Amelie's 1st Birthday Invitations - Getting crafty with Art and Hobby!

Hello all the Mummies out there, I hope you enjoyed our last review on Tonic in Blackrock. We will keep posting weekly reviews to help you discover all the baby and family friendly cafes and restaurants in Dublin South. If you have missed our reviews go back and read them so far we have posted reviews on:

- Giddy Goose Cafe, Dun Laoghaire

- Sea Green Tea Rooms and Emporium, Monkstown

- Muggs Cafe, Dalkey

- Tonic Restaurant, Blackrock

This a quick blog that might inspire you to do a little arts and craft. If your children are older why not get them involved too. I have fallen in love with the Art & Hobby stores that are in Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock. There is something special about hand made gifts, invitations and cards plus I love to get creative.

Arts & Hobby stores have:
- Excellent children's toys (brightly coloured wooden puzzles and fabric hand puppets are some of my favourite) 
- Endless art supplies for all my creative ideas (some of which I really should complete!)
- Exceptionally friendly staff who always give great advice and excellent service.

Art and Hobby - Blackrock

My latest little project was to make invitations for Amelie's first birthday. I really wanted to do something special for her birthday because she is so special herself.

Here are some photo's of what I did.

 Rubber stamps, blank cards & envelopes, an ink pad and some markers are all you need!

I stamp the cards lightly then go over the outline in a black marker for a better finish

I did the lettering myself but you could print it or stencil it

I put a photo of Amelie in every card and the details of the party.

One more stamp on the envelope and it's all done!

Check out the Art and Hobby stores in your area for some great ideas on how to get crafty. It is fun to have something to work on other than the house work and gets you away from the tv and computer for a few hours in the evening and gets the creative juices flowing. I forgot how much I loved creating things with my hands and I can't wait to get crafty with Amelie as she grows up.

To locate your nearest store why not log on to their website http://www.artnhobby.ie/

Review #4 - Tonic Bar & Restaurant

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for being a little late with this weeks review. I just could not find the time to get to a computer this weekend, I had a lovely lunch in Oliveto Restaurant in Dun Laoghaire with Tara and her family on Saturday (Review coming soon). On Sunday some of my girl friends and I popped in to Sea Green in Monkstown (Review #2) for lunch and a belated birthday celebration. The food was excellent and a glass of prosecco was a nice touch to the overall experience. This week I have reviewed Tonic in Balckrock, the first restaurant to feature on our blog. I have to say it is my favourite place in Blackrock thus far to take the babies aside from the very generic Starbucks for coffee and a snack I have struggled to find anywhere that is worthy of visiting again but the search continues. If you have somewhere you would like the Jetsetting Babies to review just let us know.

TONIC AND SUIT 54

A:       5 Temple Road

           Blackrock Village

T:       (01) 2887671

E:       mail@tonic.ie  

W:      www.tonic.ie

                             

If you live on the South side I am sure that you have a few fond memories of Tonic and Suite 54
from you pre-baby days. Or maybe you even get a baby sitter now and again to have a night out (where you don’t have to trek into town, ) get in a bit of a dance and to sample one of their award winning cocktails. What to do though if you have the kids and you are in Blackrock? Tonic restaurant mightn’t be the first place that comes to mind when you are thinking baby and family friendly, though possibly it should be. I love to visit Tonic on the weekend after the Blackrock markets or a trip to the park with Amelie. A really unique, nutritious and tasty kids Sunday menu has recently been launched. It is full of food you would love to cook every day for your kids at home; these guys understand there is more to feeding your little ones when you are out then chicken gougons and chips… they even have a baby bowl which will not disappoint even the smallest of critics. The menu does not disappoint us either. I really enjoy the smoked duck waldorf salad and you can’t go wrong with a steak. The coffee is of a very high standard and there is a delcious list of desserts to match.Don’t be daunted by the few stairs as you enter, just pause a moment and someone will be at your side to help you around the venue with your buggy. Once the few stairs are negotiated there is ample buggie parking space, highchairs and changing facilities so you wont need to go anywhere in a hurry. This is our diamond in the rough, check it out before it becomes too well known and there isn’t room for any of us anymore.

High chairs - Y x 2

Baby Changing - Y

Children’s Menu - Y

Kids Activities - Y Colouring

These photo's of Amelie were taken before we arrived at Tonic we were shopping in the Frascati Shoppig Centre and she even got a free balloon from Shrek in the Blackrock markets. The camera battery then ran out so no photo's of the venue but check out their web site it is very detailed and has some great shot of the food and of the venue itself.

Kickstart & Coco Markets in People's Park Dun Laoghaire

Today Amelie and I popped into 'Kickstart' in Peoples Park in Dun Laoghaire to see what all the fuss was about. What a fab day to be had by families. There were bouncy castles and slides, candy floss, arts and crafts and face painters.

Amelie was a little small for all of the activities but had a great time watching all the older kids play. She especially enjoyed watching the juggler and had fun showing off her clapping and waving skills too.

The Coco Farmers Markets were on as usual and we got a few tasty treats, I had a a break from the amazing and addictive duck pies and instead opted for a delicious sausage roll from the 'Lovin Catering' bakery stand.

 

We sat by the water fountains and ate our lunch together. While it was chilly it was a lovely day out and we look forward to next year's kickstart when Amelie can take part in a few more of the activities, until then the swings will keep her amused time and time again!

This was a five star family friendly event, and we look forward to the next one to be held by the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Keep reading our blogs for event updates and of course more reviews on Dublin cafe's and restaurants. So far we have published reviews on The Giddy Goose and Sea Green Emporium and Tea Rooms...

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

Love the Jetsetting babies and their Yummy Mummies

x x x

Review # 2 Sea Green Tea Rooms and Emporium - Jetsetting Babies Guide to Dublin South

Hi Everyone,

We are back this week with our second review, if you missed our first review on the Giddy Goose in Dun Laoghaire be sure to check out our previous blogs. This week we are talking all about a little place in Monkstown that is worth a visit anyday of the week. We would love to hear your views on the places we visited so feel free to get in touch. We have a face book page too of course, be sure to 'like' it to find out more... http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jetsetting-Babies-Guide-To/184088134954174

Sea Green Tea Rooms and Emporium

A:       11a – 12a The Crescent

Monkstown

T:       (01)2020130

E:       info@seagreen.ie

W:      http://www.seagreen.ie/

Sea Green was such a hidden treasure and not a place we discovered until sometime into our search for the Jetsetting Babies Guides most family friendly cafe in Dublin's South. A friend mentioned that during her first few weeks home from the hospital she would pop down daily for  walk to sea green and get a great take away latte. We heard… 'great latte' and were there in a flash. So impressed we were that our search slowed for a little as we found it hard to drag ourselves away. Vintage wooden highchairs with the softest cushions for the babies are a photo op in themselves, but there are only three so you will have to be quick. Ample parking space for buggies, a changing table and even a supply of organic baby food will see coffee melt into lunch, lunch into coffee and coffee into “oh no I have to get home and get the dinner on.”  The coffee, the homemade scones and the hot chocolates are to die for. The salads we found to be a bit hit and miss but there are plenty of other tasty soups, sandwiches and homemade meals that you will be more than satisfied. The staff are very friendly and accomodating, they are patient with children and make a cute babychino (a little heavy on the chocolate in my opinion for a baby but for toddlers and up it's a go.) With a cute shop where you can find excellent boutique gifts, designer clothing and shoes, you will be dreaming of going back for seconds the moment you leave. What’s more if you don’t have time to browse their store while you dine, check out their website once your kids are in bed and treat yourself to some great online shopping.

High chairs              Y

Baby Changing         Y

Children’s Menu        Y

Kids Activities           Children's vintage style toys for sale 

With love, Angi Tara and the Jetsetting Babies

A lovely Christmas decoration Tara picked up in Sea Green Emporium for Amelie as her first Christmas decoration, isn't it gorgeous!

xxx