ecomodern mom

B.toys

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:16:00 +0000

EcoModern Mom was contacted by B.toys to see if we would be interested in reviewing a couple of products and after digging into their website and reviewing their company I learned that their toys are completely safe, BPA free, lead and phthalate free and had recyclable packaging so I decided they would be a good fit for EcoModern Mom.

B. toys Mission:

"We create toys that inspire individuality. Our process is part joy. Part love. Part mischief. Part serendipity. And at the end of the day, our goal is to be bigger than a toy company. We want to be a voice to children that says it’s okay to be curious, to be pensive, to be loud, to be happy and sad all at the same time, to be generous, to be afraid, to be quiet, to be wild, to be fun, to be open, to be scientific, to be poetic, to be giddy, to be serious, to be smart, to be free, to be you. Just B. Just You. B. You."

B.toys are inspired by the world around us, by children's faces, our own childhoods, travels, or anything that is or used to be a simple pleasure. Just buy browsing B.toys products you can see that their toys are all beautiful colors and eye catching. Being a family that owns a majority of wooden toys the first toy that we choose to review was the A-Maze Rain Rush.

"You'll be singing, marching, shaking, and dancing in the rain."

The A-Maze Rain Rush is a really pretty hand stained wooden cylinder filled with 42 colorful wooden marbles. By rolling the A-Maze Rain Rush, or turning upside down it makes the sound of rain. Who doesn't love that? I noticed too as my daughter rolled it across the wood floors that it also very closely resembles the sound thunder and rain. After about 50 rolls into the closet doors and another 100 shakes and turns, I asked her nicely to set it aside for a little while and with it's gorgeous design is sits nicely on the coffee table and turns into a piece of art. Ages 18 months to 3 years but many children above the age of 3 will enjoy this as well as my 4 1/2 year old did.

The other toy that we received was the B. Pop Arty Beads. These were a huge hit and have multiple uses. B.s Pop Arty Beads contain 500 snap together jewelry pieces including 12 rings and 6 bracelets. Please beware that when we opened the container for the first time out came a bad, strong smell but after dumping all the pieces onto the table we have not smelled any "fumes" since. What is great about this bead set is that they "pop" together and apart, whatever you make can be undone and reused into something else later. The colors are really pretty and vibrant and there are many different shapes inside the container, I particularly liked the ones that looked like raspberries and flowers. Make necklaces, bracelets, rings, etc. We even made some bead strands that we can hang into the window in place of a curtain, or a cute doorway divider. This might require a second container of Pop Arty Beads though, depending on how long and spaced you make them. This is a wonderful product to work on those fine motor skills, creative play, color sorting and we also used them to do small hands on math problems. I love multi taskers. This product is for ages 4-10 but I must admit at almost 30 years old I played with these with these for a steady hour! Her 10 year friend enjoyed them along side the rest of us. My daughter also carted this product with her to dad's house and spent a lot of time there playing with them again with dad and grandma. Comes with a sturdy container for storage.

Each of these products, the A-Maze Rush and Pop Arty Beads are both durable high quality products and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed each of them. Typically, in my experience, you can't find good quality, SAFE, unique toys at your local store but B.toys are widely available and you can purchase them at Target. Super! Also available at my favorite online place, Amazon, or click here for where to buy. For every toy purchased B.toys gives 10¢ to Free The Children. I love companies that give. Be sure to connect with B. toys on Twitter and Facebook as well. You can link directly to their site here.

Special thanks to B.toys for providing samples.

Zhena's Gypsy Tea :: you can taste the difference

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 21:14:00 +0000

I am not a coffee drinker, even if I liked the taste of coffee I can't drink it without feeling jittery and anxious, but I LOVE tea. I began drinking tea just on occasion because I liked it but the more I have been experimenting with different brands and kinds the more I am starting to love it. I can tell you now not to judge tea on the regular teas you buy at your basic grocery store, it is definitely not the same as buying premium organic teas elsewhere. Who wants to buy bland boring teas anyway when you can go to Zhena's Gypsy Tea and purchase all natural teas with a wide delightful range of flavors to choose from? Zhena's Gypsy Tea produces hand-crafted, premium quality, 100% organic and 100% fair trade teas that will please all your senses.

Offering only the healthiest and freshest teas, herbs and botanicals available, Gypsy Tea is a pro-active company who "work directly with small growers and out of the way tea gardens to effect change by providing these workers with healthcare, guaranteed maternity leave, childcare, literacy, better working conditions, and autonomy." Seems their teas are hand processed by tea artisans they are able to offer the finest grades of "unique and special" harvests.

Not only are these teas flavorful and all natural but teas actually have healing properties and are good for your body and mind. You can discover the many therapeutic benefits of Zena's Gypsy Tea by checking out this cool Aromatherapy Tea Chart below. For a better view, visit their site directly for full size.

I received some of Zhena's Gypsy Tea tins containing single-serving sachets made from round, natural, hemp paper, and really enjoyed them. Plus the pretty and fully recyclable canisters are enough to want to go and buy some new teas. :) Buy refills and place them into your tins, very eco. Green teas are my favorite and one of the green teas I tried was Egyptian Mint. I choose this one because I love everything mint, including the smell. I love mint infused water, mint gum and I even have mint chapstick. So you can see why I choose the Egyptian Mint tea. This tea did not let me down, before I had even added the hot water I had my nose stuck inside the tin inhaling the scent, over & over. This tea contains caffeine (not all of their teas contain caffeine though, if you prefer decaf) but way less than a typical cup of coffee and the caffeine in these teas do not make me shaky and anxious like a cup of coffee would. This is a "relax and focus" tea and also promotes healthy digestion. Typically, with a lot of teas I add a hint of honey because it needs that extra but with this mint tea I did not add hints of anything to it and was perfect without it. Very flavorful. I had a lovely morning, reading my favorite book in a quiet setting while sipping my favorite flavored tea and inhaling the aroma all at the same time. Coincidence, maybe, but I was very calm and focused (no re-reading of pages here) while wrapped up in the taste and aroma of my tea and fantastic book. You can also steep and pour over ice, I can't wait to try it that way, I will more than likely try that tonight or first thing tomorrow.

At Zhena's Gypsy Tea you can purchase tea sachets, luxe leaves, loose leaf, seasonal sips and also tea accessories. I have a few other teas in mind from Zhena's Gypsy Tea that I can't wait to try so I am definitely going back for more. Be sure to visit Zhena's Gypsy Tea and find them on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you Gypsy Tea for providing samples.

DIY :: Travel Tin Dollhouses

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:59:00 +0000

I really love this idea I found at HomeSpun Threads. Mini dollhouses made out of Altoid Tins! Hello cute! The little bed and kitchen was made using scrapbook paper and ribbon (to cover the tin) and fabric scraps to cover the mattress and for a cute lil' blanket and pillow. The sink, stove and fridge for the kitchen are small boxes with the appliances sketched onto them and the table is a soda cap. Brilliant. Use this design or be creative and make it your own. I am super excited to make something like this for my daughter, I know she will love it. For compelte details visit here.

pEi Pod - modern pet house

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:47:00 +0000

Hi, I am back. Life has calmed down a teensy bit so I will try pick my posts up again. Here is a product that caught my my eye awhile back, the pEi Pod.

The pEi Pod a stylish pet bed and home that will compliment your living space rather than disrupt it while at the same will create a safe and comfortable home for your pet. The pEi Pod first caught my attention with it clean and sleek look, and your small pets with love it for it's rounded design that gives it a "cavelike" feel. I just love it, modern and practical.

The pEiPod is made from high density polyethylene , the exact same highly-durable, safe, and recyclable material used to make baby products. As cute as it is though, pEi Pod recommends that you do not put a child in there. Your pEi is completely customizable, choose your size, pod color, and fabric color. I personally like the beige pod paired with the yellow cushion. This would make a fantastic photo prop for pet portraits.

The small pEi is for dogs up to 10 lbs and for cats up to 12 lbs, the medium pEi is for dogs up to 16 lbs and for cats up to 18 lbs. The pEi Pillow is 100% washable and both pod and pillow are fully recyclable. Find pEi Pod at there site here, and on facebook for news and updates.

Belly Flopz :: beach raft for pregnant mommies

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:15:00 +0000

Pregnant moms, you no longer have to sit on the sidelines watching everyone else float on their tummies at the pool or beach. Think it is not possible with your bulging belly, well it is now, the Belly Flopz inflatable raft will let you enjoy floating on your tummy in complete comfort. Belly Flopz is covered in nylon fabric for extra comfort and has an opening that will fit your pregnant belly. There are handles on each side for any needed assistance and makes for easy carrying.

Take some pressure and weight off your body and use this raft in the pool or at the beach. Also, for some nighttime belly sleeping, toss this right on top of your bed! Makes a great baby shower gift too! Purchase one for yourself or a friend by visiting Belly Flopz.

Thanks to Belly Flopz for providing a sample.

Opa Cove :: Sea Squirts Life Jacket

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 01:33:00 +0000

I'd began searching for a life jacket for my 4 year old recently and I was looking for something to please both myself and my daughter. I wanted something safe while I wanted to get something fun that my daughter would get excited about wearing, instead of having wear a life jacket be like a chore. Of course all characted life jackets are out, just not my thing, but when I found Opa Cove's Sea Squirts life jackets I knew it'd work out for the both of us. It had the safety factor me and was fun enough for my daughter without being too cutesy.

"900 children drown each year in the United Sates. It’s the second-leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 14." This is why having a life jacket on (and also one that fits properly) is SO important.

Opa Cove's Sea Squirts life jacket are designed to look like different types of fish and mammals in the sea including the Clownfish, Great White Shark, Pink Dolphin, Blue Dolphin, and Killa Whale and the Angelfish. These life jackets come in three different sizes for optimal safety instead those one size fits all types everyone used to have (so the strap between the child's legs don't have to be too tight). They are made with durable neoprene with tech fabric liner making it comfortable against the skin. Sea Squirts qualify as a ski vest or wake-boarding vest and is Coast Guard certified. Also, heavy duty plastic zipper and buckles for durability.

Each vest has a sturdy, flexible fin on the back. Not only does this make it fun for your child to pretend to be a dolphin in the water but it serves a good purpose. These are strong enough and designed to be able to be grabbed by one hand (while the other holds the neck of the life jacket) to grab your child out of the water. At first glance when I first stumbled onto Sea Squirts I thought the fin would be an annoying feature on back but it's actually really flexible and will lie flat against the back for sitting in a chair or on a boat.

My daughter choose the Pink Dolphin life jacket of course, she has this crazed obsession with EVERYTHING pink. She loved wearing it at the beach and wore it for 90% of the stay because she didn't want to take it off.

Visit Opa Cove to purchase your own Sea Squirts life jacket for your child here. It could save a life! Great for fishing, boating, wake-boarding, swimming or any of your summer activites. You may also visit Opa Cove on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates.

Special thanks to Opa Cove for providing a sample.

Green Toys :: Sand Play Set

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 06:22:00 +0000

Finally it's actually warm enough for us to hit the beach. Living in Maine your lucky to hit the waters before June..even still the water is pretty cold. We went to the lake for the first time this year on Memorial Day, the water was still a wee bit cold but kids don't care, my daughter sat in the chilly water for nearly 3 hours straight, blue lips and all. She "swam" around for less than a half hour than sat in the sand the rest of the stay. She prefers the sand to the water unless she's collecting rocks from the water. A great time to break out her new Sand Play Set from Green Toys.

Green Toys makes classic toys from recycled materials. Made in the USA from recycled milk jugs, no phthalates or BPA, made from environmentally friendly materials. The Sand Play Set includes a bucket, a shovel, a rake, and a sand castle mold. Make mud pies, sand castles, dig for buried treasures (or a lost little white horse who went missing during all the excitement). I love this set compared to most "other" sets we've owned not only for the green factor but because of the nice rope handle and it's durability. It is a nice solidly made set. I don't know how many sand sets that have been a waste of money because they can't stand up to those sand castles and just break or crack.

Another huge plus about Green Toys is their minimal (and recyclable) packaging. So easy to remove my daughter had it out in no time. No annoying plastic bags or plastic unnecessary ties or needing scissors to remove..it just comes out very simply.

My daughter at play with Green Toys Sand Play Set. She uses this outside the house in a sand pile and in the bathtub as well!

Want to purchase this safe and eco Sand Play Set or browse Green Toys for other great eco toys? You can visit them here. Like/Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates.

Thank you Green Toys for providing a sample.

miYim :: organic plush

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 18 May 2011 05:27:00 +0000

MiYim makes high quality, eco, organic soft toys for babies and children. With safety and sustainability in mind in the making, these toys are colored by nature, 100% certified non toxic, and only unprocessed cotton fibers are used to make them.

"The PureWaterWash™ process is the secret to creating our charming colors. Untreated cotton thread is woven into gently flowing fabric and brightened with nature’s own plants and minerals. The fabric is then hand dyed repeatedly in soy-water to set the color. As a result, each miYim™ toy has its own unique appearance and color variance."

We were able to choose a product from miYim and so I let my daughter do the looking and choose (after all it is for her) and as I expected, she choose Baby Victoria Plush Bunny from the Fairytale Plush collection.

Little Victoria came housed in a very sturdy handmade box crafted from recycled materials. With no annoying hard plastic ties or plastic wrappers, it came held by a single string tie, she came out in under 2 seconds, no waiting to be snuggled on this one. The box makes a great bed for your new plush, my daughter loves using boxes for all her dolls and plush's beds. The bunny is very soft material but is fairly firm, more firm than expected but not too firm. Like all characters, this plush bunny has embroidered details, is naturally colored, and is filled with natural unprocessed, untreated, and unbleached cotton. She comes wearing a white hemp dress that is removable, great for those into dress up! The first thing my daughter did upon receiving Baby Victoria Plush Bunny was stick her down her shirt and zipped her up inside with her head poking out, as she does with all of her loved plushies. There it stayed for a huge chunk of the day.

To purchase a one-of-a-kind, completely natural, cuddly companion for the special little one in your life or to view their complete line of toys and infant accessories, visit miYim here.

Thank you miYim for providing a sample.

Dress Me Up Organic :: handmade cotton toys, eco teethers & baby linens

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sat, 14 May 2011 03:46:00 +0000

Dress Me Up Organic is a small, independent toy company located on the West Coast of Canada. They specialize in handmade, natural, organic cotton soft toys, eco-teethers and baby linens for young children. I am always searching for new companies that sell all natural, "green" toys and Dress Me Up Organic is at the top of my list for favorites. They are committed to creating safe, natural, heirloom-quality products for babies and children. Smart designs, organically produced, smart & sustainable sources, it's these qualities that make their products the ones that are making the difference in our babies hands and in our environment.

The Organic Cloth Ball and the Organic Jumbo Cloth Block arrived in the mail and my initial reaction was "wow, those are huge". Many times I get smaller than expected when I order products online so I was pleasantly surprised that these were bigger than expected. Their products are geared more towards babies but don't hesitate if you have a toddler because my daughter loved these toys. A few of their products would a please a toddler just as well as a baby. As with most packages that arrive at our doorstep, my daughter is ripping them away from me before I fully get to check them out myself. After she tossed them to me several times I could tell that these were very well made and were of great lasting quality. Built tough but soft enough to snuggle...which is exactly what my daughter did right away. Some tosses of the ball & cube later she was wrapped up in them on the floor..zoned out to her favorite TV show. These two products are great for imaginative play and wonderful for tummy time. Plus, this could make a great nursing prop!

Another product that I'm really loving from Dress Me Up Organic is the Organic Rabbit Rattle. As the website describes, it is "simple and inviting". This Rabbit Rattle invites your little to discover and play and is custom printed with Dress Me Up Organic's own tree ring drawings. Inside each Rabbit is a wood-bead rattle that sounds like pebbles rolling in the surf and is gentle on small and developing ears. Each rattle is one of a kind.

Dress Me Up Organic also carries an organic eco teether made from certified organic cotton and naturally antibacterial lamb’s wool, bibs, blankets & more.

I love their simple yet engaging minimalist design on their products. I love simple, classic baby toys and Dress Me Up Organic brings it to you with a little bit of a kick and brings it to you all natural. The bold prints paired with black & white swirls and soft flannel material encourage visual and physical exploration for babies and children. Also, when you purchase from their website, you're supporting the small company directly.

Visit Dress Me Up Organic to view all all their organic products and to order your own. Also be sure to follow them on Twitter for news and updates.

Special thanks to Dress Me Up Organic for providing samples.

Hank & JoJo :: bamboo kids socks

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:37:00 +0000

I am SO in love with these retro socks from Hank & JoJo. I love tall socks on babies and toddlers, so adorable, plus they will protect those sensitive knees if you have a crawler. Hank & JoJo's tube socks are made from the highest quality Bamboo which is nature's fastest growing and most sustainable resource! It is grown without chemicals and is naturally anti-microbial and UV protectant! They use only AZO-free dyes, and their packaging is toxin free and fully recyclable. :) Socks are packaged in a lead free tin lunchbox printed with food-grade ink.

Visit Hank & JoJo to order.

BottlesUp :: sophisticated and sustainable glass water bottles

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:42:00 +0000

We all know about the benefits of using a reusable water bottle but a lot of us are replacing plastic bottles with more plastic. It doesn't make sense to me, why replace plastic with more plastic? Reusable BPA/chemical free plastic bottles are a great alternative to single use containers and I'm all for it and own several myself but there is still a better choice. Glass. BottlesUp created beautiful BPA free glass bottles made from recycled glass.

Why glass? Glass is the purest, and healthiest material to use for food and beverages. It makes your food and drink taste so much better. I remember when I was little (and still as an adult) I would refuse to drink my milk and beverages out of plastic cups because I hated the taste the plastic left in my drink. Glass production has a low environmental impact and can be recycled pretty much endlessly. Glass is free of toxins such as Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polycarbonates. Glass is
environmentally responsible.

With buying a reusable glass bottle you may be hesitant to buy because glass is breakable but these bottles are thick, like the old fashioned soda bottles. These bottles include food grade silicone caps and gripper rings in your choice of four colors and has a rounded milk-bottle lip with wide mouth for easy cleaning. You can purchase the rings and cap separately as well if you'd like to change your bottle color up or need a replacement. I tested the cap, I shook my bottle, tipped it upside down, not a single leak and it was comfortable to hang onto while drinking. All packaging is recycled and minimal. Also, all of their products can be customized with logos, monograms, or your favorite designs. This includes sandblasting, silkscreening or even gold leaf of your design onto the bottles.

Drink your water in style and purchase your own BottlesUp reusable glass water bottle here. Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter for news and updates.

Thank you BottlesUp for providing a sample.

Craft-E-Family :: Personalized Baby Block

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Craft-E-Family is an Indiana family business started by Lloyd and Joyce Ebert in 1980 to keep busy during their "retirement". It's now run by their daughter and son-in-law, Cory and Karry with help from other family members including niece Vanessa who helps polish the blocks and their daughter LeeLoo who is the block tester.

Craft-E-Family makes all kinds of wooden blocks and blocks sets. The blocks can be made for many occasions including Baby's First Block, Adoptions, Baptisms, Birthdays, Graduations, First Christmas, Weddings and more!

We choose the Personalized Baby Block to review. I love this block, it is made from solid wood and it is a really beautiful. This block is personalized with all of your baby's birth stats that you'll have forever as a keepsake and can display it beautifully in your home or child's room. I remember when I was little and I would constantly be asking my mom what day of the week I was born, what time, how much I weighed, etc, over and over. Well your child can look at their very own baby block and see all this information for themselves.

This personalized baby gift is one all natural 2 inch maple block that is laser engraved. The details include child's full name (plus large initial), date and time of birth, baby's weight and length, name of parents, location of birth and optional details include names of siblings, name of hospital, and name of gift giver(s).

Starting at only $15.50 + Free Shipping you can order yours HERE from Craft-E-Family. This block is from now on going to be my signature baby gift, such a great unique gift idea that will be cherished forever. Great gift for parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Like them on Facebook for news and updates.

Thank you Craft-E-Family for providing a sample.

Tiger Tribe :: creative children's products

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Tiger Tribe is an Australian company that designs creative and imaginative children's products. It was started by wife and husband, Naomi and Anthony Green – parents of two little tigers. Made up of a talented team, Tiger Tribe strives to create new and innovative products that not only entertain a child's running imagine but to educate as well. They design products that are great for travel, compact and fully engaging. Tiger Tribe is always designing new products based on the feedback they get from retailers, educators, mums and dads.

Tiger Tribe carries a wide range of products including activity sets, bags, a magnetic range, wooden toys, crafts, puzzles, mobiles, soft toys, stamps, educational products and much more.

My favorite from Tiger Tribe is the stamp range. Well first, what child does not like stamps? All kids love to play with stamps but instead of the typical boring stamps you see every day that are just blah Tiger Tribe carries a line of creative and beautifully illustrated stamps. From large stampers to mini sets, from alphabets to sweets, dolls to flowers, and my personal favorite I need to get for myself, the owl & tree mini foam kit. There are even super cool stamps (& stickers) for boys.

Visit Tiger Tribe here. Creative, fun, imaginative products for our children. Great for Easter baskets too!

Special thanks to Tiger Tribe for providing samples.

Tummy Talk Pregnancy Book:: all-in-one album, scrapbook, keepsake journal + GIVEAWAY (closed)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 04:13:00 +0000

The Tummy Talk Pregnancy Book is a complete all-in-one album, scrapbook, and keepsake journal you can use from the moment you get the good news until your baby’s first homecoming. When I was pregnant with my daughter the only pregnancy journal I had was this calender type one that didn't leave me a ton of space and then I never really filled it out often because with the lack of space and it's vagueness it didn't appeal to me. Well I'm really kicking myself now because I wish I had had a special journal and captured this magical time to look back on and share with my daughter. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice of not keeping a journal I browsed all the pregnancy journals available and Tummy Talk was one that kept screaming at me with it's elegant yet classic design and all-in-one format. I'm not huge on scrapbooking because I'm so not crafty and too lazy for that but this book is perfect with a touch of everything and not too much scrapbooking that would make me too overwhelmed but enough to add a personal touch.

Tummy Talk was started by Angela Horiuchi-Yvkoff and Karen Vardeny, two women who came up short on finding the perfect pregnancy journal so they created their own that had it all. The Tummy Talk pregnancy book "provides moms-to-be and new families with a specially designed journal to chronicle all their feelings and intimate thoughts throughout the pregnancy and birthing process, while also providing space to keep special memorabilia and photos". Instead a record keeping fill in the blank type book this one is more personal and intimate, a journal, scrapbook and album all wrapped up in one.

This book is a beautiful keepsake to record all your memories, photo's and a way to capture "every kick and craving". This book has 105 unique pages and the pages are heavy weight so they do not tear and are great for pasting memorabilia, inserting photos and chronicling thoughts. In the back of the book is 3 pieces of coordinating blank letterhead for the first letters to your baby for placement inside the cover pocket. In addition, 3 pages of really beautiful scrapbook cut-outs are included for baby’s first love notes that can be pasted on album pages. This book also has durable spiral binding which I love because it is flexible and you can lay it flat and not lose the backing.

The book size is 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" and page size is 9" x 10".The cover material of Tummy Talk is really soft and kind of feels like suede. Tummy Talk comes in 5 stylish colors (This Little Pinky, Binky Blue, Nap Thyme, Peaches and Cream & Silver Gray) and for an added touch of elegance a hand-placed Swarovski crystal on the cover of each book. Inside the book has 5 sections including pregnancy stories, prenatal visits, weekly journaling, baby shower and birth details. Each section has a pocket at the beginning for memorandums or whatever you like. Printed and made in the U.S.A. and is winner of the respected iParenting 2007 Greatest Product Media Award.

Tummy Talk also makes some really cute announcements and thank you cards.

Visit Tummy Talk here. Makes a special shower gift or gift to yourself. View here for where to buy.

WIN IT

One super lucky reader at EcoModern Mom has a chance to win a Tummy Talk Pregnancy Journal (retails for $75) PLUS a set greeting cards!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Tummy Talk here and come back and leave me a comment on which color you'd like to win and/or leave me a comment telling me a detail about the book.

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This giveaway ends Friday April 29th at midnight, EST. Winner will picked using random.org and will be e-mailed.

ModKat Litter Box :: where modern cats do their business

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 05:37:00 +0000

Finding a litter box that isn't an eye sore is a tough job. After many internet searches I'd keep coming back across the ModKat Litter Box and drooled over it's sleek and clean appeal several times. Stored in my bookmarks I continued to go through many different litter boxes with my cat, Sassy. Her very first box ended up too small, then the second didn't do because we decided a cover was a necessity, and then even with the purchase a large box with a cover she still continued to track litter on the floor when she was burying or exiting, not to mention I couldn't get over the big eyes sore sitting in my (and everyone's) plain sight. I just couldn't settle on that big hunk of plastic, I tried hard to I swear, but I just couldn't. It was time for yet another and final change of the litter box, to the ModKat Litter Box.

ModKat is any cat owners must have item. They really thought of every detail when it comes to this litter box. ModKat is a sleek and modern fully enclosed litter box with a rooftop entry enabling complete privacy for your cat or kitten and it keeps all the mess inside. Gravity will do most of the work at getting the litter off your cat's paws while the non-skid walk-off mat finishes the job and gives your cat a clean exit. Any stray litter bits will fall through the holes of the rooftop or gravity will pull them back into the box when the top is easily swiveled open for litter scooping and then locks into place to keep dogs or small children out.

It comes with an included ModKat Litter Scoop. It has an ergonomic handle, angled to reach the depths of the ModKat Litter Box with minimal effort and it fits comfortable in your hand. The rounded front edge matches the radius of ModKat's rounded corners for thorough scooping. With the incorporated brush on the side of the scoop you easily sweep clean the roof or sweep the dust off. Lastly, it slides onto the side of the box for easy storage and access. This to me is huge, I have many frustrating memories of myself digging away through the bins looking for that darn scooper. Now here it is right there for my convenience.

Also included is the Reusable Litter Liner. The liner is made of rip-resistant tarp material to prevent odor absorption and is waterproof to allow for simple clean-up. It also has nylon handles for easy removal and pouring. No more needing to buy plastic liners again, just another way to go green and stop using plastic. :)

Personal Experience:

After it arrived in the mail I opened up the box and it was very simple and fast to put together. It took under 5 minutes, from the moment I brought it in from my doorstep until I had it all set up (minus the litter). It sat in my living room for a day and a half before I filled it with litter and my 4 year old gave it a true test of size and durability. Not my idea by the way, but I guess that's what 4 year olds like to do, climb in things. This was my daughters favorite toy before it had litter inside it even though I do not recommend letting your child do this. I know it's plenty big enough as my daughter climbed fully inside and then asked for the cover, *sigh*. Plus I know it's pretty durable because for almost 2 days my daughter climbed in and out in and out, she even shoved a pillow inside once or twice and used it for a chair to watch cartoons. Not a single nick or dent, it's still as good as new.

Now came time to test it out my cat. She had climbed in out and sniffed it out over the last couple days so she was a little familiar with it. I was slightly worried because my cat is super picky and skittish so I didn't know how should would react to this new box. The last time I bought her a new bed she refused to sleep in it so I hoped she'd like this change. She immediately jumped in and did her business, scratched away for a bit and jumped out. The first few times she was nervous and when she jumped out her feet didn't even touch the top, lol. Then she really started to like it and she actually sits up top now and shakes her feet off before she hops down. She loves the cleanliness of it too. It is very mess free and I never smell any odor coming from it. A lot easier to clean to with the swivel top and integrated brush on the scoop. My cat is also a Maine Coon Cat breed, so she is larger (and longer) than a lot of cats and she has plenty of room in there to move around freely. I don't try to hide this litter box in the corner like the others, I can display it proudly with it's fully functional attractive modern design.

Upgrade your litter box in style without compromising functionality, purchase your own ModKat Litter Box. Follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook for updates.

Special thanks to ModKat for providing a sample.

Full Circle Home :: eco-friendly cleaning tools

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:18:00 +0000

It's time for some spring cleaning and what better way to do it then with some fresh new cleaning tools for your kitchen. I've replaced all of my chemical cleaning products with greener version and as spring hits with spring cleaning in mind I knew it was time to start fresh with new cleaning products that were eco-friendly. I found Full Circle Home while searching for kitchen products that were not only earth friendly but products that would spruce up my kitchen with a stylish appeal. I figured I'd find one or the other, but I was excited to find both eco & stylish all wrapped up in one product.

Here's an interesting fact, in the US alone if one scrub brush per household gets thrown out every year, that’s about 120 million brushes ending up in the garbage. Most of the brushes are plastic meaning it takes about 1,000 years before it begins to breakdown. Full Circle’s line of stylish, functional products made from sustainable and renewable resources include a wide variety of products including sponges made from a plant based fiber (so you also need to use less soap!), scrub brushes with sleek bamboo handles, biodegradable pot scrubbers, glass cleaners, bottle brushes and others. These products also perform well and are strong and durable, use less soap and are easy to clean.

Some of the products I've recently tried out was the Be Good Dish Brush. This brush has a bamboo handle and recycled plastic bristles. Very sleek and works great on my plates and dishes. I also recently used the Crystal Clear Glass Cleaner. I love this thing! Typically I use a bottle brush for my glasses and although it does the job it sometimes leaves streaks in my glasses. Other times I just fit my hand inside the glass with a dish cloth which isn't the smartest idea, even with my small and thin hands. Well this glass cleaner fits comfortable in your hand and it actually cleans the glass, streak free! It's really crystal clear. This handy tool also stands on end to air dry. The last product I used was the Reach Bottle Brush. Another amazing product. I use this mostly to clean our canteens and Thermoses. I can't quite fit my hand inside those things and even though I use only water inside them I still would like to be able to get inside it and give it a good cleaning. So this brush works perfectly. I don't own any baby bottles but I can tell you it would be a great bottle cleaner. With this brush you actually clean the outside at the same time as you are cleaning the inside, missing no spots. Simply place the longer end inside the bottle and squeeze the handle and voila, you're cleaning both sides. I love multitaskers. Great for reusable water bottles, travel coffee mugs, baby bottles and more plus it hangs right over your faucet for easy storage and drying.

I already added a few more of their items to cart to purchase very soon, I can't wait. The Ring Vegetable Brush looks really neat and I've also added a couple Flip Loofa Sponges and a Grip Pot Scrubber. I love their range of stylish, functional and eco products. :)

Get in gear for some eco spring cleaning and visit Full Circle Home to purchase your own products. Don't forget to visit them on Twitter and Facebook for news and updates.

Thank you Full Circle for providing samples.

Natural Fitness :: green your workout

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:31:00 +0000

I've been trying to replace all of our home products with the greenest options available. It started with better food habits, and then using greener cleaning products. From there it went to buying only eco-friendly toys and clothing and escalated into greening our pets products and and all things in between. As our food became healthier and our materials and products became greener, my knowledge about living green and natural grew as well and I also started paying more attention to my health and body and began to get fit by starting an exercise regimen. As I'm using my boring exercise mat and chemical ridden fitness ball it dawned on me that it didn't even make sense to be using these products that are both unhealthy for the earth and myself. I wasn't sure if it would be possible but I began to surf the worldwide web in search of fitness and yoga products that were eco-friendly. There is not a ton of eco-friendly companies that carry fitness products that I'd buy but when I finally stumbled into Natural Fitness I was so thrilled.

Natural Fitness carries eco-fitness products. They carry a variety of yoga & fitness mats, exercise balls, resistance tubes, soft weighted balls, hand weights and core balls. They also carry yoga tools, bags, and accessories. All of their products are made from sustainable materials including bamboo, cork, hemp and natural rubber. You can visit here for a complete list of all the really great benefits from these natural and sustainable products.

One of my favorite products from Natural Fitness is the Burst Resistance Exercise Balls. You can do a full body workout using these balls. When you order one for yourself you will also receive a exercise instruction chart, and included DVD you can view their website for workouts or use google to search some routines. What I really love too with these balls but they are so great for stretching your back. I suffer from chronic back pain and these balls do wonders for getting a great stretch with your back and great for use with healing back pain. Whether it's stretching, exercising, balance, yoga, back pain or just a plain ol' place to sit, these balls come with many uses. They also carry a mini core ball that is great for strengthening and toning your core.

What sets Natural Fitness balls apart from your standard fitness balls? Coming in both 300 and 600 pound burst resistance they are designed to withstand even the rigorous exercise routines. They are also designed to deflate slowly if it became punctured. Made with non-toxic/phthalate-free materials they are safer for you and the environment. Each kit includes a burst resistance ball, a workout DVD, a fast pump and installation plugs. What I also noticed with using these natural balls is that they didn't have that funny rubbery plastic smell that you get from using most standard balls, and the material just felt...better. This is because they are no chemicals and nasty materials used in their products. With their bright and fun colors it makes your workouts a little less of a drab on your not so motivated days and a bit more fun and energetic. Lose the boring workout gear and add some color while staying natural.

Do you need another reason to love Natural Fitness? With their Zero Impact Program they plant a tree for every product they sell in areas of the world that benefit the most. "The trees moderate climate, improve air quality, conserve water and harbor wildlife. Carbon emissions experts report that a single tree can remove up to 2,000 pounds of pollution from our atmosphere." They offer highest quality eco-friendly 100 percent eco-friendly yoga products, and the highest quality minimum impact fitness products, they raise public awareness, and use recycled content paper in all of their product packaging, color inserts and business/office stationary and supplies. Finally, www.naturalfitnessinc.com website is completely powered by solar energy. :)

Visit Natural Fitness to purchase your yoga and fitness gear. Green your workout, better for environment and better for yourself.

View their blog post 40 Tips To Green Your Workout for some great tips. Do you have any "green" workout tips to share?

Special thanks to Natural Fitness for providing samples.

Peaseblossoms :: Shakespeare tees

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:26:00 +0000

Designed by a former professional actor with a passion for Shakespeare, Peaseblossoms developed handcrafted onesies and toddler tees inspired by Shakespeare. Jennie who wanted to stay home with her son Liam came up with the idea for Peaseblossoms when she realized quickly that she delighted in the words of Shakespeare and adored dressing her son. She tag teamed with Sandy, "an exquisite artist whose work is characterized by rich color, and dynamic and disarming design." Together Peaseblossoms was born.

After my daughter received her Peaseblossoms long sleeve t-shirt in the mail her current shirt came off and she put this one on immediately and ran to the mirror. The sizes don't really run small but it is a perfect fit and if your like me and like an itty bit of growing room it would be a great idea to buy a size up. Already pre-shrunk no need to worry about it shrinking after the first wash. These onesies and tees featuring quotes by Shakespeare and are hand silkscreened on 100% cotton, great for those with sensitive skin.

Peaseblossoms comes in 4 designs and several color options. Check out all designs here. You may also choose between a onesie, short sleeve, or long sleeve. Gotta love having these options.

Forget those charactered tees and go sophisticated with Peaseblossoms. Visit Peaseblossoms to order your own and be sure to check them out on facebook for updates.

Images by Peaseblossoms. Thank you Peaseblossoms for providing a sample tee.

Zevro :: Solutions for Modern Living

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 04:40:00 +0000

A boring disorganized kitchen makes it very unmotivating and a drag to cook in the kitchen. Frustrating. However, give yourself a sleek and clutter free kitchen and it makes cooking in the kitchen fun. Zevro, an Illinois based company designs uncommon products to solve common problems. Zevro's products helps you organize your kitchen in style and is a leading provider of innovative storage and dispensing products. They are devoted to "making hectic lives easier and infinitely more attractive".

I found Zevro while browsing google for a decent spice rack and was thrilled with all of their quality, innovative kitchenware. I love when you can find a company that doesn't just carry one product you like, but a complete line of them. The Zero Gravity Magnetic Spice Stand is a must have accessory for your kitchen. It's a very stylish and convenient way to store your spices. When I buy spices, most of them I transfer from their original packaging into my spice rack. it drives me a bit batty having unmatching miscellaneous spice bottles throughout my cupboard. My OCD kicking in. Plus they just take up too much space in my already too small cupboard. This spice stand is great for fresh spices, plus it will work out great when I attempt to grow my own herbs and spices for the first time ever. This spice stand comes with a set of self-adhesive labels that you can apply yourself, no pre-labeled canisters for spices you never even use. Each spice canister is placed on either side of the included stand, making it very space sufficient. The canisters are designed to keep your spices and herbs fresh and have closed, sprinkle and pour settings. Choose from the 6 and 12 canister models, plus they have a wall mounted version for even more space saving.

Another one of my favorite items is the Triple Wall Mount SmartSpace Dispenser. The SmartSpace Dispensers are designed to fit in smaller spaces and offer both countertop and wall mountable dispensers. I temporarily live in a small apartment so every inch of space counts. I really love this Triple Wall Mount Dispenser. I just simply attached it to the wall in my desired space and voila. I fill them with my item of choice. My favorite use for these are for cereal. We always have at least 3 boxes on hand and my daughter never seals the packaging whenever she pulls the cereal out herself to snack on. Also, those darn huge boxes are taking over my space for what should be my soup cans and such but I cram them in with them because it's the only spot I have for them so with these handy dispensers, problem solved. You can basically use these for any dry item you can come up with. Cereal, beans, pasta, trail mix, nuts, candy, rice, etc etc. All you do is twist the handle and with the attached measuring cup you get portion control. My 4 year old loves pulling up her stool and helping herself to a healthy snack. Each canister holds 13 Oz's and keeps food fresh for up to 45 days!

Visit Zevro here and check out their always expanding product line. I have my eye on a couple other products I want to get my hands on. Organize your kitchen in style while saving space wit Zevro's sleek and modern innovative kitchen products.

Thank you Zevro for providing samples.

Book Favorites :: See Inside Your Body

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 02:20:00 +0000

My little book worm loves her books and reads through her dozens of books daily but she has a small handful of books that are definitely her favorites. She has this one book she is OBSESSED with that she even carries with her wherever she goes. Usborne's See Inside Your Body book, or as Tehya (my daughter) calls it, "the body book" is definitely her favorite book of the moment. It's actually been her favorite for the past several months. I have yet to find an Usborne book we didn't like but this particular one, See Inside Your Body, is a huuuge hit in this house.

My daughter she is seriously obsessed with the human body. We go the public library and we will pull out an adults encyclopedia on the human body and she flips through the pages completely intrigued for an hour or more. She flips through the pages, discusses it and asks many questions. I have to literally pull her away when it's time to go. Did I mention she is 4 years old? A child who don't sleep at night and loves the human body, makes me wonder if she was an ER doctor or something in a past life, ha.

See Inside Your Body is a good sized 15 page board book (no ripping) with over 50 flaps with something to discover underneath. Some of the things you can discover with this book is all about your lungs when you take a breath, your bones & muscles, drinking and peeing, the process of what happens when you swallow food, all about the brain, & more! I must admit even I learned a few things. My daughters learned what a lung looks like when you smoke cigarettes (she tells everyone she knows that smokes), she's fascinated at how food travels through your body and giggles at the part where "the waste is pushed out of your bottom" with silly illustrations. She also loves to accurately explain this process to everyone. She's also learned what you look like under the skin and what a broken bone looks like. Oh and can't forget there are a couple pages dedicated to the five senses and all about the heart and pumping blood.

This book is geared towards older kids, ages 9-12 but my 4 year old definitely loves it. If you have a child who loves facts and to absorb information, this book it for them. Purchase Usborne's See Inside Your Body book by Katie Daynes and Colin King at Amazon for a great low price.

Excalibur Food Dehydrator

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:40:00 +0000

I love vegetarian and vegan cooking and in the last several months I started discovering raw foods. I'd read up on the health benefits, started eating even more raw foods and since then I have a growing pile raw food and raw "uncooking" recipe books. The benefits of raw foods are tremendous. Cooking foods destroy nutrition and enzymes and with cooking you are chemically changing foods from the good substances to free radicals and poisons that can really put a damper on your health to say the least. Raw foods are great for weight loss, clear skin and are rich in fibers. With raw foods you are getting much greater nutritional value and I think the biggest perk for me with raw foods is it is super great for energy. It's everything your body needs. Well searching through many of the recipes in my raw food books I kept coming across yummy mouth watering recipes that called for using a food dehydrator and so I'm like damn, I need to get me one of those. In a particular book I was reading it had recommended the Excalibur brand so I began my search with that brand in mind and after some long hours of hunting and lots of brand comparisons, Excalibur is the leading choice in food dehydrators.

I had a wonderful opportunity to try out Excalibur's 5 Tray Small Garden 26 Hour Timer food dehydrator and even though it is a smaller 5 tray one I have to say it was plenty big enough. With this particular one you get 8 square feet of tray area. Perfect for small families or small gardens. I think actually if I had a 9 tray one I would struggle a tiny bit at times trying to fill all the trays. I used to think that food dehydrators were basically for drying fruits and vegetables but let me tell you, it does SO much more than that. Some of the many things your Excalibur can be used for is nuts, pasta, yogurt, cheese, crackers, leathers and fruit rolls, herbs & spices, meat jerkies, fruits, vegetables, living foods and raising bread. Did you know you can also use this handy tool for drying photographs and making arts and crafts!? The possibilities are almost endless and you can visit here for a few more ideas.

The 5 Tray Excalibur has a built in timer that comes in handy. Say you want dry something for 4 hours but you want to go bed and won't be up early enough to shut it off you can simply set the timer for 4 hours and it will go off by itself so you don't have to worry about it. One important thing I can say about using your Excalibur food dehydrator is that you need to experiment with different drying times and the timer allows you too. You know how when you buy already dried fruit and veggies and sometimes you find crunchy pieces and sometimes you get more chewy (less dry) pieces? Well I personally (and my daughter too) dislike the chewy dried fruit and prefer the more dry ones that are crunchy however our store don't carry any so we spend lots of money (and shipping charges) on ordering tubs of the kind we like. Anyway with your built in timer and experimenting you can choose your own consistency of whether you want it crunchy, chewy..or in between. You have full customized control. Plus if you like me are frequently buying tubs of dried food or wasting fruit, you will saves tons of money in the long run.

I am ashamed to admit how much fruit and vegetables we waste around here. Sometimes I buy fruit and it's gone in a day or two, other times I buy fruit and it sits there and sits there and turns brown and gets thrown in the trash. I hate hate hate wasting food. Well now that I have a food dehydrator next time I have an overflowing abundance of strawberries about to go bad in the fridge or my bananas are about to turn brown and make my daughters nose turn up I can easily put them in the dehydrator dehydrate them and store them for weeks or months longer! Next time your greens are about to go bad dehydrate them and use them as a dried herb, a seasoning or a snack. You are saving so much food and money with this thing and that makes me very excited.

I know, this post is getting long (but there's so many great things to go on about) but stay with me as wrap this up by telling you about a great book to get with your Excalibur food dehydrator. Preserve It Naturally The Complete Guide To Food Dehydration. This book gives you an introduction on how food is dehydrated, a quick background and information on preparing, storing and using your dehydrated food. The book then tells you how to dehydrate many of the foods listed above and then gives you a list of uses for the dehydrator including how to use it to make potpourri and sashets. The book concludes with many fabulous recipes and I can't wait to make some fruit and vegetable powders! The end pages leave you a spot to write down your personalized drying times for fruits, vegetables or whatever you are making. This is definitely a must have book.

Now is the time to get healthy for yourself and and to get those picky eaters eating better. The Excalibur food dehydrators are a great investment and pay for themselves in the long run. This is my new favorite kitchen "toy". Fruits and vegetables are coming back into season so now would be a great time to purchase your own, you won't regret it. Excalibur has many accessories, books and other great products so be sure to check them out as well. Visit Excalibur here to browse and purchase.

Special thanks to Excalibur for providing samples.

Enjoy Lighting :: Flameless Candles

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 21:40:00 +0000

I looove candles. In fact I love anything scented. My only problem with candles is they can't be left unattended and because of my pets and child. I remember several years ago before my daughter came along I had some candles burning 2 feet from me and the next thing I know I smell smoke. I turned and looked to see my cats tail on fire! True story. The cat clueless at this point, wandering around her tail in flames smoking like crazy, ha. Okay it sounds kind of comical but really my cat could have gotten injured and she could have spread the flames to the house. Then fast forward several years later and I have my daughter. When I light candles around her she constantly blows them out because she finds it amusing and I have to pay very close attention making sure she don't get too close but of course when she sees them lit she's amazed by them and wont stay away from them. Then my new cat trying to smell it (she's weird) about burning her whiskers off before she realizes they are hot. So I still love my real candles when I can attend to them but there are those times when I want candles but cannot use them because I cannot give them my full attention and make sure my child and animals stay away. So there's LED candles out there but my problem is they are not scented and although some can still make great decor it's just not the same if you don't have a nice scent to got with it and most LEDS I've seen do not look real at all. But now I have found some flameless candles I love. Enjoy Lighting LED battery operated candles. Enough rambling, on to the candles..;)

Enjoy Lighting flameless real wax candles look very real with uneven sides making it look like the candles have burned down. Plus they carry some that are SCENTED. Yes, scented battery operated candles. How cool. On the inside of the candles are three lights instead of the typical one and all three lights stay on and are programmed to create a flickering effect that casts dancing shadows just like a real flame.

Flip the candle over and that is where the batteries go. It takes 4 AA's (which is more than my liking) and the LED bulbs will last over 100,000 hours. It also has timer options.

Taking from Enjoy Lighting website:

"Why Flameless Candles?

Safety – Traditional wicked candles cause over 15,000 house fires each year. With flameless candles, there is no fire risk if a candle is knocked over or placed too close to a curtains or furniture. Flameless candles are 100% safe around children and pets.

Décor – Use flameless candles in areas where wicked candles can’t go – in a floral arrangement or centerpiece, near curtains or drapes, on shelving or book shelves, in children’s bedrooms, and more.

Enjoy Lighting flameless candles provide the look of traditional candles with real wax, realistic flickering effect, and light fragrances.

Convenience – Candles won’t blow out when used outdoors. Some models include a built-in timer allowing the candle to turn on and off when you want it to, every day, at the same time. Set it once and your candle will automatically turn on and provide ambiance every day – without any effort on your part. Set it and forget it!

Cleanliness – no soot build up on your walls or ceilings. No melting wax on your furniture or carpet.

Cost Savings – while a traditional wicked candle can burn out in hours or days, Enjoy Lighting flameless candles will last for years. The LED lamp will operate for up to 10 years or 100,000 hours and a set of batteries can provide at least 300 hours of battery life.* With just the minimal cost of replacing batteries, flameless candles offer a 75% annual savings when compared to purchasing traditional wicked candles"

These would be extra great with Valentines Day around the corner and they make great gifts or just buy them for yourself. Whatever you reason for purchasing visit here to buy your own.

Thank you Enjoy Lighting for providing samples.

Little Lamb :: Children's Jewelry GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:58:00 +0000

My daughter is old enough now where I can trust her with wearing real jewelry without breaking it or losing it so we are quickly adding new pieces to her jewelry box. I am so excited about this because quite frankly I'm sick of cheesy looking plastic gems that more often than not break in the first day or two she wears it. Some fake jewelry is okay for her daily dress up sessions of course but she is ready (and wanting) to accessorize her outfits with a nice piece of jewelry every now and then. I've of course been scoping out all the real kids jewelry boutiques and such on the Internet and have found a new favorite, Little Lamb jewelry for kids.

Little Lamb is whimsical jewelry for babies, moms, and kids. The jewelry from Little Lamb makes a great gift for those special occasions including but not limited to birth, christening, and first birthday. These pieces of jewelry are designed by Melbourne-based contemporary jeweller, Caitlin Boyce. Each piece is handmade in Australia from sterling silver and/or 9ct yellow gold.

The animal nursery collection is suitable for newborn to age 7 and these bangles, necklaces and bracelets feature five different animal silhouettes: a lamb, a fawn, a bluebird, a bunny, and a baby elephant. My personal favorite is the fawn. :)

Our experience:

When my daughter received her Little Lamb fawn necklace in the mail I was already "awww"-ing over the very nice packaging. Each piece comes in the mail in a cute little box lined with ivory felt. The box in encased with a sweet little lamb drawstring bag and also enclosed is a darling little crocheted lamb and a petite gift card. :) My daughter was eager to put on her fawn necklace and she wore it all night long. I kept asking if she was ready to take it off and she proceeded to tell me no. Typically she's done wearing a piece of jewelry after a short while and she removes it but I couldn't get her take this particular piece off. I actually had to sneak it off her as she was falling asleep.

The necklace is very dainty and petite and is gorgeous. It really is my favorite piece of jewelry from my daughter's jewelry box and the little fawn is sooo adorable. I want one for me, hehe. The pieces from this collection are very simple but stunning and I'm sure after you've seen images you have falling in love with it too. This is the perfect gift for those special moments. My daughter woke up this morning and the very first thing she did was jump out of bad and retrieved her crocheted lamb and asked me where her "little fawn" was so that she could put it back on.

My daughter showcasing her necklace, but this image does not do the necklace justice..

Little Lamb proudly supports the Sreepur Women and Children's Village situated in rural Bangladesh and that is just another reason to love them. To purchase your own jewelry visit Little Lamb here. Want a chance to win one? See details below!

WIN IT

One lucky reader at EcoModern Mom will win a bluebird necklace for themselves. Retails for $80.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Little Lamb and come back here and tell me which silhouette is your favorite or another piece of jewelry from the site you love.

Extra Optional Entries: (Must complete mandatory entry for these to count. May do as little or many as you like. May do in any order.)

1. Follow EcoModern Mom publicly on Google Friend Connect
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11. One entry for each current giveaway you enter at EcoModern Mom, leave a comment telling me which one you entered.

This giveaway ends Friday February 25th at midnight, EST. Winner will picked using random.org and will be e-mailed.

KidSwitch :: light switch extender GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0000

How many times have you been in the middle of making dinner or doing dishes (or anything of that matter) and you have to put down everything your doing because your toddler can't reach the light switch to go potty? My daughter nearly pees her pants sometimes because she has to pee and wont go because it's too dark in there and she can't reach the switch, and she wont ask me for help until she can't hold it it only longer. There for I need to put everything down at that exact moment or else she'll pee her pants when she is fully capable of using the potty on her own. What's the solution? KidSwitch!

The KidSwitch Light Extender is handy little thing you simply attach to your light switch and voila, your child can now turn the light on by themselves.This light weight yet sturdy glow in the dark extender can be used with either toggle or decora style light switches. For toggle switches you only require a screwdriver and you simple replace the existing screws with the ones provided. For decora style,no tools required, you just need to peel and stick (but must purchase adapter separately). KidSwitch extends 12" down so kids can safely operate the lights.

Kids will find a way to turn on the lights, whether they drag out an unstable "stool" or stack toys so this is great way to ensure their safety. If they are not attempting to hit the switch themselves they are your heals in the middle of a task or at the worst time needing your assistance. Another great reason I recommend this product. For all you green mommas this is great way to teach about and save energy. No more leaving lights on unnecessarily. Let your little ones feel more independent with something as little as a product that will allow them to operate the lights. Great for any room, including the bathroom, the bedroom, playroom, hallway, etc.

Visit KidSwitch here to purchase your own. Click Shop Now for a list of retailers.

WIN IT

We have one of these KidSwitch Glow in the Dark Light Extenders up for grabs.

Mandatory Entry: Visit KidSwitch and tell me what you liked or learned or leave a comment telling me why you want to win one.

Optional Extra Entries: Leave a separate comment for each entry. (May do as much or as little as you like and may do in any order.)

1. Follow EcoModern Mom publicly on Google Friend Connect

2. Subscribe to EcoModern Mom with Feedburner (sidebar)

3. Follow EcoModern Mom on Twitter

4. Like EcoModern Mom on Facebook

5. Tweet this giveaway

6. Link this giveaway on Facebook

7. Blog this Giveaway

8. Grab my button (3 entries)

9. Vote for EcoModern Mom on Top Baby Blogs

10. Share this giveaway on any network (Cafemom, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, etc)

This contest is open to the USA and Canada and ends Wednesday February 23rd at midnight EST. Winner will be picked at random and e-mailed. Winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Bear Feet Shoes :: Natural Kid Shoes GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Stacey @ ecomodern mom) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:17:00 +0000

As I'm sure many of you have noticed with your small children and babies that they love to be barefoot. Heck I'm almost 30 and I still hate shoes and love being barefoot, ha. There are numerous studies showing that walking barefoot is actually much better for the growth and development of children's feet. The only purpose for shoes is to protect the feet from what they are stepping on. This brought on the development of Bear Feet Shoes, shoes that mold to the shape of each persons unique foot instead of forcing the foot to conform. It's almost like being bare footed. Of course they let you protect those tootsies in style too with their wide variety of colors and styles.

The first thing that attracted me to Bear Feet Shoes was how super adorable and stylish they were but what reeled me in was how flexible they are and how they mold to your child's feet. Bear Feet are made in the USA using mostly American-made supplies. They believe in using as many natural and organic products as possible, producing no chemical waste and donating their scraps and 2nds. The soles are made from the sap of the Hevea tree. The rubber is tapped in a process similar to maple sugaring, preserving the life of the tree.

We were lucky enough to try out a pair of booties from Bear Feet's upcoming spring 2011 collection. All the packaging was recyclable and my daughter was in love when she saw them. I'd barely had a chance to check them out myself before she was pulling them out of the box starting to put them on her feet. I helped her finish putting them on and tied them up, and although she is still wearing size 8's, these are 9's and they fit her very well so they do run a tab bit small. Bear Feet offers a lifetime guarantee with their stitching, rivets, eyelets, buckles and soles. It's not often you can find that guarantee on any other shoe.

Spring 2011 Collection

WIN A PAIR

Bear Feet Shoes is giving away a free pair of booties to one reader at EcoModern Mom! This new collection will be available in mid February and retails for approximately $52.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Bear Feet Shoes and and browse around and come back and tell me which other shoe you like and also leave a note of which size and color (red, brown, or silver) booties you would like if you win.

Extra Optional Entries: (Must complete mandatory entry for these to count. May do as little or many as you like. May do in any order.)

1. Follow EcoModern Mom publicly on Google Friend Connect

2. Subscribe to EcoModern Mom with Feedburner (sidebar)

3. Follow EcoModern Mom on Twitter

4. Like EcoModern Mom on Facebook

5. Tweet this giveaway

6. Link this giveaway on Facebook

7. Blog this Giveaway

8. Grab my button (3 entries)

9. Vote for EcoModern Mom on Top Baby Blogs

10. Follow Bear Feet Shoes on Twitter

11. Like Bear Feet Shoes on Facebook

12. Share this giveaway on any network (Cafemom, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, etc). Leave a separate comment for each.

13. Leave me a comment telling me how you found this giveaway.

14. Follow EcoModern Mom on Networked Blogs.

This giveaway is open worldwide and ends Wednesday, February 18th at midnight EST. Winner will be e-mailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Congrats to the winner, Meghan!! You have been e-mailed.