Little Gypsies wanders through Sydney markets

Like Casey, I LOVE strolling through a good market so when I was down in Sydney last weekend, I couldn't resist visiting my friend Madeleine who had stalls at both Bondi and Surry Hills markets.

How cute is this vintage board game?! In case you can't read it, it says "The Game of Flower Lotto. Educational Amusing Entertaining For Young Folk."

This is Madeleine checking out the gorgeous old clothes at Surry Hills. She also owns two very cool vintage shops on Crown Street in Sydney (a couple of doors down from each other) called Puf'n'stuff. Check them out if you're ever in the area.

This is taken at Madeleine's stall at the Bondi markets, which happen every Sunday on the grounds at the local primary school. I always get some great bargains, especially shoes and bags, which a gal can never have too much off :)

A day in Bruns

This is Brunswick Heads, a little fishing village just north of Byron Bay. I moved here a couple of years ago and am so glad I discovered this piece of paradise. I have lived in some incredible places all over Australia but this is the first one that I've been "in love" with... Veda

Colour and Sun rays :)

I found these pictures today of Sequoia and I, that were taken in our home April last year. It was published in the great Aussie magazine Australian Parents, quite a good magazine with stories, and advice that is delivered in a engaging way. As per usual we are both wearing our Mexican dresses and skirts, yes here the ladies love the colours :). I loved that day, I was 3 mths pregnant, past the morning sickness stage and the warm sunshine was filling the living room with life.

Time for travel?

In the process of packing, sorting, then more packing to move home and business soon!

I have come across many travel documents, photos and these passport pics used years ago for a press release. Ah, feels like a long time since my last trip, think some planning for a new adventure should start about now.. destination ideas?

I loved these times traveling with Sequoia, it was amazing to see her grow with each adventure. Hopefully Gypsy can come along next time in the not so distant future?

Some of our favourite things

Hand-knitted rattles from Bangladesh, art and craft smocks from Australia, pretty party dresses from Ecuador, ruffle skirts and denim shorts inspired by the 70s and 80s – these are a few of our favourite things.

The Gypsy Caravan

It's Casey here... thought I would share with you a few snapshots of the bedroom my two young daughters share – the colourful and eclectic Gypsy Caravan!

Yes there is a lot of Little Gypsies pieces in the girls room, along with an array of collected bits and pieces from vintage markets and travels abroad. I adore their room, it's warm, fun and playful, a sweet little sanctuary. This gives you a good idea of what can be done for an alternative children's bedroom.

The girls love their Little Gypsies tepee, we are lucky enough to have the space in the room to have it set up permanently, but on cool days we fold it up and move it to the backyard for tea parties.

Old-school toys for our kids

Sorry it's been a while since I logged on – juggling a five year old and a 12-month old is very consuming! I have also been doing some research into what kind of toys to feature on my website, Little Gypsies, especially those that have a strong educational component.

You see, I tend to steer away from computer-based toys and instead opt for classic, old-school alternatives for my kids. Aside from the fact that they tend to last longer, I have also found that they stimulate the kind of foundation skills that develop into more complex learning skills.

A friend of mine, Samantha Daley*, who just happens to be a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, believes that an overuse of technological-based toys like Game Boy and Nintendo, can delay a child’s developmental skills and even contribute to conditions such as ADD and ADHD.

“Old-school toys like yoyos and lacing toys help integrate our sensory systems, refine motor skills, and develop eye-hand coordination,” Samantha explains. “These are really important tools that help kids with self-maintenance skills such as tying up their own shoelaces and doing the zippers on their jackets and jeans,” she says.

“For example, Little Gypsies’ lacing games not only help kids develop fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills but also help improve their sequencing skills. These are really important in pre-literacy and pre-numeracy tasks such as seeing patterns in words when learning to spell, copying from blackboards, and understanding the multiplication table.”

In fact, none of the toys or educational games featured on Little Gypsies require batteries and they are all made to last so you can hand them down to younger brother, sisters and cousins. To see the full collection, check out the Play and Learn sections at www.littlegypsies.com


* For more information about Samantha Daley's work, visit www.spot4kids.com.au

Gifts that keep on giving on...

My other little baby, Little Gypsies, actively supports organisations that have a public mission to help communities and their local environment. We’re particularly interested in grass-roots neighbourhood projects that help create a better life for underprivileged people in areas such as Vietnam, Laos and Australia.

The Green Gecko Project, a Cambodian-based orphanage that aims to improve the lives of street children living in Siem Reap, is one of the charitable organisations we are proud to work with. In fact, every time you purchase something from the Little Gypsies Shop, 3% goes straight to this inspiring project.

Launched in 2005 by an Australian woman with a big heart and a determined spirit, The Green Gecko Project started with a simple mission to feed malnourished, abandoned kids has now evolved into a thriving community scheme.

“What started as a token gesture to get the kids off the streets for an hour or two turned out to be more successful than ever imagined,” says co-founder Tania Palmer, who moved from her home in Byron Bay to dedicate her life to this cause.

Some of the initiatives that have been launched from donations from businesses like Little Gypsies include a huge assembly area, two open-air classrooms, solar panels to power the buildings, and much-needed medical care for the kids. (Check out www.greengeckoproject.org for more information if you like.)

Through the ongoing support of Little Gypsies, we are able to continue our work with this valued children’s program.

Casey Arnaud

www.littlegypsies.com