Petite Planet

Alltrue Subscription Boxes: Benevolent Goods Delivered to Your Doorstep

2021-08-19T20:06:00.005-07:00

What's better than a subscription box you can look forward to receiving in the mail? A subscription box you can customize with all your top picks and fave things! Alltrue is a mission-driven subscription box designed especially for women; and it features ethically-made, sustainable products and brands that support charitable causes.

I recently received Alltrue's Summer Box and it contained an array of gorgeous products. These days, I lack the time to research the greatest, eco-conscious goods on the market. Thanks to Alltrue, the work is done for you, and you only have to do the fun part... select your picks from a thoughtfully curated list of products. The delightful array of items you receive cost *much* more than what you pay for your subscription.

The Bala weighted bangles included in my box are perfect to put on before walking the dog. The thick gold hoops from Sanctuary Project were a special treat and a lovely addition to my jewelry collection, and I'm loving all the savvy content of the All Good Things magazine, which includes a great article on how to create a plant-based home apothecary.

My shipment also contained the serene and gorgeous Pepper + Vetiver nesting bowls seen above. They add a cheery touch to the kitchen table and make a perfect home for citrus fruits: oranges, lemons and limes.

Pampering products included were the Way of Will Brightening Face Serum, which smells divine and leaves my skin glowing, and the Power Couple Nail Care Duo from Adesse which nourishes nails and promotes healthy growth.

I'm also a big fan of reusable napkins, so I was thrilled to receive a set of four Palm + Perkins - upcycled napkins, which look great paired with the nesting bowls.

Your Alltrue membership also includes additional perks: a seasonal marketplace, an essential marketplace, podcast, and more.

Alltrue is currently running an Intro Box promo where new members get their first box with $150 worth of products for only $25! Go sign up now to receive their Fall Box. Don't miss this amazing offer.

The fine print:

Customization is a special benefit for annual members and is not currently available for quarterly memberships.

Alltrue is a quarterly (4 times per year) membership - the box ships directly to you for free. There are two membership types: quarterly and annual. Quarterly members pay $54.95 per season to receive their box. Annual Members pay $199.80 and commit to a full year in advance, which allows them access to better pricing ($49.95 per season; a $20 yearly savings), and annual members also get access to box customization, which means that they have access to choose their products in every choice category every season. Quarterly memberships have the opportunity to choose in up to three choice categories every season. Both quarterly and annual members get access to the seasonal add-on market, which is open for around a week at the start of every season. Members can shop the best socially conscious products at prices as low as 70% off!

The add-on market has over 800 products from favorite household name brands – everything from toothpaste to handbags. In addition, the members-only Essentials Shop just launched. The Essentials Shop is an always-open market featuring hundreds of replenishable household essentials, from the cleanest dish soap to the most sustainable toothpaste. Items purchased in the Essentials Shop will ship within two business days.

Visit Alltrue to learn more. These wonderful boxes are such an affordable indulgence, and they are a great, unique gift for friends and loved ones too.

It's So Easy Going Vegan: Oatly Oat Milks

2020-01-13T18:46:00.002-08:00

Most people think switching to a vegan diet is too difficult, but I'm here to tell you it couldn't be easier, or more delicious. I've been on a vegan diet for many years now and it's never been more effortless to live on a plant-based diet.

There are so many new vegan products springing up on the market, it's hard to keep up. My very favorite recent find is Oatly oat milk. It is simply wonderful, and it's my favorite plant-based milk ever! It is smooth, creamy and miraculously improves everything it touches: from my morning chai tea latte to cereal to hot chocolate to smoothies... switch to this milk and you won't miss cow's milk one bit.

Tame LEGO & Toys With Ingenious Swoop Bags

2017-10-03T20:11:00.001-07:00

LEGO has become its own entity in our home. It. Is. Everywhere. If you're lucky enough to have kids who are adept at keeping every little brick organized by size, color and creation in a cubby storage system, good for you.... but our house looks more like a giant LEGO monster stomps through it constantly as large chunks of him fall off each second in every area of our home. Otherwise known as having two LEGO fanatic kids. I've tried in vain to come up with a storage/clean-up system for this treasured toy –– until now –– when I can officially declare that Swoop Bags are the best addition to the toy room since LEGO. Read on to learn why...

photo:@ericasuee

Swoop Bags are an ingenious invention and brainchild of the brilliant women in owner Sarah Kirk's lineage. Click here to see the original handmade toy storage bag Sarah's grandmother made her brother back in 1978. Following suit, years later Sarah's mom made her boys the same type of bag and admirers began to covet it and want one of their own. In true "necessity is the mother of invention" fashion, Sarah used her sensibilities as both a graphic designer and mom of LEGO lovers to invent the Swoop Bag. The rest is history.

A toy bag + playmat in one, Swoop Bags are made in the USA (in Seattle) of water-resistant, durable nylon/poly material and they're machine washable. I LOVE that they are designed to last a lifetime and be handed down for generations and that they are aesthetically pleasing to boot. The Bags easily open flat into a playmat for playtime and then the durable drawstring cord laced through the upper edge of the Bag cinches shut to keep contents enclosed, neatly put away, and off the floor –– let's all let out a collective sigh!

Note the baby above playing with an array of toys. Isn't it an amazing feat that if you need to go to grandma's or on a playdate you can tell your little one you're "swooping" up all their toys to tote along to the next destination? Ideal for use both at home and on-the-go!

Swoop Bags come in Large & Mini sizes. The large bag is 44″ wide when opened with a 6" edge piece and the Mini is 16″ wide when opened, also with a 6″ edge piece. They're available in an array of pleasing colors from subtle to bold (Seattle Gray to Hot Pink and every hue in between) so they'll fit in with any range of decor or taste. Beyond toys, I can picture the Mini Swoop Bag being an ideal beach bag companion to store snacks and sunblock too.

Another huge plus: a percentage of every Swoop Bag sale benefits Operation Smile.

Swoop Bags receive my highest recommendation. You simply can't go wrong investing in quality, easily portable toy storage that will be around for your kid's kids to use. And once the toy stage is over for your bubs, you'll no doubt find additional uses for a Swoop Bag in your home.

So go support this epic small, mom-owned business and give your feet and floors a break by swooping up a Swoop Bag of your own! Shop here.

'Spot It' and 'Tell Tale' Card Games from Blue Orange Games

2017-09-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

In a day and age when portable game systems, iPhones and iPads seem to be all-consuming for kids, it's a wonderful discovery, and frankly a breath of fresh air, to come across some good old-fashioned card games that captivate and delight children and the kid in all of us. Read on for your new fave go-to games that will fit right in your purse.

I have found the ultimate travel and on-the-go entertainment in Blue Orange Games's card game tins. I plan on keeping these games in my diaper bag or purse at all times for waits in long lines, or in the doctor's office, and especially for airline travel.

Tell Tale and Spot It are my new favorite games to play with Miss O. Being a writer myself, and having a daughter with a wild and inspiring imagination, Tell Tale: Take a Journey Into Storyland encourages players of all ages to create stories based upon the pictures on the cards. While there are rules you can follow for play, Miss O and I simply pick out a few favorite pictures and take turns making up stories about what we see, or we shuffle the cards and come up with impromptu tales once we select an unforeseen card.

Spot It! is a guaranteed good time. I've never seen a product on Amazon get hundreds of five-star reviews, but this game does, and that's saying something. As shown on the cards at the top of this post, each card in the deck features a bunch of illustrations, and every card has one picture in common. You split the deck among players, put one card down in the center, and you all have at it "spotting" the likeness on the cards in your hands in comparison to the card in play. Whomever gets rid of all their cards first wins! It takes razor sharp concentration and it is so much fun! Even 4 year-old Miss O loved it and excelled at it, and we had so many giggles as we tried to "spot" the matching pictures.

I would highly recommend these two games to anyone, especially parents with kids in tow. You'll always have entertainment at your fingertips. And of course, I love Blue Orange Games because they plant two trees for every tree they use for the construction of their games.

Make a Photobook of Your Child's Adventures with His Favorite Toy

2017-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have Queen, will travel. Lightning McQueen, or "Queen" as he is known in these parts, is Mr. A's very favorite toy. That's an understatement. He. Goes. Everywhere. With us. This gave me a great idea that I wanted to share with you so you can do the same with your child's favorite toy.

I'll be photographing Queen on all our summer adventures big and small, and making a book for Mr. A to treasure when he is all grown-up and his trusty toy car rests on a mantel instead of in the eager clutch of his sweet hands. There are so many online resources for DIY digital books now, so that part should be a breeze. Now, to capture all the glory of my son and his best inanimate friend...

Upcycle T-shirts into a Cute Dress for Spring

2017-04-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Miss O is growing like a weed, which means I just cleared out another batch of "too small" clothing from her dresser and closet. I send her sweet apparel off to two of my neighbors with little girls, so I know her threads are going on to have a fun second life... but I really wish I was crafty and could sew because I'd love to make a keepsake dress such as the adorable one seen above. The creative mom at I am Momma Hear Me Roar used stamps to breathe new life into old T-shirts, and then she sewed strips of the T-shirts together to create a cute new dress. I think this would be such a fun way to pay homage to outgrown articles of clothing, extending their life and keeping them in circulation that much longer!

Click here to view the tutorial on how to make an upcycled T-shirt dress.

image © I am Momma Hear Me Roar

Green Your Easter Basket with Washcloth Bunnies!

2017-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Easter is quickly approaching, and here's another fun and easy way to make your Easter baskets more eco-friendly: make sweet little bunny rabbits out of washcloths! Choose new washcloths in a festive color, and bring them to life as cute inhabitants of Easter baskets, that may then be used as washcloths for bathtime. These washcloth bunnies are also a great alternative to plastic egg holders... stuff a few candy treats inside one of these critters instead! Read on for the super simple tutorial!

Materials You Will Need:

Washcloths

Rubber bands

Ribbon

Googly eyes

Pom poms

Tape

How to Make a Washcloth Bunny:

1) First fold your washcloth in half to form a triangle.

2) Then roll the washcloth from small point to long side.

3) Fold your rolled washcloth in half.

4) Fold washcloth in half again and fold the loose ends back toward the fold.

5) Place a rubber band around the washcloth about 2 inches from the fold.

6) Cover rubber band with ribbon.

7) Tape on googly eyes, and pom pom nose and tail.
*I recommend using tape so your washcloth is not ruined by glue -- because you'll want to use it after Easter for tub time!

You can also place an egg in the back of the bunny and use it as a holder. These washcloth bunnies are so cute and they also make great baby shower gifts! Your kids will love these adorable bunnies to hop on into their Easter basket this year!

This post was written by Petite Planet craft contributor, Lisa Lopez.

One Mom's Ingenious Solution to Constant Reminders

2016-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here's another brilliant reuse idea for plastic toys! Camilla at Family Chic craftily and stealthily communicates with her kids by leaving little notes around the house, propped up by plastic toys that seem to be asking the big questions.

Every parent knows how much we have to REPEAT ourselves day in and day out! "If I've told you once, I've told you a THOUSAND times!" So commissioning little toys to do some of the dirty work is beyond inventive -- and doing so lends a sense of humor and playfulness to the household.

Camilla offers, "I know my kids have discovered one of my notes when I hear them laughing from another room - which is so much better than getting into an argument over something stupid."

I could definitely use a few of these for my husband as well!

DIY: Make A Gingerbread House Out Of A Juice Carton!

2016-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Kids love to decorate gingerbread houses as a holiday season tradition -- but what I don't love are the expensive, wasteful gingerbread house kits! I can never get them to assemble correctly without the walls falling down, and the icing is a mess. I definitely do not have the time to hand roll gingerbread and score it into walls, etc., so here is a very simple, eco-friendly way to make an adorable gingerbread house out of a milk or juice carton using graham crackers for the walls!

Materials You Will Need:

Empty milk or juice carton, washed and left to air dry. You can also use small whipping cream cartons to make miniature houses too.
Hot glue and regular glue. Sometimes the hot glue can melt the candies, but it works well for the graham crackers.
Graham crackers
Various candies and cookies of your choice: gumdrops, licorice, M&Ms, candy canes, you can even use cereal!
Royal icing: for a simple recipe click here, and a bag for piping the icing onto your house.

Covering the Carton with Graham Cracker Walls:
If you have a milk carton that doesn't have a screw lid and opens from the top, simply glue the opening closed. Next, glue your graham crackers to the carton, covering all 4 sides. Use a knife to cut your graham crackers to fit each side -- be careful because they break if you press too hard. Don't worry about the top of the carton... this is the roof of your 'house' which may be covered with mini Oreos, Nilla wafers, or candy. You also don't need to cover the bottom of the carton, because it won't stand if you do!

The Roof:
Once you have covered the carton with graham crackers, use your glue (hot glue is best) to install your cookie and candy coated roof. Don't worry about any gaps where you can see the carton underneath, the icing and candy can cover them. Now you can begin decorating your house!

Decorate Your House:

Use your regular glue to affix the candy, the icing is meant purely for looks and to fill in nooks and crannies. You can make windows, doors... anything you want! This simple gingerbread house is a wonderful green activity for kids and it would be a real hit as entertainment at a holiday party. When you are finished decorating your house, glue your carton to a piece of cardboard and decorate that as well with trees, candy lanes, more houses -- the possibilities are endless!

This post was contributed by Lisa Lopez.

Eco-Kids Eco-Dough, Green & Non-Toxic Modeling Dough

2016-07-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

With summer in full swing, it's always a good idea to have art and craft supplies lined up, in the event you can't get the kids outdoors due to the heat. And parents expecting baby #2 or 3 or 4 for that matter, you'll want to stock up on fun indoor activities to pass the time with your older child(ren) when your newborn naps and you're all home bound! Read on for my review of Eco-Kids eco-dough!

Eco-Kids should be at the top of your one-stop shopping list for all of your green, non-toxic art supplies. I have to say, my kids and I have played with many clays and doughs in our day, especially when we were always indoors in rainy Portland, and Eco-Kids eco-dough is the softest, and easiest dough to manipulate that we've come across. Not only is it a real pleasure to touch, given its soft texture and easily pliable nature, the ingredients are simply divine. Eco-dough is handmade with 'natural and organic fruit, plant and vegetable extracts from annatto seed, beets, blueberries, carrots, paprika, purple sweet potato, red cabbage and spinach, flour, salt, cream of tartar, organic rosemary oil, vitamin E oil, soybean oil, coconut oil, potassium sorbate and citric acid.'

Given this ingredients list, you can imagine that eco-dough also has a pleasing, delicate scent. It's fun to see the natural hues in the dough that are brought forth from colors derived from fruits and veggies. The orange is decidedly sweet potato and you can picture the spinach leaves that were used to create the green. A tube of five, 4 oz containers including colors: red, orange, yellow, blue and green is well worth the $24. Eco-Kids also offers a gluten free version of their fantastic eco-dough for $30. I love that the eco-dough packaging is also environmentally-friendly and recyclable.

Flowers need rain and sun to grow

One of my favorite things about Eco-Kids eco-dough is its backstory. Cammie, the woman/mom who makes the eco-dough from scratch got the recipe for the dough from her mother. She started selling her dough at farmers markets, and her endeavors spun into a thriving family business. I think it's wonderful to support small, family businesses creating high-integrity, green, non-toxic products in the USA.

The Eco-Kids collection of art supplies also includes eco-fingerpaint, eco-crayons, eco-art pad, eco-paste, and an eco-rolling pin crafted from sustainable wood, that would be the perfect complement to their eco-dough. It's never too early to think about Christmas gifts -- and eco-dough would be the ultimate gift for the tots on your list.

This is Miss O's earth. I think it's quite accurate!

Twinkle Tent for Summer Cat Naps & Leisurely Reading

2016-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

This gorgeous Twinkle Tent from Banana J Creations is so beyond inviting it takes my breath away. The simple addition of a string of LED lights makes it ethereal and heavenly, and I can't imagine a sweeter locale for Miss O to dive into one of the many chapter books we've been collecting to read together over the course of the summer. I want to nestle in this tee pee play tent when we embark on Wonder!

Image © Banana J Creations

How To: Decoupage Flower Pots

2016-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

New to the medium of decoupage, I ventured out and got my first bottle of Mod Podge to start exploring the art -- now I am officially addicted and want to decoupage EVERYTHING! The warm sunny weather in San Diego this past weekend inspired me to plant some new plants and give the pots I put them in a bit of flair. I decided to decoupage some Terracotta plant holders with materials I had around the house. It was very easy and very fun -- read on to learn how to make your own decoupage flower pots!

Materials you will need:

Terracotta pots

Mod Podge - You can make your own by taking 3 parts white glue to one part water. Add 2 tablespoons of varnish for shine. Mod Podge isn't expensive, and it comes in a wide range of styles from matte to glitter. There is also an "outdoor" Mod Podge, so if you are going to put your pots outside, you may want to use that variety.

Whatever materials you want to decoupage onto your flowerpot. I used a napkin with a print I liked, the packets that the flower seeds came in, and some pretty paper. You can also use postcards, magazines, newspaper, etc.

Scissors

Paints

A "sponge" type brush

1) First, cut your paper, or whatever material you are using, into small squares. I did this as I went along because you will need to fill in with odd shapes and sizes. Put some Mod Podge or glue mixture on each piece and then affix it to your flowerpot.

2) Continue cutting and gluing your paper on the pot until it is covered. If you are using a napkin, take care because it will tear easily.

3) Once you have covered the surface, take your sponge brush and cover the entire pot with Mod Podge or glue mixture. One coat is fine, but the bottle says you can do several coats if you desire. Just allow 15-20 minutes in between coats.

4) Once the flower pot is dry, you can paint the rim of the flowerpot in a matching color, or leave it as is. Below, you can see the flower pot that I decoupaged using a napkin with a fun print (on the right).

The decoupage possibilities are endless! So next time you have some magazines lying around, postcards, or almost pretty material, try your hand at these decoupage flower pots, which would also make great teacher gifts with a lovely plant!

Below, you can see the flower pot I decoupaged with the packets that the flower seeds came in!

This post was written by Petite Planet craft contributor, Lisa Lopez.

Merino Kids Wool Sleep Sacks For Toddlers Keep Big Kids Cozy Through The Night

2016-01-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

There are plenty of sleep sacks and sleep bag type pajamas on the market for tiny babies -- but when your little one turns into a toddler who tosses and turns and kicks off his blanket during a long, cold winter night, what's a mom (or dad) to do? If you're looking for an easy way to keep your tot cozy, warm, snuggly and safe, Merino Kids offers awesome toddler sleep sacks for big kids.

Merino Kids sleep sacks are made from New Zealand's softest merino wool -- and wool creates a micro-climate around your child's body to naturally regulate his temperature and ensure that he doesn't overheat. These high-quality, allergy-safe wool sleep sacks are so much better than their cheap synthetic polar fleece counterparts because a) they are completely natural, renewable and biodegradable, b) Merino Kids wool sleep sacks are naturally fire resistant and they keep kids warm and dry -- whereas polar fleece gets damp when kids overheat and sweat, causing little ones to catch a chill.

Ideal features of Merino Kids sleep sacks are that they boast amazing craftsmanship and will last for several years. Other great features include:

Patented safety belt aperture enables safe travel in stroller or car seat.
Child has freedom to move naturally and room to grow yet they can't slip underneath, nor wriggle out and wake up cold.
Contoured bodice stays clear of face.
Full-length self-locking zipper down one side, away from face. Zipper sewn inside lining so it won't scratch. No harsh, noisy velcro.
Opens up flat for easy dressing. Unzips bottom-up for quick diaper changes
Fits growing child safely and comfortably for up to two years. Quality workmanship ensures years of wear. Excellent value compared to other sleep sacks that last only a few months.
Outer layer is 100% natural long staple cotton for extra durability.

This sleep sack is also an ingenious addition to a carry-on or diaper bag if you're taking a night flight with your little one during the upcoming holidays... or you can outfit your kiddo in their sleep sack in their carseat as well if you're on the road during their bedtime hours. Having a cozy, familiar sleep sack to nestle into will help kids feel like their routine isn't too upset by being on-the-go. And you know your tot will be cozy en route without having to worry about keeping a blanket on him.

Merino Kids sleep sacks for kids age 2-4 come in hues of French Navy, Fairy Rose, Dove Gray and Oatmeal.

Merino Kids sleep sacks are available for purchase at Shoppingmoa.com.

Pura's Kiki Stainless Steel Toddler Bottle is an Ideal Transition to a Sippy Cup

2015-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Stainless steel is my favorite choice of material for bottles and sippy cups, and Pura's Kiki 100% plastic-free reusable bottles for babies and kids feature the clever and convenient ability to grow with your child from the infant through the toddler stage with a simple switch of the spout. Since kids get so attached to their bottle, you can transition them with ease from an infant bottle to a toddler bottle, by replacing the silicone nipple with a silicone sip spout.

Let's talk about safety. Pura's bottles are completely nontoxic and virtually indestructible. The stainless steel has no interior lining (don't ever buy bottles that have an interior lining such as aluminum which can leach toxic chemicals into the liquids it contains). Pura's bottles feature zero migration of heavy metals including chromium, nickel, cadmium, copper, aluminum, antimony, and cobalt and they are 100% BPA-free, 100% phthalate-free, 100% lead-free and 100% PVC free.

And let's not fail to mention that they're super pretty and fun to look at!

Their vibrant hues are achieved using paint that is non-toxic and free of lead, phthalates, PVC, and BPA. Further, the bottle and its components are dishwasher safe on the top rack.

What's different about Pura, as compared to Klean Kanteen, is that Pura bottles contain no plastic parts whatsoever. They're spouts are silicone, as are there travel lids.

Additionally, the use of your child's Pura bottle may be stretched even further via their new silicone sealing disks! With regard to this ingenious innovation Pura explains, "Our eco-progressive mission leads us to constantly seek opportunities to increase the usefulness and life span of our products. Our new silicone sealing disks, while simple in concept, allow our Kiki bottles to be repurposed for use by adolescents and even adults!"

You can use the colorful silicone sealing disks to seal up a bottle for transporting adult beverages to the beach, camping, or to take to work for an office lunch. Since the vast majority of bottles and sippy cups end up in a landfill after a few short years of use, it's great to see that Pura is extending their lifespan indefinitely with this simple, yet highly beneficial added component.

Grab your Pura stainless steel infant/toddler bottle here!

How to Craft a Kids' Table for the Thanksgiving Meal

2015-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and the preparations must begin! Who's hosting? What dishes are being prepared? This occasion marks such a special time for families to gather in one place to give thanks and be together. One thing kids always look forward to at these large gatherings is their very own kids' table! But every parent knows how hard it can be to get their child to actually sit down and eat. That being said, you can make the kids' table a fun and exciting place for the children to be entertained while they eat. Here are some tips on creating a memorable Thanksgiving table for kids.

To get started, lay butcher paper down on the table you are using so kids can make a mess and color away with no worries. You can also print out Thanksgiving themed free coloring pages here on recycled printer paper, and lay these out on the table as well. Next, you can make some fun crafts for your table. You will just need a few items that you already have around the house...

Materials needed:

glue

scissors

construction paper

googly eyes

crayons/markers

small flower pots or clean, empty soup cans

How to make turkey napkin rings:

1) Trace your child's hand on a piece of brown construction paper
2) Cut a strip of the brown paper out to create the ring
3) Cut out multicolored feathers
4) Glue the feathers on the fingers, glue the eyes and mouth to the thumb, and glue the hand to the brown strip, loop around to make a ring, and glue closed. Then slide it over the napkin.

How to make flower pot turkeys:

I used a small flower pot, but you may also use an empty soup can. Simply rinse it out and glue construction paper around it.

1) Cut out the head, feet and feathers for your turkey and glue the head to the front of the pot, the feathers to the back, and the feet to the bottom.
2) Glue or draw the eyes and mouth on.
3) Use your cans or flower pots to hold crayons and goodies, such as trail mix, crackers, etc.

Additional ideas: You can also make pilgrim hats or headbands with feathers out of your construction paper.

Entertaining things to scatter across the kids' table include: stickers, crazy drinking straws, and various treats such as Yummy Earth organic lollipops. The key is to make it as fun as possible so you will hear cheers instead of moans when it is time to rally the kids to eat and sit still!

This post was written and photographed by Lisa Lopez

REVIEW: PlanetBox Eco-Friendly, Stainless Steel, Waste-Free Lunch Box

2015-08-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

You know you're a green mom when it literally makes you giddy with excitement when your child's PlanetBox arrives in the mail. I have tried many different lunch systems for Miss O., and PlanetBox is my absolute favorite for its totally streamlined design that makes it effortless for kids to use and for parents to pack. I'm no fan of lunch packing, but filling up the PlanetBox actually makes the task, dare I say, "fun?"

I know people throw around the words "easy" and "fun" a lot... but in the case of packing a PlanetBox lunch, truer words were never spoken... and Miss O has tried many lunch box systems, and PlanetBox is by far her favorite to use too. Read on for my review.

This review is of the PlanetBox Rover Complete, which comes 'complete' with the Rover lunch box, the Big and Little dipper containers for wet or messier foods (dips, yogurt, apple sauce, etc.), a Rover carry bag in your choice of the colors shown above, and a set of magnets that adhere to the outside top lid to personalize your lunch system. You can choose from an array of adorable magnet designs or now, you can even customize your PlanetBox by creating personalized magnets bearing photos you upload. Worth noting: the carry bag features an inner compartment for holding an ice pack to keep the lunch cool, and it also comes with a longer strap so kids can tote it on their shoulder if need be. The outside of the bag has compartments to hold a drink bottle (not included) and a snack.

The Rover Complete lunch box holds about 4 1/2 cups of food, which is the perfect amount for my 7 year-old, and I'd imagine for kids from kindergarten through 8th grade. There are several different sizes of PlanetBox lunch boxes to suit your family's needs. And they're not just for kids -- adults use and love PlanetBox lunch boxes too!

I am a HUGE fan of the fact that this lunch system is entirely comprised of stainless steel -- a major selling point for me. I have been hearing so many reports of BPA-free plastics still leaching toxic chemicals, that I just want to avoid plastics altogether. Additionally, the carry case is made from recycled polyester, which is another awesome eco attribute and a sign of PlanetBox's commitment to sustainable design.

So let's talk about why PlanetBox is my absolute fave. Described by the company as part Bento box, part TV dinner tray, it simply couldn't be easier to pack or for kids to enjoy using. Let me tell you a quick story. One day when Miss O was in kindergarten, she brought her lunch home still full of uneaten food. I was so worried! Why hadn't she eaten all day? She told me that one of the pre-packaged items I put in her lunch was too hard to open and she spent the ENTIRE meal with her hand raised waiting for a teacher on lunch duty to assist her. Then the bell rang and her package was not opened nor was any of the rest of her lunch eaten. This story haunts me, and I vowed never to put packaged foods in her school lunch again.

Which brings me to my next point. PlanetBox makes it practically mandatory to pack whole, fresh foods for your kids -- which, let's be frank, is what they should be eating over pre-packaged fare. Miss O's lunch system before PlanetBox enabled me to pack whole foods, but I did so by using several different BPA-fee plastic containers - up to 4 or 5, all with lids. So a large portion of her brief lunchtime is spent opening and closing containers! Miss O has had issues in the past (in preschool) with even getting some of her lunch boxes open at all! At times, I could barely manage to open one system we used previously. But with the PlanetBox, you simply lift the small latch to release the lid and all the food is at your fingertips.

The PlanetBox makes lunch look enticing as well, which is essential since people eat with their eyes first. Everything is displayed in its own separate compartment (and since both of my kids HATE when their food intermingles, this feature is not to be taken lightly)! The compartments also offer forced healthy portion control.

I love that I can pack the PlanetBox the night before, refrigerate it overnight, and then it's fresh and ready to go in its carry case and off to school in the morning.

Image via Organized Bites

If you're creative with your culinary endeavors, the sky is the limit with how you can pack your PlanetBox, as evidenced in the image above. People go crazy with the amazing ways they design food to fit in a PlanetBox, based on themes, holidays, favorite characters, and more.

PlanetBox is an investment that's well worth the price. The PlanetBox Rover Complete costs $59.95. If you wince at the cost, consider that this lunch box will be appropriate for your child for many, many years and beyond the school cafeteria, it can be toted on airplanes, to picnics, beach days, road trips... you name it! One of my friends has a son who has been using his PlanetBox for well over five years and it's still as good as new -- yet another perk of the stainless steel material its comprised of.

PlanetBox lunch boxes are also an awesome option for families with multiple kids, due to the fact that they are super simple to pack assembly line style. There's no fiddling with bags or containers. I'll definitely be getting Mr. A his own PlanetBox once he starts kindergarten.

So send your kiddo back to school this year with wholesome lunches packed in a PlanetBox! You'll be happy you did!

Ruggable: Area Rugs You Can Toss in Your Washing Machine

2015-06-06T19:04:00.001-07:00

We go shoeless in our household. It's a super simple way to rid your home of toxins and keep your floors clean -- especially when you have little ones crawling around, playing on the ground and picking up everything off the floor to put in their mouth!

We've been wanting to put a rug in our entryway at the front door so visitors can step inside and remove their shoes. But I didn't want a rug that was just going to get dirty collecting all the grime from outside. Enter Ruggable: a collection of innovative new area rugs that you can actually toss into your washing machine to wash and keep clean! Since the majority of rug and carpet cleaners are highly toxic and filled with harmful chemicals, I love the option of washing a rug with my safe, eco laundry detergent instead.

Ruggables are wool-free, so they're good for families who are prone to allergies, and they are comprised of a two-piece system: the rug itself and the rug pad. You simply lay the rug atop the non-slip, water-resistant pad to keep it from slipping, and then whenever you want to wash the top portion of the rug, lift it up and toss it into your machine.

These rugs come in a variety of sizes and colors to match your decor scheme. They are also a great option for families with small children and pets because we know rugs are serious magnets for kid messes and muddy paws -- and what better way to deal with a dirty textile than to toss it into the machine and wash it? (Note: if you have a puppy, don't use this rug in a room where the puppy roams because your puppy may like to eat the top of the rug, like mine does).

Pictured in the first image above is the Solid Chenille rug in aqua blue. I like the vibrant, cheery hue. This works great for the purpose I'm using it for at our front door, but if I was looking for a cozy rug for the kids to lounge on in the living room, I'd opt for one that was thicker. I do like that Ruggables offer so many patterns and color options that would look totally chic from the living room to the playroom, and from baby's nursery to the kitchen. If you're looking for a rug to put underneath your dining room table, I think a Ruggable area rug would be an ideal choice because you wouldn't have to worry about spills -- knowing the rug is totally washable.

You'll be happy to add this clever rug system to many parts of your home where you may be leery of placing a rug due to high traffic or mess concerns.

DIY Terrariums: Bring Beautiful Small Worlds into Your Home

2015-02-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make a terrarium for quite some time, and thought I'd share the results now that we got around to doing it! These miniature green worlds bring a real pop of color and vibrant, lush green life into your home. Add a little deer to the mix, and it becomes a magical forest for kids to watch over and admire. Read on to learn more about how to make your own terrarium.

I found the glass bowls and the cute little deer figurines at Michaels' Arts and Crafts. I went with a small size since this was my first attempt at terrarium making. But you can get any shape or size you want.

Next we carefully added some small pebbles to the bottom of the bowls. Topped those with a layer of moss, and then added organic potting soil. Then we planted the small succulents Miss O and Mr. A selected.

Some tips: When I made Miss O's terrarium with her, I didn't spray the soil with water first before 'planting' the succulents in it. That was a mistake. It was a lot easier to mesh the succulents into wet soil, so when I made Mr. A's terrarium, I sprayed the potting soil and the roots of each succulent and then arranged them in the bowl.

Both terrariums will act as our dining room table centerpieces. Plants and greenery have a really calming effect, and they provide a lovely ambiance. I'm hoping they are easy to keep alive. Another tip I read is to use a spray bottle to keep them barely moist. Do not over water them, as they have no drainage holes. If you have an enclosed terrarium, be sure to add a layer of loose charcoal or activated charcoal below the potting soil level to keep the soil fresh.

Enjoy!

DIY Adorable, Kid-Friendly Homemade Valentine Cards

2015-02-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and everyone loves receiving thoughtful Valentine cards. Today's craft highlights several great ideas for making your own special Valentines with your kids!

Materials You Will Need:

Glue stick

Tape

Variety of stickers, ie: flowers, ladybugs, hearts

Buttons

Flat, organic lollipops

Ribbon

Heavier "cardstock" paper

Construction paper

Scissors

Broken crayon pieces/silicone heart mold (optional)

Recycled Crayon Heart Valentine Card

1) For the first Valentine card, refer to our recycled crayons craft where we made different shapes of crayons from old broken crayon pieces. Make the crayons as instructed, but use a "heart" mold.

2) Next, I cut a piece of my paper in a circular shape and taped the crayon to the center. Don't glue your crayon to the card because you want the recipient to be able to take the crayon off and enjoy using it!

3) Lastly, I used some letter stickers and wrote, "U color my world." These make great Valentines for school classmates.

Lollipop Flowers Valentine Card

Another great Valentine to make school classmates is the lollipop flowers card!

1) First, take your construction paper and fold it in half, then cut out half of a heart shape. When you open it, it will be a full heart shape.

2) Next tape, don't glue, your lollipop to the heart.

3) Next, fold a piece of green paper in half and cut out leaf shapes. Then wrap the leaf around the stick and secure it with your glue stick.

4) Last, write your message, ie: "U R Sweet."

Key to My Heart Valentine Card

Your local craft store should sell individual pieces of holiday inspired stationery, and you can find really pretty Valentine prints right now. I found one that had the sentiment "Key to my heart" on it -- but you could also opt to write this message yourself on your card stock paper. Next, I took an old key from the "junk" drawer in our house and glued it to the card for an added touch.

Monkeying Around Valentine Card

You can get very creative using your stickers and applying them to your cardstock or construction paper -- and you can either type out your messages and print them off of the computer or handwrite them. I also found some paper with monkeys on it (but you could use monkey stickers) and glue a photo of your child to the paper and add the sentiment, "Just swinging by to say... Happy Valentine's Day."

Button Blossom Valentine Card

You can use spare buttons lying around the house, as I did in the next card. I cut a heart out of paper, just like I did for the lollipop card, and glued it to my cardstock paper. I made the heart like a plant by gluing my buttons to the heart and I used letter stickers to write, "My love for u keeps growing."

Ladybug Valentine Card

I also found some cute ladybug stickers and put them on a card titled "Love Bug."

You can get really creative making your Valentine cards, and it helps to use the recipient's loves and interests as inspiration. Kids will enjoy making their own cards instead buying a pack from the store -- and it is an inexpensive and fun way to spend time together working on a craft. Your lucky recipients will LOVE them!

Note: Keep in mind that some of these cards are bulky, so if you are going to be mailing them, extra postage will be required!

Repurpose Shoe Boxes into Tiny Towns

2014-11-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I've always saved shoe boxes, and my full closet has never been happy about it. But I always think, "I can't throw away, or even recycle a perfectly good box!" So up high on the stack they go! Then I came across this great idea to r epurpose shoe boxes into play towns! The small cities that may be built would look even cuter if created on a more diminutive scale with kid's shoe boxes. The sky's the limit with how you can turn these boxes into toys. When not in use, they can still be used as shoe storage too!

via Ohdeedoh via Happy Things for Kids

Modern Twist Kidz Placemat Makes a Masterpiece Out of Mealtime

2014-08-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

Mealtime. It summons an array of emotions from delight to dread. Will your tot actually eat what you put in front of her? Will baby throw all of the expensive, organic produce you chopped into finger-sized bits directly onto the floor? While sitting down with wee ones to dine can be dicey, you now have one surefire way to make the experience entertaining at the very least...

Stick a Modern-twist Kidz placemat at the helm of your babe's booster seat and let her learn her ABC's and hone her coloring skills while you work on sneaking eggplant into her quesadilla. Made of hand silk-screened food-grade silicone, these stylish placemats may be colored time and again with washable or dry erase markers, and they are free of BPA, latex, lead, phthalates and PVC. Additionally, they are non-porous and germ-free.

Modern Twist offers so many adorable designs atop their kidz placemats, which may all be viewed here. I love that they are eco-friendly, will easily fit in with the aesthetic of any home, and may be handed down to multiple children so all may feed the appetite of their inner artist.

Back-to-School Teacher Bouquet (Score Your Kid Some Serious Extra Credit)

2014-08-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you with kids who haven't headed back to school yet... here's an adorable, super easy way to brighten you child's teacher's first day back in business.

When I walked Miss O to her first day of school last fall, we were following closely behind a woman who had a bright and beautiful bouquet of sunflowers perched in a vase comprised of colored pencils. When I complimented her sweet offering, she told me she simply glued the colored pencils to a tin can, and voila, a teacher-friendly vase. The standard pencils above look great too...

Yet another "I wish I had thought of that" moment in my life. But I will be keeping this gift in mind for other occasions in which a teacher gift is on my list.

Image

Goddess Garden Organics Kids Sunscreen is Our Top Pick this Summer

2014-04-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hot sunny days have arrived, and the sunscreen is now being slathered on. Swim lessons and plenty of outdoor summer activities are around the corner, so I'm thrilled to have found my go-to sunscreen for summer: Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Kids Natural Sunscreen. Before I get into why this sunscreen is so great, I'd like to highlight the fact that Miss O is now at an age where she worries about her appearance -- so no more sunscreens that leave a white "ghostly" residue will suffice. Which is why I'm going to mention that I *love* this product because not only does it go on like lotion, it is sheer and completely soaks into the skin in mere seconds -- leaving no trace that it has even been applied. This is also a great thing for Mr. A, who squirms during the entire application, so the easier and more quickly it absorbs, the better!

You know by now how bad it is to buy chemical laden sunscreens which can actually cause more damage to your skin than not wearing sunscreen in the first place! But high integrity products from Goddess Garden Organics are made with certified organic ingredients, they're chemical free, and they boast the following qualities:

Water Resistant to 40 minutes with SPF 30 broad-spectrum UVA/UVB coverage
Dermatologist Recommended
Biodegradable, Reef-Safe, Cruelty Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, and Non-Nano
Packaged in recyclable tubes!

Additionally, this sunscreen has received a top rating by EWG as one of the best non-toxic sunscreens on the market.

Goddess Garden Organics offers an entire range of sunscreen products for babies, kids, everyday use, and facial use. They also have spray sunscreens if you prefer that type of application -- and their variation is the only mineral sunscreen that goes on in a continuous spray without the use of hormone disrupting chemicals or flammable alcohol.

And of course I love that this company was founded in 2004 by mom and entrepreneur, Nova Covington who created Goddess Garden Organics for her daughter Paige, who was allergic to chemicals in traditional bath products.

Now lucky for all parents, we get to reap the benefits of this trailblazing mama. I am thrilled to have found such an effective, safe, worry-free and easy to use sunscreen for all of our adventures in the sunshine!

Purchase here!

Farm to Table Kale Chips

2014-04-06T20:18:00.001-07:00

Growing my own food has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. So to see kale spring to life to produce such a bounty beneath our kitchen windowsill is a treat beyond measure. Mr. A calls these plants, "kale chips" because that's his favorite preparation of the leafy green. We love kale chips in our house- and it's a wonderful, easy way to get your kids to eat those often dreaded green veggies. Read on for the results of our first kale harvest!

Simply break the leaves away from the stems, wash thoroughly, and then dry in a salad spinner.

I'm still perfecting my kale chips -- but here are links to two of my favorite recipes and instructions at Inhabitots and Oh She Glows.

Satisfied customers!

Here's hoping our strawberries start to flourish as much as our kale has!

Organic Cotton Tweet Birds Sing for Spring

2014-02-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Whether you have a spring baby on the way and you want to decorate the nursery in due spirit, or you're looking for a way to mark the change of seasons or the Easter holiday around your home, these sweet little birds are singing your tune. They're designed in Brooklyn and handmade in India using organic cotton -- and they'll surely add some chirp to any perch.