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Babiekins Magazine

A Trendsetting Magazine & Online Community For The Trendsetting Child + Parent

Family Guide to Iceland’s Ring Road

By Grace Spath Leave a Comment

By Grace Spath | Clothing: Chasing windmills kids, Indi Scout, Vintage, Luv Mthr

If your looking for a break from the heat of summer, then grab a seat (or 5) on the discounted Icelandic airline, WOW, and give your fall wardrobe a trial run as you circle the magical isle of Iceland.

Day 1: Adjust in Reykjavik

Day 2: head out of town! Spend some time exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Day 3:head to northern Iceland. Make a stop at the Skagafjordur tourist information center to explore the earth sheltered building and have a pic-nic. We also found Icelandic poppies growing across the street. If you aren’t familiar with seals, you could stop at the seal center.

Day 4: Akureyri Take today easy, maybe go horseback riding and grab a milk shake at Kaffi Ku-a local dairy farm. Definitely explore Kjarnaskogur -a large city park in Akureyri with multiple play grounds, trials and streams.

Day 5: Akureyri You have options- explore lake Mývatn or the small coastal towns around the area.

Day 6: head East making sure to stop at the smelly and vibrant geothermal fields. It is well worth the side trip to Borgarfjardarhreppur to look for puffins!

Day 7: Egilsstaðir. Have another low key day at a farm stay. Build some fairy houses and throw rocks in streams. Grab some delicious food at the nearby organic farm.

Day 8: Make your way South. This is a long drive with few accommodations. Prepare yourself and plan lodging early. A camper van would come in handy here. Everywhere in Iceland is so beautiful that anywhere you can turn off is a great place to stop and break up the journey. However, the glacier lagoon is a must see!

Day 9: explore the South of Iceland. Top picks: The beach at Vik and the waterfall Seljalandsfoss that you can walk under.

Day 10: Golden Circle. The geysers and the hot rivers are favorites among children. Grab a place with a hot tub for some low key unwinding.

Day 11: Reykjavik. Take a day to explore the city. My children wanted to walk through the ice cave at Perlan multiple times!

Day 12: Say your goodbyes and grab some food for the plane.

If you have a couple extra days try getting to the wilderness center thats a bit inland from east Iceland, or you could try to fit in the arctic fox center in the west fjords.

Favorites among the children:

  • Getting an up close look at the puffins at Borgarfjardarhreppur
  • Walking around in patches of snow along the road
  • Building fairy homes
  • Throwing rocks in streams
  • River Swimming
  • Exploring Kjarnaskogur -a large city park in Akureyri
  • Climbing on top of earth sheltered buildings
  • Ice cave at Perlan
  • Getting splashed as you walk behind the waterfall
  • Hestaleiga in Akureyri has an excellent horseback riding option for very young children.

Things I’d skip:

  • Borgarnes: the cultural center is expensive and the audio guide will not hold the attention of small children. If you are really interested in the viking past and traveling with 2 adults then try checking it out while the other adult walks down the nearby boardwalk with the children.
  • The “Farmers Market” in Borgarnes is more just a storefront with local items and local meat. Nothing that caught my attention.
  • Looking for puffins in coastal N. Iceland. Its a long drive out of the way to the puffin spots, and the location on the east gets you much closer to them with safer viewing points.

Souvenirs:

I always opt for 1 or 2 locally made artisan goods rather than gobs of imported kitschy stuff.

  • Crafting wool
  • Sweater or other knitted goods
  • Wooden animals
  • Felted animals
  • Sheep skin

Eating:

Restaurants are very expensive. Book lodging with kitchenettes and cook at home or make picnic lunches whenever possible. Opt for skyr (Icelandic yogurt) at breakfasts and maybe some sheep cheese for meals to still get that local food excitement.

Lodging:

Though we did not rent a camper van, there are some larger options available that would make a memorable and enjoyable experience.

I think Airbnb is a game changer for traveling families and I usually book all my stays this way. Utilize smaller places with sofa beds rather than multiple bedrooms to save money. Sometimes you owners are even able to put in a port a crib for you. Here were a few of the airbnbs we stayed at:

  • Top pick: Ellen’s farm stay in Gíslastaðir (East Iceland). A very relaxing farm with a creek, horses, and friendly pup. Ellen was very accommodating, especially in regards to our baby. She brought in a port-a-crib, a high chair, and put away in small hazardous items through out the home. There were toys for our other children and an art table with paints, canvases, and brushes.  ( https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2611203 )
  • Top pick: Siggi’s apartment in reykjavik that my children still talk about! There were 3 bedrooms in addition to the family room and kitchen. There was also a nice size yard with a trampoline, plenty of free parking on the street, and a child’s room with fun bunk beds, toys, and a swinging chair. Close to Perlan in a quiet, family friendly neighborhood ( https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23284671 )

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: adventure, family adventure, family travel, Grace spath, iceland, indi scout, nature travel, needles and spines, travel, travel with kids, travelkins Posted By: Grace Spath

Sizzling Style

By Grace Spath Leave a Comment

contributor and photographer: Grace Spath | clothing: Chasing Windmills Kids, Indi Scout + Eden and Etta | model: Scarlet Spath

When planning our trip to Iceland I knew I needed to keep my kids warm and still look good for the crazy load of photos! Luckily, I found Chasing Windmills Kids, a company that makes merino wool (not so) basics. The mustard patched long johns worked perfectly with Iceland’s geography. Pair the shirt with bright rainbow fringe leggings from Indi Scout as well as a couple selected hand knitted items and I have a child that perfectly matches the wonderful geo-thermal mud pits of Iceland. Thankfully she smells a bit better than they did though!

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: #fashionkins, Babiekins, Babiekins Magazine, chasing windmills, chasingwindmillskids, family travel, fashion photography, geothermal, Grace spath, iceland, indi scout, kids fashion photography, kids style, knits, Lil' Stylekins, needlesandspines, travel with kids, wool Posted By: Grace Spath

Fashionkins // Make it Fun

By Grace Spath Leave a Comment

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A picture is worth a thousand words. I could sit here and tell you how Randi Mooney of Grow Lovely Photography has a knack for capturing the care free and fun loving spirit of children. As well as how her models always seem to be having the time of their lives and making wonderful memories. However, I think her photos will do a far better job of spreading that message.

Indi Scout dresses them for their great adventure of childhood with clothing that’s practical, fun, and sustainable.

Photographer: Grow Lovely Photography | Clothing: Indi Scout  (Indi Scout, Lea and Jojo) | Models: Jules and Courtney | Contributor: Grace Spath

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: #babiekinsmag, children's style, childrens fashion, fashion kids, fashion magazine, fringe shorts, girls fashion, Grace spath, indi scout, kids editorial, kids magazine, Lil' Stylekins, organic kid clothes, recycled kids style, summer Posted By: Grace Spath

Featurekins // With Style and Grace

By Priscila Barros, Editor-in-Chief Leave a Comment

Featurekins // With Style and Grace

Featurekins // With Style and Grace

Featurekins // With Style and Grace

We are so excited to be talking to Grace from Indi Scout – a fun and whimsical kids brand based out of San Diego, California. We have known Grace for a few years now and always get so excited for their collection releases!

We talked to Grace about her brand, her family and how she does it all.

{Q} Grace, you grew up in Alabama and now live in San Diego. How has the change of pace and (possibly lifestyle) effected your creativity or inspired it?
{A} It really is 2 different cultures in many ways. But for me personally, I have become constantly outside- hiking, camping, traveling -since moving here. This has made me more eco-conscious, as well as given me a more nature/outdoors inspired design aesthetic.

{Q} Since you work from home, have three children and make beautiful clothing — we have to ask… where do you get all the time and how do you balance life as a mom, wife, designer?
{A} Hah ! Good question, I’m still figuring that out myself! This past year I hired my first seamstress to help fulfill wholesale orders. This has saved me! I am able to take the time to really be with my family mentally and physically, as well as have time to work on new designs. I think I could even use one more seamstress in the San Diego area!😉

{Q} Where did you learn to sew and is it something your oldest is interested in?
{A} I am mostly self taught. I did home-ec in middle school. My mother taught me some, and I did a couple fashion classes in college. It really came from just jumping in and being hands on and figuring it out as I went. My oldest daughter is 5 and she LOVES to sew. She hand sews as well as uses the machine, I couldn’t ask for a better mini-me.

{Q} Do your children ever give you fashion advice?
{A} My oldest daughter has the best style out of anyone I know. She has been dressing herself since she was 2 and is so awesome. She definitely has her own style, but it’s not all crazy, the color schemes and concepts are totally there. So, though she doesn’t verbally give me a lot of advice, she is totally still an inspiration.

{Q} Tell us what growing up in Alabama was like? How is raising your children in San Diego different from that?
{A} I come from a DIY family through and through. If we can do it ourselves we are going to, and if we can get the materials for free or from the second hand store, we are all in. This has always been the case and it has really created who I am today. San Diego is very different. I feel like here people mostly think, ‘if I can buy it or pay someone else to do it why would I do it myself?’ Of course there are exceptions and both sides have good and bad parts, but I am striving to teach my children how to do things for themselves.

{Q} What is the most difficult part of what you are doing? Any advice for other mom’s trying to run a business and still putting their family first?
{A} The most difficult part is by far the great juggling act. The best advice I have is something I have just learned and am still learning- don’t try to do it all yourself! As I mentioned in the last question, it is very much my nature to want to do everything myself, but it’s not always practical. By stepping back and letting others help and then refocusing, I am able to get so much more done and be less stressed and happier overall.

{Q} What did you want to be when you were a little girl?
{A} When I was a little girl I think the only thing I knew for sure was I wanted to be a mother, and it is all I hoped it would be and more.

{Q} Tell us your New Years resolution
{A} Take time to center myself each day.

{Q} What are 3 odd things in your purse / bag right now?
{A} Pruners, stacks of magnets, and the beads of a broken necklace #momlife

{Q} Finish this sentence
{A} I never thought I would be – a Californian. Now I don’t think I could be anything else.

{Q} In 2018, what do you hope to achieve?
{A} I hope to get out new products and blog more since I have taken some time off with my new baby.

Filed Under: Shop Tagged With: Babiekins, Grace spath, indi scout, kids fashion magazine, magazine Posted By: Priscila Barros, Editor-in-Chief

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with Grace Spath

By Priscila Barros, Editor-in-Chief Leave a Comment

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

Travelkins // San Miguel de Allende by Grace Spath

A guest post by Grace Spath.

Most people I talk to are scared to travel to Mexico. This was my 3rd big trip to Mexico, in addition to many small border crossing trips. Since I live 30 miles from the border I often cross it for things like dental care and handmade home furnishings. Are there places in Mexico you should not travel to, or at least be very cautious in? Absolutely. However, there are also plenty of places in the States I would not feel safe spending time in. As a general rule though, I feel if you treat people with respect and a smile you will receive the same in return. If your still uncomfortable with Mexico, San Miguel de Allende is a great place to start. A bustling little artist colony with architecturally outstanding churches seemingly every other block. It houses many foreigners as tourists as well as full time residents. Even with so many people, it still possess a small-town charm, while offering many options of activities, eateries, and shopping. There is even a toy museum!

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: Babiekins, babiekins mag, Babiekins Magazine, babiekinsmagazine, Grace spath, kids fashion magazine, kids magazine, mexico, travelkins Posted By: Priscila Barros, Editor-in-Chief


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Copyright © 2023 · Babiekins Magazine | A Trendsetting Kids' Fashion Magazine and Online Community for Parents and Children Alike · Since the Southern California birth of Babiekins in 2010, the magazine has grown from into an internationally-recognized print publication with a global circulation and now a thriving online community. We are more than a kids’ fashion magazine. We search everywhere for inspiration, and go beyond trends to bring you fashion, style, decor, design, books, DIY, parties, and playthings. Our readers look to us to keep up with the best and most up-to-date concepts in the children’s market worldwide. We have an eye for quirk. We’re high-fashion, but we value whimsy over tradition. Playful childhood is more important to us than making kids into copycat adults. We believe life is beautiful, life is valuable, and life changes when you see it through the eyes of a child. We seek to transcend skin color, language and zip codes and bring out the real, wild, magical creativity inherent in every child. And behind Babiekins is an optimistic team of mothers-turned-editors, working from home, often with our own little babiekins climbing on, under and around the desks. We want to encourage you, and challenge you to see something different — something special — in yourself and in this world we all share. Welcome to Babiekins!

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