hearing their story and after reading their fundraising page decided that I also wanted to make a contribution. I've therefore decided to  make 'Buttons for Beti.'

Since reopening the shop in the summer the Buttons vest has been a best seller and its this design that my friend ordered for Beti. With that in mind I have decided to donate 10% of all sales from the Buttons vest to this hugely worthwhile cause.

If you've already ordered a buttons vest since the reopening then a percentage of your order will also be going towards this.

I am thankful every single day for the health of my two children and I can't even begin to imagine what this family have been through, let alone the journey they still have to take. I can only pray that the treatment Beti receives will enable her to grow up to enjoy a happy, fun filled childhood and future.

If  you live in Cardiff then do follow the Facebook page to hear about some lovely fundraising events coming up.

Thank you so much for reading.

With love,
Lowri x

Autumn and a change of pace

Hi there,

I haven't stopped by here in a while, hope you're all well!

Thought I'd update you on what we've been up to round these parts and fill you in on some plans for the little maldod shop in the lead up to our first birthday and..... Christmas! Yes, that's right I'm a big fan of the festive season so you can expect things to get pretty, well, Christmassy soon enough.

Life with the little maldod shop back open has been busy, but I expected that and its how our household generally operates, on full steam. However, when we got to the end of the summer and realised we'd only had one weekend out of 11 at home with JUST the four of us, five including our four legged pal Alfie, we decided things needed to sloooooow right down.
Don't get me wrong, our summer was packed full of brilliant weekends - away seeing friends, away on holiday or having friends to stay. We're absolutely blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives dotted around the country to spend time with.

But we decided that our Autumn weekends should have a slower pace and I must say, its been just lovely! Apart from a cracking week away in Longleat (a belated gift for Sam's 30th) we've enjoyed some quiet weekends at home - pj's until midday, roast dinners and cosy film nights, that kind of thing. Here's a few of my favourite photos from the last few weeks.

Autumn light in the park

Harvesting in pyjamas

Cosy night in with the bake off

Late afternoon fun at the local 'ranch'

Smiles at Barry Island!

A little monkey and a little penguin.

little maldod HQ transformed

A special anniversary day in Rye

Lovely Longleat

With my feet on the ground a little more, I've also had some time to think ahead and plan for my second little maldod Christmas. It was a busy one last year and quite a shock to the system having only been open for a month, so I'm getting a bit of a head start this year. 

I've shared a couple of sneak peeks over on facebook and instagram but am going to make you wait a little longer to see the full range....

This stocking was a big hit last year though so I'll be bringing them back again when the Christmas range is launched.

Finally, I've also been planning some fun and treats for little maldod's FIRST BIRTHDAY next month! Can't believe that we'll soon be blowing out a birthday candle. What a year its been and I've LOVED the adventure so far.

So, some very exciting things to come! I look forward to sharing more with you over the coming weeks. 

Thanks for reading this little round up. I hope you're enjoying the start of this lovely cosy season. I love each new season when it arrives but particularly love the change of pace that Autumn brings.

See you back here soon.

Lowri x

Some essentials.

Hello!

I'm a bag fan. They're my thing (along with writing lists), I've always loved them and always will.

So it was with great excitement that I chose my first ever changing bag when I was pregnant with Wilf. It was selected for its style (obligatory Cath Kidston polka dot) not too girly, so Daddy would be happy with it on his a shoulder, and functionality - with pockets galore and a great big mat. I loved using it and filled it to overflowing with all the baby 'essentials'.

Sadly I've since bid farewell to the pretty polka dots in favour of a more practical backpack, which Daddy is much happier with. With baby number two I tried to kid myself that I could get away without carrying round a load of stuff. Turns out I can't. I've been caught out a number of times recently after packing in a rush or deciding I didn't need a particular item. Improvising with a muslin in place of a changing mat is fine though right?!

So with that in mind I've decided to add an 'essentials' range to the little maldod shop. Some staple items that I couldn't do without but with a little maldod style.

Aside from the usual nappies and wipes, here's my top three:

A changing mat:
This lovely roll up travel changing mat is so handy, it can be fitted into smaller bags and can be thrown in the wash when needed.

Travel changing mat, £11.95

Muslins:
You can never have enough! These personalised muslin squares remind me of the embroidery stitched hankies my Gran used to have with her initials on. These muslins are extra large so can double up as a sheet for swaddling as well as clearing up drips and dribbles!

Personalised muslin squares,  from £3.95

Available as a single or as a set of three and finished with ribbon.

Feeding Cover:
I didn't have one of these first time around and used to just drape a shawl over me to cover up when I was breast feeding out and about. But having made some as gifts I decided I would make myself one for baby number two and its been brilliant! I can just pop it over my head, pop baby under it and look down to see her feeding (or fidgeting depending on how hungry she is!)

Floral breastfeeding cover, £14.95

I've had lots of comments on it and had great feedback from friends who've used theirs. I'm feeling brave so here's a little snap of me modelling it...

A well used cover, hence the creases!

If you or a friend are choosing to breastfeed they're a great buy. The covers are currently available in a lovely peppermint green polka dot and a newly added floral print. However if you have a different colour scheme in mind I'm happy to take customs orders to suit.

An extra thing which I couldn't do without in my bag is pegs! Random I know but the number of times I've used them to peg up muslins to the buggy for wind/rain/sun shade is ridiculous! You never know, perhaps I'll add a pack of pegs to the shop soon too!

I'd love to know what you find essential in your changing bag and if there's anything you'd like to see added to this range do let me know, I'll add it to my list!

Before I go, on the topic of bags I'm going to be making up some lovely drawstring bags in the next week or two, perfect for little people and just in time for the new school term. So if you're looking for something a bit different for a nursery or school kit bag, keep your eyes peeled on Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks for reading,
Lowri x

Its good to be back

Morning all,

What a lovely week it's been, it feels great to have the shop doors back open again and I'm so grateful for the lovely comments and messages of support. I really enjoy everything that's involved in running little maldod and when I get feedback like the message below it puts an even bigger smile on my face!

Vest orders have been as popular as ever this week. So I'm very pleased to announce that some new designs are now available. These gorgeous designs are by the very talented Emily a Skull and Cross Buns and I can't wait to see them on some vests.

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you may have seen that I'm offering a one off sample price for each new design. So if you're looking for a bargain you can snap a personalised vest for just £5.95, saving you £2 with FREE delivery thrown in.  As a sample the vest will be photographed for the shop before its popped in the post.
But be quick, there's only one of each design available so if you dont want to miss out head over to the shop, QUICK!

Some lovely fabric has also landed on my doorstep this week, Im excited to show you what I've got planned for it. Hopefully I'll get some time on my sewing machine over the weekend....

Whatever you have planned over the weekend I hope you have a lovely time.

Thanks for reading.
Lowri x

Minor adjustments

Hello All!

Eeek, just one day to go.....

Before I open the doors again I wanted to update you on a small change that I'll be making to how the shop will be run.

With two children now running/ rolling around little maldod HQ life is pretty busy and time is even more precious than ever. As you'll probably have worked out by now little maldod is an independent handmade business that is run solely by me, not withstanding the amazing love and support that I have from my husband (AKA chief label printer in hours of need!)

Almost everything  I sell is made to order and everything is carefully printed or sewn, packaged and sent to you as if I were making a gift for a friend. Because I want the same care and attention to go into each order without it being rushed out the door and into the post box, I've decided to extend the dispatch time from 5 to 7 working days. Very often I can turn things around well within this time frame but at least this gives me breathing space when life gets busy.

Personalised vests have been a best seller for little maldod and the original long sleeve vests will still be available when the shop reopens. However I'll also be stocking some shorter sleeve vests (like those below) with brand new designs which will be perfect for the summer. 

I've come up with, what I think, is rather a clever plan and will be offering a selection of each design and style at heavily discounted 'sample' prices. The only catch is that the vest or t-shirt will be photographed for the shop before winging its way to you. A win win situation don't you think? I'll post more details of this on facebook and Instagram in the next week or two so keep your eyes peeled.

Finally, the eagle eyed amongst you may notice that some products have been discontinued. This is so that I can keep things looking fresh and exciting. However if there's something that you spotted before that you'd like to order just drop me a line as I happily take commissions.  

I very much look forward to welcoming you back again tomorrow and hope you enjoy what’s to come over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for reading.

Lowri x

It's been a while....

Hello!

So, one minute it was March and I was awaiting the arrival of our daughter, the next minute she's here smiling, giggling and rolling and its nearly August. It feels just like yesterday that we bought our little newborn back from hospital and started to settle into life as a four. Our chirpy (read chopsy), happy and contented little Anwen is an absolute joy and such a wonderful addition to our family. 

I thought I might have updated this blog a bit more than I have done since her arrival (i.e. at least once) but as it turns out I rather lost my blogging groove when life's pace stepped up a gear.

However I've found great enjoyment in documenting life's adventures through Instagram. Its a great form of social media and I've experienced a real sense of community from it. If you use it then do look up and follow @littlemaldod for more up to date happenings.

As well as welcoming Anwen into the world in March we've had a fun filled couple of months. We've celebrated mine and Wilf's birthdays, spent time visiting friends and family and had a lovely week in West Wales in a delightful farmhouse. We've also had lots of lovely home and garden time and have been making the most of the amazing sunshine. Here's a few photos of what we've been up to. 

 

A break from the shop while we adjusted to life as a four has been lovely (and much needed) but I knew I'd want to get back to little maldod over the summer, so here I am! Yes in case you've missed it the shop will be open for business again from this Friday 1^st August (gulp!)

I'm very exited to share some lovely new products that I have planned as well as making some little maldod versions of things I'm finding really useful with a little one again.

I'll share further details of these in future blog posts but this feeding cover is a small taster of what's to come. 

If I'm honest with you, as well as being excited I'm also slightly nervous about opening up the doors again. I'd got used to running things with one toddler who could be depended on to have epic afternoon naps and to go down well each night (SO lucky, I know.) Now there's another little person around and time is even more precious. I've therefore decided to make a small change to how the shop is run but I'll update you on that next time.

I'll also share some details of a special offer on samples that could be making their way to you very soon.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I look forward to welcoming you back to little maldod on Friday!

Much love,

Lowri x