Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Lullaby Organics Jammy Sale and Review

Don't you just love the feeling of a new set of snuggly warm jammies? And there are few things more adorable that kids all jammied up and ready for bed.

Which is why I was really excited to work with Erin from Lullaby Organics to showcase some of the awesome organic cotton jammies she has in her shop (many of which are on sale through the end of March!)

The set she sent for my little man is this adorable set of dinosaur jammies by Frugi. Not only are they organic cotton, which I love, but they are super adorable, too!  My little guy had a blast running around in them.

Because organic cotton is not treated with all the harsh chemicals that keep conventional cotton from shrinking, there is some shrinkage that's going to happen but the Frugi jammies are cut generously in order to accommodate. No need to buy a size up! The bum is also cut in a way that will fit both cloth and regular diapers (score!).

Why should you check out the Organic Cotton Jammies at Lullaby Organics?
  • They're adorable! Lullaby Organics has different jammy styles and prints available for kids of all ages and sizes. (Check the selection out here)
  • Organic cotton means less icky chemicals near your kiddo AND less icky chemicals in our enviroment. (want to read more about why organic cotton is better, go to the Frugi site here)
  • These jammies are durable. The pajamas from Frugi that K is wearing are really well made and I can tell they will last for way longer than he will fit in them. I know Erin personally selects all the items for sale in the Lullaby Organics shop so you can trust anything she's selling will stand up to her high quality standards.
  • Stake out your faves to get ready for the sale! Some of her PJs are on sale now but the biggest sale is going to land in April. Stake out your faves now so when the sale drops, you can swoop in and buy your faves for a great price!
We love our new Frugi jammies and I'm sure you'll love all the awesome organic products for sale at Lullaby Organics (they sell way more than pajamas PLUS they have a sale section that has some things for a downright steal). Check them out today just in time to stock up are great kid gear and toys that will last for Easter!

I have received compensation including free product from Lullaby Organics for posting this review and linking to their site. All opinions expressed in the review are 100% mine. I was not paid to give the Frugi pajamas or Lullaby Organics a positive review. They earned my praise by being awesome.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Healthy Easter Treats: How to Make Cheddar Bunny "Carrots"

Aside from all the plastic junk that accumulates around the holidays, the other thing that makes this green mom  crazy, is that Americans are conditioned to always celebrate holidays with large quantities of sugar. Candy candy everywhere! So if you aren't filling your little bunnies' easter eggs with candy, what do you put in their basket or bring as treats to class parties?

Creative Carissa's Favorite Healthy Easter Options
  • Make your own playdough
  • Books  (I just bought brand new Dr. Seuss books at Goodwill for $1 each)
  • Socks
  • Non-Toxic Nail Polish like Piggy Paint
  • Sidewalk Chalk
  • Healthy Snacks 
  • Cheddar bunny carrots!

What you need
These carrots are super simple and were made with things I already had on hand. You will need:
**An important note about plastic bags**
Beware of the triangle shaped party bags often sold in the seasonal section of department stores as the plastics used often contain questionable ingredients like BPA. Instead, purchase baggies made for food that are explicitly labeled to be PVC, BPA and phthalate free. I personally use the bags from Whole Food's 365 brand as they are 100% polyethelene and free of these questionable ingredients.


Step 1: Fill the bag
Open a bag and pour in about 1/2 cup of crackers.

Step 2: Check for "carrotiness"
Make sure your bag is filled to the right level to make you happy with its carroty shape. Add more crackers if needed.



Step 3: Trim the top
Trim the top zipper edge off the bag.


Step 4: Tie the top
Pull out a length of about 2 yards of yarn. Keep folding the length in half until you have a large loop about 6 inches in length. Tie it around the top of the crackers.



Step 5: Make it pretty
Slide your scissors in the ends of the yarn loops and trim them to make a cute little tuft of fringe.




Step 7: Repeat
Keep going until you have all the little carrots you need. If you are bringing these to a class party or group event, be sure to keep or photocopy the ingredients list from the box so anyone worried about food allergies can check them out before enjoying.

If you have a favorite non-toxic or non-sugary Easter idea, I'd love to hear about it! Please feel free to share in the comments.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Green Your Easter: Grow Your Own Easter Grass

It's getting to be that time of year again. When our cultural traditions threaten to make every plastic-averse parent tremble in fear. When toxic chemicals combine with sugar to make our children run around in a weird haze. It's time for...EASTER!

Ok, so maybe it's not that dramatic.

But I hate unnecessary plastic and I feel like Easter "grass" is the epitome of unnecessary plastic. It's not pretty, lacks any kind of real purpose, is not recyclable and it gets tracked all over your house before getting dumped in the trashcan. Last year, we started a tradition of growing our own Easter grass and I love it!

Three Reasons to Grow Your Own Easter Grass...
  1. It costs less. I paid $0.30 for enough wheat berries to grow 2-3 large baskets worth of grass. That's $0.15 per basket instead of $1 or more for each basket's worth of plastic shreds. That's an 85% savings! 
  2. It's a fun activity to do with your kids before Easter. (plus Easter Bunny believers will love leaving it out as a fresh snack for their favorite cottontail)
  3. No waste. You can compost your leftovers.
Look for wheat or rye berries in the bulk foods section of your local grocery or natural foods store.
What You'll Need: 
  • A basket or other container (I used a small plastic storage tub I got at the Dollar Store)
  • Approx 1/2 cup or wheat or rye berries per basket
  • Water
  • Small amount of potting soil
  • Approx 7 days of growing time

Get Started!


Step 1: Get your basket or tub ready
If you are using a woven basket, line the bottom with a piece of foil or plastic wrap to protect the basket from the dirt and water. Roll up the edges to create a lip to hold in any excess moisture. I'm re-using a small plastic storage tub so I didn't need to line mine.


Step 2: Spread in some dirt
Spread out a thin layer of potting soil in the bottom of your container. Make sure that is is thoroughly damp.


Step 3: Generously scatter the berries
Generously sprinkle the rye or wheat berries across the top of the damp soil.


Step 4: Sprinkle with water.
Sprinkle the berries with water. I used a sippy cup which had the non-spill stopper removed. If you don't have a sippy cup, you can use a spray bottle or sprinkle the water with your hand.


Step 5: Put in a warm place and wait
For first few days I kept my basket on top of my fridge where it was warm (the plants don't need sun until they start looking like plants). On day four I moved the basket to a sunny window during the day and kept it warm at night. Make sure to keep sprinkling water on the seeds once or twice a day to keep the growing plants happy.
It's really quite amazing how quickly this stuff grows! If you're homeschooling, you can use this as a fun way to incorporate science and math (measuring!) into your curriculum, too.

After six or seven days, you should have some pretty hearty growth:

Please note: Do not be alarmed if the basket looks a bit sparse because you can still see the seeds when you look straight down into it even after about a week:
Once you add basket filler (it doesn't take much!), it shifts the grass around and you will have adorable tufts of living grass peeking up from between your eggs and other baskety gifts. This is the same "sparse" looking basket five minute later:




This project is so easy and fun that I hope I've encouraged you to start your own Easter grass growing tradition, too!

Linking to:


Friday, March 9, 2012

Beautiful Spring Wreaths


It's official: Spring is on it's way! Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far where I live in Northwest Oregon. We've been graced with sunny, dry weather and I just can't wait for the danger of frost to pass so I can get my garden going.

Since it's not quite time to get some spring color in the ground, I wanted to feature some of my favorite front door spring door bling from around the blogosphere. Hopefully they will inspire you to make something fabulous and colorful for your own abode!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
I love this beautiful wreath wrapped in yarn and moss and sprinkled with beautiful butterflies. Visit her site to get the full tutorial.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Moss is a theme I love for spring decor - especially since I'm surrounded by it as the weather warms up here. Keep moss where it belongs...on your front door (instead of in your yard!). Click the link above to visit the full tutorial.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


If you're in an upcycling mood, turn some fabric and sewing scraps into cute flowers and leaves to make this bright Spring wreath. Kiki doesn't have a tutorial for her wreath but she's got some great close up shots on the blog so be sure to visit to check it out!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Last year I made this spring wreath from some dollar store sprigs and a grapevine wreath. I can't wait to take it out of storage and hang it on my door!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

If I featured your project, please feel free to grab a button if you'd like:
Carissa's Creativity Space



<a href="http://creativecarissa.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yAdyxQgGNck/TsfgKuluvcI/AAAAAAAABeI/sweZPJUKVyE/s150/featured%252520button%252520150%252520px%252520copy.jpg" alt="Carissa's Creativity Space" width="125" height="125" /></a>


Can't get enough wreaths? I pin my favorite Wreaths year round on my Pinterest Wreaths board

If you've got a fabulous wreath you've made, leave a link in the comments. I'd love to pin you, too!



Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Lullaby Organics Jammy Sale and Review

Don't you just love the feeling of a new set of snuggly warm jammies? And there are few things more adorable that kids all jammied up and ready for bed.

Which is why I was really excited to work with Erin from Lullaby Organics to showcase some of the awesome organic cotton jammies she has in her shop (many of which are on sale through the end of March!)

The set she sent for my little man is this adorable set of dinosaur jammies by Frugi. Not only are they organic cotton, which I love, but they are super adorable, too!  My little guy had a blast running around in them.

Because organic cotton is not treated with all the harsh chemicals that keep conventional cotton from shrinking, there is some shrinkage that's going to happen but the Frugi jammies are cut generously in order to accommodate. No need to buy a size up! The bum is also cut in a way that will fit both cloth and regular diapers (score!).

Why should you check out the Organic Cotton Jammies at Lullaby Organics?
  • They're adorable! Lullaby Organics has different jammy styles and prints available for kids of all ages and sizes. (Check the selection out here)
  • Organic cotton means less icky chemicals near your kiddo AND less icky chemicals in our enviroment. (want to read more about why organic cotton is better, go to the Frugi site here)
  • These jammies are durable. The pajamas from Frugi that K is wearing are really well made and I can tell they will last for way longer than he will fit in them. I know Erin personally selects all the items for sale in the Lullaby Organics shop so you can trust anything she's selling will stand up to her high quality standards.
  • Stake out your faves to get ready for the sale! Some of her PJs are on sale now but the biggest sale is going to land in April. Stake out your faves now so when the sale drops, you can swoop in and buy your faves for a great price!
We love our new Frugi jammies and I'm sure you'll love all the awesome organic products for sale at Lullaby Organics (they sell way more than pajamas PLUS they have a sale section that has some things for a downright steal). Check them out today just in time to stock up are great kid gear and toys that will last for Easter!

I have received compensation including free product from Lullaby Organics for posting this review and linking to their site. All opinions expressed in the review are 100% mine. I was not paid to give the Frugi pajamas or Lullaby Organics a positive review. They earned my praise by being awesome.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Healthy Easter Treats: How to Make Cheddar Bunny "Carrots"

Aside from all the plastic junk that accumulates around the holidays, the other thing that makes this green mom  crazy, is that Americans are conditioned to always celebrate holidays with large quantities of sugar. Candy candy everywhere! So if you aren't filling your little bunnies' easter eggs with candy, what do you put in their basket or bring as treats to class parties?

Creative Carissa's Favorite Healthy Easter Options
  • Make your own playdough
  • Books  (I just bought brand new Dr. Seuss books at Goodwill for $1 each)
  • Socks
  • Non-Toxic Nail Polish like Piggy Paint
  • Sidewalk Chalk
  • Healthy Snacks 
  • Cheddar bunny carrots!

What you need
These carrots are super simple and were made with things I already had on hand. You will need:
**An important note about plastic bags**
Beware of the triangle shaped party bags often sold in the seasonal section of department stores as the plastics used often contain questionable ingredients like BPA. Instead, purchase baggies made for food that are explicitly labeled to be PVC, BPA and phthalate free. I personally use the bags from Whole Food's 365 brand as they are 100% polyethelene and free of these questionable ingredients.


Step 1: Fill the bag
Open a bag and pour in about 1/2 cup of crackers.

Step 2: Check for "carrotiness"
Make sure your bag is filled to the right level to make you happy with its carroty shape. Add more crackers if needed.



Step 3: Trim the top
Trim the top zipper edge off the bag.


Step 4: Tie the top
Pull out a length of about 2 yards of yarn. Keep folding the length in half until you have a large loop about 6 inches in length. Tie it around the top of the crackers.



Step 5: Make it pretty
Slide your scissors in the ends of the yarn loops and trim them to make a cute little tuft of fringe.




Step 7: Repeat
Keep going until you have all the little carrots you need. If you are bringing these to a class party or group event, be sure to keep or photocopy the ingredients list from the box so anyone worried about food allergies can check them out before enjoying.

If you have a favorite non-toxic or non-sugary Easter idea, I'd love to hear about it! Please feel free to share in the comments.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Green Your Easter: Grow Your Own Easter Grass

It's getting to be that time of year again. When our cultural traditions threaten to make every plastic-averse parent tremble in fear. When toxic chemicals combine with sugar to make our children run around in a weird haze. It's time for...EASTER!

Ok, so maybe it's not that dramatic.

But I hate unnecessary plastic and I feel like Easter "grass" is the epitome of unnecessary plastic. It's not pretty, lacks any kind of real purpose, is not recyclable and it gets tracked all over your house before getting dumped in the trashcan. Last year, we started a tradition of growing our own Easter grass and I love it!

Three Reasons to Grow Your Own Easter Grass...
  1. It costs less. I paid $0.30 for enough wheat berries to grow 2-3 large baskets worth of grass. That's $0.15 per basket instead of $1 or more for each basket's worth of plastic shreds. That's an 85% savings! 
  2. It's a fun activity to do with your kids before Easter. (plus Easter Bunny believers will love leaving it out as a fresh snack for their favorite cottontail)
  3. No waste. You can compost your leftovers.
Look for wheat or rye berries in the bulk foods section of your local grocery or natural foods store.
What You'll Need: 
  • A basket or other container (I used a small plastic storage tub I got at the Dollar Store)
  • Approx 1/2 cup or wheat or rye berries per basket
  • Water
  • Small amount of potting soil
  • Approx 7 days of growing time

Get Started!


Step 1: Get your basket or tub ready
If you are using a woven basket, line the bottom with a piece of foil or plastic wrap to protect the basket from the dirt and water. Roll up the edges to create a lip to hold in any excess moisture. I'm re-using a small plastic storage tub so I didn't need to line mine.


Step 2: Spread in some dirt
Spread out a thin layer of potting soil in the bottom of your container. Make sure that is is thoroughly damp.


Step 3: Generously scatter the berries
Generously sprinkle the rye or wheat berries across the top of the damp soil.


Step 4: Sprinkle with water.
Sprinkle the berries with water. I used a sippy cup which had the non-spill stopper removed. If you don't have a sippy cup, you can use a spray bottle or sprinkle the water with your hand.


Step 5: Put in a warm place and wait
For first few days I kept my basket on top of my fridge where it was warm (the plants don't need sun until they start looking like plants). On day four I moved the basket to a sunny window during the day and kept it warm at night. Make sure to keep sprinkling water on the seeds once or twice a day to keep the growing plants happy.
It's really quite amazing how quickly this stuff grows! If you're homeschooling, you can use this as a fun way to incorporate science and math (measuring!) into your curriculum, too.

After six or seven days, you should have some pretty hearty growth:

Please note: Do not be alarmed if the basket looks a bit sparse because you can still see the seeds when you look straight down into it even after about a week:
Once you add basket filler (it doesn't take much!), it shifts the grass around and you will have adorable tufts of living grass peeking up from between your eggs and other baskety gifts. This is the same "sparse" looking basket five minute later:




This project is so easy and fun that I hope I've encouraged you to start your own Easter grass growing tradition, too!

Linking to:


Friday, March 9, 2012

Beautiful Spring Wreaths


It's official: Spring is on it's way! Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far where I live in Northwest Oregon. We've been graced with sunny, dry weather and I just can't wait for the danger of frost to pass so I can get my garden going.

Since it's not quite time to get some spring color in the ground, I wanted to feature some of my favorite front door spring door bling from around the blogosphere. Hopefully they will inspire you to make something fabulous and colorful for your own abode!


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
I love this beautiful wreath wrapped in yarn and moss and sprinkled with beautiful butterflies. Visit her site to get the full tutorial.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Moss is a theme I love for spring decor - especially since I'm surrounded by it as the weather warms up here. Keep moss where it belongs...on your front door (instead of in your yard!). Click the link above to visit the full tutorial.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


If you're in an upcycling mood, turn some fabric and sewing scraps into cute flowers and leaves to make this bright Spring wreath. Kiki doesn't have a tutorial for her wreath but she's got some great close up shots on the blog so be sure to visit to check it out!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Last year I made this spring wreath from some dollar store sprigs and a grapevine wreath. I can't wait to take it out of storage and hang it on my door!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

If I featured your project, please feel free to grab a button if you'd like:
Carissa's Creativity Space



<a href="http://creativecarissa.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yAdyxQgGNck/TsfgKuluvcI/AAAAAAAABeI/sweZPJUKVyE/s150/featured%252520button%252520150%252520px%252520copy.jpg" alt="Carissa's Creativity Space" width="125" height="125" /></a>


Can't get enough wreaths? I pin my favorite Wreaths year round on my Pinterest Wreaths board

If you've got a fabulous wreath you've made, leave a link in the comments. I'd love to pin you, too!



 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Facebook Themes