Evergreen Moms: A Pacific Northwest Shopping Blog

Baby shower invitations with style

2010-03-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that Evergreen Moms is a fan of clean simple design. Especially those created by talented Pacific Northwest artisans like Seattle's B. Brown. She creates modern yet playful stationery for her company, Marabou. From birth announcements to birthday parties, Marabou Designs has you covered. In a world cluttered with bows and frill, we love the simplicity and creativity of her cards. I mean, don't you just adore this baby shower invitation? And it's even available on premium 100% recycled paper for just a few dollars more.

25 for $60 at Minted

GIVEAWAY! We have a $50 gift certificate from Marabou to give away to one lucky reader! To enter, visit the Marabou site and leave a comment on this post telling us which of the designs is your favorite. Leave additional comments as bonus entries if you subscribe to our feed, tweet about the contest, have our button on your blog or are our fan on Facebook. Contest closes at midnight PST on March 20th. Our standard terms & conditions apply. Good luck!

Craft kits that cover the whole caboodle

2010-03-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

My eldest has been eager to do craft projects lately. While I enjoy the afternoons creating our masterpieces, pulling together the necessary bits and pieces for a given project can sometimes be a pain in the you-know-what. And I'm a little dubious of many of the kits at the big box craft store, especially given the lead and other toxins that keep popping up in cheap toys.

Seattle's Kit and Caboodle Designs makes it a whole lot easier with their craft kits, ranging from sewing to jewelry to painting. They include nearly everything you need to complete the project, from pattern to materials to thread and needle. I love how they play with texture and color. Plus, they steer clear of plastics, opt for reused and recycled materials, and source them locally here in the Northwest, when possible.

Best of all, the end product is actually something you'd want to keep around, like the colorful owl family sewing kit (above) or Russian stacking dolls you paint yourself. There's even a Sew-A-Rabbit kit, just in time for Easter. Craft time just got a whole lot better.

$13 and up at Kit and Caboodle

For brown thumbs everywhere

2010-03-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you're green thumb is as brown as mine, you've probably given up on indoor plants. But they're great natural air purifiers in addition to being just plain pretty to look at. Which means we shouldn't give up so easily. I think we just need to outsmart our brown thumbs.

For starters, buy a hearty plant. One with an unbreakable will to survive. And then plant it in this lovely and brilliant self watering pot by Grobal. You fill the water reservoir and Grobal draws the water and nutrients as needed. The water level indicator tells you when it's time to refill. It's so simple, even I may be able to keep a house plant alive!

$15 at Amazon*

*EGM is a proud affiliate of Amazon

Mother's jewelry that loves on Mother Earth

2010-03-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

I had never seen a piece of mother's jewelry I really longed to wear until I came across the understated family necklaces from Figs and Ginger. No collections of flashy birthstones--just quiet families of bird or fawns handmade from sterling silver and given a blackened patina. Like the other Figs and Ginger necklaces, rings and earrings, the end result is beautiful in its simplicity. Baby animals can even be added later, so your necklace can change along with your family.

Owners Elijah and Rhonda Wyman take their eco-friendly jewelry label seriously, using 50% recycled silver and gold among a slew of other green efforts. Yet another reason to love my necklace: knowing it came from a company that cares about keeping the earth healthy for when my little birdies grow up.

$41 and up at Figs and Ginger

Bib Nirvana

2010-03-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Bibs may save our babies' adorable outfits from a multitude of stains but they tend to get ruined in the process. Leave it to a mom to create stain friendly bibs that are the same color as baby food. With colors like Milk, Carrot, Green Pea and Grape, aptly named Pukies bibs will take whatever your baby throws at them and still come back for more.

Pukies are stain friendly due to the color as well as the ingenious fabric made from a special blend of soy fiber and organic cotton. This blend, known as Soy Genius, results in a super soft, durable and antimicrobial fabric which is pretty much bib nirvana.

4-pack $34 at Pukies

EVERGREEN DISCOUNT! Save 20% on your purchase from Pukies with the code EGREEN20. Offer expires 5/31/10.

By the glow of an (indoor) campfire

2010-03-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

In the middle of the rainy season, campfires and s'mores can seem like distant memories. But not with a little help from Sweetie Pie Bakery! This DIY play campfire set is really something else in its attention to detail. The felt fire stands up on its own and the hot dogs and marshmallows have small slots that let them slip onto a stick for toasting. Time to pull out the sleeping bags and enjoy an afternoon "camping out" in your warm, dry living room!

It's just one of the seriously impressive felt food patterns at Sweetie Pie Bakery. (The sushi set and its tiny teapot! The picnic lunch with an adorable "wicker" basket!) Not feeling crafty? You can also splurge on a pre-made set.

$6 for the pattern at Sweetie Pie Bakery

Shake it

2010-03-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

From the first time the strolling Mariachi band at a local restaurant handed our one-year old daughter a pair of egg shaped musical shakers, we were hooked. The look of sheer joy on her face as she shook that toy along with the music is forever etched in my memory. We ran out and bought a pair of Egg Shakers which have since been a favorite of both of my kids.

These Musical Egg Shakers from Earthentree Toys are eco friendly, handcrafted and beautiful. Earthentree Toys are made by artisans in India using a centuries old technique and colored with vegetable dyes. Earthentree donates a portion of your purchase to help the artisan community and collaborates to design innovative eco friendly toys such as this Egg Shaker. There are so many reasons to love this toy but the best is the simply joy of playing with it!

$8 at Earthentree

Stop that annoying heel wedgie

2010-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's so annoying when your pants get caught under your foot as you're wearing open back shoes. Personally I try a little kick maneuver as I walk to un-bunch them. It kind of defeats the point of the long and lean look of jeans and strappy heels when I'm shaking my leg like a goofball.

Well just check out these pant weights. No, it's not some health craze. Kix by Katie are little weights for the hem of your jeans to keep them hanging nicely and stop that annoying "heel wedgie," as Oregon mom-preneur Katie calls it. Kix by Katie is a disposable, adhesive product so you simply stick it to the inside hem of your pants and remove when you're ready to launder the pants. This may sound bizarre but I think it's totally brilliant.

$13 for package of 3 at Kix by Katie

The bulk aisle goes greener

2010-02-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

In my ongoing quest to cut down on our family's grocery waste, I started taking cloth bags to the store, picked up a set of great reusable produce bags--and then turned my sights on the bulk food aisle.

We pick up a lot of our staples in the bulk food section, which meant we were bringing home a slew of plastic bags every week. Enter the reusable food bags from British Columbia's Kootsac. Made of your choice of white silk or colorful ripstop nylon, they add next to no weight--just like plastic bags--but can be used again and again. Available in four sizes, the smallest suitable for small items like spices and the largest coming in at a roomy 11"x19" for stocking up on grains.

$10.50 for set of three at Kootsac

Hip tees for Haute Boyz

2010-02-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Among a sea of tees, Haute Boyz delivers stands out for their super soft cotton, cool colors and hip graphics. And all just for boys! It's hard to pick a favorite from the many fun sayings but I love their signature tee pictured above which reads "Dump Him, I'm Hotter." The long sleeve thermal styles for toddlers are perfect in this chilly spring weather. And of course I think the "Stop Blogging Me" onesie is hysterical.

$29 at Haute Boyz

The art of the Polaroid picture

2010-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm captivated lately by the photography of Portland's Andrea Jenkins, who offers prints of her original polaroid photographs--taken with an honest-to-goodness old school Polaroid camera--at her Etsy store. The ethereal color and quiet scenes have such a stillness about them.

$15-25 at Le Shoppe

Clever little snot sucker

2010-02-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

When my babies were congested, I struggled with saline sprays and bulb syringes. Not only was it exhausting to try to wrestle with a sick baby who was not thrilled about this thingy in their nose but in the end those devices offered little relief. It was a frustrating and futile process. But now I've found a better solution.

NoseFrida is a clever little snot sucker that's been used in Europe for years and is now available in North America. There are many ways that NoseFrida is superior to the bulb syringe but the two greatest are 1) you control the amount of suction and 2) it's non-allergenic, latex-free, BPA-free and phthalate-free. As you'll see in the picture, you provide the suction but don't worry, the filter protects you from germs and other icky stuff.

$15 at NoseFrida

GIVEAWAY! We have a NoseFrida to give away to one lucky reader! Congratulations to our winner, cherdon! Thanks for entering, the contest is now closed.

Needing a jewelry fix

2010-02-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

I treated myself to my first Lauren Haupt necklace in the fall. Then I got another for my birthday last month. And I'm trying really, really hard not to go back for a third.

Can you blame me? She describes her line as "perfect handmade jewelry for everyday," and I have to say I agree. The pieces are simple enough to wear day after day with my casual wardrobe, with just enough of a subtle mix of color to keep things interesting. And the price points? Oh so friendly.

$26 and up at Lauren Haupt Jewelry or Etsy

A pan to suit all tastes

2010-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

We have meat eaters and vegetarians in our household which usually means twice the dirty dishes. But this brilliant pan from Chicago Metallic makes three separate lasagnas in one pan. So we can make a vegetarian, a meat filled and a dairy free version without dirtying separate pans. And they will each have the crunchy corners that my family fights over. It comes with a spatula that fits each channel perfectly for easy serving. And this pan also meets the most important criteria in my house, it's dishwasher safe.

$30 at our affiliate Amazon

Garland meets printmaking

2010-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Drawing inspiration from traditional Tibetian prayer flags, Jenny Grout of Windsparrow Studio creates captivating block-printed handmade garlands. The Port Townsend artist hand carves her nature-inspired images, then prints them on the all-cotton flags with fade-proof ink.

With spring around the corner, we're starting to daydream again about sunlit gardens and warm evenings on the deck. It's easy to picture these flags adding a bit of color and movement outside on a gate or fence, where they will change with the elements. They would be equally charming inside--a fresh twist on colorful garland. There are even some patch-work animal flags that strike us as perfect for a child's room. Can't you see them hanging above a crib?

$24 at the Windsparrow Studio Shop

It's about time

2010-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

No dress up box is complete without accessories like this adorable pretend watch from Giggling Goldfish. It's also a great way for that little sibling to copy their big sis or bro. I could tell you all about the sturdy construction and handmade detailing (and all that is true) but it's the cute factor that sold me!

$12 at Giggling Goldfish

Not your preschooler's collage

2010-02-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Seattle-based artist Kate Endle uses decorative paper on canvas to create kid-friendly collages full of calming curves and modern color. We love the way the textures of the collage add depth to the images, even on the (nicely affordable) prints.

Prints $25 at Kate Endle Collage

Keep warm while looking cool

2010-02-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the title but since I started the cliches, I may as well continue. I'm one of those women who is always cold. Even as I type this I'm bundled up in a blanket in front of a fire while my hubby runs around in short sleeves. To cover my bases, I keep a space heater under my desk at work and a set of fingerless gloves at the ready. Like these gorgeous fleece gloves from Xmittens (pronounced Ex-mittens).

Fingerless gloves are handy for a million different uses. I love being able to keep warm while I type, flip through paper and jot down notes. Plus the neutral grey color goes with everything while the unique stitched design adds style.

$30 at Xmittens

For the greenie on the go

2010-02-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's the baby steps toward an eco-friendly life that are often the most satisfying. Like swapping out the disposable baggies that we're constantly tossing into lunchboxes and the diaper bag for a greener alternative.

The reusable cloth sandwich bags from Vancouver Island's Rosy Und Posy make this baby step both easy and pretty. The sturdy muslin-lined cotton bags come in two sizes (snack and sandwich), each with velcro closures along the top. Their careful construction and eye-catching fabrics set them apart from many other bags on the market. And we love the unspoken daily lesson it is to our kids to reach for reusables whenever we can.

$4-6 each or $16 for a set of three at Rosy Und Posy

Making airline travel a little easier

2010-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've been travelling more lately and boy has airline travel become an ordeal! After removing my separated bag of liquids, laptop, shoes and coat, I finally make it through security only to scramble barefoot to the nearest bench to redress and re-stow my belongings. I'm exhausted before I even step foot on the plane. To take one thing off the list, I'm switching the liquids for these solid shampoo bars from Soap Lady Oregon.

Most shampoos essentially chemically strip your hair of natural oils which you then attempt to replace (again chemically) with a conditioner. But these shampoo bars are made from all natural ingredients which leave your hair soft and clean without detergents, chemicals or a separate conditioner. And unlike some natural shampoos, these bars create a satisfying lather. Available in nine different varieties, you'll find just the right shampoo bar for your hair type. Or test drive all of them with the Shampoo Sampler so you're sure to find your favorite.

$5 each at Soap Lady Oregon

EVERGREEN SPECIAL OFFER! Mention Evergreen Moms and receive a free bar of soap with your order from Soap Lady Oregon.

The latest hit toy at our house

2010-02-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

I first encountered Fisher Price TRIO blocks when my four-year old son received two sets for his birthday in the fall. I have to admit, I sort of thought they'd be a soon-forgotten toy. Shows what I know.

He loves them. Loooves them. At first he only wanted carefully follow the instructions (with our help) to build just what was pictured on the boxes. But soon he was mixing and experimenting to create elaborate buildings, spaceships and creatures all on his own.

The TRIO blocks fit neatly into the gap he's in now: too big for LEGO Duplo blocks yet still too young to do all the complicated things he wants to do with regular LEGOs. The blocks are a uniform size and the support pieces make easy pillars and curves, which takes some of the engineering guesswork out of building. They were a little hard to snap together the first couple of times we used them, but loosened up after a little use. They've become a go-to birthday gift for us for his preschool friends.

$7 and up at Amazon

[EGM is an Amazon affiliate]

Chocolate Round Up

2010-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

We've rounded up some of our favorite chocolate treats from around the Pacific Northwest, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Traditional chocolate gifts Top row, left to right: (1) Almonds and caramel dipped in chocolate, $15 for 1lb at Branson's Chocolates (2) Chocolate dipped caramels, $17 for 12 pieces at Indulge (3) Handmade truffles, $15 for 9 pieces at Ladybug Chocolates

A little bit different Second row, left to right: (4) Chocolate of the month club, $430 at Coastal Mist (5) Do Not Eat This chocolate bar, $5 each at Lillie Belle Farms (6) Chocolate House Kit, $25 at Chocolate Craft Kits

Chocolate for drinking Third row, left to right: (7) Holy Kakow Vegan Rapture Organic Chocolate Syrup, $5 at Vegan Essentials (8) Drinking chocolate bars, $20 for 4 at Sipping Dreams (9) Brewed chocolate, $15 for 12oz at Choffy

Calorie free chocolate Bottom row, left to right: (10) Chocolate chip earrings, $48 at Marco Polo Designs (11) Dolco Cioccolato Sweet Body Chocolates gift box, $16 at Servello (12) Trio of chocolate scented candles, $24 at Cattail Candles

GIVEAWAY! Remember those heavely Cloud Bites from {a little bit of sweet} that we mentioned? You know the handmade marshmellow covered in caramel and dipped in dark chocolate. We have a four-piece box of Cloud Bites from {a little bit of sweet} to give away to one lucky reader! Congratulations to our winner bloomerbear! Thanks for entering, the contest is now closed.

Bitty photos to stack or hang

2010-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

I'm very drawn to tiny ornaments lately, little objects that add almost-hidden detail to a space. Like these photo blocks from Portland's Littleput. Original photos (or your own pics) mounted on small wooden blocks just a bit over three inches tall. They can be stacked on a table top, tucked into a window sill, or hung on the wall. A visual reward for the people who really take the time to look at a room.

$12 and up at Littleput

I bet you can't eat just one

2010-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

If your marshmallow experience is limited to the kind that come in bags from the grocery store, you're really missing out! In my humble opinion, the handmade version of anything is usually superior to it's store bought brethren. But with handmade marshmallows, the difference is night and day. Imagine biting into a chewy and fluffy little cloud of goodness like these handmade marshmallows from Oregon's {a little bit of sweet}. Made with natural flavors, this sampler of vanilla, chocolate and caramel marshmallows is the perfect introduction to these handcrafted treats. After one taste, I'll bet you never look at a s'more or a cup of cocoa the same way again!

And if you think the classic handmade marshmallow sounds delicious, imagine topping it with caramel and dipping the whole thing in dark chocolate. {a little bit of sweet} calls that taste of heaven a Cloud Bite. Packaged in recycled box, I call it my ultimate Valentine's treat!

$7 for a dozen marshmallows at {a little bit of sweet}

Like a security blanket with style

2010-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

You know how soft those old cotton tees can be? Now imagine that comfy-ness snuggled around your neck, with these lightweight scarves made of recycled t-shirts from Scrap Tees. Each handmade scarf has its own unique combination of colors and patterns. A colorful, casual accessory for these grey winter days.

$18 at Scrap Tees