There are a lot of reasons to shop at Paper Culture.  They offer everything from baby arrival announcements and baby shower invitations to holiday cards and stationary.  All of the goods are 100% eco friendly.  The cards and envelopes are 100% post-consumer recycled and the packages are made from recycled paper, no plastic shrink wrapping.  As if that wasn’t enough, their designs are so super cute and modern.

Now here’s a great reason to buy your Valentine’s Day cards from Paper Culture: 100% of all proceeds are donated to Haiti Relief.  To see all their fantastic Valentine’s Day designs, go to www.PaperCulture.com.  Send your personalized cards out and give an extra gift to the Haitians.

Mamas Mood Lifters cards are heaven sent.  This deck of cards is for those times in your life when you just wish you could run away from the situation.  You know those situations, you’re at a restaurant with your family enjoying a nice meal and then your toddler decides to flip out because they are bored.  Or when you are at the grocery store and your young one feels like using the aisles as their own personal playground.  When these moments arrive, and they inevitably will,  just whip these cards out!

Each card contains an inspirational quote to read, so that you can reflect and take a deep breath.  Underneath the wise and calming quote is an activity you can do with your child in that very moment, right in the store or at the restaurant.  The idea is to distract them, if one card doesn’t work simply choose another or better yet, allow your child to pick one out so they feel as though they have some control over the situation.  I know that when I am out and about running errands with my young children I am out to conquer those lines at the bank or the store and I am absolutely not in the mindset for play.  These cards do the work for me, while we are out shopping and my girls are screaming at me from the cart I just grab Mamas Mood Lifters from my bag and read the card that says “Cheers! Pour a pretend or real drink for your child.  Make toasts.  Toast to all things that make you happy.  Here’s to the birds in the trees!  Hurray for peanut butter!  Celebrate recent accomplishments.”   This diffuses the situation as me and my girls toast to fruit snacks and sleeping through the night!  If I am terribly frazzled the inspirational quote at the top helps ease my frantic state “When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky. -Buddha”

These cards come in a deck of 32 and are printed on recycled paper.  They come in a white cotton pouch so you can easily keep them in your bag.  Please visit Mamas Mood Lifters and pick up your deck today!

Special thanks to Marlene at Mamas Mood Lifters for providing a sample deck.

Barley & Birch offers adorable yet responsible clothing. I was first attracted to their planet-saving ideas that they have put into full gear.  All clothing is made with 100% organic clothing and water-based inks that won’t pollute our environment (or harm the workers).  Also, 15% of Barley & Birch’s profits go to several carbon-reducing initiatives, in order to COMPLETELY offset any carbon emissions produced along with their clothing.  Now that is green.  Another 15% goes to organizations improving people’s lives around the world.

Let’s face it, kid’s have to wear clothes, but we can do it in an environmentally responsible way.  Barley & Birch offer a helping hand.  To check out their clothing go to their site here.  We found the clothing to be super soft and well crafted.  My daughter loves her “California Shirk”.

Tiny Testers: showing California pride

Painting the flowers purple

Barley & Birch is offering one lucky reader a garment of THEIR choice! Yes, pick anything you want from their current line found here. To enter, leave a comment here with which piece you would like to win.  Remember to promote and leave extra comments; increase your chance to win greatly by promoting!!

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Contest ends January 24 , 2009 at Midnight PST.  Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org and emailed.  Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Pajamas are such a tough call for me all the time. I’m never sure if I should put my daughter in her thick pj’s or just some cotton footed pj’s. I recently found ergoPouch, an Australian company who makes Pyjamaswith natural bamboo fibers. We tested out their line of incredibly soft pajamas. These jammies keep your little ones 2 – 3 degrees cooler in hot weather and 2 – 3 degrees warmer in cold weather. Their pajamas are hypo-allergenic/anti-bacterial, anti-fungal/anti-static and are eco friendly. You wash them just as you do any other clothing in the washer and dryer. Their jams come in three unisex styles depending on the outside temperature. They have a handy chart on their site that helps you determine the correct pajamas for your temps. Since we live in Arizona and our winters aren’t that harsh, we use their Mild Weight because it’s between 69 and 73 degrees in our home while she sleeps.

I’m really impressed with not only how soft these Pajamas are, but with how warm she actually stays in them. Best part is that when the next baby arrives, I’ll be able to use them again! Head over to ergoPouch’s site here and check out their Pyjamas and other sleepwear items!

When I walked into the Whole Foods in LA to search for earth friendly Christmas gifts for my daughter, I was practically met at the door by an eager salesman.  He giddily showed me his favorite thing in the store, Green Pieces Puzzles.  These puzzles are so awesome.  Not only is a puzzle perfect for family game night, but when you’re done, just throw the pieces in the yard.  Well, plant them in the yard, because the puzzle pieces BLOOM over 16 species of wildflowers.  The puzzles are produced by TDC games and are 500 pieces.  All are themed with ecologically aware scenes, like a bald eagle made from aluminum cans.  3,500 cans to be exact, the same amount of cans discarded in the USA every second.

Erin: Puzzles are fun family activities. I used to love when my mom would spread a puzzle out on the kitchen table and we’d all sit down and try to complete it together. Not many puzzles are ever taken out for a second time. What a wonderful twist to a fun tradition. The family pieces together the puzzle and then you take it out into the yard and plant it for gorgeous wild flowers during the warmer months. If only all our kids toys turned into beautiful garden treasures! 

The pieces are backed with recycled paper that has wildflower seeds imbedded in them.  Simply soak the pieces overnight in water and then plant them in soil.  Water them daily.  Buy your puzzle today!

I first came across SpaRitual nail lacquers at a favorite spa.  I learned that they are a vegan polish, known for their safe and durable formulas.  Trying out the fall line for myself, I really did see just how durable the polishes are.  I’m used to my professional manicures lasting about 5-6 days, even with base and top coats.  My at-home SpaRitual mani-pedi lasted well over a week and into 2 weeks without a chip.  The polish is thick yet not clumpy, aiding in easy application.  The easy twist off top is also a huge plus.  Having painted my own nails off and on since I was 13, you’d think that I’d be an expert, well I’m not.  But SpaRitual’s formula made it easy for me to do flawless mani-pedis over and over.  I’m currently in love with their fall line but also check out their new spring line.

SpaRitual also has a great collection of nailcare essentials, like the cuticle oil.  I happen to have very dry cuticles without some type of oil so I was anxious to try out the Nail & Cuticle Oil. By far the best cuticle oil I’ve ever used; I’m in love with this product.   It uses grapeseed and aloe oils to penetrate the nail matrix and promote healthy nails and cuticles.  It keeps my finger tips and cuticles looking polished and healthy.

Erin: While in school, years ago, I had a part time job at a nail salon. I learned so much about polishes and overall care of nails. Most salons use a popular brand that most people know and flock to, simply because it’s all they know of. On my birthday, we drove out to CA to hang out with Sarah and her family. My hubby planned a girls mani pedi for us at the spa in the resort where we were staying. The salon exclusively uses SpaRitual polishes. I was intrigued! They’re eco-friendly, use only Vegan ingredients and are naturally colored. But the question is…do they last? The answer is absolutely! I was extremely impressed with the color selections and how long the color lasts. I’m really used to color peeling or chipping off sometimes within 24 hours, but that never happened. Their Nail Fortifier truly impressed me as well. I’m and OCD nail picker, but this polish really kept my nails in check and I noticed that I no longer picked at them! One thing that HAS to be mentioned is their patented Plum Cap which has grippers on it for easy opening. I can’t tell you how many bottles of polish I’ve had to throw away simply because I couldn’t open them. This easy gripper makes it easy for me to open the bottle even if there’s dried polish on the rim without having to ask my husband to help! For a quick go-to lotion, I keep the Handprint Hydrating Hand Salve in my purse. With the dry desert air, my hands are always feeling dry. It keeps my hands feeling smooth and moisturized without the greasy feeling. It’s great for cuticles as well!

Thanks to SPARITUAL for providing samples for this review

Teething is a long and painful process. They gnaw on their first, blankets, toys, pretty much anything they can get their hands on. I was always paranoid of the items I’d give my daughter, especially plastic or rubber. I was really excited to find RiNGLEY, a natural teether. It’s made from untreated Canadian Maple and 100% organic cotton terrycloth. I love that it offers two completely different textures to suit your little teethers preference. RiNGLEY is available in four different styles of knotted, straight, junior and ball (with rattle inside).

RiNGLEY’s unique design allows your child to easily grip either the ring or the cloth. You can wet part of the cloth and freeze it if your little teether prefers that on their gums. Another great thing is that you can easily throw the RiNGLEY in the washing machine if it gets a little dirty. Made in Canada and created by a mom who had a hard time finding natural/safe teethers for her teethers. We received two samples to try out for ourselves and I have to say this is by far my new favorite teether!

Knowing that infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, made finding a product without harmful chemicals and dyes is important. This was the entire thought process behind the design of RiNGLEY, to help stimulate your child’s development. The RiNGLEY original received the 2008 PTPA Award and the 2008 Green Award. Meets ASTM toy safety standards. Read more about it and see all their different styles HERE.

Want to buy a RiNGLEY Natural Teether? Head over to ecopiggy here and use code NEWPIG during checkout to receive 10% off of your entire order!!

Want to win a RiNGLEY Ball Teether (with a rattle inside)? To Enter: leave a comment below telling us what you like about this teether.

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Giveaway ends Tuesday, December 15 at Midnight Pacific.

CitiBlocs are toys that are safe and also require your child to turn their own ideas into reality. They’re small, light wooden blocks precisely cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand. They’re high quality wooden construction blocks with no glue, snaps, connectors or magnets to make you fearful of choking hazards or chemicals. The items your child constructs with their blocks are created from their imagination using gravity, balance and creativity. CitiBlocs won 14 industry awards their first year in business and are also the cover toy in Good Housekeeping magazine’s Best Toys (list of 7 toys) for their age group. They’re also a Parenting magazine Best Toys and have been featured on the TODAY show.

My daughter loves playing with the CitiBlocs. In fact, we turn it into an entire family activity. She helps us stack all of the blocks into different items and then smashes them. What’s funny is that she’s also turned them into money. She hands out money to us telling us how much each block is worth. The possibilities are really endless on what they can create. The blocks are cars, buildings, money, train tracks, a house, anything you can think of, they can create. CitiBlocs are also non-toxic, so if you catch them with a block in their mouth, you don’t need to be worried!

Sarah: I dumped out the CitiBlocs and my daughter went crazy.  I was surprised, but she knew exactly what they were for.  She must have snuck a look at the box.  She screamed “CASTLE!” and the building race was on.  We made a family event out of it and made several different structures.  She then decided it was time to build a castle for her Yo Gabba Gabba friends… There HAD to be a ramp for them to all walk up, which I thought was pretty smart!  I love that these products really encourage creativity.  She was SO PROUD when she was done.

Want to buy a set of CitiBlocs? Head over to their site here and you’ll see that their blocks are safe, afforadable and fun!

Want to win a set of CitiBlocs? CitiBlocs has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have one set of them to GIVE AWAY! Such a great toy to win especially before the holiday season.

To Enter: leave a comment below telling us if your choice of CitiBlocs 52-piece natural, 54-piece red/blue, orange/yellow, green/teal or white/black sets. Click here to see their entire line of products.

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Giveaway ends Sunday, December 6 at Midnight Pacific.

I recently came across a little shop called INK+WIT that specializes in letterpress prints, stationery, limited editions, custom designs and original work. The highly creative illustrations and designs found there are all the work of the talented, Tara Hogan. Just this Fall, they released a new Aesop’s Fables Hare and Tortoise Poster, which beautifully captures the classic tale that we all fell in love with as a child. Aesop’s Fables also include some other classic tales like “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, “The Goose With The Golden Eggs” and several others. The poster is printed with soy based ink on 100% post consumer recycled paper. I love when I find gorgeous items that are also green and earth friendly. The print even comes packaged in an eco-friendly recycled Kraft tube mailer. Such a beautiful folklore to add to your child’s bedroom that is truly a piece of art.

Click here to browse through all of INK+WIT’s items. If you email your order to info@inkandwit.com you’ll receive free shipping within the USA only. CODE: IWaesops

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We posted about Plan Toys a couple of weeks ago sharing our adoration for this green company and the exceptional toys they create. They inspire creativity without the plastic and obnoxious, battery-operated noises. Their toys truly are made with the highest of quality.

We were able to review Plan Toys Airport. My daughter is slightly airport obsessed. Probably has something to do with friends and family member coming and going at the airport regularly. Nonetheless, she flips out every time she sees an airplane or when she takes a ride with us to the airport. When the Plan Toys Airport arrived, it did not disappoint just like the other Plan Toys items we already have. The craftsmanship is top notch and the vehicles and figurines that come along with it speak for themselves. When my daughter saw this, her hand covered her gasping mouth and her eyes almost popped out of her head. She hasn’t stopped playing with it! Time for me to buy more Plan City items!

Sarah: Living next to the airport and a top hospital that has frequent MedEvac helicopters, my daughter sees a lot of flying contraptions over our house.  She sits on the patio and points out every one and screams with glee.  She was so excited to play with the airport and I couldn’t pry her away from it.  She even took all the parts she could to nap time with her!  Another quality product from Plan Toys and a favorite for my daughter.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, head over to Plan Toys to see their selection of green toys. You’ll be impressed with the premium quality of their items and with how their toys truly captivate your child’s attention without using plastic, flashing lights and noises. Click here for a list of online retailers or to find a store that carries their toys locally.

Want to win a Plan Toys Airport? Plan Toys has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have one Plan Toys AIRPORT to GIVE AWAY! Such an amazing toy to win especially before the holiday season.

To Enter: leave a comment below telling one other item from Plan Toys’ entire line that is also on your Wish List. Click here to see their collection

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Giveaway ends Sunday, November 29 at Midnight Pacific. Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator via random.org. Winner will be announced and emailed directly on Monday, November 30.

Both Sarah and I have been huge fans of Plan Toys for quite some time. Their wooden toys truly are exceptional and are what I consider heirloom quality. To give you a little background on their toys, all Plan Toys items are made with clean, natural rubberwood from rubber trees, which no longer produce latex. To keep the rubberwood pure, no fertilizer is added for three years before the trees are cut. To strengthen the wood, Plan Toys uses a special chemical-free kiln drying process. They also assemble all their toys with certified E-Zero glue in place of traditional toxic wood glue. Their paint is a safe non-toxic water-based dye. Plan Toys is truly environmentally and socially responsible. They either meet or exceed all industry standards. But from our daughter’s point of view, the best part about Plan Toys is that they feature fun and colorful toys,  toys that are durable enough for repeated play.

Not only are their toys, natural, eco-friendly and premium-quality, they also focus heavily on creating Developmental Toys. This is something I’ve always considered first prior to buying toys. I love that my daughter has toys that she loves to play with, but I want her to learn something from them as well. From her memory game to her kitchen, all of their items are made with true craftsmanship and thought. Plan Toys takes your baby from a young age and starts to mold them, always encouraging development.  It’s more than motor development, it’s creativity development as well.  Imaginative play is just as important as learning to count.  Plan Toys excels at this and we will continue to utilize their products for the duration of our toddlers’ childhoods.  Check out all of their products by clicking here.

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I love finding Mom Invented products because as moms, we know what we need to help increase our efficiency, problem is that most of the times products don’t exist! Utterly Yours carries two products made from eco-friendly memory foam, their Breast Pillow and Pregnancy Pillow that do just this very thing, help make our lives easier.

The Breast Pillow was designed to resolve a common issue for moms, giving you back the use of your hands while breastfeeding. The pillow helps to provide support while also giving you the most optimal position for nursing. While other products have hit the market focusing on how to help the baby be more comfortable while feeding, this is the first to help us out! Our test mommy loved this pillow. It’s extremely easy to use and the breathable fabric was comfortable on the skin. The pillow gave her the freedom to multitask for the first time while feeding.

Their Pregnancy Pillow is as cute as it is comfortable. Sleeping while pregnant is not easy, period. You can’t change positions very often, we’re not allowed to sleep on our backs, can’t sleep on your belly, back hurts all the time, the list goes on and on. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had one of the largest pregnancy pillows ever. The only problem is that it’s huge and there’s no place to put it! it’s such an eyesore and was such a chore to flip the entire pillow in order to turn over in the middle of the night. Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow is an adorable cube that unfolds into two triangles. One triangle is made from eco-friendly memory foam to help support your growing belly. The other triangle is made from a higher density foam to support your back and stabilize your body while sleeping on your side. The great thing about this pillow is that it can fold right up as soon as you wake up and even be slid under your bed out of sight! With six patterns to choose from and an easy to read sizing chart, you’re bound to find the perfect compliment to your decor to help you finally get a better night’s sleep! Click here to see the colors & sizes.

WIN IT!!

Utterly Yours has an exciting opportunity for our ITKM readers. We have an Utterly Yours Pregnancy Pillow to GIVE AWAY!

To Enter: leave a comment below telling us which pattern you’d love to have. Click here to see the color options.

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Giveaway ends Monday, November 9 at Midnight Pacific. Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator via random.org. Winner will be announced and emailed directly on Wednesday, November 10. 

Thanks to Utterly Yours for providing samples and giveaway for this review

I love finding one-of-a-kind items on etsy. Even though my daughter is only two and a half, I’ve already been on the hunt for quite some time to find the perfect tooth fairy pillow. I have to say that I’ve completely fallen in love with Buttercupbloom, who uses different fabric textures and colors to create the most adorable Hoot Owls. Each owl has a name and a cute little story to share with your little one. Two Hoot Owls looking for a warm home and loving child to wrap their arms around them are detailed below. Be sure to check out all the other Hoot Owls here.

Daisy- Daisy, the Summer Flower Hoot Owl loves everyone. She’s just a good egg that way. Summer is her most favorite time of year because her beloved wild flowers are in full bloom. And, she doesn’t just love daisies – she is crazy for Forget Me Nots, French Lavender, Chocolate Cosmos, Johnny Jump Ups and Honeysuckle! MMMmmmm!

Carleton – He happens to live in a mysterious, twisty tree smack dab in the middle of a very famous Ivy League college. Autumn is his very favorite time of year as he loves the changing of the campus trees as well as well as the way the landscape of the student body transforms. There is absolutely nothing like that crisp, expectant feeling in the air brought about by new students, new friendships and new relationships with old books.

Kiwi Industries has been working hard for the last six years to create the most adorable clothing line for kids with natural, organic and recycled fibers. They are extremely passionate about social and environmental awareness. Their organic cotton collection is skal-certified and all sweaters are knit in a womens cooperative in South America. They produce all of their marketing on recycled paper. Go green, go kiwi.

Their hats are truly adorable and will keep your child warm and toasty while giving them originality amongst their friends. They have hats small enough for infants and large enough for children up to 6 years. I’d suggest sizing up slightly if you don’t want it too snug. The hats definitely stretch out, but my 2.5 year old daughter would probably fit nicely with room to grow in the large size.

Test  baby: outdoors test run two thumbs up!

Kiwi Industries is generously offering our ITKM readers a 20% discount on all purchases! Click here to check out their full line and be sure to enter ITKM20 during checkout. Discount is valid through November 30, 2009

Under The Nile has a wide range of exceptionally well made products, all Egyptian cotton.  All products are made from 100% handpicked organic cotton, without the use of pesticides or chemicals throughout the entire production process. Grown exclusively in Egypt, the products reflect the extremely soft and durable features that Egyptian cotton is known for. Under the Nile’s dyeing process uses metal-free or vegetable dyes. Accessories such as buttons and zippers are made from organically friendly elements such as wood, shell or nickel-free metals.  All Under the Nile toys are hand crafted and stuffed with organic cotton. Most of the toys on the market are stuffed with “fluff” that cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems in many babies.

First I wanted to highlight the adorable and durable soft Fruits and Veggies:

Another fun product by Under the Nile is the wooden toolbox that comes with a soft hammer, paint brush, and saw. The tool box is well crafted and finished with linen seed oil.  These tools are great for rough kids like mine.  She can hammer me all day and I won’t bruise.

Test baby hammering