Little Green Books Review and SUPER sized GIVEAWAY

Who knew??  I didn't.  When I ran across Little Green Books by Simon and Schuster I was pleasantly surprised.  Love the idea behind the books and the website.  There is more than just books offered on the site.   Parents and caregivers can find great stuff on the blog and some really cool games for pre schoolers and younger too!  Downloadables, green tips and more really help parents and teachers find fun ways to get kids involved in an Eco friendly way.  They introduce fun characters like Little Green Monster for your kids to fall in love with.  Smartly written and extremely colorful, they catch the attention of even the youngest readers. 

Little Green Books are printed with vegetable or soy based inks, made from recycled materials and are 100% recyclable!  I was so happy to see they had books available for little ones (board books) and for a bit older (pre-school and young elementary age).  There are ton of options out there for older kiddos to learn how to help the Earth and the creatures on it but the younger group has been left out...until now.  You can even find lift the flap books to keep them entertained and involved. 

G loved these books...his fave was I Can Save the Ocean.  He loves anything to do with sea life and the ocean so this was a big hit and he loved the Little Green Monster.  I enjoyed The Polar Bear's Home as well....this story about global warming was a tug-on-the-heart story that he understood and took to heart. 



Peter Pan enjoying his Little Green Book



As total book nerds, we had fun reviewing the books we did.  We were able to review the ones shown and mentioned above.  I Can Save the Ocean, I Can Save the Earth, The Polar Bear's Home and Don't Throw That Away! 

Now it's YOUR turn to read these books!  We are going to have a super-size giveaway for these great books.  I will have 1 Grand Prize Winner who will receive the whole pack of books that I mentioned!  All 4!  Then, I will have 4 winners get to choose 1 book of their choice out of the ones above.  This should be fun, 5 winners!  Here's what to do:

1. Must be a pubic follower (GFC) of this blog.
2. Head to Little Green Books and let me know which of the books out of the 4 I reviewed that you would want to read to a little one.
3. You want to grab some extra entries??? 
Go and "like" me on Facebook! (1 extra entry)
Follow me on Twitter! (1 extra entry)
Blog about the giveaway!  Leave me a link. (2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to all US and Canada followers!  This giveaway will end on June 10th...so you have plenty of time to enter! 

Wild Dill Review {Autonomie Project Organic Sneakers}

In this house we happen to be a tad bit obsessed with shoes.  I have basket by the side door hoping to catch every one's freshly kicked off sneaks...but seems to always be overflowing.  We have everything from TOMS (love, love, love), Riders, Old Navy $5 flip flops, Adidas shell toes and Converse in a rainbow of colors.  Which is why when I visited Wild Dill's website I immediately noticed these so-cute shoes.  In the South, we refer to every kind of "sneaker" as a tennishoe...that's right, you say it together just like that.  So, it feels awkward referring to things as sneakers....yet, that is their name. 
My youngest is a total dress up kid.  He walks around in 3 piece suits, Peter Pan costumes, and now we are really into being Bam Bam.  So, of course his daddy made him a Bam Bam costume yesterday along with a club, which was a twine wrapped plastic baseball bat. 

When the package arrived the other day with these shoes inside, G was more than thrilled.  His favorite color is green and even though I wanted the orange I knew he would like the green so much more. 
Immediately you can tell how well made the Autonomie Project Organic Sneakers are.  They are very Converse-esque but I love that they are organic and also fair trade.  All the dyes used are PCP and AZO free....which is not always easy to find.  The soles are even made from natural sustainably harvested rubber!  Looking for 100% vegan and cruelty free?  Look no further.  They are made by the UK company Ethletic.  They come in a variety of saturated colors: Mandarin orange, black, olive green, navy blue, pink, and cranberry red.  Plus, they are machine washable!  If you love Converse but are looking for a more Eco friendly option then Ethletic shoes for Autonomie Project is what you need.  Wild Dill is a great site because they offer things just like this....simplicity with a green twist.  This takes the whole "it might be Earth friendly but is it comfortable" question out of the equation.  G has worn these shoes without a complaint and they fit perfectly.  Mr. Fashionable would not wear something if it didn't feel good...he doesn't subscribe to the belief that beauty hurts. 
So, just to make it clear in case you're still not sold:
100% Fair trade and sweatshop free!  (all the way down the supply chain)
100% Eco friendly ....did I mention the certified cotton and sustainably harvested rubber?
100% Vegan and cruelty free

Wild Dill has much more than shoes though.  They offer an array of products for each kid in your family.   Everything to cover their top and bottom and to keep them busy in imaginative ways.  I love how everything they have seems to have that sweet but funky feel to it. 


For Beach Bums like us this is PERFECT!



Love the Imagination Cottage would provide hours of fun for any age!

 With summer coming quickly I know I am looking for more items to keep the kids occupied...with a 12,9 and 4 year old it has to be a really cool thing to keep their attention and focus. 


Clementine Art makes these amazingly cute natural soy Crayon Rocks



This cute little guy is Chet, from the Global Green Pals

The clothes are beautifully made and sweet for boys and girls. 


So sweet

Don't forget the boys....




Upside down letters!  Ingenious way for kids to learn their sight words!  Of course, this could totally be unisex.

 I couldn't resist one more sweet as can be little girl dress



They have a ton of cute stuffed animals that are not your typical teddy bears.  Stuffed with 100% unbleached and unprocessed cotton you will feel completely at ease letting your little one snuggle with these.  Aminals are organic stuffed animals inspired by children's drawings and are made using fair trade practices and are even fully compost (able)....now that you don't hear of very often.



Aminals!


Wild Dill has some excellent sale items and plenty of gifts for the person you are looking for.  From the future environmentalist to the future bug lover.  The offer 15% off your next order when you sign up for their newsletter and the have a wish list or baby registry available.  Free shipping for orders over $65!  Find them on Facebook too...keep up to date with the specials and promotions! 

WasteNot Saks Review and Giveaway!

I am so excited about this giveaway! 
Last year, before school started, my daughter proposed a challenge.  She wanted us to go the whole school year without plastic baggies in their lunch.  First thought-Yes! I have done it...the green brainwashing is complete! Second thought-okay, there goes my Back to School budget.   Despite my cheapness, I got online that day and searched for what we would need.  I stumbled upon WasteNot Saks on Etsy, which is such an amazing site.
Having used sandwich wraps for a year from another company I knew I wanted something different and WasteNot Saks was the different we needed.  I loved the Velcro closure and the sack-like design.  The fabrics that are available ranged from grown up to pre-school friendly and they were all very vibrant.  I bought 3 Sandwich Saks and 3 Snack Saks that day, in total kid friendly prints.   They are surprisingly affordable,  only $6.50 for a Snack Sak and $7.50 for a Sandwich Sak. 
When they arrived, Tyler immediately claimed the Guitar print and Rhys loved the owls.  Griffin, of course, liked the aliens.  With our WasteNot Saks arsenal, we were successful in our No Baggie Challenge for the entire school year!  I can't imagine how much money we saved.  Being a self professed Green Geek, I love being able to pack their lunches and not feel guilty about wrapping it  in chemical filled plastic.  Hurting the environment and my kids' health in the long run, I use the least amount of plastic possible.  Especially with all of the BPA warnings.  
My WasteNot Saks are in excellent condition, even after a year of daily use.  I usually wash the sandwich Saks each time they are used because of the mess PB and J can make.  Super simple to wash: flip inside out and get rid of crumbs, throw in with a load of clothes on cold wash, which I use all the time anyway except for towels.  After washing them I try to remember to take them out and let them air dry but sometimes I forget and they are thrown into the dryer as well, still work perfectly!  Using the WasteNot Saks cuts down on waste in so many ways, no more single serve packages of Goldfish, no baggies to stuff the sandwich in, no hard plastic sandwich containers that most likely contain BPA.  If you Google BPA, you will avoid it in every way possible, believe me.   (Here's a link to the FDA's comments about BPA)
The fabric is an added plus, the range of colors and prints are amazing.  These are great for teachers or any working woman trying to avoid the waste while bringing her lunch.  They are perfect for kids of all ages, and easy to open and close, even for the littlest of fingers.  All three of my kids, ages 11,8 and 3 1/2, use the WasteNot Saks for all sorts of things.  This summer, when we didn't have to pack lunches, we used the Alien Sandwich Sak to carry Leapster games when we headed to the allergist for our monthly appointment.  
So, the low down on the WasteNot Saks you need to know:
1. Eco-friendly
2. Made with cotton and lined with water-resistant, FOOD SAFE nylon
3. No PVC, No Phthalates, No BPA, No lead
4. Your food is not coming into contact with polyurethane!
5. Saving you money by not buying single serve packages and plastic baggies

6. Totally fashionable for every member of the family with variety in fabrics from classic solids to playful patterns. 

Merryville

Fleur de Lis

Rock Star

Monkey Ballerina

Zinnias

Pink Wallflower

As a mom, I can honestly tell you this product is one you will want to have for the school year and all year.  I have not had one problem with the 6 Saks that I own.  They have kept their color, without a stain in sight, even after Cheetos were in the Snack Sak.  The Velcro closure is still perfect.  These are so great to have available in your house for daily use.  The Sandwich Sak works perfectly, I wrap their sandwiches in a paper towel and then drop in the Sak, they can use that paper towel as their napkin.  The Snack Saks have been used for everything in my house, from pretzels and Goldfish to grapes and blueberries. 

How cute is this Meyer Lemon print?!

 

WasteNot Saks has been very generous in this giveaway, they are offering a Sandwich AND Snack Sak pack in ONE of the top THREE fabrics you note in your comment!! 
So, I'll make this simple:
1. You MUST be a follower of this blog, publicly. 
2. You need to go to WasteNot Saks on Etsy and pick your top THREE fabric choices.
3. Come back here and comment about which WasteNot Saks (Top Three) you would want along with YOUR E-MAIL address so I can contact you if you win. (Your e-mail will only be used for that reason, please write it this way: lizandbryan [at]yahoo [dot]com, so it can't be spammed.)
4. When the giveaway is over, August 29Th, I will pick a name (literally out of a hat), and that WINNER will be contacted by WasteNot Saks for shipping info. and you will receive your WasteNot bundle in one of the three fabrics you were digging.  
P.S.-only open to US residents....sorry.

With everything from Amphibian Camo to Pink Skulls I know there will be an option for everyone.  Good Luck!  You have until August 29th at midnight to make a comment following all of the "rules".

SOS From Texas Giveaway!! Organic cotton at it's best!

1st Giveaway Time!!!

http://www.sosfromtexas.com/index.htm

I love finding green companies that I have never heard of, especially if they are fellow Texans. I ran across SOS from Texas while browsing for children’s organic clothing online. This company is based in North Texas, near Amarillo. Being from a small town myself, I was shocked to see the population in the town where this family is based is only 37 people! They told me that it’s actually less than that, more like 20. These days, family businesses are not easy to find unless you are tuned into it. SOS From Texas is a family business through and through. They make organic cotton products for the whole family, from comfy t-shirts, onesies, and socks, to tote bags.

The prints and catchphrases on the shirts are really vivid and catchy.

I really love the tie dyed shirt that is dyed to look like the Earth, it would be perfect for Earth Day 2010. Plenty of other prints for adults also and of course, plain t’s and hoodies. 

The kids’ printed shirts have a running theme of Go Outside! As a mom, this speaks to me for sure. There’s even art on the t’s from Santa Fe artist Holly McClellan which are beautiful. The Earth picture is amazing.

Another great find about this site is their Closeout, Irregulars and Bargains sections, where you can snag great stuff for cheap prices just because of small flaws in color, or maybe just an over abundance of the certain print. There are even value packs of t-shirts in this category! I will definitely be shopping at SOS From Texas, and what a great idea for baby shower gifts!

The most amazing part about this family owned company is that every part of the process is in America. The cotton is organically grown in Texas and it then travels to North Carolina and South Carolina for processing and sewing. There is a great YouTube video of the whole process.

For this giveaway SOS From Texas has generously offered a Baby Earth bath set. This hooded towel and washcloth are made out of their organic French terry and lined in the sherbert hued colors of peace green, laffy taffy yellow and cotton candy pink. Winner’s choice! This set usually retails for $20.00.

Now for the fun part….how you enter:

This is a giveaway open to all US residents.

You MUST be a follower of this blog.

To enter your name in the drawing you will need to go to SOS From Texas  http://www.sosfromtexas.com/index.htm and check out their site. Come back here and comment with what else you would buy from their great organic products.

This giveaway is open until April 3rd. Be sure to leave your e-mail address in the comment so I can get back to you if you are the winner!