Easter Treats - pretty little things for baby

Pretty little things for baby this Easter - rattles, slippers, comforters and toys, all in soft but cheerful colours from my favourite toy maker of all, Moulin Roty. Everything here is available to buy from Cottontails so just hop over the website to shop....

a. Rabbit ring rattle from the Mademoiselle et Ribambelle range, £13

b. Mr Lapin slippers (0-6m) from the Mademoiselle et Ribambelle range £16

c. Fluffy hen comforter from Les Tartempois range £21.50

d. Jeanne Goose comforter from The Grand Family range, £19 (due in stock end March)

e. Monsieur Lapin bunny toy from Mademoiselle et Ribambelle range £26

Easter Treats for your boiled eggs and soldiers

Today's collection of Easter Treats centers on Easter Eggs. Not the chocolate ones, but lovely little egg cups and cosies to use when you're having your boiled egg and soldiers...

a. Oak bunny egg cup £20 from Hop and Peck

b. Egg cosies in a little bag  £8 from Belle & Boo

c. Felted lambswool bunny cosy £13.50 from Catherine Tough

d. Linen egg cosy £12 from Charlotte Macey

e. Clever little toadstool egg cup from Maileg available to order from me as part of a set - email me for details  

Oh! A little update - I have just been browsing on the Catherine Tough website again (I am hankering after a pair of socks) and have just realised the bunny egg cosy (c, above) also comes in a little gift set with an egg cup. It's really lovely, and only £20. So I'm adding it to my selection!

 Catherine Tough handmade lambswool egg cosy gift set, £20

Click here to shop...

Easter Treats - things for baby

The first in a series of posts I will be sharing over the next few days, showcasing a range of gifts and treats on an Easter theme.

To kick off, here are some of the loveliest things around for a baby at Easter. A couple of them are available from me, others are things I have discovered from other shops and designer makers - all the details are beneath the image.

a. Wooden bunny teether from Bannor Toys ($13.50 in the US but ship worldwide) - click here to shop

b. Ride on rabbit by Moulin Roty £150- available from me by special order, email me for details 

c. Rabbit ring rattle £13 - available from me - click here to order online

d. Wooden play blocks £12 - available from Myla & Oscar -click here to shop 

e. Maileg bunny bib £9 - available from me by special order, again get in touch for details
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What's new for Maileg spring 2016?

As I wrote in my last post, I have recently returned from Top Drawer trade fair (read all about what a trade fair is here) where I had a good look at all the lovely new things Maileg are bringing out for spring and Easter 2016.

Here is a little summary of my favourites - this is all new, forthcoming stock which will be in stock at Cottontails Baby as soon as it is released in the UK - with everything due between February and May.


There are plenty of new Mini and Medium sized bunnies due out this season and I have the following on order:

 

New mini sized bunnies will join the current collection (view here) Spring 2016

 

New medium sized bunnies will join the current collection  (view here) this spring 

 

Here they are having a little sit down at Top Drawer

A lifestyle shot from the new catalogue - I love it! 

Okay so on to mice and there are rather a lot of them on their way! To join the existing range of matchbox mice there are a collection of Big Sister and Big Brother mice in matchboxes, new Little Sisters and Little Brothers, a pair of twins AND a rather lovely little naked mouse called Lomus. Have a look at them all below...

 

Here's Cousin Lomus - he is naked! Somebody must buy him and clothe him immediately!

 

Lots of new matchbox mice coming this spring - if you can't wait for these, see the current collection here 

 

Look! New Maileg baby twins! Due March / April I think...

Turning now to mice accessories, there are some really sweet little suitcase sets availavle - a medical suitcase, a little boy's suitcase (with two outfits and some tooth care things - a mouse's teeth are vital and must be well maintained) and a little girl's suitcase with a dressing up ballerina clothes set. There is also a new empty suitcase tin in a gorgeous new floral design (which matches some Easter napkins - more on that in a moment) 

 

Medical Suitcase for mice (just look at the size of that pill!!) - due in May but I do have some doctor bunnies in stock now (view here) for anyone needing urgent medical attention

 

Little Boy Mouse overnight suitcase - and here's naked Cousin Lomus again, he needs something to wear...

 

Ballerina suitcase tin - due in May 

 

I had a little play at Top Drawer and found Cousin Lomus eyeing up the ballet clothes... 

 

 

New to the Maileg range of pretty tins - this one will be coming in May but see the current range available now  

And now news of something completely new from Maileg for this spring... meet the Best Friends - three fabric animals (bunny, cat, dog) with Liberty fabric ears who come naked but in LOVELY gift boxes, and then - necessarily! - a range of outfits made specially for them. Please note these outfits will NOT fit other Maileg bunnies - they belong only to the new gang, the Best Friends. They are all arriving in May...

 

The brand new Best Friends range from Maileg - launching in the UK May 2016

 

Best Friend bunny with Liberty ears 

 

A whole new wardrobe designed especially for the Best Friends 

 

Lovely lifestyle shot from Maileg showing off the new Best Friends

Finally, a few new accessories - tins, bunting, napkins to add some Maileg style to a birthday party or Easter tea, and a couple of extra items I REALLY love - check out the bunny bag! 

 

Tins (come with or without flag bunting) and three lovely new napkin designs

 

Bunny bag - quite big, book bag size - and some accessories - I can't wait for these to arrive in May!

 

Lovely Maileg lifestyle shot showing the new 'school' inspired accessories

Oh! And just one last thing which made me smile... The Truffle Pigs  (view here) have had a baby! Truffle Piglet is due in May...

This is a pretty good introduction to all the new stuff I will be getting at Cottontails (to go along with the huge existing range of course) but to see everything else you can download and view the new Spring Summer catalogue on the Maileg website.

Top Drawer 2016 - and what is a trade fair?

"What exactly is a trade fair?" people often ask when I say I'm heading down to Top Drawer, or Pulse, or up to the NEC for the Spring Fair.

Simply put, it's like shopping for shops. Trade fairs are where retailers go to view products and place orders.

They're not open to the public (you have to register in advance and tell them about your business, so they know you are a legitimate buyer and not just somebody trying to do a bit of personal shopping) and in fact it's impossible to buy anything there and then - it's all about placing orders to be delivered in the future.

They're also incredibly inspiring and happy events. For retailers like me, who work alone, or even for those in small high street shops, it's just lovely to escape the shop / office and meet other people with a similar vision. It reminds me that I'm part of something bigger.

It's also a chance to see samples of all the new things coming on to the market - so it's pretty exciting.

Sunday just gone I traveled down to London for one of my favourites - Top Drawer. Held at Olympia it's a pretty beautiful, discerning fair - to my mind it's the best fair for seeing all the nicest, most inspiring manufacturers together, and there are lots of smaller companies too so it's a great place to find new suppliers.

Back in the office I'm sorting through the bits and bobs I picked up, and below are some of my highlights...

 

Some of the catalogues and samples I collected

 

Back in the office and working through the show guide  

 

Moulin Roty - always a *joy* to visit

(and I had a nice cup of tea with Tim, the UK head of Moulin Roty)

The Maileg stand - separate post coming up about their new collection

  

Some inspiring displays...

 

...and it's great to touch and feel the products 

Finally, one of my favourite new finds - these guys make the loveliest linen children's aprons

Cottontails goes to the Royal Welsh Show

Last week I left Rudolph in charge of the office and took myself off to the Royal Welsh agricultural show.

 

Now, I'm probably not your typical show-goer - I glared at the Countryside Alliance stand, sought out pretty much the only veggie food stand there (LOVELY veggie platter from the Welsh Creperie) and actively avoided the 'fur and feather' area as I can't stand to see show rabbits in tiny cages.

BUT as regular readers might know, I have a couple of goats and and I just LOVE to visit the goat stand. And as a member of my local goat club I know just how well the show goats are loved and cared for - many of the owners actually camp beside their goats for the five day show to keep them safe and sound. As someone who doesn't camp under any circumstance, this, to me, equals extreme dedication.

So off I went to the show, and of course  I took my camera and managed to capture a few pictures...

First I called in to see the pigs:

 This Danish beauty took 'best of breed' in the Maileg class - you can buy her offspring here

Then off to the sheep, where I was lucky enough to see some judging taking place...

This fine sheep went on to take first prize in his class - the judge was very 

taken with his soft fleece and 'line of his ears'. His offspring are available here.

And finally my favourites - the goats!

I was particularly keen to see the new Moulin Roty goat. She is a brand new breed and her kids will not be available to buy until September...

 

 

 

 (My favourite photo as the lovely girl on the left is spitting image of my girls)

So, all in all I had a lovely day out. Oh and I must just mention one particular highlight - a woman  with a an otter sleeping up her jumper. Yes really. Photographic evidence below...

 Amazingly, this one isn't photoshopped

 If you too would like to keep an otter up your jumper, this one definitely won't nip.

Sylvain the travelling rabbit - "On the road again..."

Well it's been quite some time since his last adventure and after a few months resting and helping out in the Cottontails office, Sylvain the Travelling Rabbit is back on the road...

Sylvain: on the road again

Truth is he's been languishing in the office for ages, waiting for me to sort out some new destinations, so imagine my delight / relief when Sarah from Brighton emailed me today, out of the blue, offering to host him. Wonderful. Thank you Sarah! 

So... Sylvain has already packed his suitcase, and he is off today on the overnight train (first class post) for a few days down on the south coast. 

And after Brighton... who knows...! Perhaps he could come and stay with you? 

If you would like to host him please email me...  His needs are simple... I just ask that you take a photo or two (or a hundred!) so I can share his adventures, and that you send him back to me or on to his next destination. He has a passport and is more than happy to travel overseas too.... 

So if you fancy taking care of a very well behaved bunny for a week or so - just let me know. So far his diary is blank, so if you want him - he's yours!