Eco-Friendly Prefab Dollhouse!

This dollhouse is just my style. What a hip, sleek dwelling. Makes me wish I was a tiny little doll kicking back on that green sofa, watching the clouds roll by. Go to Inhabitots and read my post on this diminutive masterpiece!

The Purl Bee Gives Me a Buzz

In my pre-motherhood days, I used to sit and watch cooking shows for hours on end. I think the only time they weren't my relax in front of the TV top choice was when I had a bad case of the stomach flu. I can barely toss a salad or pit an avocado, but I am entranced by watching others whip up dishes while talking and acting breezy, all at the same time. I am equally impressed and in awe of those with craft skills. I watch from the sidelines in amazement at what people can do with some yarn and a pair of sharp scissors, or some spare buttons and a tube sock.

The Purl Bee is a gem of a site, bursting at the seams with crafty goodness. If like me, you can't even thread a needle, have a look around for some of their simpler projects. Or, if you're a crafting guru, please feel free to make this quilt and send it my way.

Handmade Family Zpoon Necklace

You may not have been born with a silver spoon in your mouth, but who's to say you can't wear one around your neck? These gorgeous, handmade Zpoon necklaces are made to order from silver spoons, and they include a sterling chain. You may feel like a diva with the 'silver spoon' mentality, but with a price tag of $29.99, no one will have to know you're really a smart shopper with an eye on eco-friendly design.

There are so many versions of necklace engravings on the market, but I love the uniqueness of this design, the clever repurposing of a silver spoon, and the fact that one may fit so many of their loved ones names on the spoon. I may have to scoop one up for myself! Get yours here. And check out all SpoonerZ's cool spoon designs here.

This Treehouse is the Baumraum

I never longed for a treehouse as a child, but seeing the creations of Baumraum, makes me ache for one as an adult. I can't think of a more enchanting retreat in which to write, take a nap or laze about in nature.

These aren't your typical treehouses, and designing one is a definite undertaking. The folks at Baumraum ensure the health and vitality of the tree in which they build your treehouse, and they use ecologically sound materials in the construction of your home in the sky.

I wish I had a pile of cash and a giant tree at my fingertips, and I'd build one of these beauties in a heartbeat.

Jill-able Fill Me Up Vases

I've been quite spoiled with fresh, beautiful flowers this month for Mother's Day and my birthday, and I'm thinking about buying flowers more often, as they literally bring life to the house, and Olivia and I love them.

Cool Mom Picks pointed out the Jill-able Fill Me Up vases, and they are both kid-friendly and eco-friendly, a perfect fit for Petite Planet. The quote on their homepage is by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Earth Laughs in Flowers." How very poignant and true.

Jill-able vases are recyclable plastic bags, which may be re-used time and again. They fold flat when not being used, and they may easily be filled with water to contain and display a bouquet. Since Olivia happens to view our dining room table as the equivalent to Mount Everest, and she's an avid climber, this type of vase is exactly what we need, so she doesn't pull our heavy vases down on herself.

Jill-able vases are $8 each. Choose from a variety of pretty designs here.

Elephants Painting

This is one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever seen. An elephant who paints a picture of an elephant. Olivia adores elephants, and painting, so we have taken a big interest in watching these graceful, intelligent animals bring more beauty to the world via their immense talent. Enjoy, and be amazed. What a poetic way to teach people about animal appreciation, reverance and respect.


Rupert Ditsworth - Elephant Painting from Rupert Ditsworth on Vimeo.

DIY Book for Newborns

I adore this DIY newborn book featured on Nesting Blog from Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day. Simply buy a blank 5x5 inch square book, print up simple graphics and words in black and white (and red), as these are the only colors infants can discern... and then paste them into the book with non-toxic glue.

This would make a unique, thoughtful gift for a friend or family member's new baby. Much better than some plastic toy or onesie that will fit for roughly 1 hour.

Go learn how to make this sweet keepsake here.

Papier Mache: New Online Children's Magazine

Before you do anything else, kick up your feet and feast your eyes on a gorgeous new online (free) children's magazine, Papier Mache. Filled with stunning photography, lovely products (many of which are 'green'), and DIY ideas such as the Rollhead Wig seen above, (made out of toilet paper rolls), this magazine is a delightful escape into the fantastical world of children's treasures. Enjoy!

My Future's So Bright...

Learn from My Mistake! The Perils of Polyurethane Foam

We are in the market for an ottoman, and I found one that I thought was a great "deal." I was so excited by the bargain (why are ottoman's so expensive anyway? nearly as much as an entire sofa!), and by the fact that it wasn't leather, that it completely slipped my mind to ask what it was made out of.

So... we eagerly open the box it came in and POOF! out comes the most noxious fumes I can ever remember smelling. I instantly got a headache. I flip the thing over and read that it's made of polyurethane foam, which, among other problems, off gasses VOC's. Click here to read more bad news about polyurethane foam in this article: Five Problems with Baby Mattresses.

My husband moved the ottoman to our patio to "air out" for several hours, but when we brought it back inside, it was just as potent smelling. We proceeded to try to put our feet up on it to watch a film, but after hiding my nose and mouth in my shirt for an hour, and getting an increasingly bad headache, we packed it back in its box and are returning it to the store. My husband joked that he was sure he had gotten "nostril cancer" from the thing.

Lesson here: don't be blindsighted by a new purchase for your home because it's a good deal. I should have done my research like I always do, on the make-up of every item I bring into our house.

Read more about the perils of polyurethane foam here.

The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth

Sometimes talk of 'saving the planet' can be scary for kids. They wonder if they'll still have an earth to inhabit when they're older, and they have many questions that we adults wish we could answer, but we can't predict the future.

The recently revised and updated book The New 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth, enlightens and most importantly, engages children and teens in solving the problems we face as the human race, when it comes to cleaning up our planet. In easy to understand language, (as it was co-written by Sophie Javna, age 15), this book explains the ecological problems facing our planet and then outlines ways kids may help improve the situation. I like the empowering aspect behind arming children with the knowledge to do something to help save the earth for themselves and for future generations.

Simple things kids learn about in the book range from the no garbage lunch, saving the whales, and protecting endangered species, to using energy wisely and conserving water. Ideas cover everything from a child's home and the things they can do around the house and yard to be more eco-friendly, and extend outward to the whole world, and what they may do to improve the earth from where they stand.

Each tip is broken into bite-sized information kids will easily digest and understand: Did you Know?/ What You Can Do / Amaze Your Friends/ See for Yourself

*The See For Yourself section gives kids URL addresses and websites to visit to learn more about the issue and ways to help.

This book is a must read for every child. It would make a great birthday gift, as it is filled with life-changing information that enables kids to save the world.

Also visit 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the Earth on the web.

Ditching the "other" plastic bags with the help of Plum Creek Mercantile

I'll admit it. I currently have a box of little plastic baggies in my cupboard. But, in my ongoing search to find any way possible to cut back my family's waste, no matter how much of a *baby step,* I am going to do away with using plastic baggies to tote snacks, store halves of avocados, you name it...

While plastic bags used for toting groceries typically get all the limelight when it comes to doing away with one-time use bags that pile up in landfills and oceans, I think little plastic baggies are all lurking in the shadows of our cupboards high-fiving each other that they haven't been called to task and made obsolete with a reusable counterpart.

Enter Plum Creek Mercantile's reusable snack bags. Adults and kids alike may conveniently pack sandwiches and snacks in the Organic Cream bags, made of 100% organic cotton brushed twill. These bags will handily contain most food items, (with the exception of soups, liquids, and soft fruits such as raspberries.) They are machine washable, or may even be rinsed out while washing the evening dishes, and hung to dry for use the next day.

Kids have a variety of design options to choose from for their school lunches, including: sorbet swirl, jumping frogs, robot, mint stripes and denim. *Moms of toddlers, since you know the drill when it comes to always having a selection of snacks on hand (we're like walking buffet tables), these reusable bags are the perfect non-toxic, eco-friendly containers for cookies, crackers, carrot sticks, etc.

Let's all band together and banish the plastic baggies!

Happy Mother's Day!

Cheers to all moms this Mother's Day! And especially to my own mom! I now finally understand what it's all about, and I thank you. My cup runneth over.

Beth Shea: Voted Mother of the Year 2009!

I've been named Mother of the Year!

Thank you! Thank you! I'd like to thank my husband and my daughter for making this all possible, and my extended family for always being there, and my beloved deceased cat for helping me learn the ropes of caretaking, and my fourth grade teacher for... oh, my time's up? Click on the link above to see the homage paid to little 'ol me!

Eco-Friendly Art Idea for Toddlers: Dry Erase Boards

Olivia is obsessed with coloring, or as she calls it, "colors." We bought her a giant pad of recycled paper and she blew right through it, a miniature Picasso with Edward Scissorhand's speed behind her scribbles. Although I have been using some of her creations as gift wrapping paper, I still wince to think we are plowing through so much paper. So, our new medium, which is keeping her just as happy, is an easel equipped with a dry erase board, and the use of dry erase markers. If you're not in the market for an easel, than any dry erase board will do.

Now we can save on paper use, for the times when Olivia just wants to doodle and scribble and practice writing letters and numbers without necessarily making keepsake art.

Surf's Up: Ohdeedoh's Laptop for Kids

One of Olivia's new hobbies is climbing into our office chair to type away at the keyboard, just like mommy and daddy. We're hoping nothing goes terribly awry with our equipment, at the hacking of her tiny digits...

Ohdeedoh reports about laptop alternatives for kids. One mom made her son a Mac out of cardboard, and if you are the crafty type, you may get inspired by this laptop pillow and whip one up for your tot so you can surf away together... without worrying about spilled juice or system crashes. Both are great alternatives to buying plastic laptop toys that kids will most likely ditch in favor of the real thing.

Dropps Newest Addition: Dropps Baby

Every mom knows that babies, toddlers, children, families = loads and loads of laundry. Why not take even a fraction of the time off your laundry duty and toss Dropps into your washing machine, instead of fiddling about with a measuring cup? I have written about Dropps before, and I truly love them. I was delighted to hear that Dropps has created a detergent specifically for babies: Dropps baby. As you'll recall, Dropps get their name from the fact that they are little pouches (that look like drops,) which are filled with concentrated laundry detergent.

The liquid detergent inside each dissolvable Dropps capsule is super concentrated, dye-free, enzyme-free, and formulated with baby's sensitive skin in mind... as well as with the sake of the environment in mind - they are biodegradable and free of chlorine, phosphates and NPE.

I washed Olivia's clothes with Dropps baby, and noticeably absent was any hint of fragrance. I have used several baby formulated detergents, and most leave a residue and a pleasant, albeit stong odor. I liked that Dropps left her clothes unscented and the fact that they are enzyme free is a huge plus. Enzymes break down the fibers in clothes, and for as much as you'll be washing out spit-up and the like from baby clothes, they need all the TLC and preservation they can get!

I would recommend using Dropps baby for newborns, and young babies, since their skin is so extremely delicate and you'll need to gauge their sensitivities. After Olivia turned a year old, we used regular, scent and dye free Dropps, (also family and eco-friendly) and they worked great for us and did not irritate her skin.

Take it from me, you'll have laundry galore with a baby in the house, so if you can toss and go with Dropps... do yourself a favor and get some!

Available at Target, Amazon.com and additional stores.

Elements Naturals Baby Wipes

Most eco-minded parents get so caught up in figuring out the best green diapering option for their baby, that they forget to go green in the baby wipe category as well. Now, the choice is simple. Brand new baby wipes, Elements Naturals, are the most eco-friendly (one time use) wipe option available. They are 100% chemical free, 100% chlorine free, and 100% fragrance free, 100% natural and renewable, and they get the dirty work accomplished without leaving the planet a mess.

Developed by a mom, Elements Naturals are made from Ingeo™ Fibers, the world's first man-made fiber from 100% natural renewable resources. Ingeo™ fibers are free of chemical additives and surface treatments, and production requires 68% fewer fossil fuel resources than traditional oil-based materials. These are by far the softest wipes we have ever used, and they are the largest in size. We love the fact that their larger size equates to less wipes being used during a diaper change. Additionally, Elements Naturals are 100% compostable, and their packaging is recyclable and is comprised of 60% less plastic than typical baby wipes tub packaging.

Mom and founder of Elements Naturals, Linda Naerheim discusses her inspiration, “After getting over the shock of discovering what I was using on my baby’s tender skin, I had a burning passion to develop a gentler and more eco-friendly alternative to other wipes on the market. While there are other wipes that don’t contain alcohol or synthetic ingredients that can irritate a baby's skin, these products are not compostable. Americans use 36-billion wipes a year, that are 'cradle to grave’ - you use them once and they are then thrown away. I made it my mission to make one that is produced from annually renewable materials that can also be composted, breaking down into a soil nutrient.”

I'm a big fan of Linda Naerheim for pioneering eco-friendly baby wipes and paving the way to a brighter future for our children and our planet.

Elements Naturals are available at Whole Foods and Diapers.com.

Awesome Eco-Friendly Pizza Box!

'Green Box' Product Promo (Pizza Box) from Green Box on Vimeo.

"A Sick Situation" - Follow-Up Post

I received several supportive, agreeable comments and private emails to my post, Sick? Kids Sick? Stay Home! I also received a comment from a woman named "Evelyn," who was upset by the post, because she doesn't have the ability to stay home from work along with her daughter when she or her child are ill. Evelyn's employer "doesn't CARE who is sick." And I suspect she is not at all alone in this situation.

This article in The New York Times: "A Sick Situation" is a response to Obama's call to people to stay home from work if they are ill, or think they may be coming down with the swine flu. It's sad that a pandemic is the wake-up call we need as a nation to actually put ourselves and our families first and take care of each other when we're ill. I hope laws are written for the swine flu malady and onwards, which require employers to provide and allow mandatory sick days for their workers.

Scotch-Brite Greener Clean Products

Don't ask me why, because I have no idea... but I have a thing for cleaning and scouring sponges. I can't have too many, and it's rare that I can pass by them in the store without buying a pack... even though I have a stockpile at home. My husband has even been known to buy me sponge related paraphernalia as "gifts." A sponge on the end of a refillable soap wand, complete with replacement sponges, a special drying rack for dish sponges... you get the idea. Let's call it my "clean" little secret.

Couple my strange affinity for sponges with my love for mainstream companies legitimately going green, and you get my thrill over Scotch Brite's new Greener Clean line. I think I actually squealed with delight when I tried their Expanding Soft Sponge, which comes packaged as a thin sliver, and when you get it wet, it grows into a large sponge. It reminded me of those tiny capsules we had as kids that grew into sea animals in the tub...

Scotch-Brite's Greener Clean line is something to get excited about, even if you don't share my penchant for cleaning products. Made from natural (bamboo, cotton, corn) and recycled materials (plastic bottles), these sponges and scrubbers are designed to be long lasting, (some are machine washable), and reused time and again. Their packaging is also made from 80%-100% recycled content. I am also impressed that their price point is right in line with their un-green counterparts... so you don't have to make the decision whether you want to shell out more cash in order to be eco-friendly.

Here are the stats on the line:

SCRUBBERS
Natural Fiber Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge/Scour Pad
Sponges made from 100% natural materials
Scrubbing fibers made from 50% natural agave
From daily dishes to stuck-on messes, it delivers scrubbing strength without scratching
Scrub Sponge $1.59 (1 count)
Scour Pad $4.19 (2 count)

SOAP PADS
Soap Loaded Scrubber
Pad fibers made from recycled plastic bottles
A standard 12oz. plastic bottle provides enough fibers to make approximately 6 scrubbers
Biodegradable and phosphorus free soap
100% recycled packaging
Great for use on pots, pans, grills
$2.37 (6 count)

WIPES
Natural Bamboo Cloths
Made from 100% natural materials – rayon from bamboo (60%) Cotton (40%)
Bamboo is fast growing and renewable
Naturally soft and absorbent
Packaging made from 80% recycled content
Machine washable
Versatile around the house from dusting to cleaning countertops
$6.19 (2 count)

BAMBOO WIPE
Made from 100% natural fibers - rayon from bamboo (82%), PLA from Corn (18%)
Naturally absorbent and washable
Use wet or dry
Great for dishes and countertops
Packaging is made from 80% recycled content
$3.50 (3 count)

SPONGES
Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean Biodegradable Absorbent Sponge
Made from 100% natural materials
Reusable and long-lasting
A great alternative to paper towels - outlasts more than 30 rolls
$2.10 (2 count)
Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean Biodegradable Expanding Soft Sponge
Made from 100% natural materials
Expands when wet
Reusable and long-lasting
Condensed format means less packaging, which equals less waste and less storage space before
use
$2.75 (3 count)

Scotch-Brite™ Greener Clean Biodegradable Absorbent Cloth
A great alternative to paper towels - outlasts 16 rolls
Wipes like a cloth; absorbs like a sponge
Washable and reusable
$2.50 (3 count)

The green qualities of these products speak for themselves... and it's a really easy eco upgrade to reach for these products on your next shopping excursion while stocking up on cleaning supplies. Or, if you're like me, you'll buy them even when you already have a full cupboard of them!