Since I’m sooo excited about Fall week, I’m going to start a little bit early. I love jewelry and the sad part is that I have very few pieces. I have tiny wrists, so finding bracelets that work has always been a task. And I gave up majority of my jewelry when my ex and I split. But, I’m enjoying finding great Eco-friendly companies who sell amazing pieces, so this will be a very fun post!

I was contacted by the Leakey Collection about doing a review for their Zulugrass. When I first saw the Zulugrass, I automatically had a 80’s flashback of the jewelry I used to wear in layers. I loved it! I then started to research the company and knew this was a cause I had to support.

Zulugrass is unique jewelry handmade by the Maasai women of Kenya. Zulugrass is actually a grass that is harvested and cut, blade by blade by hand. The grass was previously burned since the cattle would not eat it. Philip and Katy Leakey, who also live in Kenya, founded the Leakey Collection in 2001 when the devastating drought in Kenya ended. Philip Leakey had an idea to use the grass from surrounding areas to make jewelry to provide the Maasai women with jobs and an income. Over 1200 jobs have been created by the success of the Zulugrass products. And Kenya women have been given the chance to earn a income for their families, which is a first in Maasai history. The women work outside under acacia trees using mobile work stations. The work sites span over 150 miles across the Rift Valley.
Zulugrass is environmentally sustainable with the elastic memory of over 6 years and still going with everyday wear in the sun and water. It is waterproof and the colors should not fade. The grass beads are dyed using natural textile dyes and reflects vibrant colors. The Zulugrass jewelry also contains hand-blown Czech glass beads and Japanese glass beads. These are the highest quality glass beads available. Each bead is stranded on a super strong elastic which was invented for the movie “Spider-Man.”

When I received my Zulugrass I was more than impressed! I love the ways you can wear the jewelry. Each strand of Zulugrass can be worn as a necklace, bracelet, belly band, hair piece, armband or anklet. You can get creative in all the ways you can use it.
It is stretchy enough to have endless possibilities. I chose to wear mine as a bracelet for our Fall photoshoot. I love how the strands of Zulugrass fit as a bracelet perfectly!! Check it out:
There are over 80 different color choices and many different designs. They also make Zuluwood jewelry, which is just as exquisite! If you choose to purchase many strands of Zulugrass, you can buy special clasps to hold the strands together for a more fun look. Zulugrass is now being sold in over 20 countries world wide and is growing!

The Giveaway: Leakey Collection is giving 1 lucky winner a Zulusport bracelet and 2 strands of Zulugrass in Fall colors (light brown, orange and maroon, yellow)
The Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 6, 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post
6. Follow Leakey Collection on Twitter or become a Fan on Facebook
7. Visit the Leakey Collection Blog and tell me something you learned
8. Grab Mkokopelli’s Fall Week button and post on your blog or FB page

We all know chocolate is a big no no for dogs, but did you know that xylitol, which is commonly found in sugarless products is also fatal? The xylitol makes the dogs blood sugar levels drop and if it gets low enough the dog will start having seizures. Xylitol can also cause liver damage. If you have a dog under 20 pounds, 2 pieces of sugar free gum could be fatal. So be careful if you have any in your purse that you keep it out of their reach. If you suspect your dog has gotten in to any sugar free products containing xylitol, take them to the vet immediately. It only takes 30 minutes to an hour for their blood sugar to start dropping.

Well, now on to some yummy natural treats that won’t drop your pups blood pressure. I found Shorty’s Gourmet Treats on Etsy and they look amazing! We haven’t gotten to try any just yet, but they are on the way and I’ll be sure to let you know once the doggies get a taste.

Shorty’s Gourmet Treats are handmade with ALL natural organic ingredients. There is no salt, corn, sugar, artificial colors or flavors, byproducts or preservatives in any of the treats! Shorty’s Gourmet also carries a variety of vegan and hypoallergenic treats. Every item is made to order and are vacuum sealed for freshness.

What I love about the site is the variety of treats Shorty’s Gourmet makes. You can get the every day cookies or special baked goods like cupcakes and donuts. Here is a glimpse of some of their goodies:They look yummy enough for me to eat! Shorty’s Gourmet Treats uses organic carob -an all natural alternative to chocolate which is entirely safe and edible by dogs, in a lot of their products in case you are wondering why the owls are brown. All of Shorty’s Gourmet Treats are affordable ranging from $2.50-$5. Or you can purchase gift sets for $15.

The Giveaway: Shorty’s Gourmet Treats is offering 1 lucky reader any treat from their site- other than the gift sets

The Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 5, 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post
6. Watch Shorty’s Gourmet Treats on Youtube and tell me something you learned or observed
7. Tell me what you like most about Shorty’s Gourmet Treats
8. Grab the Pet Week Button and post on your blog or FB page and leave a link

This giveaway has ended! Thanks to all that entered!
I started going through the Healthy Stuff pet list again, which was just released this week, determining which products were the most dangerous. Believe it or not, pet bedding and food/watering products contained the highest amounts of lead, arsenic or PVC. That’s really scary when you think about how much your pet drinks out of their bowls and sleeps in their beds! The best thing to do is to research Healthy Stuff to see if any products you own are on the list. If they haven’t tested them, do a little bit of research on the manufacturer of your pets products. It might seem like a pain, but would you want your child drinking out of a cup that could have lead in it? Think about how expensive vet bills already are! I’ve watched a friend of mine go through cancer with 2 dogs and skipping a toy that you don’t know about is worth your pets health.

There weren’t as many toys as I thought there would be, but most of the tennis balls they tested came back positive for lead. There were quite a few chew/tug toys as well. The first thing that came to my mind after reading everything was how many children play ball with their dogs! Making sure your pets gear is safe is not only for your pets, but for all that come into contact with them.

For me, I know in the future I will only be buying my pet products from companies I know I can trust, like The Soft Landing. I did a review for their bath toys not too long ago and found out they also carried pet products. All of The Soft Landings products are BPA, Phthalate, PVC and lead free. They carry tons of safe plastics that aren’t harmful to you or the environment. The Soft Landing has quite a few balls for those of you who will be throwing out your tennis balls after reading this.
The Soft Landing sent Priscilla a Eco Bones Plush Toy Bone, which is her favorite toy. She’s not into balls or stuffed animals. It’s all about the plush bones. So she was super excited when I pulled it out of the bag and she realized it was for her. The bone is for larger dogs, it’s about 10 inches long, but she was still happy and found a way to pick it up. She has been running around the house with it, not letting it out of her sight. And definitely not sharing with the other dogs.
The Eco Bones Plush Toy is made with re-engineered recycled IntelliLoft fibers. It has a squeaker in the middle for your dogs pleasure. Maybe not so much yours… but I don’t mind as long as she is running around happy. The toy is non-toxic and totally safe for your doggie or child for that matter. Eco Bones are made in Montana, USA so you will be supporting an American company by making a purchase. 🙂

The Giveaway: The Soft Landing would like to give 2 of my lucky readers a Eco Bones Plush Toy in the brown and willow color (blue)


The Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post
6. Tell me something else you like from The Soft Landing not pet related
7. Sign up for The Soft Landing’s Newsletter (you will love it!)
8. Grab the Pet Week Button and post on your blog or FB page and leave a link

This contest has ended. Thanks to all that entered!
Krafty Kates Kreations makes awesome organic knit catnip cat toys with homegrown catnip from NC. I was really happy to find out I was getting to support a NC company! You know I’m in constant search for Eco-friendly NC companies. 🙂

Krafty Kates Kreations is another amazing store which can be found on Etsy. They carry a Bernat 100% certified organic cotton yarn line that my kitties LOVED! Krafty Kate crochets each toy with lots of love and care. The toys are stuffed with freshly dried homegrown organic catnip and wrapped in a soft natural batting. The organic line comes in red, green or blue with an octopus, mouse and fish. Here are my kitties enjoying the toys:

Sorry, I got carried away with the pictures. It’s been a while and they were having so much fun. They especially had a blast when they realized they could get the stuffing out to get to the catnip! They ran around for hours chasing the toys, batting them and rolling around. Not to mention the catnip high they were on! Outkast even fell asleep with his toy under his head. I guess he didn’t want Mo Jo to steal it.

You can get the set for $15 with free shipping in the US. Plus you get a free gift with any purchase over $5. Or you can purchase the toys individually for $6. Krafty Kates Kreations also carries other crocheted toys that are made with non-organic knit, but they still have the organic catnip. She also just opened up a new Etsy store, Kates Kritterz’s that you can check out!

The Giveaway: Krafty Kates Kreations is giving away 1 Kitty Combo to a lucky reader

The Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post
6. Become a fan of Krafty Kates Kreations on FB
7. Follow Krafty Kates Kreations on Twitter and leave a Tweet
8. Grab the Pet Week Button and post on your blog or FB page and leave a link

BODY,.aolmailheader {font-size:10pt; color:black; font-family:Arial;} a.aolmailheader:link {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:visited {color:magenta; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:active {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} a.aolmailheader:hover {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal;} Congrats to Marin for winning the Green Earth Bamboo Blanket!

Marin said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 80

Grabbed your new button!
mommybrainmarin.blogspot

September 1, 2009 1:52 PM

Congrats to Kelsy for winning the PlasmaCar out of 477 entries!!!!

Kelsey said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 150

After visiting the website I like Dado Cubes

September 2, 2009 10:16 PM

Congrats to Meg for winning the Vision Quest Play Set from Crunchy Granola Baby

Meg said… CommentsCounter=CommentsCounter+1; document.write(CommentsCounter) 70

Entered the Lotus Bebe Blanket giveaway.

September 6, 2009 10:42 AM

Thanks to all that entered!!

This Giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!

“New Key Findings From HealthyStuff.org:

Pet Products – HealthyStuff.org tested over 400 pet products, including beds, chew toys, collars and leashes. Since there are no government standards for hazardous chemicals in pet products, it is not surprising that alarming levels of toxic chemicals were found. One quarter of all pet products had detectable levels of lead, including seven percent with levels higher than 300 ppm – the current Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standard for lead in children’s products.”

Not surprising at all. To me, it’s just another reminder that just because items are on shelves, it doesn’t mean they are safe. I know before these past 2 weeks, I haven’t really thought about Eco-friendly items for my pets. Granted, I haven’t bought them anything new in the past 2 years.. yes, I’m a bad mommy. But they have tons of toys. I checked further on the Healthy Stuff Pet study and out of the 30 collars they tested, 12 came back positive for high levels of lead. Since your pet wears their collar 24 hours a day, this is an important item to switch or double check to make sure it is lead free.

I found another great company, Very Vintage, on Etsy that hand makes organic pet collars that are very cute! Very Vintage uses antique brass hardware, which gives the collars a really cool retro look. Very Vintage carries organic cat and dog collars with over 90 choices! They sent Priscilla a Spottie Dottie collar and I love it! The small collars have a breakaway feature, so you don’t have to worry about your pet getting caught and choking. If your animal does get caught, the latch will release and snap back into place when you put the collar back on.
Priscilla hasn’t worn a collar in 3 years other than when we go on walks. So I was worried wearing one might bother her. She hasn’t even noticed it was on! It is a very soft organic cotton fabric. Underneath the fabric is a 1″ organic cotton webbing. It is even machine washable. Very Vintage uses a industrial sewing machine, so the stitching is made to last. I thought it was very durable and the size we got is great for dogs or cats. They do make sizes for larger dogs.

Very Vintage also carries organic dog treats, pins, cuff links, hair creations, earrings, necklaces and organic cotton vintage tees!

The Giveaway: Very Vintage is giving away 1 organic collar in any size or style
The Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST October 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

5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post
6. Tell me which Very Vintage organic collar you would pick if you won
7. Follow Very Vintage on Twitter and Tweet about the giveaway
8. Grab the Pet Week Button and post on your blog or FB page

Just a reminder that the Softest Eco-friendly Blanket Week Giveaways are ending this week. If you haven’t entered, now is your chance!

• Woven Bamboo Blanket from Green Earth Bamboo Ends- 9/16
• speesees organic plush blanket Ends- 9/17
• Dream Sacks Knit Baby Blanket Ends- 9/18
• Lotus Bebe Luxury Blanket Ends- 9/20
• California Cozy Barefoot Buddies Blanket with Buddy Ends- 9/20

OK, I tried this recipe and it turned out really sticky. I’ll stick to using our Eco Dough. But, for those who might have better success… here is a recipe for making your own dough:

1 Cup Cornstarch
1 Cup Baking Soda
1 1/4 Cups Cold Water

Mix ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir about 5 minutes until the mixture is thick, kind of like mashed potatoes. Cool on a plate as you work the dough. After you make your creation, let it sit for 2 days and you can paint the creation for display!

This is from Mom Central and I wanted to share:

Embracing the idea of creating food, Play-Doh has created a “Ready, Go Play-Doh” contest where our kids can come up with their own Play-Doh “food” creations for a chance to win a makeover of both their playroom and their school’s playroom. You can visit www.ReadyGoPlayDoh.com to enter by uploading a photo of your child’s food-inspired Play-Doh creation along with the “recipe” to make it.

The grand prize winner of the “Ready, Go Play-Doh” contest will win $10,000: $5,000 for a playroom makeover as well as a $5,000 “Doh-nation” to their child’s school. Contest entries will be accepted through September 30, 2009. On October 15, 2009, the ten finalists will be posted on ReadyGoPlayDoh.com and the public will vote on who receives the $10,000 prize! The website will also feature a gallery of entries, so even if you don’t win, everyone can see your child’s creation.

Today is National Play-Dough Day and I am excited to share with you the best dough I have ever had the chance to play with! It’s called Eco Dough, handmade by Eco Kids USA.

Eco Dough is made with plant, fruit and veggie extracts and has a fabulous aroma that kind of smells like a spa! I love how your hands smell after playing with the dough. There are no chemicals, artificial dyes or metals. So if it ends up in your little ones mouth, you don’t have anything to worry about. The Eco Dough doesn’t dry out like other brands and if it’s left out over night, you can add a few drops of olive oil and it goes back to normal.

I’ve always been a big lover of Play Dough. Even as an adult, I love to sculpt little animals and figures. But, the two times that I allowed Ella to play with it, it ended up in her mouth and on the carpet. So, I was a bit nervous when we got our Eco Dough. It turned out to be a success and Ella had a blast making her creations!! Despite the wonderful smell, it didn’t end up in her mouth. She loved rolling out the Eco Dough with the bamboo roller we received. I was surprised she was able to flatten the dough, but I guess I underestimate her sometimes.
I love how malleable the Eco Dough is. It’s not sticky like other doughs I’ve played with and is really soft and squishy. The oils in the Eco Dough make it easy to create perfect balls with no cracks. That was always a problem I had with Play Doh. I love the feel of the Eco Dough and could seriously roll balls in my hands for hours! It’s kind of soothing, especially with the scent. 😉

You can get the Eco Dough for $20, which has 6, 3 oz. containers with colors including pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, white or brown. They also have a Goody Bag, with a minimum of 10 bags purchased, for $8 each that includes 5 colors of Eco-dough and a bamboo rolling pin in a recycled paper bag. Great birthday party favors or presents!!

Ella also found another use for the bamboo roller:
Eco Kids USA also carries other Eco-friendly items that are just as awesome as the Eco Dough! We got to try the Eco Paint and it is great. The Eco Paint is actually powder that you can add water to in a separate container. I used old baby food jars so we could reuse the paint again. Each Eco Paint container will make 60+ ozs. of paint! You don’t have to worry about it drying out or wasting unused paint. Eco Paint is a natural powder paint handmade with fruit, plant and vegetable extracts from beets, spinach, paprika, carrots, purple sweet potato, red cabbage, blueberries and tomatoes!

We also got to try Eco Colored Pencils and they were a perfect fit in Ella’s hand. She was able to hold it the way she is supposed to, which was a first!! The Eco Pencils are made with recycled newspaper, wax, and natural mineral dyes which are lead free! I love the rainbow pencils that write in 4 different colors.

I highly recommend anything from Eco Kids USA!!! Be sure to check them out. I know what I’m getting Ella’s friends for Christmas 🙂