Don't Forget Dad

It's Father's Day on Sunday 15th June, which means breakfast in bed, as much World Cup coverage as is humanly possible, homemade cards and gifts - lots of gifts.

Forget buying him socks again this year. Instead, head to Mamissima and peruse our small but perfectly formed range of Father's Day treats.

Our heirloom quality sterling silver cufflinks are the perfect gift for the man who has everything. Available in two styles - tag and circular - they can be personalised with your children's names, date of birth or initials of your choice. Prices start at £90.

If he'd prefer something a little more quirky, why not choose our original 1950s Scrabble Tile Cufflinks? A timeless classic that can be personalised with Dad's initials, these are a snip at only £24.95.

Keep keys safe with Mamissima's beautiful sterling silver Papa keyring featuring a mini tag and maxi tag that can be engraved with your children's names on one side and dates of birth on the other. Available in two styles, prices start at £100.

Or make a lasting impression with our Baby Art Magic box, which contains everything you need to make a cast of your little one's hands or feet - a great gift that he can treasure forever. £14.99.

Happy Mother’s Day from Mamissima

Motherhood is a very precious gift. From the day your baby is born to the day they fly the nest, the bond between a mother and child is one like no other.

On Sunday 29^th March, Mums the world over are revered, celebrated and thanked for the important job they do. And we have a hand-picked selection of special gifts that are perfect for every Mum.

Our beautiful personalised celebration necklaces (prices vary) are made from sterling silver, semi precious stones and can include a variety of tag charms etched with your children’s names. Or you may prefer our silver-plated Chiming Heart Necklace (£32) or Chiming Egg Neckalce (£36). New in-store, these are fast becoming a best-seller at Mamissima. We also sell personalised sterling silver Keyrings (£100) that can have up to eight characters printed on each charm.

If you prefer to spend Mother’s Day relaxing, why not pamper yourself with one of our 100% Organic Plant Wax Therapy Candles. Available in four soothing fragrances: Lavender, Rose & Geranium, Champagne & Pink Grapefruit, Rosemary & Thyme and Wild Fig & Grape (large £13.99, small £5), these candles are perfect for helping you relax and re-balance. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Toys, Treats, Parties and Pocket Money

At Mamissima we pride ourselves on sourcing great quality toys and games that are as individual as your child. We seek out the best products on the market, offering customers a wide range of educational, eco-friendly and interactive toys at competitive prices.

If, like us, mega toyshops are your idea of hell, Mamissima is the perfect place to come and browse and buy. We don’t sell toys that will only last for a few weeks before being sent off to a landfill site somewhere – we only sell products we’d like our own children to play with, that are kind on the pocket, and on the planet.

  

Best sellers include our brightly coloured Tugboat Bath Toy (£13.20), made from 100% recycled plastic milk bottles, with a spout and handle to scoop and pour water at bath time. Mini adventurers will adore our Farm And Wild Animal Plush Masks (£6.20) that will transform them into an elegant elephant, brave bear, tremendous tiger or leaping leopard.

 

If your little girl’s dollies need a home, our Fabric Doll’s Play House (£54) is the perfect place for them to rest their heads, and our eco-friendly Rainbow Stacker (£10) is a favourite with babies and toddlers, teaching them hand to eye co-ordination, shape recognition, colour matching and creativity.

We’ve also been listening to our customers and are making a few changes in-store. Look out for our brand new Party Bag service and range of Pocket Money toys that will land in-store shortly – perfect for smaller budgets, but just as stylish, excellent value for money and the same fantastic quality you’ve come to expect from Brighton’s best independent boutique for mothers, babies and children. Hold tight, it’s going to be toy-tastic.

Browse our full range of toys here.

Shoe Heaven at Mamissima

You’re never too young to start a shoe collection and at Mamissima we have a wide range of gorgeous shoes that are perfect for little feet.

The Vivienne Westwood for Melissa collaboration - available exclusively at Mamissima - has given rise to a glorious collection of Mini Melissa shoes. Choose from brightly coloured pumps and Mary-Janes that come in a variety of quirky, eye-catching styles that will look fabulous on mini fashionistas. Perfect for the upcoming party season, every little girl should own a pair of these.

Made from 100% recyclable plastic by a socially and environmentally friendly company, Mini Melissa shoes are the choice of eco-conscious families who care about fashion and the environment. Prices start at £30. Browse our full collection here.

Super cute, super cosy Collegien Slipper Socks will keep tiny feet snug and warm through the cold winter months. Made from Egyptian cotton by the fifth generation of a French family in one of the last surviving French textile factories, the perforated, breathable, non-slip slippers bring a touch of brilliance to bedtime.

Stripy, spotty and bursting with colour, every little boy or girl needs a pair of these slippers in their wardrobe this winter. £19.99. Browse our full collection here.

Make it personal with Mamissima

When Carrie Bradshaw and the Sex and the City girls first hit our screens in 1998, women swooned over their wardrobes, coveted their lifestyle and dreamed of being transported to the razzle dazzle of New York City. Some might say Carrie was responsible for starting the personalised jewellery trend, which saw women the world over rushing to wear their name on a necklace.

We like to think we’re trendsetters at Mamissima too. In fact, our personalised necklaces by Chambers & Beau were some of the first on sale in Sussex and are still one of our top selling items. The stunning sterling silver necklaces feature tag, disc and gold plated Amour D’or heart charms, all clustered together with semi-precious stones of your choice. Add your name and the names of your little ones to create a bespoke piece of jewellery that will last a lifetime. Prices vary, ask in-store for more details or visit our website.

If it's a contemporary but traditional gift you're after, perhaps to accessorise your child's room or to give to a friend, our personalised Monday's Child Rhyme Print is the gift for you. The text 'Welcome to the world (child's name)' is written in black ink underneath the rhyme. All set on a cream background and finished off in a simple, classic white frame, this is a unique gift that can be treasured forever. Simply provide us with the name of the child and day of the week they were born - we'll do the rest. £15, framed.

Our very own Brighton-based designer has also created a selection of personalised products, available exclusively at Mamissima:

Vintage Name Prints make a fantastic gift. Tell us your child’s name and we will create a personalised print with a gorgeous poem just for them, based on their favourite pass times, colours and best qualities. The text style comes from old Victorian children’s books and the images are taken from 1970s American impressionist children’s illustrations, influenced by cowboys and Hollywood starlets. From £17.99.

From Amelia to Zoe and Ade to Zackary – and everything in between – let our artist create a piece of art that will look gorgeous in any little boy or girl’s bedroom. Our personalised Baby Name Prints are not just beautiful and individual but also educational. If your child’s name begins with a ‘C’, the print will feature an array of carefully hand-drawn illustrations of objects that begin with the same letter. From £17.99.

If you’d like to purchase any of the above, pop into Mamissima to browse our range of personalised products or visit our website. We’re sure Carrie would approve.

How to Keep Cool in the Sunshine

We’ve got lots of beautiful products in-store to keep little ones cool in the sunny weather, including reversible organic sun hats, muslins by aden + anaise, swim shorts for boys, pretty summer dresses for girls and soft organic cotton bodysuits for babies.

You can find some excellent natural sun protection creams at our favourite Brighton shop, Infinity Foods, and Boots also stocks a good range of creams and potions.

Here are some helpful tips to keep children cool in the sunshine:

Keep out of direct sunlight – Babies aren’t born with a developed skin protection system, so they burn more easily. Babies less than six months old should be kept out of direct sunlight. Their skin contains too little melanin, the pigment that gives skin, hair and eyes their colour and provides protection from the sun.

Apply lots of suncream – A young child has more skin (relative to body mass) than an adult, so sunburn can be very serious in small babies. Always use a high protection suncream and reapply every couple of hours.

Invest in a sunhat – Make sure your child wears a sunhat with a wide brim or long flap at the back to protect their head and neck from the sun. Mamissima stocks a wide range at reasonable prices.

Keep baby rehydrated – if breastfeeding, feed more often, and make sure you and your child drink plenty of water throughout the day. You can also give them diluted fruit juice, ice cubes and homemade fruit juice lollies. For older children, plenty of fruit and salad will also help keep up fluid levels.

Stay in the shade – The sun is at its hottest between 12 noon and 3pm, try to stay in the shade during these times.

Keep bedding and clothing to a minimum – remove duvets and thick blankets. Cool cotton sheets are a must at this time of year. Don’t worry about nighties and pyjamas at bedtime – just a nappy will do.

Cool room = happy baby – put a fan in baby’s room and open windows, keeping blinds closed to keep the sun out (make sure baby is supervised and stays well away from open windows, particularly if they’re crawling/climbing).

Have fun – paddling pools, splashing in the sea, lying in the shade under a big tree and eating lots of ice cream can all help too. Be safe, have fun and enjoy the sunshine.

See our full range of products here.

What’s In A Name?

Excitement about the new heir to the throne’s name has reached fever pitch with only days to go before the new arrival. So what will Prince William and Kate Middleton’s little prince or princess be called?

As is only fitting for a royal, most members of the Royal Family tend to have multiple names. Prince William alone has four: William Arthur Philip Louis. When naming their right royal sprogs the royals tend towards traditional names, especially those of successful monarchs.

Elizabeth and Victoria were both extremely strong and successful, as were Arthur and William. Less likely to make the cut would be Henry, considering King Henry famously married six times – and beheaded two wives. As far as non-traditional names go, only Princess Anne’s son (Prince William’s cousin) has gone off grid, naming his little princesses Savannah and Isla.

Top of our list is George and Louis for a boy, Victoria or Carole for a girl. So what will it be? Whatever it is, we're sure Miss Middleton would love one of our best-selling personlaised necklaces. So if you're looking for gift ideas, William, you know where to come. Watch this space …

Top Ten Brighton Names - Girls

Alice

Victoria

Laura

Amelia

Rosie

Cindy

Fleur

Yvette

Coco

Claudia

Top Ten Brighton Names - Boys

Elvin

Harry

Henry

Sebastian

Calan

Ellis

Dylan

Milo

Rudi

Billy