Congrats to Amy for winning the Hosono necklace from Palma Collection!

Kidazy said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 260

My favorite piece is the Hozz! It’s so gorgeous!

If I won I would choose the brown and white http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0000/9351/products/hosono_brown_white_480_medium.jpg?1247712029

September 21, 2009 11:53 PM

Congrats to (a different) Amy for winning “A Time to Talk” Book and DVD!

Amy said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 16

the school version is almost exactly the same as the home ve In fact, the Parent Version was derived directly from the School version by just removing the direct references to schools or classrooms.

September 25, 2009 4:35 AM

Congrats to Kyra for winning the Country Cottage from a Colorful Childhood Store!

Anonymous said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 145

I love the childrens throw pillows..Too Cute

September 26, 2009 5:44 PM

Congrats to Marj for winning the Olive Barn sign!

Anonymous said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 38

I like the sign “Love above all, love each other deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22”.

Marj M.

September 13, 2009 6:20 PM

Congrats to Marci for winning the mug from Emerson Creek Pottery!!

moushka said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 16

Subscriber!

September 13, 2009 4:24 PM

Thanks to all that entered!! I really appreciate all of your support. 🙂

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!

If you’ve never heard of KEEN, stop here and go take a look! KEEN is an Eco-friendly outdoor company who creates Hybrid shoes, bags, sox and more. I love their variety of children’s shoes! So Ella’s style. They also use aluminum scraps and excess rubber to make buckles, brackets, and protective bottoms for their bags.

What drew me to KEEN was their Harvest line of bags. I love to learn about different textiles and rice paper was a new one. Though, I had heard of it, I wasn’t too sure what exactly it was. First, there is the traditional rice paper that has been used for centuries in Japan and China for writing and artwork. This rice paper is made from rice straws or rice flour and can also contain bamboo, hemp or mulberry. Then there is mulberry paper which is made from mulberry bark. It is also known as rice paper since the mulberry paper is used for packets of rice. There is also edible rice paper used for frying spring rolls. I wasn’t able to dig up any more information than that, but thought it was interesting enough.

KEEN has designed a line of Eco-friendly bags made out of brown haul paper and rice paper that are genius.
I have told you before I have a bag obsession. When I received my KEEN Northrup bag I was more than impressed! It is a huge tote with multiple pockets for storing things. There are 2 inner pouches large enough to hold drinks, snacks, a wallet and more. On the other side there is a zipper compartment, also large enough for a wallet, cell phone and other valuables. On the front part of that pouch there are smaller pockets for lip gloss, a min zipper for loose change, a compartment for pens, plus 2 other mini pockets. So that’s a total of 8 inner pockets for storage! There is TONS of room inside the bag. I’ve never seen a tote like it before. The details of the bag are amazing. I really like the cat art work on one of my inner pouches.

The bag itself is made out of durable 100% reclaimed brown paper. All of the pockets, lining and bottom of the bag are made out of 100% reclaimed rice bags with a Chinese flair. I love the unique qualities of the bag. Each bag is one of a kind since various rice bags are used. My bag has been used so much it’s developing more personality by the creases caused by wear. I’ve enjoyed taking my Northrup bag to festivals this year. It fits all of Ella’s necessities, plus there is room for my camera and any new purchases I might come home with. It’s not the kind of tote you’d take to the beach, but more for the city streets. It would also make a great overnight bag, taking it to the farmers market, running errands and so forth.

The handles of the bag are lined with felt, so it’s easy on your shoulders if you are carrying some weight. Though since it is made with paper, you don’t want too much weight in your bag.

The Giveaway: KEEN would like to offer 1 lucky reader a Northrup bag!
Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 12, 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 extra entry total)
6. Sign up for KEEN Emails
7. Tell me something you like about KEEN or one of their products
8. Grab Mkokopelli’s Fall Week button and post on your blog or FB page

I’ve realized most of my readers are bloggers themselves. I’d love to see what you write about! So leave your links below. 🙂

Does anyone have any great at home remedies for a sore throat?? I woke up barely able to swallow and I’ve been miserable all day. I’ve tried coffee, soup, lozenges, salt water… not working. Please help! 🙂

Who says you have to give out candy on Halloween? I love candy, but that doesn’t mean I want my 2 year old eating it for 3 weeks after trick-or-treating. Yes, I’m one of those moms. I don’t allow her to eat processed sugary treats on a daily basis. I do allow a treat every once in a while… I’m not an extremist. But there are no benefits of eating candy. They rot your teeth, give you a sugar high, and most are fattening. Yet, parents still load their children up on sugar every day. Not to mention all of the natural sugars that are in fruits, juices, snacks and so forth. Last year I handed out organic suckers and organic cracker packs on Halloween. Amazingly, the kids chose the cracker packs over the suckers.

This year I got the idea to hand out recycled treats. I found Weisenbach Recycled Products and their Green Halloween products are really cool. You can buy Halloween Activity Pads, Soy Bean Crayons, Hand Fan Masks, Picture Me Green Books, Pumpkin Tattoos, Pencils and more! They are sold in bulk packs at great prices. I really liked the Halloween Activity Pads with Soy Bean Crayons.
You get 20 pads per pack at only $9. There are cute activities, coloring pages and more in the books. You can buy the Soy Bean Crayons for $8 for a pack of 20 that would go great with the Activity Pads.

The Pumpkin Tattoo’s are made with non-toxic inks and are adorable! You get 50 per pack at $23. These are great to hand out at Halloween parties or for your trick-or-treaters.I also really liked the Picture Me Green Book! You can insert your child’s picture in the back so when you flip through the pages your child will see themselves. One of the pages reads, “Lights and lamps will brighten the gloom, but I shut them off when I leave an empty room.” There is a picture of a child turning off a lamp and once a picture is inserted, it will be your child! These are sold in packs of 20 at $25.
So instead of buying candy this year, spread the message of going green to all of your neighbors! Check out Green Halloween to make your Eco-friendly trick-or-treat purchases.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!
Last month Ella won a Happy Green Bee Skort and Short Sleeved Tee. This was the first time that I had heard about Happy Green Bee and I’m really glad that I was introduced. At first, I wasn’t too sure about the stripes… But once I put the Skort on Ella, I loved it! The outfit totally looked like a happy bee.
OK, maybe E doesn’t look like a happy bee, but she just stepped on a caterpillar by accident. I thought I had other full length pictures, but I didn’t. So ignore the sullen face and check out the adorable outfit. 🙂 The tee feels like a soft sweater material, so it’s great for cooler/warm weather. After loving Ella’s new outfit, I started doing a little bit of research about Happy Green Bee and wanted to share them with you.

Happy Green Bee is a 100% organic cotton clothing line that is safe and sustainable, super silly, soft and stretchy, at affordable prices. In 1979 Roxanne, the founder of Happy Green Bee, moved her twins to a small town in central Maine to live on 30 acres of woods- without electricity, running water or other modern conveniences. In 1989 Roxanne and her partner Burt started a cottage company which quickly evolved into a personal care line that we all know as Burt’s Bees. In 2003, Roxanne sold Burt’s Bees while still serving on the Board of Directors to fund 2 new foundations. After traveling, Roxanne decided she wanted a new challenge. She saw a void in natural children’s clothing and a lack of awareness of the benefits of organic clothing. That’s how Happy Green Bee began. Roxanne said, “By using organic cotton, a comfortable and practical fabric, and simple bee-striped patterns, children feel as comfortable as they look while their parents take a small step in making a big difference in the environment their children live in.”

I’ve written about the benefits of organic cotton for a while now. I know I have some new readers, so I’m going to say this important fact again: Cotton consumes 3% of the world’s farmlands, while using 11% of the world’s pesticides and 25% of the world’s insecticides during the farming process. Sadly, less than 10% of those chemicals actually work for what they are used for and the remaining chemicals end up in our air, soil, plants, water and eventually on our skin. With all of the other chemicals we are exposed to, this is an easy change. There are tons of affordable organic cotton companies that are just as stylish.

The Giveaway: Happy Green Bee decided to participate in my Fall week by giving 1 lucky reader a Radish Bean Chemise. The Chemise can be worn with leggings or alone as a tunic. It has rolled cuffs and collar for easy-fit comfort. It comes in sizes Small-Large.
Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 11, 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 extra entry total)
6. Become a Fan of Happy Green Bee on Facebook
7. Sign up for Happy Green Bee’s Happy Account for coupons, free gifts, plus the latest buzz
8. Grab Mkokopelli’s Fall Week button and post on your blog or FB page

It was brought to my attention that the Fall button coding wasn’t working. This has been fixed, along with the others, so you can copy the buttons from the code on the left sidebar. Thanks Clarissa for letting me know!!

I’m a sucker for themed shirts. Maybe it’s the photographer in me that loves outfits to coordinate with the event. When we were Baby Gap shoppers, that was an easy thing to find. But now that I want to only purchase Eco-friendly materials, it’s become a hard task. Luckily I found Parade Baby for our pumpkin picking pictures! I had hoped to go pumpkin picking by now, but it’s been in the 90’s this week! So not Fall weather. But hopefully we will make it this week. I usually get 4-6 pumpkins each year because of my cravings for pumpkin seeds. So going this early is common for us. 🙂

Parade Baby is a colorful, creative and modern styled baby and toddler clothing line. They only use pesticide and chemical free 100% organic cotton and sustainable materials. Parade Baby’s organic cotton is softer and more durable than regular cotton, without all of the chemicals that pollute the soil and water. They are a fair trade company and all of their products are made in sweatshop free environments.

Parade Baby carries adorable kimono’s, hats, onesies, play suits, pants, tee shirts, baseball tee’s, rompers and more! You can choose your design for the item that you like. The designs change with the seasons, so be sure to check back for new styles. Here are the Fall designs: I loved the pumpkin design on the Baseball Tee! Last year we had a shirt that was similar and was too cute in our pictures. The Baseball Tee’s fit Ella’s personality, so I thought I’d be out of luck this year. But, I found Parade Baby and I’m in love! The shirt is very soft and thick, unlike most cotton tees. The Baseball Tee comes in sizes 12-24 mo. and 2T. Ella is in a 3T, but the shirt still fits her. The 12-24 mo. shirt has 2 nickel free buttons at the top for quick changes. I can’t wait to see her pumpkin picking in the shirt!
The Giveaway: Parade Baby would like to give 1 lucky reader a Pumpkin Baseball Tee

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 7, 2009 to enter. (I’m running it a little short to make sure your little one has time to enjoy it!) 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 extra entry total)
6. Sign up for the Parade Baby Newsletter
7. Tell me your favorite Parade Baby design
8. Grab Mkokopelli’s Fall Week button and post on your blog or FB page

Best Baby Organics has another great giveaway going on at their blog. They have teamed up with Mkokopelli again to double your chances at winning! Best Baby Organics will combine our entries on both sites to choose the winner. Good luck!

Here’s your chance to win one of these super hip super funky Japanese Monkey Pants ~ it’s Easy!
Simply visit Best Baby Organics online-store and find three maternity, post-pregnancy, or baby products you like the most and then leave a comment listing the three items. Don‘t forget to list your email address as well, otherwise we can’t contact you in case you win. The winner will be notified by email on October 20th, 2009. One winner will be randomly selected on October 19, 2009 midnight EST.
Giveaway Details:

Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only

1. To enter the Japanese Monkey Pants Giveaway leave a comment on this post listing the three products from our web-store you liked most or email us directly to receive your entry:giveaways[@]bestbabyorganics.com
2. If you blog about this, you get an extra entry. Leave a link back
3. If you twitter about it, you will receive an additional entry.
   
4. If you announce the giveaway to your facebook friends, let us know. That means you can get THREE extra entries for this giveaway!

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!
Picnics are awesome in the Fall! There’s nothing better than packing a lunch to head to the park, mountains, festivals, produce picking and so forth. I try to keep Ella outside as much as possible in the Fall and Spring since the temps are bearable. When we went apple picking a couple of weeks ago, we enjoyed our picnic lunch while watching the roosters run around. With over 3.8 billion pounds of garbage generated every year, it’s important to cut back on using plastic bags, napkins, juice boxes, and aluminum foil. Lunch sets aren’t just for the kiddos anymore. Adults should be enjoying the benefits as well! If I had an office job, I know I’d pack my lunch- so why not do it in style?

OrganiLuxe sent me a beautiful Handmade Organic Lunch Bag Set to review and it’s stellar! It is a 4 piece set with a lunch bag, sandwich bag, snack bag and napkin all made with 100% certified organic cotton. Each bag is lined with undyed, unbleached organic fabric, so you have no BPA to worry about or harmful chemicals coming into contact with your food. I’ve seen tons of reusable lunch kits, but none came complete with a napkin! Think about how much waste you will cut back on by using a cloth napkin with your lunch instead of paper towels or paper napkins. The whole kit is machine washable, so if your napkin gets dirty it’s easy to clean. I love the colors of the lunch kit. I normally go with pink, but am really glad I got the aqua. Pictures can’t do this bag the justice it deserves! The sandwich bag is large enough for a big sandwich and the lunch bag can hold fruit or other food as well.
OrganiLuxe is a mother and daughter team that started when Leah’s daughter was diagnosed with food allergies. They did a bunch of research on child allergies and found out that chemicals and toxins in our environment have contributed to the rise of allergies, autism and asthma. Janis and Leah decided they wanted to team up and help others live a more green lifestyle by selling safe Eco-friendly products that are truly unique. Janis is the master sewer of the beautiful lunch set above.

OrganiLuxe carries handmade lunch kits, bedding, bibs, diaper bags, nursing covers and pillows, shopping cart covers, purses, shopping bags and more! I love that each item is handmade and 100% organic cotton. They also take custom orders for items that you like but need in a different color or size.

The Giveaway: OrganiLuxe would like to offer 1 lucky reader a Aqua Handmade Organic Lunch Bag Set– a $29.50 value!
Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 10, 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 extra entry total)
6. Tell me something you learned on the OrganiLuxe site
7. What do you like most about the Handmade Lunch Kit?
8. Grab Mkokopelli’s Fall Week button and post on your blog or FB page