Easter Goodies from Stubby Pencil Studio {Giveaway}

I'm sure if you're a regular reader here, you'll know that I used to be an art teacher, and therefore have a fondness for art supplies, both kid and adult oriented ones.  I also like to think of myself as ecologically-minded, so when there's a craft or art material that involves recycling or uses natural ingredients, I'm all for it.

Stubby Pencil Studio is an online store I discovered a few years back which offers quite a variety of eco-friendly art supplies and craft materials. The products are not only safe for the environment but for people as well, using ingredients like soy and beeswax (not petroleum), as well as 100% recycled paper sketchbooks (not virgin trees), and pencils made from sustainably harvested wood and recycled newspapers (not vibrant forests).

Kate, owner of Stubby Pencil writes:  "I started this arts and crafts supply store to bring the safest, highest quality art materials to other families. You see, when my twins were toddlers, I wanted them to enjoy arts and crafts, but I didn’t want them exposed to chemicals. I tried to buy toxic-free, quality art supplies and I really had to search. Once I found products I was confident enough to give my own kids, I realized other moms would want these safe products for their kids, too."

Not only are their products ethically made, but they're cute and colorful too.  Wouldn't these make great Easter basket stuffers? 

My boys especially like the crayon rocks, but I definitely need to pick up some Smencils for them too.  Browsing their website is like being a kid in an eye candy store.
Who knew that such things as eco-highlighters existed?

This finger puppet robot is pretty cool too (there's a mermaid available too!)

Mary's Softdough is always a hit, and it's made with natural ingredients

And if you're thoughts are set on Easter, this kit is really adorable

My 6 year old loves to paint wooden objects, so I know he'd love this.

One very lucky reader is going to win this adorable suitcase filled with art supplies, all ready to give as a springtime or Easter gift!

Please enter via the Rafflecopter widget below, and best of luck!
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Give the Gift of Essential Oils {Giveaway}

As much as I like the smells of the holidays (baking, evergreen, citrus) I prefer natural scents to perfume-y candles and air fresheners.  I use eco-friendly cleaners in my home, so I am drawn to products made from all-natural ingredients.

I keep an assortment of essential oils on hand to use in everything from personal skin care to massage to cleaning.  When Puritan's Pride, an online provider of supplements, vitamins, natural beauty products, healthy snacks and more, contacted me about trying out some of their essential oil products, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to create some all-natural, handmade gifts for the holidays.

Aromatherapy is a way to manage stress during this often-stressful season, so I was delighted to try their aromatherapy products.  I was sent a bottle of their Wonder Oil (an amazing citrus-y fusion of oils, herbs and fruits for the body, including Olive, Sunflower Seed, Wheat Germ, Sweet Almond, Sesame and Jojoba Oils, a ScentBall plug-in aromatherapy diffuser, and three 100% essential oils in lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus.

Puritan's Pride began over 40 years ago, with the mission of making the finest quality nutritional supplements available at the best value to their customers. Today, the company remains true to its original commitment and serves millions of loyal customers. Puritan’s Pride manufactures thousands of  vitamins, minerals, herbs and other nutritional supplements in their state-of-the art facilities located throughout the U.S. As part of the company’s commitment to quality, Puritan’s Pride only uses ingredients from suppliers worldwide that meet their Quality Assurance Standards, as well as Good Manufacturing Practices food quality standards.

I love all three of these scents, and thought that used alone or combined could make a wonderful gift set for a teacher, friend, or neighbor.

Packaged in a decorated clementine box, this gift basket is both inexpensive and easy to make, and is a handmade, thoughtful gesture.

You just need a few plain or fancy jars to put the items in, as well as a spray bottle for the room spray.  Here are the recipes I created.

FRESHENING CARPET POWDER

• baking soda
• 100% essential oils (I used peppermint, eucalyptus and tea tree oil, which I had on hand)
• Parmesan cheese jar, or just save the cap from a plastic Parmesan container and screw it onto a mason jar (it works!)

Fill your jar halfway with baking soda, then add 5 drops of each essential oil to the jar.  Cover the top and shake well.

Fill the rest of the way with baking soda and shake again to combine.  Add a pretty label, as well as an instruction one on the back that says something like "sprinkle on your carpet, wait 5 minutes, and vacuum as usual."

REVITALIZING FURNITURE OIL

• 1/4 cup Wonder Oil (a blend of olive oil and other great-smelling essential oils) or plain Olive oil
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 5 drops of eucalyptus oil

Combine all ingredients in a glass jar.

Cover and shake well.  

Add a pretty label as well as instructions to "Shake well.  Pour one tablespoon onto a clean, soft cloth and wipe onto wood.  Buff with a dry cloth. Repeat process monthly."

SOOTHING ROOM SPRAY AND REFRESHING ROOM SPRAY

• Distilled water
• Lavender essential oil for soothing spray and peppermint and eucalyptus for refreshing spray

Add enough distilled water to fill your spray bottle halfway.  Add 8 drops of essential oil into the water, then top with more distilled water.  Shake well and include instructions for user to shake well before use.

The addition of a diffuser into this gift basket is a really nice touch.  The ScentBall diffuser plugs into the wall and comes with reusable pads that you add 5 drops of essential oil onto.

It plugs into an outlet and gently warms the pad, releasing a subtle, pleasant scent.  I have mine in our bathroom, where it works to mask unappealing odors without the chemical cloud that typical air fresheners use.

I packaged all these home care items in a clementine box that I had decoupaged with scrapbooking paper, and added a scrub brush and a cloth diaper (for cleaning, they make the best reusable rags).

Tuck in a few evergreen branches, some pine cones and tie on a pretty ribbon, and you have a lovely seasonal gift that will make the recipient's home smell fresh and clean.

Puritan's Pride has so many other delightful essential oils to choose from, as well as other products to create a holistically healthy lifestyle.

You can learn more about Puritan's Pride via the Puritan's Pride Facebook page as well on Twitter @PuritansPride.

One lucky reader will win an assortment of aromatherapy products from Puritan's Pride.  Please enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.
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Disclosure: I received sample products from Puritan's Pride for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.

The Beauty of Baking Soda

I'm in love with baking soda.  As someone who tries to live a green lifestyle, baking soda is my product of choice for eco-friendly living, from laundry to cleaning to freshening and of course beauty.

Arm and Hammer baking soda is such a versatile product, and I was eager to try out some of the beauty tips they sent me, along with this gorgeous gift basket filled with spa-like delights and of course Arm and Hammer products.

I've been a faithful user of baking soda scrubs for my face and body, so I was eager to try out some of the other beauty tips, especially that I'm pregnant and I just don't seem to have that "glow" during this pregnancy.  I'm eager for any kind of natural help! 

The basket came with baking soda and 2 great containers for them, which are air-tight and have small holes for sprinkling (I tend to always dump too much from the box).

Also included was a spa washcloth, headband, teas and a mug, a soy candle, nail polish, a manicure set, Lavender essential oil and a booklet of beauty tips.

There is so much you can do with baking soda for personal care, including freshening breath, manicuring your nails, and maintaining healthy skin.

So far, I've indulged in a facial scrub and body exfoliant.  My face felt smooth and free of dead skin, though I did make sure to follow up with a moisturizer, since it is dry skin season and all.  Here's the recipe that I used:

Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant

For smooth, radiant skin, give yourself a gentle facial and body scrub with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. Make a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells.  Rinse clean.  Gentle enough for daily use!

While in the shower, I also experimented with baking soda on my hair, which worked well in removing shampoo and conditioner build-up.  Another recipe:
 

Hair Care

Get rid of product buildup by sprinkling a small amount (quarter-size) of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo.  Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly.  The ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.

Here are some additional ideas for using baking soda in a beauty regimen:

Soothing Bath Soak

For a relaxing ending to a long day, add 1/2 cup of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your bath to neutralize acids on the skin and help wash away oil and perspiration.  Your skin will feel silky smooth!

Home Pedicure Foot Soak

Start your home pedicure by dissolving 3 tablespoons of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a basin of warm water and soak feet.  Gently scrub with a paste of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda.  

Pearly Whites

For gleaming smiles, brush teeth with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda. . Just sprinkle baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into it, and brush*. For a refreshing mouthwash, use 1 teaspoon baking soda in ½ glass of water. Swish the solution through your teeth and rinse.

*ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda does not contain the anti-cavity ingredient fluoride. Use it where water is fluorinated or when non-fluoride toothpaste is desired for adult use or as directed by your dentist of physician.

Hand Cleanser

Soften skin with a paste of 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Forget the harsh soaps and gently scrub away ground-in dirt and neutralize odors on hands with 3 parts ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda to your liquid hand soap.  Then rinse clean. 

Clean Brushes and Combs

For lustrous hair with more shine, keep brushes and combs clean with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda.  Remove natural oil build-up and hair product residue by soaking combs and brushes in a solution of 1 teaspoon of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda in a small basin of warm water.  Rinse and allow to dry.

Natural Deodorant

Dust ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda under arms as needed to feel fresh all day.  The magic of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda actually absorbs odors instead of just covering them up.  

Be kind to yourself, indulge and enjoy, all for under a buck!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received a beauty basket to thank me for taking the time to participate.

A Toy Garden {Giveaway}

You may have seen a cute little Bolga basket appearing in many of my gardening photos.
What was once an Easter basket for my son has now become a handy container for gathering produce in our small backyard garden. I think it would also make an adorable lunch basket for a child, don't you?
I bought this sweet little basket (yes, bloggers actually BUY things) back in April from A Toy Garden, a wonderful retailer of children's toys and other educational items. According to their website, A Toy Garden...

offers a broad selection of open ended, natural, creative & fun toys for children & their families. Great selection of Fair Trade & Made in the USA toys, too. Waldorf & Montessori families and anyone who appreciates quality toys at reasonable prices will enjoy our family run webstore.

A Toy Garden is the perfect place for back-to-school items, not just for traditional settings, but for homeschooling and Montessori and Waldorf schools. I'm quite smitten with their kits and art supplies, like the needle felting kits, including this Rainbow Felted Acorn Set
and this adorable table-top loom, which is made in the USA.
And I must get a set of these colored twig pencils, if only for decoration in a hand-made container. :). A Toy Garden really inspires that crunchy side of me.
A Toy Garden is such a great resource for unique and inspirational children's toys. Won't you go on over and take a look?

WIN IT!
Sonya, the owner/founder of A Toy Garden is very kindly offering to give away to one lucky K&K reader

A Child's Bolga Basket

Here's a brief description of this pretty and colorful basket: The top half is a mix of the blue and green, the bottom half is a mix of blue and natural. The blue has a hint of purple in it but is really very gender neutral. The rim alternates with natural and blue. The parts that go to the leather handle also alternate with blue and natural. It's roughly 8" wide in diameter, perfect for a child's lunch.
To Enter
Visit A Toy Garden and leave a comment here naming your favorite item.
Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

• Blog about this contest (2 entries--leave 2 comments)
• Subscribe to my updates
• If you're a Fan of Katydid and Kid on Facebook leave a comment letting me know
• Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect
• Follow @katydidandkid and tweet this giveaway, leaving a link to your tweet in the comments. You can tweet once per day (leave a comment each day). You can copy and paste my tweet if you'd like: Win a child sized Bolga Basket from A Toy Garden. Perfect basket for a child's lunch http://goo.gl/fb/Ykp7E @katydidandkid

US Postal addresses only.You must do the first entry in order to enter ("I want to win, thanks!" comments will NOT be considered). You will have until Sunday September 12th at 11:59pm EST to enter. The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winners on my blog HERE. If I don't hear back from the winner within 72 hours, I'll pick another.
Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

Crafty KidsUSA Model Playhouses {Giveaway}

A few months back, we got to try out the amazing cardboard Shuttle Imagination Playhouse from Crafty Kids USA, and we loved not just that it was a full-sized playhouse, but that it could be customized by painting and decorating. Naturally I loved this, being an art teacher, but I also was impressed that the cardboard house if eco-friendly too.

In addition to life-sized playhouses, Crafty Kids USA has just introduced mini versions of their Creation Cottage and Shuttle Imagination playhouses. We chose the Creation Cottage Craft model to review.
It is such a cool little house that SoJo likes to put his cars in. Plus since it's made of sturdy cardboard, it's very lightweight and he can move it from room to room depending on where he wants to play. The door and windows are his favorite features, and he spends time moving cars in and out of them.
But that white was looking pretty boring, so we got out our natural paints from Clementine Art (which incidentally, Crafty Kids also sells), and got down to the messy business of painting. The decorating was definitely the icing on the cake of this playhouse.
This was so fun, for both SoJo and myself.
He liked blending the colors on the roof
and then on the side of the house.
Not exactly a masterpiece, but he enjoyed the physicality of the experience. And of course one can paint over this as many times as you want, at least as much as the cardboard can handle. The model playhouses come with 6 jumbo markers to get you started.

This is a wonderful way to occupy your children and to allow them to customize one of their toys. I think being able to do so will give them a sense of pride about their creation and inspire many hours of creative play.

WIN IT! Crafty Kids USA is generously giving away one of their new craft models, either the Shuttle Imagination model ($24.95) or the Creation Cottage model ($22.95)
To Enter
Visit Crafty Kids USA and leave a comment naming something else the Crafty Kids sells and which model playhouse you'd choose if you won.
Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

• Blog about this contest (2 entries--leave 2 comments)
• Subscribe to my updates
• If you're a Fan of Crafty Kids USA on Facebook, leave a comment letting me know
  
• If you're a Fan of Katydid and Kid on Facebook leave a comment letting me know
• Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect
• Follow @CraftyKidsUSA on Twitter
  
• Follow @katydidandkid and tweet this giveaway, leaving a link to your tweet in the comments. You can tweet once per day (leave a comment each day). You can copy and paste my tweet if you'd like: Win a cardboard model playhouse from @CraftyKidsUSA. Lightweight, eco-friendly, and you can decorate and customize it!http://goo.gl/fb/RJzWO

US Postal addresses only.You must do the first entry in order to enter ("I want to win, thanks!" comments will NOT be considered). You will have until Sunday September 5th at 11:59pm EST to enter. The winner will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winners on my blog HERE. If I don't hear back from the winner within 72 hours, I'll pick another.
Disclosure: I received a Creation Cottage Craft model playhouse for review purposes.

The Best Thing in My Purse

I don't go anywhere without this.
Being fair-skinned, both Soren and I must be vigilant about sunscreen. I put on a daily moisturizer and sunscreen every morning. Sometimes though, when I'm out-and-about and forgot to pack a tube, it's great knowing that that Badger Balm's Sunscreen Stick is stashed in my purse. Especially on days when the sun is particularly strong and I need some more protection.

We've been using Badger's sunscreen for a few years now, in fact we just emptied our last tube when we were at Disney World last month. I love its lavender scent, and after recently reading a recent report listing the best and worse sunscreens, I'm happy to see that Badger Balm was in the top of the list.

If you're looking to buy the Sunscreen stick, it's made with zinc oxide and natural ingredients. The cocoa butter smell is wonderful, and the stick is very easy to apply on the face and neck.
Plus because it's primary sun protection is zinc oxide, it works immediately. I don't have to worry about applying the sunscreen a half an hour before we go out. It does make the face look a bit white due to the zinc, though I can't say that we look as severe as Japanese Kabuki actors.
You can get Badger Balm products, including other items in the skincare line, at many health food stores and also on their website.
Disclosure: I received a sample Sunscreen Stick from Badger Balm and have been happily buying their products for years.

Blast Off! KidsCraft Shuttle Imagination Playhouse {Giveaway}

One of the perks of this blog is getting to try out really fun things that I normally wouldn't have even heard of, like anti-microbial gloves and bath towels shaped like firetrucks, and of course cardboard rocket ship playhouses.
What level of awesomeness is that? The Shuttle Imagination Playhouse from KidsCraft comes packed flat, and is basically a few sheets of punched cardboard that get slotted together without the use of tools or glues. It's so simple that a toddler can help. Or at least not be too annoying when he's in the way. :)
This is S's favorite place in the house at the moment. He likes going inside and pushing his cars on the floor.
Unlike a plain cardboard box, the rocket ship playhouse has shapes cut out on the sides of it, like stars and comets, which make it brighter inside.And of course more fun to peek out at mom and dad.
The best part is that you can paint or color it! We haven't done this yet, but I see so many possibilities here, and a great afternoon activity. The 100% recycled cardboard was left blank on purpose so kids and adults could personalize their playhouses.
I'm thinking we might do this at S's birthday party this weekend, letting the kids go wild with coloring it as a fun party activity.KidsCraft also makes a plain-Jane Creation Cottage playhouse too, which is very sweet and would be great to turn into a post office, veterinarian's office, ice cream stand, or whatever tickles your fancy. And once the kids tired of their design, you could just paint over it.
The only issues I see with the Shuttle Imagination playhouse is that it is a bit larger than I expected (we have a small house, so that's more of the issue), and that the cardboard area under the door takes a beating.
The doors aren't flush against the floor, so I imagine that this panel will be ripped sooner than the rest of the playhouse from S going in and out of it so often. He's not that skilled at climbing over it, as older kids might be, so he often catches his leg on it. But I'm sure I can just tape it up or reinforce it with another piece of cardboard.

But I do like that when this playhouse is worn down, I can take it apart, flatten the cardboard and recycle it. This is definitely one of the coolest things we've gotten to try out in our house. With SoJo's birthday party coming up, I think the party guests will definitely enjoy playing in the Imagination Shuttle.

KidsCraft is very generously giving 1 lucky K&K reader...

A Playhouse of your choice!

To Enter
Visit KidsCraft Playhouses and leave a comment here about your favorite playhouse AND something you learned about the company.
Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

• Blog about this contest (2 entries--leave 2 comments)
  
• Subscribe to my updates
• Become a Fan of Katydid and Kid on Facebook
• Become a Fan of KidsCraft on Facebook
  
• Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect
• Follow @KidsCraftUSA on Twitter and tweet this giveaway, leaving a link to your tweet in the comments. You can tweet once per day (leave a comment each day). You can copy and paste my tweet if you'd like: Win an out-of-this-world cardboard Rocket Ship Playhouse ($69.95) from @KidsCraftUSA http://goo.gl/fb/jA5L @katydidandkid #giveaway

US Postal addresses only.

You must do the first entry in order to enter ("I want to win, thanks!" comments will NOT be considered). You will have until Sunday April 4th at 11:59pm EST to enter. The winners will be chosen via random number generator the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winners on my blog HERE. If I don't hear back from the winner within 72 hours, I'll pick another.
Disclosure: KidsCraft sent us a complementary Shuttle Imagination for review purposes.

Natural Liquid Soap Recipe

The herbs have gone nuts in my garden, so I've been trying to find new ways to use them, particularly the mint. I decided to make yet another natural cleanser, this time a liquid soap. One doesn't actually make the soap part, which is courtesy of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap, but the other ingredients are easily assembled to make it extra effective and still good for the environment.
One could also substitute 2 bars of castile soap that has been grated for the Dr. Bronner's.

You can use this soap for hand washing, floor scrubbing, dishes, and general cleaning tasks. Feel free to substitute other herbs for the mint and lavender. I think Rosemary would smell really nice too.

Herbal Liquid Soap
*Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap (unscented)
*Large bunch of mint leaves (or 10 mint tea bags)
*A handful of lavender blossoms (use however much you'd like)
*1 tsp. Borax (you can find it in the laundry aisle of the grocery store)
*1/2 cup baking soda
*6 cups of water
*stainless steel saucepan
*clean spray bottle or liquid soap pump

In the saucepan, boil the water and add the lavender and mint. Turn off the heat and allow the herbs to sit for 20 minutes. Strain out the herbs, then add the other ingredients and stir until combined. If using grated castile soap, you'll need to reheat the liquid to a simmer until the soap flakes are dissolved. Once the mixture is cool, pour into a spray bottle or soap bottle and use anywhere there's dirt. Be sure to give the mix a shake before using. Of course, use it with some reusable cloths, like ones made from old flannel receiving blankets.