**Before I begin this post, let me say, yes, the cardboard box fills all of the descriptions of the wooden toys I mention below. But this post isn’t about the cardboard box.** Continue reading for a chance to win a $50 credit to The Wooden Wagon Toys and a discount code for happy shopping. GIVEAWAY is now CLOSED!!! Winner is Lauren Longenecker. Congratulations!!
Discount code nathalie20 is good through Sept 23, 2016.
When our oldest daughter was just a tiny human, I began collecting wooden toys for her to play with. I have long favored toys that are heirloom quality, are fun, foster open-ended play, do not run on batteries, and my all time favorite, looks great even when scattered on the floor. When you have one child, no problem. Four children, many birthday parties, and Christmases past (even though we value quality over quantity), I can’t claim to be a minimalist. Yes indeed, my children have toys.
With four children in our brood, the inevitable happened, their toys became a part of the decor. And if the toys are, as my friends Stacy calls them, aesthetically pleasing, my house always looks decorated. Win-win. The question I get asked many times over, whether online, or by a visiting friend is, “where do you get these toys?” Here it is. For nearly ten years I have been purchasing European toys and art supplies from The Wooden Wagon. This family owned company was founded by a stay-at-home dad back in 2003. On their site you will find beautiful, natural, safe, and creativity fostering toys. No batteries required. Which means, no crazy flashing lights or pre-recorded sounds. Amongst the brands they specialize in are our favorites: Ostheimer, Fagus, Grimms, and let’s not forget Stockmar & Lyra art supplies.
With all of that in mind, I partnered with the amazing folks over at The Wooden Wagon to bring you a 15% off your purchase coupon code nathalie15 good through Sept 23, 2016. Hooray! Happy shopping, friends. You also have a chance to win a $50 gift voucher to their online store. There are two ways to enter. 1- you can leave a comment below telling me which Ostheimer figures you would love to have (if you win the $50 voucher you don’t have to buy the figures you mentioned in the comment, the $50 voucher is good for any purchase). 2- on IG, follow @thewoodenwagon and @nathaliebearden leave a comment and tag three friends for a chance to win. I will choose ONE winner at random on Monday morning, September 19, 2016. Reminder, this is open to U.S. only as The Wooden Wagon does not ship internationally.
My favorite art supplies are from Stockmar. Yes, they are not cheap. But, they last a long time and my children know they need to treat it with care. I don’t bring out these supplies every time we do art. Only when they are working on their main lesson books. I have Stockmar liquid watercolor paints that I got 6 years ago. They are very concentrated and dilute well. I keep the stock vials in the refrigerator.
Several people have emailed me about this little white house shelf. I bought it years ago at a junk store and painted it white. But, you are in luck. I received an H&M catalog today and saw this little white shelf. Looks pretty cute! The Jenny Lind bed is from my last antiquing trip to Round Top, TX. Best $50 I ever spent. Fox lamp is from Target, from four or so years ago. Knitted cloud pillow from Bla Bla and Liberty of London pillow made by me. The side table is also from my antiquing trips. It was an ugly orange rattan color and I painted it white. Y’know, painting stuff white makes it new! haha! Well, mostly. I don’t paint beautiful antique furniture, though. I’ve got my limits.
Amber - Thank you so much for the chance! I’m in love with these and all my fingers are crossed! 🙂 I would love to get the unicorn and dwarves and all of the fantasy creatures… As well as every single other figure they have to offer lol.
Lindsey - I’d love those little chickens and the lady feeding them- how cute!
Sarah - Love the Wooden Wagon! I have bought many Ostheimer animals from them already but would love to add to our collection with some of the people!
Amy Kunihiro - I would love the fox or donkey for my little ones! So beautiful! Thanks for bringing The Wooden Wagon to my attention!
Lauryn - I love all their wooden figures. We have slowly started collecting them. Would love to have the swan, donkey, hen, and whatever else. I love them all. Hope i can kid my kiddos even more. ?
Caitlin - I love (love) the Goose Girl, Apple Tree, and Spruce! I can’t wait to start collecting- thanks for the inspiration. 🙂
Catherine - I love the woodland creatures best–the foxes and the deer. Love the way you displayed these on the shelf!
Anne - The people! The mama, papa, and toddler boy.
Jake - Donkey, fox, and horseman.
Sarah - Hi! Would probably want to collect the little woodland animals. Thank you for the opportunity!
Nicole - Oh I love these! There are so many wonderful sets to choose from! I think I would have to start with the Woodland animals! Such a fun giveaway!
Sarah - This is a wonderful giveaway!! It would be hard to decide which to pick.. I think I would start with the woodland and go back for the fairytale! Although the farm might be my top choice. Ah, I love them all! I know for certain I will get the Angel with the star for the holiday season coming! Thanks so much for sharing tidbits of your life. Lovely.
Amy Lopez - I’ve wanted the pregnant Mary on the donkey for years!
Cayman brown - We just ordered our first wooden animals from the wooden wagon and we are in love! The horses with a rider are next in line!
Elizabeth - The little farm animals, especially the chicks are sooo darling!
Bethany - The nativity is so beautiful but the woodland animals are adorable! That hedgehog is just the cutest!
Quinn - I’m so glad I came across your blog!! I’m a BIG ostheimer fan and slowly collecting them for my children! Would love to have the Unicorn for my daughter and the horses and riders! They are all so lovely!
Sarah - The unicorn!!! ?
Cas - So wonderful! We would love to get some trees, my Beau loves trees ???
Rebekah - Would love the little people!
Constance G - Love the Unicorn and the Star Girl. Thanks for the chance.
Mary - Oh, I’d go for the lions and tigers, for sure! And maybe a bear, oh my! 🙂
Angelica - We always buy our Ostheimer figures from The Wooden Wagon! I love to add to sets we already have because then everything automatically has its proper place. I usually add figures to each child’s Christmas stocking, and plan to add to our woodland animals and farmhouse this year. I also have had my eye on the dragon cave and a set of bears. Maybe I’ll finally get it with that coupon code. Thank you for doing a giveaway!
Stephanie - Those little chickens have my heart ♥️
Janelle Greene - How wonderful! I would get the mini holy family. I need a nativity set that the kids can play with since they are always wanting to play with my ceramic one 🙂
Sarah Gutoerrez - I’m so glad you shared about these beautiful toys and the website where we can see more. I’ve quickly fallen in love with many of them. The goose girl, the farm animals, the grandparents, and Heidi are my absolute favorites! My girls are older(10 & 12) but we follow the same idea you stated above- quality over quantity and quiet toys that foster the imagination. I know they’d still play with these. Our home is often a haven for families with small children too so we’d love to have them available. As a home where both parents are teachers, our motto is “less TV, more creativity”(I even started a # on IG)
Lauren Longenecker - I’m so glad you shared and had this chance. These are just beautiful. The farm animals are so adorable. We would play with these all the time! Thank you!!
Jessica Carter - I would love to get the little family of deer! They are just so sweet.
Marilyn - The woodland creatures are all so lovely. I’d start with the bunnies and hedgehogs.
Beth Bishop - Wow, thank you! Their prices for the wooden baby toys are very good, even cheaper than here in Germany were they are made!