You gotta love a mom who shows off her love for coffee as much as her children. Born from the satisfying (and challenging) pleasure of taking time for coffee, Chicago-based Baby Blend Tees organic cotton onesies and shirts are simple and comforting - like that first cup of java that you can actually enjoy in the morning. Bonus on the coffee-bag packaging that you can reuse for your favorite organic coffee beans! The images are light and sweet - pick up a “Bald is Beautiful” onesie for the hair-challenged one in your family, or the always cute “Night Owl” who keeps the coffee pot going in the first place!
Shop the T-shirt Cafe for all of Baby Blend’s latest designs, and get a sneak peak of more seasonal products. And, if you live in the Chicago/Oak Park area, check out their new eco-clothing shop, the Baby Blend Natural BouTEEQue!
teensy readers - Get a 15% discount off your purchase at Baby Blend Tees! Use the coupon greenbaby at checkout.
After writing about the Fundy Play Table this morning, I decided to investigate the Bay of Fundy that spans Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. I can’t believe I have never heard of this place - and I’m from the East Coast! Turns out, the Bay of Fundy is an incredible eco-attraction, an unusual place where the extreme differences in low and high tides results in the ability to walk at the bottom of the ocean, do some serious sea-kayaking, and witness eight species of whales, dolphins, seals, and birds in action. They actually boast the highest tides in the world!
The website Family Travel Files has a comprehensive list on where to explore, stay, and eat. You can find great travel packages and a ton of information. A perfect place for kids who love outdoor adventuring, whale-watching, and who love to be near the ocean! When my kids get beyond picking seashells for four hours at a time, I am so there.
The family behind Argington modern children’s furniture want to take you on a world tour, without leaving your well-designed home. The beds, cribs, seating, and storage of their “Wonders Collection” are named for different Wonders of the Ancient and Modern World - from Giza to the Sahara, Paris to Ayres Rock, each piece is made almost entirely of wood from managed renewable forests, with non-toxic finishes. The Fundy Play Table, shown here, evokes the playfulness of the whales and tides of the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. My kids are all over this table - literally. The chalkboard (or dry erase, can be customized) top and steel casters makes the table itself something to play with, even when its drawers and hidden pockets are stuffed with supplies. Because, who doesn’t want to write all over a table and not get in trouble?
Available at Vivavi.
You already know about the amazing SIGG kid’s bottles…SIGGs are cleaner and safer than plastic sippies, made from a single piece of aluminum, totally recyclable, taste-neutral (meaning, that milky smell on your cups won’t stand a chance), dishwasher safe, hygenic…it’s the perfect alternative to plastic water bottles and sippy cups. I used to feel the price was outrageous - my thought process went something like, “It’s a cup. A cup.” But when I took stock of the months-old plastic cups my kids were using, I was appalled I didn’t buy them sooner! Today is our lucky day, dear readers - ReusableBags.com not only have SIGGs on sale, but you can pre-order the new Fall 2007 line of SIGGs at the same time. Fun for girls, boys, and water guzzling parents alike, the new SIGGs are cutesy and fun and flashy and, yes, cups. But don’t they make you feel better? My cabinet is ready - is yours?
If your baby is cute and Green (and I don’t mean covered in veggies), you may want to enter them in the YoBaby Cover Baby Contest, going on now through September 30th! YoBaby will be choosing two winners - one in a 6-12 month category, and a 13-24 month category. You can even go to a local Picture People photo for a FREE (yes, people, free) photo shoot and automatic entry. Winners will receive oodles of fun stuff (what could be more than seeing your cutie on a yogurt cup?), including a $5,000 savings bond and a trip to San Francisco. Fill out the entry form and upload your YoBaby today!
Update: Entries are closed, but you can vote on the finalists now through October 21st!
Sckoon organic clothing is having a sale on its site. Stock up on fall must-have long-sleeved kimonos, shirts, and footie pants!
Under the Nile is also having a BIG 20% off Summer clearance sale, including PJs, dresses, dolls, and more!
Discount School Supply has even bigger discounts on “Essentials for Our Environment”. I’m going for the 500 sheets of recycled drawing paper…
Sign up with IdealBite’s weekday emails and tell a friend about them too…you can win $200 worth of cosmetics from afterglow mineral cosmetics!
I have one of the best mommy-feelings in the world, and I have to shout from the e-rooftops! My two-and-a-half year old is wearing underwear all day. While I have a good stash of Blue’s Clues and ‘Days of the Week’ hand-me-downs from her big sister, I wanted to see how organic undies would stand up. Finding a good selection of organic cotton underwear was a little tough, but Under the Nile has cotton briefs for girls and boys that are supersoft and adorable. The best part is the elastic at the top, which is covered by fabric so it won’t be itchy or scratchy. Because that’s the last thing a squirmy two year old needs in between making that mad dash to the bathroom…
One way my family enjoyed the end of summer was to eat outside as many nights as possible before it got too cold. We would sit with our citronella candles protecting us, and wait until the lighting bugs lit up. This classic-looking, rechargeable Sun Jar gives me a warm, summery feeling of being outside in the glow of evening. It’s an excellent way to teach kids about solar energy and give them something to look forward to at night besides brushing their teeth! The small solar cell powers LED lights inside, which automatically light up when it senses darkness. Put the jar in a sunny area during the day, and you’ll have a few hours of soft light when the lights go down. Perfect as a nightlight or garden decoration. Or pretend lighting bug jar?
Available at Uncommon Goods.
Remember not so long ago when you couldn’t find a PVC-free or natural baby toy without having to travel to some country store where everything was homemade (think the yuppies in Baby Boom. Wait, did I just call myself..?) Anyway, LaLa Natural is graciously providing a beautiful Sage Creek natural maple rattle for our giveaway this week. A perfect gift for newborns, the soft bell is way easier on the ears than squeaky ducks or other less-than-appealing yet-completely-implanted-in-your-head sounds you deal with daily. Plus, it’s easy to keep clean and won’t morph into something else after being drooled and bitten up for a few months. Basically, it’s awesome.
Giveaway rules are the same…leave one comment by Thursday at midnight, PST. Be sure to leave an email address where I can find you! And check out LaLa Natural as well. It’s a wonderful go-to place for all things natural for babies, including hard to find items like woolen crib pads (better for breathing), all things hemp, and a great selection of cloth diapers.
This giveaway is now closed.
Kids love nothing more than an assembly to, um, break up the day. Parents and teachers love the messages that come with great entertainment - if kids only knew they were actually learning something! If you’re lucky enough to live in California or the Pacific Northwest, your kids may have seen these unique entertainers bringing a message of conservation and recycling with a funky twist.
In California, Rock Steady Juggling performs various age-appropriate shows about recycling and reusing, water conservation, and pollution. “The Amazing Adventures of the Recycling Wizard” is the elementary-age program, combining juggling and magic; “Waste Not, Want Not,” a recycling and water conservation assembly for middle school students, combines “juggling, comedy and audience participation.” Check out the calendar to see when Rock Steady might be at your kid’s school, and encourage your schools to find an equally fun and informative program.
Recycleman and the Dumpster Divers, a Washington and Oregon State program, provides an interactive concert also with a recycling flair. Peter Dubois is a Waste Reduction Specialist, and his alter ego, Recycleman, has been entertaining kids for over ten years! Your kids will learn such catchy tunes as “Stinky Stinky Landfill,” “Water Conservation Rap,” and “Save It Don’t Pave It”. Be sure to click on the video to see this not-so-stinky band in action!
