Village Blog
Top 5 Christmas Gift Ideas for Babies First Christmas
Santa is coming and we are on the countdown to the 25th of December. Christmas with little children is so much fun and makes Christmas feel so magical. To help you in your gift giving endeavours this Christmas, we have chosen our top 5 gift ideas for babies first Christmas. Ho Ho here we go! 1. Kindergram Glockenspiel 8 note xylophone Giving the gift of music to a small human is an extra special gift. Music brings joy to a home. It connects people and feeds the soul. So let’s get musical this Christmas! Allow your little one to discover the magic of percussion with this eight-note glockenspiel. Each metal bar has a unique vibrant colour to allow children to easily navigate between each note. The metal bars are securely fasted with rubber coated metal pins which cannot be removed. Each xylophone comes with a set of wooden mallets. A glockenspiel has metal bars, whilst a xylophone has wooden bars. The sound is infinitely more magical in our humble perspective. Mum and Dad will love the joy that this children’s Glockenspiel brings to their budding mini musician this Christmas. 2. Skip Hop Vibrant Village Squeeze and Squeak Blocks Little ones love to create and explore, and there’s no better way than with this nine-piece colourful block set. With bright colours, easy to grab and tactile designs the blocks are fun to squeeze, grab, shake, chew – you name it. With iridescent window blocks with rattle beads, to squeaky oh-so squeezable blocks these will help develop gross motor skills, tap into a sensory experience and offer hours of fun. 3. Eat your broccoli Baby Hand Rattle Set We like to encourage our buds to eat their broccoli and carrots and watermelon. We also know that life with ice cream is fabulous, so we included an ice cream rattle as well. Vegetables first, Ice-cream second. These crocheted delights have our stomachs rumbling! Watch them burst out of our gift bag for teeny treasures, supplying hours of fun. Here’s what’s included in this gorgeous baby Christmas gift idea. Weego Amigo Broccoli Crochet Rattle Toy - 15cm. Weego Amigo Carrot Crochet Rattle Toy - 15cm. Weego Amigo Watermelon Crochet Rattle - 15cm Toy. Weego Amigo Ice-cream Crochet Rattle Toy - 15cm. Soul Baby Gifts Bag for Teeny Treasures measuring 32cm x 25cm. 4. Grimms House Wooden Toy We love old fashioned toys that encourage creative play. Imagine your own new world and play with your imagination. Genius! These five individual pieces make one big house, perfect for stacking, sorting and stretching all kinds of creativity out of your little ones. The high monochrome contrast is perfect for anyone with visual impairment, or for younger bubs that can’t quite see colours yet. Say hello to hours and hours of play time fun with the Grimms Monochrome House Wooden Toy measuring 23cm by 13cm at its widest point. There are 5 pieces and each is individually sanded to ensure that there are no sharp edges. Grimms House Monochrome Wooden Toy is made from lime wood sourced from sustainably managed forests in Europe. They are painted with non-toxic, water-based colour stains. With a strong environmental policy, they use green electricity sources, and minimal packaging. 5. Skip Hop Vibrant Village Peak and Play Activity Book This vibrant activity book is great for at home or on the go! It’s a book and a stand-up playhouse in one piece, with bold contrasting colours for visual stimulation. The double-sided book is black and white on one side and has vibrant colours on the other – it’s also fitted with shimmering, iridescent fabrics. The Phthalate-free play book features tactile ribbons, baby mirror, open and close windows and doors, and peek-a-boo birdie flaps. This also includes a hanging ladybug teether toy. Suitable for ages 0+. 13cm x 4cm x 18cm. We think that this is a fabulous gift idea for babies first Christmas if you would like to explore more of these genius gifts for baby, please head over to our centre for the BABY GENIUS Written and Published by Leonie Henzell, CEO Soul Baby Gifts on 25/11/2019
Read moreMonogrammed Newborn Baby Gift Hampers
Monogramming makes a Newborn Baby Gift so Unique. We often get asked, "How do I get monogramming on my baby gift hampers?". So we thought it would be nice to share the 5 ways to get your gifts monogrammed at Soul Baby Gifts. 1. Try our BUILD A GIFT unique baby gifting technology. If you would like to create your own unique baby gift and choose the items, you can try our build a gift system. We will guide you through the 5 easy peasy steps. 1. Choose your packaging. You can choose from vegan leather drawstring bags or vegan leather cases. There are a few different sizes and colours. 2. Then you get to monogram your packaging in your choice of 5 different fonts. You can simulate what the gift will look like in a variety of 5 different fonts. Play with initials, capitals and lower case letters. 3. Then comes the fun part. We have all of our newborn baby gifting products in one place so you can scroll through these items and choose exactly what you would like to add to your unique and personalised baby gift hamper. 4. Add a gift message and we will type this onto a gift card for you. Oh we pride ourselves in our very professional presentation. 5. Then checkout and get on with having the best day ever! 2. Choose a baby gift hamper that has been lovingly curated. If you choose a pre-curated baby gift hamper that is ready to go, just email us at heybabe@soulbabygifts.com.au Email us the baby's name and we will monogram it for you. Just like that.. Simple! 3. Maybe you just want the Soul Baby Gifts Suitcases and bags on their own? This is becoming increasing popular. These cases are beautiful, so well constructed and extremely well priced. The best place to find our packaging is in the BABY KEEPSAKE BOXES BY SOUL BABY GIFTS . Here you can click on the image of the packaging and this will take you to the product page. Play with the monogrammer in real life and see what it will look like on the screen. 4. Choose the monogrammed packaging from Step 3 and add individual items All of the baby wraps , baby blankets, baby leather shoes, soft toys, and extra extras can be added individually to your order. 5. Call us on 1300 952 950 Pick up the phone and call us on 1300 952 950. We love to chat and take orders over the phone too. This literally makes our day. Published on 10/01/2020 by Leonie Henzell CEO Soul Baby Gifts
Read moreThe Best Unique Baby Names for 2020
Here's our 2020 Release of Best Unique Baby Names We LOVE to read the lists of popular baby names just to see if we agree. We have the pleasure of packing lots of baby gifts, monogramming cases and enjoying baby names everyday! We thought it would be nice to share our own list. These are YOUR baby names and we love them all. Our list is unique and spectacular. Just like YOU! The Best Unique Baby Girls Names Some of these baby names are quite traditional and some are just pure magic! For the girls names, I love Aylira, Valentina and of course Billie. The best part about this list is that it is an Australian list of Baby Names. They are names straight from our orders. I feel like our customers are such style seekers. They love to find unique and meaningful gifts for a newborn baby. Each baby gift is a reflection of taste, so we know that a Soul Baby Gift needs to be oozing with quality, have a modern, contemporary edge and presented in a luxurius manner. Everything must be beautiful! We think these baby girl names are the stylish baby names for 2020. 1. Evie 2. Aylira 3. Pia 4. Poppy 5. Luna 6. Jude 7. Giselle 8. Paris 9. Valentina 10. May 11. Ally 12. Aya 13. Harper 14. Evelyn 15. Ava 16. Isabella 17. Sophia 18. Charlotte 19. Mia 20. Billie The Best Unique Baby Boy Names My favourite boys names would have to be Eesa, Oscar and Max. Baby Max is featured on our home page and holds a special place in my heart. I have never heard the name Eesa before, so this name is definitely unique and interesting. The name Oscar is one of my personal favouites. When I read these names, they all feel like strong names to me. Interestingly, there are alot of short names. Some are age old favourites, sprinkled with new comers like Logan, Mason and Mack. 1. Eesa 2. Gabriel 3. Mason 4. Julius 5. Mack 6. Marcus 7. Jayden 8. Elijah 9. Lucas 10. Leon 11. Logan 12. Oscar 13. Max 14. Alex 15. Noah 16. Benjamin 17. Oliver 18. William 19. Liam 20. Leonardo Join us on instagram and leave us a comment on our list of names! I hope that your baby is on the list. Published on 14/02/20 by Leonie Henzell CEO Soul Baby Gifts
Read moreThe Story of the Puzzle Desk
From adversity to opportunity - how two local business have joined forces to meet a crucial need in today’s market… The story of the Puzzle Desk. What happens when you pair the owner of a design savvy construction and shop fitting company, with a couple of design obsessed retailers whose businesses have both been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis? A tonne of ideas and innovation born out of the necessity to survive! When Sarah Ryding, owner of i4 Design & Construction approached Nat Wheeler and Kristy Sadlier from norsu Interiors late last week to share a prototype of a product she had just designed with her clever team, the girls literally squealed with excitement at the knowledge that this was the item every home needs right now. The announcement of Term 2 remote learning in Victoria had just delivered a big reality check for these three families with young children. “Running a business from home while simultaneously home schooling my son was somehow manageable when I believed it would only be for a matter of weeks” says single-Mum and norsu co-founder Kristy Sadlier. “However, when the news hit that remote learning was going to be extended for an entire other term, it completely tipped me over the edge! I was doing ok until this point - despite the general iso challenges and wearing a few more hats than normal, I held the belief that it was only temporary and once my son was back at school (initially scheduled for 20 April), life would return to ‘normal’.” With the news also came the panic that dedicated at-home work stations were suddenly a necessity. “I couldn’t handle the takeover of my dining room table any longer. Fighting for space to eat meals between my computer and paper work and my son’s half completed puzzles, drawings and board games, it became very apparent that a desk was needed for both of us to keep some of our sanity in check” claims Sadlier. After jumping on line to find several major retailers were virtually sold out of desks, with lengthy restock delays, the panic set in even more… This story seemed to be all too familiar amongst other households. Enter Ryding and her brilliant idea for the Puzzle Desk! After Coronavirus shut down her booming shopfitting business i4 Design & Construction, leaving her 100 shop fitting and factory employees out of work, she was at a true loss. After a period of grieving, she turned to the one thing she does best - designing fit for purpose and practical furniture! "The creativity still flows. We've got a full manufacturing facility here in Melbourne and we've got skilled staff that were eager to continue working," Ryding says. She saw the need for affordable desks that can be used at home along with the spike in popularity of puzzles. She then rallied together with her talented team, harnessing their combined skills to design a desk that slots together like a puzzle. "Kids can use the desks for home schooling or adults if they are working from home. It slides together with no need for tools or screws. And when you are done, it pulls apart and can be stored under a bed." Enter to WIN your very own Puzzle Desk. This gorgeous desk is valued at $299. You will also win 2 Soul Baby Suitcases valued at $95 and a beauty's got soul gift valued at $100. Total prize pool is $514. Sign up to our newsletter for your chance to win. The winner will be drawn randomly on Friday 8th May at 5pm AEST and the winner will be notified by email & posted on Instagram. After a meeting through the Business Chicks, Ryding approached the ladies at norsu believing they would be a good fit to sell the product. norsu, who have also been hit by COVID-19 after closing the doors to their Malvern East concept store several weeks ago, instantly jumped at the opportunity. "I've partnered with norsu to exclusively sell our desks. I'm harnessing their skills to complement my own. It's no longer about end-to-end production, it's about working together," she says. Within 24 hours, the team had tested, styled and photographed the desks, and pushed the product to market on social media and www.norsu.com.au - all while still remaining isolated in their own homes. “This is the beauty of small business in a crisis. We have the ability to think and act fast! We were in overdrive, spending every moment of that 24 hour period brainstorming and strategising over What’s app and late night calls once the kiddies were in bed” states norsu co-founder Nat Wheeler. The trio had a strong belief in the product, but nothing could have prepared them for the response they received. “We launched on Friday evening with an affordable price tag of $279, and had sold out of our first production run by Saturday morning! The manner in which our community has embraced this product has been truly overwhelming. There’s such a strong desire to support local business right now, which has certainly helped, along with our ability to supply stock quickly thanks to local manufacturing” claims Wheeler. After smashing their initial target in only 12 hours, the team kicked into gear to secure more materials over the Easter weekend to manufacture at scale. They are now poised to deliver hundreds of units by Friday this week. “We are so proud to partner with our friend to meet an immediate need in the market, but the sweetest thing of all is knowing we are helping provide an opportunity to keep her factory staff employed during this challenging time” Wheeler and Sadlier both admit. About the product:Cut from sheet MDF using CNC machinery in the Thomastown factory of i4 Design & Construction, the Puzzle Desk consists of seven individual pieces that fit together like a puzzle in just two minutes without the use of tools. It can be easily assembled and packed away as required for effortless storage under a bed. Its sturdy, yet lightweight design means it can be moved around the house as needed, and enjoyed by all members of the home. It’s available in two finishes, white laminate MDF and raw MDF (to customise with your own DIY painting project), and above all, it looks great! Visit www.norsu.com.au for more information on the Puzzle Desk. Published by Leonie Henzell CEO of Soul Baby Gifts on 23/04/2020.
Read moreBunjie Baby Skincare for the Happy Skin Generation
What do you feed a hungry Probiotic? A Prebiotic … of course. Bunjie Baby Skincare Bathtime Fun with Bunjie Baby Skincare Prebiotics give the probiotics ( good bacteria ) the energy they need to keep little skin healthy and trouble free. While Bunjie might be the newest kid on the baby skincare block, it’s been a virtual bun in the oven for Vikki Maroulis and Lianne Keymer for what feels to them like a lifetime, with the duo leaving their respective 9-5’s to focus on bringing Bunjie into the world in early 2020. With over ten years’ experience in both the world of skincare and rapidly emerging science of probiotics and the human biome between them, it is befitting that the partners in life and business would cook up something as innovative and category defining as Bunjie. Like many start-ups, the journey from idea to product has been beset with obstacles, hurdles and complications. Not only have the two become self-taught experts in everything from trademark law to olfactory compositions, they’ve worked hard to end up with a product that is as uncompromising in its formulation as they envisioned from the very beginning. The end result is a product that looks decidedly simplistic compared to the grit, determination and science that has gone into it. Not to mention happy. Bunjie looks like an enthusiastic, optimistic three year old, all sun-shiny and fun and ready for action. Bunjie Baby Skincare Massage and Bath Oil Bunjie Baby Skincare Bubble Bath Bunjie Baby Skincare Moisture Lotion Prebiotic and probiotic baby skincare derived from nature. Bunjie is the first 100% naturally derived prebiotic and probiotic baby skincare reimagined to boost and protect baby’s skin and microbiome during the critical first 1000 days. What makes Bunjie so special are the patented microbiome boosters the duo christened Minibiotics®. Vikki and Lianne like to think of them as a little like kombucha for the skin, but all parents need to know is that Bunjie puts the good in goods - it’s the cleanest, clinically effective plant-based skincare to give happy little skin the very best start to life. Happy skin is one that has diverse good bacteria for a balanced microbiome, and over in camp Bunjie, they wear their diversity proudly. Partners for over five years, Lianne and Vikki have managed to find a happy balance in their work and home life, even while launching a new business. “We’re so lucky we have a really complementary set of skills - I’m the creative one, while Vikki is incredibly detail focused,” explains Lianne. “When our two worlds collided, we had so much in common,” says Vikki. “It was a natural progression to start up our own business, and when we started researching we knew really quickly what we wanted to do and that we needed to do it now,” she adds. Another badge Vikki and Lianne wear proudly is their CEA status. That’s Chief Executive Aunties to the uninitiated. This is their brand and it’s highly personal: a product born from years of industry ex-perience that has enabled them to up the Auntie factor and create something for their favourite people on the planet - our littlest humans. Bunjie Baby Skincare Nappy and Barrier Cream Bunjie Baby Skincare Top to Toe Wash Bunjie Baby Skincare Gentle Shampoo Baby Skincare with an Honest to goodness policy The brand embodies an honest to goodness policy right from the product through to the planet-conscious packaging. If you could bottle happiness and good vibes with a side of obsessively researched, squeaky clean ingredients, you end up with do-goodie baby skincare that is Bunjie. For Vikki and Lianne, Bunjie has been a giant leap of faith and long journey from concept to product, but one that has rewarded them with the knowledge they’ve created something that is everything baby skincare should be and nothing it shouldn’t…welcome to the happy skin generation. Bunjie says NO to.. Parabens, phthalates, pegs, sulphates, (sls or sles), edta, synthetic fragrance, bht, bha, chlorine, limonene, linalool, benzalkonium chloride, petrochemicals, formaldehyde, phenoxyethanol or phenols. PLUS 1,300 skin unfriendly ingredients banned in Canada and the EU. Bunjie says YES to... being Australian made, plant powered, microbiome friendly, clinically effective, scientifically smart and premium for all. Bunjie Fun in the bathtub Bunjie Baby Skincare Mini Starter Pack Shop the Bunjie Baby Skincare Range | Soul Baby Gifts 5 Questions for the Bunjie Baby Founders Lianne Keymer and Vikki Maroulis 1. Where did the name Bunjie come from? Choosing a name for our virtual bun in the oven was fun and a little (big) headache all at the same time! We needed a word that felt like a little bit of fun, a lot of support and an extra dose of happiness. We had a light bulb moment and out popped Bunjie (aka Bungee jumping)!! To us this represented the bouncy umbilical cord of good vibes and the freedom to grow whilst always being supported….. but even if you had no idea where it came from it’s just a super fun, super smiley word 2. Your biggest customers are babies and kids, tell us what they are saying about bath time with Bunjie? (the ones who can talk, that is.) Our little heroes have a lot of tub talk to share with us but one of our favourite to date is “mmmm mummy what is this, I smell beautiful?”- Kyan aged 4. “Bunjie Bathtime” (insert excessive splashing) seems to be on loud repeat in the tub… and one of our little humans even takes his Bunjie Mini’s to bed! 3. If Bunjie can be anywhere in 5 years, where will you be? On a sun lounger in Greece…. Oh sorry you meant Bunjie. We would love to see our little do-goodies smiling on every bathroom shelfie across the world because everyone deserves the best start to life! 4. What’s the most exciting thing that Bunjie will do for the next generation? Bunjie is on a mission to help stop the global epidemic of skin problems that our mini humans now face thanks to modern lifestyle & junk-filled skincare. Our little do-goodies boost the healthy development of baby’s skin and microbiome from birth…. this means healthier, happier skin for life Washing Hair is fun with Bunjie 5. Congratulations on your success to date. How much is luck and how much is hard work? Ohhh thank you! Like many start-ups there’s been luck, sweat and tears and we’ve definitely put the word “hustle in “hustler”. We’ve upped the “Auntie” more than we thought was possible but the success of Bunjie we owe to the best parent’s on the planet and their mini humans that have created this brand with us. We made Bunjie for them and we wanted it to represent everything that they are. When you listen to what people want (even the small things) you can make anything work! Written and published by Leonie Henzell, CEO of Soul Baby Gifts on the 20/06/2020.
Read moreAustralian Baby Statistics Just Got Interesting
Interesting Baby Birthing facts and figures Have you ever wondered how many babies are born in Australia? Here's a list of interesting Baby Birthing facts, trends and figures. This data has been sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Even though we are sharing this data in July 2022, the collated data available is primarily for 2020. We are very interested to see how the 'spicy C' will effect these numbers. Especially for the states who spent ALOT of time at home! So here are some of the interesting facts and figures! Are there more baby boys or girls born in Australia Most of the babies in Australia are born in NSW How Many Babies are Born Each Year in Australia? In 2020, 300,000 babies were born, or 294,369 to be precise! This was a decrease in 2020 by 3.7% in comparison to 2019. Are there More Girls or Boys Born each year? Well in 2020, 51.3% of babies born were boys and 48.7% were girls. What is the Average Age of a Mum in Australia? 31 years What is the Average Age of a Dad in Australia? 33 years in 2020, most of the Babies in Australia were Born in which States? 93K babies were born in NSW. 74K babies were born in Victoria. 59K babies were born in Queensland. From July 2020 to June 2021 in Victoria, which Month saw the Most Babies Born? In December 2021 8264 babies were born. November 2021 7023 babies were born. December 2021 was the highest with 8264 and November 2021 close second with 7023 babies born in Victoria. The lowest month was January 2022 with 4098 babies born. In 2019 how many Mothers had a Caesarian Section? One in 3 Mothers or 36%. What percentage of Mother’s received analgesia during labour? 78% of Mother’s who laboured had pain relief. How long are babies staying in hospital? Over 2/3s of babies stayed in hospital for 3 days or less. Babies of indigenous mothers and mothers who had previously given birth were likely to stay for less than 2 days. Singleton babies, babies of first time mothers, babies with normal birth weight, Babies born at term and babies of non- indigenous mothers were likely to stay for 3 days. Babies born in a multiple birth, babies born pre-term or babies born with low weight are more likely to stay longer than 4 days. Data has been sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and collated for Soul Baby Gifts by Leonie Henzell on 02/07/22.
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