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The Plastic-Free Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

November 9, 2018 · 1 Comment

The Plastic-Free Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

So many of us are really making an effort to avoid plastic in all areas of our lives. Plastic isn’t always the safest material for our kids to play with either but the good news is that there are so many brilliant options.

I always try to choose quality over quantity. Things that are made with good materials, fair-trade, sustainable and durable so they have a long life and not quickly discarded to land-fill.

With that in mind, here are some of my top picks for plastic-free gifts for kids this Christmas.

♥ Gratitude Journal

Natural, new age mum, Rebecca has created a gorgeous gratitude journal just for kids! It’s beautiful quality with thick, art paper and a sturdy spiral binding.

As well as prompts for gratitude, there are short stories, affirmations, word searches, animal oracle cards and so much more.

Gratitude is such an empowering tool for a happy and mindful life and this journal is a gentle, positive way to share it with your kids.

Get the Gratitude Journal for Kids here.

♥ Insect Hotel

The wooden insect hotel is designed to stay outside in your garden and attract pollinating bees and bugs. The hotel gives insects a safe place to sleep and encourages buzzing friends.

Get the wooden insect hotel here.

♥ Bamboo Balance Kinderboard

The best-selling balance boards now come in 100% bamboo that is FSC certified and sustainably sourced.

The Kinderboard helps children develop a sense of balance, stimulate their vestibular system, and gain a deeper awareness of their body and body parts. You can rock it. Balance on it. Push it. Spin it. Flip it and slide. Sit on it or use it like a foot stool.

These sturdy boards keep energetic children engaged in creative play for hours. The possibilities are endless and truly up to them!

Get the Bamboo Balance Board here.

♥ Rainbow Play Silks

These rainbow play silks are beautifully simple to encourage imaginative play. The silks are a large square and hand-dyed with vibrant colours using non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes.

Kids can use them as a cape, a fairy skirt, butterfly wings, as water under a boat, as fire or wind – anything their imagination comes up with. I want one for myself!

Get the Rainbow Play Silk here.

♥ Wooden Teether and Rattle

This teether and rattle is made with uncoated beech hard wood which is totally safe, biodegradable and splinter-proof. Etched with beautiful words, it’s a really sweet little gift for babies.

Get the wooden teether and rattle here.

♥ Kindness Angel

I’m so in love with this Kindness Angel. It’s something a bit different – sort of a cross between advent and elf on the shelf but with a beautiful intention of being kind and thoughtful.

The wooden Kindness Angel comes with cards suggesting small acts of kindness you could do in the days leading up to Christmas. It’s such a beautiful way to encourage our kids to think of others over the festive season.

Get the Kindness Angel Kit here.

♥ Organic Cotton Wombat Pyjamas

So adorable!! Available in sharks or wombats, these PJs from Gather and Moss are made in Australia. They use GOTS certified organic cotton that is super safe and comfy.

Each set also comes with a set of flash cards so the kids can learn about the endangered animal featured on the pyjamas.

Get Organic Cotton Kids’ Pyjamas here.

♥ Personalised Bamboo Accessories Holder

Melbourne mum, Tina from Little Birdy makes the cutest laser cut gifts from sustainable bamboo. She has all sorts of things from door plaques to Christmas decorations but I really love this pretty accessories holder that you can personalise with your child’s name.

Check out the Bamboo Accessories Holder here.

♥ Crystal Affirmation Kit

Kids of all ages seem to love crystals so this gift will be a winner. Beautifully designed by Brisbane mum Amie from Growing Kind, the kit comes with eight crystals and eight affirmation cards in a drawstring bag.

Get the Crystal Affirmation Kit here.

♥ Koji Crochet Penguin

With so many mass-produced toys, it’s really lovely to find something hand-made. This crochet penguin is made by disadvantaged women in Vietnam and provides them with an income.

It’s so cute and perfect for a stocking stuffer.

Get Koji Crochet Penguin here.

♥ Planet Finska Copacabana Game

Get the kids off the screens and playing outside! Planet Finska are an Aussie company famous for their old-fashioned, good-quality wooden games that are designed to last a lifetime.

This copacabana game (also called frescobol) is a beach paddle game, famously played in Brazil and something a bit different!

Get the Planet Finska Copacabana Game here.

♥ Sienna Natural Nail Polish

My teenager loves Sienna nail polishes! Hand-made in Byron Bay by a small, ethical business, they are committed to producing safe and non-toxic nail products with an ethical and environmental focus. There is a huge range of beautiful colours to choose from.

Get Sienna Natural Nail Polish here.

Wrap

Christmas is such a wasteful time of year with so much packaging going to landfill. Check out my eco-friendly wrapping ideas to inspire you to have a more sustainable Christmas.

Want more?

How to choose safe, non-toxic toys for kids

My Top 20 Christmas Gift Ideas 2018

20 Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

10 Must-Have Books for Christmas

Stocking Stuffer, Secret Santa Gifts under $30

10 Teacher Gifts under $30

All my gift guides

The Plastic-Free Christmas Gift Guide for Kids

(parts of this article are sponsored)

My top 20 gift ideas for Christmas

November 5, 2018 · 2 Comments

My top 20 gift ideas for Christmas

It doesn’t feel that long ago that I was showing my favourite gifts for Christmas last year! I hope you love this year’s top 20 picks for Christmas as much as I do. Let me know what you think.

A huge shout out to my incredible sponsors and affiliate partners for giving us all some very nice discount codes to help with the Christmas shopping budget. Thank you!

Keep an eye out in the next few days for my kid’s Christmas gift guide too.

♥ Creation Diamond® Pendant

Anna and LJ are gorgeous sisters from Love is Your Compass and this year they have added a stunning pendant to their offerings. The Creation Diamond® is a sacred tool for harnessing intention as a daily ritual.

Consciously set an intention for the day, intuitively select a crystal to support that intention and then wear it close to your heart in the pendant that symbolises your diamond-shaped energy field. The Creation Diamond® pendant and chain is sterling silver and presented with your choice of three crystals in a gorgeous linen bag and gift box.

Get the the Creation Diamond® pendant here.

♥ MG Naturals Lipstick

If you are after a truly natural, high quality lipstick, Kailah at MG Naturals has you covered! These lippies are organic, vegan and specially formulated to be vibrantly pigmented & super nourishing for your lips.

All of the MG Naturals lipsticks contain absolutely no dyes or colourants and are made with pure mineral pigments – no added micas or titanium dioxide. Hand-crafted and poured in small batches to ensure purity and quality, there are six luscious shades to choose from.

Get MG Naturals Lipstick here.

♥ Loving Herself Whole Book

Loving Herself Whole by natural, new age mum Laura Gillett is a gorgeous little gift book for anyone wanting to connect further with their own spiritual journey.

The book is a collection of guided messages and insights into spiritual awakening, collected from Laura’s personal journals over the past decade. Laura has opened her heart and shared this wisdom with the intention of inspiring women, mothers, wives and daughters going through their own transformation.

It’s heartfelt, wise and poetic and both my daughter and I resonated strongly with many of the messages. A special, special gift.

Get Loving Herself Whole book here.

♥ EverEscents Organic Hair Care Pack

EverEscents have some great hair care gift packs for Christmas! There are seven variations to choose from to suit your hair type and all contain an organic shampoo, conditioner and deep treatment.

EverEscents have been making their salon quality certified organic products for over ten years on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. They use only the absolute best natural ingredients including plant extracts and pure essential oils and everything is vegan friendly, cruelty fee and carbon neutral.

Get EverEscents Organic Hair Care Pack here.

♥ Shakti Head Pillow

I love my Shakti Mat! They are a perfect gift for the hard to buy for person. Shakti Mats now have a pillow which is designed for the head, neck and shoulders area but you can also use it under your legs or in the lower back area as well if you want! Use the pillow lying down, sitting in a chair or on the couch and with or without the shakti mat.

Ethically hand-made with organic cotton and recyclable non-toxic plastic, the Shakti Head Pillow works using acupressure points. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to relieve stress, release tight, sore muscles, increase circulation and improve sleep!

Get the Shakti Head Pillow here.

♥ Amazing Face Trio

Amazing Oils has just released their new range of skincare, Amazing Face Trio! I am a huge fan of their amazing magnesium moisturiser (it’s got new packaging) so I was keen to try out the new products.

I have been trialling them for a few weeks and I am hooked. It’s been formulated with top quality organic, bio-active ingredients like quandong, lilly pilly and kakadu plum (that also smell sublime!) The three-step system leaves my skin feeling so fresh, hydrated and soft and you only need to use the tiniest bit, so it’s very affordable.

The Amazing Face Trio pack includes a Face Off cleansing gel, Skin Food brightening serum and No More Bags eye cream. There are absolutely no nasties, sulphate or parabens and the range is cruelty free and made in Australia.

Get the Amazing Face Trio here.

♥ Wonderbag

The Wonderbag is the ultimate in eco-friendly cooking and makes a very unique gift. The Wonderbag slow cooks your food, electricity free!

All you do is bring your food to a boil, pop the pot into the Wonderbag, seal it up and let it do its thing. The heat-retention design will keep it slow-cooking for up eight hours, although most things only need one to two hours to cook.

It’s much safer than leaving appliances on all day and it will save you between 30 and 80% of the energy you usually use in cooking. I love that it’s portable too – perfect to take with you on picnics and barbeques.

When you are not using it to slow cook, you can also use it to keep food warm, cook rice, make yoghurt and proof bread and it’s insulation makes it a perfect cooler bag for drinks and food too.

Western Australian mum, Lisa, is the Aussie stockist of Wonderbag and has four beautiful designs to choose from. I do love the ocean blue though!

Get the Wonderbag here.

♥ Milk and Love Christmas Gift Box

Brisbane mum, Corryn from Milk and Love, has curated these gorgeous gift boxes ready for Christmas. They are great for new mums but anyone would love them!

Milk and Love is a gorgeous boutique store specialising in natural products for pregnancy, breastfeeding and babies.

There are a three Christmas boxes to choose from or you can create your own. This one featured includes a deluxe Turkish beach towel, a healing bath soak, coconut body butter, a beautiful journal, stainless steel reusable coffee cup and a reusable shopping bag.

Get Milk and Love Christmas Gift Boxes here.

♥ Waters Co Water Filter

I’ve had my Waters Co Water Filter for over five years now and I love it! As well as re-mineralising and ionising ordinary tap water, they filter out chlorine, chemicals, heavy metals, fluoride & bacteria.

The water tastes incredibly pure and fresh and it’s much more eco-friendly than buying bottled water!

Get your Waters Co Water Filter here.

♥ Glass Hand Drip Coffee Maker

I have seen these coffee makers in all the cool cafes! They would make an awesome gift for the coffee lover.

Made from glass and stainless steel, the hand drip coffee maker produces a beautiful eco-friendly coffee. The functional design includes a polished wood collar (with twine tie), stainless steel micro mesh filter and glass body.

Get the Glass Hand Drip Coffee Maker here. For 10% off use the code: NNAM-XMAS until the 18th of November!

♥ Soul Glass Water Bottle

Being eco-friendly has never been so stylish. I love all of the Soul Bottle prints but this gorgeous purple lotus, Just Breath is my favourite.

Completely plastic free, made from recycled glass and beautifully designed, these bottles are leak proof, vegan and carbon neutral too!

Get Soul Glass Water Bottles here.

♥ Vintage Jar Aromatherapy Candles

These candles are made with recycled, one of a kind vintage jars and filled with pure soy wax and 100% pure organic essential oils. Choose your size and essential oil blend and Gold Coast mum, Fiona will hand-pour it for you.

Get Vintage Jar Aromatherapy Candles here. FREE shipping on all orders over $50!

♥ Bokashi Composter

With an increased awareness of reducing the waste we send to landfill, many of us are thinking about practical solutions. Bokashi One are a small compact composting system you can use in the kitchen.

The Bokashi is great as an introduction to composting or if you have a lack of space for a big composting system. You get a Bokashi One Bucket and Bokashi One Mix which work together to transform your food waste into useful compost and liquid fertilizer, without the yucky smell!

Get the Bokashi Composter here.

♥ Sol Aromatherapy Diffuser

I love the glass and bamboo style of this aromatherapy diffuser. It has minimal plastic parts and will diffuse your essential oils without heat or chemicals.

Use it for fragrance, aromatherapy, humidifying, and negative air ionising for a continuous eight hours.

Get the Sol Aromatherapy Diffuser here. For 10% off until the 18th of November, use the code: NNAM-XMAS

♥ The Wild Offering Oracle Cards

With 52 beautifully illustrated cards, this oracle deck helps you to see yourself in a new light – the Divine Light of Self Love. Each card focuses on a different situation such as ambition, money, regrets, solitude, ageing, travel and truth.

You choose how to use the cards: as an oracle where the Divine guides you to a specific card; to carry or put on an altar as a reminder to reflect on an issue; or in any way you are drawn.

Get The Wild Offering Oracle Cards here.

♥ The Art of Self Love

This beautiful book by aromatherapist and mum, Kim Morrison shows you how to fall in love with taking care of yourself; mind, body and soul.

Kim draws on her own life experiences and wisdom to give us a step-by-step guide to help navigate the struggles of life with courage, grace, strength, and dignity.

Get The Art of Self Love here.

♥ Organic Cotton Straw Pouch

Keep your reusable straws and cutlery handy in this hand-made organic cotton pouch. I love this phases of the moon print by Amy Jade Creations. There is also a matching hanky!

Get the Organic Cotton Straw Pouch here.

Wrap

Christmas is such a wasteful time of year with so much packaging going to landfill. Check out my eco-friendly wrapping ideas to inspire you to have a more sustainable Christmas.

Want more?

20 Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

10 Must-Have Books for Christmas

Stocking Stuffer, Secret Santa Gifts under $30

10 Teacher Gifts under $30

How to choose safe, non-toxic toys for kids

The Best Natural Perfumes

All my gift guides

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My Top 15 Father’s Day Gift Ideas

August 16, 2018 · 1 Comment

My Top 15 Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Father’s Day in Australia is the 2nd of September this year. I have got 15 gift ideas for your Dad that are eco-friendly, ethical, organic, healthy, natural and well… pretty much just awesome!

With thanks to my amazing sponsors and affiliate partners, there are also some brilliant discount codes and shipping offers exclusively to you!

♥ Byron Bay Gifts Hamper

Byron Bay Gifts is an online store that has a gorgeous range of gifts and boxed hampers, including this one for Dads. Zoe is passionate about showcasing ethical, organic, natural or hand-made products produced by amazing people in the Byron Bay region.

Everything is of the highest quality and beautifully packaged and you can add a personalised message to the gift card. This hamper is a combination of local treats and organic body products – sweet & salty peanuts, beef jerky, handmade soap and biccies. Zoe has made it easy to add in extra gifts like socks or goodies like wine, chocolate and olives to each box too.

Get the Gift Ideas For Men hamper here. Check out Zoe’s FREE shipping offers.

♥ Black Shakti Mat

We love our Shakti Mat here! I got one for my Dad at Christmas and he also loves it.

So what is a Shakti Mat? It’s a hand-made acupressure mat with an organic cotton cover and 6000 spikes or points, that you lie on, sit on or stand on. It’s a bit like having a personal masseuse on hand, anytime you need it.

The idea is that it works on your acupressure points to not only relax you, but also boost circulation, calm down the nervous system and release endorphins. Benefits can include pain relief, better sleep, more energy and less stress. Bliss!

Get the Shakti Mat here.

♥ Gaia Men’s Skincare

The males in our house rate Gaia as one of their favourite skincare ranges! It often makes an appearance around here for gift giving because it’s such great quality while still being very affordable.

Gaia is made from natural and organic ingredients with plant extracts and it’s very gentle on sensitive skin. The range is free from soap and sulphates, petrochemicals, artificial fragrance, propylene glycol and paraben preservatives. Gaia uses lush essential oils of patchouli, spearmint and lime for a fresh manly scent that is all natural.

Get Gaia Men’s Range here. Use the exclusive code NNAM18 to receive 20% off your order until Dec 31, 2018.

♥ Crio Bru

Crio Bru is one of the gifts we give that is always well received! Crio Bru is like ground coffee but it’s ground cocoa beans. It comes in a variety of different flavours, but all are delicious and complex and it’s the perfect coffee alternative. There are also amazing health benefits of Crio Bru and it will suit most diets because the ingredients are simply just roasted cocoa beans.

You can brew it up on the stove, in a plunger or in travel plungers or even in your thermomix. Mandy has all the accessories to make up a gorgeous gift pack up and you can add a personal note too. My top pick is the Bodum travel plunger and a taster set so Dad can try all the varieties out!

Shop Crio Bru here. Use the exclusive code: DAD10 to get 10% off everything storewide until the 2nd of September.

♥ Pet Poo Composter

This really is the gift for the Dad who has everything. I bet your Dad doesn’t have a pet poo composter!! This is quirky gift giving at it’s best! But it really is such an ingenious idea to convert waste into something useful.

The EnsoPet Poo Composter kit has everything you need to start composting any pet poo in an easy and hygienic way. As well as keeping your back yard poo-free and preventing it ending up in land fill, it returns carbon to the soil and helps rebuild the soil on a microbial level. Dog not included. 😀

Get the EnsoPet Poo Composter from Sustainahome here. Use the code: NEWBIE to get free shipping with your first order at Sustainahome.

♥ Lhami Men’s Cologne

Natalie is an Aussie mum who hand-makes luscious natural skincare with beautiful essential oils. Her Men’s Cologne is 100% natural with no nasty toxins or synthetic fragrance.

This cologne has fresh citrus top notes and a blend of sandalwood and peppery spice base notes. The beautiful Buddahwood adds in a real leather and tobacco note to the fragrance.

Get Lhami Men’s Cologne here. With any purchase from Lhami’s men’s range until Father’s Day, you get exclusive FREE shipping with the code: DAD

♥ Zero-Waste Safety Razor

We swapped over to these zero-waste safety razors at Christmas and haven’t looked back! With no plastic parts at all, these stainless steel razors reduce so much single-use waste.

I thought they would be tricky to use, but it’s really easy to load the blades and the heavier razor actually gives such a close and precise shave. They will last forever and you can recycle the blades too.

Get zero-waste safety razors here. For an exclusive 10% off all razors until midnight 26th of August use the code: NNAM-RAZOR10

♥ Conscious Step Socks

Socks for Father’s Day are not lame when they are eco-friendly, fair trade, social-good socks! Made with high quality organic cotton, these socks do good with every pair you buy.

The company partners with organisations that plant trees, feed kids, give water and many other social causes. Beautifully gift-boxed in packs of three or just buy a single pair for the cause you want to support.

Get Conscious Step Socks here. Spend over $50 and get FREE shipping with the code: FREESHIP

♥ Recyled Tyre Wallet

How cool! Felvarrom hand-make innovative and functional wallets, wet bags, belts and accessories from old bike inner tubes. An awesome eco-friendly idea that will be an interesting talking point.

Get the recycled tyre wallet here.

♥ WeWood Watches

Made from 100% recycled and reclaimed wood, all WeWood Watches are free from artificial and toxic materials and are splash-proof too. A tree is planted for every watch sold!

Get WeWood Watches here.

♥ Solidteknics Wok

Dads that loves cooking will be stoked with anything from the amazing Solidteknics range, including this big 30cm wok. Made from wrought iron, the pans are non-stick, Aussie engineered and made and will last many generations.

Get the Solidteknics Wok and Pans here with free shipping.

♥ Cedar and Stone Beard Oil

The beard trend is not going anywhere soon, so make sure Dad is taking good care of his facial hair! This beard oil from Cedar and Stone will condition and soften without leaving a weird greasy feel.

Cedar and Stone are a gorgeous skincare range that is 100% plant-based and hand-made at the Gold Coast.

Get the Cedar and Stone natural beard oil here.

♥ Ginger Beer Kit

This is a fun project to do with the family! These Mad Millie ginger beer kits have everything you need to make fresh, additive-free, waste-free ginger beer at home. It makes 6 large bottles of both alcoholic and non alcoholic ginger beer.

Get the Mad Millie Ginger Beer Kit here.

♥ Fatherhood by William McInnes

I am such a huge fan of William McInnes and his work – he’s the quintessential Aussie bloke! His new book, Fatherhood is full of stories, laughs, tales and memories about being a Dad.

Get Fatherhood by William McInnes here.

♥ Loving Earth Chocolate Almonds

Under $10, these double-coated chocolate almonds are amazingly good. I highly advise getting a sneaky box for yourself as well.

These activated almonds have a double layer coating of salted caramel and coconut mylk chocolate. It’s the perfect combination of salty, sweet & crunchy and they are also gluten-free, dairy- free, organic, vegan and fair trade.

Get Loving Earth Chocolate Almonds here.

Where to shop?

Have a browse at some of my favourite online stores that have a huge range of Father’s Day Gifts:

Flora and Fauna

Biome Eco Store

Emporio Organico

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(parts of this article are sponsored)

20 Gorgeous Gifts for Mother’s Day

April 23, 2018 · 4 Comments

20 Gorgeous Gifts for Mother’s Day

I really didn’t think I could outdo last year’s Mother’s Day gift guide. It had so many beautiful gift ideas and you all loved it. But, I think this year I have just surpassed it. Just.

What’s so wonderful is that more people are finding the value in good quality, ethical, hand-made products instead of cheap stuff that ends up in landfill.

I also love supporting Aussie small businesses that are going against the grain and following their passion to create and provide us with unique and beautiful things.

I have been able to get some discount codes on a lot of these gifts for you and really appreciate working with these generous businesses to show you their wares.

I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think!

♥ Waterfall Bamboo Cardigan

This stylish light-weight cardigan is so versatile. You can wear it in all different ways and it’s perfect for breastfeeding and maternity wear too. The waterfall cut is flattering for all body shapes and ideal for a minimalist wardrobe. You can even wear it back to front!

The cardy is ethically made from bamboo with a tiny bit of spandex so it’s super soft and comfortable to wear. Available in Indigo, Taupe and Black here.

Want to win one for Mother’s Day? Corryn is giving away five cardigans! Enter here.

♥ EverEscents Organic Hair Care Pack

EverEscents have some beautiful Mother’s Day gift packs for your mum! Each one has an organic shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment in a cute gift box and there are seven different varieties to suit every hair type.

Julia and her team at EverEscents has been handcrafting premium organic hair products on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland for over ten years. They are made with the high quality ingredients including plant extracts and pure essential oils. All EverEscents products are vegan friendly, cruelty fee and carbon neutral.

Check them out online here.

♥ MG Naturals Green Beauty Kit

Kailah at MG Naturals makes safe, nourishing, all natural makeup and her Green Beauty Kit is perfect for a Mother’s Day gift. You get a foundation, mineral powder, kabuki brush, concealer and a lip glaze.

As well as being natural and toxin free, MG Naturals makeup is vegan, organic, cruelty free and titanium dioxide free. It’s designed to be soothing, hydrating and nourishing and help your skin instead of harming.

I love this makeup – it feels beautiful on and you forget you are wearing it and it’s very affordable too.

Kailah gives you free shipping when you spend over $95 and 10% off subscriber’s first orders. Check it out online here.

♥ Ecology Skincare Pamper Pack

Crystal from Ecology Skincare has some gorgeous pamper packs for Mother’s Day this year. Use this pack like a mini day-spa experience at home!

Start by removing makeup with the Microfibre Makeup Removal Cloth, relax in a hot bath with the Replenishing Mineral Bath Salts, gentle cleanse your face with the Facial Konjac Sponge and finish off by massaging the Replenishing Day and Night Cream all over your face and body. Heaven!

Everything is packaged in a beautiful gift box and at a discounted price. Get the pamper packs from Crystal here.

♥ Camel Wood Bagel Diffuser

Simmi The Aromatherapist is my go-to person for all things aromatherapy. She has decades of experience in the industry and a beautiful connection and deep understanding of oils. Her bagel diffusers are a gorgeous gift for mums that love their essential oils.

There are a few different styles to choose from – dark wood, black, white and my favourite – this light camel wood colour. They are super stylish and are a feature piece of decor in themselves. The diffuser uses ultrasonic waves to diffuse oils, not heat and it shuts off as soon as the water runs out, so it’s super safe. Make sure you also check out her beautifully blended pure essential oils too.

Simmi is kindly offering all of us a free sample of her Love blend of essential oils (a very exquisite experience with pure rose oil) with every bagel diffuser. Just use the code: FREELOVE here.

♥ UFO Drum

For a really unique gift for Mum, check out these UFO drums from music therapist, Allison Davies.

Not just for making beautiful music, the UFO drums also have therapeutic benefits of meditation, mindfulness, relaxation, self-expression and vibrational realignment. The UFO drum is a modern tonal tank steel drum from the same family of instruments as the Tibetan bowls and bells.

You can play it with your hands or mallets. Each petal of the drum is specially tuned so that it will always sound harmonious. So even non-musical people can play it without any learning or practice!!

They are travel-friendly and light weight and available in three different version, each tuned to different musical keys – Full Moon, Sunrise and Sunset. Each drum comes with a carry bag, mallets and a soft stand.

Alli is so kindly giving us all an exclusive 10% discount and FREE shipping in Australia. Use the code: NNAMUFO until the 13th of May here.

♥ A Once Courageous Heart

Kylie Johnson is a hugely popular Brisbane artist and poet. I have one of her poetry books and it’s just divine.

A Once Courageous Heart features poems which are both whimsical and profound in their exploration of love, loss and hope, and all that it is to be human.

The book features a beautiful fabric cover and is printed on 100% recyclable unbleached paper. Truly something for a mindful moment with a cup of tea.

Get 10% off until the 13th of May with the code: NNAM-MUM10 here.

Update: Currently out of stock at Biome Eco Stores, but you can purchase directly from Kylie here.

♥ Moisturising Body Bar from Lhami

I love these body bars from Natalie at Lhami for a gift that’s a bit different. It’s like bar of soap but it’s moisturiser! Cool, huh?

These lush body bars melt on contact with the skin and double as a massage bar and deodorant! Intensely nourishing, it has a base of shea butter, coconut butter and jojoba oil. There are two fragrances which feature 100% pure essential oils – Lime and Patchouli or May Chang. It also comes packaged without plastic in a reusable tin!

Get 10% off the body bars with the code: NNAM until the 13th of May here.

♥ Drop Scale

Technology that helps you cook! The new Drop Scale is taking Australia by storm. Connecting via bluetooth to your iPhone or iPad, this ingenious little scale makes cooking easier and fun.

Follow step by step instructions and weigh your ingredients as you go. It’s almost like having your mum on hand to help you cook because it will also give you suggestion for substitutions and scale the recipe according to how much of an ingredient you have.

There are hundreds of step-by-step easy, one-bowl recipes to access via the Drop Scale App (which is free!). You actually need to watch the video to really see how cool this scale is.

Mandy is kindly giving us all a massive 25% discount and free shipping until the 13th of May with the code: NNAM here.

♥ Urban Culinary Flowers Kit

How cool is this – a kit to make edible flowers! Of course you don’t have to eat them, you can just enjoy their beauty, but it’s so fun.

The kit comes with pots, labels, seed disks and an instruction and recipe booklet to grow cornflower, lavender, nasturtium, violas and dianthus.

Get it online here.

♥ SOLIDteknics Bigga Skillet

The amazing Aussie cookware that everyone is drooling over now has a 36cm bigga skillet. This deep pan is brilliant for things like curry, spaghetti, roasts, deep dish pizza, paella – the list goes on and you can even cook a cake in it!

These pans are designed to last for many generations, are made from seamless wrought iron and are non-toxic and non-stick.

Get 10% off the whole range until the 13th of May using the code: NNAM-MUM10 here.

♥ Bee House

If your mum is a nature lover, she is going to adore this hand-made bee house!

These bee houses are special in so many ways. They are hand-made in Brisbane using recycled pallets and weed bamboo by a local Men’s Shed.

The bee house helps native bees find a safe, secure place to hang out and raise their young. Hang it outside in a sheltered spot and wait for the bees to come.

Get a 10% discount until the 13th of May with the code: NNAM-MUM10 here.

♥ Her Gypsy Heart Perfume

Her Gypsy Heart roll-on organic perfume has a delicious floral scent with notes of rose, neroli and jasmine. It features pure essential oils and nourishing plant-based oils in a glass roller bottle. Heavenly!

Get it online here. For FREE shipping when you spend over $50, use the code: FREESHIP

♥ Jane’s Addiction Chocolates

You honestly didn’t think I wouldn’t have chocolates somewhere on this gift guide, did you? I am so excited about these gorgeous handmade chocolates from Jane’s Addiction. They are really something very special and exquisite.

Jane (a natural, new age mum from Perth) lovingly hand-makes organic, raw, vegan chocolate and infuses them with flower essences! Her special Nourish and Nurture gift box is for mums who are always giving to others and deserve some special love.

Each chocolate has a soft, raw caramel centre infused with essences of Goddess Grasstree, Leafless orchid and Pink Everlasting flower, all topped with edible 24k gold leaf. Divine!

Jane will post all over Australia with a cold pack so your choccies arrive in perfect condition. Check them out here and shoot Jane a Facebook message to order.

♥ Everlasting Lotus and Quartz Necklace

This gorgeous sterling silver lotus necklace has a clear quartz crystal and an extendable chain. Clear quartz is a powerful healing stone that protects against negativity, attunes to your higher self, and relieves pain.

Just one of the many beautiful and affordable pieces at Midsummer Star.

Use the code: TAKE10 for 10% off here and check out the sale category too.

♥ Macrame Mandala

I might have a slight obsession with mandalas and macrame so when I saw this I was instantly in love! It’s hand-made by Jessica at Wild Clove Co, an Aussie mum from Adelaide.

Jessica only uses 100% natural, unbleached organic cotton. This beautiful mandala wall hanging would look great in the bedroom, lounge or workspace. Get it online here.

♥ Recipes for Life’s Seasons Cook Book

I am a huge fan of the lovely Martyna Angell. Her recipes are delicious, healthy and wholesome. She has released a brand new cookbook – Recipe for Life’s Seasons just in time for Mother’s Day.

Martyna focuses on bio–individualism and all recipes emphasise seasonal whole foods with a focus on fresh fruit and vegetables. Get it here.

♥ Meditate Aromatherapy Candle

Fiona at Lemon Canary on the Gold Coast makes the most amazing aromatherapy candles. I love these one of a kind vintage jars she sources – imagine the history! Fiona has a whole range of candles and products with just 100% pure essential oils (I recommend those instead of the fragrance oils).

The Meditate blend is one of my favourites and has a luscious blend of cedarwood, lavender, lemon, frankincense & rosemary. Available in all different sizes and in other gorgeous blends as well. Also check out the gorgeous hampers.

There is FREE shipping in May with the code: LOVEYOUMUM here.

Under $13♥ Heart Tea Infuser

This gorgeous heart-shaped infuser from Mama Body Tea is great for mums who love their tea. I only ever use loose leaf tea now because so many tea bags contain plastic. It tastes better too!

Also check out the lush Mama Body Tea loose leaf blends. Get the infuser online here.

♥ Lil’ Bit Bee Flower Seed Bombs

Perfect for the nature lover, these seed bombs are balls of organic matter with flower seeds. Throw them anywhere you would like some colourful flowers to come up!

There are 6 seed bombs in a linen drawstring bag that will bloom into a stunning mix of organic annuals. They are designed to provide bees with a healthy habitat so they can collect pollen and nectar for the hive.

Get 10% off until the 13th of May with the code: NNAM-MUM10 here.

♥ Rustic Wooden Heart Frame

How gorgeous is this heart photo frame from Mes Homewares? It’s made of wood and cut rustically for a natural look.

Get it online here.

Want more?

Don’t give mum toxic perfumes that will harm her health! There are so many beautiful natural perfumes to choose from.

Check out some of my favourite books for Mum this Mothers’ Day.

See past year’s Mothers’ Day gift guides here.

Need some wrap?

Check out my eco-friendly gift wrap ideas.

Where to shop:

Biome Eco Store for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a beautiful range of eco and luxe gifts

Flora and Fauna for all things natural, vegan and cruelty-free

The Clean Collective for non-toxic products for the family, baby and pregnancy

Lemon Canary for beautiful gifts like candles, crystals, oils and perfumes

Etsy for all things handmade, unique and beautiful

Midsummer Star for boho style silver jewellery

Dymocks for books, books and more books

Mother’s Day deals:

Get 10% off storewide at Biome Eco Store with the code: NNAM-MUM10 here. Expires 13th May.

Get 10% off all the Mother’s Day gifts at Flora and Fauna, use the code: LOVEMUM here. Expires 12th May.

Get 20% off Vapor Beauty with the code: LOVEMUM20 here.

Get 30% off Dear Addison jewellery with the code: DEAR30 here.

Get 30% off Pastiche jewellery with the code: MUM30 here.

Get 30% off and FREE shipping for KitchenAid stand mixers here.

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The Natural New Age Mum Christmas Gift Guide

November 27, 2017 · 10 Comments

The Natural New Age Mum Christmas Gift Guide

It’s less than a month to Christmas Day!

I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but my hubby couldn’t even get into the carpark at our local shopping centre the other day. It’s crazy town. I avoid it like the plague and prefer to shop online. I don’t need the stress!

Here are some gift ideas to inspire you if you fancy a spot of online shopping for your gifts this year. Get in your pyjamas, grab a cup of tea or wine and have a relaxing browse!

♥ Shakti Mat

Our whole family loves the Shakti Mat! It’s the perfect thing to buy someone who has back or muscle problems or for the person who needs some relaxation.

The Shakti Mat is an acupressure mat with a cotton cover and plastic spikes that work on your body’s acupressure points. You can stand on it, put it under your neck, under your back or under your legs. Some people even do their yoga poses on it!

The ideas is that it not only relaxes you, it boosts circulation, calms down the nervous system and releases endorphins. Benefits can include pain relief, better sleep, more energy and less stress.

Who wouldn’t want that for Christmas??? Get it online here.

♥ Moeloco Inspirational Thongs

Kathy Wong from Moeloco sells very cool inspirational thongs (or fit flops!) that give back to those in need. The thongs come in various sizes and designs for men, women and children. They are ethically made using quality hard-wearing rubber and are packaged in a reusable bag.

As you walk in the sand at the beach, the thongs leave behind an inspirational message so you can spread good vibes and love wherever you go. For every pair of thongs sold, Kathy donates a pair of school shoes to a child living in poverty. I love that!

Get them online here with free shipping.

♥ Bone Broth Basics cookbook

I lovingly call my friend Micheline, ‘The Bone Broth Goddess’, because… she is! Mich is the founder and former owner of Broth of Life. She has been making and using broth for healing and teaching others how to do it for many years.

Now you can take advantage of her knowledge with her new book, Bone Broth Basics. You will find loads of information about broth, how to make it and 40 easy recipes to incorporate broth into your family meals. Broth is a nourishing cheap food you can make to improve your family’s immunity, gut health and overall good health.

Get it from Mich here.

♥ Blue Blocker Beauty Sleep Glasses

Crystal from Ecology Skincare got these Blue Blocker Glasses in store and I thought they would make an awesome Christmas gift.

When we sit in front of the computer, watch TV or scroll through our smartphones at night, the blue light from these screens continually stimulates the hormones that keep us wide awake. This blue light also prevents melatonin (our primary sleepy-time and anti-ageing hormone) from being released.

So, by blocking the stimulating effects of blue light from devices at night time, you can get a better night sleep! Just pop them on when the sun goes down and see what a difference it makes.

The glasses come ready for gifting in a little pouch and bamboo case. Crystal is also kindly giving you all a free Beauty Sleep Mask with every pair of Blue Blocker Glasses! Just use the code: NNAM here.

♥ Joyou Surprise Gift Box

What’s in the box? I have no idea! That’s the fun bit. Gorgeous mum, Amanda from the Gold Coast, has recently launched her unique gift box business, Joyou Gifts and I think it’s so cool.

You can buy a Joyou Gift box as a one-off gift or as a monthly subscription so your family and friends get a surprise every month! The Christmas Gift box is selling now and can be posted worldwide.

So what’s in it? Amanda carefully selects an ethical, eco-friendly, vegan, hand-made piece of art or organic product for each box. The boxes are an opportunity to discover and support Australian artists. No two months are ever the same and these are gifts you will never find in chain stores or mass produced. They truly are unique gifts of JOY.

Find Joyou Gifts on Facebook or at the website here.

♥ Bespoke Skincare Pack

This is something so special. Pure, organic skincare made just for you!! Anna D’Amelio is a very talented mum from Melbourne, with over ten years spent creating natural skincare and running workshops.

Now Anna is using her talent, knowledge and her intuition to create Bespoke Skincare products. We are all so different and unique and skincare is an incredibly personal thing as it’s always changing and is affected by so many factors.

Anna works with you to create the perfect product for your skin using the purest organic ingredients and a beautiful intuitive process. Your personal blend will be stored on file so you are able to purchase a refill at any time.

Get it here from Anna and send her an email if you want to buy it as a gift.

♥ Windowsill Greens Kit

A veggie garden can be a big commitment, but a windowsill garden is much more manageable and a great place to start. This kit has everything you need – a super stylish porcelain box with bamboo lid and drip tray, organic soil mix, Aussie micro-green seeds and full instructions.

Get it here.

♥ Aroma Cards

Just released from Sunshine Coast aromatherapist, Kim Morrison, these aroma cards are the perfect gift for the oil lover! There are fifty cards with essential oil profiles and an intuitive message on each. As well as learning about each oil, you can also use the deck for guidance as to what oil your body needs.

Find them here.

♥ Indah Rose Noir Perfume Balm

This perfume balm from Aussie natural skincare range, Indah, has exotic essential oils of Turkish Rose and Peru Balsam. Beautifully packaged with a surprise crystal in each pot, it’s designed to be lightly rubbed into your pulse points. $5 from each sale is donated to Indonesian charity, Borneo Orangutan Survival.

Find the balm here.

♥ Yoghurt Maker

This electric yoghurt maker has been designed to culture yoghurt at low temperatures so that the lactose is reduced and the live enzymes remain intact. It’s brilliant for anyone following the GAPS or SCD diet protocols because you can culture your choice of milk for 24 hours or longer.

It comes with seven glass jars and is easy to use with a timer, auto shut off and digital display.

Get it here.

♥ Handmade Viking Mug

Hand-made by Brisbane artist, Naomi, these Viking Mugs are inspired by an archaeological find on the island of Gotland, Sweden, that was dated to about 1000 years ago. So cool!!!

Naomi makes them in a range of sizes and colours and she will even personalise them with a name too. Check them out here.

♥ Hammock Chair

This hammock chair is woven from 100% cotton by Mexican artisans, supporting Fair Trade and the development of small communities. It’s got a high 1.5 metre back so you can get really comfy and chilled. It comes in a range of fun colours and designs but I love this natural look.

Get it here.

♥ Treetop Adventures

Experiences are the ideal zero-waste, eco-friendly gift. Adrenaline have vouchers available online for heaps of different activities around the country.

You can choose sailing, bike rides, horse rides and hot air ballooning as well as more extreme fun like jet boating and sky diving. I love the tree top adventures as a great family gift that involves nature, fresh air, movement and time spent together having fun.

Check them out here.

♥ Lotus and Moonstone Ring

Midsummer Star have a beautiful range of sterling silver and crystal jewellery at affordable prices. I really love this Lotus and Moonstone ring. Hot tip: Check out the sale category for some great bargains.

Get it here.

♥ Sol Reusable Glass Bottle

These new Sol glass bottles are so pretty! They are a big 750ml size and are made from glass with a silicone sleeve and bamboo lid. The glass is extremely durable as it contains a high percentage of borosilicate, making it strong, lightweight and 100% chemical free.

Get them here.

♥ Jade Face Roller

This jade crystal face roller is a traditional Chinese anti-wrinkle and anti-ageing beauty tool has been used for thousands of years. Keep it in the fridge and use it on freshly cleaned skin by itself or with a face oil. It helps to clear fluids, boost circulation, improve elasticity, boost cell renewal and improve the lymphatic system.

Sounds good huh? Check it out here.

♥ Stainless Steel Paddle Pop Maker

This safe and durable stainless steel kit is perfect for making your own healthy iceblocks or paddle pops over summer. Each set comes with a stand, six moulds, six wooden sticks and silicone rings (these hold the sticks in place for the perfect icebock).

These will last for ever and save you a fortune buying iceblocks!

Get them here.

♥ Twigseeds Diary

I am such a huge fan of Brisbane illustrator and artist, Kate Knapp. Her Twigseed range is designed to inspire and uplift in a whimsical way.

Made from eco-friendly matte paper and printed with vegetable based inks, it contains daily affirmations and gorgeous illustrations of the Twigseed characters.

Get it here.

♥ Aphrodite Candle Bowl

This is something very stunning! A beautifully hand-made ceramic bowl, lined with gold edging, hand-poured, soy wax mixed with lush pure essential oils and topped with crystals and rosebuds.

Jasmin from Lemon Canary on the Gold Coast makes these with a lot of good vibes and attention to detail. Inspired by love and the divine feminine, it has been set with intentions of happiness, love, sexuality, divinity, clarity, intuition and enlightenment.

Presented in a gift box and beautifully packaged, this candle bowl is something else! Find it here.

♥ Loving Earth Christmas Chocolate

What, you thought I was going to have a gift guide without chocolate?? It’s such a good old standby gift isn’t it? You can make it a bit healthier and a bit more special with this Loving Earth pack.

Loving Earth chocolates are fair trade, organic, gluten free and use compostable, recyclable packaging. Get it here.

Wrap

Christmas is such a wasteful time of year with so much packaging going to landfill. Check out my eco-friendly wrapping ideas to inspire you to have a more sustainable Christmas.

Where to shop

Biome Eco Store for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a beautiful range of eco and luxe gifts

Flora and Fauna for all things natural and cruelty-free

Lemon Canary for beautiful, spiritual things like candles, new age, crystals, oils and perfumes

Australian Geographic Shop for educational and nature gifts

Etsy for all things handmade, unique and beautiful

Dymocks for books, books and more books

Want more?

20 Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

10 Must-Have Books for Christmas

Stocking Stuffer, Secret Santa Gifts under $30

10 Teacher Gifts under $30

A Natural, New Age Christmas Gift Guide

Natural and Non-Toxic Gifts for Kids and Teens

How to choose safe, non-toxic toys for kids

The Best Natural Perfumes

(this post contains some sponsored content and affiliate links)

20 Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

November 22, 2017 · 11 Comments

20 Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

I had so much fun browsing for kids’ gifts and choosing the perfect things for this year’s gift guide. I hope you love it too and get some inspiration and ideas.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about what to look for when choosing safe, non-toxic toys for your kids. Be very careful of toxins in plastics and lead in paints, in particular. Cheap toys are often made with inferior, toxic materials in countries with poor quality control. We all know kids like to put everything in their mouth, so it’s really important to find good quality, safe gifts and toys.

Here are 20 ideas to get you started!

♥ Kids’ Gratitude Journal

One of our very own natural new age mums, Rebecca Ernest, has created this brilliant journal just for kids. It’s a beautiful gift that can teach gratitude, mindfulness, self-belief, resilience and kindness in a fun and positive way.

Each page is different in design, content and layout with 365 spaces for gratitude entries with lots of prompts, positive affirmations, animal totem cards, spaces to draw, fun worksheets to do and heaps more.

Rebecca has created a truly thoughtful, quality journal. I love the spiral binding as this makes it so much easier to use and long-lasting. Find it here.

♥ Outdoor Adventure Pack

This cute pack from New Zealand company, Seedling, encourages adventure and exploration. Included is a wooden slide whistle, a wooden nature bingo game with chalk and a colour-your-own canvas satchel with markers.

Brilliant quality, ethically made and using recycled material where possible, this kit get kids out into nature and sparks imaginative play.

Get it from Meg at Sustainababy here.

♥ At My Family Table

I am so in love with this book!! I am a long-time fan of the beautiful Mandy Dos Santos, nutritionist at Little People Nutrition and mum of three. She has outdone herself with her amazing new book called ‘At My Family Table‘.

It’s a children’s story book which follows four multicultural families sharing their favourite meal around the table. Although each family is unique in appearance, family make-up and foods they eat, they all enjoy that special time around the family table eating, chatting and connecting. The family table is a place to nourish our bodies and our hearts and this book beautifully highlights that in all it’s forms.

‘At My Family Table’ is a quality hard cover book with matte pages illustrated using pencil and water colour by Kancy Ho. Get it straight from Mandy at her website here.

♥ Kinderboard

I know, I may have mentioned this a couple of times, but I think the Kinderboard is just so brilliant! These beautiful beech wood boards are a traditional Danish toy that provides hours of imaginative play. You can balance on it, rock it, push it, spin it, slide on it, use it as a stool, as a house for toys or curl up on it and rest.

Get it online here.

♥ Organic Sashiko Birds Baby Set

This beautiful bloomer and headband set is made from certified organic cotton by a clever Perth mum – Marie Helene from Organic Minikins. The sets are available in different prints or you can request a custom order in sizes from newborn to 12 months. I just love the beautiful colour and design of this Sashiko Birds set – something you don’t often see marketed for babies!

Get them here.

♥ Bamboo Rocking Horse

A lovely first Christmas gift, this bamboo rocking horse will become a treasured family heirloom. Made from renewable and sustainable bamboo and with a natural finish, it will match in with any decor.

Get it here.

♥ Pixipop Bunny Lunchbox

If you need an insulated lunchbox, these new ones from So Young are PVC free & phthalate free. Made of durable raw uncoated linen, it come with a leak proof insert for easier cleaning, bag strap and a cool flying bunny graphic on front cover. I love that these are machine washable too!

Get it here.

♥ Star Wars Reusable Cups

For the Star Wars fan *cough* nerd in your family (yep, I have two!), these Star Wars Keep Cups are the ticket. Use them for hot or cold drinks and ditch the single use cups. They come in a variety of Star Wars characters and help you fight the war on waste!

Get them here.

♥ Beneco’s Makeup

This is such an affordable brand for teenagers just getting into makeup or for kids that want to play. Perfect for experimenting without breaking the bank. My 16yo daughter is a fan of this brand and I’m happy she isn’t using something cheap and toxic.

Check it out here.

♥ Wooden Laptop Stand

This is the perfect idea for kids and teens who like to put their laptops on their laps! Keeping devices away from the body as much as possible is a much safer way to use them. It also improves the airflow around the device so it doesn’t get too hot.

Joe, the ‘Woodmeester’ from Melbourne, designs and hand makes these ergonomic stands from re-claimed solid pine. He will even imprint a name on it for you too. See the little wooden toy laptop on there with the chalkboard? He makes those for the younger kids! So cool.

Find them here.

♥ Lhami Teen Skincare Kit

Natalie at Lhami has a teenager and he told her what to put in this skincare kit! It’s getting great feedback from kids with troubled skin. I love the gender-neutral, unobtrusive packaging that doesn’t scream, “I’ve got acne!”

You get five natural, hand-made products and a cute toiletries bag and it’s 40% off! Get it from Natalie here.

♥ Macrame and Crystal DIY Kit

Macrame is so hot right now and this kit has everything the kids need to make a wall hanging for themselves! Included is 100% Australian cotton cord, a Tasmanian oak dowel, a beautiful crystal (you can choose), easy to follow instructions and a meditation to help you get the creative juices flowing!

The kits are made by a very creative mama, Katrina from the Gold Coast in Queensland. Find them here.

Under $20 for the stockings…..

♥ Happily Made Monkeys

These cute monkeys start at just $12 and are a perfect stocking stuffer! Veronica, a mum from Melbourne, supports women in developing countries with her Happily Made Monkeys’ business. The monkeys come in a range of colours are hand-made ethically in Cambodia. The hands are magnetic so you can have lots of fun hanging them around!

Get the monkeys here.

♥ Dindi Soap Animals

Handcrafted by a mum in the mountains of Victoria, these animal soaps are made from all natural ingredients and no palm oil!

Get them here.

Gift wrapping?

Christmas is one of the worst time for excess waste. We can make a difference by choosing eco-friendly gift wrap ideas.

Where to shop?

Biome Eco Store for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a huge range of eco and luxe gifts

Flora and Fauna for all things natural and cruelty-free

Lemon Canary for all things candles, new age, crystals, oils and perfumes

Australian Geographic Shop for educational and nature gifts

Etsy for all things handmade, unique and beautiful

Dymocks for books, books and more books

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15 Cool Father’s Day Gifts

August 8, 2017 · Leave a Comment

15 Cool Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day is the 3rd of September this year and has come around quickly!

As usual, I have been researching to find you my top picks of dad gifts this year that are healthy, organic, eco-friendly, recycled, ethical, fair trade or just cool.

I hope it helps with your shopping!

♥ Lhami Mens’ Cologne

It can be really hard to find a natural mens’ fragrance or cologne – there are not many around. But, the lovely Natalie from Lhami has released one! It’s all natural and contains pure essential oils with fresh citrus top notes that settle into a masculine scent that lasts all day. The blend of sandalwood and peppery spice base notes, and the beautiful Buddahwood gives a real leather and tobacco note to the fragrance.

Natalie also makes a mens’ face lotion and shaving gel if you want to make up a little pack.

Check it out here.

♥ Thug Kitchen Cookbook

If your Dad likes a bit of swears and has a wicked sense of humour, this cook book is good fun and the food is delicious. Thug Kitchen is out to prove that you can be healthy and still be a total badass in the kitchen.

Get it here.

♥ Wooden Nutcracker

Did you guess what this was? I think it’s so cool and it’s less than $10! This wooden nutcracker is made from FSC beechwood using biodegradable tools. Based on an early 17th century design, there is a chamber to catch the shells as well. It’s even strong enough to crack macadamias. Throw in a bag of nuts and Dad will have a zen activity to do all afternoon.

Get it here.

♥ Finska Bocce

For the person who has everything… bocce! A great way to get all the family outdoors and having fun at family gatherings. This set is made by quality Aussie brand Finska and will last you forever. It comes packed in a sustainable wooden crate and the bocce balls crafted from high quality resin.

Check it out here.

♥ Man Scrub

Spring is nearly here, so time for a spruce up! This scrub by Bean Body is designed specifically for blokes and made with coffee beans and coconut oil.

Find it here.

♥ Mushroom Box

Such a fun idea and a good price. This grow your own mushroom kit from Lifecycle uses coffee grounds to cultivate oyster mushrooms at home. It’s so easy and the mushies only take 10-16 days to grow.

Get it here.

♥ Contigo Reusable Mug

We have tried so many brands of reusable cups and mugs and we all agree Contigo is the best. One of our mugs is four years old and still going strong. The Contigo is an insulated, stainless steel mug and is virtually indestructible, 100% leak and spill proof.

We have thoroughly tested this out at home and out and about and it’s a winner! It’s also easy and safe to drink while driving and around kids. It keeps things cold for 12 hours and hot for 4. Contigo have also recently updated the design to make cleaning the lid easy.

Get it here.

♥ Brew It Yourself

This book shows you how to make your own wine, beer, cider and other alcoholic concoctions. Brewing at home saves money and you know what’s in it! From Pear & Ginger Cider and Viking Ale to Rasberry & Thyme Whisky and Limoncello, there are 70 recipes with something for everyone.

Check it out here.

♥ Tall Ships Twilight Cruise

We are at the point where we buy our parents experience gifts, because they have everything they want and need! Check out Adrenaline online where you can book a huge range of experience gifts like this Tall Ships Twilight Cruise. If your Dad is into cooking, there are a range of cooking classes including BBQ and beer. If he is an adventure seeker, you can also do jet boating, quad biking, skydiving, rally driving and hot air balloon rides.

Find the cruise and other experiences online here.

♥ Coffee Kapow Chocolate Bar

Aussie business, Loving Earth, have always been leaders in the healthier chocolate market and a personal favourite in our family. If your Dad loves coffee, this Coffee Kapow chocolate bar is a winner! It also comes in Banoffee Bang Bang, Turkishly Delightful, Salted Caramel Swayzee and Very Buck ‘n Berry flavours. They are gluten free, dairy free, vegan and fair trade.

Under $5 here.

♥ Cedar + Stone Shave Bar

Boutique brand, Cedar + Stone make this lush shave bar with eucalyptus and white clay. As well as giving you a great lather and smooth shave, it nourishes the skin. Totally natural, vegan and palm oil free, this bar also has no plastic packaging so it’s eco-friendly too!

Check out the whole Cedar + Stone range here.

♥ Recycled Tyre Wash Bag

Something a bit quirky! This wash bag or toiletries bag ethically handmade in Colombia using is recycled from tyre tubes. It’s water proof and has several compartments.

Find it here.

♥ Badger Hardworking Hands Balm

Dads that get their hands dirty can need something really heavy duty to help heal and repair them. Check out the Badger Balm – it comes in a recycled and reusable tin with manly packaging (important!) and it’s 100% natural and certified organic. Ultra-rich and ultra-moisturising, it will smooth and soften the most chapped, cracked, rough or weathered skin.

Find it here.

♥ Personalised Leather Key Ring

These leather key rings are handmade in Adelaide using quality full grain vegetable tanned leather. As well as getting initials, you could also get their name or the longitude and latitude of Dad’s birthplace or some special dates. Under $15 too!

Find them here.

♥ Boody Bamboo Boxers

Okay, I know sox and jox are so cliche, but truth is, everyone needs them! So Father’s Day is as good a time as any. Boody make a whole range of eco-friendly, organic bamboo underwear. The natural properties of the bamboo make them anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic.

20% off the whole range, right now here.

Need a card?

Check out the range of eco-friendly options here.

Wrap?

Check out these 8 eco-friendly ideas here.

Where to shop?

I love my partner stores – all run by amazing, ethical, passionate women making a difference.

Biome Eco Stores for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a huge range of eco and lux gifts

Flora and Fauna for everything natural that is vegan and animal-cruelty free

My Top 20 Mother’s Day Gifts

April 24, 2017 · 5 Comments

My Top 20 Mother’s Day Gifts

Mother’s Day is on Sunday May the 14th this year, so you only have a few more weeks to get organised.

If you have been wondering what on earth you are going to get your mum (or put on a wishlist for yourself), take a look at my top twenty gifts. I have hand-picked some amazing products to show you at a range of prices. They are either eco-friendly, recycled, natural, fair-trade, healthy or organic.

Let me know what you think!

♥ Prana Chai Gift Box

You have not really tasted chai tea until you have tried Prana’s chai tea. Trust me on this, I have tried a lot of chai tea! Prana Chai is hand made and blended in Melbourne from all natural ingredients and uses 100% Australian quality honey blended by hand with tea and whole spices. You make it on the stovetop by gently infusing it with your choice of milk and straining. Heaven!!

Their Mother’s Day gift box includes all you need to make a real chai – a cute little stainless steel stovetop pot, a strainer, a gorgeous Robert Gordon hug mug and a bag of Prana Chai tea. Plus a bonus gift until May 14th is a packet of Vanilla and Almond Porridge from The Wild (you can also make a chai porridge…. umm hello yes please).

Even better, the box is on sale with over$67 worth of goodies for just $42. Winning!

Get the Prana Chai Mother’s Day box online straight from the guys at Prana here.

♥ EverEscents Hair Care Pack

Julia and her husband Luke have been handcrafting their organic hair care range, EverEscents for over 10 years from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. They have some gorgeous gift packs for Mother’s Day which include an organic shampoo, conditioner and treatment. There are seven different varieties to choose from including the Bergamot range pictured and they all come in a lovely gift box or bag.

EverEscents is a premium salon quality, vegan range made with only the best possible ingredients including plant extracts and essential oils.

Check out their rave reviews and get the packs on sale here.

♥ Botica Bliss Bath Tea and Clay Mask

My friend Rebecca has bundled together her divine bath teas and clay masks for a budget-friendly Mother’s Day gift. For just $14, mum can feel like she’s having a day spa at home! You can also mix and match the various blends to get one that’s just perfect. All Botica Bliss products are 100% natural, vegan, cruelty free and handmade on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Get them here.

♥ Earthing Oz Yoga Mat

Do yoga and earth at the same time? Genius.

Laura at Earthing Oz has this new ‘Grounded Yoga Mat’ which is made from 100% eco friendly, recyclable materials. It is anti-skid and odourless. You just plug it into a power point with the switch off and do your thing – yoga, stretching or just relax.

Laura is giving us all a 10% discount on the Yoga Mat! Just use the code: SPECIAL here.

♥ Life Changing Food

The hottest cookbook for mums this Mother’s Day!! The gorgeous Jo Whitton from Quirky Cooking and chef, Fouad Kassab have joined forces to bring you this epic whole food cookbook. All recipes are gluten free and designed to be easy, nourishing, gut-friendly and full of flavour.

Life Changing Food is full of stunning photos and lots of tips and personal stories from Jo and Foo. Most of the recipes also include thermomix instructions.

Only available online here.

♥ Lhami Essential Oil Box

Natalie is a beautiful natural new age mum from the central coast of NSW and her Lhami range is one of my favourites. I adore this oils gift set she has on sale – a handmade wooden gift box with four of her signature 100% pure essential oil blends. They are Clarity, Relax, Refresh and Calm so you have a blend for every occasion. They are also delightful to use as a perfume.

Get it online from Natalie here.

♥ Papaya Coin Purse

These sweet little zip up purses are made from durable oil-cloth material and features Papaya artwork, contrast lining, zipper closure and lotus charm.

Get it online here.

♥ Bambu Bread Board

Anyone who makes their own bread can tell you how annoying all those crumbs are when you cut it! Well this Bambu bread board solves all your problems. Made from 100% organic, sustainably harvested bamboo, it has a pull out tray that catches the crumbs.

Get it here.

♥ Positivi-tea Hand Made Tea Cup

Made in Noosa, these beautiful tea cups are hand thrown on a potter’s wheel using fine white stoneware and a lead free glaze. Perfect for mums who love tea and puns!

Get it online here.

♥ Macrame and Crystal Wall Hanging

Flashback to the seventies! Macrame is cool again. I adore this wall hanging that’s been hand made on the Gold Coast. Featuring cotton cord that is 100% Australian grown and made and infused with a Tibetan quartz crystal, it hangs on a piece of hand collected driftwood.

The hangings are made to order and charged with high frequency Reiki and blessings. Divine!

Get it online here.

♥ Mad Millie Coconut Yoghurt Kit

Make up to 8 litres of your own coconut yoghurt with this Mad Millie kit. It’s a bit tricky to get right, but this kit makes it easy and will save you lots of dollars by making it yourself.

Get them online here.

♥ Lavender Heat Bag

These heat packs are made from natural cotton, organic lavender and wheat. The safe alternative to a hot water bottle to keep you snuggly this winter, help you sleep and soothe any aches and pains.

Get them online here.

♥ Mindfulness for Mothers Book

This beautiful book by Rebecca Ryan is designed to help mums create a sense of balance, awareness and calm for themselves and their children. It includes simple meditation exercises from 10-second tension breakers to 30 minute restorative sessions.

Get it online here.

♥ Cedar and Stone Perfume Powders

These adorable little pots of all natural, vegan perfume powder are from Aussie brand, Cedar and Stone. Pop the scented powder on your acupressure or pulse points for instant calm. They are made with pure essential oils and sandalwood powder in a portable little pot, perfect for your handbag. Available in Meditation, Dharma and Nirvana.

Get them online here.

♥ Pana Chocolate Gift Box

What you thought I was going to do a gift guide without chocolate??

Luckily Pana chocolate is healthy! Handmade in Melbourne, it’s organic, raw, vegan and delicious. Included in the recycled gift box (with free gift tag) are four varieties. All of their chocolate is gluten free, soy free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Yummo.

Get it online here.

Thinking of perfume this year?

Don’t gas your mum with nasty, toxic stuff! Choose something all natural from this list of the best natural perfumes.

Where to shop?

I love my partner stores – all run by amazing, ethical, passionate women making a difference.

Biome Eco Stores for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a huge range of eco and lux gifts

Flora and Fauna for everything natural that is vegan and animal-cruelty free

Beautiful Because for the best range of natural beauty

Don’t forget to wrap your gift using something eco-friendly!

(parts of this post are sponsored)

Last minute gift ideas (without going to the shops)

December 20, 2016 · 1 Comment

Last minute gift ideas (without going to the shops)

Okay if you have been slack and left it right to the last-minute, you still have some options without braving that Christmas Eve dash to the shops.

You just need ten minutes online and you are sorted. These ideas work well for all sorts of occasions.

Bless the internet!

♥ Gift Vouchers

Most online stores have gift vouchers and will email them to you so you can print them out or forward on to your recipient. I think gift vouchers are actually a pretty good choice when you are unsure about what to buy. There are a lot of unwanted gifts that end up in landfill!

Here are some of my favourite places that offer gift vouchers:

Beautiful Because – all natural one-stop beauty shop

Flora and Fauna – vegan beauty, body, gifts and home

Biome Eco Store – natural, eco and fair trade

Emporio Organico – luxe skincare, makeup and health products

Twenty 8 – aromatherapy and skincare

Lemon Canary – candles, new age rituals, crystals, perfumes, mists and more

Australian Geographic – nature and science gifts

Hello Charlie – everything organic baby and kids

Dymocks – Aussie owned family book store

Earthing Oz – radiation protection and earthing products

Etsy – handmade goodness

Adrenaline – for all sorts of fun experiences

♥ Subscriptions

The gift that keeps on giving every month. I often buy a magazine subscription as a gift. It takes less than five minutes to do and it’s easy to set it up to get them sent to your loved ones address. If you are not sure what magazine they would prefer, you can also get a gift card. Too easy.

These are some of my faves:

Nature and Health

Wellbeing Magazine

Australian Yoga Life

♥ Ebooks

So easy! Most ebooks have instant download as soon as you pay. Just forward on the link with a nice Christmas message. Done.

Some of my favourites:

Supercharged Food for Kids

Well Nourished recipe books

Like Chocolate for Women

♥ Oxfam Unwrapped

We love giving Oxfam Unwrapped cards. Gift your loved ones with a goat, a duck, clean water, wells and more. Check it out here.

What are your last minute gift ideas? Are you all organized or do you still have some to do?

8 Eco-friendly Gift Wrap Ideas

December 5, 2016 · 18 Comments

8 Eco-friendly Gift Wrap Ideas

One thing that always manages to freak out my eco-sensibilities is gift wrapping. It’s really only used for such a short amount of time and then it’s in the bin!!

This is an area where we can all make a big impact and use some eco-friendly alternatives, especially at Christmas time when we are wrapping up lots of gifts.

Are you up for the challenge to reduce your paper waste??

First things first, hunt around the house to find stuff you already have that could be used. Save ribbons, twine, tags, cards, gift bags and paper throughout the year. Okay, I may be a bit lame but I actually have a dedicated box for all of these goodies I want to re-use!

Check out these eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas.

♥ Santa Sacks

A few years ago, I got my friend to make up some santa sacks for hubby and I. The kids already had one each they had been given when they were little. They are so funky and it has cut our paper wastage enormously! On Christmas morning, we take it in turns to each take one gift out of the sack at a time.

You can often find people selling santa sacks at the markets or check out Etsy. You can extend this idea to birthdays and make or buy a ‘birthday sack’ to use every year. We have a few cute fabric bags we keep for birthdays.

You will never have to wrap another gift again. Just take 3o seconds to put gifts in a bag. Done!

♥ Fabric

Wrap gifts in something reusable and useful, like a scarf, tea towel or doilies. Kookery shows you how to do it step by step. If you want to go extra eco-hero, choose items from the op-shop.

If you want to get really fancy, check out how to do Furoshiki (the art of Japanese fabric wrapping) or just use a square of fabric or hessian for a really rustic look.

♥ Upcycled Paper

You can upcycle old maps, sewing patterns, newspaper, brown paper, sheet music, old calendars, magazines, comics or kids’ artwork. You could also cover a cardboard box with any of these and use every year as a personalised Christmas or birthday box! What about getting the kids to make their own?

Check out this gorgeous idea from Laura at Bugs and Fishes pictured above. Tres chic!

♥ Reusable Shopping Bags

I buy these a lot for gift giving. It’s really double the love as the reusable shopping bags will (hopefully) be used again and again. I particularly like these Loki fold up bags (pictured) that come in a beautiful range of arty prints, but also check out the op shops and stores selling calico bags too.

♥ Reusables from 4 My Earth

The snack pockets, wraps and food bags from 4 My Earth also make an excellent eco-friendly gift wrap. They can then be used in lunch boxes, for food storage, as a toiletries bag and so many other things. We have so many of these and we love them!

♥ Jars, pots, tins and baskets

Really, anything you can think of can be used to hold gifts. Head to the op shop and see what you can find. Pretty them up with ribbon, paint, twine and a few embellishments. Pinterest has loads of ideas for you.

♥ Recycled Wrap

If you really love to use wrapping paper, choose one which is eco-friendly and recycled like the gorgeous ones at Earth Greetings.

♥ The Trimmings

There are so many eco-friendly things you can use to trim gifts. I always save gorgeous ribbon and twine for reuse. Head outdoors and find some leaves, lavender stems, feathers, gum nuts, twigs, flowers, herbs, pine cones or shells.

If you are crafty you could make some paper flowers or bows or upcycle Christmas ornaments. I really love these crochet decorations on Etsy – divine! I have even seen cute things like pencils, vintage cutlery, bamboo cutlery, photos, brooches, earrings and clothes pegs used to trim gifts.

Gift tags can be as easy as upcycled cards from last year, cut down into shape or a piece of cardboard decorated with stamping or washi tape. I also adore these handmade clay tags from Brisbane artist Kylie Johnson.

Ended up with wrapping paper?

If you do end up with wrapping paper, recycle everything you can, keep it for next year or upcycle it into something new. Keep in mind that you can’t recycle plastic or foil wrapping paper so avoid that at all costs!

What other tips do you have? Share with us!