BABYBEARSHOP confectionery

raw chakra salad

2012-01-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

from a reader's entry on mynewroots blog. i'm in loooove with her...
http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/

yoga cat

2011-12-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

Ode to a white egg....

2011-12-14T06:27:00.000-08:00

Starting from the age of 19 and for the next 15 years, I was very strictly vegan and mostly raw, without paying attention to my nutritional levels to the point that I was a chronic insomniac deprived of vitamin B. I would sit at dinner with friends and stubbornly refuse to eat because the Tom Kha was made with chicken broth and there were no options. It didn't matter if I had been traveling for days and was starving. I was a purist and an extremist on what I put in my body. Now as a mother of two, I can barely remember any time to be so concerned with myself. I happily lap up the crusts of sandwiches left behind and delight in a missed berry or two. Whatever a kid doesn't eat is called 'lunch for mama'. I'm sure many mothers can relate to this.

I didn't eat eggs and I still tend to get squeamish sometimes with eggs. When winter hits hard and the farms have no eggs, I can't buy them from a store. I'm not usually particular, but a store egg truly makes me gag. If the yolk isn't dark dark orange, there is no way I can eat it. I've become a bit of a snob and can eat from only 3 local biodynamic and organic farms. There are many others in TN but I'm serious about my eggs.

Our family eats a minimum of 12 DOZEN eggs a week. We get them from various biodynamic and organic farms and I honestly believe my daughter no longer has asthma because I began feeding her large amounts of natural vitamin D in the form of egg yolks. She is highly allergic to egg whites and I have a routine down of washing the whites from the yolk and feeding her four eggs for breakfast that are almost raw. If I cook it too much, she will not eat it. I think your body tells you what it needs. She begs me for eggs in the morning and after school and has not had asthma since I started saturating her with Vitamin D.

Eco Tone Farm is so wonderful that they will deliver to my door whenever I send them an email. The eggs are a stunning array from white to brown to BLUE. I am so happy to eat a blue egg that I can't stand it.

My then 8 year old daughter, on the other hand, was not impressed with anything except the WHITE egg:

"Oh, mommy! Look! A WHITE EGG!"
"mmm hmmm"
Later that day, she says "Mom, did you eat that white egg yet?"
I said "No, I don't think so."
The next day she says" You didn't eat that white egg, did you? Can I have it???"
Finally, I said 'What is your deal with the white egg? You act like you have never seen a white egg before."
She says, " I haven't!!! Why, have YOU????"

I love this story because we live in the city and the kid has never seen a white egg!

just another day on the farm

2011-11-16T21:06:00.001-08:00

gratefulness for a bit of light

2011-11-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

a little something from the bakery

2011-11-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

no, i didn't make these. someone sent me this photo and i thought it may be inappropriate to post, but why would it be inappropriate?

Teflon Kills Birds and you better open your windows if you use it

2011-11-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

Teflon, like microwaves, is one of those items in the house that I can't understand why anyone would have. I have never used either, once I moved out of my parents house at 18. I cringe at teflon-coated pans that are all scratched and scraped and you just know all those toxic bits are getting in your food. Even better is that you have to use plastic(!) utensils with them, so you can get melted plastic all mixed in with your omelette. Yuck. I have cast iron cookware and it doesn't stick. I was making breakfast this morning wondering why we ever diverted from plain cast iron. It works absolutely beautifully.

I found this information so very interesting on Dupont's website that I wanted to share...

Click *here* for the link to their article.

heart wrenching project on eating disorders, young people + media

2011-11-03T06:45:00.001-07:00

My friend Mark sent me this today and I'm posting it because I have girls, girls with restricted diets due to food allergies, food is always on my mind and 'to do' list for the day.

Like many women, I have never been satisfied with my body. I'm a curvy girl and have always wanted to be bone thin. I remember the times in my life that I was very very thin; when I "nursed" my father through cancer to his passing, while simultaneously nursing my newborn. It seemed that I was most content with my appearance when it was gaunt and my clothes were hanging from my body.

Pregnancy was the only true and healthy time in my life that I embraced my shape and felt like a goddess. We must learn to accept the shape we are given and not be influenced by media. The hardest lesson for a mother with girls, is to project a healthy body image when you truly are struggling yourself, on the inside.

Click here for the full project.

love

2011-09-08T17:29:00.001-07:00

Round Up Causes Birth Defects

2011-06-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON -- The chemical at the heart of the planet’s most widely used herbicide -- Roundup weedkiller, used in farms and gardens across the U.S. -- is coming under more intense scrutiny following the release of a new report calling for a heightened regulatory response around its use.

Critics have argued for decades that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup and other herbicides used around the globe, poses a serious threat to public health. Industry regulators, however, appear to have consistently overlooked their concerns.

A comprehensive review of existing data released this month by Earth Open Source, an organization that uses open-source collaboration to advance sustainable food production, suggests that industry regulators in Europe have known for years that glyphosate, originally introduced by American agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto in 1976, causes birth defects in the embryos of laboratory animals.

Founded in 2009, Earth Open Source is a non-profit organisation incorporated in the U.K. but international in scope. Its three directors, specializing in business, technology and genetic engineering, work pro-bono along with a handful of young volunteers. Partnering with half a dozen international scientists and researchers, the group drew its conclusions in part from studies conducted in a number of locations, including Argentina, Brazil, France and the United States.

Earth Open Source’s study is only the latest report to question the safety of glyphosate, which is the top-ranked herbicide used in the United States. Exact figures are hard to come by because the U.S. Department of Agriculture stopped updating its pesticide use database in 2008. The EPA estimates that the agricultural market used 180 to 185 million pounds of glyphosate between 2006 and 2007, while the non-agricultural market used 8 to 11 million pounds between 2005 and 2007, according to its Pesticide Industry Sales & Usage Report for 2006-2007 published in February, 2011.

The Earth Open Source study also reports that by 1993 the herbicide industry, including Monsanto, knew that visceral anomalies such as dilation of the heart could occur in rabbits at low and medium-sized doses. The report further suggests that since 2002, regulators with the European Commission have known that glyphosate causes developmental malformations in lab animals.

Even so, the commission’s health and consumer division published a final review report of glyphosate in 2002 that approved its use in Europe for the next 10 years.

Sun Kissed Community

2011-06-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation brings many lazy road trips amidst the endless days of unstructured play. Our recent adventure was prompted by my husband who had researched a nearby Mennonite community for a film project a few years ago. He wanted to bring our girls to visit their community, to open their eyes to a lifestyle quite different than our own. As it turns out, we were surprised to discover that we had more in common with the few Mennonites we spoke to, than we do with our own next door neighbor.

The community is spread out like any other residences you would find out in the country. There was no gate with opening hours or any tours or merchandise available from vendors. Each family had their own house, built collectively, on their own property with their own garden, and their own horse and buggy. As we drew closer to the community, my husband stopped at a self service table that had beets for sale for 50c a quart. You were supposed to put your quarters in a little 'honest' box. He stopped the car and asked me to get some, but I hesitated saying that I don't know the source and whether or not they are sprayed. His response was that Mennonites are organic and natural and everybody knows that. This spawned a discussion whereas he grows tired that I question everything. Fortunately, I had a little bit of signal left and was able to google this information before going in. As usual, I was right. ; )

We stopped at the first market to buy tomato juice. I asked the shopkeeper if she knew the farm that made it and she said she did. I asked if it was an organic farm and she said it was not. We didn't buy the juice. She gave us directions to the one farmer that she believed was the only organic farmer in the community.

We pulled up to Andrew's house. It was well over 100 degrees. He came out in his socks and buttoned up to his chin in wool clothes and suspenders. He sat on a stump and explained (without giving me eye contact as I'm not only a woman, but a woman who foolishly chose a dress with bare shoulders that day) that they are offered an 8th grade education in the 'plain circle' that is their community. This is a vast and beautiful, very green region with no electricity, no wifi, no air pollution, no modern day materials that make people sick. The only thing they are using and using plentifully, is pesticides. And genetically-modified seeds. We had a discussion about Monsanto being the devil and that all we can do is pray.

He explained that he learned farming practices from the generations that came before him. They all used pesticides. He said that when his great grandfather, his grandfather, his father and his sister ALL died of colon cancer in their early forties, it made him question why.

Next, we stopped at another small grocer. Paul was very very old, with piercing blue eyes and a snow white beard to his belly. As soon as we entered, he looked deep into my eyes and asked me where I've been. He insisted he'd met me before. I'm enthralled with his face and desperately want to photograph him. He says 'no dear'. I later find out he is dying of bone cancer. He is the father to Thomas, the other organic farmer on the land, and one of 11 of Paul's offspring. I was delighted to find a case of antique blue mason jars with oxidized tin lids for $2 ea. I bought a handmade chickweed and comfrey ouchie salve for $2.75. This salve led us to Thomas' house.

Thomas was younger than me and already had 9 beautiful children and another on the way. Two of them at a time came out to smile at us. They had sun-kissed faces, were barefoot, wearing bonnets, and were as beautiful as the sun. Such beautiful and peaceful children. The nine- year old was carrying around the two- year old and I felt like I was in an episode of Little House on the Prairie. My girls stared at their girls and they stared back. Each pleasantly curious about the dress and actions of the other. His girls were in tailored cotton clothes, covered to their chins, and handmade muslin bonnets. My girls had wild, messy hair, mismatched clothes, Whole Foods tattoos on their bare arms and were eating dandelions.

Thomas was very curious to hear my story, about alternative health and my daughter's allergies and how I started my company. However, he could not look at me or speak to me directly. He engaged the visiting chiropractor and asked the chiropractor to listen to my concerns. He listened intently and we talked for well over an hour via the 3rd party that was the chiropractor. I have never communicated in this way. He is commissioned to work with local hospitals in the burn units as they are discovering that his way of healing with plants is more effective than their way of skin grafts and antibiotics. We discussed midwifery and vaccinations and herbs.

As we left, a woman in a field of okra called out to me and asked me who I was. She asked why I haven't been there in so long. Again, I told them this was my first visit. They were consistently mistaking me for someone else.

She looked youthful from a distance and told us how she transferred from a community in Wisconsin. I asked if she was Thomas' wife. She said no and looked at the ground. We asked if she had come to find a husband. She bent down to pick okra and would not look up. I saw her wipe her eyes. I was sickened to realize that I'd hurt her feelings. I apologized and asked her if I had offended her. She would not look up. I said again, 'I'm so sorry' and still she would not look up. I turned, not knowing what to do. I saw a beautiful stone on the path. It was a highly polished, flat and circular stone. I walked up to her to give her the stone and to tell her how sorry I was and that the stone was a gift, left on the path for her and I wanted her to have it.

When I got closer, she was beyond middle age, with crumbling teeth and a great big smile. She said I probably thought she was crying, but she had just put banana peels in her eyes to help with her poison sumac. Banana peels? Now, I'm thinking that I am in a movie. None of this is real. Nancy was her name. I don't know her story but something about it is painful. We shared a sweet moment and I wanted to hug her, but I regretfully did not.

My youngest daughter said she was a ghost and did I notice that her feet weren't touching the ground? The whole day was very touching and quite surreal and maybe I have been there before. I know for sure, I will be back.

hot hot hot

2011-05-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

mama's day

2011-05-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

The morning began with my space at the table decorated like that of a Queen. There were silks on the chairs, flowers foraged from the yard, candles lit and little presents on the table. There was a tiny, cold cup of espresso in a hand-painted cup. Bananas and apples were cut into torn pieces scattered with sprinkles of dark chocolate shavings. Gifts of paintings, felted soaps and a poem. My oldest says somberly and hungrily that there is no breakfast because nobody knows how to make breakfast, but that is another story.

Next, I did 712 loads of laundry and then we went to the Dog Park to celebrate Sophie's 2nd birthday. If this weren't enough, our diamond doves gave birth to an unexpected squab. Squab. I had to look up what to call a baby doveling.

Here is how I got into this predicament. I needed to find a bird to use in this photo for my website after my husband found this beautiful Ethiopian girl in a restaurant. So, I tried very hard to borrow a bird given that we already have a predatory household that includes a whippet, a gerbil, an indoor cat and an outdoor cat. My friends offered chickens, roosters, snakes (!), goats (done that), but no tame little bird.

How silly was I to take my girls to Petsmart 'just to look' and ask questions about what kind of bird I could rent. I was secretly planning to return the bird after the shoot if I held on to my receipt, but noooo.... I have kids! So, I hold this little dove and it sits in my hand, coos a zen-like coo, and is just as beautiful as it can be. Just as I say I'll take the bird, the little man says that they are attached creatures and must be in pairs. In fact, they mate for life. That's beautiful, I say, but 'what do you mean MATE?' . The man looks at me and then down at my kids and cocks his head to the side as if to say surely I know about the Birds and the Bees.

Ok, well, I might as well get two, now that I have to get a cage and all the accessories, but is this one a girl or a boy? Oh!, the little man says. You can't really tell what you're getting unless you have a minor surgery done to determine the gender. I'm now thinking this isn't a good idea and I'll take the chickens or even the snake, but my KIDS are standing there and there is no way I'm getting out of this. One of them is now bending over as if she might pee on the floor she's so excited.

He says, the environment has to be absolutely perfect for them to lay an egg and then to actually HATCH the egg is next to impossible. He says people that breed these have a very difficult time hatching a bird and so I really shouldn't worry. He also tells me the lifespan is five years and we know that five years goes quickly. The handbook he sold me, I later found out, states that Diamond Doves live 25 years.

I buy the birds, my awesome photographer takes the photograph and within a month we have AN EGG! It's so tiny. It's about half an inch big. So soo sweet. They discard that egg as they obviously don't know they are supposed to sit on it. A few weeks later another egg! This time they incubate it. For the next few months, they are always sitting on an egg. Or two. But, nothing comes from any of them and we've long forgotten to expect a baby. We've named them Violet and Sabine, and I presume they are lesbians.

We were out of town this weekend, celebrating our 12th anniversary (with kids in tow) in a cabin in the woods and when we returned the first thing I did was check the birds who stayed home alone with the Cat. I gasped when I saw a fuzzy little being about the size of my thumbnail! It was just sitting there alone on a piece of felted wool and I feared it was dead. I watched for a long time and finally saw a hint of a breath. The parents then scooted over and sat on its head! They left its butt sticking out but sat on his head and this did not seem right to me and I had to look it up. It's ok, they have no other way to keep them warm. So, I have a dove factory now if you want one. Seems I'll have more. I may add them as an option to add to the shopping cart on babybearshop.com.

To all mothers, I wish you a beautiful day. Be strong, be patient, cherish every wonderful, magical and insane moment. It's the most important job in the world! "Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life." - Buddha

clover love

2011-05-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

I live in a humble house on an historic street with very expensive homes and perfectly manicured lawns. Our lawn has clover and dandelions and has never bothered me at all. My daughters have noticed that ours is the only house that is full of birds. All the birds feed in our yard and if you look at all the other yards, they have no birds. Not a single bird. My friend told me that this is what the book 'Silent Spring' is about, though I've yet to read it. It apparently was an early push for the environmental movement.

Lawn Fact: During a typical year in neighborhoods across the country, over 102 million pounds of toxic pesticides are applied in pursuit of a perfect lawn and garden. This figure, up from 90 million pounds in the year 2000, continues to grow despite the growing body scientific evidence of the public health and environmental consequences.

My daughter has asthma, many food allergies, and I've just put in my organic garden. The previous neighbor was OCD and compulsively sprayed weekly, but never blanket treated after I spoke to him. I called the company to complain the day they sprayed the yard with my daughters standing outside on the porch, waiting to go to school. The chemicals filled the air like a blanket and lingered for hours.

The new owners are carrying on with the same policy and I've tried to talk to them about possibly going only for the spot treatment and not the neighborhood 'blanket' that covers almost an entire block. Despite being lawyers, they had no idea what was being sprayed or in what manner. Nor do they care. I would at least do my research. I would ask for the MSDS toxicity data sheet and all the chemicals being used. Upon research of this company, they are using pesticides that they aren't even submitting to the EPA or FDA (not that this makes a bit of difference) because they need something stronger. This information came from a former employee.

Of course, the neighbors have every right to contaminate their health with known carcinogens. Of course, they do. It's their choice. How and why is it legal that a company can spray airborne known reproductive toxins? I went over to the new neighbors with a very good bottle of wine to discuss this and yet today, the blanket pesticide treatment was worse than ever. Forty eight hours have passed and the smell has not subsided at all. You can smell it to the end of the block. A friend stopped by with his face covered in his own shirt asking what was that chemical smell. I've now collected doctor's notes, testaments from neighbors and have filed with the Metro Health Board in the Air Pollution department.

Do we have any rights at all? Why is this allowed to penetrate my home? We've been sitting inside and our sinuses are burning. It's like inhaling a container of clorox. And to think, I saved their dog, Gillie, from the street, the day they moved in.

A perfect lawn is not worth the price of our children and our environment.
What recourse do we have? I have no rights to a safe environment for my children.
My heart is heavy.....
Long live the dandelions. They are happy and cheerful and natural. They are delicious in salads and make excellent necklaces.
I'll take the birds and the clovers and dandelions and a procession of marching ants any day....

Earth Day

2011-04-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Come visit BABYBEARSHOP in Chicago for Earth Day at the GREEN METROPOLIS FAIR, April 16.
And MAKE YOUR MOTHER PROUD in Nashville, TN on April 23.

We've added Earth Day backpacks that we will be selling for $5 and giving away free with $50 purchase.

tree hugger

2011-03-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is my forest. I escape to it daily. My schedule doesn't allow me two free hours so I have to steal them; usually before sunrise. I've hiked it in the total darkness, having to almost feel my way through, while my heart races in almost sheer panic. I've hiked so close to the deer that I can almost touch them. I've tiptoed through flocks of wild turkeys and I've had barred owls speak to me from the trees. I'm very aware of the trees. I've been coming here for fifteen years, but only recently have I felt such a strong connection to the trees.

Lately, every now and then, a tree has asked me for a hug. I'm serious. I'm going along thinking about all of the things I have to do that day, and a tree has stopped me cold and asked for a hug. The first time this happened, I sheepishly looked around to be sure no one else was watching. And I did it. I hugged a tree. Its energy filled my spirit completely. The Cherokee Indians hugged trees. They did it with their back to the tree and wrapped their arms around behind them so the energy of the tree and its wisdom could fill them.

There is a special tree on this trail and you'll only see it if you're the kind of person that sees things. In fact, when I think about it, I never noticed this tree until I started hugging them. So, maybe you have to be the kind of person that would not only hug a tree, but would humble themselves enough to write about it.

This tree is guarding dozens of heart-shaped rocks at its base roped off by a tiny little fairy-sized twig fence. The fence keeps the love from overflowing onto the path which would divulge its secret.

Someone has been leaving the rocks, tucked within a nook on the backside of the tree that you won't see when you are looking ahead of you. Someone, somewhere is leaving a gift at this tree, either for the tree or for someone they love. I've been secretly adding to the collection when I find a heart-shaped rock and the love keeps growing. What a beautiful world we live in.

Which wolf?

2011-03-09T06:02:00.000-08:00

An old Cherokee Indian chief was teaching his grandson about life…
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
“One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, s...elf-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.
“The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
“This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,
“Which wolf will win?”
The old chief replied,”The one you feed.”

The Egg Allergy Experiment from a BAD ASS MOM

2011-02-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

Western medicine isn't always right and if I'd listened to all the advice from doctors I've had over the years, I would today have a very sick little girl. I've refused all medications for her including those whose side effects were 'chromosomal mutation', whilst being warned that if I refused, my child would neither grow, nor would her brain develop. Meanwhile, a million horrors were guaranteed to happen once she started the drugs. An easy choice for me. NO. Well, in truth, it wasn't an easy choice. It was actually a living Hell. I consulted every kind of 'doctor' on the planet and then I fell to my knees and cried out to God for help. Not to mention the fact I had just finished three months nursing my dear father to his last breath, while simultaneously nursing my newborn. My dad died when my baby was 14 weeks old. It was the lowest point in my life. I lost so much weight from worry and stress that I was a walking skeleton yet I stood up to every doctor as though my life (and hers) depended on it. Our medical chart at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, England, I'm just sure, has a giant red flag on it that says 'BEWARE: EXCESSIVELY DIFFICULT MUM'.

I actually tore my child off a hospital bed and ran to the street with her in a flurry of tears. She was due to stay a week. I ask a lot of questions, I challenge everything, but mostly, I do NOTHING that goes against my instinct as a mother. Nothing. This is the reason for this post that is pouring unexpectedly out of my veins. Instinct. A mother's instinct is supernatural and not to be silenced.

Instead of drugs, I chose the path of nutrition and an elimination diet. My child is vibrantly healthy and we've been told by the top doctors that she 'defies medical theory'.

I wasn't planning to write all that. I'm late for school and was just going to post my quick egg experiment. Perhaps the macchiato was much too much.

The diagnosis? Oh, it's only food allergies. All of that trauma above over FOOD. My oldest is severely allergic (not intolerant-she's allergic) to Milk, Eggs, Nuts, Fish, Sesame, Kiwi, Mustard, Avocado, Coconut, Banana to name a few. She's 'outgrown' wheat and soy in exchange for asthma. My little one is easy. No nuts.

What this means is, we don't eat in restaurants. If we have to, we pack a lunch. We travel with food, we BYOC to birthday parties. We eat entirely from organic and biodynamic CSA's and I'm really serious about food. BABYBEARSHOP was intended to simply be a whole foods type cookbook for allergic kids but I moved right on into skin once I knew everything there was to know about what goes in the body and how it affects the health, I had to focus then on what goes ON the body and how it affects the health.

Back to the eggs. So her RAST test to eggs is 4 out of 6 which means, don't try it unless you are in the ER. I've gone 8 years without giving her eggs but at the beginning of winter I decided I'd had enough. My child developed exercise- induced asthma during winter months and I've been reading studies about Vitamin D deficiency and asthma. Vitamin D? She's allergic to all forms of Vitamin D, as mentioned above, except the sunlight. But, there's no sun in the winter and now she has asthma....

Hmmmm.... So I have made eggs my ultimate focus for the last six months. I'm an egg connossieur. I intimately know every egg from every farm within 2 hours from my house. My experiment does not include store eggs. Not even, Whole Foods, no way. Store bought eggs don't begin to pass the test. I've cooked and baked and steamed and frozen and dehydrated eggs trying to get her not to have a reaction. A reaction includes itchy throat and vomiting if she doesn't get benadryl quickly.

Finally, I declared the White was the culprit. I separated the white and removed it. I hold the yolk in my hands and pull the white out completely. I pass the yolk from hand to hand while gently rinsing it. This must be a strong egg or it goes down the drain. This is why I only use Bugtussle Biodynamic eggs from Galamiel, KY. Every week, I buy as many as Eric will give me. We use about 10 dozen a week. So, I wash the egg until every bit of shmuck is off of it and at the last minute I pull out both little bits of umbilical cord being careful not to pop the egg. If it pops, I drop it into the pan. My daughter is eating four egg yolks every day for breakfast and is asking for more when she gets home from school. She's averaging about 7 eggs a day and she's had NO ASTHMA THE ENTIRE WINTER. She did one day, but it was a day when she was tired of the eggs and hadn't had any for two days.

My friend wrote a song about 'the little things' that make life worth living and I just couldn't be happier that my kid can eat eggs. Tryptophan, selenium, iodine, B12, Vitamin D, hooray! Her color is brighter and her energy greater, but most of all, she's out-running the boys at recess.

Fall Creek Falls

2011-02-23T06:27:00.000-08:00

Escape to Fall Creek Falls.... spent the weekend hiking and picnicking on the rocks, overlooking the waterfalls. I love moss covered rocks and the damp, cool air that fills your lungs. I think I would shrivel and die without entering the forest at least every few days.

We built fairy houses, and uncovered unicorn fossils. So magical...

the silent evolution

2011-02-12T11:54:00.000-08:00

Beautiful imagery of an underwater sculpture garden by jason de caires of cancun. These images reflect my mood today. Kind of a quiet, introspection with more than a bit of sadness...my dreams look like this...

baby bird video

2011-02-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

babybearshop from diana lussenden on Vimeo.

New face of BABYBEARSHOP

2011-01-20T15:01:00.000-08:00

This little 3 year old Ethiopian girl is gracing our pages for now, and the doves used in the shoot have become our new pets. We now have Violet & Sabine living peacefully with our whippet, siamese cat and albino gerbil.

Hmmmm....

2011-01-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

What do you think about 5,000 birds dropping dead out of the sky? Google mapped out all the strange animal deaths here:

happy 2011!

2011-01-01T17:02:00.000-08:00

december winter solstice eclipse

2010-12-20T14:44:00.001-08:00

Squirrel Nutkin Stew

2010-12-15T20:29:00.000-08:00

Aka 'Groundnut Sweet Potato Stew' adapted from 'Wild Fermentation' (buy this book, it will change your life if your kitchen isn't already a science lab) by Sandor Katz. He does workshops all over the Eastern/Southeastern region of the US and he is not to be missed.

This is one of my favorite soups and I just brought it to our Sunflower Class Kindergarten party and almost everyone has emailed me for the recipe. I have adapted it as we have a nut allergy in our house, plus (sorry, Sandor) it needed a better name, if kids are even going to think about tasting it. I am eating it for breakfast. I like it that much:

2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil ( I use sunflower or hemp)
3 cups cubed sweet potatoes
3 cloves garlic (I use at least 6)
1/2 tsp cayenne ( then add more to the adult bowls)
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cumin (I use 2+)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon fenugreek
1 tsp salt
Dash of cinnamon and clove
4 c fresh or canned tomaotes
1 c apple juice or 1 c water plus 1 tablespoon honey
3/4 c peanut butter ( I use Sun Butter- sunflower seed butter)
2 cups sliced jerusalem artichokes ( I didn't have at all)
3 cups any dark leafy greens ( I use whatever I have and at least 6 c)

Sautée onions, add sweet potatoes, garlic and cayenne, cover for 5 min. Add everything else except artichokes and sun butter and greens. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer. Remove a cup or so and mix with sun butter until it melts. Simmer until soft and yummy. Serve with injera (fermented ethiopian bread) or millet.

Soo Lucky

2010-12-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

winter pink sauerkraut

2010-11-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd share a little something brewing on my counter top today. This is sauerkraut made with (organic, biodynamic) napa cabbage and turnips that are pink inside. I like pink vegetables as there's a better chance the little ones will eat them. My Polish and German background makes sauerkraut a staple around my house and since I discovered Sandor Katz's 'Wild Fermentation' in 2003, I have been fermenting various somethings, round the clock. He does workshops in my area frequently and I've enjoyed being part of them. My kitchen always looks like a science lab. Fermenting (live cultured) foods makes them more nutritious and more easily digestible and its origins are as old as humanity. I find it especially beneficial for my daughters with allergies because it builds immunity, especially in the digestive tract.

To prepare sauerkraut, simply chop cabbage finely and throw it in a wide mouthed jar with some salt as you go. You can also add seaweed, grated turnips, kale, carrots etc. Pack it in firmly and put a weight on it. A plate that fits inside followed by something heavy on top of that. I use a jar or a glass full of water. The weight squeezes the juice out of the cabbage and brings it to the top. This is called the brine. As long as the cabbage dwells under water, and doesn't hit the air, it will ferment nicely. Keep it covered with a towel and taste it every few days until it's just the way you like it. You can also drink the juice as a digestive tonic or use it to start a new batch.

a very peaceful spirit

2010-11-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

shot by my dear friend, mark, who shoots all the beautiful images I use for babybearshop.

cows

2010-11-09T06:41:00.001-08:00

Guest Blogger: Sarah Byrn

2010-11-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

I am an 18 year old activist for animal rights and ironically I grew up on a cattle farm. You don't have to be born into your passions, like me. I was born where animals are raised for food and now I am a longtime vegetarian. Though there will be many chances for you to develop new passions, this one starts with knowing what goes on behind the packages, behind the product and in the lab. I am hoping to ignite the same passion I share with BABYBEARSHOP in the people I meet and even those I don't get to meet.

Animals are vulnerable against humans, as we are a comparatively powerful species and sometimes lead ignorant lifestyles, resulting in agonizingly inhumane practices. Due to this blunt negligence of rights, animals often endure massive amounts of pain and suffering. To help raise awareness, I am conducting a project in which I am holding a seminar at my school for teenagers and their familes to come and learn about the rights of animals and how those rights are being abused in the cosmetic industry. I am collecting cruelty-free products and literature that will help me to help others achieve a head start to their new cruelty-free beauty routines. I will follow up with a petition and letter that I will send to companies who practice cosmetic animal testing. In pursuing support for this project, I found BABYBEARSHOP: a human, animal, and environmentally friendly company. The founder of babybearshop.com, I have learned over the course of a week, is a giving, supportive and motivational person. BABYBEARSHOP has signed the cruelty free pact and is part of Peta's cruelty-free company list. Now -- after describing my project and goal to BABYBEARSHOP, the company has agreed to help me with my project by donating 64 of their USDA certified organic lip balm in vintage recyclable tins that are cruelty-free and go by the name All The Better To Kiss You With. Out of all the companies I called and e-mailed, they were the quickest to respond and most helpful overall. As a young activist, I could not be more pleased with this company's direct action to achieve a cruelty- free world, and their support gives me tremendous drive to accomplish the most I can.

Nashville's First Organic Baby Shower

2010-10-26T21:02:00.000-07:00

lost generation

2010-10-23T05:39:00.001-07:00

organic worship space

2010-10-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist posting this absolutely delicious image of an installation by artist Shinji Turner-Yamamoto in an abandoned church in Cincinnati. It's a hanging garden created by a dead tree supporting a live, inverted tree. There's more to the post on Inhabitat. I want to live here.

2010-10-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

fairy houses

2010-10-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Fall is in the air and it's time to make sure the fairies have a warm and safe place to go when the weather starts turning cold. Your fairy house needs to be tucked away in a mature tree trunk, have a soft ground cover like moss, and a few crumbles of cookie crumbs for her cravings. Her vacation house can be a recycled box with a few extra felted beds with sparkly bits for friends sleeping over. An art nouveau jewelry box is the perfect place for her to store her treasures. Be sure to call to her with offerings of sweet berries, artwork and beautiful signage that says 'welcome fairies' so she knows where to go.

2010-09-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

2010-09-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

love

2010-09-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

alphabet exhibit

2010-08-30T08:51:00.000-07:00

I could almost squeal with delight when I see these teeny tiny sculptures on the tip of a pencil. This is by Dalton Ghetti and more can be found here...

the sketchbook project

2010-08-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Tips for buying healthier back to school supplies

2010-08-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

From EWG...

Art supplies. Many contain toxic chemicals that are not suitable for children -- especially younger ones. Pay special attention to these: Paints should be water-based to avoid solvents and colored with natural, non-metal pigments. Don't buy polymer clays that stay soft at room temperature or can be hardened in a home oven -- they're made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and often contain phthalates. Consider making your own "clay" out of common baking ingredients instead. Note: A label that says "Conforms to ASTM D-4236" simply means the product is labeled as required, not necessarily safe.

Hand washing. Choose sanitizers with ethanol (ethyl alcohol) but no fragrance, and liquid hand soaps without triclosan, triclocarban or fragrance. And remember: Plain soap and water is often just as effective!

Backpacks. If it's time for a new one, look for natural fibers and skip those made with PVC. If natural fibers aren't an option, polyester and nylon are better than PVC. (Check the label for #3, the symbol for PVC, or look for "no PVC" on the label.) Labels don't always list the material, so you may need to contact manufacturers or visit their websites.

Lunch boxes. Because they hold food, it's especially important that lunch boxes be made from non-toxic materials with NO lead paint, PVC, BPA and antimicrobial chemicals. Some options are: cotton lunch bags, BPA-free plastic or unpainted stainless steel. Reuse utensils from home and pack food in reusable, rather than disposable, containers (such as lightweight stainless steel or #1, 2, 4 or 5 plastics).

Beverage bottles. Skip commercial bottled water -- it's expensive, wastes resources and the water quality isn't necessarily better than tap. Instead, send your child to school with filtered water and other beverages in a reusable bottle made from BPA-free plastic, BPA-free aluminum or stainless steel, such as Klean Kanteen.

Markers. Common crayons often contain paraffin wax, which is made from crude oil. Look for alternatives like soy and beeswax. Don't buy dry-erase and permanent markers, which contain solvents. Be wary of plastic-encased crayons or scented markers -- scents encourage kids to sniff them, and the chemicals used in the fragrances are not listed on the label. Try a pencil highlighter instead of the familiar plastic ones.

Pencils and pens. Pick plain wooden pencils (no paint or glossy coating) made from sustainable wood or recycled newspaper. Skip the scented ones. Try to use recycled ballpoint pens. Find recycled pencils on Amazon.

Notebooks and binders. Avoid plastic covers on binders and spiral notebooks; they're usually made from PVC (#3 plastic). Opt for recycled cardboard or natural fibers instead, or look for "no PVC" on the label.

Paper products. Look for recycled paper, made from at least 30 percent post-consumer waste (PCW) that isn't whitened with chlorine bleach. Or consider virgin paper made from alternative fibers or sustainably managed forests. Choose 100 percent recycled tissues and paper towels made with PCW and without chlorine bleach. Avoid added lotion, fragrance and dyes.

Glue. Try to minimize kids' exposures to extra-strong or instant adhesives like epoxies, model and "super" glues; they contain toxic solvents. Water-based glues are safer bets, though most are made from petrochemicals. Some better options are: glue sticks, white/yellow/clear "school" glue. Stock up today. Children should not use rubber cement.

Cell phones. A lot of kids have cell phones. If purchasing a new phone, choose one with lower radiation ("SAR" value) by searching EWG's cell phone database. Teach your child that when she's not using it, she should turn it off, store it in her backpack or somewhere else away from the body, and text instead of talking. Note: Or don't give your kid one at all.

how to be alone

2010-08-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

kangaroo birth

2010-08-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Goldberg Beauty Munich

2010-07-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

These pictures were sent to me today from Goldberg Beauty in Munich. What a beautiful, airy space. Always makes me happy when our products are sold and marketed in a language I can't read. Germany is very aware of chemicals in cosmetics and seems to have always known better.

The Story of Cosmetics

2010-07-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

Feta

2010-06-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

We visited a natural goat dairy farm yesterday in spite of my daughter's (goat/cow's) milk allergy. We like to visit the source of our food and especially local and organic farms in the area. However, to truly see and understand where your food comes from, can sometimes be a hard lesson to swallow. The farm was clean and nice, the goats were lovely, and the kids had fun, but I'm still pondering something they said that is common to the dairy industry.

They separate the goat babies from their mothers and don't allow them to nurse. Instead they milk the mama goats with a machine that straps their heads tightly into place and then pasturize (!) the milk and return it a tank with twelve nipples on it. They then allow the babies to drink the pasturized milk but 'limit' the amount they get so the babies don't drink all the milk that is to be their profit from the cheese. This also prevents disease the babies 'might' get from drinking their mother's milk. Hmmmm.....

biodynamic csa

2010-06-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

The Farm

2010-06-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

As I listen to the crickets outside my window, I'm reminded that last summer at this time, I was having dinner with Ina May Gaskin, and the midwives, at The Farm. I did a medicinal plant workshop for a week, with Wendel Combest, a Ph.D, who holds three degrees; one in botany, one in pharmaceuticals and one in herpetology. We identified plants, harvested them, macerated, distilled, steeped, and infused them into an apothecary of potions to cure all ills and to beautify the spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed this visit and vowed to return to the Farm at my every opportunity. I've been told that if you intend to live there, you must visit three times to even be considered. I now have four visits under my belt for the day when all hell breaks loose. You just never know. Besides, I revel in the experience my children get from creeks that are crystal clear, tadpoles that are plentiful and water you can drink from the tap.

Contrary to most of my friends, I had never read 'Spiritual Midwifery' by Ina May until after I'd had two natural water births. I was living in the UK for my first baby and wasn't familiar with the book. My knowledge of birth is largely UK based as this is where I absorbed all the information I could get my hands on. By the time I'd had my second, at home, (and in the US), I wasn't looking for guidance from books, I was looking for sleep! Still, to be in the presence of Ina May, even if you don't know a thing about her, is highly intimidating. I could feel that I was in the presence of Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth. Her aging, frail exterior contradicts her hot, often trashy, little mouth in a way that made me hesitate to ask any of the questions I thought I'd reserve for her. I'm just not used to little ladies using the 'c' word quite so freely. I quietly savored the locally grown, organic arugula and listened curiously.

This recent trip was with one of my girlfriends and four of our little girls to just get away, catch frogs, and to pick up several bottles of home-brewed blueberry wine from my friend, Deb, the yoga teacher and founding member of The Farm. We stayed at the eco-village and decided to truly rough it by forfeiting our second room and opting for a true slumber party. We weren't counting on the brown recluse sightings to terrify the little ones and force all six of us into one king size bed but it happened. There were so many kids in the bed that I got out and wandered through the house, trying to find something to eat. Instead I happened upon Nate from SF, a journalist, who is writing a book comparing home birth to hospital birth, breastmilk, raw milk and all the nuances of nutritional trends; Weston Price, Sally Fallon etc. Ahhhh... my favorite topics. I could've talked for a week straight but he was watching Ina's birth videos as reference and my friend and I were mesmerized watching breech birth after breech birth (at very close focus) for the next three hours. Had I seen such things before I gave birth, I'm not sure I would've been so brave. So, a year later, I share a little bit of love from the love commune...

karen elson, supermother

2010-06-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

Karen's debut album, The Ghost Who Walks, is truly as breathtaking as Karen is in person. Mother, supermodel, singer, writer and performer, she really does it all and is a goddess to behold. She is all love and she's loving living the (gothic) fairy tale life.

Here's what Karen has to say about BABYBEARSHOP:

"I discovered baby bear shop while I was pregnant with my second child and I was instantly sold. The philosophy struck a chord with me and the products were by far amazing. When I tried the lip balms I was equally smitten. In today's world we are offered so many choices yet some products claim to be 'natural' and in fact have a whole world of chemicals hidden inside them. Baby Bear Shop does not. Its not only safe for your skin but the most sensitive child. They are made by mothers with a commitment to create high quality and ethical products ground up. "All the better to kiss you with" are delightfully packaged and smell and feel heavenly. This is a luxury product for a thoughtful consumer."—Karen Elson, supermodel, mother of two, singer and wife to jack white

Guacamole Chocolate Pudding

2010-06-08T19:31:00.001-07:00

This recipe is from Mothering Magazine. I secretly delight in hiding all things green into all things my kids eat. I saw this recipe and mixed up a batch. My five year old walked in just as I was adding the avocado. She loves avocados but couldn't decide if she was eating guacamole or chocolate pudding and couldn't let herself enjoy it. Her sister, on the other hand, despises avocados, but couldn't be more thrilled with having 'chocolate pudding' for a late breakfast.

Ingredients
1 avocado
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Directions
Blend all until smooth, rich and creamy. Eat at room temp or put in the fridge to eat cold. Enjoy.

camping out with the girls

2010-06-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

Summer nights...catching fireflies, roasting marshmallows, getting chigger bites and eating sweet peas straight from the garden.

cheeky baby butter for eczema

2010-06-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Some recent praise for the use of cheeky baby butter in soothing eczema and other related skin conditions:

"My son was born with eczema, and a nightly slathering of cheeky baby butter has eliminated the rough, dry patches on his arms and legs"-Jessica Thuston, Features Editor, Southern Living Magazine

Cheeky Baby Butter has really helped to clear up my eczema on my heels. Also use on my hands at nite. Love it!!!! —Carolyn, Kentucky

The Cheeky Baby Butter is simply amazing. I'm a nurse with very dry hands. This product is a dream that soothes and restores my hands and skin. LOVE IT!—KB, Seattle

The cheeky baby butter works miracles for my son's eczema! It disappears instantly, nothing else works this fast!—
Stokes

Cheeky Butter is the only product that soothes & reduces my daughter's eczema. It smells delicious and there's nothing harmful in it. Pure goodness.—stephanie

The product, Cheeky Baby Butter, REALLY helped my grandson with his eczema!! His mother was excited to see how quickly and well it worked on him. Anything to give my grandbaby relief!!—joanna

I am so thankful for the baby bear shop. Their cheeky baby butter is the only product I've found that I works effectively on my children's skin. And it is safe and smells so good —Yankeechick

2010-06-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

A fair bell-flower
Sprang up from the ground,
And early its fragrance
It shed around;
A bee came thither
And sipped from its bell;
That they for each other
Were made, we see well.
—Goethe

May Faire

2010-05-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

i love you mom

2010-04-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

a gift for me, on a day that was too much.

violet jelly

2010-04-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Every year, around Earth Day, my little ones gather violets from the schoolyard to make violet jelly. They delicately pick each and every flower and transform it into a deliciously fragrant jelly for Bread Day. Every Friday they eat the bread they mixed and kneaded with their own hands. They spread it with Amish butter and for a special treat, Violet Jelly.

Ingredients:
2 heaping cups of fresh violet petals (fully opened buds, from a non-sprayed field)
2 c boiling water
1/4 c well-strained clear lemon juice
4 c sugar ( i use agave or maple syrup)
3 oz liquid pectin (i use agar or kudzu root, but i don't measure when i cook to tell you how much!)

Wash petals well, drain and place in heat-proof glass. Pour boiling water over petals and let steep from 30 minutes to 24 hours. It usually takes about 2 hours. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the clear, purplish liquid or infusion. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 24 hours. Place jars and lids on rack in pan or ot deep enough to cover them with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, keeping the jars hot until ready to fill.

To make the jelly, stir lemon juice and sugar into reserved infusion in a 2 qt stainless pan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add the liquid pectin and continue to boil two minutes, skimming any foam that may rise to surface.
Ladle quickly into jars to within about 1/8 in from top; clean each rim and threads of the jar as it's filled and place flat lid and ring on ea before filling next. Screw band on tightly and invert jar on tea towel for 5-10 minutes. Jars will seal and lids should pop shut as they cool. If they do not seal, place them in hot bath for 10 minutes or in fridge. Sealed jars last up to one year in cool, dark place.

You can also make this recipe with rose, lavender, lemon balm, cinnamon basil and mint. YUM!

Ode to the After School Smoothie

2010-03-29T15:03:00.001-07:00

I love smoothies. The smartest and sneakiest way to stockpile extra nutrition into your kid when they don't even realize it. The smoothie should vary according to what is on hand and should change colors like the rainbow. Always give it an appetizing, color and fruit specific title for extra magic... like Fruity Patootey or Pea Pea Surprise.

My children have never had a milkshake,smoothie or popsicle that did not contain Secret Kale or Secret Spinach. WHY NOT? Hide it everywhere you can. My girls are very healthy little eaters, but one can never overdose on Green- is my motto.

Ours are always dairy- free due to allergy, so please adapt with organic, local, raw milk/yogurt if you so desire.

Today:
Rice Milk (Hemp milk is yummier and healthier)
Soy Yogurt (not too much estrogen)
Handful of organic frozen sweet green peas
Handful of organic mixed frozen berries
Agave or raw honey
Bee pollen
Flax Oil
optional: Hemp protein powder or seed

I hadn't added frozen peas before and wasn't sure about their shells, but this was met with 'yum!'
My photo is not so great, but Monday's are very busy days.

sunday fluff

2010-03-21T14:44:00.001-07:00

really?!

2010-03-03T12:23:00.001-08:00

This is taken directly from Inhabitat and is just good info for those of us with egg allergies or are immune-compromised/at risk and actively avoiding vaccinations.:

While viruses like H1N1 scare the living bejesus out of us, they’ve also been spurring science to look for new ways to produce vaccines quickly. Last year, H1N1 was responsible for more than 12,200 deaths, and the first batches of vaccines took about 7 whole months after the first cases were reported to ship. Researchers at the Texas Plant-Expressed Vaccine Consortium, a joint venture between The Texas A&M University System and pharmaceutical facility technology maker G-Con, LLC, think that they could solve some of the efficiency issues that plague vaccine production with an unconventional plant-based approach. Called Project GreenVax, the plans entails using a combination of tobacco plants and podlike laboratories that will be able to scale up or down in direct relation to vaccine demand.

In order to make a traditional vaccine, scientists crack the shells of chicken eggs and inject the influenza virus into the fluid surrounding the embryo. If all goes well, the virus will multiply and after several days of incubation, the virus is removed, purified and made into vaccine. Following the “egg” method, it takes about two weeks to produce a flu vaccine in quantities that are less than ideal.

The plant-based approach on the other hand, entails scientists infecting a plant’s leaves with the virus. Compared to eggs, plants are cheaper and easier to grow and have the potential to produce more vaccine per plant than is possible per egg. Not all of the kinks have been worked out though – for example, there is a possibility that proteins cultivated in plants might be different than those cultivated in animal cells, and may not be as effective or even effective at all. Only more research and time will tell.

The Blessing of A Skinned Knee

2010-02-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

"Your most lasting legacy, the only one that really matters is how your children will treat their fellow creatures and the world you're leaving them. It begins and ends with honor."

This book is based on Jewish principles and though I'm not Jewish, I find it a valuable resource for mothering.

1st Graders Can't Identify Vegetables

2010-02-26T20:23:00.000-08:00

winter wonderland

2010-02-24T11:40:00.001-08:00

If I have any spare time at all, I hit the woods. There is nothing as restorative for my spirit as hiking. It's my solace. It heals my body and my soul and is a big part of why I love Tennessee. My friends, Alathea, have a little log cabin and I have been going there for 15 years- before my husband and my girls came along. It's along the Appalachian Trail on the border of NC in a town called Unicoi. Every now and then, we think we catch a glimpse of a unicorn.

It doesn't matter what season it is, it is incredibly magical. We had a school break so I invited four different girlfriends and their kids. I didn't expect they would ALL say yes, so we ended up with 6 adults, 10 little girls and 1 little boy in a two bedroom cabin. FUN! All was well until we locked ourselves out and had to break a window to get in....and the propane went out and we had to huddle around several space heaters for warmth. We spent our nights walking the AT in waist-deep snow, howling like coyotes at the moon, and our days sledding in the back yard. I lost myself at the sunny top of a mountain peak while building an entire village of snow fairies with wings and berry antlers. I was simply enjoying the moment, and listening to the melting snow.

love this image

2010-02-24T05:23:00.000-08:00

enter to win free product

2010-02-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

Enter our little survey to win FREE Eco Kiss Kits and Lavender Vanilla soy candles by filling out this small survey here:
www.babybearshop.com/survey. Eight winners will be chosen.

Also, we are 3rd in line for a $35,000 grant that ends Feb 28, 2010. Please help us move back up to 1st place by voting here
www.babybearshop.com/vote so we can make our much anticipated Organic Baby Wash.

valentine's sweetness

2010-02-03T12:26:00.001-08:00

Order by February 9th to arrive by Valentine's Day. Order 6 or more and we will throw in an organic baby bird soap for free.
www.babybearshop.com

help create a healthier world for our children

2010-02-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

www.babybearshop.com/vote

this is why we do what we do every day. please help us win a grant so we can continue to fight the battle against chemicals in our children's environments!

Washington Toxics Coalition report on pregnant women

2009-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

A Research Project by WTC
Study completed in collaboration with the Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition.

New tests by the Washington Toxics Coalition reveal that children spend their first nine months in an environment that exposes them to known toxic chemicals.

Washington Toxics Coalition tested nine pregnant women, from Washington, Oregon, and California, for chemicals including bisphenol A, phthalates, mercury, and “Teflon chemicals.” The first-of-its kind study tested blood and urine from pregnant women during their second trimester of pregnancy and found their bodies contaminated with chemicals found in a wide variety of consumer products.

http://www.watoxics.org/files/EE_Report_Embargoed_WTC.pdf
If you are pregnant, or contemplating pregnancy, please read the above study!

Organic Personal Care Cheaters

2009-12-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE
2009-11-06 - Organic Consumers Association
In a milestone victory resulting from years of work by the US organic community to address known fraud in the organic marketplace, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has voted 12 to 1 for the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) to enforce the law for organic personal care just like they do for organic food. This would mean shampoos and other body care products that claim to be organic, but are not certified, would be forced to drop the organic claims made on their products or improve formations to meet organic standards. "I'm really pleased by the NOSB's recommendation," says Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA). "Brands that are using the word organic improperly should be on notice that USDA enforcement is imminent. Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has said that she is going to get 'tough on crime' in the organic industry. At the NOSB meeting this week, National Organic Program director Miles McEvoy announced a 'new age of enforcement' in organic. I expect them to make organic cosmetics fraud a top priority. In the meantime, retailers should start cleaning up their body care aisles. Whole Foods Market, for one, was a big supporter of the NOSB recommendation." At the end of September, the OCA promised to announce the names of brands that have cheated consumers for years and recommend honest organic brands in order to promote certified organic personal care. As of today, the Boycott/Buycott is in effect.

Major Brands OCA Will Boycott:
Desert Essence Organics Body Care, Organics by Noah's Naturals, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Nature's Gate Organics, Amazon Organics, JASON Pure Natural and Organic, and Avalon Organic

Major Brands With USDA Organic Seal and OCA Will BUYcott, encouraging Consumers to support:
Alteya, Amrita, BABYBEARSHOP, Badger Balm, Buddha Nose, Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, Earth Mama and Angel Baby, Kimberly Organics, Little Angel, Mercola, Motherlove, ONEgroup, Organicare, Origins Organics, Purely Shea, Rainwater Organic Lotion, Rose Tattoo Aftercare, SoCal Cleanse, Seasons of the Soul, Sensibility Soaps/Nourish, Terressentials, Trillium Organics, Vermont Soap.

i love october.

2009-10-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

quick shot taken for the examiner. in the rain. i love cold, wet days. i love boots and scarves and i love being late every morning because i can't find two matching mittens for two little girls.

eczema!

2009-09-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

My goodness, our feature in Southern Living magazine has sure put our Cheeky Baby Butter on the map. We've had reviews in VOGUE UK, and Martha Stewart Living, and Mothering Magazine etc, but nothing has compared to the response we've had to this article. One of the features editors tried it out on her 1 yr old and wrote:

"Butter is definitely the right name for this thick and creamy lotion. My son was born with eczema, and a nightly slathering has ELIMINATED the rough, dry patched on his arms and legs"

This one sentence, I believe, has contributed to the several hundred jars we are selling off our little known website, per day. The phone calls and emails of mothers and grandmothers calling us to thank us for healing the skin of their little ones has just broken my heart. They cry on the phone with me as they tell me how the little one scratches until they bleed and how nothing else has worked for them. Tired as I am, it keeps me going and reminds me why I started the company in the first place. We have done an unbelievable amount of business in the last month and I am amazed at how many people struggle with their skin.

I can't begin to give medical advice, but I have been through this situation and it's the reason I developed this product. We control our personal situation, not with any medications, but with food. For your skin to be inflamed, it starts within. I've said this a million times, but I'll say it here. What you are eating, aggravates your intestines BEFORE it shows on your skin. Yes, our cheeky baby butter will soothe and yes, I have hundreds of testimonials now that it is doing its job, but please have a look at your baby's diet. Try eliminating cow's milk for 2 weeks and see what happens. This means ALL milk proteins including casein and whey. You must read labels as even alternative cheese such as rice and soy all contain casein, lactose and whey. There is one brand that does not, but it's not so yummy. Try nutritional yeast as a very healthy substitute that is a rich source of B vitamins. I put ours in a spice bottle and let the girls 'add sprinkles' and they do. They love it. One more point to mention is a popular 'natural' personal care line uses lactoperoxidase as a preservative. This is a milk enzyme. It makes my child want to tear her skin off. Do not use it during your two week elimination test.

Keep careful food diaries and don't eat in restaurants. Our family never eats out. If we do, we bring our food.
After the two weeks are up, try wheat. Eliminate all wheat. Do your research and read labels.

Try this and you will likely see results. You can continue on with soy, fish, nuts, eggs, etc. (one at a time!)
I would also recommend not using fabric softener and not using any detergent found in any mainstream grocery store- no matter how 'pure' they claim it to be! It's not. We use Ecover brand, and we use it for the whole family, as residual washing powder remains in the machine. Your child is likely sensitive to fragrance as well. You can buy it at Whole Foods.

I would suggest no soap in the bath for awhile, gently patting dry of the skin and application of cheeky baby butter. If you must, we also have a new very mild soap you can try, our baby bird soap. I am using it on my face and have fallen in love with it.

We've done all this and have gone from the most shocking rash you can imagine, to porcelain skin and no eczema again in her life. Seven years have passed. It's ALL diet.

Please write to me and let me know your results : shop@babybearshop.com
Blessings,
Diana

Global petition to ban the plastic bag

2009-07-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Please sign this petition to stop international use of plastic bags. Don't forget to carry your reusable bags everywhere- not just the grocery store. If I forget mine, I load my kids full of stuff. They love being helpful. I haven't taken a bag from a store of any kind in over 3 years now.
http://www.bydezin.com/greenhouseneutral/index.htm

Venus & Mars

2009-05-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

Just feeling inspired today, on this gloomy day, by Venus & Mars, the showroom. Voted by GQ as 'one of the best clothing stores in America', BABYBEARSHOP's products have an adorable display in the front room.

Jack, master of peace

2009-04-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Jack is selling his original artwork to "help the kids suffering because of war". You can buy inexpensive artwork from his site or encourage your child to create a peace-themed work of art that you can help them post online for sale. None of the proceeds go the artists, but instead, to the children in need.

From masterpeace.org "War torn Africa is creating victims of all ages but the most heart breaking are the children. Left without parents, homes and food a lot of these children have no hope but for that which we can create for them now. Please give to this urgent cause. For more information see www.savedarfur.org, www.unhcr.org or www.savethechildren.org

To submit work for the site please email a scanned in picture of your work describing the medium used and its size.
masterpeace.org

Sunny Side Up.

2009-03-30T09:01:00.001-07:00

Just a little note of gratitude to the universe. This company was created out of a need for products that were pure to use on my infant daughter who has multiple food allergies. For the last 6 years, we've been through it all, but over the last month I suddenly had an intuition to test egg with her. We live on a highly restricted diet and don't take any chances, but in spite of her allergist telling me not to try egg, I felt like it was time. I tested minute amounts over the last month and waited weeks in between.

For Sunday breakfast, instead of pancakes, I pulled out our eggs (biodynamic from the farm, of course). The request was for Sunny Side Up. I arranged our favorite flowery plates with loads of organic berries and my daughter held her breath.

I was all tears when her little hands went into prayer position as she asked God to help her eat this egg. This is a terrifying experience for a kid with allergies to suddenly try something forbidden for so long. This could have made her very sick.

She had no reaction and was able to eat an entire egg!

It may sound mundane to you, but it's a sunnier world for us.

1, 4-dioxane and formaldehyde in baby shampoo and wash

2009-03-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

To find out what's in the products currently in your bathroom, go to safecosmetics.org. They recently sent 48 mainstream baby washes and shampoos to be tested and found formaldehyde and 1, 4-dioxane in 82% of them in brands such as Huggies, Johnson & Johnson and Sesame Street.

This is the REASON behind BABYBEARSHOP. Years ago, when we first learned of Johnson & Johnson and how they used to put a numbing agent in their NO TEARS baby shampoo, a lightbulb went off and a flurry of research began. We are only concerned with making products we would use on our own babies. We haven't made a baby wash yet because there hasn't been the availability of ingredients that are pure enough to meet our standards. Late summer we will finally be releasing one!

Our products are made in USDA certified organic laboratories which require complete segregation from chemicals such as these. They are made in separate buildings and there is no risk for contamination of ingredients.

Our labels claim 100% plant-based ingredients and that's all there is.

Labor Doll

2009-03-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

Whenever I'm really stressed out, I take a detour from what I should be doing. At the moment it should be packing for my NYC trip in the wee morning hours. Instead, my friend Emily sent me this doll you can purchase on Etsy after making fun of my pregnant barbie purchase when we were out last night. Check this out. You get a new doll for each trimester! You even get the placenta, umbilical cord and the baby. Hilarious. It's the perfect gift for your friend that has everything. She doesn't have THIS.

PREGNANT BARBIE

2009-03-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

Let me just preface this post by saying that I'm quite innately very anti- barbie. Even as a child, I had not one barbie. I envied the girls with the little closets full of outfits on little tiny plastic hangers, the little stilettos, the dreamy boy in the pink corvette... all of it.

I wasn't a deprived child, my parents just didn't believe in what barbie stands for. I made it through my whole life without ever having one. My mother was the really cool kind that put 'please no presents' on my birthday party invitations. Let me tell you, in the mid-seventies, this was not cool.

Today, I get it. My girls have not one plastic toy. We obviously don't support barbie in her less than realistic display of humanness. I only accept the invitations to parties that let us bring towels for the local animal shelter as gifts. Yes, we 'get' it. All of it.

I'm minding my own business when cnn pops up to say that barbie now has tattoos and some moms are really upset. However, what I absorb from the article is that there was also a controversial PREGNANT barbie. A barbie whose tummy pops open to reveal a fetus. A FETUS?!! Where have I been? I love this! We can play home birth!

So, I looked it up on ebay kinda thinking that this strange phenomenon is just one of those things I must own- like the Madonna book. You know which one.

My birthday's coming up, so I BOUGHT IT. Don't tell my husband. It was only 7x what a barbie should cost and I already said I've been anti-barbie since birth.

The other thing I really want is an original SPIROGRAPH.

ps. Couldn't resist posting this other barbie that was for sale on ebay.... hello! would you like YOUR hips on backwards?! I mean, obviously, someone else's mom put 'please no presents' when they were little. Clueless. ; )

pss. I'm looking at this again and I can't decide if the legs are on backwards?

TOXIC BEAUTY: How hidden chemicals in cosmetics harm you

2009-02-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

TOXIC BEAUTY: How hidden chemicals in cosmetics harm you

We are featured in this new book by British author, Dawn Mellowship. She has an informative blog, www.toxicbeauty.co.uk/blog, and the book is available at Amazon.

Cheers! xo

Vintage Children's Wallpaper and Book Exhibit

2009-02-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

In light of the sadness of CPSIA's ruling and stories of truckloads of children's vintage books being forced to the trashcan, I am posting this because it's so beautiful.

Cooper-Hewitt in NYC has an exhibit of children's wallpapers and books running through April 5, 2009.

This image was designed in 1902 in London, England by Dorothy Hilton.

Lure Your Big Bad Wolf

2009-02-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

We are giving away a FREE Valentines Day Eco Kiss Kit to the 14th person who emails (ily@allthebettertokissyouwith.com) their love story...

Mercury Found in High Fructose Corn Syrup

2009-02-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

As if corn syrup in the USA being genetically-modified is not enough for many people to stop their consumption of sugary foods, processed foods and drinks, check out this article from the Chicago Tribune on January 27, 2009. If they found even ONE incidence of mercury out of their study, that is one incidence too many:

Study finds high-fructose corn syrup contains mercury
Toxic, silvery metal detected for the first time in soda, candy products

Chicago Tribune
January 27, 2009

A swig of soda or a bite of a candy bar might be sweet, but a new study suggests that food made with corn syrup also could be delivering tiny doses of toxic mercury.
For the first time, researchers say they have detected traces of the silvery metal in samples of high-fructose corn syrup, a widely used sweetener that has replaced sugar in many processed foods. The study was published Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health.
Eating high-mercury fish is the chief source of exposure for most people. The new study raises concerns about a previously unknown dietary source of mercury, which has been linked to learning disabilities in children and heart disease in adults.
The source of the metal appears to be caustic soda and hydrochloric acid, which manufacturers of corn syrup use to help convert corn kernels into the food additive.
A handful of plants across the nation still make the soda and acid by mixing a briny solution in electrified vats of mercury. Some of the toxic metal ends up in the final product, according to industry documents cited in the study.
Corn syrup manufacturers insisted their products are mercury-free. But the study said at least one maker of caustic soda that has used the mercury-based technology listed the corn syrup industry as a client.
The researchers cautioned that their study was limited. Only 20 samples were analyzed; mercury was detected in nine.
Still, the impact of the findings could be significant. High-fructose corn syrup has become such a staple in processed foods that the average American consumes 12 teaspoons of it daily, according to federal estimates. Teenagers and children tend to eat more of it than adults.
There is no established safe dose for elemental mercury, the type discovered in corn syrup. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says an average-sized woman should limit her exposure to 5.5 micrograms a day of methylmercury, the kind found in fish. If that same woman regularly ate corn syrup contaminated at the highest level detected in the study -- 0.57 micrograms per gram -- the researchers estimated that she could end up consuming an amount of mercury that is five times higher than the EPA's safe dose.
A former EPA scientist who reviewed the paper said more study is needed to establish the risk, if any, posed by contaminated corn syrup.
"For the most part, previous studies haven't found mercury in foods other than fish," said Kathryn Mahaffey, a former EPA scientist who co-wrote a landmark report to Congress on the perils of mercury contamination.
Most chlorine plants already have switched to mercury-free technology. In response to a 2005 Tribune series about mercury hazards, Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, introduced legislation that would force others to phase out its use or shut down. A plant in Wisconsin later vowed to switch by this year, leaving four others -- in Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia -- that still use the older technology.
Chlorine plants manufacture caustic soda and hydrochloric acid. In a statement, the Chlorine Institute, an industry trade group in Washington, said, "It is conceivable that measurable mercury content can be found in high-fructose corn syrup regardless of how it is processed."

oh, pretty abecedarius....

2008-12-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

the peaceful, albeit incongruous, menagerie of animals real and imagined romp through the pages of this book based on the shaker abecedarius.

i love the bits of pious wisdom speckled along the book in 3pt text. remember being 7 yrs old, writing 'if you can read this, i'm your best friend' in the tiniest handwriting you could muster? well, this book offers devout shaker wisdom to the parents who subliminally receive its message as the children are busy seeking out the declared animals illustrated in the most lovely seventies style...

a man of kindness to his beasts is kind
brutal actions show a brutal mind

this is an emblem of my love.
receive it from my little dove.

come gather under my wings of peace.

a peaceable kingdom, and you can get it for 0.50!

in awe of all things grown

2008-12-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

Most days I walk around feeling that, like all moms, I do quite a lot of things, and that I do them well. I look at my girls and I ask them if they are having a happy childhood. I ask them every day. I believe they are happy. I know they are; they still believe in fairies. I shelter them from media, from tv, from processed food, from plastic. I think I'm doing a good job caring for them, playing with them, teaching them social responsibility, honor, respect and self-confidence. Most days I feel proud that I'm nourishing their bodies with biodynamic, organic food that we purchase locally from our farming friends through our CSA. My business is thriving, I'm learning to find balance, I feel ok. Most days.

Every now and then, there is this little nagging reminder that I'm truly relying on the universe around me for EVERYTHING. The little tiny voice grows louder and louder and then screams in my head with an alarming pitch that "wait a minute"! I ACTUALLY LACK JUST ABOUT EVERY BASIC SKILL NEEDED TO CARE FOR MY FAMILY. What if? What if we run out of gas again for absolutely no reason like we did in TN just a few months ago? Sure, I can grow basil on the windowsill, but that's about it. My house plants die. I'm too busy to notice them when there are rabbits and stray cats to feed and kids that want a drink every 5 minutes. The plants are last on the priority list. They die.

And then I read one sentence in 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' that resonates with me to the point of anxiety. "We are the most overfed society on the brink of starvation" I'm sure that's not an exact quote but I'm too busy to look it up. We all know about genetically-modified food, but I didn't really understand the terminator gene. This gene that has been deliberately placed, prevents the seed from reproducing the following year, forcing the farmer to purchase seeds from Monsanto every single year. This means we are potentially one season away from that crop's death.... one season from... I can't even go there.

So. My daughter comes home from school telling me her little friend's dad is quitting his job as a CPA to be a farmer. I'm so envious I can't stand it and I plot for months to get invited to the farm for a play date. I want to see the chickens, I want to see the greenhouse. He's actually doing it. I can't believe anyone can be so brave. Our family would truly starve to death within 4 days if we couldn't get to whole foods.

They invited us to dinner to celebrate his new career and every single item had been grown in their garden. Yes, we even ate their chickens that they slaughtered a few months ago. Sorry to all the vegans ( I was with you for 15 years. I *know*) but I've found peace relaxing in this imperfect world and just enjoying how someone else might do it. This chicken was grilled with a coke can shoved up his... well, it's interesting. Isn't it? It's ok that we don't drink coke, it was something new and oh, was it yummy. The sweet potatoes, the salad with black walnuts collected by the kids, the pumpkin pie... oh, the pumpkin pie... this is not from a can, you know... this was one of 3 pumpkins they harvested this year and they spent it on our pie. My husband is still talking about the pie. We had so much food that nobody could get off the sofa, away from the fire and back into the 25 degree night...next time we are spending the night....next time i'll take notes. like our lives depend on it.

Holiday Giveaway: Recycled Soy Wax Candle organic lavender vanilla!

2008-11-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sign up to our mailing list and you could win a free recycled soy wax lavender vanilla candle by babybearshop! Winner will be chosen December 15 so sign up now!

All people have abilities.

2008-11-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

BABYBEARSHOP gives back to the community in many ways. One way is by utilizing the Rochelle Center to do our assembly on products that have to be hand-assembled. Rather than go to China to have everything mass produced, we choose to manufacture our products in USDA certified organic facilities in the USA. We created the first organic products at three different chemically-laden labs and encouraged them to create separate dedicated organic spaces within their warehouses that were free of traditional preservatives used in all mass-market body care.

After manufacturing, we then take them to the Rochelle Center to be assembled into their packaging, into cases, gift wrapped, etc. The beauty of the Rochelle Center is the people. I frequently am visiting there as I am overseeing projects such as our All The Better To Kiss You With® Holiday Kiss Kit.

The Rochelle Center creates opportunities for people with developmental or physical disabilities that might otherwise by unemployable. It empowers them with a feeling of self-worth, of independence, and the opportunity to acheive their goals. Every time I enter I'm barraged with smiles and helpful hands. Most communities have this type of organization and need to begin utilizing them as a means to build their communities both financially and socially.

Rochelle follows this set of values that are a good model:

All people have abilities.
All people should be treated with dignity and respect.
All people should experience dignity of work, personal growth consistent with his/her abilities/interests, and support in living in an inclusive environment.
All people enjoy rights and privileges and assume personal responsibilities of those freedoms.
All people are interdependent. We all depend upon one another.
Cultural diversity and differences are valued.

Rochellecenter.org

Love would take care of the rest.

2008-11-08T18:43:00.001-08:00

In the midst of some technical issues, rather than working on restoring our website, I'm in bed reading Hansel + Gretel. Our little friend Liam brought it over last night for the birthday party. I've been a longtime fan of Jen Corace's illustrations but this book is so beautiful that only I get to turn the pages. Muted jewel tones wash over every picture of delicious chocolate forests of characters with wide-spaced eyes wearing german vintage couture. The dissected trees are layered and rich and foreshadow the darkness to come.

As fairy tales go, if you have the kind of child who makes you spray for monsters, then this might not be the story for you. But, if your kids are ok with the notion of being sent alone to starve in the forest before being eaten for dinner, then gumdrop window shutters may be the perfect dessert.

Surprisingly, you can still buy Jen's prints reasonably on sites like Mahar Drygoods and Art Star.

The book, of course, is available anywhere.

British VOGUE!

2008-11-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

One of our London shops, CONTENT Beauty/Wellbeing, in W1 just got us some fantastic press coverage in British VOGUE. We can hardly contain our excitement! BABYBEARSHOP, though American, was actually born in London.

All The Better To Kiss You With® is featured and is selling out in the UK.

VOGUE Bambini NYC fashion show

2008-11-02T08:20:00.000-08:00

BABYBEARSHOP partnered with Vogue Bambini for a fashion show in NYC in October.

Tagless Tags causing chemical burns in infants

2008-09-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Years ago I was sitting in a naturopath's office and the first thing he did upon initial exam was to cut the tag out of my infant child's top and mine while he was asking questions about her birth. She was too little to display aggravation from the tag, but a little research showed most are made from some form of PVC. Because it's at the base of a neck, the chemicals can be absorbed and they are not safe. Many baby lines now don't use tags and instead print with plastisol inks or pvc based inks and apparently babies are having extreme reactions to the chemicals if the process isn't cured properly.

I just found shocking photos here

Reactions are being documented from Carters, Target brands Circo and Gerber.

I don't see why the sleeve can't have a paper tag and no identification whatsoever inside the garment. I am constantly removing tags and then the cut is more itchy than the tag itself. For newborns, I would line the baby with an organic onesie and not let these inks touch their skin or look for lines that use plant based inks.

pb & caviar

2008-08-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

BABYBEARSHOP is proud to be in this new chichi shop in Tribeca owned by Bill Cosby's daughter, Evin. She carries organic products and lines such as Anna Sui and Ingwa Mekero.

Downpour

2008-07-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

When I am sad,
I want to cry
a puddle
a river
an ocean
of tears.

A downpour:
my sadness
my anger
my fears...
Then the storm rolls over,
and a rainbow appears.

from 'Seven Times the Sun' by Shea Darian
'sisi's first rainbow', age 3

Lactoperoxidase is Milk.

2008-06-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

Lactoperoxidase is a new, natural preservative system that is approved for use in organic products. Consumers will start to see this ingredient listed on ingredient panels in natural and organic skincare products. What you may not know, and what I haven't seen any claim as of yet, is that lactoperoxidase is an enzyme derived from milk.

For those with dairy allergic children, this is a real concern. BABYBEARSHOP is at an impasse with the formulation of our Baby Wash due to this ingredient. As mothers of true milk-allergic children, we cannot use this ingredient in our products that we strive to create as organic and allergen- free as possible. My child breaks out in an intense rash from the formulations we attempted using lactoperoxidase as well as from a very popular brand of 'Bee's' which contains this ingredient and no allergy warning. I have yet to see a 'contains milk' warning on products using lactoperoxidase... so for all those children with lactose, casein, whey and dairy allergies, use caution and READ your labels!

Green Roof

2008-05-24T12:59:00.001-07:00

Lately, I'm obsessed with a desire for a green roof. I want to live in this house....

It's hot and I love stone and cool moss under my bare feet. I crave long walks in the damp, green forest... sheltered from the sun.

I am always building fairy houses with my girls or installing tiny gothic doors at the base of their favorite tree. Once I hung a tiny clothes line full of miniature fairy clothes and undergarments in the garden and my daughters were delighted to imagine the fairies washing their clothes and hanging them out to dry. Childhood is such a magical time.... often I prefer their world to mine.

PETA

2008-05-05T14:00:00.001-07:00

I love my job. Every bit of it is total cuteness. This is our PETA certificate that we don't (obviously!) harm animals when making our products.

Mother's Day Giveaway on Mothering.com

2008-05-02T11:55:00.001-07:00

Enter to win our $279 Basket Full of Goodies for Mother's Day on Mothering Magazine!

Organic Doll Moses Basket includes:
--Organic Cheeky Baby Butter ®
--Organic Mama Belly Oil TM
--Organic Travel Set TM
--Six Organic Baby Soaps
--All The Better To Kiss You With ® Organic Lip Balm : Chai Mandarin, Lavender Vanilla & Pepperminty
--Cotton Pixie Fairy
--Organic Kimono Onesie by Tomo & Edie
--BABYBEARSHOP 'Counting Kisses' Book Set includes Karen Katz board book and reusable book bag
--BABYBEARSHOP Organic Gift Set 'indulge' includes Cheeky Baby Butter®, Mama Belly Oil TM by BABYBEARSHOP & Lotus Flower soap by Irie Star

babystyle!

2008-04-30T12:53:00.000-07:00

if you are in CA you can buy our products at babystyle locations and if not, go online; babystyle.com

2008-04-29T07:20:00.001-07:00

Small Magazine Spring Show

2008-04-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

If you're in Brooklyn on May 4th... come to this trunk show for Small Magazine and try some 'All The Better To Kiss You With

Healthy Child Healthy World

2008-04-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home by Christopher Gavigan of Healthy Child, Healthy World is a great resource for new parents. BABYBEARSHOP is a collaborator with Healthy Child and we give a percentage of our profits to their organization. This book is rapidly rising to Amazon's #1 spot, so help them reach their goal.

Tip: 85% of the dirt in homes is tracked in on the soles of our shoes! According to the EPA's "Doormat Study," virtually all lead dust inside homes is caused by lead-contaminated soil from outside.

One of the easiest ways you can prevent this dirt (along with the lead, chemicals, bacteria, feces, pesticides, allergenic dust, animal dander, and other pollutants) is the simple of act of taking your shoes off at the door.