BOOK Boule de poils et mon canard

I have here the opportunity to present another book from my favorite illustrator: Marc Boutavant. This is not the new one, although is has been reprinted in March 2009, but this one is special because it is specifically addressed to Colette with a drawing. Marc promised me an interview for this blog a while ago. So "Marc, if you're there, thank you for the dedication but you still have a promise to keep here." In return I'll do my best to give Colette the love and strength needed to "save the planet". Thank you :-)

BOULE DE POILS ET MON CANARD Editions du Seuil

Grimms: desired but hard to get

Colette's doll house is happy to introduce you to its new annex: a compact living at its best ! When taken apart, the pieces of this all-in-one wooden house, create a playhouse with furniture. These lovely stacking nesting house blocks are made from solid alder wood and are dyed with non-toxic water based. The wood is sawed by hand. Spiel Gut award winner, that puzzle is designed to provide a stimulating play experience - challenging children to think and stimulating creative and independent play.

GRIMMS Spiel und Holz Design

Too hard to find but available at Natural Pod among their excellent selection.

BOOK Almost everything

What a gigantic book for our little ones ! Presque Tout is for those who want to know everything ... and for those parents that forgot everything ... Joëlle Jolivet works with lithography and her illustrations are not common among children's book. I like the bold outline that came with the linocut and its irregular lines so sensible. We discover weird names in this book, incredible houses, funny vehicules ! Both educational and entertaining, the book also has a glossary at the end listing all topics and revealing secrets about the objects, animals, the human body ... This is not a recent edition (2004) but it is a must have.

PRESQUE TOUT Seuil jeunesse

AU CHIEN BLEU Rue Leschot, 11 - 1205 Genève - map

Nathalie Lété brims over

At what point can you say that you're fan ? Am I a fan of Nathalie Lété ? I'm starting to think I am.

Nathalie Lété is a well-known French artist who works in a variety of mediums: the embroidery, the ceramic, weaving, textile design, painting, and illustration. Her designs are ubiquitous in France, appearing on Designers Guild textiles, the Issey Miyaké's shawls, she designed some tourist postcards, chocolates, hand-tufted rugs, magnet, children’s and graphic’s books, knitted and stuffed toys, glass pictures, patterned dishes, but also ceramic sculptures, silkscreen printed t-shirts, jewels in limited edition, ... She produces both for herself and for commissions.

I'd like to define her style as an inspired mix of Art naïf and Art Brut, very whimsical, sometimes exuberant with a light-hearted childish edge. Her world is nurtured by popular and folk art. Her art is quite unconventional and I admire her freedom to paint outside the lines and her nerve to impose her style for kid's stuff.

Two of her wool carpets are available at Little Home.

Also available at Little Home: the bucket, the magnets, the memory game, the dinette.

The ball christmas cardboard are from Si le roi savait ça.

Le petit chaperon rouge book, special edition Au Chien Bleu.

AU CHIEN BLEU Rue Leschot, 11 - 1205 Genève - map

LITTLE HOME Rue du perron, 27 - 1204 Genève - map

SHOP Si le roi savait ça ...

Ohwouahou, how am I gonna describe this shop ! Edelweiss's address book depicted the place as a "joli foutoir" ... (Les lieux qui comptent, édition 2010 Glénat) Yes, a "beautiful mess" is probably giving you the tone ... then add a lot of colors and folk patterns - this place is yelling its vibrant craze for life through each object presented. Now, I should warn you that Si le roi savait ça is NOT a store for kids. Yet, you'll find here the best pieces from Djeco, Mon petit Art, Filament and Minilabo among some decoration's items and accessories for grows up. It's hard to tell if the tin toys, the soft plush and the guirlands are more likely to go in your room or the kid's one !

Entering the shop, I first fell in love with the collection of scarfs displayed on the left wall. You can choose from the creations of Mia Zia, Odd Molly or Epice's scarf (my favorite brand), the one that will reveal your kid's personnality. Also, be aware that in this shop, you are antiquing more than shopping ! Have fun.

SI LE ROI SAVAIT ÇA ... Rond-point de Plainpalais 6 - 1205 Genève - map

FEB.02 2010 > THE SHOP IS CLOSING THIS ADDRESS AND WILL NOW TAKE PLACE AT THE LIBRARY "AU CHIEN BLEU"

Happy New Year everyone !

La maison de Colette wishes you Joy and Peace to you and your little ones. This year 2010 should be designed for Quality over Quantity and I hope I would be of some help in your choices. La maison de Colette will be getting closer to its readers from Geneva and its French neigbourhood and might evolve with a printed version at some point. Stay tuned and let's enjoy this new year together !

This is a picture of the center piece of our Christmas decoration: the floating white branch :-)