Ashton Eaton Shea

Beyond blessed to have welcomed our son, Ashton Eaton Shea into the world on 8-28-10, weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces. Once I find the words to describe my natural childbirth, I will be sharing the details here. Thank you all for your well wishes and warm thoughts. We are overwhelmed with gratitude and joy at this new life in our midst.

Ink + Wit 'Pull Your Weeds' Birch Wood Print

I really love the message behind this subtle birch wood print from Ink + Wit. The limited edition 'Pull Your Weeds' print serves as a reminder to uproot negativity and nurture positivity. If you look closely, you'll see juxtaposing words strewn throughout the piece: "care, laugh, bliss," and "anger, lazy and stress."

Not only is the message to pull your weeds and plant good seeds a great lesson for children, I think it's a very romantic and realistic poster for couples. It illustrates that we must tend to our lives and our relationships with the realization that although there will always be weeds, hopefully there will always be fresh seeds that will blossom in their place.

Guide to Aromatherapy During Pregnancy, Labor & Postpartum

I recently had the opportunity to interview Rachel Winard of Soapwalla to get her expert advice on how to use aromatherapy during pregnancy, and which essential oils are safe to use, as well as which to avoid during the sacred nine months of growing a little human being! The information she provided is so comprehensive and helpful and this article is a must read for all moms-to-be, and may be enjoyed here.

Organic, Holistic Pet Care Grooming Products from Opie & Dixie

My sister Tracie is the best, most loving and conscientious dog owner I know. So when I came across Opie & Dixie's pet grooming line, I had to share the good news of these green and natural products with her. She recently pampered her new pooch with these holistic and luxurious products and here's her review:

"As a dog owner for many years, I am constantly on the hunt for quality products for my pets. My 13 year old Dalmatian A.J. recently crossed the rainbow bridge due to cancer, so all our food and grooming products are now meticulously scrutinized for holistic, organic and healthy ingredients at all costs.

In an effort to try something other than baby shampoo for bath time, I came across Opie & Dixie Wholesome Pet Solutions. I tried four of their grooming products, all of which were met with overwhelming acceptance by my newest Dalmatian, Nina. We started with the Organic Oatmeal Almond Shampoo at bath time. Upon first lather it was rich and luxurious, yet gentle to her skin. The subtle smell of almond lingered in the air. Next came the Organic Botanical Crème Rinse & Conditioner. This product was more aromatic, like something you’d smell in a garden full of flowers, but not at all overbearing. Nina’s coat instantly became softer, even more so after her blow dry.

Upon completion of her ritualistic post-bath-time sprint through the house and catapult over the sofa, Nina rested just long enough for me to apply the Healing Paw Balm, which instantly took her paw pads from cracked and dry to smooth and moist. What an ingenious product! I’ve never given much thought to my dogs’ paw pads, but the Healing Paw Balm really makes me think about the negative impact of hot asphalt on their little feet! The last product, the Organic Rosehips Dry Shampoo and Conditioning Mist, we tried a few days later. With the gentle smell of rose, this product instantly perked up Nina’s coat and reverted it back to its softness and shine on spa day. It was nice to see a product work instantly to get her clean and smelling fresh again.

During the summer months, Nina is a bit more itchy and scratchy than normal due to her lazy days of rolling in the grass. Since using the Opie & Dixie grooming products, I’ve noticed Nina’s scratching is virtually non-existent. Goodbye Johnson & Johnson, hello Opie & Dixie!"

The Opie & Dixie product line includes:

• Organic Ear Wash made with spring water, peppermint, and eucalyptus.

• Oatmeal Almond Shampoo for silky coats and skin health.

• Unscented Kitty Shampoo with gentle rosemary, lavender, and rosehip extracts.

• Rosehips Dry Shampoo and Conditioning Mist for waterless washing.

• Gentle Puppy Shampoo: Soothing and mild for a puppy’s delicate coat.

• Botanical Créme Rinse and Condtioner for hydrating skin and coat.

• Healing Paw Balm for restoring, healing and hydrating paw pads.


Each of the above products incorporates herbs, oils, and essential nutrients designed with the input of veterinarians and nutrition experts to promote optimum health, from shiny coats to clean ears to healthy immune systems.

Eco stats: From the ingredients to the non-BPA packaging to product labels that are printed on recycled paper and made with a 100% wind-powered manufacturing process, Opie & Dixie makes every effort to care for the earth in the same way that it cares for pets. Additionally, a percentage of all retail sales go to a local dog rescue organization.

Eco-Friendly Wooden Memory Game

I used to love playing the game,'Memory' when I was a child, and this wooden matching memory game brought back, ahem, memories. It is made with smooth 1.5 inch wooden disks that bear sweet images of woodsy characters that are hand stamped with water resistant, permanent non-toxic ink.

The game contains a total of 22 pieces (11 pairs) of bunnies, birds, squirrels, butterflies, flowers, etc. that all come packaged in an organic cotton drawstring bag for easy storage and portability!

Maptote Organic Cotton Onesies

If you're as notoriously bad with directions as I am, you'll really appreciate these sweet and functional organic cotton Maptote onesies. Read more about them here!

Felt Playground's Eco-Friendly Play Food Looks Good Enough to Eat!

Felt Playground offers an extensive array of fabulously crafted felt play food which is hand sewn using eco-friendly felt (100% polyester felt made from recycled plastic bottles) and stuffed with sustainable bamboo fiber fill.


Felt Playground covers all the bases with their food offerings, which range from the lunch set (as a vegetarian, we'd just pretend that the turkey in the set is tofurkey!) and the veggie selection seen above to the healthy berry dessert seen below... and much more!


I love that these decadent berries are categorized as a dessert, which is definitely how we view fruit in our household -- as nature's candy.

Felt Playground also creates festive party banners and sweet-faced finger puppets!

Be sure to stop by the Felt Playground shop on Etsy. You're bound to find something your little one will adore!

'To Make You Smile' School Benches made from Recycled Materials

It's not quite back to school time, but these inspiring benches by artist David Feldt certainly educate in the art of recycling. Feldt makes each bench from junk for elementary schools to teach and engage children in the study of assemblage art via reuse.

In creating the "To Make You Smile" benches, students are asked to "look at pictures of junk, and create drawings of a bench. Inspired by these drawings, an artist is commissioned to create a bench for permanent display at the school."

For links to curriculum for instructors and students, to learn how to implement this green art undertaking at your school, click here.

via Haute Nature

How Sweet It Is!

Thanks for all of your comments on how cute my husband's handmade felt goodies were! Here are the captured moments of Olivia opening them!


Here's to a ton of pretend birthday cake celebrations!

Eco-Friendly Back to School Lunch Gear

It's almost time to send the kiddos back to school... are you prepared to send them packing with green lunch gear? I've rounded up some of my favorite reusable, no-waste lunch items that will help make your kids' meals away from home a hearty shade of green!

Citizenpip's reusable lunch kit is perfect for older kids because it has plenty of room to pack good-sized portions, and it includes several ample sized, non-toxic storage containers to keep food fresh and tidy. Read my review here.

For younger children, opt for the smaller and more compact Laptop Lunch box system. Read my review here. This system also contains all non-toxic storage components, and it is easy for little kids to tote back and forth.

I love that both of the above systems will keep foods safe and secure during transport (as opposed to smooshed into the bottom of a lunch sack.

For snack time packing, get an adorable set of reusable lunch bags from Graze Organic. These sturdy bags are made from 100% organic cotton, and they are machine washable. They feature cute illustrations regarding their proposed contents: from "fruit" to "vegetable" to "surprise!"And by now we all know how important it is to banish the plastic baggie. Read my review here.

Pack a cloth napkin in your child's lunch to keep them clean and tidy. Fabkins makes adorable 100% certified organic cloth napkins specially designed for kids, and they boast darling prints for boys and girls. Read my review here... and I'm happy to see that since writing my review, Fabkins has changed their material to 100% organic!

In the event your child doesn't have the opportunity to wash her hands with soap and water, have her tote a travel-sized hand sanitizer in her backpack. Cleanwell hand sanitizer is a great choice!

Happy Birthday to my Darling Olivia!

Happy 3rd birthday to my most precious and cherished love, Olivia.

My Husband Can Make Felt Food Too?!

Today is my daughter's third birthday. She is obsessed with pretend (and real) baking, and when I say obsessed, it's only because I can't think of a stronger word for her affinity for the baked good. I gave her an empty box of cake mix two weeks ago, and she carries it around the house with her just in case she happens to come across an empty bowl that she might be able to pour the fake ingredients into. And don't ask me how many times I've had to read her the directions on the back of the box, while she reclines on the couch, listening intently yet casually, a smile gracing her lips, as if I am reciting a favorite poem from her college days.

Naturally, for a birthday gift, I wanted to give her play baked goods to use in her kitchen, because it's getting a little depressing watching her whip up batches of air. Her collection currently includes only these cute felt cookies. When I mentioned this to my husband, lo and behold, he decides that he'll make her a small bakery of felt play food so her baker aspirations may finally be realized.

He decided to make her a cake, because we have all been eating pretend birthday cake for about a year now. I am not exaggerating when I say, Olivia makes roughly 57 pretend cakes every day. She doles out empty plates to anyone who will take one, and they are piled high with dreams of chocolate cakes with pink frosting and "lots and lots of sprinkles."



I knew when I married my husband that he was an amazing and innovative cook... the kind who could peer into a fridge containing only a bottle of fancy ketchup and half a loaf of bread, and somehow manage to make a delicious four course meal for five. But I had *no* idea that he could whip up felt play food masterpieces on a first attempt, without much thought.


He made our daughter this fantastic cake with six separate slices that all fit together to form a whole cake. As seen in the photos above, he then tied the slices together and cut a heart shape out of a box top to make it look like an authentic cake box.


Now Olivia can host as many birthday parties as she desires, and have actual cake to serve.



As if I wasn't impressed enough, he then asked me, "anything else?" "Yes," I said. She's constantly making brownies and chocolate chip pancakes too. So next came the yummy fudge brownies above and the sweet chocolate chip pancakes below. And can I take an ounce of credit for sewing on exactly 12 of the chocolate chips? This, only after my husband spent about 15 minutes teaching me how to do so.


Thanks for allowing me to gush. I am married to an incredibly gifted and talented man, and we have a daughter who is so sweet she needs to manifest the trait in fake baked goods all day long. Here's to La Dolce Vita!

*Note: All of these baked goods were made out of eco felt (made from recycled plastic bottles) as well!

Eco-Friendly School Supplies for Green Kids

It seems like summer started only yesterday, and now it's time to send the kids back to school! Here are a few of my eco-friendly school supply picks to help green their curriculum!

If younger kids need crayons, think outside the box and recycle your own crayon odds and ends into new crayons. Visit Petite Planet's colorful tutorial here.

Here's an adorable, hand-knit butterfly backpack that's sure to help kindergartners take flight!

I love these Ecojot collection of notebooks made from acid, chlorine free, 100% recycled paper. They have such a vibrant line of offerings from agendas, calendars and folders, all decorated with whimsical, cheery graphics that are sure to take the chore out of schoolwork.

Stubby Pencil Studio offers an array of green school supplies from eco highlighters to recycled rulers and eco glue!

Grass Roots Environmental products will keep your kid on the "write" track with biodegradable corn pens!

Lavanila Healthy Baby Collection of Bath Products

There's a new(ish) baby skin care collection on the block: Lavanila's Healthy Baby Collection, and it includes: Baby Wash, Baby Lotion, Baby Bottom, Baby Butter, and Baby Block SPF 40.

I have tried the Healthy Baby Butter, which, like all of the products in the baby line is 100% free of harmful chemicals such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicone, propylene glycol, mineral oil, formaldehyde and synthetic fragrances and dyes.

The collection is also hypoallergenic, gluten free and free of ingredients from common allergens including nuts, soy and dairy. I love that the Healthy Baby Butter is rich and creamy while also very easily absorbed by the skin, and that it doesn't leave a greasy residue. I also love that it has that "baby smell" we all know and love.

As a reader of Petite Planet, you know my commitment to making sure bath time regimens are healthy and non-toxic for babies and children (as they should be for adults as well)... I have even dedicated an entire category on Petite Planet to bath and beauty so parents may be educated on the healthiest choices in skin care for their kids.

Lavanila baby products contain 100% safe ingredients, as well as 30 essential vitamins and minerals to soothe and protect baby's delicate skin. The collection is currently available at Sephora and on Lavanila.com.

MUST SEE VIDEO: Baby's Cord Blood Contains 300 Chemicals +

via Mother Nature Network

7 Top Tips for Gardening With Toddlers

If you love gardening, and would like to include your child in your hobby, you're more than likely to find an eager and enthusiastic teammate! Children have an inherent love and awe of nature and the outdoors, and gardening affords them the miraculous opportunity of watching amazing fruits, vegetables and flowers sprout from tiny seeds, right before their very eyes. I was overjoyed to learn that my two and a half year-old daughter would happily spend hours on end tending to our garden. Yes, there's an unlikely green gardening tool that captivates her attention and keeps our flowers blooming.

1. Hand a young child a spray bottle filled with water, and watch them excitedly go to work spraying everything green in sight. You can thoroughly wash and re-use any household spray bottle and turn it into your toddler's most treasured gardening tool. (This is my daughter's favorite outdoor toy!) Using a spray bottle also alleviates a little one's unintentional drowning of plants and flowers with hoses and watering cans, and it also helps conserve water.

2. Decorate potted plants with handcrafted pet rocks that your child brings to life with paint, felt and googly eyes!

3. Have your children help you feed your plants with breakfast scraps. Let them scatter eggshells and coffee grounds into the soil to help make plants grow.



4. Spend an afternoon decoupaging terracotta flower pots with your kids. The one-of-a-kind flower pots will add instant flair and originality to your garden.

5. Equip your budding gardener with a cute and compact matchstick garden, and let them grow their choice of herbs, flowers or mixed greens.



6. Short on outdoor space? Your child can still reap what she sows inside the house with Green Toys' Indoor Gardening Kit. The kit includes everything you need to help your child's love of gardening blossom: a peapod shaped planter tray and three planting pots, a trowel, soil, and three packs of organic seeds (Teddy Bear Sunflower, Basil, Zinnia).

7. Make a DIY watering can or plant holder out of an empty plastic milk jug. Simply cut the top off of the carton to make it into a watering can. Do the same to make it a plant holder, but poke holes in the bottom for drainage.

I originally authored this post for EcoSalon.

Refer to this helpful Gardening At Every Age guide for more insight into your child's skill and understanding level when it comes to tending the garden.

Images: Beth Shea, Petite Planet, Green Toys

Kiki & Coco in Paris

Spend a few moments smiling from ear to ear over this gorgeous and delightful slideshow film: Kiki & Coco in Paris, that photographer and mom Stephanie Rausser made of her daughter and her daughter's doll, capturing their adventures in Paris. It is enchanting and heartwarming!

via Design Mom

Mila's Daydreams

The blogosphere has been ablaze for the past week with one artistic and creative mother's (Adele Enersen) impromptu photo shoots featuring her sleeping baby girl in various whimsical poses and backdrops constructed and fashioned out of household items.

Seriously, does it get any cuter or more poetic than this? Mila will certainly cherish these photographs for life. And Adele, while the rest of us are just trying to grab a quick shower, your art is blossoming alongside your beautiful daughter.

Visit Mila's Daydreams to view more enchanting photos.


via Design Mom