The Windsong March 14, 2008

As the mom of two active, sweaty little boys there are some major funky smells going on in my house and laundry basket.  Sometimes when I go into the boy’s bathroom, the smell of their socks in the dirty clothes hamper is overwhelming.  I am always looking for ways to get their clothes clean and  hide the smells that seem to waft from their socks.  In the past, I have resorted to using fabric softeners but I have always worried about the chemicals that are in them.  The Windsong offers an all natural alternative to fight stinky boy smell.  Their organic anti-static laundry spray comes with an essential oil spray that you spritz on a free pillow and then toss into your dryer with your clean laundry.  Your laundry has less static and comes out smelling of the scent of your choice.  Good-bye (more…)

DinnerTime Chimes February 24, 2008

As most of you know who read my musing on a regular basis, the weather in the Northwest has been absolutely gorgeous!  Everyone has been outside enjoying the warmth and the sunshine and willing all their Spring bulbs to burst forth.  Every little pop of color is to be savored.  With all this garden longing, I am again finding myself searching etsy for garden accessories and supplies. 

In all my searching, I was so excited when I found Dinnertime Chimes!  Look at their adorable GARDEN IN A BOX.  It features a windchime made from a recycled sherbert goblet with recycled spoons and forks dangling below.  It also has a hanging bird feeder made from a recycled tea cup and saucer and the bird seed to fill it packaged in tulle.  A pair of hot pink (more…)

Fandangled February 22, 2008

  How fun is this shirt!!  My boys would have been all over this tee when they were younger- from the bright, monsterish eyes, to the crazy, wild yellow hair- they would have been in heaven!!  Even I  want to reach out and pet the hair. 

 Fandangled tees are one-of-a-kind creations that are crafted from recycled kid’s clothing and lovingly sewn onto new, 100% cotton t-shirts.  And for those of you who are super Green- she  also makes RE-Fandangled shirts… which means the shirt is recycled too!

I guess I am really attracted to skulls right now (see yesterday’s review on YaYascaps).  Take a look at this cute blue skull shirt with memerizing black and white striped eyes- all crafted from recycled kid’s clothes.  Fandangled offers fun, funky fashion for all the Green kids in your life!

Grace Graphics February 19, 2008

Today, I was driving home from snow covered Mt. Hood in Oregon, basking in the sunlight streaming through my moonroof when my 8 year old said, “Today is reminding me of Oklahoma.”  I could not for the life of me figure out what he was talking about because the Oklahoma he knows, his grandparent’s house, is flat as can be.  He told me that he was thinking of Oklahoma because it was sunny outside.  It made me realize again how little we see the sun in the winter in the Northwest.

Currently, however, we have had a string of sunny, warm days.  Of course, the sunshine starts my longing for Spring and mucking around in the dirt of  my garden.  The thought of my yard filled with tulips, daffodils and primroses makes me smile- that is why I was so excited when I found Grace Graphics’s line of  handmade plantable paper greeting cards.  The artist at Grace Graphics uses traditional papermaking techniques to produce beautiful tree-free paper created from recycled fibers and exotic materials.  She features a whole line of greeting cards that are infused with wild flowers seeds so they can be planted by the recipent after they have been enjoyed.  Look at this cute card featuring the spunky studio dog, Milo.

She also has a unique and beautiful idea for a wedding favor.  She sells a white tin of 100 flower shaped, wildflower seeded paper favors.  Each favor has a die cut center heart and a tag which includes  instructions for planting the seeded paper. Tags may be personalized with the couple’s name and wedding date, or other short text.  Here is a favor that any bride concerned about the environment and green issues can feel good about giving.  And the guests will be reminded of the happy day everytime they look at the flowers that spring from the seeds!

Sweet Pepita February 17, 2008

Once again, I find myself ogling all the fun, girly fashions in another etsy store. At least with Sweet Pepita, there are styles for little boys too. I wish the ELVIS WONDER OF YOU t-shirt had been available when my boys were little! Handsewn with organic and recycled fabric, it is adorable!

Of course, I can’t resist the beautiful little girl t-shirts. These CAMPO shirts in 100% organic cotton look so snuggly and cute. She has them in a variety of colors and patterns. I was drawn to this blue one with the delicate pink flowers you can see below.

Do you have a favorite t-shirt you just can’t live without? Well, the artist from Sweet Pepita has a great idea to make it a heirloom piece! If you send her your freshly washed adult tee, she will repurpose it to make either the front or sleeves of a new shirt for your little one. You choose the organic fabric and trim and give her any special instructions and presto-chango- a new shirt for your little Mini-Me. What a creative idea to extend the life of your favorite shirt!

To find out more about the creative forces driving this talented green artist you can visit her blog Sweet Pepita Clothing at blogspot.

Box Wood Goods February 15, 2008

Box Wood Goods is the weaving of “two long time friends,” Pam Bartley and Elena LeBel.  With the combined skills of a botanist and a designer, they envisioned a company that ”strives to create solutions that generate less full landfills, more fair trade, and tons of smiles on really, clean faces.”  Their company features linens made of sustainable materials like bamboo, flax or hemp printed with cheeky sayings.  Need a fun, stylish wedding shower gift?  Checkout the EAT, DRINK, BE MARRY bamboo cocktail napkins. 

Another unusual item I discovered at Box Wood Goods is their vintage Obi/Kimono Pillows.  The style forces in this company  rescue damaged Japanese kimono and obi and reuse them to create soothing, beautiful  pillows. The artists study each of the kimonos to determine which parts will translate into the most stunning finished product.  The pillows are then filled with a custom blend of organic grains.  They use buckwheat to provide aeration and support, and millet to soften the edges.   Each pillow is a unique creation based on the kimono or obi  from which it was derived. 
 

rinnovi February 11, 2008

With Mother Nature offering us a tease of Spring here in the Pacific Northwest, I began to notice how winter worn, pale and dry  my skin looks.  (It is amazing what you can hide with a turtleneck and a little foundation!)  Now that I am longing to shed my layers of fleece and don my tank tops and mini skirts, I realize I have to do something to spiff up my skin.  Luckily for me, I found Rinnovi Body Spa on etsy.   Rinnovi offers organic bath and body products in a range of scents including sweet orange, vanilla, lavender, margarita, grapefruit and many others.  (You can choose the scent that appeals to you.)  Here is a look at one of their body polish products.

At only $7.60, I can spend the next few months polishing my skin to get it ready to see the light of day. 

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Rinnovi is offering a limited edition Seduction Trio.  This trio includes a 1 oz salt and sugar scrub, 1 oz body butter and a 2 oz organic warming massage oil- all in her special Seduction scent which includes a combination of male and female aphrodisiacs and coconut.  A great way to spice up your Valentine’s Day!

Of course, all of Rinnovi’s products are made with organic and all natural ingredients. Be good to yourself and get your skin in shape- summer is just around the corner!  Also, once you are all shiny and exfoliated, checkout Rinnovi’s sister site, Bella Style , to find fashions and accessories to show off your rejuvenated skin.

Kids Central Kitchen February 8, 2008

 I don’t know about in your household, but in mine, my kids love to be involved in cooking.  They don’t really seem to care exactly what I ask them to do (except clean-up, of course)- they just want to contribute.  So imagine my pleasure when I found Kids Central Kitchen.

I first discovered this awesome baking mix and kitchen supply company at the Portland CRAVE show where I purchased their Flip Flop Flapjacks Pancake Mix.  I loved that the mix contained organic wheat and white flours and organic evaporated cane juice but my kids loved the yummy taste provided by the twang of the lemon yogart my son added to the mix.  (The recipe called for plain yogurt but in my house that is hard to come by.)  The instructions were easy to follow and even though I “supervised”, my 10 and 8 year old could have easily mixed these up themselves.  (Of course, the actual cooking of them on a hot griddle is another matter!)

My friend bought the Swinging Monkey Banana Bread Mix to give as a stocking stuffer and she reported it was a big tasty hit in her house.

Kids Central Kitchen was founded by Mike and Maureen, the “parents of three active, young children”.  They were looking for something to feed their kids that was low in fat,  low in sugar and  healthy but still tasted good.  They formed “test panels” of their own children and their children’s friends to perfect their recipes.  After much experimentation, they began marketing the mixes you see on their website www.kidscentralkitchen.com. My family test panel would rate them a hit!