Pinterest day today, the #pinitforwardUK campaign is well under way!

Posted on May 18, 2013 by smudgetikka

Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social networks on the web at the moment. No doubt all you tech savvy blog readers will have heard of it but just for those who haven’t it is a tool for collecting and organising photos of the things you love.

You can pin from the web just about any visual pictures you find, I use it to collect my children’s fashion photos and I have started to organise by season, I am just about to start a new board for spring/summer 2014 as the trade shows begin. I also use it to check out womens fashion and photography online. Follow my boards at Pinterest here.

I have a friend who redecorated her house using only Pinterest boards as inspiration and I know many designers who use it to make mood boards for work. Pins link back to the original source so you can also use it to track down clothes, toys or interior products that you love the look of. The result is a constant stream of inspirational pictures like these below, you can find beautiful or just weird and wonderful.

Pinterest Smudgetikka’s kids and children’s fashion trends board.

I also want to introduce a fellow blogger and her board to you, Katie from Modern Mummy who will be introducing her Pinterest board tomorrow. One of her boards is below,

Modern Mummy’s Pinterest board, Things I need to make

To join up for Pinterest either click the badge on the side of this post or register here. I promise it will fascinate you, the only problem I ever have is feeling guilty for the amount of time I spend on there!

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

Beautiful kids portraits from Sierra Leone by Ian Winstanley

Posted on May 17, 2013 by smudgetikka

Part of a project by photographer Ian Winstanley for World Vision to highlight the terrible problems of child marriage in Sierra Leone where girls as young as 12 are forced into marriage.

The photos are also a reflection of the hard 10 year civil war the country has endured and where at least for now the future looks a little brighter.

Ian Winstanley child portraits from Sierra Leone 2013

Ian Winstanley’s child portraits from Sierra Leone – 2013

Ian Winstanley’s child portraits from Sierra Leone for World Vision

Ian Winstanley’s child portraits from Sierra Leone – 2013

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

M&S have got themselves a brilliant kids fashion collection for fall 2013

Posted on May 16, 2013 by smudgetikka

We knew there was a new design element coming to the Marks and Spencer kids fashion collection in line with all the changes to the adults and the new team at M&S have pulled off a brilliant first seasons children’s collection.

All the trend elements from the designer brands are represented with brocade fabrics, vibrant colour blocking, geometric prints and woodland themes present. The price point has not changed from last season so it is all reasonably accessible.

The change in the babies selection is stunning, with beautiful soft pinks and caramels tones or vivid splash prints replacing the lurid pink embroidered items of recent seasons.

Readers will have to wait till July for the new fall styles to filter in but keep an eye out as the best items are sure to sell out in superquick time.

Party dressing at the new style M&S fall 2013 preview for kids fashion

Vivid colour blocking trend at M&S a/w 2013 kids fashion selection

Mixed prints with a spotty top, neon belt and splash print skirt in this kids dress from M&S for fall 2013

Mustard for the boys and sheer tops for girls at M&S a/w13 preview of the new kidswear collection

Marks and Spencer fall 2013 the monochrome edit for kids fashion trends

Cool geometric print for girlswear at M&S fall 2013

Geometrics again on a simple girls top for kidswear at Marks and Spencer

Cool print combinations on boyswear shirts at M&S fall 2013 collections

Intarsia knitwear for the boys at Marks and Spencer winter 2013

Sweet animal kids shoes at Marks and Spencer Holiday 2013

Sweet animal kids shoes at Marks and Spencer fall 2013

Gorgeous velvet floral printed toddlers dress at M&S winter 2013 preview.

Vivid splash print baby dress at M&S fall 2013, part of the re-vamped kids collections

One of the key winter trends for kidswear this year was brocade, this baby dress from M&S is spot on this trend

Such a sweet polka dotted baby dress from M&S for fall 2013

The new pale fleshy pink tones for the M&S babies collections are a great improvement of the harsh pinks of last year.

A just stunning beaded baby tutu skirt at Marks and Spencer for fall 2013 kidswear

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

Missie Sunshine Couture – children’s beachwear with a funky attitude from Montreal.

Posted on May 15, 2013 by smudgetikka

Missie Sunshine Couture is the brainchild of Christina Lee and her partner Heidi Massa who started the brand over a year ago. They are based in Montreal and the collection is produced in India.

Helping them with the branding, art direction and graphics is one of my cyber friends, Chantale Park whose own delightful blog featuring her daughter Kiki shows us many aspects of Montreal and her favourite bento boxes! A firm twitter friend to many UK bloggers, she avidly retweets us all the time so thank you ChantaleP.

Kiki features as one of the models in the new Missie Sunshine Couture summer 2013 collection which has easy dressing kaftan styles, sheer slip over swimwear dresses and casual jersey stripes.

Missie Sunshine summer 2013 young girls and tweens summer dressing from Montreal

Missie Sunshine summer 2013 for girls up to 10yrs, summer dressing from Montreal

Missie Sunshine summer 2013, vibrant layered dresses made in India.

Missie Sunshine summer 2013 casual summer dressing for girls

Missie Sunshine summer 2013 monochromatic trend dress for kids fashion

Missie Sunshine summer 2013, sheer dress for beach layering kids fashion

Missie Sunshine summer 2013 dip dye kaftans for kids beachwear trends

All posts copyright Smudgetikka – permission must be asked for reproduction 2009 – 2013

Habitat rolls out into Homebase, winter 2013 sneak preview of this newly accessible collection.

Posted on May 14, 2013 by smudgetikka

Homebase showed off its new collection for winter 2013 last week with a romp through the homes of Sherlock Holmes and the Mad Hatters tea party.

One of the key elements of the new collections is a huge range of new wallpapers with monochromatic oriental prints and graphic fake bookshelves prints amongst the most striking.

Habitat will have a section devoted to itself in the store and the name ranges look pretty sharp under new director Polly Dickens. In mustard, Yves Klein blue and pillarbox red mixed with grey tones the designs are graphic and striking for the winter season ahead.