Unique Gift Ideas From The Kids

Teaching children to create personal gifts for friends and family is an excellent way to encourage creativity and to teach that the thought is the purpose for the gift. It is so easy today for gifts to be purchased online, without even the slight inconvenience of going to the store. Convenience, in far too many cases, begins to trump consideration in gift giving. To encourage kids to create their own gifts for any occasion will start them down the right avenue and help develop integrity.

There are so many ways that a child can take his or her interests and abilities and create simple, yet thoughtful, gifts for any occasion. Birthdays, anniversaries, Easter, get well, congratulations, along with others, are all examples. This giving spirit also makes them more aware of particular events that should always be remembered or acknowledged. They will begin to look forward to the next time they can create a gift for someone.

Here are a few ideas:

   • Home Baked Treats – Everyone appreciates a little sweetness in their day. With
cookies, biscotti, cakes and pastries presentation is half of the gift. Have them place
cookies into a redesigned potato chip tube. It can be covered with paper and a
bow added. Or go to the dollar store and find little baskets, buckets or dishes and
wrap them with any see through material. Here is a great idea from the Desperate
Craftwives – using an empty aluminum foil box. Paint it or cover it with wrapping
paper and it makes a perfect cookie box. I can’t wait to have the kids try this when
giving away Christmas cookies!

    • Green gifts – Mason Jars and other clear glass containers can be turned into living
terrariums. Craft stores carry all varieties of little animals, houses and decorative
ornaments that can be placed inside. If a person is fond of a particular wild animal,
like a tiger or wolf, a little environment containing a miniature will be a big hit. This
site offers many other different uses for mason jars, some a little difficult for the kids,
but could also be fun to try.
   
    • Personally Designed Greeting Cards – Treat, an online custom greeting card site,
provides the opportunity for anyone to design a single card and create it around the
personal lifestyle, hobby or personality or the recipient. It is fun and easy and costs
less than picking a card from the rack. Kids will love doing it and anyone like a teacher,
friend or family member, or even a classroom crush, will be thrilled by receiving it. I
can’t wait to have the kids make these Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates next
year.

    • Repurposed Items – Everyone appreciates reuse of an item today. Repurposing really brings out the imagination in children. Let them create useful items from Popsicle
sticks, corks, different pasta shapes, glass jars and bottles or old jewelry. There are
literally thousands of ideas online on Pinterest, Making Friends, Frugal Café and many
more. Here are a number of ideas from Kaboose for crafts using recycled items.

There is no one person on this earth, who has a heart, who does not appreciate a handmade gift, especially from a child. That gift will never be re-gifted, squirreled away into a drawer, or wind up at Goodwill. It will be enjoyed and used as intended. The children also receive a gift in return for creating and giving. They receive the gift of accomplishment which they will own forever.


*Today's guest post was written by Jen Lopez.  She is a freelance writer, aspiring blogger and mother of two. She received a bachelor of science in journalism and public relations from West Virginia University and hopes to publish a book on parenting.

No Poo Cheats, Tips & Tricks

In 3 years of being shampoo free (yes, you read that correctly, I don't wash my hair with shampoo), I've learned a few things.  I've learned the basics of what method works for me in my usual routine, but I've also acquired some cheats along the way!

If you want more details to either get started or solve some common problems, here's my usual washing details and here's a list of the most common questions I receive about being Poo Free.

My daughter and I!  Both shampoo free!

 In between the usual seven, eight, nine, ten days of a shampoo free wash, my hair sometimes encounters lots of different environments.  Here are some of my top tips to either extending the length between washes or dealing with unforeseen circumstances in between washes.

Cheat: Scent-Be-Gone! 

Ever been in a house or restaurant where bacon is being fried?  Really, if they're frying anything, you WILL stink, especially if you are a female with longer hair.  What do most people do when they have an unwanted scent in their hair?  They go home and wash their hair.  But what can you do if you're No Poo and you just washed yesterday?  You can't wash again, otherwise you might threaten your No Poo groove.  And you certainly can't walk around smelling like IHOP until your next shampoo free wash! 

Enter...Scent-Be-Gone!  Actually, it's nothing that fancy.  I mix a few drops of lemon essential oil (order here) with some water, mixed in a spray bottle, sprayed on your hair.  It works great and leaves your hair smelling neutral.  

From everything that I can tell, this does NOT bleach my hair, but I use Young Living essential oils, so I can't promise what your results will be if you use another brand.  You won't be left sticky or smelling like a Lemonhead (haha, I'm funny) because the lemon juice dissipates in the same way that the vinegar scent is gone when you rinse your hair with vinegar.

This works great for campfire or any other unwanted scents!

Cheat: Boar's Hair Brush

Have I mentioned I like this little creation?  Because I really do!  Sometimes, when you're close to washing day, you either notice your scalp is looking a little iffy or your ends are seeming a bit dry.  A boar's hair brush helps evenly distribute natural oils from your scalp to the ends of your hair.  You kill two birds with one stone by using this brush!

Cheat: Homemade Dry Shampoo

Sometimes, you know it's not wash day, but you really need your hair to look nice for a certain event, but it just looks a little too greasy.  While I don't recommend this technique during the transition stage of going No Poo, for someone whose hair has adapted to this method, there isn't too much harm in using this spray in emergency situations.  Here is the recipe for homemade dry shampoo for BLONDE or LIGHT hair only. 

Ingredients:

1 TB cornstarch

4 TB of water

1 TB of rubbing alcohol

Mix it all together in a spray bottle and spray lightly on greasy spots.  Not too much.  Comb or brush through hair to help even it out.  This can be premixed and stored, but make sure you shake it up before you use it. 

Cheat: The Peri Bottle

Image source

The peri bottle has brought many women relief in the postpartum period, but little did we know it's be the perfect size for No Poo washes.  Holding 8 oz, you can easily toss a tablespoon of whatever you're using on your hair, add water, shake it up and apply to your hair.   Easy mixing, no spilling, and perfect proportions.  I know some people that bought quite a few, prefill them with baking soda and apple cider vinegar respectively, and add water once they're in the shower.  I'm not that organized and usually fill mine right as I'm rushing to the shower. 

Best of all, they are fairly cheap! 

I want to hear from you, No Poo'ers!  What are some of the best tricks you've learned in your Poo Free journey?

Cloth Diapering Away From Home and On The Go!

Before I begin this post, let me say this: I only have one kid.  Don't hold me responsible for what I do once I have two children!  I'm just hoping and praying my oldest daughter, India, will be potty-learned before baby #2 is born this summer. 

I cloth diaper away from home.  Shocking, yes.  Not every cloth diaperer does this and I can understand.  I normally don't go longer than two days away from home in cloth diapers without access to laundry machines.  I'm going to share with you today some tips and pointers for making it easy to cloth diaper away from home!

1. Get a good wetbag. (A wetbag is a bag with PUL lining, covered with fabric, which is closed by a zipper). No one wants a stanky poopy stinkin' up their diaper bag.  So, get a good wetbag that can, for the most part, hide any stank that would be trying to make itself known.  Some people are cool with a plastic grocery bag, but I prefer something a little more reusable.  I like Planet Wise wetbags as they are pretty fashionable!

2. Use a disposable liner.  I'm not talking about a disposable insert (although those are great, too), but a disposable liner that easily lines a diaper and can be flushed or thrown out if soiled.  If it's just wet you can either save it to reuse it, wash it or toss it.  With no potty sprayer nearby, disposable liners are the perfect accessory to cloth diapering away from home. Imse Vimse liners are my favorite and can be reused multiple times.

3. When in cloth, use cloth wipes.  I use cloth wipes at home and I find it easier when using cloth diapers away from home, to use cloth wipes as well.  Nothing easier than wiping off the baby, rolling it all up and tossing it in your wetbag.  The few times I have used disposable wipes, I've found it hard to leave the baby on the changing table and go and toss the wipe, because heaven forbid you leave that thing with the dirty diaper and wash it!  I will wet some wipes in a plastic bag so they're all ready to go.  Of course, I do have backup disposable wipes with as well for those, what I like to term, 6-wipers.

4. Use your most convenient diapers when out and about.  I use prefolds almost exclusively at home, but when I'm spending the afternoon shopping, I have All-In-Ones and pockets (pre-stuffed) with.  You want to make the change as quick and seamless as possible.

5. If needed, save the poop for at home.  If your baby drops a dirty and you aren't using a disposable liner or the disposable liner has failed you in some way, wrap the dirty diaper up and stick it in the wetbag, to be taken care of AS SOON as you get home.  This is also a useful option when you don't want your baby walking or crawling around the public restroom while you clean up. But, DO NOT forget about this soiled diaper for days on end...I may or may not speak from experience. ;-)

A cloth diaper on the go!

Happy Cloth Diapering!

Limiting Your Household Plastic Usage - Guest Post by Jakob Barry

When it comes to rescuing the environment we don’t have to be part of a large organization to make a difference. Much of the work can be done right at home and a good place to start is with our use of disposable plastic.

Plastic was invented in the mid 19^th century but only began to be mass produced around World War II. Since then the material has done wonders for fields such as medicine, sports, technology, and house remodeling but over the years the ecological impact on our planet has in many ways been disastrous.

Most plastics take long periods of time to biodegrade and chemicals used to manufacture containers for food packaging often cause bodily harm by leaching into the product, which is then consumed by people and absorbed by the digestive system.

That’s why the more we cut down on using plastic the faster the world can begin to heal and we can have a better future. Here are a few easy to implement tips on limiting every day plastic usage in our lives at home:

1. Plastic-ware: Most people use plastic-ware not because it looks better or that it’s fancier than stainless steal, silver, or even wood. It’s usually out of convenience which is sometimes necessary and unavoidable. At the same time each plastic fork that gets tossed in the trash could take up to 100 years to biodegrade and as it’s breaking down the chemicals used in the manufacturing process pollute the ground. That’s why whenever the opportunity presents itself get back to using reusable flatware instead of plastic utensils, plates, and cups. It will mean a change in routine and more patience having to wash things out but the long term benefits out way the immediate hassles.

2. Plastic food bags: Both adults and children use plastic bags regularly for snacks and sandwiches for lunches but these can effortlessly be replaced by reusable containers. Try having several and of varying sizes available, especially for those mornings when you forgot to wash out the one from the day before.

3. Plastic shopping bags: Believe it or not billions of plastic shopping bags are used worldwide by consumers annually and each bag could take up to 1000 years to biodegrade. If you think about it, that’s a lot of plastic lying around ecosystems internationally. The easiest way to get off the plastic bag hitch is to start phasing them out while finding reusables made of cotton or canvas for hauling your groceries home.

4. Plastic bottles: When it comes to all things plastic people recognize bottles as an obvious candidate for recycling but still consume more. To get around purchasing drinks like water use the tap more and drink out of reusable water bottles. Furthermore, if you like soda, buy a soda carbonator and make your own flavors. Most of these machines don’t use any electricity and after a few months you’ll be saving at the register as well as feel a little lighter not having to carry heavy six packs home.

5. Plastic trash bags: The next time you decide to throw something away take a good look at it. Is it paper? Recycle it. Is it plastic? Recycle it. Is it from a fruit or vegetable? Compost it. Ninety percent of the things we toss in the regular trash have another use and it’s up to us to decide how to be more resourceful with our garbage. By doing this we will use less plastic trash bags around the house. Alternatively, whenever possible use paper bags instead.

Finally it’s important to note that if you’ve been using plastic disposables all your life and it’s hard to make the transition to mostly reusables try Greener brands which biodegrade faster or consider those made from paper or vegetable matter. They may be a little pricier but will help make a smoother shift towards a completely plastic free life.

Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about eco-friendly kitchen topics for pros across the U.S. like Anaheim flooring contractors.

Weekend Reading: 1/13/12

Hi everyone!  It's been quite a while since I've done a post of weekend reading, but with old man winter finally showing up for many of us, I figure this is the perfect time to grab some tea, read some thought-provoking posts, challenge ourselves and pray for others!

Happy weekend and happy reading!

Sarah's post, called Emotional Nudists, challenges me as I struggle with vulnerability sometimes. From the post:

But, I say, I will not, I cannot feel that kind of hurt again. I pad my heart so carefully against injury. So I put up walls ... I build up bricks of protection ... Never again, I say. Never. But with all love comes some hurt. With all real emotion comes transparency and with living in an emotionally naked way comes vulnerability.

Please be in prayer for Courtney, as her son, Tripp, is nearing the end of his little life on this earth.

Vanessa asks if $1 really makes a difference in the fight for racial equality.

Read about (and even sign) the petition to bring breastfeeding back to Sesame Street.  I remember when it was on there and didn't think a thing of it!

Emily at Frugal Granola shares a free tutorial on making Homemade Bulk Shopping Bags.

Annalise shares how to make lovely, homemade pure vanilla extract!  Yum!

Dealing with Rashes AND Cloth Diapers

It's probably no surprise that my daughter is prone to rashes.  It's been said that when I was a baby, I spent many hours with a red, rashy and sometimes bleeding bottom.  Not much seemed to help me and unfortunately, it seems like my daughter has inherited skin sensitivities from me.

We've had rashes, rashes and more rashes.  Any diaper rash is miserable for the baby and heartbreaking for the parents.  In cloth diapers or disposables, poor little India gets irritated and quickly.  While it's said that only about 5% of cloth diapered babies experience diaper rash in contrast to about 50% of babies in disposables, we've been on the unfortunate 5% side.

(PS- Many remember that we've done some Elimination Communication (EC) with India....well, she's been on strike with it for a couple of months.  Otherwise, EC would be the best choice in this situation.  Stubborn little girl.)
 
In order to remedy a rash, it's best to find a cause.  I'm not going to list every rash, the cause and the remedy..."We have a cat and if his hair get in the wipes solution our baby breaks out"...because, well, you know.

Common causes of cloth diaper rashes:

• Excessive wetness
• Yeast
• Detergent build up
• Reaction to synthetic materials, latex reaction being the most common
• Teething or illness
• Sensitivity in mom or baby's diet
• Reaction to detergent
• Reaction to disposable wipes (India had this at a young age)

Once you can figure out your cause, you can try one or several of the following solutions.
(note: besides being full of chemicals, regular diaper rash cream shouldn't touch cloth diapers, so I'm discussing alternatives here). 

• Keep baby's skin dry with a fleece liner
• Change frequently
• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is great for rashes, especially yeast
• Strip your diapers to remove any residues from detergent, diaper creams or excess buildup.  This process needs even more detail if you are dealing with a yeast rash. 
• Change detergent.  Here is a list of common detergents, their ingredients and their ratings as to how safe they are for cloth diapers.
• Air out (just make sure you're prepared for some big smiles from your baby AND some accidents!)
• Use natural materials instead of synthetic
• Soak baby in warm baking soda water or salt water
• Apply breast milk and let it air dry.  They say breast milk fixes a lot of things and this is just one!  However, if you have a yeast rash, do NOT use breast milk!
• Use a cloth diaper safe diaper rash cream. Here is a great link to many creams and their ratings as to how cloth diaper safe they are.

For us, we've found that India can't have any wetness against her skin, so I cut up fleece to use as liners.  We also quickly learned that one of the most well-liked detergents makes her break out horribly.  Between frequent changes to keep her as dry as possible and using new soap, we've lessened her rashes dramatically!  If we see the start of a rash, we normally fight it off with either coconut oil, Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm or conventional diaper cream (make sure you use a disposable liner so your diaper doesn't get ruined from the cream).

The bottom line is what works for you may be a disaster for another family.  Keep trying different combinations and seek out help, until you find what works for you and what helps keep your baby's bum rash free! 

Photo courtesy of Jewels & Treasures.  What a stash!

Do you have any really cool tricks which help either prevent or treat diaper rash with cloth diapers?

Earth Mama Angel Baby Review & Giveaway! CLOSED!

With the news, pressure and eventual admittal that Johnson & Johnson uses toxic ingredients in their baby shampoo, now is a great time to switch to non-toxic, mama-based, childcare products.  One of my absolute favorite organic Mom and Baby companies is Earth Mama Angel Baby.  If you've used their products, you know how amazing they are!  Once a customer, always a customer could easily be Earth Mama Angel Baby's mantra. 

If you haven't heard of this wonderful company, which never uses artificial dyes or fragrances and has vowed to keep parabens and SLS away from their products, it's time to learn some more!  Feel free to read more about the safety of their products in their FAQ.

When I had India, I ordered the Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle and it changed my little postpartum world!  The Mama Bottom Balm and New Mama Bottom Spray put the hospital's Dermoplast (what most mother's claim as their bottom saver) to absolute shame.  As I was checking out of the hospital, I left the Dermoplast in my hospital room and a nurse came running after me with it telling me how sad I would be if I didn't have the Dermoplast.  I chuckled and explained I had something that was immeasurably better!  

Earth Mama Angel Baby's Angel Baby Bottom Balm was listed in my Top 10 favorite baby items for birth to four months as well as four to eight months.

I say all that to explain that every product I have used from this giving company has been incredible.  And the A Little Something For Baby  I was sent to review is no exception!

Four, carefully packaged, cute little to-go sized bottles of Angel Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Angel Baby Bottom Balm, Angel Baby Lotion and Angel Baby Oil arrived at my house one afternoon.

It wasn't too much longer and my guinea pig daughter was in the bathtub getting washed with the Angel  Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, a gentle orange and vanilla infused castile soap.  After her bath, I gently massaged her with the Angel Baby Oil.  I never knew how much India would love massage with this virtually scent-free infant massage oil, but it calmed her instantly!  After that I used the Angel Baby Lotion, scented with yummy smelling organic vanilla and organic sweet orange!  Her skin was so soft, she smelled so good and I didn't use ANY products that were harmful for her! 

The A Little Something for Baby package would be excellent for traveling, for overnights with grandma, for an easy baby shower gift, for a stocking stuffer, basically, you can't go wrong with this.  Every family with small children could find use for it!

Buy It! 

You can buy any Earth Mama Angel Baby products related to Pregnancy, Postpartum care, Breastfeeding, Baby, Family and even Baby Loss on their website.

Win it! 

Earth Mama Angel Baby has graciously offered one Uniquely Normal Mom reader a chance to win their very own A Little Something For Baby!  (A $20 value, US and Canadian residents only)

Mandatory Entry:
'Like' Uniquely Normal Mom on Facebook and 'Like' Earth Mama Angel Baby on Facebook.  Leave a comment with your email address telling me you have done so.

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6. Share this giveaway via media outlet (Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc).  Please leave link in a comment.  One entry per day, per share.
7. Subscribe to Uniquely Normal Mom's email updates (right hand side of page).

The details: Giveaway will end on December 18th, 12:00am CST. The winner, who is selected by random.org, has 48 hours to respond to notification email or else a new winner will be randomly chosen. I was provided A Little Something for Baby in return of my honest review. I was given no monetary compensation. A generous thank you to Earth Mama Angel Baby.

Simple Project: Repurposing an Old Sweater into a Children's Sweater Dress

The final project: my old sweater turned into a sweater dress for my daughter!

I had this sweater.

It was cute, but it made my stomach look poochy.  Not right away, though.  I would put it on and look cute in it for a couple of hours, but then it would make it look like I had a little belly.  Not appreciated.  I sure you may have a sweater or a shirt like that too.

So I put it in a bag for Goodwill. 

As I was bringing the bag to Goodwill, it dawned on me that this sweater was very cute and perhaps I could use it for something else.


Enter: the children's sweater dress!  Dun, dun, dun!


Here is my sweater, which made me look 4 months pregnant approximately 3 hours after putting it on:

The sweater that will soon be repurposed

See, it's pretty cute.


I decided I would just start slicing, taking an inch or two off around the outside.  After all, I just needed a much smaller version of it to fit my daughter.

Cutting away!


 Cutting the right amount off around the neck was quite difficult, but this sweater had buttons, so I knew I had some room to play with it.  I'm also hoping the buttons will come in handy and she can wear this next year as well.  It may be wishful thinking, but whatever.


Then I put the shirt inside out and sewed the opposite sides together. 


(I did use another dress as my template so I didn't have to make my 16 month old daughter put it on over and over again.)


I purposely left the sleeves a little longer so maybe, just maybe, we can get use out of this as she grows.


I then made a denim flower brooch and matching hair clip.  They match her cute, little jeggings.


And here's the final product (after taking laps outside for a bit):



Old sweater turned into a children's sweater dress


I love my daughter's re-purposed sweater dress!  Now I'm on the lookout for more sweaters to make more sweater dresses! 

How to store bulk grains, beans and rice

I love bulk foods!   Buying things like rice, oatmeal, quinoa, and dry legumes can add up if you buy them pre-packaged by the pound. 

But, if you are thrifty, you can save a lot of money by buying foods from the bulk bin, reduce packaging waste and still have food that tastes great! 

At a local grocery store, one pound of pre-packaged steel cut oats costs around $4.  I buy my steel cut oats for about $1 a pound, which is a significant difference to say the least!

I'm a grain addict, and love to make my own cereal, so I'm always buying new grains. 

The problem I encountered was storing all those grains.  I wanted something attractive and I didn't want to have to spend lots of money on plastic containers that were plain and boring.

I decided to recycle old jars I had collected and cleaned.  Jars from salsa, pickles, applesauce - anything! 

Here's what I did....

First, do something with the jar covers. 

-Paint 'em, cover the labels with marker or Mod Podge some decorative paper over them.

Decorating jar covers to store bulk food in.

Second, name your grain.

-Print off the names of the items you're storing using cool fonts (you can download awesome fonts for free here), or find some other way to label your jars. 

Third, decorate!

-Mod Podge, paint, magazine clippings, chalkboard paint, tile, anything! 

(Pssst....I save many of the cards I'm given and re-purpose them for projects like this.)

Lastly, DISPLAY!

Stored bulk rice, grains and legumes

Happy bulk food storage! 

Preserving the Life of Cloth Diapers

It's a known fact that cloth diapers can save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the poopy butt years.  But even though cloth diapers can withstand the bottoms of several children, there are some things you can do to ensure that they remain in good condition as long as possible and you get the most for your money!

Watch the heat
If you dry your diapers in the dryer, make sure any that contain PUL or elastic aren't dried on full heat. In the winter, I hang mine on a makeshift clothes rack, so they don't see dryer time at all.  Line drying will also help preserve the life of the fabric on the diapers.  But, as great as line drying outdoors is, the outdoor elements, especially the hot sun, can do a number to your diapers as well.  Make sure they don't sit out there in the heat for hours, or your diapers may only last through one child.

Wash frequently 
You don't have to wash your cloth diapers every day, but if you're wondering how often you need to wash them, while the stench is making your eyes water and your husband vomit, then it's time to wash.  Don't go longer than 3 days or else you can end up with mildew and permanent stank.

Use care when washing
Use the right soap, formulated for cloth diapers (my personal favorite and the only one that doesn't give my baby a rash is from the Peaceful Housewife - it's seriously amazing!!!).  Don't use bleach or fabric softeners.  Make sure all aplix or Velcro is secured so it doesn't snag or get caught on other diapers.

Avoid diaper cream
Most children get rashes at some point in their diapers days, but at all costs avoid the nappy cream.  All they do is cling to the fabric, putting a barrier on the diaper and therefore, your diaper loses absorbancy.  If your baby has a rash and air time just isn't doing it, either get a diaper rash cream that is cloth diaper safe, use coconut oil or use a traditional diaper rash cream with a disposable liner on the diaper.

Rotate
Make sure you aren't using the same dozen diapers all the time.  When your diapers come back clean, put them on the back of the shelf or the bottom of the basket and bring the others up to be used in the rotation.

Happy diapering!

I've been labeled

Breastfeeder.

No Poo.

Crunchy.

Co-sleeper.

Green.

Baby led solids.

Baby wearing.

Natural living.

Organic.

Weird.

All of these words I have used or others have used to describe me.  I've been labeled, but it doesn't bother me.  Labels don't have to be a bad thing. 

Many people don't like labels.  They don't want to have to be forced to fit inside a box, made of perfect square corners.

I don't fit in all of those boxes nicely, nor do I feel compelled that either you or I need to fit into those boxes perfectly.

At what point is someone labeled as someone who practices attachment parenting?  If they co-sleep?  If they wear their baby?  But if they use disposable diapers, they no longer fit in the uber cool attachment parenting club?  Meh.

I 'wear' my baby, but I put her in the shopping cart as well.
We co-sleep but she starts the night (and sometimes stays) in her own crib.
I'm crunchy but I have my fair share of hand-me-down American Eagle and Hollister clothes.
We do baby led solids but my daughter has had jarred baby food.
I eat many organic foods but I have a weakness for McDonald's fries.
I'm natural, but you won't see me without makeup and highlighted hair.


I don't fit in the boxes perfectly, and I'm completely fine with that: it's better that way!  I feel free to be who God has made me to be!

Do you feel confined by labels?  Which labels don't you mind?  Are there any labels you wish you didn't have?

Skoy Cloth Review and Giveaway! CLOSED

Congratulations to entry #16, Susan!  I'll be contacting you shortly! I hope you enjoy your Skoy cloths! :)

I've mentioned before that we've pretty much eliminated paper towels from our home. We've set an annual goal of using less than one roll or paper towels a year.

Besides adding up financially and being wasteful, it uses up a lot of natural resources and doesn't really clean that well.  You can only use them once.  No rinsing and reusing.

This statistic convicted me majorly in my use of paper towels and my calling towards environmental stewardship:

“A decrease in U.S. household consumption of just three rolls per year would save 120,000 tons of waste and $4.1 million landfill dumping fees.” Arizona State University

I came across an amazing alternative called Skoy Cloths.  I have been using them for a couple of weeks and I love how versatile they are!  I've cleaned up spilled water, dirty shoes and even a jar of food that I dropped (twice), with only one cloth for each job!

Here are a few reasons why I love Skoy Cloths:

• Biodegradable
• Washer & Dryer safe
• one Skoy Cloth is equivalent to 15 rolls of paper towels!!!
• Multi-use
• Compostable
• Made of natural ingredients - cotton & cellulose wood pulp
• Holds 15x it's own weight (this floored me the first time I used one!)

Skoy also has a fundraising program for students and schools in which the school gets to keep 40% of all sales!  Amazing!

My thoughts: Skoy cloths are cheaper than paper towels and they're biodegradable?  I don't see ANY reason not to have them!  I can tell that I will be using my Skoy cloths for a long time, for which I'm very glad.  I love sustainable products, and am glad that there is a safe, reusable replacement for paper towels!

Buy it!

You can purchase Skoy products here!

Win it!

Skoy has graciously offered one Uniquely Normal Mom reader (US address only) a chance to win a 4-pack of Skoy cloths!

Mandatory Entry: 

Publicly follow Uniquely Normal Mom on Google Friend Connect (Make sure you leave your e-mail address in the comment, US address only, 1 entry).

Additional Entries (leave an additional comment for each):

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4. Tweet about this entry, just be sure to mention me! (1 entry per day)

5. Follow Uniquely Normal Mom on Networked Blogs. (2 entries)

6. Visit the Skoy website and tell me something you learned.  (2 entries)

7. Subscribe to Uniquely Normal Mom via email. (2 entries)

8. Share this giveaway on Facebook, and leave the link in the comment showing your Facebook link. (5 entries)

*Giveaway ends Tuesday, June 7th , 2011 at 11:59 AM CST.  Winner will be selected from random.org and has 48 hours to respond to e-mail notification, or else a new winner will be selected.

*I received these Skoy cloths in exchange for my honest review. 

It's a party, the Norwex kind!

I don't like parties that feature products.  Dislike.  I don't like going to parties that feature fancy purses, jewelry, all purpose cleaners or kitchen products, because I don't buy those products.  No doubt, those are some great products, but I just can't afford it, and see some of those products as unnecessary on a limited budget. 

But what I HATE even more than that is what I call the 'guilt buy'....buying a product because I ate some of their food and took up their time and felt pressure.

But yet I just signed up to host my very first "buy a product" party, because there is one product party that I like, because I LOVE the products and am 110% sold!

Yes, I am having a Norwex party!!!  After much persuasion, and years of liking their products, I'm in!

Norwex products

I enjoy Norwex because it is different.  I live as green as possible; I recycle, cloth diaper, make my own laundry detergent, buy in bulk to minimize packaging, am slowly eliminating plastics from our kitchen, eat a lot of organic and whole foods, and clean my house by using minimal chemical cleaners.  That's why Norwex has been a great fit for me.

Especially now that my daughter is crawling around and chewing on everything, I want to make sure things are clean and sometimes vinegar and baking soda just doesn't make things clean enough.

Norwex cloths are totally different than a microfiber cloth you buy at the store - believe me, I was a cynic and tried the store brand - not the same!

I became a believer after trying the Makeup Remover cloth!  And I use the Baby Washcloths to clean India and her highchair after eating.  I like those because after I'm done washing her highchair, I squeeze out extra water, then use the cloth to dry her highchair so it's no longer wet.  One cloth cleans up all her messes!   If any of you have an Enviro Cloth, you completely know what I'm talking about when I say that thing cleans everything! 

If you are in my local area and would like to come to my party, please Facebook me, or send me an e-mail at uniquelynormalmom at gmail dot com and I can tell you the details!

If you can't make it to the party, but would like to put in an order, just let me know, and I can help you with that as well!

From me, a person who doesn't do parties, to you: if you come to my party just to eat some yummy food and don't buy a thing, I WILL UNDERSTAND!  I've been in that situation a few times myself. ;)

Do you ever host parties?  Do you buy something at every party you go to?

EIO Kids Cup Review and Giveaway! CLOSED!

The winner is comment number 59...

Jenny, from the Peaceful Housewife!! Yay!

Congrats, Jenny, I hope you enjoy your new EIO Kids Cup!

Thanks to all who participated!

Lately, we have been slowly removing plastics products from our kitchen items.  With the documented dangers of BPA and other dangers ingredients in plastic, we really don't want to take the chance when there are other, more eco-friendly options. 

We have been trying to find a sippy-like cup for our daughter, but since we prefer to avoid plastic, that seemed nearly impossible!

When choosing a cup for my daughter, I searched high and low for one that:

• was primarily made of something other than plastic
• didn't have parts where mold could grow
• was durable
• was eco-friendly
• was stylish
• something that advanced my daughter's drinking skills

My search for the seemingly impossible yielded the EIO Kids Cup, which met all of my criteria!

A glass cup with a very protective silicone sleeve (silicone does not react with food or beverages like many of the aforementioned plastics) and no parts for cleaning!   It's made of an 8 oz canning jar, so if you ever needed to replace the jar, you can just buy a new jar at the grocery store!  You can put hot or cold drinks in it and it encourages correct use of a cup and not passive suckling.  It's an earth-friendly option that will last for years.    

EIO Kids Cup has also received the prestigious PTPA Award, certifying it has been tested as a top children's product!  

My thoughts:

The EIO Kids Cup is not spill proof, but neither are plates and bowls and we still teach our children how to properly use them.  The same goes for this cup.  I was skeptical of using glass, but I let India play with it and feel pretty safe with the silicone sleeve.

It is still a little heavy for my daughter, but she is getting the hang of it.  I let my 22 month old niece try it and after my sister explained that she had to be careful with it, she didn't spill as much and was proud of herself!  Her older sister, who is almost four years old, saw the cup and wanted one too!  My sister had to stealthily remove the cup from her home! 

India has been having sips of water from glass cups around the house, but I'm excited for her to have her own, safe cup, as is she!

Buy it! 

Available online or at these retail locations.

Win it! 

EIO Kids Cup has graciously offered one Uniquely Normal Mom reader (US resident only) a chance to win an EIO Kids Cup (a $15 value)!

Mandatory entry:

Publicly follow Uniquely Normal Mom via Google Friend Connect AND visit EIO Kids Cup and tell me something unique that you learned about EIO Kids Cup.  Make sure you leave your e-mail address in the comment. (US residents only, 1 entry)

Additional Entries: (Leave a comment for each!)

1. 'Like' Uniquely Normal Mom via Facebook. (1 entry)

2. 'Like' EIO Products on Facebook, and let them know I sent you!  Leave your first name with last initial in your comment entry. (1 entry)

3. Follow Uniquely Normal Mom on Twitter and leave your username in the comment. (1 entry)

4. Follow EIO Kids Cup on Twitter and leave your username in the comment. (1 entry)

5. Retweet the following, or something similar, and leave the link (1 entry per day):

    #Win an @EIOkidscup from @uniquelynormal1 http://tiny.cc/hkcpg #blog #giveaway!

6. Follow Uniquely Normal Mom on Networked Blogs. (1 entry)

7. Subscribe to Uniquely Normal Mom via e-mail (right hand side of blog). (2 entries)

8. Grab my button, put it on your site & be sure to leave me the link to your site. (3 entries)

Contest ends Wednesday, April 20th, 2011, at 11:50pm CST.   Winner will be chosen from random.org and has 48 hours to respond or else a new winner will be chosen.

 

*EIO Products has graciously provided with the product and asked me to share my honest review on it.