Merry Christmas!

It's my favorite day of the year!
I hope you all have an wonderfully relaxing holiday, spending time with the people you love, and soaking up all the good things this time of year brings.

Christmas Gift Guide: DIY Decoupaged Notebook

Can you believe it? Christmas is only 10 days away!
If you're still trying to come up with that special something, we've got a great idea for a gift your kids can make themselves (with only a little help!). This decoupaged notebook is pretty, personalized, and easy on your wallet.

First, find a plain notebook (or sketchbook) that you can decorate. You might even have one laying around at home! Draw a border around the edges.
Have your kids pick out images from magazines that remind them of the gift-receiver, or choose some special photographs to print out. Photos should be cut into squares that will fit into the designated box.
Your kids can now arrange the pictures on the notebook, and once they have decided on the composition, they can glue them on. Then comes my favorite part...the modge-podge!
It's a good idea to do a few layers of modge-podge, and allow for adequate drying time between each coat. You can even have your little one inscribe the inside cover with a special message before wrapping this beauty, and placing it under the tree!

via Design Mom

The babies are coming!

You love babies, right? Well, then this one’s for you...

Do you ever wonder about the significant cultural difference between the babies born here in Canada, and the babies born all over the world? ‘Babies’ is a film coming out in 2010, following four babies from around the world, from birth to first steps. Watch the visually-stunning trailer, and be amazed...

Christmas Gift Guide: DIY Pup Tent

Every child would love to have their own crawlspace...which makes this simple DIY pup tent a great gift idea! Parents can assemble this in the basement, the living room, or even in a child's bedroom! You can even leave the decorating of the tent-space up to the kids...
The tutorial comes from CasaSugar, and can be used for any number of special occasions. She made her's for Park(ing) Day, so her and some friend could get some shade. Find detailed instructions here.
Inspiration for a simpler version can be found here. This tent, made from a simple sheet, would be great for a rainy or snowy afternoon when you're stuck inside with the kids.

via Casa Sugar

We think DREAMING BIG is AWESOME!

Little Bird is honored to carry 'An Awesome Book!', written and illustrated by Dallas Clayton. Based on the simple concept of dreaming big, this book will inspire kids and adults to pursue the passions they dream of, and realize that nothing is impossible.

Dallas says 'There are two kinds of dreams. The ones that you have when you're sleeping, and the ones that you have when you're awake. And that's what the book is about. It's about bringing those two types of dreams together: Your wildest fantasies and your hopes and aspirations. It's about dreaming big.'

Surprised by the thousands of books he was selling, and the amazing feedback he was getting, Dallas began his book tour. His idea was to read the book to as many people as possible, and for every book that had already been sold, he wanted to give one away. And so the 'Awesome World Foundation' began. This foundation exists to promote children's literacy by encouraging kids to dream and dream often. For every copy of An Awesome Book sold by Awesome World, books are delivered directly and distributed to schools, hospitals, libraries, camps and shelters both domestically and worldwide.Little Bird is so pleased to support this foundation. Just like the message Dallas is sharing all over the world, we want kids in Hamilton to know: 'Whatever your dreams are; however crazy they are, how wild or intangible...don't give up. Anything's possible. That's what it's all about: dreaming, giving, sharing, helping other people. That's the goal, that's everything. That's awesome.'

'An Awesome Book!' is available now at Little Bird.

Introducing...Retro Wednesday!

Hey friends!
Here at Little Bird, we know that Wednesdays can sometimes be a little dull, which is why we're so excited to present you with 'Retro Wednesday'!

Often, while parents are watching their kids in our playroom, we'll get into great talks about our own 'good ol' days'. Almost always, the conclusion is that toys, games, and TV shows...they just aren't like they used to be.

So now you can come to the Little Bird Facebook page, and get a little dose of nostalgia. Every Wednesday, we'll be providing links to the best pop culture of our childhood. We encourage you to join into the conversation, by providing your own memories and thoughts about each weeks reference.

Mind you, my references will be limited to the late 80's, so if you've got something you want me to post, just leave a comment or link, and I'll be sure to get to it!

Looking forward to traveling back in time with you!

Hop into bed, and turn up the Pyjama Pop!

If you haven't tried out Lullatone's Raindrop Melody Maker, you definitely need to head over to their website and check it out! You can create your own soothing, melodic, fun but mellow songs that KidHaus describes as the perfect music to play 'after dinner, while the kids are in the bath, pulling their pajamas on and winding down for the evening'. Get it? Pyjama pop! Sounds nice, huh?

Check it out here.


Lullatone has also produced a number of full-length albums. Their latest is 'Songs that Spin in Circles'. 'Originally composed for their newborn son, this set of merry-go-round melodies is the perfect bedtime background music for babies and adults alike.' You can listen to the tracks here.

Christmas Gift Guide: DIY Rag Quilt Letters

This DIY gift idea is pretty to look at and it's educational!


Jessica, from Happy Together, put together this tutorial, and says these cloth letters have become an instant hit at her house!

Please don't be intimidated by the quilting aspect of this tutorial, as you could easily adapt it to a simple sewing project. It's also a great way to use up all the scraps of material you might have lying around your house!


You can find the tutorial here. Don't these pictures get your mind spinning with all the projects you could use this for? Birthday banners, Christmas ornaments, gift tags, the list could go on and on...

via IDIY

Sale on Winter Outerwear!

We're tired of seeing the coats and boots, just starting at us, reminding us every day that winter is coming. So, we're having a sale!

Starting tomorrow, all boots, coats and snowsuits will be 30% off!
We've got a great selection, so you can be prepared for when that snow does decide to show up...


See you soon!

Have you heard of 'Papier Mache'?

Papier Mache is a gorgeous, drool-worthy online children's magazine that comes out only twice a year. It's full of great photography, exceptional DIY ideas, interviews, and unique articles. It's a free magazine, and I highly recommend subscribing. It's like getting a present in your inbox!

Some highlights from the newest issue:

My World (simple photographs taken by children, revealing a little bit of the way they see the world):

Immaculate children's clothing:

An article about how to turn your children's drawings into a work of art:

Photo-stories:

And that's just a taste! I absolutely recommend seeing it for yourself....

Christmas Gift Guide: Soy Crayons and Modeling Dough

How gorgeous are these art supplies?


These crayons ($5.50) and modeling dough ($9.00) will be a hit with any child. They're made by Clementine Art, and available through Fawn & Forest. The dough is all-natural, and get this: the colors are produced with turmeric, carmine and spinach!

via poppytalk

Christmas Gift Guide: DIY Photo Flashcards

Christmas is coming up, and so we thought it would be fitting to post some lovely, gift ideas for the little ones in your life! We think gift giving should be an enjoyable, thoughtful experience, and hope that you'll be inspired by the adorable gift ideas we post. Some will be DIY, some hand-made by our favorite artists, and all will be eco-friendly. Because that's just what we do...

We'll start our gift guide with these DIY flashcards. They're a great option for a niece, nephew, or sweet, little neighbor....


Jackie Kersh, of Avocado and Papaya, developed these lovelies, and offers a full tutorial here. You could also use this idea to develop a 'memory' game, or even just a personalized set of blocks.

via ohdeedoh

Can you tell me how to get...

...how to get to Sesame Street?

40 years ago today, something very special popped up on America's television screens. It was the first ever episode of Sesame Street, and it was the beginning of what would become the longest running children's program on US television.

Did you know...

*Ernie's 'Rubber Ducky' song was released as a single, and hit #16 on the Billboard Chart in 1970?

*Cookie Monster pre-dates Sesame Street by three years? He was originally known as the 'Wheel Stealer' in General Mills commercials.

*In 2002, on a South African version of Sesame Street, an HIV-positive muppet was introduced? Kami was a five year old girl who was infected by HIV through a blood transfusion as an infant. Her name was derived from the word 'Kamogelo', which means 'acceptance' in several African languages.

*Oscar the Grouch was originally orange?

...there you go. Now you're a little more educated in the subject of Sesame Street.

Lastly, to mark this special event, I thought I'd provide you with some great Sesame Street clips. Here are some of my favorites:

One two three FOUR five, six seven eight NINE ten, eleven twelve...such a classic, I'm sure you all have this song tucked in your memory.

For the music lovers: Feist, Norah Jones, REM and the Goo Goo Dolls...

The Yip Yips. Nothing else to say about them.

The classic 1977 breastfeeding clip...good job, Sesame Street. And a bit of a remake, years later...

'If he can do it, I can do it too'...a touching tribute to Jim Henson.

Do you have some Sesame Street favorites? Feel free to link to them in the comments...

Boo! We're having a Halloween party!

Here at Little Bird we see a lot of kids every day, and dang, are they ever cute!?
But seriously...what's cuter than a kid in a Halloween costume?

We're having a Halloween party, and we want to see all our mini Little Bird shoppers in their costumes! We've already heard that there is going to be a mermaid, a unicorn, a paper bag princess, a Bob the Builder, and a plant! (A plant?!)

On Saturday, we'll have a station set up for kids to decorate some awesome trick-or-treat bags, and parents of costumed kids will receive 10% off all Little Bird purchases. There will be delicious goodies and warm drinks for everyone to enjoy as well! We hope you can make it!

Here's a few photo's for inspiration:


And if I could dress up as anyone, I think it would be Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba! (He's the green guy...)


*Little Bird after-thought:
You can see some picture from our Halloween party here.

Big Announcement!

Little Bird now has cloth diapers!
We are so pleased to unveil the new cloth diaper section, presented by 're•diaper'!

Now you can come to Little Bird, and find Hamilton's best selection of cloth diapers and diapering accessories. 're•diaper' offers everything from wetbags to diaper sprayers to laundry soap...as well as six different brands of diapers! Check out the 're•diaper' website for more information about the products being carried...

Also, this Saturday you are invited to the 're•diaper' grand opening! You can win door prizes, meet other Hamilton parents, and meet the 'diaper expert'!

Tiny, little adventurous bird...

I saw this piece today, and it struck a chord with me. Opening the Little Bird shop was quite an adventure. It required hard work, motivation, and the confidence that Hamilton was the city where I wanted to make my dreams a reality. We've only been open a month, but I have no doubts that it was all worth it, and that this is the right place for our shop.

What are your dreams? Is there a 'tiny little adventurous bird' inside of you, just waiting to make something happen?

...a new buzz on Ottawa Street.

There was an article about Ottawa Street in the Hamilton Spectator yesterday. According to Joan Walters, this is the new place to be. The article specifically focuses on the fact that so many businesses are moving here from Locke Street, which is more and more defining our up-and-coming Ottawa Street as 'the place'.

Here at Little Bird, we love Locke Street, and all our friends over there. They have an amazing community, and so many interesting shops and restaurants to visit. On the other hand, we're so honored to see some of these successful shop-owners investing in Ottawa Street. In our humble opinion, it is the place to be!

Check out the article here.

Chalk one up for the team...

Did you know that Little Bird has a wall-sized chalkboard? We've already had lots of creative kids in here, leaving their mark on our chalkboard wall. We love to see what is going on in their smart brains...

Here's a picture of our very first piece of art:Bring your kids in to let their creative energy flow...

This little bird has a nest...

We have a home! Little Bird is now open! It was a long process of renovating, but Little Bird is looking great. We're proud to offer you our clean, fresh, organized store front, and we can't wait for you to come peruse though our merchandise. Little Bird is a consignment store for kids size 0-6, and in case you're not familiar with the concept of consignment, I'll explain:

You bring in your kid's clothing items, and we sell them. When they sell, you get 40% of the selling price. That amount gets put onto your account in our computer system. You can come in whenever you want to pick up the cash, or you can use it for store credit. Don't have items to consign? Little Bird is simply a great place to shop. We hand-select each item we put up for sale, and we can offer you quality, brand-name items at wonderful prices!

If you have kids, or know someone with kids, be sure to stop by Little Bird! We are currently carrying fall items, which are great for back to school. Hope to see you soon!