Guess WHOOO's Expecting!!

BIG BELLY NEWS!
WE ARE VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE EXPECTING!!
We have been in China for two years and working hard to have the adoption laws changed in favor of expat Canadians. In March, we finally found out that we will be DOUBLY-blessed; the birth of our first child in November AND the adoption laws have finally been approved for Canadian expats! This year has been nothing but happy baby news for Adam and I!

OUR FAMILY NEST
All this time waiting for motherhood to arrive & over 15 years of experience with baby nurseries...I have had plenty of time to pick my brain for ideas; I am ecstatic to have the chance to design a nest for our own children. With all of the ideas I have floating around..we may need to expand our family quite generously!

COLOUR & INSPIRATION
Because we would like the baby's sex to be a surprise, a gender-neutral theme has started the brainstorming process. Since "Bun" will be a Fall baby, the colour scheme has created itself (brown, orange, green and some turquoise for colour punch. Adam does not understand how these colours will work together, so he is happy to be in charge of furniture assembly!). After scouring the internet for other craft-minded mommy businesses, I have been deeply inspired by their constant creativity to offer quality products to family's from their home office (spaces that make an artsy mom go ga-ga!)

'CREATING A NEST' TIPS
Currently, I am making a framed "Inspiration" board for collecting cloth material samples, coloured paint tabs, magazine cut-outs of furniture ideas & personal sketch snippets. Anything that works with the nursery theme & colours. Any items that catch my eye. Our goal is to create a cozy nursery nest with as many handmade/home-found features as possible, which means incorporating things that remind us of our family & Canada. And what says love more than something handmade? Our 'Woodlands' theme will give us plenty of options for creating a nostalgic environment.

CUSTOMER CREATIVITY
When my customers are wanting to part of the creative process, I encourage them to do the same; create an 'Inspiration' board.
1. Pick your palette (or several colour combo's to narrow down later)
2. Start collecting samples of things that catch your eye; greeting card illustrations, make-up palettes, cloth samples, toys, books...anything! Take your camera everywhere.
Soon enough you will see a pattern in your style and can start to focus in on your colour and theme choices. Once you have decided, keep the colour tabs in your pocket & start picking out supplies for baby bedding, curtains,
lamps, furniture...all the things that you want/require for the space. Try not to overdo the theme (for example; monkey's everywhere!) but you can never overdo the colour scheme. Start simple. Usually the main mural & possibly some images on throw pillows or stuffed toys make the theme stand out with style.
Definitely incorporate personal items from your family or childhood; pictures, furniture, trinkets or heirlooms. If someone in your family has a talent, ask for a special gift to make your nursery unique. Collect & create. Have pieces passed down & created pieces to pass along.
Baby is all about celebrating new life & past generations.

So stay tuned...Coco & Co. will continue to publish the process for our Bun's Owl Nursery.
Is there anything better than Baby Bliss?

Kickin' It Old Skool

Every rite of passage tends to make us reflect on our past. Somehow moving from one stage of life into another, takes us back and then sends us forward into the future. Weddings are a great example of this. How many reception speeches are based on good times from days gone by, as family and friends wish us well on our new adventures to come?

Our trip to Canada this summer was driven by my little sister's announcement of her wedding date. Over the years, I have been collecting stories that I was sure would be perfect for her big day; tales from our childhood..and even some of our more recent adventures. However, I ended up looking to Sesame Street for inspiration as well as to Steph's friends and some of our family members to help me re-create a version of Guy Smileys, This is Your Life. This meant connecting with some of my kid sisters greatest fans; far more fun than sitting at a computer and trying to type out a speech (something I am neither good at or enjoy delivering!)

To continue the retro vibe & add to the evening's visuals; a painting in orange, brown & blue with the Hensen-created character, complete with my sisters old & new surname's.

Needless to say, the day was extraordinary. And when it came time for my 'speech', she didn't try to beat me up for telling things that are best kept ours!

Wishing YEARS of love and happiness to my sister and my NEW BROTHER!
Thank-you for putting on an amazing celebration for all of us to share!

Mommy, Miki & Mini

Max the Monkey has made his arrival, June 16th, 2010!
We were very excited to return to Canada a few days following to meet the Miniest addition of one of my all-time greatest friends family. MAN! Is that little wormie cute!

For Max's Safari themed nursery, Coco & Co. created a three-piece gallery canvas set; painting safari babies with mom & dad. Two gray trunks sweep into the long 1.5x3 foot canvas with mommy & baby birds perched atop for a free ride. At mom's request, Coco & Co.'s monkey mama & baby swing on the 1.5x1.5 foot canvas. Lion-loving dad's request was fulfilled with the final canvas; dad and lion cub cuddling in the corner. By offering a 3-piece set, parents have the option of arranging the paintings in several patterns or placing them throughout several 'key' spots in the nursery; crib, change table and read/relax nook, for example. Animal themes, especially those with bold colours, have the advantage of working well beyond the nursery years, as baby advances into a bigger bedroom, or needs a little sparkle in the playroom. Some parents have begun with one, and each birthday add another canvas with the same theme and colour scheme.

Gallery canvas differs from standard stretched canvas due to it's depth; it reaches 1.5 inches out from the wall, whereas standard canvas generally is 0.5 inches deep. Because the images wrap around the sides of the canvas, the gallery option gives the art more of a 3-D effect (as seen in the photo.)


As Max spends his summer cozying in with his family, we send our love & best wishes!
We cannot wait to snuggle you again!
xox

And Baby Makes FOUR!

Portfolio meetings are one of the perks of my job. It gives me the chance to meet the family, see the nursery-in-progress and basically just be able to witness the amazing time before baby arrives, when there's a lot of love and emotions on overdrive!

I have been especially fortunate when a family invites me to return for baby number two...or three! Then I get to see the family at several stages from bumps to babes and beyond. This is the case with the "C" family of three, about to be four! Months ago they announced that Baby Number Two is on the way and they are ready for a new set of Pottery Barn inspired canvas.

A beautiful choice of baby bedding titled, Cottontail Friends led to this set of five canvases; complete with Daddy Lamb, Mommy Bunny, sibling ducks and chicks. A banner scroll at the top and bottom of the center canvas makes room for baby's name and birthdate information.

The little bundle's grand arrival is expected this month!
Looking very much forward to returning for a delivery visit (in our favourite Canadian town!) and congratulating the growing family of four!

A Dog & A Frog

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails…

To celebrate the birth of beautiful Baby D (J.R.) and his parents’ love of dogs, Coco & Co. has created “A Dog and A Frog”; an ideal piece to welcome a little boy into his family & nursery.

Shades of blue and green in the background, give the hint of a fresh summers day. A whimsical white puppy with a spotty eye lazes on a hill while looking onto a sassy, tongue-flashing frog. Flowers in sunshine and cotton candy swirls look more like lollipops than summer blossoms. In the background, on the hilltop a stylized tree bears little leaves and on its trunk a personal etching; “dad heart’s mom”.

When parents give me the freedom to choose a theme and design, it usually goes one of two ways; "perfect..I have been wanting to try something fresh..now is the time!" OR "There are way too many adorable options, how can I possibly decide for someone else?" Some pieces definitely come more easily and naturally than others. This was definitely one of those. I enjoyed every minute, from brainstorm to sketch to finished product. With it's solid bold colours and highly stylized illustrations, it makes for strong, but simple images that mark a new trend in nursery design to come. Pastel palettes are being set aside in baby decor to make way for lines and colours that are easily seen by a newborn and remain much-loved into the toddler years.

Sending our warmest wishes to the new family of three (plus many K9 members).

We hope to fit in a cuddle & cheek pinch when we visit home!

Good Old Canadian Hockey Lovers

Nothing says Canadian like true blue hockey lovers (true blue RCMP hockey lovers!). Undoubtedly, hockey is my most requested theme from the North. When it comes to nurseries, dads usually let moms take the lead. However, when hockey becomes an option, they know exactly what they want! Often dads are thinking way beyond the nursery (or at least want two on order; one for juniors room & one for the ‘study’!)

Though I have seen my share of Maple Leaf fans, this particular fan roots for our country’s capital. The back view of this Ottawa Senator’s jersey is complete with fan’s name and favourite number, draped as if to hang on his own ‘locker room’ hook.

Though children’s illustration is my all-time passion, it’s always a good idea to keep the hockey fans happy;)

Coming soon to the True North.

Baby International

International families in Shanghai are forever seeking out places that will sell cool baby products from our own home countries. The founders of Baby International are offering just what the foreigners ordered; trendy new digs to purchase all baby's early needs. From strollers to car seats and even eco-products just hitting the market in China, it can be found with the help of friendly staff in the French Concession.

To add to their cool boutique and patio garden vibe, they have personalized the store with a custom piece from Coco & Co. A new addition to the family can bring a bounty of chic accessories & fashionable necessities.

In the background, the Shanghai skyline is painted in two-tone blue hues, the buildings reflecting in the waterway between Puxi and Pudong; the two sides of Shanghai. The foreground boasts a family-friendly candy apple Volkswagon Beetle, complete with Shanghai license plate. Waving out the window from his carseat, is a little baby and his toy monkey flying overhead. Coco & Co.'s ever-popular monkey is a hit with wee ones all over the world. Blues and greens highlight the baby shops theme colours on the massive 3x5 foot canvas.

All the best to the family at Baby International, as you open your doors to Shanghai.

Safari Bebe

Animals are the most popular pick for gender-neutral nurseries. Safari animals have also become a favourite for baby boys rooms specifically.

This name canvas, on it's way to Italy, serves as the perfect personalized birthday gift, guaranteed you will not be getting doubles of. Little Federico will celebrate the big three in style with his new friends; monkey, giraffe and zebra, not to mention some little birdies waiting to share the news of his party.

Wishing him and his family the very best as they mark another milestone; three is such a good number to be!

April Showers bring Spring Babies!

With Spring just around the corner, we can look forward to all the wee ones that will be welcomed into their families, as the flowers bloom and the winds warm up.

There is a mom with a little bump in the USA who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her first-born. Without knowing whether they will welcome a baby girl or boy, they have designed a gender-neutral nursery with a Dr. Seuss theme; Seuss-classic reds, greens, blues and yellows in the baby bedding & a three part scroll mural by Coco & Co. Currently the mural is complete, minus the wee ones name, with both outer scrolls slightly shorter than the centerpiece scroll and hand-trimmed with a gentle scallop. All three paintings side-by-side match up to form a hilly background; Kangaroo and Joey (or Joette;) tucked happily in her pouch. A bold white & red kite soaring, further implies the arrival of Springtime. In the far scroll, Seuss-signage points NEAR in the direction of mother and baby, while FAR points away in the distance.

NEWS UPDATE...

IT'S A GIRL!! To welcome baby Elise Joy is proud mom dad and big sister V!

Congrats to the growing family!

Crazy China

BLOG WITHDRAWL!
It has been months since I have been able to access my blog account from Shanghai.
So without further adieu...it's time for catch-up!
Happy Spring from Coco & Co!

PS We (unfortunately) do not live in this neck of the woods pictured, but (fortunately) it is only a short train ride away from Shanghai.
Ahhhh...nature!