Tag Archives: guest post

Get Frightfully Green This Halloween

eco-halloween

Yes, Halloween is only weeks away. Perhaps you are all set with decor, candy and costumes. But if you are like me, there are still costumes to buy, pumpkins to carve and decorations to hang. My daughter is so excited that she wants to buy a pumpkin every she sees one on display. This year we will make our official trip to the organic pumpkin patch the weekend before Halloween. Carving will happen two days before the big night. Last year my daughter was old enough to enjoy the season and we carved our pumpkins way too early and they imploded by the time October 31st rolled around. This year I’m considering purchasing as many eco-friendly Halloween decorations as possible. And recycling things we have around the house for seasonal decor. I have a couple ornate Victorian looking candelabras which I’ll spray paint black paint to make a centerpiece in the dining room. I’ll be cutting out black construction paper silhouettes of black cats and spiderwebs from construction paper and then toss it in the recycling bin afterward. I’ve also found a few eco-friendly Halloween decor and party items that help to reduce waste and support fair trade labor.

Solar Pumpkin Light, $9.45 at The Vermont Baby Store
A sun powered light for your pumpkin. Forget the unsafe candles that contain nasty fumes. This solar pumpkin light is also more economical than battery-operated light too.
*Save on your purchases with Coupon Codes from The Vermont Baby Shop from TheFind.com’s new coupon site

ThemeNaps Halloween Napkins 16 napkins per box, $6.95 at Interior Digs
Made in the U.S.A. from eco-friendly 100% recycled tissue and FDA-approved food grade inks. These fun and modern Halloween napkins come folded in a clear packaged gift box and can also stand up to serve as a table decoration.

Fabric Halloween Treat Bag from Yellow Label Kids, $6.49 at Oompa
Trick or Treat! A perfect alternative to plastic pumpkin pails, this artisan made fabric trick-or-treat bag is made by workers whose are paid a fair living wage.

Fair Trade Trick-or-Treat Chocolates 100 per bag, $25.00 at Sweet Earth Chocolates
Indulge neighborhood trick or treaters to 100% milk or 65% bittersweet, 100% organic and fair trade chocolate coins. The individually wrapped fair trade Halloween candies are wrapped in Halloween colors and have an adorable Halloween sticker. Share your commitment to organic & fair trade with kids both young and old this Halloween.

Half-round Spider web Halloween Door Mat, $59.00 at Treasures4home.com
Make your entryway a fright at first sight with this half-round Spider web Halloween Door Mat. Made of extra-thick 1-1/2″ weave of tough-scrubbing coir fibers (an all-natural material from coconuts). This creepy but fun door mat traps grime at the door. Printed with eco-friendly dyes that are guaranteed to scare up compliments for many years to come.
*Save on your purchases with Coupon Codes from Grandin Road from TheFind.com’s new coupon site.

From our friends at TheFind.com.

Get Personalized with a Custom Address Stamp

personalized-stamps

Now that summer is over and the kids are back in school, I’m determined to be organized for the busiest time of year. Along with fall and winter come multiple holidays, social events, birthday parties and then as soon as you can catch your breath Christmas has come and gone. No more attaching return address labels on our family’s holiday cards until the wee hours. This year I plan to order a personalized return address stamp. I found these self-inking customized stamps that will be my new personal-izing assistant! Not only can these be used for return addresses, and look great on the back flap of an envelope I might add, but they can be used to personalize note cards as well. The personalized stamps from Three Designing Women (love the name!) are designed to personalize blank note cards, wine tags, gift tags, notepads and calling cards. You can also use these self-inking stamps with your own blank stationery or stickers. I love all of the unique designs and cute, modern note cards. They have something for classic tastes as well as modern design fans. The stamps are available at the Neiman Marcus website and you can also find coupon codes for Neiman’s here.

Products featured above:
Three Designing Women Square Stamp or Round Stamp, $48.00 at NeimanMarcus.com
Three Designing Women Retro Stamper Note (green and brown design), $13.25 for 10 at papersyoulove.com
Three Designing Women Blue Stripes + Brown Floral notes – 1 set of 10 $22.50 at Finestationery.com

From our friends at TheFind.com.

Gear Up for Potty Training

pottytraining

Arm yourself with everything you need for successful potty training. Start with a potty seat that is comfortable for your child. My recommendation for a potty seat is the Baby Bjorn Toilet Trainer. It adjusts to fit any toilet seat and has a rubber ring to keep it in place so that it won’t slip. It is made of one solid piece of smooth plastic so there are no sharp edges. There are plenty of different types of seats to choose from. Find one that suits the needs of your child and yourself.

Next you will need some “tools”. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • BooksSometimes it takes awhile to get the job done. Books help keep your toddler entertained while on the potty- hopefully long enough to make something happen. Books on the potty training topic are particularly helpful and can be read to the child prior to starting the training process to gear up.
  • Potty Charts Children do well with positive reinforcement. Track their progress with stickers and reward them when a goal is reached.
  • Training Pants Go old school with cloth training pants and a plastic cover for faster results. Your child will feel when he/she is wet and will likely learn a lot faster.
  • Potty Training Doll– a potty training partner in crime!
  • M&M’s When all else fails, bribe them!

From our friends at TheFind.com.