Organic Cotton & Hemp Dresses For Girls

How cute! These dresses from ecoLoveOrganics's on Etsy are handmade from organic cotton and hemp blend jersey and also hand dyed with low impact dyes. The cute dragonfly print is screen printed on to the fabric.

I love how the dress will become a shirt as they "grow into" their clothes allowing for years of use.

The listing is for a Sage Green dress in size 5 however the dresses are available in different sizes (just convo the seller).

Price: $50.00

Eco-Friendly Waldorf Wooden Toy Kitchens

We are loving these eco-friendly, custom-made play kitchens from Imagine That Woodshop on Etsy. Imaginative play is at its finest!

Each kitchen is painted or stained with AP certified non toxic paints and stains. If an item needs glue or filler, we use Elmer's products that list "no known hazardous substances in product" in their MSDS sheets. Every products is then finished with beeswax and mineral oil (optional if you prefer it to be left unfinished).

One of our favorite of the many models available is Melissa's Waldorf Style Kitchen With A Pull Out.

Features:

Large upper shelves complete with plate grove to display plates on side if they wish.
Stainless steel sink
Faucet and cooking knobs turn for realist play.
Stove has 2 large 4 7/8" and 2 small 3 ½" burners.
Easy grip handles on bottom doors.
Bottom doors feature hinges with extra mounting points for increased strength.
Oven door feature high strength plastic insert to view oven contents.
Has a pull out on the side.
Edges are rounded for safety.
Unit are finished in a child safe finish.
All wood construction using ¾ inch Northern Pine.

Approximate Dimensions:
35” tall
12” deep
25” wide

"We sell more custom units then standard units and each item is made in the USA as the order is received. Each kitchen is hand crafted by one woodcrafter and he puts a high level of craftsmanship into each unit. It could take up to 4 to 6 weeks depending on the volume of sales."

Price: $194.99

Be sure to check out the Imagine That Wood Shop on Etsy for more wonderful wooden toys! They currently have a sale on their Wooden Irons ($5 each).

Recycled Dresses For Girls Made From Dad's Shirts

 Such a sweet idea!

Lillipopsdesigns on Etsy makes custom dresses for girls in sizes ranging from 6M-6X, using men's shirts. Not only is this a great way to recycle old shirts but daddy's little girl will always have him close while wearing these adorable custom dresses.

They are an especially sweet gift to girl's who have their fathers deployed overseas.

Price: $48.00 from Lillipopsdesigns

Eco-Friendly Reusable Cotton Makeup Removing Pads

We have cloth diapers to replace the disposable diapers, washable pads and panty liners - but how about those cotton pads for removing make-up? 2KuteKreations on Etsy makes beautiful crocheted pads out of cotton especially for removing make-up or for exfoliating your skin! They are machine washable, last for years and eliminate wasteful disposable pads.

Each crocheted pad measures about 3.5" in diameter and are extremely affordable. A set of four will only cost you $4.oo US!

Perfect For Imaginative Play: Toy Wooden Sewing Machine

Another brilliant find on Etsy! This handmade sewing machine is made up of solid Beech wood with a Fir base and measures 9"high. Not only does the sewing machine come with a vintage spool, but the crank even turns allowing the needle to go up and down! No worries about toxic sealers or paint, the entire piece is sealed with orange oil and beeswax.

WoodClinic on Etsy also has the most adorable wooden guitars for the little rockstar in your family!

Amber teething necklaces and a giveaway!

I have always been skeptical about Amber teething necklaces. With my first child I remember brushing off the entire idea as nothing but an old wives tale.
This time around, with my second child I did a little more research into the subject and after reading into it further was intrigued.

Baltic amber contains anywhere from 3-8% of succinic acid, a scientifically examined medical substance used in contemporary medicine. The highest content of the acid is found in the amber cortex - the external layer of the stone. Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch (1886), the pioneer of modern bacteriology, proved that succinic acid has a very positive influence on the human body. In the 1930’s and 40’s, European biochemists discovered that succinic acid is an amino acid created naturally in every cell of the body capable of aerobic respiration, participating in the citric acid - or Krebs cycle. This is how carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are metabolized into energy.

Wearing amber may also protect us against the negative influences of electrical equipment like computers, televisions, mobile phones and microwave ovens. Even more amazing about amber is that the chemical properties of the resin, when formed, act as a natural embalming agent with both drying and anti-microbial properties. Ancient Egyptians actually used pine resin as an embalming agent, and doctors in the War, lacking anything else, would sometimes slap tree resin on a wound as a disinfectant and saved lives that way. (Source)

TimeDesigns is an Etsy shop run by Dawn. She has been created top quality jewelery for over 12 years. Each necklace is hand strung on 100% all natural pure silk, with a knot between each and every bead. Pure silk is the strongest natural fiber available on the market. It can withstand being soaked and pulled without breaking down or retaining a foul odor.

What I LOVE about her Amber necklaces (besides the gorgeous colors) is that the clasps are magnetic so if your little one pulls at the necklace, or if he/she has a sibling who pulls on the necklace, it will release the magnetic clasps. It is a nice safety feature which was one of the main selling points for me.

The necklaces also provide a good fit to prevent your little one from chewing on the beads (I don't recommend you allow them to play with the necklace as amber is fairly pliable and might break if they crunch down on the beads).

I tried one of these beautiful pieces of jewelry out with my 7 month old daughter and dare I say it worked! She is calmer and happier while wearing the necklace and doesn't fuss as much.

Dawn has been kind enough to give one of our readers a chance to win one of her beautiful Amber necklaces in Cognac. Please keep in mind that your child doesn't have to be teething in order to enjoy this. My 3 year old loved her sister's so much, she wants one of her own!




* All you need to do is leave a comment below specifying which size you would like. It comes in the following sizes: BAB 32cm(babies up to two), and TOD 35cm toddlers up to five.
* ONE additional entry if you have a blog or website and mention the giveaway.
* ONE additional entry if you Stumble this.
* ONE additional entry for tweeting this on Twitter
* ONE additional entry by adding us to your favorites on Technorati.

(Please make sure you leave an additional comment/comments if you do any of the above).

* The contest starts Tuesday August 25, 2009 and will end on Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 11:59pm. I will announce the winner in a post on Wednesday September 2, 2009. A winner will be picked using Random.Org

A subscription to A Good Clean Life is not a requirement of the contest but it would be greatly appreciated. If you are new here, please be sure to take a look around the site. Comments and suggestions are always welcome!

Etsy

Now I am a huge fan of Etsy!  For those of you who aren't familiar, Etsy  is a wonderful community of talented artists selling handcrafted and handmade items.  There are many unique ideas for gifts as everything is truly one of a kind. 

I try to buy homemade items off Etsy or support WAHM websites as much as possible. There are some beautiful wooden toys on Etsy for an excellent price. Much less then most retail stores. I purchased a few for my daughter for Christmas which she was thrilled with. There are also some really cute patterns for making dolls, felt food, clothing and other items for an excellent price. Whats neat about purchasing the patterns online is they are emailed in pdf format so you can print them over and over again! Soaps, clothing, jewelry, bath and beauty products, toys and the list goes on. Some sellers even offer order to custom listings!
I love the fact that I am supporting such a wonderful and talented group of people instead of the big name department stores. 

This video is an excellent introduction to Etsy and a must watch!