Chit Chat Friday with Courtney from Babyccino

My Chit Chat guest today needs no introduction as many of you know the brilliant Courtney from Babyccino. I have been a huge fan of hers from the beginning, even before it's developed into what it is now. Babyccino is an inspiration for me and I hope for the rest of you as well. I had the chance to meet up with the lovely Courtney a few years ago for a cuppa, it was nice chatting with a fellow American about our lives in London and also learning from her experience developing Babyccino. Courtney took the time about of her business schedule to have a lovely chit chat with me. 
Read on for Courtney's lovely interview. And if you haven't checked about Babyccino's shopping portal and fabulous blog, do check it out now!!!!

www.babyccinokids.com
www.babyccinokids.com/blog

     TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?

I am a mum of four: two boys and two girls. My husband and I are both originally American - we moved from Los Angeles to London nearly ten years ago. I am co-founder of Babyccino Kids, an online shopping portal and parenting blog. I work from my home in North London and split my days between work and mama-hood.

    WHAT SPARKED THE IDEA ABOUT BABYCCINO? HOW DID IT GET STARTED?

Esther, Emilie and I all met in London after the birth of our first babies. Two years later, Emilie moved to Paris and Esther moved to Amsterdam, and so we started the blog as a way for us to stay in touch with each other, to share our discoveries and finds with each other.  It started as a diary between friends – we shared our favourite baby toys, cute craft projects with the kids, easy recipes, birthday party ideas, and other parenting topics. This ‘diary’ between friends evolved into the blog it is today.

     DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? DOES THIS INFLUENCE THE WAY YOU DRESS YOUR LITTLE ONES?

Anyone who knows me can attest to how teeny my closet is. I guess I believe that less is more when it comes to fashion. I would much rather buy one nice thing than ten trendy pieces that won’t stand the test of time. I have the same philosophy when buying clothes for my kids. Except for when it comes to buying trousers for my boys – then I just head to H&M and buy cheap jeans because they’ll have holes in their knees in a matter of days!

     WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE CHILDRENSWEAR DESIGNERS? YOUR FAVOURITE WOMENSWEAR DESIGNERS?

Tough question! But for kids I love Bonton, Petit Bateau, Bobo Choses, and Miller (although I could go on for ages!). And for women, I love Vince, J. Crew, Isabel Marant, and I always buy my jeans from Topshop! 

     WHERE DO YOU GAIN INSPIRATION FROM WHEN COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS FOR BABYCCINO?

We receive loads of emails every week from new designers and so it often happens we find inspiration right in our email inbox! But I also love to browse Pinterest and read other blogs.

     DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CAFÉ, BOOKSHOP, CLOTHING SHOP, ETC THAT YOU GO TO AND GAIN INSPIRATION FROM OR JUST GO AND HAVE A LOVELY THINK?

I love to grab a coffee from Melrose & Morgan, and sometimes I sit upstairs at their Hampstead location and work from there. I also love Couverture on Kensington Park Road in Notting Hill, both for children’s clothes and for homewares and womenswear. So pretty!

     IF YOU COULD COLLOBARATE WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD THIS BE? WHY?

I really love reading the Bleubird blog, so it would be super exciting to work with James in some way or other.

     ANY EXCITING NEWS OR GREAT THINGS COMING UP FOR BABYCCINO?

We are in the process of planning a shopping event in London later this year where people can come and shop in person from a selection of our shops! We’re really excited about it. Stay tuned for more details!

     WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN? WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO US?

My mom always told us that the most important thing in life is to be nice. More important than being the smartest, or the fastest runner or the best trumpet player, or the most successful.  Being nice and being honest gets you far in life! (That’s what I tell my own kids every morning on the way to school!)

     IF YOU WEREN’T DOING BABYCCINO, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SECOND DREAM JOB?

I’ve always wanted to write children’s books. But I’m not sure I would be any good at it!

     FAVOURITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY.

I grew up on a tulip farm, the oldest of five children. I have all sorts of memories of running around the farm with my siblings, getting up to all sorts of trouble! My favourite memories are ones where I was together with my whole family. In fact, I’m still the happiest when I’m with my family in my hometown, back on the farm where my heart remains!  It brings me so much joy to take my own children ‘home’ to the farm every summer. To see the trouble they get up to!!!