Do you have an eco-junkie to buy for this year?  

Know someone who doesn’t like stuff?  

Looking for something non-toxic to get a special child?  

Here are my top eco-holiday quick picks – with something special for everyone on your list.  

1. Itsabelly Guide to Going Green With Baby - By Melissa Moog & Jennifer Lo Prete  

2.  aden + anais Organic Muslin Swaddlers – Lil’s blankie of choice is now available in even more varieties and colors. 

3.  Global Green Pals - These eco-friendly dolls will become your child’s new best friend.  

4.  Piggy Paint – Project Earth - Safe nail polish for that tween in your life – now is Glow in the Dark too!  Use coupon code ECO10L to save 10% on anything at Piggy Paint through December 31, 2010.

5.  One Life Jewelry - A personal favorite homemade from a friend down the street from me whom I don’t talk to enough. XOXO! 

6.  Recycled Koby Jewelry - Made special for TerraCycle from 100% recycled silver by Canadian jeweler, Arthur Koby.  

7.  Blue Line PowerCost Monitor for Microsoft hohm -  Find out how much energy your home is using right now!     

Who’s your eco-junkie and what will you be getting for them? 

Disclosure:  All items featured in this gift guide have been personally reviewed by me and were provided to me by the companies.  I’m still trying to configure our PowerCost monitor and will follow up with you on our personal experience with that system soon.     

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Every year our family gathers together to take some photos that we’ll use on our Christmas cards.  I’m usually a last minute person and don’t get them done until long after Thanksgiving has past.  This year I was provided an opportunity to use tinyprints to order our Christmas cards as part of a blog partnership.  I’ve seen their ad in magazines and drooled over their stylish cards for years but like I said I usually run out of time.  With a little incentive from tinyprints I dressed my kids up in their Sunday best and after church one Sunday we stayed on the grounds and took some photos. 

I like to pretend that I have some photography skills and I usually end up with a few photos that look really nice.  Out of about 50 pictures I found a few that I loved and decided to play around with PhotoShop.  I’m still learning that too.  Finally I sat down one evening and started looking through the thousands (yes, really – over 2,000 designs) of card styles that tinyprints offers.  I didn’t have any restrictions placed upon me so I simply searched until I found the perfect card for our family.  It was no easy decision either.  You can make your cards using one photo or a collage of photos – the possibilities were practically endless.  It was very easy to navigate and narrow down your selection based on price (starting as low as .69 ea), number of photos, or colors. 

Once I found the card style that I liked it was time to play with the photos.  I’m sure if you are good with your photo editing and have plenty of time to spare you could do just about anything with your photos and cards.  With just about an hour left before my eyes slammed shut I imported pictures, cropped, played with colors, etc.  Once I was happy with my selection I woke up the hubby to get his thoughts on my hard work – thankfully he approved! 

I was even able to have the envelopes pre-printed with our return address.  If I had more time and had been even more prepared I could have had the addresses to all my recipients pre-printed.  After reviewing my proof I pushed ORDER and away they went to the printers!  The processing time was very quick and I had a proof to review within 24 hrs.  Within the first 48 hrs my cards were proofed, printed, and shipped – arriving just a few short days later.  I even think thattinyprints would have worked in years past with my normal procrastination. 

Once the package arrived I was excited to see just how perfect our Christmas cards were going to be for the year.  I’m very pleased with the results and I’m sure this year our family and friends will be keeping our cards in their photo albums instead of the trash. 

Are they eco-friendly?  Unfortunately tinyprints doesn’t have any advertised eco-friendly options for paper or ink.  Even their shipping seemed to be a bit wasteful – the box they arrived in was oversized for the cards – however the cards were an unusual dimension.  Our families Christmas cards never have been printed eco-friendly though.  We treat them as we would our family photos and hope that our friends and family will treasure them for years to come.  After all it’s usually the only time some of our friends and family get to see our growing family and that’s worth the environmental impact to me. 

Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Christmas cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cards and even business cards. Offering exclusive designs from the nation’s top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side the Holidays will be a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooks, photo-books and calendars.

Are you a blogger?  Would you like to review the tinyprints holiday collection? They will be giving out 60 cards to selected bloggers who apply!

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Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Years!

The family and I are just spending a quiet (haha) night at home!

The baby was cranky and crashed before 7pm.

Played (and lost) monopoly with hubs and the boy. Ate junk food and tweeted while watching the festivities on tv!

Tis’ an exciting life as a parent of two!

Welcome 2010! I’m excited to see what you have in store for us!

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Here are a few deals and steals that I’d like to share with all of you!  Great eco-minded companies!

Franklin Goose- Start a wishlist or gift registry during the month of December and share it with friends and family.  Franklin Goose will randomly selected winners to receive one item from their list!  Maybe they will grant your wish!  Great wooden, soft, and recycled toys for the babies and tots!  Coupon code 15077b61 for Free Shipping on all orders over $50.  See full review HERE.

Sprout Baby - Use coupon code SBBL055to save 15% off your first purchase.  Sprout Baby sells organic baby food, cloth diapers, and much more!  Only 7 days left to register to win $2500 cash in their First Birthday Bash! See full review HERE.

aden + anais – Great organic cotton muslin swaddle blankets and more!  Lil B doesn’t go anywhere without hers. 
From Dec. 3 – Dec. 18th you can save 15% off anything on their site with coupon code celebrate.  See full review HERE.

Dittany Baby: Save when you shop at Dittany Baby with the following codes!  ***Be sure to enter theecochic@gmail.comin the comments box at checkout so I can receive my “Refer A Friend” credits.  (THANK YOU!!)  See full review and enter the giveaway for a Mei Tai baby carrier HERE.  (Giveaway ends Dec. 10, 2009)  
                            ”10off20” for 10% off of a $20.00 order
                            “20off50” for 20% off of a $50.00 order
                            “35off100” for 35% off of a $100.00 order

Picnic Basket Crafts on Etsy:   Etsy is a great place to find homemade items when you don’t have the time to make it yourself.  PBC makes homemade spa and body treatments along with other cool items.  Coupon code Eco Chic Blog for 10% off your next purchase.  See full review HERE.

Rockin’ Green Soap:  Use coupon RockinHoliday and receive 10% offyour purchase.  Great eco-friendly detergent formulated especially for cloth diapers.  Scents I’ve tried…pumpkin crunch, peppermint cocoa, cherry lemonade, and buttercream.  Next on the list to try…Mango Sorbet! Yummy!

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Giveaway Alert! Win a limited edition Holiday set of (2) cloth napkins from Fabkins!    Giveaway ended but be sure to use coupon code CHIC15 for 15% off your purchase!  ECO-ngratulations Khrystina! Watch your email.

It seems like it was just yesterday that school was starting and I was talking about Fabkins awesome cloth napkins designed for kids lunches.  My son has used his sports Fabkins in his lunch for 4 months now and loves them.  They wash well and since his are dark blue they don’t stain either.  We have another brand of cloth napkins that are white and they are already dirty looking (but that’s a boy thing…messy!). 

Well Fabkins has expanded their line to include a cute holiday set.  The one’s we received included a gingerbread man and a Christmas tree. They also a snowman and a stocking.  For a limited time you can purchase these holiday Fabkins for $7.95 for a set of 2. 

At 13″ x 13″ they are perfect size to use as a wrapping paper for your child’s small gifts.  They would be perfect in their stocking or as a teachers gift. 

Buy It:  You can buy your own Fabkins (holiday or any other design) online HERE.  Use coupon code CHIC15to save 15% off your order. 

Win It:  Win a set of 2 Holiday Edition Fabkins by leaving me a comment below telling me what your favorite Fabkins design is. 

Extra Entries:
-Enter any of my other Eco-Holiday Gift Guide Giveaways (Leave a comment telling me which one’s you’ve entered.)
-Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
-Subscribe using Feedburner or other reader (Leave your email addy)
-Add my button to your blog or site (Leave a link to your blog)
-Blog about this giveaway and the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide  (Leave a link to your blog)
-Share this giveaway with your friends (Leave me a comment telling me how!)

Giveaway open to all residents in the US over the age of 18 yrs old.  Must leave a comment for each entry with a maximum of 10 entries total.  Giveaway ends December 7, 2009 at midnight (EST).  Entrants must leave their email to be contacted if they are selected. 

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE TO ENTER!

Giveaway ended! ECO-ngratulations Khrystina!

More from the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide.

*This post was sponsored by Fabkins.

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Giveaway Alert! Win a starter set just like the one in the picture below from Your Baby Can Read. Eco-ngratulations Khrystina! Check your email!

Your Baby Can Read!

We’ve all seen the commercials…you know the one’s with the babies watching the videos, playing with the word cards, and acting out the actions…reading!  I would have been all over this video with my first child but you get a little more relaxed with your second (at least I do) and don’t push them as hard.  I have a friend of mine who has used this with her own child and she said it was cute.  She said her baby would see the word clap on screen and begin clapping along. 

The set that I received (the same as the giveaway) is only 1/5 of the full intro set but it’s plenty to fall in love to!  Based on Dr. Titzer’s Early Language Development program the intro set includes a DVD Early Learning Workshop, the Parents Guide, Learn to Read Word Cards, and a starter book.  Having an older child who monopolizes the television along with a sports addicted husband; Lil’ B hasn’t really had time to dedicate to the program.  We have watched it a few times and it’s cute.  It’s designed for use with babies starting as early as 3 months of age up to children 5 years old.  Now if only there were more hours in the day I might actually have time to dedicate 20-30 minutes to practice this with Lil’ B.  She just began to clap and has learned her first baby sign…I think she’s finally old enough where I would be able to see results. 

Buy It:  You can buy Your Baby Can Read online HERE.  They offer a 30 day trial for $14.95 (plus S&H). 

Win It!  Register here to win your own intro set like the one in the picture above!  Visit the Your Baby Can Read site and tell me one thing you learned from their site.  Leave your comment below to be entered into this giveaway.

Extra Entries:
-Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect
-Subscribe using Feedburner or other reader
-Add my button to your blog or site
-Blog about this giveaway and the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide
-Share this giveaway with your friends

Giveaway open to all residents in the US over the age of 18 yrs old.  Must leave a comment for each entry with a maximum of 10 entries total.  Giveaway ends December 1, 2009 at midnight (EST).  Entrants must leave their email to be contacted if they are selected. 

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE TO ENTER!

Giveaway Ended.  Eco-ngratulations Khrystina!

More from the Eco-Holiday Gift Guide.

*This post was sponsored by Your Baby Can Read.

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GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for the fourth contest and a great coupon code as part of The Eco-Summer Blog Party!

CONGRATULATIONS STWILLIAMS07@XXXXXXX You are the winner of the To-Go Ware gift set!

Happy 4th of July from The Eco Chic, To-Go Ware, and Green Planet Parties!  The 4th for many of us will be filled with backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, and fireworks.  Along with all that fun comes tons of unnecessary waste.  When most of us host get-togethers at our homes (or anywhere) we typically run to the store and stock up on disposable tableware (plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, etc) for our guests.  Anyone want to venture to guess how long most of these items get used?  Less than 5 minutes…think about this today while you celebrate the 4th with your friends and family. 

About a year ago I invested in some cheap reusable plastic plates and cups for a party we were hosting at the house.  We tend to host several of these parties each year and I decided it was time to find an alternative to the disposable items we typically used.  Now I know that plastic is not perfect…I’m learning all about BPA and all the other evils of plastics…but it was a step in the right direction.  It was reasonably priced at our local big box retailer so I purchased about 30 of each.  We already had a spare set of cutlery from a camping trip a few years ago.  Party day arrived and I was all excited to use our new tableware but I wasn’t prepared for the reaction from the guests.  I actually had one dear friend throw the plate in the garbage.  I had several guests pitty me for the dishes I was going to have to wash later that night.  But after a few hand slappings and a few parties later they have grown to accept my plastic plates and cups…I honestly think they even like them…but they would never admit that to me.  After all, they are durable and there will be no soggy plates at our parties.  

Did you know that most plastics take 10-100 years to degrade at the landfill?  And since plastic is made from petroleum, as it breaks down it releases this petroleum into our environment.  Yes, most landfills are safe and prevent these chemicals from reaching our groundwater but how much of the litter along our roadways and beaches are plastic cutlery?  Look around you!  What you might not know is that there are kinder options available.  

Green Planet Parties is a great online retailer that offers eco-friendly decorations, tableware, gifts, and goodie bags.  I’m impressed with the reusable cotton and felt table clothes, banners, and goodie bags that they sell.  They sent me a great kit to sample and I can’t wait until we host our next party.  Their Party in a (Reusable) Bag is a great alternative to the disposables we’ve enjoyed for years.  The Party in a Bag contains 25 bowls, cups, cutlery sets, and 50 napkins.  What makes this different is that everything is compostable and recyclable.  The plates (almost a bowl shape) are made from palm leaves.  They almost look too nice to actually throw away.  The cutlery and cups are made from PolyActide (PLA) plastics that are typically made from corn or potato starches.  The napkins are made from 100% recycled materials and they even include an oxo-degradable garbage bag.  These items should safely decompose within 12-24 months of time in the landfill leaving no toxins or waste behind.  All of the items are shipped in a very cute (and totally reusable) cotton bag for easy storage.  Unfortunately the bag will come in handy for storage as our 4th of July plans have changed and we won’t be hosting a party this year.  When we do get a chance to use them I will be sure to follow up here and let you know what the guests thought of the Party in a Bag.  What’s the next big holiday?  Who’s having a birthday or anniversary?  Parties at our house!

Now I know that compostable items such as this are not 100% eco-friendly but it’s better than disposable.  Just like my own transition to reusable plates and cups the items from Green Planet Parties will help people make greener decisions when they host their parties.  There are many shades of Green and I consider the Party in a Bag the lime green action!  For those of you darker green readers I have another alternative.  

Do you carry your reusable bottles and bags with you?  Well why not carry your own utensil set?  To-Go Ware offers reusable utensil sets that are easy for you to take with you.  The RePEaTutensil sets have bamboo flatware and chopsticks that are neatly packaged in a sheath made from recycled PET plastic (RePEaT).  In addition it has a very clever carabiner(clip) on the back of the sheath so you can hook it anywhere.  I’m going to start hooking it to my reusable water bottle.  I mentioned they were made from bamboo right?  What’s so special about bamboo?  Is it washable?  Can you reuse it?  Well bamboo is a very eco-friendly plant that is easy to harvest, incredibly durable and dishwasher safe.  

To-Go Ware also offers items that are more for personal use than for parties such as the stainless steel tiffins and sidekicks.  It’s like a reusable steel lunch box for adults…ok, we’ll let the kids use them too.  The containers are all made of 200 grade stainless food grade steel and are dishwasher safe.  Since they are steel they can be heated using the oven, stove, toaster and even over a campfire.  You might be asking me why steel versus plastic…as you may know, most plastics contain BPA and phthalates that can leech into your food.  I have a friend of mine who will speak more about plastics and BPA later in the party.  I have a lot to learn!

Giveaway!  1. Green Planet Parties is offering 10% off your entire purchase with a coupon code for readers of the Eco-Summer Blog Party.  Coupon Code ECO CHICis valid until July 31, 2009.  Please be sure to follow @Greenpla on Twitter but tell your friends to visit The Eco Chic to get the coupon code!  CONTEST PERIOD IS OVER BUT COUPONS ARE STILL ACTIVE!  CONGRATULATIONS STWILLIAMS07 2.  To-Go Wareis offering one lucky reader (US Residents only please) their own RePEaTutensil set along with one of each the large and small sidekicks (a $23 value).  All you have to do is subscribe (BELOW) to recieve updates from The Eco Chic in your email inbox.  You can earn extra entries by following @theecochic and @togoware on Twitter and Facebook.  Be sure to leave a comment HERE for each extra entry you earn (include your username for verification).  The To-Go Ware contest will end on Monday, July 6th at midnight (EST).  3.  To-Go Ware is also offering a 10% off coupon code for readers who want to purchase their own utensils and sidekicks.  Coupon Code ECOCHIC10 is valid until August 31, 2009.

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