Ahhhh, we just love Etsy!  Where else can you consistently find such creative and unique hand-made items at such reasonable prices?  If you haven’t checked out Etsy yet, you’re seriously missing out on some great stuff, like this Alien Crib Mobile, for only $25.  Break out of the commercialized (read: BORING) nursery decor at Etsy!

$25 at Etsy

“Yes, the exact plastic milk jugs that you and your family drink from every day. When you finish your milk and toss the container in the recycling bin, these milk containers are collected at your curb by a local recycling company, who then sorts them from all the other types of plastic. Next, the milk containers are reprocessed into super clean fresh plastic. For you plastic geeks, the plastic material we use is called high-density polyethylene (or HDPE). This material is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around”.

The toys contain no phthalates or BPA, and are designed without external coatings so that they are lead-free and meet FDA requirements for food contact. They also are minimally packaged in recycled corrugated boxes using no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties. These toys are such a win-win-win.

For those ultra-concerned with toy safety (and rightly so)…
Green Toys products pass a plethora of tests, including:

• Consumer Products Safety Standard Specification, ASTM F963
• California Prop. 65 restrictions on lead & cadmium
• FDA regulations for food contact
• California regulations prohibiting phthalates in toys
• Voluntary testing for no BPA (Bisphenol-A)

And for everyone concerned about the planet, it’s great to know that every step in the manufacturing process, “from milk container recycling to toy production to final assembly, occurs in California.Our raw materials and toys aren’t shipped from overseas, which saves a lot of energy and reduces greenhouse gases”.

Plus, if I failed to mention it, they’re fun and great for the imagination!

Available online at WildDill and Amazon.

It’s Fair Trade Friday and in keeping with our alphabet theme that seems to have developed this week, check this out!  This stunning wooden alphabet set is hand painted and the perfect addition to any child’s room.  Made in Sri Lanka by Sarvodaya, the largest non-governmental organization in the country, the sales proceeds fund sorely needed community development projects. 

We must have it!

$34.00 at A Greater Gift

Learning the alphabet…what a fun stage that our kids go through (no, really…no sarcasm this time!).  These vintage alphabet flash cards from Cavallini make it even more fun.  Printed on 5×7″ heavy cardstock, they even come in their own vintage tin for storage.  Perfect!

$22.99 at Amazon

Kids are creative by nature and we’ve found a fun way to indulge and encourage that creativity.  Let them build their own drinking straws!  Each kit contains 24 non-toxic and dishwasher-safe straw pieces along with 20 flexible connectors.  Let your kids amaze you (just don’t let them catch you playing with them!).

$12.99 at Perpetual Kid

The universal parental goal:  a sleeping baby.  And thanks to the creative folks over at Cloud-b, a sleeping baby (and ergo, a sleeping parent) is now easier than ever to achieve.  If you have a baby and haven’t discovered the Sleep Sheep, you’re missing out on some serious zzzzzzzzzs.  The Sleep Sheep attaches to the crib bars, keeping your little one safe, and plays four different soft sounds from nature that lull a baby to sleep much faster than the tinny lullaby noise music produced by most mobiles and cribs.  The built-in timer plays the soothing sounds for 23 minutes before turning itself off and saving you batteries.  Parent tested product here, folks.  Great baby shower gift, as well.  Cloud-b also makes a great travel version for kidlets on-the-go.  Consider a Sleep Sheep an investment in YOUR sleep.

$23.00 at Amazon

These adorable hand puppets from Kenana Knitter Critters have got to be some of the cutest I’ve seen. They’re all hand knit by a group of women in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya using locally grown hand-spun sheep wool, then dyed with all natural plants from their garden, and naturally moth-proofed with a local daisy-like flower. Since each “critter” is individually handmade, no two are exactly alike and they have their own unique character. The Kenyan women are proud of their work and sign the cards that accompany their products. It’s also great to know that while you and your children enjoy the wonderful fair trade animals and dolls, the women have gained income, status, and economic growth in their community, and ultimately a better life for themselves and their families.

The Critters come as hand puppets, finger puppets, or stuffed knit animals.

Available from $18 at Wild Dill.

Wow, they really do make you feel old….(and I grew up in the 80’s!) Rotary phones and box TV sets (with dials) are just two of the many familiar things to us “old folks” that our kids will never be familiar with- unless they see them in antique shops. Sheesh. So I suppose I’m on the fence about these new classics. Or at least it will take me a while to warm up to the idea.

Kiddopotamus makes their highly popular SwaddleMe blanket in a bamboo variety, too. This incorporates all the benefits of bamboo with their SwaddleMe design, which includes wings that provides a custom fit. This has been a popular product because the SwaddleMe, according to the manufacturer, “soothes infants and reduces symptoms of colic byrecreating the familiar, soothing snugness of the womb. It also reduces the incidence of the startle reflex, allowing babies to sleep for longer periods of time.” Plus it’s a timesaver, and helpful if you can’t wrap up your baby like a burrito in a traditional blanket - (it’s harder than you might think!). An excellent choice if you’re in the market for a baby shower or new baby gift - believe me, it will get a lot of use!
($14.99 at Amazon.com)