toss the mess...

Most parents have a love, hate relationship with the humble bib. We love that they function as a clothing protector, acting as a force field between orange pumpkin and designer outfits but aren't as fond of the extra pile of washing they create.

How is this for a great idea then...a biodegradable disposable bib from Cocoboheme. If you just can't bear to scrap off the hardened weet-bix and broccoli then do what the royals do and toss it out! Printed on a potato starch material, it is an environmental solution to bib woes!

We look forward to seeing an Australian equivalent soon.

the artful child.....

In years gone by, art was strictly adult business and finding a gorgeous piece suitable for a child's room for serious hard work. Thankfully we now have a myriad of options and choices to suit every taste and budget. From original illustrations to digital prints, here are a few on our current wish list.....

Prints like this one from Printspace are really affordable and super gorgeous. Perfect in an Ikea frame. Visit them at Magnolia Square Sydney and Melbourne or online.

We love the Belle and Boo range even more now that we have been fortunate enough to meet the artist Mandy Sutcliffe who visited us at Magnolia Square in November. Prints available at Habitat Baby.

This little guy looks full of delight over his nutty find! Yum Yum lunch is an original watercolour and is available here.

Limited edition mixed media work from Ana Ventura, Primavera ( Spring) Cut and Paste is available From our friends at Kindergallery.

This exquisite piece would not be limited to a child's space and would look just as spectacular anywhere in the house. Loving the snakes and ladders type approach of silks, french fabric, hand drawn detail and digital technique. View at Nikki Catalono's Esty store.

2 degrees of fun.....

Day one of the school holidays here and the kids are already mumbling on about having nothing to do.

It was very timely then that I received a lovely email from Anne at Luce Handmade telling me all about her gorgeous new project. TwoDegrees will be the umbrella in which many unique, Australian, hand crafted projects will be launched.

The first being natural rubber stamp sets featuring local Australian landscapes and made from natural vulcanised red rubber. Each is mounted on reclaimed Tasmanian Celery Top pine including foam cushioning so are perfectly safe for little hands and mouths should they make their way there! In the typical style of Anne Mason, the stamp sets are superbly packaged in a handmade bag made from organic materials and finished with a divine letterpress tag.

Purchase here and get the kids stamping.

mini city.....

We do endeavour to show our readers things that are both beautiful and accessible...however these were just too adorable not to feature.

Kast van een Huis is a dutch company, translating loosely to mean ' a barn of a house'. These cityscape closets are standouts in the collection; functioning as storage as well as a unique room divider when a few are placed in a row. The design is based on the canalhouses, famous in Amsterdam..and we just love them!

They are not yet available in Australia, but it is always nice to dream......

memories of woodlands...

Madly skouting around Etsy this morning looking for last minute, non-plastic gifts that will still make it in the Christmas post, I found this.

A very cute, eco friendly take on the classic game of memory. Loving the woodland creature images, all printed in non-toxic, water resistant ink and the handy cotton storage bag.

Available here .

a fair to remember....

It certainly has been a year to remember..a year that Sydney finally had a year to be a part of!

With our last fair for the year coming to an end last week, it is timely to thank our new and loyal customers for their support this year and to congratulate our talented retailers on a job very well done. It is due to them that Magnolia Square just keeps on getting better!

Here are just a few pods of gorgeous from our November Sydney show captured of course by our favourite photographer Little Bird Photography.....

Personalised pencil cases and lunch cases from Raspberry Ripple....boy, were they walking out the door!



Classic, quality ranges for boys and girls from And Me Too......



Gorgeous bloomers and singlet sets from Suzy Allen...



Super sweet clips from Little Choopie....this pile got small very quickly!

a ripple of christmas....win...win....

If the armfuls of red bags walking out the door in Sydney were anything to go by, Raspberry Ripple was a hit with Sydney shoppers.

Alongside the core range of personalised products for children sat gorgeous personalised gift ideas and gorgeous Christmas decorations all singing in the signature colours of red and white.

For a chance to win one of 8 Christmas bib bon bons from Raspberry Ripple simply email us with a photo of the little person who will be wearing the bib for Christmas lunch! brooke@magnoliasquare.com.au

for the petites....

Here is something little girls and their mummy's will just love. Ellani Petite designs and handcrafts a beautiful range of pretty bows, buttons, hair clips, ties and headbands.

Its all about spots and stripes and timeless grosgrain all set within a classic colour palette of reds, navy blues, denims and pinks. Each piece is hand sewn ensuring that the finish is meticulous and of the highest quality.

Magnolia Square at Brighton Town Hall is the only place you can find Ellani Petite before Christmas so be sure to pop down there in time to stuff those stockings. On today until 5pm and Saturday 10am -4pm.

for all that is bright in Brighton....

What an amazing year we have had. Our launch into Sydney was a resounding success and our continued growth in Melbourne has been very exciting. The year isn't quite over though and we plan to end it on a high with our last fair for the year at Brighton Town Hall. Starting tomorrow and running through until Saturday, our grand finale will not disappoint.

Be sure to visit Cloth Poppy for a beautiful range of darling fashion for little girls and pretty things for the home. Designer Leesa learnt to sew early on and was inspired by her daughter to create gorgeous things that 'swish and swirl'

"A passion for fabrics and pretty dresses passed down three generations inspired me to create Cloth Poppy" Says Leesa.

Each garment is hand made in Melbourne using carefully selected vintage and new fabrics sourced from around the globe.

See you in Brighton. Click here for times.

a winner once more......

Even from these beautiful images, its hard to image just how divine the range from Lipp Design really is. So beautiful was her display at Magnolia Square Malvern last week, that she took out the Visual Merchandising award for the second time!

Artist Pipp Compton gracefully uses a melody of different mediums in her eclectic collection of art. From gorgeous gift tags to serene papers and one-off illustrations Pip carries her fanciful flair throughout the range.

The Lipp Design website is set to launch very soon so keep your eye out.

a sack of fun....

Maggie and Sparrow never fails to delight us and the latest offerings ready for Christmas don't disappoint.

Slightly bolder then before, we love the new colour palette and love how the patchwork of fabrics work together to create fun pieces with a tender country like charm. You will find the most divine Santa sacks ready to be filled with all the goodies collected on your Magnolia Square shopping expeditions.

For the keen little chef, crafter Kathryn has come up with a super cute apron and utensil set - no need to hide this one away in the bottom drawer!

Not long now for Victorian shoppers - click here for Malvern and Brighton dates and trading times.

meet Mandy herself.....

We are giddy with excitement with only days to go before our Sydney Christmas event. And even more delighted with the announcement that British illustrator Mandy Sutcliffe will be coming all the way from England to visit us at Magnolia Square!

Mandy is the beauty behind Belle and Boo, a captivatingly beautiful collection of illustrations centered around the carefree story-like lives of children, woodland creatures and other friendly folk. Each piece is reminiscent of times gone by, dotted with equal measures of quirk and naivety.

'Mandy’s deceptively simple and stylish images capture vividly those precious moments in time enjoyed by children. Whether it be feeding the birds and animals,hugging a tree or simply sharing a story with a friend, the experience conveyed is always pure, and often set in natural environments. '

Mandy will be visiting us on Saturday the 21st from 11am to sign prints and talk about her work. You will find her at Habitat Baby who stocks an adorable range of Belle and Boo prints. How lucky are we!!!

open doors....

Australian designer Ashling Punnett is the creative force behind Lilly and Lolly with a mission to end the current 'closed door' policy that so often applies to children's rooms. Lilly and Lolly is a complete designer solution providing beautiful linen, decor accessories and contemporary design orientated furniture.

The furniture range caters for children 0-16 years (and often beyond) and combines handcrafted Tassie Oak and classic white with clever storage and interesting, fun designs. The linen collections helps to bring a children's room to life, adding personality and a splash of colour. The team is careful to use only the finest 100% cotton fibres to ensure kids are kept cool and comfortable all year round.


Meet the Lily and Lolly designers at Magnolia Square in Sydney and get ready to keep 'the bedroom doors open'!

one clever girl ...

Those who met Leslie of one girl designwrks earlier this year at Brighton will be thrilled to know she is coming back to Mag Square, this time to Malvern in a couple of weeks. If these images look a little familiar it's because Leslie was profiled in the Sunday Herald Sun very recently. The article has caused a rush of enquiries for oobies and fleurs ... but don't worry, Leslie will have a nice stash for the Christmas Fair!!

once upon a time ...

hello dolly...

We just adore these divine softie dolls from Red Wagon. Each is meticulously hand crafted and brought to life with beautiful detail. Sweet little girls complete with necklaces, pony tails and vintage pinafores sit aside handsome little cowboys and french baker boys.

With different hair color, eye colour and expressions on each doll, it is easy to pick one reminiscent of the little person you are buying for. Red Wagon also has a range of 50's inspired stationary, canvas bags and other gorgeous bits...visit the stand at Malvern Town Hall and Royal Randwick.

denim nation.....

We all know denim works - a great pair of jeans is worth its weight in gold. Jeans for little people can be just as hard to find but now the first pair of jeans can also be the perfect pair!

Little Rivet Jeans describes themselves as being 'true and honest to the craft of denim' Founder Bec Moloughney combines her passion for apparel and small fashion with her industry knowledge to pull together a collection of fashion forward denim pieces for boys and girls 1-6 years of age. The focus is on a great fit, quality construction and a super range of styles.

Style up your tiny and small at Magnolia Square Malvern Town Hall and Brighton Town Hall. Click here for dates and trading times.

we love a BIG sale ...

There are great reductions to be found for the next 2 days on line at and me too. Selected pieces from the cotton knitwear range are 50% off and girls polo dresses are just $10. There are lots of t shirts, plain and stripes in the sale also. Purchase online and mention the little snippets blog for the chance to win a $50 gift voucher. The winner will be notified via email.

perfect habitat.....

Finding the perfect bedroom accessories for your little one can be a daunting experience. The mass market provides limited options, all of which look look well..like they belong in the mass market. Magnolia Square was delighted to stumble across the delightful range from Habitat Baby - a world away from mass produced alternatives.

The bedding is a perfect blend of quality, style and attention to detail. Each piece exudes hand crafted workmanship and creative thoughtfulness. We love the combination of colours, tones and textures which work together to create a look that sits somewhere between contemporary and whimsy.

Habitat Baby also stocks a range of Belle and Boo prints. Deceptively simple and stylish images capture vividly precious moments in time enjoyed by children - every nursery needs one!

See the range at Magnolia Square November 19-21st at Royal Randwick Racecourse.

don't miss it ...

and the little bird told us...

.....the little birdy told us that the worlds best ( by our own admission) children's photographer is coming to town!

Pru Trundle is the 'bird' behind the lens at Little Bird Photography and keeps us enthralled with her captivating images of her little subjects. Pru seems to effortlessly capture the innocence and colour of childhood and her passion for her craft radiates through each shot. Her work really is a pleasure - as is she.

Hours can pass pouring over her blog which brings new meaning to the age old adage that a picture tells a thousand words.

Little Bird Photography will be at Magnolia Square in Melbourne and Sydney and will be taking bookings in both states!