Natural Christmas Gift Guide ~ Baby and Toddler Edition

Here are some of my favorite gifts to give toddlers and babies:

Bamboletta Blanket Baby: Lovingly made in Canada with soft cotton velour and stuffed with natural wool, these sweet dolls are the perfect gift for a new baby. ($28 Canadian at Bamboletta.com)

Earth Lust Birds and Bees Sippy/Bottle: I've reviewed these before on my blog and they are still my favorite sippy; BPA Free, adorable, and fully insulated...whats not to love? I think they would make the perfect gift for a baby or toddler (find them in Canada at Givingifts.ca for 25.95 CAD)

Snug Organic Pajamas: My girls get new PJ's each year for Christmas and a favorite in our house are the ultra warm and cozy Snug Pajamas. They are made in the US from natural undyed cotton, contain absolutely no chemicals, and are just so well made. In fact, my youngest daughter (seen above) has been wearing hers for 2 years and they still fit and are like new. (Find them at SnugOrganics.com for $58.00 US)

Green Toys: We love Green Toys, they are some of the only plastic you will find in our home. I love that they are safe (BPA and phthalate free) and eco made in the US from Recycled Milk Jugs. Best of all, kids love them! We have the Green Toys Tea Set and Dishes Set, but I am really loving the Recycling Truck above. (they are currently on sale at Bumblebee toys for 27.95 CAD).

Finally I love Homemade for the holidays :)
Here are a couple gifts I have made over the years (note the owls eyes should be made with felt if made for a baby or toddler)

If you are crafty at all (or even if your not) try making toys. My girls completely cherish the toys I have made them. Some past things I've made for the babies on my list are name banners, owl softies, quilts, and tag blankies. I get a ton of inspiration for homemade gifts on blogs such as Wee Folk Art, Made, and  One Pretty Thing ( a new fave). 
I also love shopping for homemade treasures on Etsy. Its so buyer friendly, has an amazing selection, and I love supporting homemade.

Thanks for reading and please post below if you have any great gifts ideas to share :)
xo
Tara

Belated Music Monday ~ Lana Del Rey

A new favorite music find of mine is Lana Del Ray. Her voice (oh what a voice) just sticks with me and honestly stirs something inside that I haven't quite put my finger on . It's a truly lovely listen.

I have purposely not linked to official videos- I'm not sure about her "look"....after seeing her I actually took a step back from the music, but I keep coming back. So have a listen :)

Remembrance Day

A day to remember, be proud, and teach our children about the loving sacrifices that our veterans past and present have made. A day for me to remember my sweet grandpa who fought in WW2 (US Navy), and silently thank him for his bravery.

And we always say this poem:

Holiday Gift for the Hard to Shop For Person on Your List

Do you have someone on your gift list that is impossible to shop for?
For me its my older brother. He has everything and is soooo hard to buy gifts for. So this year I'm thinking about giving him the Gift of Nature.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is a private, non-profit organization working for the direct protection of Canadian Natural Habitats and Wildlife. They offer a variety of different ways to give conservation as a gift, you can even gift an acre of Canadian Wilderness. I love that NCC Gifts of Nature help Canadian Wildlife and are completely Eco Friendly. Its the perfect gift for the person who has everything!

>

Music Monday - New Black Keys

Happy Halloween!! I have a busy and hectic day, that will hopefully end in a super fun night. Here is a rockin new tune from The Black Keys that will be getting some playtime around here today to keep me motivated.

Fall Craft - Acorn Felting

I've been falling in love with felt acorns. These cute little symbols of fall are all over Etsy and the blogosphere these days and I am smitten. I've never felted before, but being a pretty crafty mama I gave it a try and it was so easy!! I used this great YouTube tutorial:



First we gathered acorn caps from a local park- my 3 year old did this job and had a complete blast. Then I felted a ball (see video above); first with a felting needle then some more with soap. I used Dr.Bonner's Castile Soap- but dish soap works too. Finally, once the felt balls are dry, you hot-glue them into the acorn caps. I've never felted before, but I completely hooked- its so fun and relaxing.

We've been using them to decorate our fall table and they are so pretty and colorful. My youngest has also been loving them for practicing her counting and for make-believe play. I have plans to make some felted acorn garlands and maybe even some Christmas ornaments too.