I thought I’d extend the Summer Party “week,” since the Fourth of July seemed to have sucked the life (and ability to write) out of me last week!
One thing that really makes me go “grrrr” are party favors that end up in the trash faster than you can say “Happy Birthday”. For whatever reason, whether it be last-minuteness or the inability to find products locally, parents are still taking the easy way out. It really is possible to find great party activities and favors without breaking your bank or sucking too much time out of you! Here’s an example -
I was recently introduced to Calafant’s recycled cardboard, decorate yourself figure kits, and I’ve been telling everyone I know about them. The Calafant small kits let kids build and decorate dinosaurs, houses, race cars, fire trucks and more. They’re sturdy, and can hold up to markers, crayons, stickers, glitter, paint, anything your kids can think to throw on it. The high quality cardboard allows the toy to stand on it’s own, and they’re fully biodegradable. They may even outlast the junk food! You can buy them in party packs of eight, which puts them under $7 per piece - a very reasonable price for a thoughtful party favor.
I think this is a great main craft for a birthday party as well - no need for a goodie bag! The medium and large kits are even more amazing, with treehouses, forts, and castles that children can play with small dolls and figures. They’re also great for soon-to-be big brother and sister gifts to keep older kids busy with when a new baby comes home, too!
It’s cake and ice cream day for me, hooray!
If your kids are like mine, you must get invited to a lot of homemade birthday parties (whether it’s really anyone’s birthday or not)! I’ve always kept a set of birthday goodies around to play with over and over. We have a wooden cake set from Melissa and Doug, but as I’m a self-professed Etsy addict, I wanted a handmade, soft version as well. Lo and behold, what a hit I’ve found with The Fakery Bakery!
Isn’t the name the best? Paula McCrosky hand sews adorable cakes, cookies, cupcakes, donuts and even Pop Tarts, in a variety of sizes and colors. Made from felt, these yummy creations are sure to last many a tea party or birthday extravaganza with your children’s stuffed animals. You can custom order products in various foods and colors, to please even the pickiest “eaters”.
If you love a wonderfully cozy look to your play food, Crazy Daisy knits adorable confections that are totally party-worthy. You can even order a nice big slice for the birthday boy or girl with their age, to really personalize their day. I love the detail on Crazy Daisy’s page, including fancy fondant cakes and conversation heart cupcakes.
Now, off to get my REAL birthday cake fix!
Since Valentine’s Day is coming soon, I thought I’d take this week to blend my paper obsession with new favorite eco-friendly cards for kids and adults. Let’s start with a trip down memory lane…
modernemotive is a brand spanking new design and “social stationery” company out of hip Toronto. Totally awesome and eco-friendly, modernemotive’s cards and envelopes are printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper, and are either 30% or 100% post-consumer recycled. The cards are protected in biodegradable, plant-based clear bags, and shipped in eco-packaging as well.
Adele, the brains behind modernemotive, has channeled your youth to the letter. This personalized “Love Doodles” card is just too perfect for words. It reminds me of junior high and beyond, when being bored in class plus endless boy drama equalled many hours of notebook doodles. Pretend you’re in puppy love all over again! Perfect for your high school sweetheart or your adorable kids, the card even has doodle hearts and a stray ink spot. Simply leave the names you’d like to use in the “comments to seller” section, and modernemotive will take care of the rest. Order now, V-Day is coming up fast! This card will have a quick turnaround time, but always best to order early.
I have a feeling modernemotive will be coming out with a lot more green paper goodies in the months to come, so check back at their shop often!
Last week, I had written a brief tidbit about the horrific problems handmade toy manufacturers and crafters are facing with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), set to take effect in 63 days. However, after receiving many emails and concerned questions about the situation, I wanted to expand on this issue, and especially the urgency of getting the word out.
After the “Summer of the Chinese Lead Toys 2007,” the uproar from advocacy groups and parents rightly brought attention to toy manufacturing problems and a need for strict changes. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) responded with the CPSIA, which was passed swiftly and easily.
There were grave, terrible oversights, however. There were no specifics of what or whom constitutes a toymaker. Therefore, the $4,000 per toy (!!!) testing fee required will absolutely and tragically put every cottage industry toymaker in the US, Canada and Europe out of business. Every. Single. One. Not only that, toys produced without this mandatory testing will be considered illegal, and subject to punishment. Can you imagine? Every wooden car your little boy loves, every knitted doll carried around by your daughter - even children’s handmade accessories, such as hairclips and belts - will be considered ILLEGAL. That’s like taking a large portion of the inventory offered on Etsy and throwing it away. Gone. This also trickles down to local merchants dedicated to selling handmade toys; local workers and craftsmen who put their heart into every product; even blogs dedicated to bringing you unique products you don’t have to buy at a big box monster store. These will all be obsolete.
So, here’s what you need to do, step by step:
Go to the Handmade Toy Alliance to get the full rundown of this urgent situation.
Read about their Proposal to improve the CPSIA, including exemptions for products entirely made from natural materials, or whose gross revenues are less than one million dollars per year.
Find out more ways to help, including writing your Congressperson or Senator (a handy sample letter is provided, but feel free to write your own choice words).
Send a message directly to the CSPC.
Pass this on - email to friends, family, classmate’s parents, local businesses, anyone you can think of. This is too important to ignore!
UPDATE - Shortly after I posted, The Smart Mama contacted me via Twitter (@thesmartmama) regarding misinformation about CPSIA timing and third party testing. While she does believe this legislation will involve many consequences for toymakers, she also sees some alternatives. She also breaks down the CPSIA by talking about existing inventory and new products, which fare differently under the CPSIA.
If you’re on Twitter, you can see what’s being discussed about the CPSIA by searching for and using the hashtag #cpsia
The clock is ticking! Less than three weeks to both Chanukah and Christmas! Have you done your shopping yet? While there are an amazing amount of steals and deals out there, I don’t use them as a guide to gifts. Health concerns about toys and the debate over mass produced vs. handmade gifts still prevail. Here are some links to various articles about toy safety, toymakers, where to go for a wealth of handmade goodies, and more! Have a great weekend, everyone!
It may not be making major headlines right now, but lead and other toxins are still showing up in toys, and not just from China. Greenbiz.com highlights the results of testing 1,500 toys for the toy watchdog HealthyToys.org.
My post for Brita’s “Filter For Good” blog this week discusses how to have a handmade holiday this year! Forget toxins, it’s easy to find unique, high quality, and enduring gifts for all family members. And don’t forget to take the Handmade Pledge - you’re not only helping yourself, but the many men and women crafting their way to a memorable gifting season.
PVC, BPA, organic, fair trade - Not sure how to find something safe when shopping for toys? National Geographic’s Green Guide has a comprehensive article outlining how to find the most natural toys. With product comparisons, shopping tips, and a breakdown of all the new toy safety lingo!
Save the toymakers! The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is a great idea for imported toys from China, but has left smaller toymakers and crafters in the US, Canada and Europe in a terrible bind. The outrageous fees of mandatory toy testing will likely run most specialty toymakers out of business. Take a minute to read this very important piece, and tell Congress to save handmade toys!
I think it’s safe to say I took the weekend off, and I’m excited to see how the next month brings articles and discussions about the holidays! It’s coming faster than you can say “HappyMerry Chanukistmaswanzaa” (insert your favorite multi-cultural holiday word here). I have some amazing giveaways reserved for some holiday giving-goodness, so let’s get started, shall we?
I was sent a LeapFrog Tag ages ago, when my family took a lovely, ten hour roadtrip to South Carolina. I hid it for most of the trip, since I didn’t want to deal with the girls fighting over it. I had originally wanted to test it out with my now six-year old, since the books I had for the Tag were pre-reading and more her speed. Of course, she loved it, and much to my surprise, found myself buying a second one for my three-year old…
Let me backtrack - the LeapFrog Tag is one of the hot, new items LeapFrog has recently rolled out. They’ve seriously done their homework! The way I’ve been describing the Tag is, it’s like a chunky, digital pen (the official term is “talk-and-touch reading device”). Special Tag-related books include everything from Dora to Dr. Seuss to one of our new faves, Olivia, and are “read ” through the Tag after a bit of modern magic. Install the Tag’s included CD, and download the contents of your books onto the Tag (the Tag holds up to five books at a time). Once the book is downloaded, and as soon as you touch the Tag to the book, the real magic happens! Kids can choose to have the story read to them, plus they can press the point of the Tag onto just about anything on the page to hear sound effects or other fun extras to embellish the story. There are also games included in many of the titles. All are educational, fun and completely absorbing for kids. I mean it, I can’t tell you enough how easy and exceptionally entertaining the Tag is!
Another aspect of the Tag I fell in love with is the Learning Path system, a free online tool which allows you to see what your child is working on with their Tag (and other new LeapFrog toys as well). Just set up an account, plug in the Tag often, and the Learning Path will give you detailed information on particular skills engaged and progress made. Kids can also unlock “rewards” see how they’re learning without even knowing it!
I am beyond excited to offer a Tag for one lucky winner, as well as two Tag titles - Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin (a real belly-laugher in our house) and The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss! You won’t be disappointed, I promise. So, the rules are: Please leave a comment at this post by next Sunday night at midnight, PST with an answer to this: What do you think will be your child’s (or any Tag recipient’s) favorite Tag book? Please, one comment per person! One winner will be chosen at random. This contest is available to US residents only. Good luck!
This contest is now closed!
Welcome back to the Mommy Go Green Blog Tour! I’m so happy to share with you this month’s sponsor. I’ve been a big fan of Natural Pod for a long time, and I can’t believe I hadn’t written about them yet! Natural Pod has an amazing array of natural and safe toys, dolls, clothing and accessories for kids of all ages. With products from materials such as wood, felt, silk, wool and organic cotton, you can’t go wrong giving your child these open-ended, imaginative-based toys sure to jump start their creativity.
I’m especially in love with Natural Pod’s collection of blocks and stacking toys. We checked out the Tree Branch Blocks - from the moment the blocks were poured out of the bag, my girls found them irresistible. They couldn’t believe they were “really” trees, and it took some explaining about how and why they make tree branches into useable blocks that don’t splinter or smell like wood. The blocks come from naturally felled Alder trees, kiln dried and sealed. They take a little getting used to for building, since the blocks are not uniformly shaped, but it’s part of the fun. And my kids decided to make the little blocks into chairs, for a doll picnic in the woods. Their friends are totally intrigued by them - who knew anything besides plastic cut outs could be so cool?
To help give your kids a truly memorable holiday (and hopefully help out a bit this holiday season), Natural Pod is offering 10% off your first order! Use the code “GCM08” during checkout, now through December 31st, and order early! Natural Pod is based in Canada, so shipping may take a bit longer. If you become as hooked as I am on Natural Pod and their message of natural play for children, you’ll really appreciate their recently launched blog, charting their background and where they’re headed to bring beautiful toys to your family. Happy reading and shopping!
My six-year old’s birthday party may have been full of paper plates and juice boxes (we’ll leave that for another post), but I felt good knowing her invitations were made from recycled paper - and totally unique from anything else I found. My big thank you for these awesome invites goes out to Kate Rosenthal, the brainchild behind eco-art supplies and stationery shop Stubby Pencil Studio. Based in Portland, OR, Stubby Pencil Studio is chock full of super fun and simply lovely artsy goods for kids, as well as personal paper and invites for your birthday needs (see pic above for the front of my daughter’s art party invite!).
Congrats to Stubby Pencil Studio for being featured in Cool Mom Picks’ Safer Toy Guide! To celebrate, Stubby Pencil Studio is offering $50 worth of goodies for one lucky winner! So many of SPS’s products are perfect for stocking stuffers and a winner for one Chanukah night. What will it be - Holiday Smencils, the fun-smelling pencil made from recycled newspapers; amazing metallic EcoPencils my daughter can’t get enough of; or my new favorite, wink ‘n curtsy’s eco-friendly personalized stationery for kids? The rules stay the same - please visit Stubby Pencil Studio to answer this very tough question: What product would your little artist love to get their hands on? Leave a comment here after your browse this wonderful shop! This contest will be open until next Friday, November 14th at midnight, PST. Good luck!
*Open to US residents only. One winner will be picked at random.
This contest is now closed! Thanks to everyone for entering!
Phew, Halloween is over! Although Thanksgiving is coming up in a few weeks, the buzz already has been about Holiday Gift Guides. Luckily, Cool Mom Picks has taken the guide plunge first, bringing you safe yet stunning toys and products you’ll feel good about buying for your little ones.
If you covet Cool Mom Picks as much as I do, their comprehensive guides to all things fabulous for kids are a necessity to get through any gift-buying season. Thankfully, the recently-released Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide 2008 was unleashed last week, and it’s truly my go-to guide for presents galore (not to mention the huge amount of baby gifts I need now through May, and birthday gifts, etc.).
The CMP guide is sorted by stages of activities kids do best - “Rattling,” “Teething,” “Creating,” “Cuddling,” “Rocking and Riding,” “Pretending,” “Stacking up and knocking down,” and my favorite, the tried and true “Leaving skid marks on the floor”. So far, this first sewing kit for kids from Nico & Zoe is high on my list for my crafty six-year old; and, my ever-imaginative three-year old probably won’t take off this superhero cape from EllieBellieKids. I love how the webpage is sorted easily, with nothing fluffy, noisy or generic about its contents. In fact, most of the toys are eco-friendly and/or natural. And, thankfully, most of the items are truly, truly affordable.
Not only does the CMP guide introduce you to the most original products on the market, but it will also bring you to independent on-line shops you’ll fall in love with again and again. There are also a ton of discounts and deals available, many of them through January, so you can be sure to find delights for your kids - without your wallet taking a beating!
I don’t know about you, but it’s going to be baby city in my world shortly. Not from me, but I have a good number of friends adding to their family, and I’ve been on a gift hunt to prep for all the little ones! Since one of my favorite things to write about are shops and products from parents just like us, how excited was I to find Olive and Bean, a beautiful green store to help get kids off to a great start!
Olive and Bean’s brick and mortar store in Las Vegas (of all places, and Amen!) is chock full of eco-modern products for babies and toddlers, including such brands as Dwell (linens), Spot on Square (furniture), Erbaviva (skincare) and Pediped (shoes). The on-line shop is vibrant and so much fun to browse, with both practical and whimsical gifts. I think it’s an amazing spot to find the perfect baby gift - categories are broken down not only by product, but how much you want to spend. I have my eye on these adorable, non-gendered soft blocks by QCollection Junior for a few of the babies my friends are having this fall and winter!
Click around and pick your favs! This week, Olive and Bean is generously giving away three gift certificate for three winners! Two gift certificates are for $50, and one is for $25. Please leave a comment here with an answer to this - what would buy with your Olive and Bean gift certificate? Winners will be chosen at random. This contest will be open until next Friday, October 3rd at midnight, PST. Good luck!
This contest is now closed! Thanks so much for participating!
