Posts filed under 'environment'
Like the rest of you parents out there, I think some of my kids’ artwork is super cool. Now I can have it with me constantly (around my neck or wrist, on my keychain) and show it off at will. All you have to do (dads, this means you) is upload a scan of your child’s artwork and, vóila, the gals at Mommy Tags will emblazon it on a 1-inch-wide circular tag made of recycled silver. Last step is to order a chain — silver or leather — and wait for the masterpiece to arrive. And, you get a professionally mounted rubber stamp of the artwork as well — great for making cards, Ts, etc.
Mommy Tags is very clear that YOU own the copyright to your child’s artwork; they will not use or distribute it.
Tags are $95. Chains start at $15.
And, dads, while your order probably won’t make it by Mom’s Day at this point, you at least can frame the original artwork and let Mommy know what’s on the way.
Mama Kate
April 27th, 2008
I love soy candles, and while watching an episode of Oprah that was recorded on my DVR this week, Sandra Bullock was promoting her new line of eco-friendly soy candles called Bessence Candles which are in addition to her Austin, Texas eco-friendly restaurant called Bess Bistro. These candles are have lead-free wicks (why do some candles have lead-containing wicks anyway?) and clean burning soy wax. Check them out…healthy ambiance for the whole family!
There were also amazing tips from Hollywood mom Sophie Uliano who wrote a fabulous book called Gorgeously Green. If you are looking for a nice one-stop reference on how to bring more health to your family and our planet, this is your book!
Mama Jen
April 24th, 2008
The most important skin cream you can use is SUNSCREEN! The sunny time of year is here or approaching, depending where you live, and the Environmental Working Group conducted the first-ever study on the efficacy and safety of sunscreens out on the market.. Those found to be effective and safe might as well be considered samples from the “Fountain of Youth.”
EWG stepped up because, “After 29 years of debate, the government has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards. In August 2007 FDA proposed first-ever UVA standards for sunscreen, but the rules are not yet finalized. In the meantime, companies are free to make claims about product quality.” Scary!
To see how your sunscreen stacks up, which is healthiest and most effective, visit EWG’s Skin Deep. While you’re there, check out any of your products for their safety as well as this handy-dandy parents’ buying guide. Parenthood is so busy that it is wonderful that this site has sussed out the good, bad and the ugly for us! I love this site!
Mama Jen
April 21st, 2008
OK. So I’ve often thought I could make my own gift bags — just some cool fabric and a few zigzags on the sewing machine, right? Well, that means that I actually have to get out my sewing machine and go to the store to pick out fabric, iron it, make sure the kids are outta they way before I try to run the sewing machine, etc. etc. So, pretty much, my little spurt of craftiness is not gonna happen.
Enter Lucky Crow fabric bags, owned by Green Approach LLC in Portland, OR. Though I’m a fine papers fanatic, the sustainable/green aspects of our MomAppeal personas LOVE these. By design, they are reusable and, made of fabric, are much sturdier than any of the old paper gift bags, wraps and trimmings I have filling up two bins in my basement. And, the ribbons are attached and the fabric are cool: From the Retro-Rocket Rascals and the Sock Monkey patterns to some ’60s flashback prints (Carnival, Free Spirit and Happy Tree) and even holiday and hip organic prints, you’ll find a design that matches your gifting style and theme.
Lucky Crow bags are sold individually in a range of sizes ($4.50-$13.50), including those that just the right fit for tiny bling boxes, wine bottles, CDs, books and even bigger gifts. The largest size almost fit a Rody bounce-on toy; two extra large bags would work better, and allow you to wrap other similarly sized assembled gifts (we all know wrapping those well with paper is just about impossible).
Or, make your life really easy and choose from one of five collections ($17.99-$115.99) that include bags of assorted sizes and patterns. We love that the Lucky Crow tells you how much purchasing by collection saves vs. ordering oodles of individual bags, and that the company has some fun and free gift tags you can print from your browser window.
Here’s something else we like: Lucky Crow is a member of 1% for the Planet, an international group of businesses that donates one percent of their sales to nonprofit environmental organizations.
Lucky Crow has created a special promotion code for MomAppeal readers — so you can stock up now and be set for birthday parties, house warmings and holidays for the rest of the year. Type in the promotional code MomAppeal at checkout and you’ll receive 20% off any order of $50 or more. Thanks Lucky Crow!
Mama Kate
March 24th, 2008
A while back, the catalog for Twilite Moon came to my house and I have been looking at their website ever since.
They have the most amazing selection of stylish items for mom, dad and baby. The items tend to be quite modern, though they do have some traditional items as well. Look at this amazing dresser for a child’s room. There is also a funky low piece that could be great for storing toys. If you are looking for your child’s furniture to be art, these are the ticket… You can customize what the accent drawer color is too! Maybe these should be in your room…so chic!
And GASP!! Sexy Nursing Bras??? They found ‘em…How’d they do that??
They also have a selection of accessories for safety and many practical items as well, such as the Sleepsack which I used and loved for my daughter—keeps little babies warm and covered without the fear of having them sleeping with loose blankets. In our experience, loose blankets never stayed on a sleeping baby, AND I was afraid about the blankets covering her face…the Sleepsack solves both problems.
At Twilite Moon, they put together a wonderful section to help you find gifts for every kind of child and family.
Twilite moon is one of those baby boutiques that makes moms drool—-and that has MomAppeal!
Mama Jen
March 4th, 2008
This modern mom is all a-twitter about Little Lark and its hand-printed baby clothes and cards. The Ts are hip little statements in graphics form that transcend the usual standbys of butterflies and trucks on girlish pink and boyish blue (though you can find those sweet colors stylishly paired with modern brown). Instead, it’s artful wear for all, including a small selection for mamas and papas who like a little sophistication to their Ts.
The clothes are deliciously comfortable. I’ve outfitted myself and my own little larks in shirts of the same vein (Tree and Birds styles) — we call them our mama bird and baby birdies outfits. I’m drawn to the simple strength and sweetness of the organic images — the birds, fiddlehead fern and tree branches designs — but love the playfulness of the gnome, robot and bike graphics, too. Little Lark offers shirts, onesies, hats, pants, bags, hoodies and even individually letter-pressed cards. I could’ve bought enough of the latter to supply my correspondence needs for a year — the paper is a great heavy stock and the colors of the crisp graphics and envelopes among my favorite combinations. But truly, the cards are so beautiful I framed and hung them in groupings to make some bold statements on my walls.
But there’s more to squawk about when it comes to Little Lark: The conscientious side of me loves that the attire is 100% cotton —onesies are organic— sweatshop-free, American-made fabric. The arty side of me loves the individuality of the pieces: The inks are hand-mixed, the designs hand-printed. Even the unique labels are hand-printed on recycled fabrics and pressed into the inner shirtback. I’m a sucker for packaging, and dig that the shirts arrive in their own little printed muslin bags.
This mama-owned business in Portland, OR, is creatively powered by Christy Nyboer, a painter, sculptor and mom to two boys. She and pal/neighbor Jean Sammis co-founded the company in 2006. (While the two still inspire each other, Sammis now focuses solely on Lark Press.) Nyboer is busy prepping the spring line and gearing up to carry LoveMily, “little old man meets baby” cardigan sweater designs (these cozy little handmade cotton pieces — we’ve seen ‘em — come in chocolate brown or heather gray).
We think all of Nyboer’s stuff is something to chitter about!
Mama Kate
February 6th, 2008
Healthy Child Healthy World is a great place online that gives all sorts of information to help you help your family have the healthiest start in life. Many mom celebs like Sheryl Crow, Laura Dern, Brooke Sheilds and Meryl Streep give a voice to this wonderful site that offers answers, support and solutions for for creating a healthy and safe environment for kids.
I highly recommend you check it out to see what green tips and inspiration the site can offer you snd your family. It is so nice to have so much information in one place! For more local informationabout this great organization and it’s partners please contact Anke at info@naturalsolutionsbyanke.com
Mama Jen
October 31st, 2007
Recently, a friend of ours was researching flying with her daughter who has severe food allergies. She was nervous about wiping down the plane seats, because her daughter could have a reaction just being in contact with residue or near the foods she is allergic to. Talk about stressful parenting!!! The research she did to help make things as safe as possibe on their multiple flights from the US to New Zealand, led her to this amazing product by Planesheets.com!!!
Leslie Danelion and Rick Berge, whose relationship began as a long distance relationship with numerous flights between Minneapolis and Los Angeles, are the masterminds behind this great product. With so much flying, they were subjected to unclean airplane seats so often, that they ended up making a cover to use…now their idea has grown into a successful company that helps so many people address cleanliness on flights, as well as lower the risk of coming into contact with allergens. Smart smart smart!!!
If you, or someone you know flys often, or needs something to aid in the protection from allergens while flying, check these out!! They are available as reusable, washable plane seat covers, or disposable covers! Mama Jen
September 16th, 2007
Bento-ware for everywhere, ” is the motto for Laptop Lunches. This company makes phenomenal lead-free, reusable, waste-free bento style lunch systems for your little school-goer!
The lunchbox comes in a slick looking laptop bag that is adorable! Inside the laptop bag, there is a lunchbox with differently sized containers within…these are mom invented, mom tested, so the containers were sized to perfectly fit the inner luchbox and contain a balanced and nutritious lunch! There is also a reusable fork and spoon and safe plastic water bottle—No more baggies and paper lunch bags, and plastic utensils filling the trash and heading for our landfills….seriously, imagine the dent we could make in improving the environment if every kid used Laptop Lunches!!! Hmmm…oh yes, they thought of that! They have a mechanism in place should your family decide it would be a good school project…check it out here. They give you all of the tools to help get your school using a waste-free lunch system!
Bored in the lunch department and looking for new ideas? Their website contains a lot of fabulous healthy and new ideas! Also, the Laptop Lunch system comes with a fabulous little book with tons of healthy ideas that will work perfectly with your new lunch system. It is great for sandwiches with sides, salads, sushi, wraps, dips, leftovers, fruit, veggies, etc…You can also sign up online for a monthle free enewsletter giving you great and healthy lunch ideas!
This great company was founded by two mothers, Tammy Pelstring and Amy Hemmert who were concerned about the waste that was created in packing their kids’ lunches and also wanted a better system that would better allow them to pack healthy and nutritious lunches. Wow, did they ever do it! They have been featured on the Today Show, The Racheal Ray Show, Body and Soul Magazine, the LA Times and the Washington post, and now on Mom Appeal—and there is good reason for it! This is a quality, inventive and practical item to add to your eating-away-from-home plan! Don’t just get one for the kids, this will make so many more food options available to your or your husband’s lunches away from home!
Mama Jen
September 10th, 2007
The Green Girl’s Guide is now selling the best in reusable bags—-they are so convenient, stylish, and good for the environment!
These bags can hold up to twice the amount of your typical grocery bag, and have a SHOULDER STRAP which is huge…I just found myself running into the store with my large reusable bag with teeny tiny handles—throw in some potatos, onions and then pack it to the brim—well, it began to get quite hard to hold in my hand. I could have really used this bag that has a shoulder strap. It is also so convenient that it can be stashed in your purse when you fold it up. How many times have I left the house without my reusable bag because it is hanging on the door knob in my laundry room…too many times!!
I believe this is the first time these bags are being sold stateside, so if you are interested in them and live in the US, shipping became a lot cheaper, and your bag doesn’t have to travel as far to get to you!
Use them for groceries, beach, ANYTHING! These bags are ultra-light, fashionable, convenient and are soft on the environment. Get yourself or a friend a pack of five stylin’ Envirosax at www.greengirlsguide.com Mama Jen
August 7th, 2007
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