Great Finds from Mommyland

Organic Produce Delivered To Your Door

2008-06-06T21:18:00.003-04:00

We have been members of a local organic produce co-op for the past six months. We've enjoyed picking up our bags of fresh, organic and mostly local produce but we have been increasingly frustrated by the little details of belonging to the Co-op such as frequent sorting responsibilities and general disorganization. We have been looking for another option for procuring organic produce without having to make frequent trips to the store. This article in Thursday's New York Times was a welcome discovery. After reading the article and doing a quick web search we signed up for a service that delivers all over our state and directly to our door! No trips to the store or farm, no sorting for a co-op and an easy on-line service to deal with. With most of these services you pick the amount of produce you would like delivered and how often you want a delivery (weekly or every two weeks). You can also specify certain types of produce that you don't care to receive and the types you would like to receive as substitutions. To find a service that could deliver organic, local, fresh produce to your home or office just go to your favorite search engine and type in: organic produce delivery in (enter your state). Happy Eating!

Crib Mattress Recall

2008-06-05T20:47:00.002-04:00

I just received this recall below from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Please read below.

Simmons Kids Recalls Crib Mattresses Due to Entrapment Hazard

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2008
Release #08-296

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 810-8611
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Simmons Kids Recalls Crib Mattresses Due to Entrapment Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Simmons Kids Crib Mattresses

Units: About 20,000

Manufacturer: Simmons Kids, a division of The Simmons Manufacturing Co., LLC of Atlanta, Ga.

Hazard: Some of the crib mattresses can measure smaller than the 27 1/4 inch minimum width requirement for cribs, creating a gap between the mattress and crib side rails, posing an entrapment hazard to infants.

Incidents/Injuries: Simmons Kids and CPSC have received one report of a 6-month old baby becoming wedged between the mattress and crib's frame. The baby was removed from the crib by the parent without injury.

Description: The recalled mattresses involve open coil crib mattresses manufactured between July 1, 2006 and March 23, 2008 with a color label attached to the top or side of the mattress that has the following model names:

Pottery Barn Kids by Simmons Kids Lullaby

Simmons Kids Slumber Time Evening Star Luxury Firm

Simmons Kids Baby Mattress Series 400

Simmons Kids Baby Mattress 234 Coil Count

The crib mattresses also have a law tag that is sewn into the edge of the mattress. The law tag has the date of manufacture and in most cases will contain one of the following model numbers: H59044.15.0014, M59082.15.0002, M59027.15.0002 or M59065.15.0006. Pocketed Coils(r) and Simmons Kids or Simmons Juvenile Products crib mattresses manufactured before July 1, 2006 or after March 23, 2008 are not included in the recall.

Sold at: Pottery Barn Kids and nursery furniture retailers from July 2006 through May 2008 for between $100 and $150.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should measure the width of their mattress using a reliable measuring device, such as a yard stick or tape measure, by removing all outer coverings, placing mattress on floor and measuring the width near the middle, from the outside edge of the tape binding to the opposite side of the mattress. Consumers should immediately stop using the mattress if it measures less than 27 1/4 inches and contact Simmons Kids to receive a free replacement mattress.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Simmons Kids at (800) 810-8611 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Thursday, and between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. ET, on Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.simmonskids.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08296.html

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-27T20:03:00.002-04:00

I hope you had a nice Memorial Day Weekend! I will post again next week. Be back in June!
Great Finds Mommy

Personalized Baby Gift For $20

2008-05-20T10:30:00.000-04:00

I love giving personalized baby gifts when I can but I try not to spend too much on any one present. So I was pleased to discover these great Baby's First Alphabet Blocks from Craft E Family last year while reading another blog, www.mymomshops.blogspot.com. Each two inch natural maple cube is personalized with Baby and Parents names along with Baby's birth statistics. For around $20 or less including shipping you can order and send an Alphabet Block. These are also great gifts for adopted babies and have room for both birth date and adoption date. These blocks are also great as Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Baptism and First Communion Gifts!

Craft E Family is a family business in Indiana that was started in the 80s by a mom and dad who were retiring from their "real" jobs and now the business is run by their kids and grandkids! I have ordered a number of these blocks over the past year or so and have been very satisfied with the service. Check out the other great toys and crafts on their website!

Check Out These Spoons!

2008-05-19T18:56:00.003-04:00

I just never seem to have enough spoons to feed Baby (now 11 months old) and now that I am staying away from plastic it is hard to find good options. My friend Clare and I came across the perfect solution while shopping at IKEA the other day. IKEA sells dessert spoons that are the perfect size for babies and toddlers. I bought the DRAGON spoons which come six to a set for $5.99 (you gotta love IKEA)! They are stainless steel, a great size, and a great price.

If anyone had told me five years ago how excited I would get over spoons I never would have believed them but here I am days after this latest "great find" still basking in the glow!

Word World

2008-05-14T14:15:00.001-04:00

We don't let our kids watch too much television but there are times when it is oh so necessary! So we were delighted when a friend told us about the PBS show called "Word World". My three and four year old absolutely adore this show and we love that it has such an educational focus! Each character and item on the show is made up of the letters in it's name.
In each episode the characters work to "build words" which seems to fascinate my kids! Word World is a PBS show so just check your local television guide to see when it is on. Target sells many items that go along with the shows themes and characters.

Juice Beauty Lip Moisturizers

2008-05-13T13:51:00.001-04:00

In my quest to find new make-up products without damaging chemicals I came across these great tinted organic lip moisturizers from Juice Beauty. I keep these in my purse or diaper bag all the time and I love them! They come in a set of three $15.00 and each one gives a nice hint of color (well actually a little more than a hint) along with SPF 15 protection. Each one also smells wonderfully of whichever fruit juice they are made from! If you are looking for a new lip color for the summer give these a try.

A Great Barbie Alternative

2008-05-12T13:26:00.003-04:00

I recently heard about these new dolls that are a great alternative to Barbie Dolls (thanks to Ali and Megan) so I thought I would check them out. Only Hearts Club Dolls are 9 inch dolls that look and dress like real little girls from a diverse range of backgrounds. These dolls "combine detailed and realistic facial features with soft, fully-poseable bodies. The dolls bodies and clothing actually look like those of the young girls they are intended to be. The dolls' fashions are hip, based upon what real girls are wearing, and are also age-appropriate." Only Hearts Club Dolls also have books and many accessories sold separately. The books focus on how each Only Hearts Girl tries to live by the motto of doing the right thing. These dolls were the winners of the 2006 Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Product Award as well as the 2007 Winner of Platinum Award. Only Hearts Club Dolls are sold at Target along with local retailers and online.

Great Giveaway Courtesy of Gnome Clothes

2008-05-07T19:40:00.002-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO IMAMOM! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THIS CONTEST! PLEASE EMAIL ME HERE WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND YOU THE SNACK BAG.

Want to reduce your usage of plastic baggies? Check out this cloth snack bag from Gnome Clothes. It has a velcro closure along the top and a strap so it can be attached to a car seat, stroller or grocery cart! I have a few of these snack bags and I love them - they have totally replaced baggies in my house (along with some of Gnome Clothes other creations)! The best part is that they are good for the environment - just wash them if they get dirty and re-use over and over again.
To enter to win this snack bag please post a comment to THIS post before midnight on Sunday May 11th. The winner will be chosen at random. Don't forget to check on Monday to see if you have won!

Great Plastic Baggy Alternatives!

2008-05-06T16:37:00.004-04:00

If your family is anything like mine you probably run through lots of Ziplocks, sandwich and snack bags. We try to re-use them whenever possible and we did buy some enamelware bowls with lids which we use for our kids lunches and for snacks in the car but when I learned about the items at Gnomes Clothes I was really excited (thanks to Ali for the tip). The mom who created Gnomes Clothes did so because she wanted to cut down on the number of plastic bags she was using so she started to sew alternatives to sandwich and snack bags! Gnome Clothes is her site and she sells her items on Etsy.com. Last week I ordered some sandwich wraps (which double as placemats when opened), cloth baggies, snack bags and napkins. All items are hand sewn and endlessly reusable. They come in a great variety of fun prints and are well made. I particularly love the snack bags. They are bigger than a plastic snack bag so they are versatile. Most come with a strap on them so they can be attached to a car seat or stroller. The cloth napkins come in great prints and they can double as wipes or napkins depending on the situation. My kids love all our new plastic and paper alternatives and I feel great about setting a good example by having our family utilize products that are good for our environment while using less plastic. Kudos to Michelle at Gnome Clothes for coming up with some great solutions for busy families like ours!

Set of Cloth Napkins ($5.50 for set of 4)

Sandwich Wrap ($9.00)

Cloth Baggy ($5.00)

Cloth Snack Bags ($17.00 for set of two)

BPA Cheatsheet by Envioblog

2008-04-29T20:09:00.004-04:00

With all the concern over BPA (Bisphenol A) I thought you might appreciate this little informational sheet put together by Enviroblog. Just click this link to read up on BPA!

Don't Toss Those Old Crocs; You Can Recycle Them!

2008-04-28T19:01:00.006-04:00

Did you know that Crocs can be recycled? Once the Crocs in your home are out-grown or worn-out make sure you donate them to SolesUnited. This is a fabulous program that takes old Crocs (any style or size), grinds them down and then makes brand new Crocs for needy people around the world (using 20% recycled material). Check out this video to see how it works. SolesUnited has a goal of donating 2 million pairs of recycled shoes in 2008 so lets help them out! What a wonderful way to save some landfill space and help needy people!

Great Giveaway from Life Without Plastics!

2008-04-27T20:06:00.005-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO HAPPY WITH TWO!! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THIS GREAT GIVEAWAY FROM LIFE WITHOUT PLASTICS! PLEASE EMAIL ME HERE WITH YOUR ADDRESS.

It's time for another Great Finds From Mommyland giveaway and this is something any mom with young kids could use! A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about the site Life Without Plastic. This is a Canadian site that offers a lot of great information on plastics and the dangers associated with them and also sells innovative products to replace the plastics in your home. Life Without Plastic was kind enough to donate a Children's Dish Set for our next give-away ($29.95 value)! This is a 5-piece Stainless Steel Dish Set which includes a plate, bowl, cup, fork and spoon and it all comes in a fun green and beige gift box with orange interior. This set is dishwasher and toaster oven safe. The Children's Dish Set is made by Sanctus Mundo which is a company dedicated to healthy, earth-friendly, non-leaching, and food safe products.

Please leave me a comment about why you would like to win this great earth-friendly and food safe dish set! The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday April 30th at 11:59PM EST. Check back on Thursday at the top of THIS post to see if you won! Good luck!

Belated Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-24T08:12:00.002-04:00

I gave myself an unexpected "Spring Break" from blogging this past week but now I am back!

Did you hear that Toys R Us has launched a new environmentally friendly toy line that encourages "good green fun"? The new line scheduled to roll out by Earth Day includes natural wooden toys, natural cotton plush animals and organic cotton dolls. Online I found the wooden toys and organic plush animals by MiYim. I haven't made it into my local Toys R Us yet to check it out but it is great to see such a big toy seller take this positive step. If you have seen the collection, send me a comment and let me know what you think!

Kiss My Face

2008-04-17T10:19:00.003-04:00

After reading Raising Baby Green and Green Babies, Sage Moms and more recently, Exposed I knew I needed to make a change to my make-up routine in order to cut out all the chemicals I was putting on my skin (your skin absorbs up to 64% of what you put on it). I don't wear that much but I am truly addicted to my beloved Bobbi Brown cosmetics. I have been trying a lot of "safer" make up products and have been so disappointed. But finally I have found something I love! Kiss My Face makes a new line of tinted moisturizers that are SPF 8 (and come in six different tones). If you have never tried a tinted moisturizer, I highly recommend it! They give you a little bit of coverage so your imperfections don't show but not in that heavy way a liquid foundation would. The best part is that Kiss My Face Tinted Moisturizer is oil and fragrance free, paraben free, FD&C color free, petroleum free and phthalate free! And it costs $9.99 for a 1.4 Fl. Oz. tube which is much more affordable than most tinted moisturizers. I discovered it at Whole Foods but it's also easy to purchase online. Stay tuned for other make-up recommendations!

A Perfect Little Lovey

2008-04-15T19:45:00.003-04:00

These little Sleeping Dolls made by Under The Nile are hands-down my Baby's favorites! They are 8 inches long, very lightweight, made of organic cotton and are machine washable ($10.00). My Baby holds her baby in her hand while she sleeps and she loves to chew on the top of the doll's hat before she goes to sleep. If you are looking for a little lovey for your baby or a great little organic baby gift check these out!

Laundry Dropps

2008-04-12T09:53:00.003-04:00

If you are a looking for a way to make a change to your laundry routine that involves less chemicals and is better for the environment then check out these finds!

We just started using Dropps. They are dissolving laundry pacs that are scent and dye free (or fresh scent)that work in all water temperatures, and for all colors and fabrics. Dropps are phosphate free, enzyme free and biodegradable. The Dropps philosophy is conservation, convenience and results. What I love is that now we don't have a sticky gooey mess on top of our dryer from where we measure out the liquid detergent and I don't have those huge bottles of boxes to lug home or recycle and we are doing something positive for the environment. Dropps are sold online at their site and also at Amazon.com, Target.com and Walmart.com. If you buy Dropps at Amazon.com you can qualify for subscribe and save with free shipping and the cost is $19.09 for a 3-pack of 20 laundry packs (comes to $0.32 per load).

New Jennifer Weiner Book Out!

2008-04-11T21:46:00.003-04:00

If you are a fan of Jennifer Weiner then you will be happy to know that she has a new book out! "Certain Girls" hit shelves on Tuesday . I just ordered my copy today and I can't wait for it to arrive! "Certain Girls" is a sequel to Weiner's 2001 best seller "Good In Bed". "Certain Girls" is selling at Amazon.com for $16.17. Enjoy!

Pretty Baubles for Mama from Laughing Starfish

2008-04-10T19:53:00.007-04:00

I am always on the look-out for affordable pretty trinkets. I recently discovered these great necklaces ($18-$43) made by a mom on Etsy.com. Laughingstarfish sells these "Nursing Necklaces" that are are great for any mom, nursing or not! Each necklace is a little different and they are all so beautiful and fun!

The mom behind the necklaces beads them herself and first got her inspiration while nursing own daughter. The Nursing Necklaces are made to withstand the tugs of infants and young children. Check them out and treat yourself to a new bauble for spring!

Smart Sheets for Smart Moms and Another Give-Away!

2008-04-07T19:18:00.007-04:00

CONGRATULATIONS TO LORI R. WHO WON THIS GREAT GIVE AWAY! LORI, PLEASE EMAIL ME HERE WITH YOUR ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND THE QUICK ZIP SHEETS TO YOU!

I know I blog about organic sheets a lot but it is so exciting to finally be able to find them easily that I can't help myself! These sheets are the best crib sheets I have ever owned (and four years with three babies equals a lot of crib sheet usage!). The Quick Zip Sheet by Clouds and Stars was a life-saver to me when I was pregnant with my son and constantly changing my daughter's crib sheets. These sheets are so handy. You simply zip off the top part and zip on a new one. And now they come in an organic version and also in pastel ginghams, solids and flannel!

Clouds and Stars has recently come out with a twin size zipper sheet set which I am using on my son's bed (he is 3 but we still have a lot of wet sheets in the middle of the night). And if you have kids in bunk beds you will also love the twin size sheet because it makes changing the sheets such a breeze. You can check out these sheets at www.cloudsandstars.com.

The best news is that Clouds and Stars was kind enough to give us an Organic Quick Zip Sheet Set ($49.99) and an additional sheet top ($35.99) to give away! Please post a comment about why you would like to win this great give-away and make sure it includes your name! The contest will close on Wednesday night at 11:59 EST and the winner will be announced on Thursday morning! Good luck! You may enter as many times as you would like to win this great give-away worth over $85!

Amazing Machine Books

2008-04-05T09:26:00.003-04:00

If you have a little person in your home who is fascinated by machines that move then you will love The Amazing Machines series of books by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker. Each book focuses on a different machine from "Dazzling Diggers" to "Super Submarines" to "Cool Cars". I think that my husband and I enjoy reading these books to our kids even more than they enjoy listening to them! Each book is written in rhyme and features fun colorful pictures. I love that these books also teach kids about the machines!
An excerpt from "Amazing Airplanes" reads, "Its wings hold big jet engines, which are loud and very strong. They suck in air and blow it through to whoosh the plane along. When the plane moves fast enough, the air around's so swift it pushes up beneath the wings and makes the whole plane lift." These books would make great additions to any young child's (2-5 years old) library and would also be a perfect gift! You can buy the books separately ($3.75 each for paperback) or in a the set shown above ($13.57 for 10 books).

Reader Recommendations

2008-04-04T09:04:00.004-04:00

I am starting to get a lot of great recommendations from readers so I am going to start to pass a few of them along maybe once a week. Today I am passing along a "great find" from a Great Finds From Mommyland reader! Thanks to Carolyn for this recommendation.

Carolyn says, "Can't stand all those plastic lunch boxes and bags that are out on the market.. beside the lead content I am not a really big fan of princesses.. so when it came to time to pack a lunch for school I went out to reusablebags.com. I ordered a great lunch tote for my 4 year old and it has lasted a good two years! Great site for finding other fun things! I just ordered a small lunch bag made from old juice cartons. Love this site. Service is good and products are great. I ordered my Kleen water bottle here and I also ordered a sleeve so I can easily attach it to my purse or bag when I need to be hands free."
If you have something you think is a great find please email me here to tell me about it!

Here's To Safe Sipping

2008-04-02T20:44:00.000-04:00

I still love my Foogo for the kids milk and the Klean Kanteen for their water but it's also nice to have some plastic cups as well for throwing into the diaper bag, taking out in the car or for having on hand for a playdate. After reading more and more about the risks of BPA, I am finally throwing away ALL of my older plastic staw cups (I had gotten rid of most of them but still had a few lingering). So I was happy to see these straw cups by IPlay called Aqua Bottles at my local BuyBuy Baby store (about $5 each - or $11.99 for a 2-pack at the IPlay site). They are plastic but BPA and PVC free (so therefore safer). The cup is lightweight, has a nice top that can be closed to stop spills and no valves to clean (doesn't that drive you crazy?). It comes with an extra straw top and holds 12 oz. Two drawbacks about the cup are that it is a little more fragile than other hard plastic sippy cups but it seems to be durable enough for my kids. Also if held upside down it does leak through a small venting hole. If the top is closed it does not leak. For a list of other safe kids cups check out this page on Squidoo (thanks to Ali for the tip on this!).

Organic Finds at Baby Gap Home

2008-04-01T18:57:00.006-04:00

You may have heard that Baby GAP has a new line of products called "baby gap home". This collection is being sold online and in certain stores. The selection is wide and varied with gear like strollers, carseats and diaper bags; nursery items like sheets, quilts, and bumpers; feeding and bath items and toys and books. You could literally register at Baby GAP and be completely done with all your baby needs! It probably won't surprise you to know that the first thing I looked for were organic items and I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice variety of clothes, bath products and nursery items. In the nursery section Baby GAP Home is offering mix and match bedding and my favorites so far are the adorable crib sheets (see some of the patterns below). These sheets are organic and come in many patterns and colors. The best part? They are only $19!

2008-03-31T21:12:00.004-04:00

Have you seen these great little diaper and wipes holders? This little pouch holds 2-4 diapers and a travel pack of wipes. It's a convenient way to cut down on the clutter in your purse or diaper bag. Diapees & Wipees was created by a mom of three and have been around since 2005 but I only discovered them last year. I have this one with the great dots but they come in many different patterns. This is a great little shower or baby gift too if you want to send something stylist and practical but not too pricey ($14.99). To purchase one online or find a local retailer goto Diapeesandwipees.com.