Imagine this. Your lifelong childhood friend is having a baby. It's been years since you both shared the same time zone but you still find her carefree spirit to be the perfect elixir on a gloomy day and you've always admired her bohemian taste. And while you'll never grow apart, your style worlds have drifted. Lucky for you, CouCou has launched customizable gift baskets for baby available through MineMine Kids. Filled with a lust-worthy assortment of baby essentials and a special treat for the mother, they've taken all the guesswork out of gifting for a new arrival.
We had the pleasure of visiting with CouCou's lovely owner (and mother herself), Astrid Motsenigos for a little Q&A. We welcome you to get to know the face behind the boutique!
Q: What roles do design and culture play in raising your daughter?
A: They play a significant role. We are a very dramatic/creative family and love to read, write, sing, dance, act, read poetry… My husband is Greek, I’m Spanish and German. We love anything that is expressive, emotional, thoughtful, insightful, different - whether it be art, music, performance, culture, architecture or landscape, and we have fostered that same curiosity in our daughter.
Q: How do you want your daughter to remember her childhood? Are there any items she has been gifted with the hope of being passed down?
A: I want her to remember a huge amount of laughter and discovery. It’s very important to me that she be a child as long as possible. There are many items to pass down; a book my mother had as a child from which she got her nickname; her coming home from the hospital outfit was given to us from my mother’s best friend (who is like a second mother to me); jewelry belonging to both me and my mother before that.
Q: How do you juggle motherhood and building your business?
A: Like anything else in life when you become a mother - early mornings and late nights!
Q: What is the best piece of advice you were given when you began CouCou?
A: Two things: 1) It’s going to be so much harder than you are anticipating, but if you don’t do it, you’ll always regret it. 2) Talk to other businesses and ask as many questions as they will answer.
Q: Please tell us more about your gift baskets and how they can be customized.
A: Gift baskets are available through MineMine Kids and can be customized four ways:
Size - Small or Large
Mother's style - The "Polished" basket would best suit the classic/sophisticated mom while the "Natural" basket would be perfect for the easy going/natural/organic mother
Gender - Girl, Boy, Unisex
Toy Box - Two toy box options for each size (small or large)
Q: Are there any items at home that you can’t live without?
A: As a matter of fact, the Rice Toy Box that was chosen for our gift baskets is a must have in our home. They help to de-clutter toys and books, are beautiful to keep out and our daughter loves to play with them.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into the wonderful world of CouCou!