Category : Etsy, Etsy, Etsy
It’s so much easier sticking to the concept of ‘compliment’ gift giving for Christmas with my daughters as I know it gets tougher the older kids get…but the whole idea of ‘replacing’ everything with birthday or Christmas gifts is what adds to the over consumption we, as consumers, will be contributing to over these final few weeks of shopping. It starts with parents of course. How many people do you know that ditched phones that worked great to purchase iphones or replace computers/laptops every year? And we wonder why kids suffer from the same compulsion to have the latest and greatest? Xbox, Wii, DSi, Playstation 3, and more…it’s literally ridiculous the options that children are requesting this year (including my sons!). So although this concept is easier with my daughters – I’m trying to stick to ‘complimentary’ toys rather than ‘replacing’. A few examples of this? Little girls love their dolls - why not purchase beautiful doll accessories or clothing rather than hunting for new dolls? Back in April at Mommy Footprint, I was very excited to write about Bamboletta. I was able to buy two Bambolettas for my twins and I had patiently waited a year to finally purchase these wonderful dolls. I had spent hours researching the Bamboletta experience and have discovered a few very special shops that do very well selling doll accessories. You don’t need to own Bambolettas in order to order from these sites – they sell smaller clothing (12″) for more standard (plastic) dolls and (15″) for larger Waldorf dolls or American girls, etc. Here are my favorites…I’ve ordered from them all and love the customer service and imaginations of these very talented ladies!!
Reggies Dolls
Can I start off by saying that although I haven’t met Reggie personally, if you’ve dealt with her before or followed her fun ideas on her Facebook fan page – you would want to meet her in person and give her the biggest hug. She is one of the sweetest, most generous, lovely people I’ve ever followed. I’m a huge fan of her spirit and shop called Reggies Dolls. Reggie makes a lot of the clothing that Bamboletta dolls are purchased wearing and also sells 12″ and 15″ clothing for dolls. I first purchased mermaid tails from Reggie shortly after receiving our Bambolettas because the girls always wanted mermaids. Well – voila…we got mermaids and didn’t have to settle for plastic Barbie mermaids because the tails are made from felt. I recently stayed up until 2am when Reggie sold a bunch of clothing at a discount with all proceeds going to her friend with cancer. There were a bunch of moms waiting for the clothing to go on sale thrilled that we could support such a great cause and pickup some of Reggie’s creations. One time dealing with Reggie and you’ll have a hard time ‘Mall’ shopping ever again! Check out these mermaid tails and she included little veils and purses!
Amanda Cowell
I received a pair of cloth wings from Amanda last year that my girls just love. She was specializing in matching doll and little girl cloth wings that are so easy for young children slip on themselves. Now she’s hatched a new Etsy shop and is making matching capes for kids and their dolls. Plus, skinny jeans, leg warmers, and more for dolls that are wonderful! Her shop is now closed for Christmas, but bookmark her site for future gifts. Amanda’s creations have truly evolved into unique and magical items that will keep the interest alive in any child’s doll. I’m mean really……leg warmers? My girls would freak out for these and the matching cape or wing idea is very special.
Lovely Duds
I did purchase two slings for Christmas from Lovely Duds for my girls to tote around their dolls. The simpler version of the doll sling looked best for my girls because they are easily frustrated when they can’t navigate through instructions right away. But if you have a child that is patient checkout the ‘Just like mommy’ sling version – this style is adorable too! A great older sibling gift when there is a new baby and mom is using a sling. Check out these doll slings styles from Lovely Duds:
Simple Sling 1
‘Just Like Mommy’ Sling Version 2
Fig & Me
Is it just my girls or are all children hoarders? Give them a purse or bag and they walk around putting everything they can find in the bag. These specialty papoose style carriers are at the top of my list for the girls birthday in February. The talented owner is no longer accepting orders, but this site is very special and I need to experience the papoose magic. They are modeled after the ancient native American way of carrying babies…made from 100% cotton corduroy and cotton. My girls would love these for their 15″ Bambolettas….they would love the ability to walk around ‘hands free’ just like a busy mommy!
I hope these ideas help you with complimenting gift ideas for an already favorite toy. All of the talented shop owners featured in this article are either located in the US or Canada so based on where you live – your chances of having orders arrive in time for Christmas are still good! Also, it just feels good to know where your consumer dollars are being spent…locally and with small business owners.
** Spoiler alert – my teacher gifts are outlined in case any are reading. **
Teachers are special people. The teachers in my children’s lives are beyond special..they have been extended family in my life for many years. That is how you know you’ve chosen the right school for your children. When walking through the doors of a school makes you feel like you’ve landed in a soft place and there will be no conflict or sadness – only happiness and support. I’ve often written about the magical preschool all of my children have attended. I’ve been a parent at this parent co-op for 6 consecutive years and this will be my final year there. Through those 6 years I’ve had friendships begin, friendships end, feelings of being judged, discovered I was having twins when my sons were ages 1 and 2, started a business with a huge learning curve and heavy workload, and so much more. The preschool journey has been filled with ups and downs, but the teachers have remained compassionate, loving, understanding, and kind to my entire family through this 6 year journey and have been my safe place to land when life has been kinda tough. So this year, I need to find the perfect Christmas gift that will explain how thankful I’ve been to have their guidance and support. I’m lucky that all three teachers are little bit like me: practical, love nature, are moms, enjoy warm beverages, and adore & respect the art of handmade. While researching my own ideas for teacher gifts, I’ve come up with some very special gift ideas and wanted to share these little treasures.
Top contender: Eikcam
Bookmark eikcam’s Facebook page, Twitter account @eikcamdesign, because local artist Grace Lee is something special. I first saw her ceramics last year and I’ve literally thought of nothing else when a poppy, bird nest, or dandelion image flits into my mind. One of her signature pieces are bud wall vases and they are just exquisite when you see them in person. Here is a link to the bird nest vases from Grace’s sold items – this is something I will always remember from our preschool. There is always one, two, three or more bird nests around the classroom with magnifying glasses for the children. I will always connect the teachers with bird nests so I though these vases would be a lovely gift. Also a double meaning behind the bud vase for a teacher is their view on the magic of a single flower. Preschool teachers fully understand the honor that is bestowed when a child beams up at them with a dandelion or weed they have picked. They view these as treasures and these little vases can help encase their latest gift.
Also from Grace are her ceramic bird ornaments. These ceramic birds are a wonderful Christmas gift for the tree but can also be used to decorate the house all year round. I’ve also seen these ornaments up close and they truly are beautiful ceramic decor for any occasion. They have the ‘swoon’ factor that we all love to hear when gift giving.
Personalized Birch Vase
I love these personalized birch vases as a teacher’s gift and the shop is located in the US. These birch vases can be engraved with a heart and maybe the word teacher inside ~ how unique and special! There are all different price points on these birch vases ranging from $12 – $35…guaranteed to be something original and will love to be used.
Knit Cozies
Apple cozies are brilliant as a teacher’s gift. They are practical, cute, and the when outfitted with an apple – just make you happy to see them. I recently came across knitted tea bag totes and for the tea drinking teachers at our school – these would be a great gift. It’s a way to keep their tea bags separate and you can stuff with a favorite blend and attach a little note. These knitted items are very special and something about hand-knit makes you think about Christmas.
Tea Towel
I have a growing fascination with beautiful tea towels. The towels that are crafted with certain fabric prints or screen printed are like adding a splash of art to any kitchen. A lovely organic cotton tea towel is also a gift most people won’t usually splurge on themselves. One of my Etsy favorites is Alison Tauber and I love these tea towels currently listed in her shop.
40 Reasons Why I Love You…
A very special item available at Green Planet Parties is the wooden notepad that has been hand-crafted and engraved with “40 Reasons Why I Love You…” Most classes have 20 children…why not purchase a notepad like this and have each of the children write down why they love their teacher? This notepad in particular is quite small which is good for two reasons: your child won’t need to dictate or write a novel and it’s a small keepsake that a teacher can tuck away to enjoy for many years without taking up much space.
Past gifts:
Group gifts for teachers are a wonderful way to give them something substantial and wonderful. They are usually more eco-friendly too because you are reducing the number of small trinkets the teacher’s will receive from each family. Collecting from an entire class is also less expensive for the families involved because small donations quickly adds up when lots of parents contribute. Last year I coordinated several group gifts for 3 of my children’s teachers and the class presented them with a family hand-stamped silver necklace. I have to say that the parents and teachers really loved these gifts. Especially because the names of their own children were stamped onto the necklaces and we also added the words family and love. Even a gift certificate to a gardening store, the Mall, or spa is a wonderful group effort for teacher’s gift ideas.
Whatever you do to honor your teachers this Christmas, ensure that you take the time to acknowledge and translate how much you appreciate and love the teachers in your life. When your children go off to school full days like my sons, you realize just how many hours they spend at school and I’m grateful for the care they receive while there. That for me is worth some extra attention at Christmas – what about you?
~
Posted in Etsy, Etsy, Etsy, Green Products, Green Tips, Kids Health, phthalates, PVC Info, Safer Products For Kids, Toy Information on November 18, 2010
Hello! I’ve been away for ages and miss writing terribly so I’m thrilled to be covering a few different issues on my mind: greener ways to wrap gifts, the annual ‘fake or real’ Christmas tree debate, and Toys R Us and toxic toys. Much of my time in the last 2 months has gone to sourcing for my on-line store Green Planet Parties. I wanted to find items that were very green and practical…items that are truly unique, truly green, and still whisper Christmas when you see them. What do you think about gift bags, gift wrap, gift tags, and cards that are seeded with wild flower seeds so they can be planted once they start to tear? Sounds kinda cool right? I thought so – I’m very proud of the category called ‘Christmas Wrapped Up‘ and the products listed here are either plantable or reusable. Not only are the plantable items magical, but the reusable cloth santa sacks, Furochic wrap, fabric gift tags, and wooden clothespin reusable/vintage vibe items looking great! If you are like me, I cringe when I wrap presents for people or even when I reuse traditional gift bags because there is a strange odor from them. It’s not my imagination..I’m convinced they are coated with something toxic. I know I should be using newspaper or craft paper, but sometimes (especially around the holidays) you want unique and seasonal presentation with gifts. Enter plantable gift bags or wrap and cloth Santa Sacks – these products are truly green and will remove any guilt with wrapping your gift and leave you singing Fa La La La La the entire time!
My next holiday themed topic is the annual debate of ‘fake vs. real’ Christmas trees. Which one is truly kinder to the environment? Some people say that reusing a fake tree is a better choice because you’re not cutting down young trees each year. Others will argue that trees grown specifically for Christmas season is a better choice for the environment. I haven’t felt qualified to cover this topic in recent years but I’m ready to voice my opinion and let me start by saying we’ve used a fake tree for close to 6 years and I always felt a little smug because the thought of cutting down baby trees made me sad. But – then I learned that all fake Christmas trees are produced from PVC. This is the plastic (#3) that is called poison plastic. You just need to understand that after you purchase a fake tree it will never leave the earth in an environmentally kind way. Never. It’s taken me years to fully understand that a fake Christmas tree releases toxic dioxins into the air, into our bodies from the time the plastic is produced with making it, after you purchase it (the reason it smells) and there isn’t a way to effectively dispose of the tree. If you burn it – more dioxins are released, it cannot be recycled, so it will continue to exist when discarded for a very long time. The issue of PVC isn’t only about it’s harm to the environment, but also human heath. Please note that I’m not suggesting anyone with a fake Christmas tree throw it away. When something is functional, it should be reused as much as possible. This information is for people struggling with the decision of “should I purchase a fake tree this year”? When I purchased my fake tree, I had no idea what it was made from. Now I can make an educated decision on my tree this year, but it won’t involve throwing out a fake tree if it’s still usable. Would I ever purchase another one? Definitely not.
A new trend last year were little tree companies that will bring you a potted tree to use over the holidays, then it’s returned to the nursery or transplanted. It is easy to find they companies using Google but I warn you, this option is wonderful and very eco-friendly, but it’s expensive. Could you not purchase a potted tree on your own for less money I wonder?
Or – a very sustainable option exists out of Chicago. The price of this tree is the equivalent to an expensive fake tree – but it’s lovely and hand made, and I want one all for myself to decorate with acorn ornaments. This picture is from the talented Forestry Handmade site… get ready to swoon.
Now that I’ve softened you up with wonderful relaxing photos of handcrafted Christmas trees, I have some hard facts about toys and PVC. I have drafted so many articles that I’ve never published because they are full rants about Hasbro, Disney, Barbie, Toys R Us, and many more companies that produce and sell plastic toys because of my frustration that they can’t keep the issue of ‘safe plastic’ a priority for our children’s health. I’m going to try and remove all the personal conflict I feel about plastic toys aside (I’ve ranted along these lines before) and stick to the facts that CHEJ outlined this week on a new site they’ve launched called Toxic Toys R Us. This is a project run by consumer advocates looking to inform consumers about the sale of PVC-contaminated toys at Toys R Us. The hard facts are that although Toys R Us promised to remove PVC plastic, phthalates, and lead from toys they sell back in 2008 but tests have shown that toys they sell still contain PVC and no amount of labelling from the large toy manufacturers will help parents to understand if they are truly safe. I cannot wait for their Toxic Toys R Us 2010 Report…I wish it was already out. And it’s only Toys R Us that’s been called out on the issue of PVC and toys.. . and we should be aware that all other big box stores carry the same products, the same toys, with the same set of standards. Again, what is the problem for a toy made from PVC to land under the tree Christmas morning? The same problems that I outlined with the fake Christmas tree are true for toys. I wonder if this is the Christmas that as parents (myself included) wake up and realize the damage plastic has done.
Sorry for the lengthy post, but I have very mixed feeling about Christmas and it’s wonderful that I can purge my feelings and perhaps help others who might be confused about different choices we can make this holiday season.
In my quest to steer my 4 year old twin daughters away from highly plastic and commercialized products – I aways find my way back to Beccijo. She is the shop owner and artist behind The Enchanted Cupboard and I’ve been a big fan of her magical wooden hand-painted toys for years. I’ve hosted her beautiful banner linking to her store for a few months, so please be so kind and click on the top of my site and check out this magical world of a truly different way to produce toys.
This post is supposed to be about fairy tale characters and mermaids, but I’m finding myself already sidetracked. Check out this beautiful new listing that makes me ache for Fall to arrive. It is gorgeous and how I picture Autumn trees:
LOVE it! And in my imagination – this is what I would find when looking out my front door this time of year in my dream home. And as I write this, I realize that this is the magic of The Enchanted Cupboard. The toys from this shop ignite the imagination…which is what toys are supposed to do. Plus the fact they are safe and sustainable with how they are hand crafted, painted, and loved.
My girls received their mermaid toy set from Beccijo in August, but I’ve held off writing about it hoping to give parents a magical idea for early Christmas shopping this year. There are always a few gifts for our children that take time to coordinate and creating a custom listing with Beccijo would be a wonderful gift for under the tree. I was drawn to the mermaids from The Enchanted Cupboard because not only is it impossible to find a non-commercialized (Barbie or Ariel) toy and all little girls go through the phase of loving and believing in mermaids. This is the same for fairies which are the one of Beccijo’s specialty items. Here is a picture of the set Beccijo sent for my girls – including the silk scarf for water and they have spent hours playing with their mermaid dolls and Mama with their beds and sea anemone, setting up the ocean background blocks and ocean wave stacker.
This set of toys also gave me exposure to wooden stackers that I’ve seen quite often online. These puzzle/stacker toys are awesome for free-play, but even my girls at 4 years old have spent hours slotting the pieces together and this Waldorf concept has kept them very happy while setting up their mermaid toys. I also love the classic storybook inspired collections listed with The Enchanted Cupboard. What child doesn’t love the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears or Big Bad Wolf and Three Little Pigs? Of course – they all love these stories. If you’re searching for a magical, heirloom gift, look no further than these classics. My 8 year old would still love to play with this Little Red Riding Hood collection (although it might contain some graphic scenes once the Wood Cutter doll arrived!!). The wolf and Grandma doll are double sided, plus the opening door, and little bed with nightstand? Really – it is too adorable!
You’ll be on Bejjico’s site for awhile – behind every category is another magical series. I leave you with this cake topper. If you understand that making investments into quality items to save yourself a lifetime of purchasing new disposable products every year is worth spending more money – these cake toppers are right up your alley. EEEp! Look at the the wooden cake toppers ~ they come with 10 candle cups and all the wooden goodies to last for many years of party magic. Or you can personalize little people cake toppers for any celebrations or a wedding. The sets are my favorite and just look amazing on top of a cake!
Thank you Beccijo for the hours of magic you’ve brought to myself and my girls. Your store has always been a favorite of mine and I look forward to the magic you continue to produce from an imagination that is very special.
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I’m so happy to write about a long awaited eco-activity we’ve recently finished – building a fairy garden and fairy house. It’s been my 6 year old son urging me to help him make fairy furniture and design plans for the house which has been a very cool surprise…I always thought this would be something I’d create with my daughter’s so I’m thrilled my boys thought this was a fun idea. Creating the garden, furniture and house was so much easier thanks to the awesome tutorials at The Magic Onions. I’ve talked about this site before because it’s the ultimate resource for convincing non-crafty folk like myself that I can create some of nature’s magic with my own children.
It was so heart warming to me that one of my son’s was so determined to get this project off the ground. We had so much fun and I’m proud that all of the materials for the garden came from our yard or nearby forests…nothing needed to be purchased and borrowing a glue gun from my friend became another fun highlight for my kids (glue guns make crafting so much fun!). Our garden doesn’t come close to the artistic design that The Magic Onion achieves with her blog but check out the pictures at the end of this article – I think we did pretty good and even managed to create a new item that is the perfect accent for any fairy’s garden (hint: think acorns and hemp string).
I loved the idea of finding a wine barrel for the garden, but we used an over sized planter currently not being used. Whatever you use, make sure it’s large enough because your children will want to play with the garden when it’s completed. Also, have potting soil and make sure the container/planter/barrel has a hole in the bottom for drainage purposes because you’ll need to water your garden to keep the moss and flowers alive.
We didn’t draw out our our fairy garden before hand – but I do recommend it. Having your child map out on a sheet of paper where everything will go is a very magical step in the process and a great keep-sake. We filled up our planter with potting soil and dirt, pulled out a small flowering plant with roots intact from our main garden and replanted it in our fairy garden. Angelo found a plastic container to use for our fairy pond, then we put marbles around it with a path. Now came the fun – fairy doors, fairy furniture, and the fairy house! I followed all the instructions from The Magic Onions except for the one piece of decor within the fairy garden that was dreamed up by my sweet boy Angelo – lantern lights to hang high above the garden to light the way for fairies and gnomes. Angelo is always picking up acorns wherever we go – they are a staple item collected for his nature box. We used some hemp string and tied approx. 6 acorns together and attached to taller branches. These became our fairy lanterns ~ funny what ideas you start to imagine when you believe that fairies really do exist.
We really enjoyed making fairy furniture from the tutorials at The Magic Onions: fairy bath tub, fairy dining table, and our favourite the fairy’s washing line! This is the drying line where fairies leave their extra set of wings or dresses after they’ve been dampened by the morning dew. If you have tiny clothes pegs – that is best. For the clothing line – I used the annoying ties that you need to unwind when receiving a new toy. You know those grey ties that you fight with to ‘release’ the toy after your child unwraps it? Well my mom pointed out a few summers ago that she loves using them for tying back plants in the garden. I started saving them too because they do come in handy. They worked perfectly to tie around two sticks to create our clothing line. Here are our pictures:
After our fairy garden was complete we sat back and enjoyed our accomplishment for only a few days before Angelo decided that a house needed to be built. Thankfully, our wonderful friend Patti had many examples from her own adventures so we followed the fantastic model of no gluing, no tying to get our log house built. We simply cut approx. 20 sticks to the same size and built 4 walls (with a gap for a door) by pushing the sticks down into the soil of our fairy garden. Our roof and fairy door was made from tree bark; easy to break and mold into the shape needed for both. I love that Angelo went into the yard and was so excited that he found the perfect door knob for the fairy door – a dandelion top that hadn’t blossomed yet. It was perfect for a knob and we used the glue gun to attach it to the door. Very easy to build and our garden is almost complete. We used all materials that were already on-hand or found on a forest floor. The last surprise will be the little ladies and goodies I have arriving from The Enchanted Cupboard. I’ve long been a fan of artist and mom Beccijo who hand paints wooden treasures and has truly captured the magic of fairies and mermaids in her lovely Etsy shop.
Here are the final pictures from our fairy garden and house. So fun and hopefully a summer memory that my kids will always remember – I know I will.
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