Hope You All Had a Happy Halloween!

Green Grocery Store Toddler Playtime

What is it about pretend grocery shopping that toddlers love so much? On a recent visit to the Portland Children's Museum, the miniature sized grocery store inside the museum had all of the toddlers elated and captivated. They were gleefully loading play food into their tiny shopping carts and wheeling them to the checkout where they found beeping scanners, rolling conveyor belts and realistic registers that nearly put them over the joyful edge. Olivia even pulled a stool up to the register after she exhausted of loading and unloading her cart for the twentieth time, where she helped other kids 'buy' their groceries.

Whenever my husband and I consider purchasing play food, we're put off by one reason or another... is it BPA, phthalate and lead free? Why is it so darn expensive? Do we really want meat grouped into the set when Olivia doesn't eat meat? And as a friend of mine noted, "Why would people buy an imitation of what they already have in their cupboards?" So...


I had a stroke of very green inspiration when I was cleaning out our kitchen cabinets 2 days ago. Use what you have. Kids will love the familiarity of pretend shopping for their favorite foods! Simply keep cereal, cracker and energy bar boxes, wash out plastic apple sauce canisters, save toothpaste boxes, vitamin containers, etc. so you can set up different sections of a fabulous grocery store in your home and make the shopping venture more realistic.


To really up the ante on the pretend play, Olivia 'drives' her used, but very reliable, hand me down play car to the store.

We also have a hand me down shopping cart that she puts her baby in while she shops.


We 'ring up' all of her items at the end, and pack them all into a reusable shopping bag. I even have stickers to give her baby at checkout, since Olivia now thinks every grocery checker, librarian, gas station attendant, doctor or nurse exists only to dispense stickers.

There are endless opportunities for learning via green grocery store playtime. Toddlers will feel empowered to make choices, selecting what they want to put in their cart. They learn mindfulness of what they are purchasing, the value of a dollar, an introduction to math skills when the groceries are rung up, the eco-conscious concept of taking along a reusable bag... the sky is the limit!

Fair Trade Wool House Bags

These sweet, felted House Bags from En Gry & Sif will always ensure that little girls can take a piece of home with them wherever they go! Handmade under Fair Trade conditions using 100% New Zealand wool, they are fully lined and their rooftops have a zipper fastener for securing treasures and secrets untold inside. What a gorgeous holiday gift!

France's Leading Organic Beauty Brand 'Melvita' Makes US Debut

Founded in France in 1983 by beekeeper and biologist Bernard Chevilliat, organic beauty brand, Melvita suitably means "honey and life" in Latin. Made with ingredients derived from nature: sunflower, green tree extract, the royal jelly of honey bees, lime tree sap, etc., the Melvita collection boasts the ECOCERT certification, for making products that are 100% organic and for holding social and ecological values in the highest regard during their manufacturing process.

November 4, 2009 Melvita products will be available for purchase in the US via their website, followed by the opening of their first retail store in San Francisco in January 2010. With the tagline "Nature at Heart" the brand has truly blossomed from its humble beginnings as a bee farm. Featuring collections of organic products in ranges including floral waters, plant oils, Bio Excellence, Essentials and Shea Butters, and a buzzworthy offering of Beehive products, Melvita has every corner of the home covered in the pure essence of nature, responsibly crafted and delivered.

I have had the privilege of using Melvita products and here are several of my favorites:

Extraordinary Day Cream literally brightened my complexion and contains antioxidants and natural age-defying ingredients including butterfly lavender, plum and apricot supremes and cranberry and raspberry flavonoids to name just a few. *The only thing I wish Melvita day cream had is an SPF factor! Then it would be perfect.

Moisturizing Body Milk has a subtle, clean and fresh scent and provides deep moisturizing while absorbing thoroughly and leaving no residue.

Micellar Water This toner with a refreshing rose scent left my skin feeling clean and detoxified. I have never had luck with toners due to the fact that many of them dry out my skin to such an extreme, but this toner worked beautifully and actually softens my skin.

Orange Blossom Floral Water is known for its soothing, softening and refreshing properties, and it does all of the above. You may either spritz it on your face to help set your make-up or use it as a toner by applying with a soaked cotton ball.

I highly recommend Melvita and I know their products will be staples in my personal beauty regimen for years to come.

*Melvita is offering free shipping on orders of $30 or more for the first two weeks after its launch (Nov. 4 – 17) Shop now at usa.melvita.com!

Craft TuesD.I.Y with Lisa Lopez: Crafting a Kids' Table for the Thanksgiving Meal

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!

Our Count von Count and Fall Leaves Halloween Pumpkins!

Check out our Count von Count Halloween pumpkin! Since Olivia and I are both afraid of our own shadows, my husband was kind enough to carve the very friendly and sweet Sesame Street character for us, even though he wanted a Jack-o-Lantern of the frightening variety. (No way!)

Next, we went for a nature walk and handpicked gorgeous fall leaves to glue onto our white pumpkin, which is appropriately called a "ghost" pumpkin. We got the idea from my no carve pumpkins post.

I hope you all are having as much fun with pumpkins as we are!

Stella McCartney Designs Holiday 2009 BabyGap & GapKids Collections

I'm a huge fan of eco-conscious fashion designer Stella McCartney, and while I can't afford any of her apparel for myself, I am thrilled that she is debuting her Holiday 2009 children's collections in collaboration with BabyGap and GapKids!

Available in stores November 2, 2009, the collections are for boys and girls, 0-6 months up to 12 years, and prices range from $14 for tight to $128 for jackets. Time to live vicariously through the wardrobes of your children!

While every piece in the Stella McCartney collection is sure to be a hit, (military jackets, tutus, and a gorgeous gray cardigan coat for girls!) the standouts for me are the eco-friendly designs. The boys collection will include organic jeans and anoraks made from recycled fabrics, and the girls collection features organic cotton and cashmere silk mix styles, from onesies to sweaters, in heather gray, sky and misty rose hues. (Makes me wonder if I could possibly wiggle my way into a girl's size 12?) Miss McCartney, please collaborate with Gap for Women next!

Kid-Friendly Pumpkin Projects

Martha Stewart.com is running a great feature called "Pumpkin Projects for Kids," and it is full of fun, clever ways for kids to create masterpieces with pumpkins! Check out the cute tree owl and the gourd family above! I hope these creations give you inspiration on your trip to select pumpkins from your local pumpkin patch! And don't forget to compost your pumpkins when all is said and done!

One Incredible Mommy Blogger's Inspiring, Humbling Story

Perhaps you remember me mentioning the Nielson family awhile back on Petite Planet. Christian and Stephanie, the parents of four young children survived a plane crash that left them severely burned -- their lives and bodies changed forever. Stephanie has a beautiful blog called NieNie Dialogues which I follow with great interest. She recently appeared on Oprah and a reporter visited her home to get a glimpse of her daily life. Please watch the video clip here to realize how extremely fortunate each and every able bodied mother is, and to be humbled by Stephanie's strength, faith and perseverance.

Father/Daughter Dancing Shoes!

Trying to figure out what to get my husband for Christmas is always a challenge- but I know for a fact that these father/daughter kicks would be a real "shoe-in!" Designed with the poignant tradition of daughters who get a sweet lift onto their daddy's feet during a dance, these red felt numbers would be a huge hit in our household, where living room dance offs are a daily occurrence. Made by COMPANY designer Aamu Song, these "Dance Shoes for the Father and the Daughter" are made of felt with a rubber sole and are available in red only,

Available sizes:
Size (numbers in italy/German size):
40 (25.5cm) + 22 (18 - 24 Months)
43 (28.5cm) + 24 (2 1/2 - 3 Years)
45 (29.5cm) + 24 (2 1/2 - 3 Years)

Order product:
info@com-pa-ny.com

At 95 € (approximately $141) these groovy shoes don't come cheap, but they are instant heirlooms that could be cherished for many generations of tandem dancing. Or, if you're crafty enough, whip up a pair of your own!

via Handmade Charlotte

Craft TuesD.I.Y with Lisa Lopez: Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree

With record breaking temps in San Diego this past weekend, it couldn't feel less like fall. So when my family and I went for a walk on Sunday, we were pleasantly surprised to see that there were beautiful autumn leaves on the ground, which inspired this week's craft! Every family has their own way of expressing thanks at the beginning of their Thanksgiving supper. In our family, we go around the table, and each person shares something they are thankful for before enjoying the meal. But depending on the number of guests, this may take a while! That is why this Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree is a lovely tradition to start this year. As your guests arrive, have the paper out and ready for them to write what they are thankful for. Then you can have them hang it on the tree. It is a clever way for everyone to express heartfelt sentiments, while creating a rustic, meaningful centerpiece for your meal.

Materials you will need:

• A vase, pot, or any type of container

• Twigs and branches collected outdoors

• Autumn Leaves (You can always create paper leaves from scrap paper as well)

• Ribbon, string, or yarn

• Anchor for your twigs, ( I used popcorn kernels) you can also use rice, stones, etc.

• An assortment of construction paper
  

• Pens, scissors

• Glue stick, hole punch

• Family pictures, quotes

1) Put your popcorn, rice, or whatever you are using to anchor your twigs, in your vase or pot.

2) Arrange twigs in the vase.

3) Cut squares, hearts, or any shapes you desire out of your paper. Use one color as a frame, then cut another piece of a differing color and use your glue stick to mount it.


4) Punch a hole in each leaf, and tie your ribbon through it so you may hang it on the tree. You can glue pictures, write quotes, or write whatever you are thankful for.




5) Have extra cards ready, so as your guests arrive they can write what they are thankful for and hang it on the tree.

Fashioning a Gratitude Tree is a wonderful way for your kids to get involved in eco-friendly craft making while learning the importance of expressing thanks. It needn't be Thanksgiving to create one of these trees -- we could all benefit from having one as a focal point year round!

Hanna Andersson Organic Cotton Halloween Pajamas for Babies

Baby may not be able to cruise the boulevard trick or treating, but he or she can still don festive attire in Hanna Andersson's "Witching Hour" organic cotton pajamas! Owls, witches, bats, a harvest moon, spiders in webs and black cats all add up to Halloween filled slumber for little ones who will sleep through this year's Halloween fun. Available in size newborn to size 3, toddlers who turn in after a night as a ghost, goblin, or perhaps, butterfly will also love snuggling into these cozy pajamas after a long evening of collecting candy.

Bonus: Hanna Andersson pajamas boast an ingenious neck to knee zipper closure as opposed to snap buttons, making middle of the night diaper changes a breeze.

'Junk' O Lanterns and No Carve Pumpkins

Me and knives do not mix. It takes total concentration for me to slice an apple and keep all of my digits in tact -- and bagels? They are my Mount Everest of cutting. So when I came across these ingenious alternatives to pumpkin carving, I was quite enchanted, and my anxiety at the notion of wielding a giant knife to widdle away at an unrelenting pumpkin subsided.

Above is a 'Junk' O Lantern which uses household junk to transform a pumpkin into Cinderella's expired coach: "corn planters for the wheels, a soap dish for the driver's seat, a drawer pull for the door, and a sink drain for the window. The little mice are mini pumpkins with upholstery-tack noses, wire whiskers, and nail feet."

The Leafy Centerpiece below is so simple yet so elegant. Click here for instructions on how to make one of your own.


The Tabletop 'Mumkins' below does require you to poke holes into the pumpkin to insert flower stems... but I think it looks so festive that it's worth a little suspense.


Finally, resident Petite Planet crafter Lisa Lopez created the pumpkin below by simply using water to rub on a pumpkin tattoo adhesive! He looks like he's ready to wish everyone a Happy Halloween!


Don't forget to compost your pumpkin when Halloween is over!

via Ohdeedoh via Better Homes and Gardens

When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Tit Bits

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I am truly inspired by one breast cancer survivor's inventiveness and creativity in her fashioning of the 'Tit Bits' shown above. She lost her right breast to the disease, and when she went on a search to find a prosthetic to wear to an upcoming party, every "tittie" option she found in mastectomy boutiques was in her opinion, "too heavy, squishy or ugly." Her story of how the 'Tit Bits' came to be is so funny, and she sounds like such a character, so if you have a moment, read it in its entirety here. I am also going to provide an excerpt below.

"With a day to go before the party I was still without a titty. I considered going without one but my husband nixed the idea. I was already unbalanced, (but in a good way), he reasoned, but that didn't mean I should look unbalanced.

Finally, in a state that can only be described as panicked desperation, I bought a "proper" mastectomy bra and a silicone titty that was touted as the "lightest and most natural looking" on the market. The fitter, a sensible no-nonsense lady, who had been fitting breast prostheses since before disco was hot, discouraged me from wearing any of my existing bras, "They'll squash your prosthesis, dear and there is nothing worse than a squashed prosthesis!"

When I got home, I put on my new titty and bra and promptly broke into tears. The titty reminded me of raw liver, while the bra resembled the suspension system of my 1995 Volvo.

To cheer myself up, I rummaged through my stash looking for something luxurious to knit up. Then it hit me that I could knit myself a new titty; in fact, I had so much yarn I could knit myself a different titty for every day of the week, month, year!

I finished my first knitted titty an hour before the party and wore it with one of my favorite lacy underwires. When a friend, who had been following the whole titty saga, saw me she remarked, "You really did a great job! Your left breast looks almost as good as the right one -- a bit lumpy but very realistic."

"You know," I replied, "It was my right breast that was removed."

via Knitty

Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay

Few inventors can take a wildly popular product and turn it on its head to create something far superior. But Play-Doh should be quivering in its little tub because there's a new kid in town: Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay. 100% Natural, gluten free, biodegradable and aromatic due to the infusion of organic essential oils -- playtime just turned into a relaxing, de-stressing event filled with aromatherapy for me and Olivia... and let me tell you, I'll take any relaxation I can get these days!


Sitting down to play with Mama K's play clay is a treasured treat for me and Olivia. We have a blast smelling each ball of clay's amazing fragrance (lemongrass is Olivia's fave, Lavender is mine!) and we've turned it into a daily afternoon tradition to spend an hour unwinding and chatting while kneading the dough and engaging our senses. A great game to play with Mama K's: Make play clay vegetables or several small play clay imitation meatballs, toss them all into a bowl, then fish them out with forks. Olivia loved telling me what veggies we should make for each color, and then it was her job to put all of the same color of veggies back into a pile so we could return each color of play clay to its individual tub.

In Mama K's words:

• Both children and adults benefit from the tactile and olfactory magnificence of this clay. Knead, mold and shape your cares away. Great for long phone calls, or when you need patience from jittery babes.

• This clay uses the power of aromatherapy to soothe (lavender) uplift (sweet orange) ease the anxious (bergamot) inspire (lemongrass) balance (geranium) refresh (cardamom) and create complete relaxation (chamomile).
  

• It is great for those with Celiac or Autism Spectrum disorders.

• My loved ones are complete proof that it works! My little one won't play with the chamomile, she says it makes her sleepy!

Details:

Ingredients: A blend of certified gluten free flours, kosher salt, extra virgin olive oil, natural colors and organic essential oils.
Opt for the tube of five 4 oz tubs for $20.
Tubs are re-usable and the tube is recyclable.
Always supervise young children when playing with Mama K's play clay, as it is a choking hazard and kids may be quite tempted to put it in their mouths!

Here's to making many happy memories with your Mama K's!

Craft TuesD.I.Y with Lisa Lopez: Paper Towel Roll Spiders and Bats!

Making cute little spiders and bats out of toilet paper and paper towel roll tubes is a fun, eco-friendly craft that results in personalized Halloween decor your kids can display proudly around the house! They are quick and easy to make and your child will have a blast bringing these critters to life.


Materials you will need for this craft:

• Empty Paper Towel or Toilet Paper rolls

• Black Pipe Cleaners

• Googly Eyes

• Glue

• Hole Puncher

• Construction Paper

• Paint/brushes

• Anything you want to dress your spider/bat up with: glitter, fuzzy pom pom balls, etc.

1) Paint the paper tube black, or whatever color you desire. For the spider, you will need to punch two holes on each side of the roll, on the top of the roll and the bottom, resulting in 4 holes on the top and 4 holes on the bottom.

2) Thread the pipe cleaner through the two holes and tie just once, then bend several times. Repeat this a total of 4 times to create 8 legs.


3) Glue the googly eyes on, then decorate the spider as desired. You may opt to use the paint to make a face, or cut it out of the construction paper.


*To make a paper towel roll bat, cut 2 wings out of black construction paper, fold paper at the edge and glue wings to the roll. Then cut 2 small triangular pieces for the ears and glue them on as well. Paint and decorate as desired.


Finally, you can tie a string to the top of each roll and hang the bat or spider as spooky decor, attach a popsicle stick to each and use them as puppets, or stand them up alongside your jack o lantern for an added touch. This is a great activity that you can do with your child each Halloween -- and toilet paper/paper towel rolls can also be used to make all sorts of crafty animals anytime of year!

ShirinKIDS Organic Wonderland Collection

ShirinKIDS is more than a stunning organic clothing line for children. It's a "collection of wearable art for little ones." I have seen a slew of eco-conscious apparel for kids, and ShirinKIDS is by far the most artistic and visually engaging couture I have come across. Created by artist Shirin Roubeni, ShirinKIDS 100% organic Wonderland collection consists of hand silk-screened onesies and tees for newborns and toddlers. I love the added details, such as the embellished ruffled sleeves shown above, as well as Roubeni's beautiful pairing of colors not readily found in children's clothing: beige, tan, gold, silver, mustard.

Each piece in the organic Wonderland collection is individually printed by hand with water-based inks and finished with heat and pressure as opposed to chemicals -- and fabric remnants are recycled and used as appliques on the shirts.

I was envious of the children's collection and was delighted to learn that many of the miniature designs may be found in the women's line! So mommy and baby can look equally 'haute' in a mommy and me couture combo while strolling down the street.

ShirinKIDS clothing would make a delightful gift for the fashion-forward eco-kids in your life, or a lovely addition to the wardrobe of your own little greenie. These quality pieces may be handed down and appreciated for their timeless appeal and whimsical charm.