JANUARY

On Tippy Toes is a monthly magazine dedicated to all things kids and family. We feature a handpicked selection of baby and kid fashions, products for the home, entertaining and educational toys and gear as well as tip sheets for the modern family.

This month we focus on environmentally friendly clothing and accessories for baby and home as well as luxe goodies for mom and dad. We also profile Kiko Kids, a children's fashion label you'll be sure to fall in love with. In Health, we offer some natural remedy ideas you're sure to find in the most unsual places, from your kitchen pantry to your Prada purse. We also take a look at one couple's design ideas for creating a nursery in tight quarters. And last but not least, we review a handful of recently released cool little books, CDs and toys.

Kice Kice
Organic Cotton Kids Clothes

KiceKice is an environmental clothing line and twin sister collaboration between Lesley Nishigawara and Karen Kice. Lesley Nishigawara, a textile artist, began sewing children’s clothing after the birth of her daughter. Karen, also an artist, began helping Lesley; for a close creative partnership. The KiceKice line is all organic fabric clothing for children with hand-print patterns with textures and shapes. Each piece is unique and playful.

Punch Up Your Wardrobe
Kit + Lili

Designer kids’ clothes tend to fall into one of two categories: expensive and frilly pastels that are lame or mini grown-up costumes that make kids look like dwarfed versions of their parents. Along comes kit+lili with a collection of fun geometric patterend t-shirts, dresses and onesies in vibrant colors like zesty lemon, cherry and apple green. Pictured from top, Sailor Smock Dress in denim ($64), long sleeve T in sun ($43), Romper in cherry ($54). All 100% cotton, pre-washed and pre-shrunk.

Black Art
Shampoodle

Functional baby clothing doesn't have to be like broccoli, says the designers behind Shampoodle. The clothing label is made by fashion conscious parents in Sweden who like their clothes to be childishly comfortable. Their tracksuits feature hood, pocket and extra long rib in arm and leg, so that it will still fit as your child grows. Each comes in a cool cotton bag with their favorite animal printed on it.

ECO TREND

Everyone's Talking Bamboo
Pandas love it and you should too. Bamboo is not only the world's fastest growing plant but it is also the most versatile. Because it is affordable, durable, hypoallergic and naturally antimicrobial, manufacturers and designers use it to make everything from bed sheets and furniture to toys and kid's clothes. Bamboo thrives without the use of pesticides, which means it's environmentally friendly and a great choice for your baby. Green never looked so good.

GET IT 100% Bamboo Scoopneck Dress, Sparrow

GET IT Organic Bamboo Baby's Utensils, Oompa

GET IT Warbler Certified Organic Cotton Pouch, Dittany Baby

GET IT BambooBaby Fitted Crib Sheet, Bamboosa

GET IT Bamboo iPod Alarm Clock Sound System, Design Public

Kiko Kids
Beautiful designs, perfectly executed

Kico Kids is a children’s fashion label for parents to salivate over. It's no wonder when you consider that Tia Cibani, creative director of Kico Kids also heads the highly coveted Ports 1961 label. We caught up with Cibani to ask a few questions about the luxe line.

Where does the inspiration for your Kico Kids line come from?
The children around me, mostly my niece, Isabella age seven, and nephew, Freddy who is ten. With each season the mood of the collection evolves and grows consistently around a nostalgic theme of innocence and childhood. I love to focus on a slightly retro theme of preppy details but keep it modern, fresh and practical.

Why do you think that kids adore your clothes?
I like to keep in mind what girls love and what boys want. Girls love to twirl, I know I did when I was little, and once in a while now too, so, I make sure that there is the "must have twirl skirt", usually, fully fashioned knit with flare and swing. Boys like little fuss and want to be cool, I often ask my nephew his opinion on such serious matters!

Where did the name for the label come from?
Kico is the nickname that Freddy gave me when he was a baby, it stuck and all the other little ones that surround me call me that too.

What's important to you when designing clothes for children?
The most important thing in designing a children's line to me is the comfort of the child and the charm of a detail which a parent can adore. This combination is a winner.

Have you been surprised by the success of Kico kids?
I am surprised that Kico Kids has been as widely recognized only because it is really my hobby. I do it in my spare time, with pleasure and ease.

Are there any future plans for the label?
I’d really like to expand the line and open more Kico Kids stores. (There is currently one store in NY’s Chelsea Market, and the clothes are also carried by Saks and Barneys.)

--Lola Augustine Brown

Sick & Tired
Natural remedies for your kids are all around you--all you have to do is know where to look.

The Kitchen Pantry
AILMENT Bug bite
SOLUTION Baking Soda
WHAT TO DO To alleviate the itching, make a baking soda paste mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste. Smear it on the bug bites and let it dry.
WHY IT WORKS The alkaline baking soda helps counteract the acidic swelling.

AILMENT Sore Throat
SOLUTION Honey and lemon
WHAT TO DO Mix together a tablespoon of each, microwave for 15-20 seconds until warm (not hot) and have your child swallow the mixture one teaspoon at a time.
WHY IT WORKS Lemon dries up congestion and honey provides a soothing coating.

AILMENT Colic
SOLUTION Chamomile tea
WHAT TO DO Steep tea for five minutes, let it cool to room temperature and then put one to two ounces in a bottle.
WHY IT WORKS Chamomile relaxes intestinal muscles.

The Bedroom Dresser
AILMENT Neck or tummy pain
SOLUTION A sock
WHAT TO DO Fill a sock with uncooked rice and tye it closed with a string. Heat in the microwave for one minute or until warm and place wherever the child feels pain.

The Bathroom
AILMENT Swimmer's Ear
SOLUTION A blowdryer
WHAT TO DO For mild cases of swimmer's ear, which occurs when inflammation of the outer ear traps liquid and possibly bacteria, try evaporating the trapped water by aiming the blowdryer at your child's ear from a foot away. Make sure the setting is on warm, not hot.

The Refrigerator
AILMENT Car sickness
SOLUTION Ginger
WHAT TO DO For children ages 2 and older, add a teaspoon of shredded fresh ginger to four ounces of boiling water and let it steep for 4-5 minutes. To make it taste better, add honey. When misture is cool, give to your child half an hour before getting in the car.

Your Purse
AILMENT Indigestion
SOLUTION Stick of gum
WHAT TO DO For children 4 or older who complain of a full stomach, offer asugar-free stick of gum to chew on.
WHY IT WORKS The extra saliva your child produces will neutralize the excess stomach acid that is causing the problem.

COLD PLAY

Follow these simple tips to warm up cold hands and feet:

* Water conducts heat 25 times faster than air so dip hands and feet in warm water for fast relief.
* If you're one of the lucky few out there who always has warm hands, go ahead and rub your kids' hands gently to warm them up.
* Stay hydrated to help incease the volume of blood flowing to your digits.
* Don't smoke. Nicotine constricts blood vessels and prevents blood form reaching your extremities.

BEDSIDE READING



The Little Cold Book
You've armed yourself with hot tea and honey and wrapped yourself up in a blanket. Now what? Filled with “advice” and “amusement,” this book will keep you entertained while you're feeling under the weather. Did you know that dogs and cats don’t catch human colds, but ducks and pigs do? Know what antitussive or anticholinergic mean? You will when you read this book on your road to recovery.

It's A Jungle Out There
Camel, Gorillas and Dogs, Oh My
www.nonchalantmom.com

These prints are numbered and part of a limited edition of 300 prints, they are all hand silk screened onto Balsa wood tiles which are backed with canvas, so they just roll out. Meanwhile, throw pillows made of extremely soft 100% organic cotton with poly fill look great piled on a bed in a boys room or girls room, as nursery decor, or on a sofa to create a safari room or jungle room decor.

Peekaboo, I Sea You
Sea-Life Collection
www.thomaspaul.com

The thomaspaul pillow collection was launched in 2001 and was originally conceived of as an idea of utilizing the silk printing mill's capabilities for home accessories instead of personal accessories. Since then the line has steadily expanded into other categories apart from silk pillows to include tabletop, stationery, and lamp shades. The ultimate goal being to have products covering every aspect of the home, all with thomaspaul patterns gracing them. If your kid is a Cousteau wannabe, he'll love the Sea-Life collection, which includes these colorful pillows and plates,

Hang Ups
Wallter
www.foldbedding.com

Wallter (formerly Fold Bedding) has expanded beyond bedding to now carry mobiles, wall decor, as well as textiles all made locally in the USA. The company's newest design is the Slat Rack, a cool wall-mounted hanger for your jackets, hats, helmets, bags, keys, umbrellas. Need a place to put the mail or the day's paper? You can do that too. The powder coated steel rack comes in green, orange, white and chocolate brown.

Bean There, Done That
Fatboy Original by Dwell
www.designpublic.com

Ahh, the beanbag. You probably had one back in college... if not in high school. It was probably some hideous color and likely made of vinyl. How times have changed. With this fresh new look, this special edition to the Fatboy Original collection features a signature print by the contemporary bedding company Dwell. The print is large dots on one side and bold stripes on the other. You'll dig it so much, you'll be fighting with your kids for an afternoon siesta on it.

A Vancouver couple proves a new addition to the family doesn’t have to mean massive renovation. Just a few clever tricks.

The couple had just moved into a new loft when they found out they were expecting their first child. Since they didn't’t have an additional bedroom, the challenge was to create a nursery in a corner of their own bedroom that wouldn’t clash with their minimalist aesthetics. “We also wanted something fairly grown-up,” adds the dad-to-be. Staring at Winnie-the-Pooh prints on the walls or frou-frou patterns was out of the question. Instead, they decorated with furniture (an Eames-inspired rocking chair) and accessories (handcrafted wooden toys, an Ugly doll) that would charm kids and adults alike (well, at least those two adults).

The Bed
Looking for furniture that would serve for the long haul, they chose a modern Morigeau Lepine crib, which features shelves perfect for storing diapers, burp cloths and other oft-used items. For the post-nursery years, the shelf detaches from the toddler bed and becomes a stand-alone bookshelf.

The Floors
To add texture to the space, they chose a natural white Flokati shag, which contrasts well with the hardwood floors.

The storage
Don’t overcrowd the room with unnecessary items. Simple storage solutions, such as shelves, baskets and bins, maximize a small space and are perfect for collecting toys, washcloths and other essentials like creams and ointments for mom and baby. Use the space beneath the crib to store extra diapers, towels and clothes that are still too big (or already too small) for baby.

The walls
In keeping with the please-the-inner-child theme, they selected indie-rock posters with whimsical illustrations and ethereal flower decals. For a bit of privacy, put up a freestanding textile wall around the crib to create a truly womb-like nursery. Designed by Molo, the Softwall easily compresses into a compact sheaf for easy storage in the closet or under the crib.

Photos By Heather Ross

GET THE LOOK

Vitra Bovist Pouf
A decorative floor cushion, stool, and ottoman all in one. Filled with small plastic balls and embroidered with different coloured fabrics give this pouf a particular charm.
GET IT: $813, Haus Modern Living

Eames Molded Plastic Rocker
This classic rocker was updated in durable and environmentally friendly molded polypropylene and features a deep seat pocket, integrated armrests and a high backrest.
GET IT: $449, Design Within Reach.

Blik Wall Decals
This line of surface graphics was created by and for people who like to change their mind--such as your kids. These self-adhesive wall decals allow you to easily transform the look of kids room or nursery in minutes.
GET IT: $65, Blik

Written and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, one of the world's most acclaimed children's authors, this timeless tale of mystery and suspense is about three ferocious robbers who one day meet a lonely girl on her way to live with a wicked aunt. With no other treasure, they take her away to their hideout and with her help, they soon find themselves embarking on a completely new career.

In a CRACKITY-SNAPPITY-POPPITY-POP bubblegum dream, a young girl learns to scat from the master himself, Louis Armstrong! Written in prose and scat with wild and wonderful illustrations by R. Gregory Christie, this joyful tribute is downright contagious. CHEW-ITEE CHEW-ITEE CHEW-ITEE CHOP, CRACKITY SNAPPITY POPPITY POP!

Make bath time clean-up fun with Boon's new Bug Pod. Similar to the Frog Pod, this ladybug provides a drainable scoop for collecting and rinsing toys and a all-mounted base that is perfect for storing bath products. Tired of yellow duckie? Keep your eye out for the company's latest bath toys, which includes duckies in fresh new colors, rings and squirty toys.

When Amy Arnold's first son was born she began making clothing for him out of bits of stuff she had been hoarding in her parents' basement since childhood. What began as an expression of a mother's love for her baby--she literally wrapped him in love with homemade hats and garments--turned into a hobby of resewing clothing and objects with sweaters and felt. Found objects like lace, buttons, plastic flowers and other treasures also made it into her creations and thus peepwool was born. Quirky and whimsical, the colorful cast of peepwool characters reflect Arnold's experiences of intimacy, separateness, bewilderment, frustration, wonder and joy. "Yet the peepwool clearly have identities and agendas all their own," she says. "They are me; they are not me. I am their instrument and they are mine." Whatever the case may be, they will surely become your and your child' favorite dolls.

Plan Toys is a socially responsible company that creates toys that inspire children’s imagination while promoting their physical and intellectual development. The Sit N Walk Puppy does just that while it encourages your child to walk. Chubbie is a push toy that helps stimulate manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Meanwhile, the colourful xylophone will inspire children's natural sense of harmony and rhythm.

Kimochis have feelings too! With these tactile and interactive toys, children will learn how to identify and express their emotions, while parents can better understand what their children are trying to express.
Each quirky and modern toy has an open mouth for storing the "emotions." Each "emotion" is a small polar fleece disk with the emotion written on one side and a facial expression of it on the other. Each toy has its own unique and charming personality and comes with its own set of nine emotions.

BOOK REPORT

Edible Schoolyard
A Universal Idea
By Alice Waters

"One of America's most influential chefs, Alice Waters created a revolution in 1971 when she introduced local, organic fare at her Berkeley, California, restaurant, Chez Panisse. Twenty-five years later, she and a small group of teachers and volunteers turned over long-abandoned soil at an urban middle school in Berkeley and planted the Edible Schoolyard. The schoolyard has since grown into a universal idea of Edible Education that integrates academics with growing, cooking, and sharing wholesome, delicious food. With inspiring images of the garden and kitchen—and their young caretakers—Edible Schoolyard is at once a visionary model for sustainable farming and childhood nutrition, and a call to action for schools across the country."