This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!
I started a tradition when Ella was born to give her holiday pj’s every year and allow her to open them on Christmas Eve. In the morning she would be wearing her new pj’s for all of her pics. Plus winter pj’s are essential! I’ve had the most difficult time this year finding organic holiday pj’s, but I did find the next best thing, Snug Organics.

Majority of pj’s are flame retardant, which means they have been treated with PBDEs-polybrominated diphenylethers. This chemical has been known to save lives since the chemical slows fire ignition and the rate of fire growth. Sounds like a good thing right… but it’s not. Monitoring programs in Asia, Europe, North America and the Arctic have found that PBDEs are in the air, our drinking water, food and they have even been found in the depths of the ocean- 3,000 feet under. Traces of PBDEs have also been found in breast milk, blood, urine, household dust, fish, aquatic birds, and other wildlife. The dangers of PBDEs are liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, developmental toxicity and neurodevelopmental toxicity. PBDEs do not break down in the body and accumulate in fatty tissues. Some scientists are linking PBDEs to autism, ADD/ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and permanent behavior changes.

The scary part is that scientists aren’t sure how the PBDEs are getting into the environment and it could be from manufacturing, aging wear and tear of the product, or direct contact with the product. The EPA has been studying this for years, but hasn’t found a solution even though they know and acknowledge the health risks. They have found that North America has the highest levels of PBDEs in the environment. And yet the CPSC requires all children’s sleepwear to be fire retardant or snug fitting. My solution is to keep a fire extinguisher next to Ella’s room and avoid fire retardant clothing all together. Too bad we can’t escape the PBDEs in computers, couches, car seats or TVs!

Organic pj’s haven’t been treated with PBDEs, pesticides, insecticides or other harmful chemicals that can effect your child’s health. Snug Organics sells amazingly soft and snugly Organic Sherpa zip up Sleepers in sizes newborn up to 4T. They come in 4 colors: blueberry, chocolate, green apple and mango.

We were sent the green apple Sleeper to review and I was such a happy mommy cuddling my preschooler and reminiscing of her babyhood. There’s something about a child in a one piece sleeper. The Sherpa fabric is so soft and cuddly- just like all newborn sleepers. Every time she’s wearing the sleeper, I just want to snuggle! She’s my little teddy bear. 🙂 After the first night of Ella wearing her sleeper, she complained it was too tight in the crotch. I let Snug Organics know about her discomfort and they were amazing enough to switch the sleeper with no problem.So if your child has a long torso, go up a size. The 4T sleeper fits her perfectly- still snug and safe- and she doesn’t complain about the crotch at all. Snug Organics has amazing customer service, so if you have a question about sizing, contact them and ask! You can get the Organic Sleeper for $39-$48 at Snug Organics.

Snug Organics also has an amazing page about Eco Baby Showers. They have tons of information, games, invitations, and suggestions. So if you are planning a baby shower for someone special, be sure to check it out!

Right now, Snug Organics has a contest on Facebook– Post the cutest, coziest photo of your kiddo in a Snug Sherpa Sleeper. The winner will appear on the homepage of the Snug Organics website and will receive a free sleeper.

The Giveaway: Snug Organics would like to offer 1 lucky winner a Organic Sherpa Sleeper in their choice of size and color

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST December 4, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US and Canada

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Become a fan of Snug Organics on Facebook
7. Sign up for the Snug Organics email list
8. Follow Snug Organics on Twitter
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

New disclaimer: I was sent this item to review from Snug Organics. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

I’ve totally avoided Thanksgiving this year. Not that I’m not thankful for anything, but this year we’re doing absolutely nothing. We aren’t making the 5 hour drive to my grandmother’s because she doesn’t want to cook and wanted BBQ… sorry, can’t do BBQ… EVER. We’ve had other offers to join other families, but I think we are just going to enjoy our little family and enjoy a stress free day. It’s slipped my mind to do any posts about Turkey day, so I apologize. It just hit me that the big day is next week and I thought maybe a recipe swap would be fun??

Would you be interested in participating if I did do it? I would do a post on my 2 favorite Turkey Day recipes and everyone else can post in the comment box with their recipes. If you’re interested tell me here, I’ll post on Friday. 🙂

These past couple of weeks I’ve realized that life has been pretty tough on everyone around me. I know very few who are having amazing luck and not having to struggle. With the holidays coming upon us, life gets even more stressful. Not to mention the days getting shorter and having less sunlight! It’s times like these that we need a little inspiration to help get us through the day and to see the bigger picture. And that’s just what Transformational Jewelry does!

Transformational Jewelry is Eco-friendly inspirational jewelry that can change your life. All of their jewelry is made with recycled metals. Each metal has a different amount of recycled material, but you can read more on their site. Transformational Jewelry designs rings, necklaces, bracelets, cuff links, money clips, key chains, custom jewelry and more that is sure to transform your day! They carry sterling silver and 14 and 18 karat gold.

Payson, the artist, has studied at the Fashion Institute in NY and Glendo Corporation in Kansas. She has studied under some amazing artists and focused on many jewelry methodologies such as high karat granulation, metal fabrication, stone setting, wax carving, engraving, chasing, and metal carving to 3D digital design and model making. She also has another jewelry site, Paysonjewelry.com that you must check out!

What drew me to Transformational Jewelry was their unique and inspiring quotes. Each piece has a life message such as “Live With Passion,” “You are Beautiful,” “Courage Faith Trust Love,” “Expect Miracles,” and “So Be It.” They have many more, but those are some of my favorites. I was sent “Live With Passion” to review and I’m in love. The circle is thick, heavy and quality sterling silver. The chain is light and also of high quality. This is a great mantra to live by and a great reminder to look at every day. This gift would be great for any age or gender! I love how the message is in a spiral, because life is a never ending spiral. “Live With Passion” can also be bought as a open infinity circle necklace, a ring, or a cuff bracelet. You can get the “Live With Passion” sterling spiral for $97 at Transformational Jewelry.

The Giveaway: Transformational Jewelry would like to offer 1 very lucky reader a “Live With Passion” Sterling Spiral Necklace

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST December 3, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Become a Fan of Payson & Co. on Facebook
7. Follow Payson Jewelry on Twitter
8. Sign up for the Transformational Jewelry Newsletter
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

New disclaimer: I was sent this item to just review from Transformational Jewelry. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!
It’s Toy Time Wednesday and this one is for older children. I came across an inspiring store, called Little Zen Minds, while searching for holiday toys. Little Zen Minds only sells unique educational toys that you can’t find at your local Target or Toys R Us. They sell toys for ages newborn-8+ with a variety of categories. They have a easy to use web layout so you can shop by age, category, brand, teacher supplies, top gifts- by age, bath toys and award winning toys. You can find all of their Eco-friendly toys under the category search.

Little Zen Minds sent me the Pandabo game made by HaPe Toys Bamboo collection to review.The game is recommended for ages 4-99. The game comes with a cute wriggly panda, 6 round nature color sticks, 8 square yellow sticks, 10 green half-round sticks, and 1 die. And everything is made out of bamboo!

This is how you play… You can have as many players as you’d like, but 2-4 would be the best. The youngest player rolls the die and whatever shape shows up is what stick or sticks they must put on the panda. The more sticks that are on the panda, the more wiggly it becomes. If any sticks fall when placed, the player is out. The game ends when there is only 1 player left. Pandabo helps children develop balancing strategies and create complex designs to make the next player’s move more difficult.

I let Ella try the game and she did quite well for a 2 year old. But she is a stacking queen, so it didn’t surprise me. We didn’t play with the die or make a game out of it. But I can’t wait until she is at the age that we can! I have a feeling she will be beating me. The game to me was like a kid version of Jenga. I think even adults would have fun playing trying to outsmart the next player. The different shaped bamboo makes it easier to get more creative instead of having just 1 shaped block. You can get the Pandabo game at Little Zen Minds for only $14.95!

You can find more amazing Little Zen Minds toys under my Gift List!

The Discount: Little Zen Minds would like to give all of my readers a 10% off all toys by entering Holiday09 at the checkout!!

The Giveaway: Little Zen Minds would like to give 1 lucky winner a Pandabo Game!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST December 2, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Sign up for Little Zen Minds Email updates
7. Become a Fan of Little Zen Minds on Facebook
8. Create a Wish List at Little Zen Minds (2 extra entries)
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

New disclaimer: I was sent this item to review for free by Little Zen Minds. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!

So it’s Toy Gift Tuesday and guess what… you get to pick your own prize from ecoTimeToys.com!! ecoTimeToys.com carries a variety of high quality, eco-friendly, affordable toys for ages newborn-5+. They have a huge selection of trusted brands like PlanToys, ImagiPLAY, HaPe, HABA, Green Toys, Under the Nile and more! Their website has an easy to use layout so you can choose to view toys by the company, age, price or category. They also have Daily Deals, so be sure to check back daily!

ecoTimeToys.com sent us a Magnetic Kitchen Bottle Set by Melissa and Doug to review and it has been a huge hit! I like how the color coded magnetic caps pop on and off easily so Ella can pour her condiments on her veggies and breakfast foods without having a melt down. In the past, she’s freaked out if she can’t get a top off and throws the toy and has a tantrum. Toys should be easy to use and fun- not cause tension because they are poorly designed. Ella’s favorite condiment has been the ketchup, but that doesn’t surprise me since she loves it on everything. The condiments are labeled with simple pictures for non-readers and they also promote site words by telling you what the condiment is. You can get this fun set for $19.99 at ecoTimeToys.com.

Since Ella loves her kitchen toys so much, I’ve decided that she needs a kitchen set for Christmas. Hopefully one of her family members are reading this right now 😉 But ecoTimeToys.com carries an amazing kitchen set from HaPe’s Edco linethat comes with everything you see in the picture! And this kitchen set is only $129.99! That is an excellent deal for an Eco-friendly kitchen that comes with everything that your little one needs to become a pretend chef. This kitchen set actually won the 2007 Parents Choice Recommended Award. And I can totally see why!

ecoTimeToys.com is very selective in choosing the toys that they carry. They stay away from toys made from plastics, unless they are made with safe recycled or sustainable materials. All of their toys are non-toxic, phthalate -free, and contain no harmful chemicals. Each toy must pass very stringent American and/or European testing standards and be made from the highest quality materials and fabrics.Totally my kind of toy store!

The Giveaway: ecoTimeToys.com would like to give 1 lucky reader a $30 gift certificate to purchase any product from their store!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST December 1, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Join the ecoTimeToys.com Email List
7. Become a fan of ecoTimeToys.com on Facebook
8. Follow ecoTimeToys.com on Twitter
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

New disclaimer: I was sent this item to review for free by ecoTimeToys.com. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

Here is the 10% discount code for Alex and Ani– GREENWEEK It is case sensitive! The discount lasts until 11/21/2009 so hurry over and make your holiday purchases!

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!
Make-up makes the perfect stocking stuffer and 100% Pure Mineral Eyeshadow is even better! As I was browsing Etsy, I came across an amazing make-up company called Orglamix. They make pure mineral eye shadow, pure mineral foundation, pure mineral blush and pure mineral glow. All Orglamix products are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals and phthalates- and are only pure and safe minerals.

Orglamix has 75 color choices and amazing combo sets! They also sell Eco-friendly make-up brushes, gift certificates, gift sets, monthly kits and more.Orglamix also offers a 100% money back guarantee! That way you can try new colors, new formulas, and new products risk-free. Not to mention they have totally affordable prices! Orglamix is sold by weight, not volume, so you get more product. You can get 1 gram of eye shadow for $3.99!

I love how easy it is to choose the right colors. If you look at the kits, they have eye color options plus skin tone choices. Here is a brown eye kit you can get for only $19.99!I’ve never been a make-up person because I didn’t trust what was in the products. When I did use make-up I’d break out, so I gave up. Since I’ve discovered all natural make-up, I’ve been in love with the options. Plus, no break outs and I know what I’m putting on my face is safe. Well, since I haven’t really worn make-up in the past, I don’t do a good job of putting it on. I decided last minute to dress up for Halloween and go as a Goth Mom. I know.. how original. But I had 20 minutes to put something together. I had just gotten my Orglamix eyeshadow and thought it would be fun to play. Here are my results:I love the sparkles!! I really like how my eyes popped out. I had hoped to have more time to play with the shadows, but with all of the drama going on, I haven’t had the energy. So here is an example of what can be done with multiple shades:

We will be having our holiday pics taken soon, so I’ll be back with some crazy eye pics! Until then, have your own Orglamix experience and check out their awesome website with tons of choices. Be sure to check back weekly for their specials!

The Giveaway: Orglamix would like to offer 1 lucky winner a 3 piece collection of their choice!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST November 30, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to everyone

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry)
6. Become a Fan of Orglamix on Facebook
7. Subscribe to the Orglamix RSS Feed
8. Tell me something else you like from Orglamix
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

New disclaimer: I was sent these items to review for free by Orglamix. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!
It’s stocking stuffer Monday and I have 2 great giveaways today! Some of you might remember my Clementine Art natural glue and soy crayon review during my preschool week last month. Well, then they were only sold in Whole Foods Markets- which wasn’t good for people like me who didn’t have one in my city. But, as of yesterday, you can purchase all of your natural art needs online at Clementine Art!!

Diana, the creator of Clementine Art, who is also an art teacher at Clementine Studio, wondered what was in the “non-toxic” art materials her students were getting in their hair, hands and even mouths. (I totally relate since Ella’s first play dough experience ended bad with all of it in her mouth!) Since the art product labels don’t list the ingredients, Diana was unsure of the safety of the dyes, chemicals and additives used in these materials. That’s when she decided to start creating her own and how Clementine Art was born. You can now find Natural Modeling Dough, Natural Paint, Natural Markers, Soy Crayons, Soy Rock Crayons, Natural Glue and Gift Sets on their website!

We have tried almost their whole product line, besides the paint and markers, and have loved everything! If you are looking for a child’s art gift, I highly recommend the Gift Set which comes with their Natural Modeling Dough, Soy and Rock Crayons, and their Natural Glue. The set is only $27 and worth every penny!

As I was preparing Ella for her cookie cutting experience for my Curious Chef review, I decided to let her practice with her new Clementine Art Natural Modeling Dough. The Natural Dough was so much easier to pick up than the actual cookie dough and Ella loved making butterflies and bears! Here are a few pics of her playing: The Natural Dough is very unique since each dough has its own natural scent- Lime, Strawberry and Lemon. There are no chemical dyes or additives in the dough- it’s pure natural fun. The dough is very malleable and soft. Soooo much better than Play-Doh!! It was very easy for Ella to roll and cut. The Natural Modeling Dough will last over a year if kept in it’s recyclable air tight container and is only $8.99 for all 3 doughs.

Clementine Art also sent us some Rock Soy Crayons to review, which are just as awesome as their longer Soy Crayons. I love the indents in the rocks for little fingers. The Rock Crayons come in 8 silky, vibrant colors that make any drawing stand out. They glide on to the page making it easier to color and create. The rocks are small, so this isn’t recommended for children under the age of 3. The Soy Crayons are made of all natural ingredients and have no chemicals dyes or additives. They are perfect for blending, shading and just playing around.

The Giveaway: Clementine Art would like to give 1 lucky winner a Natural Modeling Dough set for their little ones stockingRules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST November 30, 2009 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open only to the US

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified

4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry)
6. Become a Fan of Clementine Art on Facebook
7. Follow the Clementine Art Blog
8. Tell me something you learned on Clementine Art
9. Add my Eco-friendly Holiday Gift Guide to your blog or Facebook page

*New disclaimer: I was sent these products to review from Clementine Art. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.