This post is brought to you by Marquise
I have a confession to make…I actually thought Marquise only did clothes for newborns. I love picking out a little marquise jumpsuit from DJs when someone has a baby as I just love to give something handmade with a jumpsuit. So I was surprised when I got to pick these cute outfits for my littlest guy and they came in a size 2. He might be my littlest guy but he’s not so little any more.
One of the reasons that we made this big move to a few acres was for our kids. To give them space to run around and a forever home. My childhood was a very happy one but was very different as I grew up in the navy and we moved every 2 – 3 years as most defence families do. It was fun rattling off all the places we had been and stopovers we’d had when I was little. And I have lots of photos of the different houses we lived in around Australia and in the UK. I love looking back through my photo albums and seeing how the fashions were or how many photos I’m wearing exactly the same as my little sister.
And we’ve been creating memories in the new house as soon as we arrived. Everyone just wants to play outside all day long and little emerson can be found at the back door waiting to get out there! Once he is out there he runs and tumbles, picks himself up again and runs some more.And if anyone was going to test out these boys clothes then it might as well be my rough and tumble little guy.
In my mind I imagined taking photos of him standing still wearing these cute clothes but he is always on the move. Running…….
and running
and then some more running
We were very kindly sent 3 long sleeve tees, 2 hooded jackets and one pair of little track pants by Marquise. I picked all of my favourite colours and you just can’t go wrong in navy, red and grey for boys. The clothes are really gorgeous and really well made. I am the queen of buying well made and hanging on to it for the next little person in our family and I just love that my girls are wearing clothes that we’ve had for so long in the family.
And what I love about these little jackets that emerson is wearing is that they are fully reversible. Just remove the tags and you’ve got 2 jackets in one – even the press studs are on both sides. This will be perfect for me because often by afternoon school pick up someone needs a new top on – just reverse the jacket to hide lunch or play time stains and you’re off again.
And one top was already in the wash before we took our photos
but was back on my little model the next day.
If you would like to win $250 worth of beautiful Marquise clothing for a little person in your life – maybe your own, a friend or your grandchild (or to be) then just let me know a favourite memory from your childhood and if you have a photo then include it in your comments and let me see how cute you were! And if you can’t add your photo just email me with your entry and photo and I’ll add it.
{Entries close 30th April 2013 and full terms of my giveaways can be found here}
You can check out the gorgeous winter range from Marquise here.
And check out some of my readers photos….here is Christie and her pet lambie
and Bronwyn ‘cuddling’ a duck
My favourite Aunty, who sadly passed away too young, had a farm in Berri NSW. Days would be spent feeding the cows, pigs & chickens. Collecting eggs and blackberries and making yummy cakes. Unfortunately I have no photos of my childhood as they were destroyed in a fire. It’s sad that I have nothing to show my 2yo boy & baby due September about how much fun I had as a kid, the places I saw and the bad 80’s hair and clothing.
We moved around a lot as well so I have many great memories! My favourite though would have to be when we were living in outback South Australia at coober pedy. It was Christmas and both sets of grandparents arrived to surprise us! We hadn’t seen them for 4 years and it really was the best Christmas ever!
We just re-created, or re-instated, a solid childhood memory for me and all my siblings on the weekend: Easter down the paddock by the creek, a big bonfire, egg hunt amongst the gumtrees, catching yabbies in the creek, bulk marshmallows and hot cross buns cooked on the fire. Creating the same memories for a new generation (my five nieces + our soon-to-be baby) on our family farm is quite special, and exactly why we moved home recently to do this for our eventual family, like you. I am yet to discover the wonders of Marquise – but how lovely do all the little boy pieces look on your Emerson! I think I love little boys navy, red and grey bits and pieces more than girls clothing. Little boys like Emerson are heartbreakers!
Wow, I didn’t realise that this brand is still around. I put my kids in Marquise when they were little and I’m talking in the 1970″s!!! Your baby boy is absolutely gorgeous.
Well done on a great and obviously very successful move to the country.
Cheers, Trish
My fondest memories involve visiting my grandparents in the country. We used to travel over 4 hours to get there and it was always so exciting! Spending time with my Nan and Pop was always so much fun. They showed me kindness, love, and always gave me the opportunity to learn through play and exploring my senses. They provided me with rich learning experiences time and time again. I’d spend time in the kitchen with Nan, sitting on the bench covered in flour and dipping my finger in the bowl for a lick or two. I’d watch her fill the old oven with wood and top up the cast iron kettle that was always on the boil. Outside with Pop was just as much fun. We would feed chooks and ducks, collect the eggs, pick vegies and get as muddy as possible! Here I am pictured with one of the ducklings. I remember that cardigan, Nan knitted it for me and I’d wear it with EVERYTHING (despite my mums alternative suggestions)! At least it matched my gumboots!
Marquise make the cutest things!
My best memory is definitely the mud. Making cakes, makeup, castles anything with it. My poor mother was forever washing!
My favourite childhood memory would have to be of spending time with my nan and pop. Nan and I would bake cakes together and pop would hide lollies around there house for me to have a treasure hunt.
Sadly I have hardly any photos of my childhood as my parents don’t speak to us because of our family size.
I would love to win some new clothes for my littlest man as being our 7th boy I think he deserves some really nice things that are just his own
One of my favourite memories is from when I was very little and our family were living with our uncles (close family friends actually). They had chickens, guinea pigs, guinea fowls and other animals and my uncle Ian used to take me to feed them, he give me handfuls of chook food and I’d feed them while also having mouthfuls in between! I wouldn’t have been more than 2 or 3 but I love that memory and it’s been a good laugh to think about over the years. I’ve now got my own 16 month old daughter and she already has the same passion for animals that I do
which makes me so happy! I’d love to win this for her. We’re going on our first family holiday in May for birthday and we’re tight on money trying to save for it, I’d use this $250 to buy her some nice winter clothes.
I grew up in the US. My mom did shift work at night at the post office and my dad is a contractor and would be so tired after work. So this led to my brother and I getting into shenanigans at night. We would grab flashlights and play hide and go seek around the house at night. But I was always to scared to seek so I’d just call out for my brother. We were also skilled lightning bug catchers too!
Thanks for the chance to win some beautiful clothes for our bubs! I know my boy would look great in them.
We moved a lot as children too and we mostly lived on big properties or farms. Dad was a truck driver too. We spent all our time outside building tree houses- my favourite was one in the Mulberry Tree which had a ‘bridge’ joining 2 ‘forts’ in the same tree. My favourite memories are just those- vein outside with our dogs, climbing trees, running in the paddocks, collecting eggs, feeding the farm animals etc. It’s something we are working towards being able to do for our own girls
my favourite childhood memory is snuggling up in a big cupboard with my sister, with lots of cushions and rugs and reading for ages and ages. In reality it was probably only a book or two but I’m sure our Mum loved having a short break and for me it was the beginning of a love of books. This year I’ve started re-reading many of my favourites and am loving immersing myself in these marvelous worlds all over again!
I would love to give this voucher to my best friend who has just given birth to her second son, those boys would look adorable kitted out in Marquise gear!!
My favourite childhood memory is riding on my dad’s shoulders. He was 6 foot 11 and as a child you were literally on top of the world when you were up there. It’s a precious memory because he passed away in an accident at sea when I was 9 and we never found him. My youngest son is almost 2 and named after him. Eerily he has acquired his steel grey eyes, blonde streaky hair and cheeky demeanour which has skipped our other child. His favourite games are rough and tumble and of course up on my husband’s shoulders. It is a delight to watch and remember the joy it brought me. Mr 2 would love a new Marquise wardrobe for winter!
Some of my fondest childhood memories is actually from after my parents divorced my Mum rented a property with a few acres of bushland, south of Perth in WA. I had a pet lamb called Lambie (very original), a pet blue-tongue lizard and a alaskan malamute (dog) Leah. I loved playing outside there, although one day I was playing on my trampoline when a swarm of bees came towards me so I ran inside and when I looked back the whole trampoline was covered in them. I will email you a copy of a photo of me and my Lambie as I do not know how to put it here. To win the $250 Marquise voucher would be lovely as I have a niece due in the next 7 weeks, so it would be wondering to buy her a wardrobe of Marquise clothing.
I grew up in the country in England and I have fond memories of tobogganing down this one particular hill with my brother as soon as the first heavy snow fell every year. It was so much fun and signaled that the festive season was almost upon us.
I’d love to win the Marquise voucher so that I can splash out on my little man due in six weeks time
One of my favourite childhood memories is holidaying down on the South Coast of NSW with my Godmother and her family. They would drive up from Victoria and we’d drive down. They had four kids and we were two, so holidays meant two weeks of us all running round together as a pack through the caravan park and down on the beach. It was bliss.
My favourite memory is going out with my dad in the truck to help him load wheat and playing in the back of the truck while the wheat was pouring in.
One of my favourite childhood memories is travelling to my grandparents house. I remember walking in and being given a huge hug by my grandma and being greeted by the most wonderful smells coming from her oven. My sister and I would play in the cubby house in the back of the garden, the very same cubby house that my father and his sisters used to play in! It still stands today and I hope my son, their great grandson gets to play in that cubby house too!
My favourite memory is a holiday one. My brother and I used to receive “ice cream money” from out grandparents when we went on out annual beach holiday. We were allowed an ice cream a day for two weeks. We would keep a listen for “Mr Whippy” each morning.When we heard it, we were allowed to run to the beach side car park to meet the van. Lining up was almost as exciting as getting our ice cream as we would spend that time deciding if we would have flakes, sprinkles or choc coating.
I always reminisce about my Grandma’s roast chicken meals. Every Sunday we’d have the yummiest roast chicken, homemade gravy, roast veggies and the killer cream salad. We’d all sit down and munch away for ages. I still miss that, it’s been 16 years now!
Picking blood plums at my great aunts house on summer holidays. The taste and smell I will never forget! And she would always have the Bee Gees playing in the background
My favourite memory from my childhood is from my 2nd birthday. I received a little dolls basket with sheets, a mattress, blankets & pillow included that were made from a quilted silky fabric & a dolls drinking bottle that drained as you tipped it up for the dolly to drink, then filled again when set upright. I just loved this gift for me & my dolly. What I didn’t know at the time was that we were pretty poor. My resourceful mother made that little ‘basket’ out of a shoebox & the accessories were made from an old pillow case & her very own pink silky quilted dressing gown. She did have to purchase the bottle! Boy I loved those pressies to bits….I didn’t know anything about their ‘provenance’…..all I knew as a 2 year old was that my dolly finally had a bed
For those of you that think a 2 yo won’t remember anything….well I do & I can remember how special that present was to me!!
I am not entering because I am in NZ… but just had to say how cute your photos are, he looks so sweet!
My mum sister and I always had a ritual of getting a donut as soon as we got to the shops, even before we started shopping! We did this from as early as I can remember and have now continued the obsession with my growing family!
My favourite memories are from when my parents moved us out of town onto acreage. We got horses, cows, motorbikes and lots of space. My brother and I spent hours and hours outside and my best friend and I would start at one house on Friday afternoon, ride all the horses there before having a sleepover. On Saturday those horses would again get ridden in the morning before we went to the other house and rode all the horses there and slept over Saturday night. Sunday we would do the same thing, although no sleepover unless it was holidays. Needless to say we were never at the mall or movies etc, just playing with our horses. Best childhood ever. I now have 3 children of my own and both my girls are keen horse kids, as we too live out of town. I hope my kids have a similar upbringing to mine, although theirs will certainly be better as they have all their grandparents and an aunt and uncle in the same rural town as us. So blessed
Not entering but I must say how gorgeous Emerson looks in his Marquise such a little man enjoying the outdoors.
My favourite childhood memory is my sister and I sitting on pops knees in his big old rocking chair while he read us books or just talked about anything and everything, many naps were had on those knees and we continued the ritual until we were in our teens where clearly we were too big and he was too old, but he never complained.
Pop passed away just over a year ago, but I feel so blessed to have so many great memories of him..
Emerson is adorable, such a little cutie!!
Hi Corrie,I would Love to win the Marquise prize. Their clothes are beautiful and like you I didn’t realise they were made in toddler sizes!
Not sure how to post an image? But the one I had was of me as a 3 year old holding my baby brother. I am one of 5 children and being the eldest I remember holding my younger siblings, and helping Mum with bathing them and dressing them. Obviously I was in training for my two!
One of my all time favourite memories from my childhood was star gazing. I would lie on the driveway with my big brothers, and count how many stars we could see and what shapes we could find. I particularly remember how the driveway was always hot after a warm Qld day, and how cool the air felt above us. Such a happy memory…
My favourite memory is going to the Easter Show every year with my dad – it was our daddy/daughter hang out tradition!
I was only little, can’t remember my exact age but my Uncle had me convinced that spaghetti grew on trees. He was so convincing that we even went out into the garden and planted some, sticking them securely upright in the soil. Was so exciting that in the morning there would be a huge tree full of pasta lol, and when I think back to it now, I wasn’t even sad or the least bit disappointed when I went out there in the morning and only found soggy, wilted spaghetti noodles coiled in the soil.
Nan and Pa coming to visit on Sunday afternoons, and Nan would play with me for hours on end, she’d let me do her hair or makeup, and on one occasion she let me paint her up like a clown, white face, red lips, the whole shebang. And then she happily walked to the milkbar with me, hand in hand, oblivious to all the passers by staring at her…..who back then I thought were all admiring my artistic abilities, not in fact chuckling at her. She had a heart of gold, I miss her heaps.
My fondest memories involve visiting my grandparents in the country. We used to travel over 4 hours to get there and it was always so exciting! Spending time with my Nan and Pop was always so much fun. They showed me kindness, love, and always gave me the opportunity to learn through play and exploring my senses. They provided me with rich learning experiences time and time again. I’d spend time in the kitchen with Nan, sitting on the bench covered in flour and dipping my finger in the bowl for a lick or two. I’d watch her fill the old oven with wood and top up the cast iron kettle that was always on the boil. Outside with Pop was just as much fun. We would feed chooks and ducks, collect the eggs, pick vegies and get as muddy as possible! Here I am pictured with one of the ducklings. I remember that cardigan, Nan knitted it for me and I’d wear it with EVERYTHING (despite my mums alternative suggestions)! At least it matched my gumboots!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65748352@N00/13969095776/
This is a picture of me and my pet lambie
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65748352@N00/13992635414/
My favourite memory would be going to preschool. I had so much fun playing and learning. Fond memories.
My favourite childhood memory is when i was 8 my family travelled around qld and nsw in a bedford bus! It was such a fun and special time exploring new places and making memories.
My favourite childhood memory is of my sister and I playing in the backyard. We have always be incredibly close even though there’s 4 years between us. We loved to dress alike too, mostly in pink. This picture is of us playing with an old pram. We would take turns pushing each other around but because I was a bit bossy my turn in the pram was always longer! Every time I see this photo I have a little giggle, my sister was so tiny, I don’t know how she managed to push me around!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/123951202@N04/13991061552/
My favourite memory was looking for eggs in my friend’s henhouse – it was so exciting finding one and when I was 5, it was the best thing ever to do! My son is 2 and I hope to introduce him to the joys of doing that soon.
One of my favourite memories would be heading away on our annual family holiday to a place called Picton (top of the south island of NZ). My parents worked hard all year and we weren’t rich by any means but they always sacrificed and saved so we could have a Christmas holiday! I too now want us to do the same here with our children
I am blessed to have so many wonderful memories as a child. One of which is my home. I lived there for 17 years with my parents, sister and two brothers. It was a small three bedroom house but the love we felt made it a beautiful home. My mum was always baking and my dad was always working on some project outside. My brothers and sister and I played in the pear trees, or spent time digging around in the back corner of the yard. I drove past the house just the other day to show my own three little ones where I lived!
Unfortunately I have very little photos of me when I was little, sorry!
My mum couldnt speak english, one favourite memory is having been told of at school. They wanted to ring my parents. Well my mum had to come in but I told her it was to meet the teacher. Through translations lost and me fibbing, the teacher gave up and finally said, nice to meet you Mrs Santillo!!!! A little bit naughty, but she speaks fluent english now, so no mischief for me
My fav memory was travelling with my 2 brothers and 2 sisters to Port Broughton. On the way we had to stop on the side of the road for a toilet break. Heading off again mum realised I was missing!! Thank god, I was very scared ha ha My sister said she wished they had left me there
Thanks of such a generous giveaway. I would gift this to my newest baby nephew who is 6 months old. My favourite story from when we were young was the consequence of having a food fight with my sisters…….my Dad took us on a plane to SriLanka to show us first hand about poverty and why we should not waste food. Engrained a love of travel and respect of food and people xx Bron
What a lovely giveaway! I hope your family are having great fun at the new home…one of my favourite memories is my Mother’s garden…her great creative outlet as a farmer’s wife, surrounded by paddocks of dirt and dust, was to make a beautiful garden full of rose bushes and flowering shrubs. I would help her pick small posies of wonderful colour, to take to patients on her monthly CWA roster of Hospital Visiting Day. Now, thats a long time ago! and now I have 2 little grandies who love to pick flowers too.
My favourite memory started off very badly. I had just turned 5 and I broke my leg so badly that I needed to have plaster up to my hip and not walk on it for many weeks. My parents lived next door to my Grandparents and they looked after me while my parents worked. It was summer and I wasn’t allowed to play outside (couldn’t bend my leg or walk on it) and I wasn’t allowed to go swimming which is an activity I loved. So my grandfather went down to a local 2nd hand auction and purchased an old pram, you know the ones, it has big wheels and could easily fit a 5 year old with a broken leg that needed to be kept straight. Every evening after dinner he and my nanna would push me down to the local corner store to buy a lemonade icypole and we would take a walk down the to the river and around town and home again. This was my only time outside for weeks on end and I remember looking forward to it so very much and to this day it is my most treasured memory of my Grandfather.
I grew up with a gully a few houses up from me, I have many great memories playing in there as a child. Playing in the stream, looking for koala’s, lizards and snakes, making cubby houses and meeting other kids in the neighborhood.
My favourite memories from my childhood are of visiting my large and wonderful family in Tunisia. When we were small my parents saved so we had enough money to fly over…here is a photo of me in a Tunisian Dress:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/39987945@N08/14067116091/
And even though they are so far away I still feel close to all my family and treasure the memories and photos from our trips!
One of my favourite childhood memories is riding on the back of my dad’s bicycle around our neighbourhood. I distinctly remember feeling the wind in my hair as we wooshed down hills and hearing dad huff and puff in an exaggerated manner as he pedalled us both around our favourite treks. I can still remember a card that I made for dad’s birthday in which I had drawn in stick figures – me and him riding on a rickety bike to commemorate all the fun that we had on 2 wheels!