Sharon is always threatening to move The Animal Print Shop to a cabin in the woods, and who knows? Maybe one day she’ll actually do it. In the meantime, her love of nature serves as subtle inspiration for our newest Nursery Project (kids’ room edition)–and we can’t think of a better way to welcome Baby Horse and Baby Horse Little Darling than in this spirited, summer-splashed bedroom, made for play.

Its kid-friendly highlights include sky-blue wallpaper with shapes reminiscent of pine tress, a cozy sand-colored tent, and a chalkboard wall featuring a sweeping sketch of Yosemite Valley (soon to be gone in place of tic-tac-toe boards, ABC’s, and spaceships). 

In keeping with the theme of nature, there’s also a rain cloud cushion and a desk made of reclaimed cedar. And above the bed, painted in lake colors, there are six Little Darlings, including our newest, leading the pack.

Bring a token of the outdoors in, with these handmade mobiles crafted from linen, cotton, and leather. With their soft branches and liberty-print leaves, colored stars and crescent moons, we can’t imagine a prettier addition to a nursery, or a more magical introduction to nature.

When Catherine Chan and her husband began planning for the arrival of their son, Sebastian, much thought was given to the future. “We knew we wanted his nursery to be gender-neutral, since if we ever decided to have another child, it’d be sharing a room with our first,” says Catherine. “And we used furniture we already owned – like the bookshelf and the dresser – as often as possible. That way, as Sebastian grows up, the pieces don’t need to change as much.”

We’re honored, then, that eight of our Little Darlings make cameos in Sebastian’s warm, whimsical, made-to-grow nursery.  Baby Giraffe was chosen first – to match a Jonathan Adler lamp and a towering stuffed toy stationed near a set of wooden shelves; “from there,” says Catherine, “my husband I chose the rest of the animals together. They’re an ideal way to make Sebastian’s space fun and kid-appropriate. That area instantly became a strong focal point in the room.”

“We love that sitting area,” Catherine continues. “My husband and I spend hours there, with me nursing the baby and him reading. It’s a great place for us to unwind after a long day and reconnect.”

With love – and so many friendly faces – all around, we have a feeling it’ll remain that way for years to come.

Thank you so much for sharing, Catherine! 

In our opinion, no nursery’s complete without dolls designed for cuddling, so as a follow-up to last month’s accent pillow round-up, we’ve put together a collection of top-quality toys made from materials like organic fleece, eco-friendly yarn, sheepswool, and alpaca. We call them softies, and we’re smitten. (We guess that makes us softies, too.)

We know Baby Giraffe Little Darling is happiest with her head in the trees. So when interior designer Liz Caan told us that the theme for this beautiful bedroom was “modern tree house,” we knew our friend had found the perfect home.

Located in a historic house outside of Boston, this bright blue oasis belongs to a lucky little girl who’s one of four children. “The room was designed about one-and-a-half years ago, when she was four,” Liz explains. “I wanted a room that felt youthful, but would still feel chic when she’s sixteen. I love the restrained palette and the modern furnishings, which are rooted in the classics. We took a four-poster bed, for example, and stripped it back so it felt a little more modern. Same with her console table and the pink acrylic mirror hanging over it.”

And how did Baby Giraffe Little Darling find her way into the mix? “I let each child in this family choose a wallpaper for their room, and then a piece of art,” Liz says. “The four-year-old chose the giraffe, and it worked perfectly. Who wouldn’t love to sleep with a baby giraffe watching over you?” (Later, she adds, “Her brother chose the Zebra.”) Nothing makes us happier than seeing them in such bright, soulful spaces.

Thank you to Liz Caan for sharing!  

We have great news for our German customers!

We started running this little business out of the house five years ago–since then we’ve moved into a proper shop and hired some much needed help. A lot has changed since the days of shipping out of the living room, but seeing orders come in from all over the world is still as exciting now as it was five years ago.

We’re grateful to our customers both domestic and international, so it wasn’t without hesitation when we had to make the sad decision to stop shipping to Germany in the beginning of 2013. Of all the orders we shipped to Germany, less than 10% were successfully delivered–the rest were lost or damaged.

We’ve spent the last year and a half fielding emails from disappointed German customers. Saying no hasn’t been easy, so we’re incredibly excited to announce our friends at LeoZ have stepped in to save the day!

LeoZ will act as our distributor for Germany, Austria, Swtizerland, and Luxembourg. LeoZ has a selection of our bestsellers (including the entire Little Darlings series) available for immediate shipment.

Visit our LeoZ distribution site: theanimalprintshop.de or in Berlin, visit the LeoZ Showroom: Greifenhagener Str 6 10437 Berlin

Thank you LeoZ. We are so grateful!

This month, in honor of our rascally, resourceful Baby Squirrel, we’ve got our eye on items made for equally playful tots: an organic cotton onesie in a spring-like shade of leafy green, an embroidered animal totem with a pair of sturdy squirrels in the middle, a collection of rainbow acorns, and a handmade linen tree for make-believe safekeeping. (More treasures below.)

There’s no time like spring, and for the past couple months, we’ve been relishing its sunshine; its pure, crisp colors; and its new arrivals (birds, bees, budding trees!) as we’ve prepared to announce two of our very own: Baby Deer Little Darling, and a brand-new nursery designed to celebrate what we love most about the season.

The latest addition to our Nursery Project series features bird-patterned wallpaper in shades of pink and gray; painted trim in robins egg blue echoes a sunny afternoon sky. A trio of familiar faces (with new Baby Deer Little Darling taking center stage) watch over a DwellStudio crib, while a ceramic pendant light by Jonathan Adler allows it all to shine. 

(Photos by Joe Schmelzer for The Animal Print Shop)

It’s a problem we’ve encountered on repeat: every time we set out to design a nursery, we look high and low to find accent pillows that are sophisticated, yet mixed with a bit of sweetness and whimsy. We figured we weren’t the only ones, so today we’re sharing a few standouts from our search, which include pinwheels and polka dots, mushrooms and mountains, spunky stripes and forest friends. Here’s to sweet dreaming.