update!

Green and Greener has increased the discount to 10% off your mattress; refer a friend who purchases a mattress with the non-profit donation special and you'll get you an extra 5% back (that's a savings of up to $420!) Sweet!

"Do Well By Doing Good"

I told our friend Alegre we would spread the good word on a promotion they currently are running at her shop Green and Greener... D and I are in the market for a new mattress - and are going to bring in our donation to the Parent Group at our elementary school.

"DO WELL BY DOING GOOD" SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON MATTRESSES
Bring in proof of a $50 or more donation to a non-profit that benefits the environment, children or animals and you'll get 5% off your mattress; refer a friend who purchases a mattress with the non-profit donation special and you'll get you an extra 5% back (that's a savings of up to $280!) **(see below for full details)

You can come check out the latex/wool/cotton mattresses carried in store...they feel like a dream. They are made in Southern California out of 100% natural latex foam (latex is from the rubber tree) that is wrapped in organic cotton to start and can be customized to include Pure Grow wool. You can also order inner-spring mattresses if you prefer, although they prefer the latex to inner spring though because 1) no pressure points, 2) they are anti-dust mite and other allergens, 3) they last more than twice as long and 4) no EMF radiation because no metal parts.

**Donation must be to a registered 501(c)(3) and a copy of the donation receipt on organization's letterhead must be dated on or after January 1, 2010 and be shown to Green and Greener employee at the time of purchase. Each $50+ donation is good towards the purchase of one mattress. This offer is good through December 31, 2010.

what do you think?

Sinking in paper? At $400 do you think this thing would be worth it?



NeatDesk


Oh - and thank you Qubo for introducing it to the girls - who in turn introduced it to me :)

The Old Place

Last weekend we headed to the Peter Strauss Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains for a picnic and Bluegrass concert. It was loads of fun. Even more exciting was the Cornell Winery and Old Place opposite the Ranch entrance. The restaurant looks amazing, we had a little look around. We should meet up there one Saturday night. The menu is truly mouth watering.

E is for elephant

I found this amazing little book called Paper Snips at the Salvation Army and thought I would drag it out today, the last day of the summer vacation, to try and occupy the kids. It didn't really do it for them but I had a blast. The book contained a bunch of animal stencils, sadly most of them didn't survive but the graphics are beautiful. We managed an elephant and dog before they were off onto something else.

Baby shoes - finally

I've loved the idea of baby shoes made from vintage fabric ever since I spotted them in Tiny Happy's shop back in 2007. I think they make a different, perfect gift for a new born and I've bought a few pairs from her in the intervening years. Although I adore everything Melissa does you know my craziness for bright retro prints so I decided to experiment with some of my own vintage fabric stash. I've finally figured out a pattern I like and here are the results. I'm keeping the chickens as a sample but I put the Joan Walsh Anglund pair in our shop.

i want to ride my bicycle

there is such joy in teaching the girls something new.  but when they teach themselves, my heart swells. 

K has wanted to learn to ride her bicycle like her big sister ever since E took off  on two wheels.  we put a handle on the back, and spend some time practicing, and she was close, but not quite there.  she quickly taught herself to ride her two-wheeler while we were up north.  the secret was given to us by D's (amazing!) cousin Rose - who visited us on the island while on a SF - Vancouver cycling adventure.  (she actually works teaching kids to ride, and ride safely.)  the handle wasn't helping her learn to balance - the key to riding.  "take off the pedals" she told us.  that simple.  after two days scooting around pedal-free i put them back on, and presto.   (its the premise of the whole "balance bike" movement - without the added cost.  the bike they end up on can also be the bike they learn on.)


we passed on the tip when we got home and today K's best friend learned the same - and off they went with the rest of the neighbourhood kids.

they were beaming.  (and so was i.)

Ivor the Engine

Did you watch Ivor the Engine growing up? I've been reading about Smallfilms that apparently produced a lot of the children's programming I remember from my childhood. Unlike Bagpuss, another favorite, there's lots of episodes on YouTube and I've been watching them with the kid. Episode 20, Snowdrifts, has been a particular favorite. To say they are delightful is somewhat of an understatement or is that just nostalgia talking? The look is wonderful - apparently stop motion animation using cardboard cut-outs painted with watercolors.

I spy something yellow

Awesomeness on Etsy. The vintage stuff for kids just gets better and better.



Yellow Hood from Jumpintotherainbow



Hush Puppies from trucksanddolls



Big Bird Crocheted Bag from storybookvintage

Ed Emberley Show

Hey you - try and get to this if you can, it's fantastic. "Ed Emberley & Friends" is at the Scion Installation L.A. in Culver City through August 7. I've been mad for his books for forever and we've bought a lot of them for the boy so we took him to the opening on Saturday night. Ed Emberley was there and couldn't have been more lovely talking to us and signing all our books. He even drew T on a shark!







T has been drawing feverishly from the books all day

LA Times article
KPCC Interview

Metallica

Have you noticed all the metallic footware available for kids right now? Groovy.



Gold Salt Water Sandal from Zappos




Silver Hunter Boots from Zappos



Gold metallic Superga sneakers from Zappos

p.s. did you know Metallica formed in Los Angeles in 1981?

Flowers Guitar Case

Do you need these for the girl's guitars?...



...thought so.

Titus Flowers Guitar Case from Smallable

Medication Disposal

While searching out information on the recent recall of children's medications (including Tylenol and Zyrtec which we have in our medicine cabinet) I found a link to this website:

http://www.smarxtdisposal.net/

I knew flusing was bad - but thought meds ending in the landfill were equally problematic. I remembered your old post - and will save these for our next hazmat pick-up. I wonder why they don't suggest this?

Hmmm....

CSAing

so as I mentioned over here, we received our first CSA bounty. this week: artichoke, turnips, ruby lettuce, lacinato kale, chard, onion, chantenay carrots, beets, white carrots, leeks, haas avocados, cilantro, spinach, celery, arugula and broccoli. yum.

what initially drew me to "Join the Farm" - aside from their location and that they are certified organic - was their website, full of good, straight-forward info:

from the Join the Farm website:
What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, an arrangement in which subscribers buy a portion of a farmer’s crop at the beginning of the season and then receive weekly boxes of whatever is being harvested fresh from the field.

Why join a CSA?
At a time when most of our food is bred for uniformity and durability at the expense of taste, grown with synthetic pesticides, packaged in unrecyclable materials, and shipped thousands of miles, CSA restores healthy relationships between communities, farmers, and the land. Our produce is seasonal, local, organic, and delicious, and we love having visitors come to see the farm, meet those of us who are growing your food, and even do a little farm work!


We are so excited to be doing this. We are working towards having our elementary school as a drop-off (we need 3 more subscribers to make it happen) and are also trying to set-up a blog for our group of subscribers to share recipes of what they have done with their weekly delivery. (I thought this might be good for all of us after getting numerous emails and mms messages of people's breakfast the first day after our pick-up!) I will keep you posted. And let me know what you find down your way.

Perfect.

I am in love with this print.


"Perfect Community" by Satoshi Hashimoto avaiable at monocle

Go there to see it bigger!

(Man. Budget living is killing me!)

sew sow so

First off Dolly is magnificent! I love the flower in her hair!

And back to your question about school gardening:

A box garden for every class is a wonderful idea. We have done the same. What I have found though is without the infrastructure for the teachers to know what to do with them, it only goes so far. That is where your connection to GrowingGreat may be most valuable. I think though, ultimately, there is so much put on our teachers right now that some (as we talked about today!) just follow the prescribed checklist of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic without ever leaving that box. It is those teachers (and in some cases parents in the classroom) that realize that the garden can be used for more than just teaching nutrition but integrated into those three subjects (along with science, art, history etc.) that will have the "best" garden boxes on campus.



And so, a question now for you. I need to get a "system" in place and will start with the pile on my desk in front of me. What do you do with magazines? (Ok, not the most important doc in front of me but hey, its the top of the pile so its a start!) I have every dwell since the beginning - and am not sure why. But also can't seem to part with them? Should I?! I also have piles of tearsheets from those mags I have bid farewell too (Martha Stewart; Sunset, Real Simple...) I'll add - I don't have time to paste them into some kind of scrapbook, as others have suggested to me. What do you do?

So good to be with you today in person. (And to know I can be with you any day here.) xo

Dolly

So I didn't make it in time for Christmas but I managed to finish her just in time for the baby's birthday, no longer a baby at two!

I used the Poppy Doll pattern from Hop Skip Jump. They are becoming best friends which makes me happy. So far we seem to be calling her dolly.

Couple of things to tell you about:

1) Jamie Oliver won the 2010 TED Prize. His wish - “I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”
http://www.jamieoliver.com/news/jamie-wins-prestigious-ted-prize

2) Our school wants to build a box garden for every class and is joining GrowingGreat. If you were to give them one piece of advice, what would it be?

Space Boots

I have to say if these were available in either my or the baby's size, I'd have to get them.



Space Boots from Flora and Henri

Now for the Furniture

I decided the house needed people and at least a few pieces of furniture to start with. I ordered Plan Toy's Modern Doll Family and Doll House Nursery which comes with a baby, and I have to say they are pretty adorable.

But I thought it might be fun to make the rest of the furniture ourselves. I have visions of using egg cartons and cereal boxes a la the Blue Peter of my childhood. Did you get Blue Peter in Canada?

I'm finding lots of inspiration at Made by Joel, but somehow I don't think our finished pieces will look quite like this.

for the love of wallpaper

Do it.

I so badly want this for our kitchen.


from the ferm living website

Wallpaper?

I'm thinking this may be an excuse to start looking for vintage wallpaper for the dollhouse you found. Inspiration below...



Dollhouse from Ferm Living

Coptic Bound Lego

So the kid is reaching fever pitch when it comes to Lego, in particular Star Wars Lego. It's all he wanted for Christmas and it's all he wants for his birthday. Is this a boy thing?

I take some comfort in the fact it seems to be an international phenomenon after reading Fine Little Day's post. He too got the Republic Attack Cruiser for Christmas and we are trying to think of ways to display his finished models within easy reach for him but safe from the destructive little hands of his sister.

What he really wants is the Death Star and he is saving hard but at $450 he'll be in college by the time he saves enough. However, there is some solace in this YouTube video - excellent!

And look what I found for me - I mean him. I've been trying to get him to use a sketch book around to record and doodle so perhaps this will do the trick.





Small Coptic Bound Book with a Build your Own Cover Design

How about this?

Picked up at the thrift for $9.99. No markings - except for a small tag reading "Made in Indonesia" and some lovely cursive graffitti on the back of the previous owners doing ;)

{Man, may 2010 be the year of the baseboard!}

xo

Vintage or new doll's house?

While we were away the baby showed a huge amount of interest in a Barbie doll's house one of our friend's girls got from Santa. She was particularly captivated by the toilet which made a flushing noise, I'm not joking, to the point where she stripped down and tried to climb into the house to sit on it. I guess an understanding of scale comes later.

Anyway, as her second birthday is coming up, count them - two years!, I thought a doll's house might be a good idea for a present. But my dilemma is new or vintage? Here is want I have found so far, what do you think?

Green Dollhouse by Plan Toys



This one has a rain barrel!

Terrace Dollhouse by Plan Toys



Vintage Tyo Doll House Sesame Street



60s Vintage Fisher Price



Vintage 1950's Dream House

there and back again

Hi. We are home! Home. It sticks in my throat a little. To be perfectly honest, sometimes when we are away, when we are up on "our island", I feel more at home than ever.

In any case, we are back. I am sorry I didn't send any postcards this trip. It went so quickly, and the internet availability was limited.

Here are the ones I would have sent.


the ferry ride from Sturdies Bay to Schwartz Bay


looking up on a hike in the woods


a fire waiting for us in the stove

Happy New Year my dear friend. xo