Design | Crayons and Croissants

Buddha Board – Just Add Water

February 3, 2014 by crayonsandcroissants

Buddha Boards are the perfect way to create art with a zen twist – just use water and the paintbrush to unleash your inner artist. Then watch your masterpiece fade away and start again, no cleanup required. Talk about a perfect creative surface for kids, especially for art on the go. Master the art of letting go with these creative boards that go way beyond etch-a-sketch. Buddha Boards come complete with a beautiful clean slate, which can be placed on […]

Categories: Craft, Shop • Tags: Art, Children, Crafts, Design, restaurants, Toddler

Alphablock: An interactive Alphabet Book

November 29, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Alphablock (by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peskimo) is quite possibly the most inventive and creative alphabet book we have ever read! In this interactive board book, every letter of the alphabet gets two full pages to shine. The thick pages are cut into the shape of each letter, and the die-cut versions of the alphabets provide a peek-a-boo spin on the classic alphabet books. R is for rainbow, and we are treated to a lovely landscape compete with rain, sun and […]

Categories: Read • Tags: Alphabet, books, Children, Design, Picture Book

Itzy Ritzy – For An Organized Life

February 12, 2013 by crayonsandcroissants

Anyone who has young children knows that the days of traveling with just the bare necessities are in the past. When Little M and I go out, we don’t leave home without snacks, sippy cups, diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, extra socks – I could go on (and on and on). I used to struggle with keeping everything in my (ahem) overflowing diaper bag separated and easily accessible and I knew there had to be a better solution out […]

Categories: Jet Set, Shop • Tags: Children, Design, Eco-conscious, Family, Snacks, Travel

Chalk It Up: Homemade Chalk

December 4, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

Learn how to make your own chalk with this crafts project from the book eco-friendly crafting with kids. When Little M and I are feeling especially creative and in the mood to be artsy, one of the first places we look for inspiration is Kate Lilley’s fabulous crafts blog, minieco. The projects are innovative and eco-friendly, the pictures are gorgeous, and the materials are, for the most part, inexpensive and easy to find. I’ve written about some of the projects we have found […]

Categories: Craft, Nest, Play • Tags: Activities, Art, Children, Crafts, Design, Eco-conscious, Family, Kids

Draw Me a House

November 15, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

I recently came across Draw Me a House, an interactive book that is perfect for budding architects, style enthusiasts and design buffs. Little M and I are having a lot of fun with this book. Although it is billed as a coloring book, I find that it offers so much more for both kids and adults. Each page presents an opportunity to draw, color, create and design on paper. Author Thibaud Herem, a French-born illustrator based in London, has filled […]

Categories: Play, Read • Tags: Activities, Architecture, Art, books, Children, Design, Family

Book Meets Art: The Game of Sculpture

November 5, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

I first heard of Hervé Tullet when I came across his children’s book Press Here. If you haven’t seen this book yet, it is an amazingly interactive book that takes children on a magical journey through the pages, all starting with a yellow dot on the cover. The dots change color, move from left to right, grow, shrink and multiply – all using the reader’s imagination! Little M and I enjoy reading this book, we laugh as we press the dots on […]

Categories: Play, Read • Tags: Activities, Art, books, Children, Crafts, Design, Family

Mail Call: DIY Doorknob Mailbox

November 2, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

Learn how to make this adorable doorknob mailbox from the fun and funky crafts book You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy. I came across Abbey Hendrickson’s amazing blog, Aesthetic Outburst while searching for easy projects to do with Little M. The blog details Abbey’s crafts projects and life with her husband and their adorable kids. In a nutshell, they moved back to Abbey’s hometown in rural New York and she found herself at home, with two kids, struggling […]

Categories: Nest, Play, Read • Tags: Activities, books, Children, Crafts, Design, Family

Hape days

October 25, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

Think children’s blocks are one and the same? I used to think that way until I found these amazing Organeco Blocks from the toy company Hape, which by the way is one of my favorite eco-conscious brands. The beautiful blocks are big yet lightweight, made of bamboo, decorated in bright (and non-toxic) colors, and easy for Little M to hold and stack. They come in fun shapes and sizes, which inspires us to use our imagination to create unusual structures and […]

Categories: Play • Tags: Activities, Children, Design, Eco-conscious, Family, Organic, Toys

Knit pick

October 10, 2012 by crayonsandcroissants

As much as I enjoy shopping for the best in baby products, I have to admit that I love all things DIY (do-it-yourself) as well. I enjoy painting and crafting projects with Little M, but I have never really been much of an expert in sewing or designing clothing. Which is why the thought of knitting something never even crossed my mind. All of that changed when I came across this incredible blog called What to Knit When You’re Expecting by […]

Categories: Nest, Read • Tags: Children, Crafts, Design, Family, Fashion, Knitting

Crayons and Croissants

your guide to the best in children's books, family-friendly activities and eco-conscious products.

Tag: Design