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Jan
31
Eco Vessel Insulated Straw Bottle Review (& Giveaway)
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Reviews | 102 Comments
- Fan/Like SafeMama on Facebook (leave first name, last initial for verification)
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- Follow @SafeMama on Twitter (Twitter name)
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): I just entered to #win an EcoVessel Insulated Straw Bottle from @GLassBabyBottle on @SafeMama http://tinyurl.com/78lg9no
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #win a $25 gift card for eco-gifts from @LavishandLime on @SafeMama http://tinyurl.com/d7k9cmt
- Fan/Like SafeMama on Facebook (first name, last initial)
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- Follow me on Google Friend Connect!
- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #WIN Clementine Natural Paints from @MyLttlGreenShop on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 11/18
I want to change gears from the dramatic stuff to something a little more fun. I have a ton of things to post in the coming week. So to kick it off, I wanted to talk about sippy cups. Ok I know we have exhausted the sippy cup angle around here in years past but I have fell in love with a new product and wanted to share it with you. Might as well do a giveaway to lighten up the mood and to welcome all my new readers. Hi!
For years we have been firm Klean Kanteen users. I love them. They’re the perfect size and they look cool and my kids like them. My oldest son, when he started school this year, was asked to bring “a drink” to school every day for snack time and for playground recess. I tend to try and avoid juice boxes for school because of a few reasons but mainly, it’s too much sugar and my son fills up on juice and is too full to eat any food. It’s a lose lose situation. So we fill a water bottle for school and he uses that.
We tested out a flip top Insulated Stainless Steel Straw Bottle by Eco Vessel which was sent to me by my friends at The Glass Baby Bottle. This is my new favorite thing. It’s stainless steel, which is what I loved about our Klean Kanteens. But this is a double walled bottle, so it stays cooler longer. The straw top has a flip close mechanism to prevent leaks, which happens sometimes with the sport top on the KK. It looks cool and much more “grown up”. My son is 6 now and not wanting everything to look like a “sippy cup for babies”. The plastic elements are BPA Free and made of recycled materials.
I really love knowing I sent my son’s drink for the day in an insulated bottle so that he can have a cool drink when he needs it. It fits perfectly in the side pocket of his backpack. It comes in 3 colors… Purple butterfly, Dark Blue and Silver (which we have… it’s a neat shade of silver too).
Eco Vessel also makes insulated sippy cups in Pink, Blue and Silver which work with the Avent sippy adaptors like the Klean Kanteen does. I wish the handles were adjustable but I love the insulated feature most of all.
Where To Buy: You can purchase Eco Vessel Straw Bottles at The Glass Baby Bottle… I love to support their shop. It’s a family owned and run business and you are supporting a sweet loving family by shopping with them. They are great people and care very much about customer satisfaction.
Win One!
Because they’re awesome, The Glass Baby Bottle is giving a SafeMama reader their choice of any color Eco Vessel Insulated Straw Bottle!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit The Glass Baby Bottle and tell me in the comments what products you found there that you would love to have or really really NEED!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Open to US readers only. Entries will be accepted until Feb 08, 2012 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Jan
7
I was given some really nice things this year for Christmas. Guess I was a good girl in 2011, huh? Mostly. 
Anyway I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite new things which was a stainless steel 16 ounce pint cup by Klean Kanteen. I have replaced a lot of my plastics with glass and I never really thought to get any stainless dishware. But I’ve made good friends with my new pint cup for many reasons.
Aside from the fact that it’s made with high quality non-leaching stainless steel that won’t ruin my concoctions (or let’s face it, my good beer) with BPA or other plastic chemicals, it’s just really nice to use. I drink a lot of smoothies at home despite my piece of junk blender that I’d like to throw out the window. But smoothies are an ways way for me to get vitamins and unsuspecting protein into my kids and myself. Have you ever drank your smoothie out of stainless steel? It changes the whole experience! It feels like you’re indulging in an even more sinful treat - much like the effect of getting a milkshake served in one of those tall steel cups.It somehow feels colder and more satisfying, even if it is just a mind trick.
I’ve also used it for drinks, and snacks and actually whipped it out at Panera the other day to use for water instead of taking a disposable plastic cup. I used nothing disposable for the entire meal which was pretty cool considering how tough that can be when dining out. It’s a cool product and worth the investment especially if you bring it with you when out and about.
Where To Find: You can purchase single 16oz cups at The Glass Baby Bottle!
Dec
9
Gift Ideas From Lavish & Lime ($25 Gift Card Giveaway)
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | 78 Comments
Gift giving for kids, especially the older crowd can get tricky. Especially when you want to chose things that are safer. If it’s not an iPod or a DSxi or whatever the gadget du jour is, they don’t want to know about it. But that isn’t always true and one of my new favorite places to shop for fun gifts for kids is with Lavish & Lime! They have tons of unique ideas, some of which I featured in my 2011 Holiday Toy Guide this year.
They carry the Green Science line of learning toys that my son and I love. We have a couple of their projects now and although my son is 6, which is younger than they recommend, he and I still enjoy doing these together. The Green Science Potato Clock Kit is a perfect 
one to start with. It provides all the pieces and instructions you need, you supply the potatoes. Once your scientist has the potato clock working they can try to discover what other materials will make the clock operate. Green Science has several projects, including this Recycled Bottle Light Kit which looks totally awesome! I love showing kids the possibilities that develop simply by reusing something.
Speaking of science, Lavish & Lime also has project kits that any kid would love (like my own who really enjoyed doing this project with me) such as the Make Your Own Lip Balm Kit. What is so great is that it’s all safe ingredients, no harmful chemicals and it’s easy to do with a small group of kids. Included is essential oils, Shea butter, Safflower oil and Beeswax to melt and mix. It’s pretty easy, and fun to do. Considering most kids are home for the holidays and by then will be driving us all bonkers, having a project handy is a good idea. (My kids are already driving me bonkers and school isn’t even out yet!)
Check Out Lavish & Lime! My Canadian readers will love that they are based in Vancouver, Canada! They carry a great variety of eco-friendly kids gift ideas as well as skin care, kitchen and practical gifts for adults. (I’m loving the Animal Print Envirosax!!! Dear Santa…)
Win!
Lavish & Lime is giving one lucky reader a $25 Gift Card to spend! Just in time for the holidays…
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit Lavish & Lime and tell me in the comments what you found there that would be a great gift for someone over the holidays!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Open to Canadian and US readers! Entries will be accepted until Dec 15, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Congratulations to Courtney D commenter #25!
Nov
29
Gift Idea: Safe Yoga Essential thinkSport Yoga Mat
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Reviews | 1 Comment
I’ve been getting fit this year. Part of that means doing some Yoga which I’ve fallen in love with. I run now (without being chased by a bear) and Yoga seems to align my body and keep things in working order better than I could with any other exercise. So once I started
Yoga regularly, my Yoga mat became more important. Initially I started out with a basic mat I bought at Target because I was too much of a phobe to use the gym mats. It seemed fine at first until I started wondering what it was made of. I had heard that years ago they were all made of PVC… but surely they weren’t made of that now, right?
What I discovered was two things. One is that some yoga mat makers are very careful about how they describe their mats. They rarely say PVC free but almost always brag about being Latex free. Some of the “eco” mat versions tout “Does not contain 6 of the most harmful phthalates”. So, does that mean there are other phthalates in it? The “non-harmful” kind? Others are made of natural rubber. One major brand says their mats are phthalate free but I never see the words PVC or Vinyl free in any descriptions. thinkSport specializes in safe products so I knew this one would be a good bet. I was right. This yoga mat is free of Bisphenol-A (BPA), PVC, Lead, Phthalates, Dioxins, and biologically toxic chemicals. Thank you thinkSport!
The second thing I learned is that I require a thicker yoga mat. The basic mats are 3mm thick. But one kneed or tailbone on a 3mm thick mat makes my body angry. So I needed a thicker mat. I was elated to find out that thinkSport, the makers of some of my favorite non-toxic sport and baby products, came out with a thinkSport Yoga Mat!!! The clouds parted, a rainbow appeared.
I hurriedly brought my new thinkSport Yoga Mat to the gym to try it out. I *love* this mat. Love it. It’s thick enough to cushion my joints and not so thick that its like carrying a tree trunk. The texture is really soft but provides excellent grip for all types of yoga or Pilates practice. Despite being sweaty, I never have slipped. There is no crazy off gassing scent and it looks really sharp. They also have great colors to choose from. I knew thinkSport wouldn’t let me down.
This would make a perfect gift for someone and I plan on gifting this to someone else this year too. thinkSport will be under our tree this year!
Get Yours (Or Gift It): You can find the thinkSport Yoga Mat at Abe’s Market for $39.99. Mine is the Ice Blue color and it’s really pretty and hasn’t shown any dirt or wear and tear despite my regular beatings. You can also get the yoga mat as a gift set paired with a matchin thinkSport Stainless Water Bottle!
Sponsored by Abe’s Market
Nov
8
If you’re like me, you love it when your kids bring home those little hand print painted crafts they make at school. I often wonder what’s in the paint they are putting on my kids hands.
Unless you want to supply the class with natural paint, it’s one of those things you kind of deal with and get over it. But at home, it’s another story. I like to make sure that when I am supervising craft time at home (which I need to incorporate more often, I’ll admit) I like to choose products that I know are not full of petrochemicals and dyes.
I’ve been a long time fan of Clementine Art supplies since I first tried out their Natural Modelling Dough in a play dough showdown I did a couple of years ago. (I also think their Crayon Rocks are nifty and a good stocking stuffer for the kid who has everything) So when My Little Green Shop asked me to do a giveaway of a set of Clementine Natural Paints I was thrilled! If you haven’t investigated My Little Green Shop yet I encourage you to go take a peek. They have an adorable array of kids and baby gifts that make this a great place to shop for unique gift ideas.
Anyway, my little guy and I tested them out to see how they perform. I suited up my son and we went to work. They have the same consistency of a tempura paint and they apply well. I thought they’d be too thin or drippy but they have a nice feel to them and are easily applied to paper or canvas. The colors, in my opinion, are stunning. The set comes with Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, green and Purple but they are less primary looking and have more of a wall color appeal. I would seriously consider using that red on an accent wall in my house. So the shades aren’t traditionally primary but they’re gorgeous. They dry a little lighter and still look great. My little man had a blast painting with them during our test. The only thing I would change is to put them in taller squirt bottles so you could put some colors out for the kids without trying to pour them from the round tins. But really not a deal breaker.
Clementine Natural Paints are made with natural ingredients and mineral pigments so I don’t worry about harmful dyes and petrochemicals. Just having pure artistic fun.
Get Yours: You can pick up Clementine Natural Paints and other safe art supplies and crafts from My Little Green Shop – I love supporting this shop because she truly cares about product selection and is passionate about living green. I hope you’ll support this family run business too.
Win a Set of Clementine Natural Paints
My Little Green Shop is giving away one set of Clementine Natural Paints to one lucky reader!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit My Little Green Shop and tell me in the comments what you found there that would be a great gift for someone over the holidays!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Open to US and Canadian readers! Entries will be accepted until November 18, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Oct
21
Green Toys Pizza Parlor
Filed Under Product Reviews, Toy Safety | 1 Comment
I’m not going to even mention the H word around here until after Halloween (the other H word… the one I’m talking about rhymes with Shmolidaze). But I am going to start posting some reviews of toys that will most likely appear on my Safer Toy Guide for this year. I always include something from Green Toys for a few reasons. Their toys are great. They are made well. They are cute, and my kids always like them. They are also a great company… made in the USA and of safe recycled materials.
So when my mother came for a visit and brought the Green Toys Pizza Parlor set for my kids as a gift I was thrilled. The set comes with enough pieces to make a pie with 4 slices. Your kids can customize the pie any way they like with sauce, cheese, onions, peppers, pepperoni and tomatoes. The set also comes with a little pizza box for delivery, a pizza cutter, and an order pad so your kids can take your order like a real pizza shop. We spent a good 2 hours playing “pizza store” as my son likes to call it and combined with the Sandwich Shop pieces, he had a full fledged restaurant going on with reservations and a hostess (that was me). We had a blast! They’re revisited these toys several times and they still have fun with them. I found a tomato slice wedged under the couch and I wish it came with a more solid “case” or keep all the pieces in. But the things I like about this toy and other Green Toys outweigh that factor.
All the pieces are sturdy, like all the Green Toys products. They can also be used in the tub when they get tired of the pizza game. Every toy is more interesting when you move it to the tub! All Green Toys products are free of BPA, Phthalates and phthalates and are made from recycled milk jugs. This set would make an awesome gift for a boy or a girl! I think the Sandwich Shop set is equally as cute (we have that one too!) Watch for these toys to appear on my 2012 Safer Toy Guide coming after Halloween.
Where to buy: You can purchase the Green Toys Pizza Parlor set and other Green Toys at Abe’s Market or other online retailers.
Sponsored by Abe’s Market
Oct
5
I am always on a quest to find the best reusable containers for just about everything. One thing I refuse to do is buy bottled water. It’s wasteful and unnecessary and I just can’t bring myself to spend money on a case of plastic bottles. It pains me. So I rely primarily on my reusable water bottles to get me through work outs, work, and whatever else I’m doing. I try to keep a bottle of water near me at all times. After using a couple different ones I really fell in love with using glass. But it wasn’t always the most convenient (especially at the gym.. have you tried using a wide mouth bottle while working out? It’s not fun.).
I saw on the MightyNest Facebook page not long ago they were introducing the Takeya glass water bottle and I had to try it. It was imperative because it looked so cool. MightyNest sent me one to test out. I was head over heels immediately. Here is what I love about it:
The smaller opening makes this much easier to use at the gym. I really like my Life Factory glass bottle too since you can fit lots of ice in the wide mouth opening. But it makes it hard to use on the go. I spill on myself pretty frequently if I’m not sitting down at my desk. With the Takeya, it’s a better size so I don’t spill half the container down my shirt. The opening is just large enough so that I can put ice in it too. I have an ice maker that makes those moon shaped ice wedges which fit in nicely. I don’t know if big cubes would fit but you could certainly try shoving them in there.
The silicone sleeve is a really nice feature. It prevents slipping and breaking and provides some mild insulation. It comes with a carrying loop and a screw on cap which keeps this puppy leakproof. I’ve had it banging around in my gym bag with no problems with leaks.
It looks cool! I loved the look of this bottle from the start and since I seem to be on a purple/plum color kick right now the purple Takeya fits right into my color scheme. (That’s so superficial but it matters, right?) The Lime green and Blue are pretty snazzy too. I won’t be getting rid of my other water bottles, they still get used. But this one is my little companion for now. It’s just too cute!
I probably don’t need to say it but glass is really one of the best materials for storing liquids. It doesn’t leach any harmful chemicals into your water and is safe to toss in the dishwasher (though I haven’t had to. I just hand wash it and refill). The other materials are all BPA and PVC free too.
Get One: You can purchase a Takeya glass water bottle from MightyNest.com… they have other glass water bottles too in their selection. Use “Safe10″ for 10% off your purchase.
Sep
28
Book Review: My Mommy Is A Blogger
Filed Under Product Reviews | Comments Off
Just to change the pace for a minute I wanted to quick tell you about this cute little children’s book. It’s written by one of my favorite green bloggers, Sommer Poquette who’s famous for her blog Green and Clean Mom! She decided to write a children’s book to illustrate what it is we mom bloggers do every day. (What DO you do?) We read a lot, we write a lot and it’s tough to explain what we do to kids. Until now!
I couldn’t be more proud of her accomplishment with this book. Sommer has written a cute depiction of a Mom Blogger explaining her job to her daughter Josie. It breaks it down for the kids in basic terms and explains our job to them in a fun and entertaining way. I’ve read it to my own son several times because he has chosen it as part of his bedtime reading on many occasions. The illustrations are colorful and cute and the story is a great length to keep them interested. I hope you’ll check it out and support our own Green and Clean Mom! It really is a cute and charming book. She did a wonderful job with it and I think you and your ids will definitely enjoy it.
Get A Copy: You can purchase her book My Mommy Is A Blogger on her website and on Amazon.com. (Psst! If you use the code xmas30 when buying a book through her website you’ll get 30% off!)
Sep
22
EnviroKid PVC & Phthalate Free Nap Mats & Bean Bag Loungers
Filed Under Product Reviews, PVC Free | 87 Comments
A long time ago, a reader emailed me asking about bean bag chairs and what they are filled with. At the time I didn’t have a good answer for her. It seemed that most were filled with either polystyrene or flame retardant treated foam bits** See NOTE below **. And that was just the inside. But recently I was introduced to a line of bean bag loungers made for kids that solves the problem.
My 2 year old, lounging on the EnviroKid Nap Mat
EnviroKid specializes in stuffed pillows, nap mats and bean bag loungers that are safe for kids (and everyone else). The mats and loungers are filled with olefin foam beads (instead of polystyrene) which provide a cushiony feel and mold to your child’s body. In fact when I first received the test sample I was dismayed at the sight of it. It had molded itself to the shape of the box. But after a little rough and tumble with the boys is was a smushy and more flat pillow that they enjoy laying on. The outer cover is made of EnviroLeather which is a PVC-Free Synthetic Leather. What I like about it is that it’s easy to clean and wipe off. My youngest spilled water on it, wiped up no problem. Snack crumb slide right off. (My carpet on the other hand has not stood up to the kids as well). EnviroLeather is free of PVC, pthalates, and heavy metals and is made with recycled and renewable content. I can feel better about that.
They come in a Cushion size, a Nap Mat and a Bean Bag Lounger which is the largest. My kids have been laying around on the Nap Mat for a few weeks and they actually fight over who gets to lay on it. It did seem a bit stiff at first but once we used it made more sense. I do wish they had a removable fabric cover so that it doesn’t feel cold when you use it but that’s just splitting hairs at that point. I think it could stand to be filled more, but perhaps that detracts from it’s ability to mold to the child. They do seem pretty comfy on it.
*NOTE: It has come to my attention that indeed these do employ the use of halogen flame retardants on the interior beads. Therefore I need to retract my endorsement of the product and shut down the giveaway (I’ll make it up to those who entered with another one). My apologies for this oversight. I make mistakes sometimes, I’m human. But I am NOT afraid to admit it when I do. I hope this hasn’t caused anyone any inconveniences. – Kathy
Sep
9
Wean Green Glass Storage Sandwich Cubes
Filed Under Food Safety, Product Reviews | Comments Off
I’ve written about Wean Green before, because I love food storage options that don’t rely solely on plastic. So when The Glass Baby Bottle sent me a sample of Wean Green’s new Sandwich Cubes I was anxious to try them out. Wean Green is most well known for their cute little glass Cubes which are perfect for storing baby food. These were naturally the next step.
I love how these work and have put them to good use here at home. Each set comes with two sandwich cubes which each hold about 16.5 ounces. The lid, made of BPA free plastic with a silicone seal, snaps into place securely to prevent any leaks or spills. I’ve used these cubes for leftovers, soup, olives, macaroni, fruit, and for my husband, jalepenos. They don’t leak in the fridge and are small enough to be portable in any lunch sack or lunch box. Glass is a great choice for food since it doesn’t leach chemicals into your foods and won’t hold on to any flavors. They wash clean in the dishwasher and are ready to use.
I wish they would name these something else because a regular sized sandwich doesn’t fit in these. You’d have to cut it square or make mini sandwiches. But it’s the perfect size for a little salad, soup, fruit, cheese, or snacks. I even used to to transport a yogurt and fruit parfait without any issues. I was afraid to send it to school with my 5 year old… I could just see glass shattering all over the cafeteria… but I would definitely use this to tote food in my diaper bag or gym bag. Very handy and a cute size up from the baby food cubes. They have bowls too (which look like the perfect size for kids). The price point seems a little high for a set of 2 glass containers but they are cute and very functional, just not for a sandwich. I could totally fit a slab of cheesecake in there though… hmmm.
Get them: You can pick these up at The Glass Baby Bottle in their signature lid colors (each comes with a set of 2) Blueberry, Carrot, Pea and Raspberry.
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