Stagger back in amazement! I actually managed to update my shop with some new creatures. I am running with a bit of a circus theme and jumping on the mustache bandwagon at the same time. In honour of my mini update I have gathered together some wonderful things with mustaches attached. Get out the wax and start twirling in a nefarious fashion! Circus Bear, at the top of the post, from The Good Machinery.

Catty Catty Owl Tamers by Me!

Mustache On A Stick from Something’s Hiding In Here.

Felix from Simpli Jessi.

Moustache Tea Cup and Saucer from Surya Sajnani

Weep with me for Jake the Sad Oneyed Lumberjack from Ninon.

Cedar Mustache Key Hook from Suddenly, its real!

Fis & Flo from Psarokokalo.

Ring from Isette

Heraldo from Pink Cheeks Studios.

Pint Glass from Bread and Badger.

Walrus Mustachioed Amigurumi from Melissa Sue.

Print from Ole Rattlesnake.

Ok, so he doesn’t have a mustache but he would probably do quite well in the circus. Velvet Fish Boy makes his debut in the Lou Lou & Oscar shop today. I am really happy with the switch to this new fabric, velvet seems to suit Fish Boy’s temperament and he is so lovely to stroke now! I have some new Fish Boy designs waiting to hit the scissors, very exciting, for me at least. Please don’t forget to join me here tomorrow for the Monday Interview. Good night kittens.

This Yo Yo from Suddenly, It’s Real looks beautiful and you can play with it too! Handmade from sustainably harvested wood, naturally shellacked and tied with a 100% cotton professional yoyo string, available from Rose and Radish.

Any toy by Vilac is bound to be beautifully made and aesthetically pleasing (you may remember the pull-along dog I featured a few weeks ago). I am head-over-heels for this red piano, you can find one at Revilo Toys.

I love these Cat Dolls from Mia Hansen and so does Ishi, they would look great on display in any child’s room. I got one of these cats from Mia Hansen’s Etsy shop I while ago, it looks as if the shop is dormant for the time being but you can snap one up at Twig.

There is a recurring theme here at Lou Lou & Oscar today and some exciting news about a new adventure my creatures have embarked upon.

Today sees the launch of a beautifully curated online emporium called Paper and Pine. The creators of Paper and Pine, Jenny and Amy, work together to curate and run Puces POP a huge craft fair that happens annually during the POP Montreal International Music Festival so they have plenty of experience rooting out the best handmade delights. I am very excited to have been asked to contribute some of my work to Paper and Pine and am giddy with joy that Catty- Catty, Marcel and Lapin de Lune have found a place in such wonderful company.

Congratulations to Amy and Jenny on the launch of Paper and Pine and good luck to all of the vendors involved. Here is a peek at just a few of the gorgeous goodies on offer at Paper and Pine today.

I would love a pair of these clever bird hooks by JivJiv for my hallway.

The ‘Sally Coat’ by Little Houses is on my wish list. I love the styling of these photographs. I have such a girly-handmade-clothes-crush on this model too!

Also on my ever expanding Paper and Pine wish list is the Ornate Blue Deer Pendant by Poodlebreath.

Fabulous, fabulous Rabbit pendants and brooches from Poodlebreath. Swoon!

And for my kitchen, Cloud Tea Towels from Chez-Sucre-Chez.

Beautiful hand-glazed ceramics from Horn of Plenty.

Hooray, just time to wedge in yet another fox at Lou Lou & Oscar! What a playful and sweet little fellow, add this necklace from Fleathers to the list too.

Make sure you click on over to Paper and Pine to wave hello to Catty-Catty, Lapin and Marcel!

As an ex–London–girl I miss skipping across Kensington gardens to Exhibition Road, the home of some of the cities’ most beautiful museums. I have been longing to revisit the V&A museum and scoop up a tiny wonder I wish I hadn’t placed back upon the shelves of the museum shop the last time I visited. The item I so foolishly cast aside was a paper-kit replica of a beautiful, life size automaton known as Tipoo’s Tiger, which can be found in the V&A’s Asia galleries. I am fascinated and delighted by automata of all kinds but Tipoo’s Tiger is really special, do take a look at this video on the history of the tiger if you have a spare 20 minutes, it is fascinating. So, thoughts of the paper-kit from the V&A got me thinking about paper construction and toy-kits in particular.

No sign of Tipoo’s Tiger but the V&A shop does carry this 3D Paper Robot Kit by Japanese designer and paper engineer Keisuke Saka.

Shin Tanaka has the most wonderful paper figures available for free download, for a limited period, from his website. I am in love with the Spiky Babies, we have a whole brood living on a windowsill.

You can even build a special ‘walker’ for your Spiky Baby if you want to!

Keep an eye on Shin Tanaka’s site as he makes new paper toys available in limited editions only, they are free though. Marvelous!

Ishi was lucky enough to receive this brilliant ABC pop-up book by Marion Bataille for Christmas. The book is available from Noun and Amazon of course!

You can see the theme building now can’t you!

I am sure that you will soon be expert at tracking my little obsessions and enthusiasms through the titles of my blog posts. Today I have purloined the title of a book by one of my favourite writers, Angela Carter. I have several editions of Carter’s The Magic Toyshop but my most prized is Virago’s 30th Anniversary Special Edition with cover design taken from Puppet Ballet by textile designer Jacqueline Groag. These books are so desirable, wonderful texts and beautiful design in one package.

I am looking forward to my adorable 6 month old goddaughter Evie’s accession to teenagerhood, I think that a copy of The Magic Toyshop would be the perfect gift for a young woman. Carter’s luscious prose and that cover! I don’t know if I can wait that long, does anyone know a teenage girl that might like a copy?! You can download a PDF of the brochure accompanying these editions here.

On the Carter theme I came across this perfect representation of ‘Melanie’, the protagonist of The Magic Toyshop while browsing on Flickr. Who doesn’t love Art & Ghosts? I was so excited to stumble upon this image, it is just perfect, click the link to take a close look at the amazingly outfitted rabbit! Art & Ghosts have been experiencing some problems with sites using their work illegally, make sure you also read the story behind this here.

I hope you are still with me, what a long preamble to the actual kernel of this post! I want to make’ The Magic Toyshop’ a regular weekly feature, a place to exult in some of the wonderful items on offer for children. This week I have two picks that are just made for my son, Ishi (I am hoping to get him both for his 3rd birthday-lucky bean!).

Lacquered wood dog designed by Yoshitomo Nara, produced by French toy makers Vilac. Available at Little Fashion Gallery.

Swoon with me at that packaging!

I have been in love with these soft, textile Ukuleles from Olivelse for quite some time. They are so beautifully made and the choice of fabrics is a wonder to behold.

Air ukulele anyone? There is also a great Olivelse blog, go and check it out.

Do pop back next week for more from The Magic Toyshop!