All Natural Baby Powder for More than Babies

Mix up your own non-toxic, green and clean baby powder with this simple recipe. Find a favorite sugar shaker, salt shaker or cleaned jam jar with punched holes and combine:

1/4 cup cornstarch
10-12 drops of favorite essential oil - lavender, lemon, orange

Consider this Pampered Chef shaker with top or scour your local thrift store or pantry and up-cycle using an old jam jar with a few holes punched. Hot glue some ribbons around the jar to coordinate with your baby's nursery.

Here's to clean tushies and more!!

Snack Attack Goes Green

Pack a ton of nutrients, stave off hunger and feel great about the good work you're doing for the old bod. Try this little snack mix that keeps the team at Satsuma Designs working and playing hard with the little satsumas.

Satsuma Snack Mix
- 2 handfuls organic roasted almonds (no salt)
- 2 handfuls pepitas (the inside of a pumpkin seed - incredible source of iron for a little seed!)
- 1/2 a handful chopped brazil nuts (only need a little of this to get the great benefit of selenium)
- 1 handful dried cranberries (can sub raisins or whatever's in the pantry in terms of dried fruit)
- 1 and a dash more handful of dark chocolate chips or chunks (try chopping your favorite semi-sweet bar into this)

Combine in a reusable baggie like ReUsies or old jam jar with top. Mix it up and enjoy!!

10 Tips for Clean, Green, Eco-Serene Laundry

Not many love it, but there may perhaps be something satisfying about conquering the endless cycle of laundry that comes with a family, pairs and singles. Who's ready to confess that finally slaying the dump, sort, wash, dry, fold, put away dragon feels mighty nice?

Make it even nicer by keeping it green and eco-clean. Here are some tips to keep the family looking and smelling fresh and keep the salmon swimming.

1. Only machine wash in full loads in cold water or warm for whites
2. Line dry when weather and time permits
3. Machine wash once per week – even an active family of four should be able to accomplish this goal in 4-6 loads (one FULL load per person plus linens and a delicates)
4. Hand wash and line dry delicates (no machine washing as suggested above)
5. Use an enviro-friendly wash detergent that’s phosphate, chlorine and the other ‘nasties’-free 6. Make your own all natural washing machine detergent with a recipe of soap flakes, washing soda and borax
7. Spot clean apparel and toys with lemon juice and set out in sunshine – for colder, clear winter and fall days, simply lay items in a sunny window for the same result.
8. Dress and sleep in all natural fibers
9. Choose naturally anti-bacterial fabrics such as bamboo rayon
10. Fluff or time dry in dryer

Tighter fold please.

Satuma Gives Baby The Shirt on Her Back

Satsuma Designs launches their debut apparel collection in organic, cozy bamboo and cotton blends in colors to please baby boys and girls (and their respective sugar mommies and daddies). Not yet available for sale at http://www.satsumadesigns.com/, but soon. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek!

Veggie Mind Tricks

It's simple and could be simply zany, but one way to increase your veg intake is to make them too accessible to miss. I recently swapped my fruits for veggies in my more accessible fridge drawer (in my left handled unit, that's the left hand bottom drawer). My kids are constantly accessing that left hand drawer and now they get a rainbow of beta carotene, vitamins E, C, et al. And guess what, they're magically delicious (with a little steaming, butter and/or brown sugar!).

And don't forget to make some of those veggies organic. Check out The Daily Green's Dirty Dozen to keep kiddos (and you!) healthy and green.

Bon appetit!


image courtesy of Full Circle Farm a NW CSA

Let's hear it for Cool Moms! If you’ve got the urge to purge in Seattle, CoolMom would love to receive your gently-used toys, games, books, puzzles and kid gear for our used toy sale.

They'll have donation barrels in place until next Thursday, November 11th. They promise your toys will go to loving hands and the proceeds will go to fund things like our car seat recycling drives, walking school buses, and Earth Day activities like the Green Lake pinwheel wind farm. A portion will also go to FamilyWorks food bank and resource center.

Donation barrels can be found at:
• PCC Fremont
• PCC Green Lake
• John Stanford International School (42nd Street entrance)
• Greenwood Elementary
• PCC Green Lake
• Phinney Neighborhood Association - foyer of blue building
• Small Faces Child Development Center - 9250 14th Ave NW

The sale is from 9:30- 1:30 on Saturday November 13th at the Wallingford Boys and Girls Club.

Thanks for keeping your toys out of the landfill!

Locally Lavish Fashion from Seattle's Top Eco-Designers

EcoLavish returns for its third year as the only eco-friendly fashion show in Seattle. Half Past Lavish Event Production could not be more excited to bring this event’s unique style and flair to Seattle. EcoLavish features local fashion and jewelry designers and encourages guests to consider shopping locally in an effort to be eco-conscious. $25 GA ticket.

The EcoLavish Fashion Show will be held on Thursday, November 11th, 2010. The doors will open at 7pm with the show beginning at 8pm. The first 50 guests will receive eco-swag bags. Each year EcoLavish continues to grow and this year will be no exception. Designers already confirmed include Cameron Levin Couture, Vian Hunter, based in Madison Valley, and Twice Blushed, located in Ballard.

Premiere sponsors of EcoLavish include Herban Feast Sodo Park, MODE Organic Salon, Bamboo Beats, and Grand Event Rentals.