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By Mom Unplugged, May 11, 2008 5:18 pm

I don’t usually get too excited about giveaways, but dkMommy Spot is hosting one that I would actually really enjoy winning! So would most of you I think, especially if you like hanging around my Unplugged Toystores page while dreaming of a little online shopping.

If you stop by her site you can comment for a chance at winning a $35 gift certificate from Wild Dill, a wonderful store featuring organic, fair-trade and natural children’s clothing, toys, bedding, and various other accessories. I liked the look of Wild Dill so much that I felt moved to add it to both my Unplugged Toystores page and my Unplugged Eco Shopping page.

You can also subscribe to the dkMommyspot blog and/or write your own post about the giveaway for additional chances to win.

I probably won’t win since I rarely win anything, but hopefully one of you will. Good luck and I hope you enjoy checking out Wild Dill!

Oh…and the giveaway ends on Tuesday, May 13th so hurry up and enter right now if you are interested.

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By Mom Unplugged, November 30, 2007 10:46 pm

A couple more Unplugged Toy Stores I have found:

Kid Bean (Organic and vegan toys, clothing and products) - TOYS: Wooden toys, cooperative games, organic cotton stuffed toys and dolls, and arts and crafts supplies.

The Silly Wagon (Boutiquey-type stuff: clothing, toys, decor, accessories, etc.) - TOYS: Wooden toys, arts and crafts, plush and handcrafted. (Exudes a bit of a trendy boutique air, but I thought some of the prices weren’t too bad compared to similar items at other stores, and there were some toys and clothes that I would buy).

Palumba (Natural and Waldorf toys) - TOYS: Large assortment of wood toys, playsilks, dolls, pretend play, arts and crafts, etc.

Gosh, there are really a lot of stores out there, but some of them are just too style-conscious or too expensive for me. If I can’t find a toy that I would buy at the price they are asking, then it doesn’t make my cut. If I feel that it is all more about “trendy baby/mama” then it doesn’t make it either.

Be sure to check for coupon codes here before considering any purchase!

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By Mom Unplugged, November 29, 2007 10:06 pm

OK, instead of my early bed, I have been doing a little online shopping from some Unplugged Toy Stores. But I have just discovered a huge resource for coupon codes for some of these stores (as well as a few others that are not (yet) on my list). I have to share this link with you:

Go to this motheringdotcommune thread and read the messages. There are some great codes for some wonderful stores! I am so excited!

I used one for Quiet Hours Toys and it worked like a charm.

Happy shopping!

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By Mom Unplugged, August 14, 2007 7:16 pm

The other day I wore this simple navy blue crewneck shirt to a party and took an informal poll. I asked everyone to feel the shirt (fortunately I knew all these people very well!) and tell me what they thought it was made of. The results? 100% of poll participants said that it was definitely silk. What is it really made of? Drum roll please….. Bamboo!

Newsflash: Bamboo fibers make great clothing. This is yet another interesting new use for this highly sustainable resource.

When I stumbled across the website Shirtsofbamboo.com, I was underwhelmed by the thought of bamboo clothing. But I thought it sounded interesting and different. Since I like things that are different, I decided to give it a try and ordered two shirts (from the sale section though - I wasn’t ready to hand over full-price!).

Email communication was good, the shirts came quickly and … I love them! They are the softest shirts that I own. They are light as a feather, and cool on hot days. Plus, they seem to be easy to care for.

The washing instructions say “machine wash warm, tumble dry low.” The fiber is so soft and delicate feeling that I would have machine washed cold and hung to dry. By now however, I could see a blog post on the horizon. So, in the interest of research and accurate reporting, I decided to risk it all and do what the label said.

Expecting to be able to hand my shirt down to my 19 month-old daughter after the first run through the drier, I was astonished to find that it didn’t shrink and looks as good as it did when I first got it!

I have only washed it once so I can’t comment on durability, but I can say that I love it enough to have joined their affiliate program.

So, if you want to try bamboo clothing too, please click here:

Not only will you be helping to spread the word to the world that this ecologically sound fiber option exists, but you will be providing me with a little pocket change to save up for another bamboo shirt (or maybe yet another children’s book from Amazon…just what we need!). If you don’t like it, Shirts of Bamboo will pay the return shipping and refund your money.

NOTE:

Here is more information on the benefits of bamboo from Shirts of Bamboo’s blog:

Soft Bamboo fiber is softer than the softest cotton, has a natural sheen to the surface and feels similar to silk or cashmere.

Unlike other anti-microbial fabrics, which require a chemical treatment, bamboo fiber clothing is naturally anti-microbial and requires no harmful chemicals. It contains an agent, ‘bamboo kunh’, that prevents bacteria from cultivating on it. Bamboo apparel is comfortable, thermal regulating and will keep you cooler, drier, warmer and odor free.

Natural Bamboo is one of the world’s most prolific and fastest-growing plants, and is able to reach maturity in about four years, compared to the typical 25 to 70 years for commercial tree species in the U.S.

Bamboo is nature’s most sustainable resource. It is grown without pesticides or chemicals, is 100% biodegradable, and is naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to 4 feet per day and can be harvested every 3 to 4 years.

In Asia, bamboo has been used in the traditional hand-made production of paper for centuries. Now, through modern manufacturing processes, bamboo pulp is capable of producing bamboo fiber for use in yarn and fabric.

Bamboo is planted and grown on family-owned farms that have been in agricultural use for generations. None of the fiber comes from tropical forests.

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By Mom Unplugged, April 2, 2007 8:03 am

Today is International Children’s Book Day with celebrations being held at libraries around the world, as well as a “mini-festival” in Aukland, New Zealand (this year’s sponsoring country). Margaret Mahy, one of New Zealand’s most popular authors, has written an inspirational message to the children of the world about reading. You can link here to read her message which has been translated into four languages, including Maori!

In honor of International Children’s Book Day, this seems like the perfect time for the post I had planned about resources for finding multicultural children’s books.

Here are some websites that promote multicultural children’s books:

1) Papertigers.org: For those interested in children’s books from and about the Pacific Rim and South Asia. They have featured books, author interviews, and my favorite: links to suggested reading lists by country and topic.

2) A list of 50 Multicultural Books That Every Child Should Know can be found at the National Education Association (NEA) Website. This list is arranged by age and is merely a list of titles and authors, with no photos, descriptions or reviews. But, it could be a good starting place for a search for age-appropriate multicultural books.

3) One World, Many Children - A Children’s Booklist of Cultural Diversity was compiled by the Baltimore County Public Library. This list is sorted into two categories: books about Children Living In The United States, and Children Living In Other Countries. These lists give author, title, appropriate age, and a brief synopsis.

4) Another interesting link is Growing Up Around The World - Books as Passports to Global Understanding For Children in the United States. This bibliography complied by the Association for Library Service to Children is arranged in downloadable PDF format by continent of interest. I downloaded the “Africa” list and found 8 pages of book suggestions broken down by country. Each book reference contains title, author, grade level, and a brief description. In order to promote cultural accuracy, all the books on this list were written by authors who have lived a minimum of two years in each culture. If you want children’s stories specifically about Cameroon or Tanzania for example, start here!

5) Shen’s Blog (“Thoughts and News From the World of Multicultural Books”): A blog for Shen’s Books (see below). Has great links to “Multicultural Resources,” “Author and Illustrator Blogs,” “Author and Illustrator Websites,” and “Other Kidlit Blogs” (which I will be thoroughly checking out when I have time - I’ll link to any good ones!).

Some stores that specialize in multicultural books are:

Culture For Kids - Bilingual and multicultural books and videos.

Asia For Kids - Asian language and cultural materials.

Shen’s Books - A really huge selection of books, including a whole section of multicultural Cinderella stories! How neat is that?

Multicultural Kids - Books, videos, music, crafts, puzzles, dolls, gifts and educational materials. Also includes resources on related subjects such as self-esteem, adoption, differently-abled kids.

Brown Sugar & Spice - Primarily African-American, but some other multicultural books too, including biracial and adoption.

And finally, a multicultural magazine for kids:

Skipping Stones - I have not read this one and only just found it via Shen’s Blog, but it looks interesting! It is an award-winning, nonprofit children’s magazine which is published bimonthly during the school year. It sounds so neat that I will simply quote the publisher’s description:

In Skipping Stones, you will find stories, articles and photos from all over the world: Native American folktales, photos by kids in India and the Ukraine, letters and drawings from South Africa and Lithuania, cartoons from China… Non-English writings are accompanied by English translations to encourage the learning of other languages. Each issue also contains international pen pals, book reviews, news, and a guide for parents and teachers. The guide offers creative activities and resources for making best use of Skipping Stones in your home or classroom.”

Plus, they accept original photos, artwork, and writing from all ages and in any language. If you have a creative child who is just dying to be published, this could be the magazine for you!

Our favorites: I can’t complete this very lengthy post without including a list of some of our favorite multicultural/international books. The last one is a real eye-opener: Material World: A Global Family Portrait, is geared more toward adults, but children will find it fascinating too, when read with an adult.

(For more info on two of these titles: I have posts about Wake Up World, and Let’s Eat - plus another here about Let’s Eat)