The other day I was searching for a few children’s gift ideas and card ideas for Valentine’s Day that did not feel cheap and junky. It seems to me that most gift ideas nowadays are plastic and cheap looking but I wanted some ideas with a “classic” or “vintage” feel…throwbacks to simpler days when gifts were made to last and be treasured. I also wanted something candy free and I think I managed to find a few treasures that fit the bill. These were some of the gift ideas I bookmarked:

1. Felt Heart Boxes – These felt boxes are shaped like hearts and can hold small treasures. I also love the vintage, homemade feel of them. They look like something my grandmother would have owned.

2. OM Heart Figurines – How adorable are these?? Each of these little hand-molded clay statues has a name and a story, and stands as a totem for love.

3. Vintage Valentine’s Day Cards – These beautiful cards are works of art and they are 3D with moving parts so truly unique. I just adore the elephant one.

4. Felt Heart Pouches – Your kiddos can use these for pencils, money, or virtually any kind of treasure. The pouches are handmade of Nepalese wool felt with a heart motif and a zipper pull. Fair trade.

5. Alice in Wonderland Tea Set – If your little one loves tea parties then he or she will love this tea set inspired by the classic children’s book.

6. Heart Shaped Nesting Boxes – Each box has a special message! Place small treats and treasures in these lovely heart boxes with nostalgic vintage-style images and ribbon edging.

7. Gypsy Caravan – A lovely gift for either a boy or a girl this set is whimsical and cute. Ithas a richly printed cover and a small hitch on back to attach a wagon train. The wagon is pulled by a solid wood horse and driven by a solid wood gypsy/pioneer/outlaw.

8. Heat Sailboat – Love this!! Give your little sweethearts a sweet sailboat. This little boat is sturdy enough for a small child and can be used in the tub, or any body of water. A safe and non-toxic alternative to plastic bath toys, and for outings to the puddle filled park.

9. Vintage Hair Clips – These are fun and practical with a vintage feel for your classy little lady. They are hand-crafted from vintage Japanese silk kimonos and are shaped as “ume” or Japanese plum blossoms. Plum blossoms are a favorite motif in Japan representing early springtime. Each hair clip is one-of-a-kind.

I have shared my Zulily love numerous times before and I have also blogged about The Honest Company in the past too. The first company gives me access to lots of eco friendly goods for reduced prices and the latter is all about taking conventionally toxic products and making them non-toxic and healthier for families.  Well, these two companies are teaming up to bring even more great deals to our doorsteps.

Zulily is a storefront that takes products we already buy…from lunchboxes and kitchen gadgets to shoes and furniture and makes them available for short periods of time at hugely reduced prices. I am a huge fan and shop there all the time. I have bought cast iron pans, stainless water bottles, bamboo kitchen accessories, gym clothes, and wooden toys and puzzles for my kiddos. I am constantly amazed at all their eco friendly offerings.

The Honest Company appeals to moms who want healthier home products and products for their babies. Moms really are stepping up to the task of making their home cleaning products and care products healthier and safer and I give mad props to Jessica Alba for using her superstar to form this company and do such good work. In my diapering days I used cloth but there were times when even I used disposables from time to time. I would have loved the Honest Company diapers. They are so incredibly cute!!

The first of its kind to open on zulily, The Honest Company shop will remain on the site for members to access Honest’s non-toxic, high-performing household products with a splash of style, every day. Honest products are ready to ship in 1-2 days and include:

• Premium Plant-Based Disposable Diapers in various patterns including Anchors, Dinosaurs, Family Tree, Hearts, Leopard, Lumberjack, and Skulls.

• Biodegradable Cloth Wipes

• Premium Plant-Based Disposable Training Pants in various patterns including Night Sky, Princess and Robots.

The Giveaway: Both companies are generously offering my USA readers an opportunity to win a pack of Honest Company diapers which are made from 100% non-toxic, chlorine-free, sustainable and plant-based materials as well as a package of their biodegradable wipes. The winner will be able to choose the diaper size they need (available sizes: newborn, size 1, size 2, size 3, size 4, size 5, size 6)  and their preferred pattern.

To win just use the Rafflecopter form below and a winner will be selected at random on January 17th. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are the Black Friday deals starting early??? I don’t know but this is an awesome price for the Lorax DVD…only $3.99. If I didn’t already have it I would be buying it for my kiddos and for myself since I happen to know this cuddly creature IRL. Oh yes, we are pals. :)

Hope this helps you get a great deal on an eco themed movie the whole family will love.

Purchase at Amazon.com

Photo: Me and bloggy friend Stephanie Moram of Good Girl Gone Green (photo credit). Taken in New York City.

All summer long (and now well into the Fall) I have been using the power of wind and solar to dry a large portion of my clothes and bath towels thanks to a classic drying rack. I love the fact that I have saved pennies by not using my energy hog clothes dryer but I also just get such joy out of seeing clothes and towels blowing in the wind outside. Maybe my view of clothes on the line is a bit romantic but I always loved my summers at Grandmas’s farm, helping my mom putting clothing and bed sheets on the line to dry. It’s right up there with shucking fresh corn and tossing the husks over the fence so the horses could eat them. It just seems to epitomize the homestead lifestyle and return a little of that charm to our modern world.

I rent currently and don’t have much room to put a permanent clothes line so for two years it was all the dryer all the time and I felt bad about that. Then I saw a rave review about Homestead Drying Racks and after contacting them I received one for review. I ADORE it. It makes laundry go so much faster, taking probably two loads a day out of my dryer and using wind/solar power to dry them.  I also find that it does not adversely effect my stinky bath towels action plan. The towels don’t actually need to be sterilized in a hot dryer…the sun (and the tea tree oil I use in the wash) works just as well. Clothes and towels are a bit on the crunchy side but I don’t mind that at all.

I cannot comment on the ease of putting it together, or not, because hubby did that but I think it only took him about 30 minutes. Our younger kiddos were over the moon thinking it was some sort of climbing toy for them. Ha! It is sturdy but not THAT sturdy. I like that I can fold it flatish and lay it against a wall so that it is out of the way when need be and I like that it is pretty light because I transfer it from kitchen to back porch when I want to use it. In the winter we may use it in the basement for drying clothing but more than likely it will stay in the kitchen and be used for hanging winter clothes and wool that have gotten wet from snow play. They can drip dry on the rack, conveniently positioned next to the heat register, and dry in a non-carpeted area. Perhaps they will actually be dry when the kids go out again only an hour or two later and I won’t have to listen to gripes about how awful it is to squeeze into wet snowsuits.

We have a pretty tiny porch so this rack is perfect for our needs. I think I have it down to a science as far as number of clothes/towels I can fit on it. This is the “Pioneer” rack from Homestead Drying Racks. They also have a “Homesteader” size which is much bigger but I was afraid it would not fit on our porch.

The “Peddler” size is perfect for indoor drying in small spaces like apartments or RVs and they even have an old fashioned hand ringer for ringing out wet clothing. From what I have experienced their racks are very high quality and it has been so useful and will no doubt continue to be throughout the year.

It is also perfect for my Vibram Fiver Fingers and Fila Skeletoes barefoot shoes. They need to be washed fairly often (CrossFit yo!) and cannot be dried lest they fall apart so I just wash them with the towels and then dry them on the rack, easy peasy.

If you are in the market for a drying rack or have ever thought about giving one a try please check out Homestead Drying Racks.

Also another fun tidbit…they have a free homestead magazine you can download as well. It is very well put together and very informative. Love it!

We have been eating sweet potatoes regularly of late and often times when I make up a batch of mashed sweet potatoes I have extra on hand to use in other recipes later in the week. Sometimes we reheat them on a griddle for breakfast or we make sweet potato pancakes with coconut flour and goat cheese. Yesterday though I decided to add some leftover mashed sweet potatoes to some grain free banana bread and see how it turned out. The results were quite delicious and the addition of sweet potato helped to cut down on the “graininess” from the coconut flour.

I think this is going to become a regular treat in our house from now on and perhaps even replace my pre-workout Larabars, since I am trying to reduce processed foods and needless packaging. The texture is very dense and soft and it has a bit of sweetness but not nearly as much as conventional banana bread. My kiddos all love it, with the exception of my youngest, who hates coconut. I feel good giving this to them for breakfast for some good brain food.

Sweet Potato Banana Bread With Coconut Flour

Ingredients:

1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup mashed sweet potatoes
3 very ripe bananas
4 pastured eggs
6 T grassfed butter or coconut oil (melted)
2 T ground flax seeds
1/4 Cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3 T raw honey
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp sea salt
1T cinnamon
1/2 t baking soda
1 T vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix wet and dry ingredients together in separate bowls. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet and mix together well. Pour into a well greased or parchment paper lined loaf pan. Cook for one hour and 20 minutes. Allow to cool and serve slathered with grassfed butter. Yum!