20 Practical Uses for Lavender Oil

April 4, 2016 · 10 Comments

If you only ever use one essential oil, make it lavender!

It’s one oil I always have in my handbag and I make sure I take on holidays. Lavender essential oil is a multipurpose oil and it smells amazing too. Make sure you use a pure 100% oil (like Thursday Plantation) to make sure it’s free from synthetics and fillers.

Lavender oil is made from steam-distilling the flowering tops of the lavender shrub.

Lavender has a wide variety of properties which make it so versatile around the home and for first aid. It is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and a relaxant.

Lavender is one of the few oils that is safe to use directly on the skin – however always use in small amounts and for children under 12 it is recommended to dilute with a carrier oil.

Here are 20 practical uses for lavender oil around your house:

♥ Bug bites. Instantly soothe insect bites with a drop of neat lavender oil straight on the bite.

♥ Sore muscles. Add a few drops to a bath with epsom salts or add a carrier oil and massage in to the affected area to soothe.

♥ Ouchies. Put the lavender oil neat on minor burns and minor cuts and scrapes – it will kill off any bugs, allowing the wound to heal.

♥ Spotty skin. You can dab neat on spots or mix a drop with a carrier oil like jojoba and massage into the affected area. As well as inhibiting the bacteria that grow on the skin, it also helps reduce the sebum production.

♥ So stressed. Inhale a drop of lavender oil on a tissue for any sort of upset, stress or mild anxiety. You can also diffuse it a room or pop it in a bath.

♥ Repel moths. Keep a few cotton balls with drops of lavender in your cupboard to repel moths and silverfish.

♥ Pongy underarms. Just add one drop to a tablespoon of coconut oil and rub into your armpits for a super easy, natural deodorant. As well as smelling nice, it will help kill off the bugs that cause body odour.

♥ Zzzzzz. For trouble sleeping, pop a drop on your pillow or pyjama front or diffuse in your bedroom for a restful sleep. But go easy you only need one or two drops – too much lavender can have a stimulating effect.

♥ Lavender Laundry. I like to add a drop or two to my laundry rinse cycle to freshen clothes and bedding. You can also pop a drop onto a wet clean cloth and pop into your dryer or put the oil straight on to wool dryer balls.

♥ Rub on your lightbulbs. Just one drop rubbed on your lightbulbs (when they are off and cool) will give you lovely scents when you turn them on and also repel insects.

♥ An ache in the head. Massage into your temples and behind your head for headache relief.

♥ Chilled-out playdough. Add a few drops to your homemade play dough for restful and calm playtime for the kids!

♥ Fabric refresher. Add a few drops to a spray bottle and use to refresh carpets, lounges, mattresses and your car upholstery. Just a light misting, not a drenching!

♥ Itchy Eczema. Pop 5 drops of lavender oil into 10ml of carrier oil and gently massage into the affected areas.

♥ Zen Loo. Pop a drop of lavender oil on the cardboard tube of your toilet roll – every time someone uses the roll, it will deodorise the loo and leave you feeling zen too!

♥ Wash your hands! I love to make my own lavender hand wash – I just use castile soap and a few drop of oil in a reusable foaming bottle.

♥ Too much sun? Lavender oil can help soothe sunburns.

♥ Instead of ironing. Okay, this could be my favourite tip ever!! Shannon Lush says to use one teaspoon in a litre of water and spray your clothes after washing. It will relax the fabric and ease out wrinkles!

♥ Shower power. After a hard day at work or running around with the kids, a few drops of lavender oil on your shower base will relax and calm you. Special self nurturing time!

♥ Aroma–Cleaning. As lavender oil is a disinfectant, you can use it to wipe down benches, clean toilets and bathrooms and mop the floors.

If you would like some more tips on how to use lavender oil around the house or for first aid, head over to the Thursday Plantation website and check out their 100+ uses. You may even like to submit your own tip of how you use lavender oil.

Sources:

The Aromatherapy Bible, Gill Farrer-Halls

Natural Remedies, Mim Beim

Like Chocolate for Women, Kim Morrison and Fleur Whelligan

Shannon Lush

1001 Natural Remedies, Laurel Vukovic

(this post is sponsored by Thursday Plantation)

Love List ~ March 2016

March 31, 2016 · 6 Comments

Well it has been a little while since I have done a love list!

In between moving to Brisbane and settling my kids in at new schools and uni and working on my charity project and updating the website (do you like the new design and logo??), it’s all been a little crazy around here at NNAM.

Here are some things that I have been loving the last few months….

♥ 4 My Earth Bamboo Bags

I am in love with these new bamboo bags! They are so soft and light weight and perfect for replacing plastic bags when buying produce. I have also been using them damp to keep veggies nice and fresh in the crisper. Such a great way to reduce your plastic usage. Get them here.

♥ Erica Brooke Skin Care

Made by a Brisbane natural new age mum, this range is equal to any of the big name natural skin care brands on the market. Erica’s deodorant is already one of my all time favourite products and I think I am also going to add the Honey Cream Cleanser to that list as well. It’s so incredibly beautiful to use and of course, free of nasty toxins and weird stuff! Check it out here.

♥ The Wholesome Cook by Martyna Angell

I was lucky enough to meet Martyna a few weeks ago at a cooking demo and I grabbed a copy of her cookbook while I was there. I really love Martyna’s food philosophy (probably because it is so similar to my own) of eating whole foods for your own bio-individuality. So many delicious whole food recipes to inspire. Check it out here.

♥ Small Steps to Fermenting

I am about to embark on some fermenting. I find it to be all quite overwhelming and I am worried I am going to get it wrong and make us all sick! Luckily the gorgeous Lisa Corduff (guru from Small Steps to Wholefoods) has teamed up with her husband to break it all down step by step in their online course, Small Steps to Fermenting. Check it out here.

♥ Crystal Singing Bowls

I was lucky enough to attend a crystal singing bowl healing workshop last month. I felt incredibly relaxed and in balance afterwards. It was a very magical, spiritual experience. You can check out crystal singing bowls at some new age stores or look for a healing session near you!

What have you discovered lately that you love??

Your complete guide to a healthy Easter

March 16, 2016 · 8 Comments

Your complete guide to a healthy Easter

Easter is early this year!

One thing I have noticed you all chatting about is how overwhelming all the chocolate is at Easter time. Well-meaning friends and family love to spoil our kids and it can all get a little crazy. It’s worthwhile establishing some boundaries around this if you feel uncomfortable. One of our gorgeous mums made a cute graphic saying ‘thank you but no gifts for Easter’ and shared it amongst her family and friends. Great idea!

There is also a huge amount of horrible chocolate out there – full of nasty additives, palm oil and fillers and produced in an unethical way. My thoughts are always quality over quantity! Get some really good, quality chocolate and just have a little amount. The same goes for hot cross buns – make them yourself with high quality ingredients and you will be less inclined to eat dozens of yucky supermarket ones.

Here are my top picks for Easter this year…..

♥ Healthier Chocolate

If you are after healthier or allergy friendly Easter Eggs and chocolate, check out the range at Biome.

I always recommend you look out for chocolate that is fair trade and free of palm oil. Unfortunately, chocolate production comes with issues such as deforestation, environmental pollution, child slave labour and unethical payment of workers. It pays to know where your chocolate is coming from and how it is produced.

♥ Cute Ideas for Easter Baskets

♥ I love the chocolate gingerbread bunny biscuits from Gingerbread Folk. They are individually wrapped so perfect for the Easter Egg Hunt too.

♥ Add in a cute bunny toothbrush to help get rid of all that sugar off the teeth! Find them here.

♥ I always used to include a book at Easter time when my kids were small! Check out the beautiful selection of Easter themed books here.

Homemade Chocolate, Buns and Bums.

♥ Special Easter Baking Pack. Cyndi at Changing Habits has put together an Easter baking pack filled with organic, whole foods that you can use to create your own healthy Easter Treats. She has also thrown in some freebies!! Woohoo. Check it out here.

♥ The BEST healthy hot cross bun recipes to suit any diet can be found here.

♥ Dairy Free Chocolate Cream Easter Eggs from Lisa at Happy Tummies.

♥ Paleo Creme Eggs from Hold the Grain.

♥ Bunny Butt Pancakes from Edible Life in YYC. Use a healthy pancake recipe like one of these.

♥ Sugar Free Easter Chocolates from Becomingness.

I would love to know what ideas and recipes you have lined up for a healthy Easter! Share with us!

How to replace toxic cleaning products with essential oils

March 14, 2016 · 10 Comments

How to replace toxic cleaning products with essential oils

I love using essential oils for cleaning!

As well as being incredibly effective, they also smell amazing and are not toxic unlike many commercial cleaning products. Of course, you still have to use them with safety and in the correct amounts.

Many cleaning products are very toxic and harmful to our health when in contact with skin or inhaled – things you normally do when you clean!! These toxic chemicals also end up in our oceans and waterways and can cause havoc to our marine and sea life.

If you want to read up about the harmful ingredients, check out this article by Dr David Suzuki.

I use essential oils alongside other natural things like bicarbonate of soda, castile soap and vinegar. Oils provide not only the awesome aroma (which by the way you also benefit from inhaling while cleaning) but the grunt behind the cleaning with their antibacterial and antiseptic properties.

I always use 100% pure and natural oils (like Thursday Plantation) with no synthetics or fillers, even for cleaning. Not only will they do a better job, you don’t want to be inhaling cheap, nasty oils.

My top three oils to use for cleaning are eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender. They all have antiseptic properties and eucalyptus and tea tree kill 99.9% of household germs.The bonus is that these oils have multiple purposes and you can also use them for all sorts of first aid treatments as well.

The power of mother nature!!

Here are some ways you can use essential oils around the house for cleaning.

Make sure you do a quick spot test on surfaces first!
1. Straight eucalyptus oil on a cloth is great for removing stains and scuff marks from walls and floors.

2. A few drops of eucalyptus oil with some bicarb in the toilet bowl will clean it, remove odours and keep your loo smelling fresh.

3. A very easy to make, budget friendly all-purpose spray is simply to combine 1 cup water with 1/2 cup of vinegar, 2 teaspoons castile soap and 20 drops of either tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil or lavender oil.

HOT TIP: I am not a fan of plastic, so I use glass spray bottles, sourced from the health food store. You can also easily make your own by using old glass bottles and fitting an old spray nozzle onto the top. It might take a little trial and error to find a perfect match!

4. Put a few drops of essential oil in your vacuum cleaner bag for a lovely fresh smell.

5. Pop a few drops of essential oils into your mop bucket with hot water and a good splash of vinegar. It will disinfect the floors and get them sparkling clean.

6. Eucalyptus makes a fabulous home-made stain remover. Simply mix 1 cup of water with 1/8 cup of eucalyptus essential oil in a spray bottle. Give it a good shake before you use it and spray directly onto stains.

7. Eucalyptus oil is also fabulous in killing off dust mites. Use a few drops in the rinse cycle of a hot wash when you do your bedding.

8. Put a few drops of lavender oil on the inside of your toilet roll. Every time someone uses the paper, you will freshen the smallest room in the house with a lovely scent!

9. If you have sickness in the house, dilute some tea tree oil in a small bucket of hot water and wipe all surfaces down, including door handles and phones. Diffusing a few drops of oil in a diffuser or oil burner will help purify the air as well.

10. 10 drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle with water and vinegar will deter mould. Spray it in the bathroom or kitchen on those areas where mould likes to grow.

11. Ditch those toxic air fresheners and use a spray bottle filled with water and 10-20 drops of lavender oil. The bonus is that you can also use this mix in the kid’s rooms to help them relax and fall asleep.

12. For an easy to make anti-bacterial hand wash, just mix some castile soap with a few drops of tea tree oil.

13. To make a carpet freshener, mix 20 drops of essential oil thoroughly into 1 cup of bicarbonate of soda. Sprinkle on the carpet, leave for 20 minutes or so and then vacuum up.

Want some more ideas on how to use essential oils around the home?

Head to the Thursday Plantation website to see ideas and tips that readers have submitted! You might like to submit your own tip too.

Safety First! Although essential oils are all natural, they are very potent and must be stored away from children and used with care.

*this post is sponsored by Thursday Plantation

Tips for using up food scraps that you may not have thought of!

February 29, 2016 · 12 Comments

Tips for using up food scraps

(that you may not have thought of!)

7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted or lost in Australia every year! Those statistics are frightening.

Not only is this tough on the household budget, it’s tough on the environment. Making use of everything we have and avoiding throwing things away is a great habit to get into.

There are some pretty obvious tips on reducing food wastage like using your bones and veg scraps for bone broth, freezing bread crusts for bread crumbs, feeding dogs and chooks and composting.

But, I have a few tips for you that you may not have thought of yet.

♥ Leftover tea and coffee

If you make a pot of tea and coffee in the morning and it doesn’t all get consumed, you can make sure you use it in some other way! What I like to do initially is pour myself one cup and then put the rest in a thermos to keep hot and fresh until I am ready for another cup.

Any tea or coffee can also be refrigerated straight away (don’t leave it brewing as it will go nasty and bitter) for use in iced tea and coffee later on. Iced chai latte with milk is simply divine!

Cold tea bags are also fabulous for treating under eye puffiness.

♥ Leftover citrus

Never, ever, ever throw out your citrus peels/halves again. You can turn them into a gorgeous, fragrant and totally non-toxic cleaning spray. They are also fabulous for cleaning around the house – everything from freshening the dishwasher to cleaning chrome in the shower. Read this post for some inspiration. You can also use them to lighten the dark skin on your elbows, dry out the peel and use in cooking or add to some olive oil to make lemon flavoured oil for cooking.

♥ Smears in jars

You know those leftover bits clinging to the inside of the jar? Peanut butter, sauce, jam, honey, oil, kombucha juice?

Here is what you can do:

Turn them into a salad dressing, milkshake or marinade straight in the jar …… shake and eat!

Got passata or sauce that’s got a tiny bit left? Add a touch of boiling water (glass only) and shake and then use.

♥ Coffee grounds

There are so many things you can use leftover coffee grounds for! My favourite is to add some coconut oil and make a delicious body scrub. Cheap, easy and so effective. Now I am also wanting to make a coffee candle. Awesome!

♥ Egg shells

These are rich in calcium and other minerals and can make a fabulous garden fertiliser – simply crush and sprinkle. You can also use them to make homemade chalk. What a great project to do with the kids. Empty egg shells are also great seed starters.

♥ Banana Peels

The inside of a banana peel makes an awesome shoe shine, teeth whitener or wart remover. Add them to a jar of water and leave for a day to make an awesome homemade plant fertiliser!

♥ Pawpaw skins

These make great exfoliators due to the enzyme, papain. Simply rub it all over your face, wait a while and rinse off! Avocado skins also are great for a nourishing face mask.

♥ Meat fat
Our grandparents never threw away meat fat! It was always carefully strained and re-used in cooking. Roast potatoes in meat fat is simply divine and the nutrients are so good for you. Try it!

♥ Potato Skins

Puree up these babies and use them as a hair treatment. Leave in for 15 minutes and then wash out for strong, healthy hair. You can also toss them in oil and salt and pepper and whazz in the air fryer or oven until super crispy for potato peel chips! Yummo.

♥ Vanilla Pods

I am lucky enough to have loads of vanilla pods from bulk buying. After using them in a recipe, I save them in a jar and re-use them by infusing in milk to make a drink or custard, adding to a pot of tea to make a vanilla flavoured tea, adding to a jar of rapadura sugar to make vanilla sugar. Heavenly.

♥ Broccoli Stalks

So many people throw these out but they are fabulous sliced thinly in a stir fry, grated into bolognese or frozen to use in soup. Don’t throw away precious nutrients!

♥ Cauliflower Leaves

Did you know that you can eat these? Roast with some olive oil or use them in this vegetable dish.

♥ Apple Peels and Cores

These can be made into your own homemade apple cider vinegar. This is so much cheaper than buying ACV!

♥ Pineapple Skins

You can make a yummy fermented pineapple drink with the skins or boil them up with coconut sugar to make cordial.

♥ Watermelon Rinds

You can make these into fermented pickles. Love it.

♥ Carrot Tops

My friend Mich makes an amazing pesto with the green carrot tops! How cool. Get the recipe here.

♥ Cracker Crumbs

I make homemade seed crackers and there is usually some crumbs left at the bottom of the jar. They are so good sprinkled on salads or soup!

♥ Repurpose Cooking Fails

Let’s face it, this happens at times and it’s heartbreaking to waste all those expensive ingredients (not to mention your time and energy!) Get creative about how to turn them into something else. Some ideas:

turn failed cake into trifle, cake balls, pudding or just add a heap of icing to cover!
turn failed bread into breadcrumbs in a food processor
if you have made something too salty, throw in a raw potato to mop up the excess
split mayo can be rescued by remaking and using the split mixture instead of oil
overbeaten egg whites can be fixed by adding an extra egg white for every two
add overcooked rice or pasta to meatballs or meatloaf

I would love to hear your tips on what you use food scraps for – inspire us!

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A post shared by Natural New Age Mum 💟 Sonia (@natnewagemum)

Gorgeous Christmas Gift Ideas

November 19, 2015 · 6 Comments

Gorgeous Christmas Gift Ideas

Christmas shopping can be emotional, expensive and exhausting.

Never fear! I am here with a round-up of the best natural and new age gifts for Christmas. Grab a cuppa or a wine, sit back on your couch, browse and shop. Too easy.

Actually this gift guide sort of accidentally, maybe on purpose turned into my Christmas wish list. My birthday is five days after Christmas so I have even more chances of getting lucky!

What is on your Christmas Wish List???

♥ The Jojoba Company Starter Pack

Beautifully gift boxed, this starter pack from The Jojoba Company has a sample of some of their most popular products. Ideal to try them out yourself or introduce someone else to the magic of jojoba oil! I love everything I try of this range and it really has improved my skin. Life long fan here!

You can get it in pharmacies or health food stores or you can buy online here.

♥ Happi Gratitude Journal

My all-time favourite gratitude journal by the very talented Fran at Happi Empire. Beautifully designed, it has various prompts, quotes and inspiration for your daily gratitude.

Get it from Fran here.

♥ Fressko Drink Flasks

These are fabulous! They keep drinks hot or cold for hours as they are double walled and still cool to touch. I love the inbuilt infuser for my loose leaf tea. I just make up a brew before I leave home and sip on it throughout the day – it sure beats buying hot drinks and it’s eco-friendly. They look so stylish as well. You can get a few different sizes and also one in stainless steel with a bamboo finish too.

Get them online here.

♥ Hot Air Ballooning

If you have never been hot air ballooning, you are missing out on a wonderful experience! I went many years ago over the Cairns hinterland and I still remember the beautiful feeling of serenity and peace floating up above the earth. It’s pretty magical!

You can get vouchers for hot air ballooning all around the country online here.

♥ Mortar and Pestle

A mortar and pestle makes a great gift for any foodie. They are so handy in the kitchen – this one is so funky and it’s affordable too. Made from porcelain and bamboo.

Get it online here

♥ Radiation Protection Ipad Case

I actually bought this for my daughter a few weeks ago. It’s a beautiful black leather case that protects you from radiation emissions. There is a massive 50% off the Cellsafe brand for phone (we also have these!) and ipad cases at the moment too.

Shop online here.

♥ Fermented Book

Fermenting is making a come-back but a lot of us don’t know how to make these traditional foods. They do require a little bit of knowledge to get just right. This beginner’s guide will give you everything you need to know about sourdough, yoghurt, kimchi, kefir, kombucha and more.

Get it here.

Stocking Stuffers:

These little gifts are great for stocking stuffers, secret Santas or just for small gifts!

♥ Dindi Hemp Soap Saver

This crocheted hemp soap saver bag comes with a natural soap bar. No nasties – just beautiful natural ingredients and essential oils. The hemp does not rot and will last ages and ages – it’s particularly great for filling with all those little bits of soap so you don’t waste them.

Get it online here.

♥ Love Chai Tea

Love Chai is one of my all time favourite tea brands! They are a small, Aussie owned business and formulated by naturopath Emma Watson. I love that they are all organic and loose leaf so there is no need to worry about toxic teabags.

Get the range online here.

♥ Firelighter

You will never need matches or a lighter again with this magnesium striker that works in any weather and at any altitude. Made in Sweden, it also has an inbuilt emergency whistle. A very practical gift that is sure to also be a talking point!

Get it online here.

♥ Eye pillow

These are the most amazing things ever! Made with natural cotton, flaxseeds and lavender oil, the gentle pressure is soothing on your eyes. A really lovely relaxation experience.

Get them online here.

Where to shop?

Biome Eco Stores for all things good for the planet

Emporio Organico for a huge range of all things natural and eco-luxe

{parts of this article are sponsored and contain affiliate links}

Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

November 16, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Awesome Christmas Gifts for Kids

It’s nearly Christmas time again!

Today I have a list of my top picks for Christmas gifts for kids and some stocking stuffer ideas too. Things that are healthy, eco-friendly, natural and organic but always fun!

♥ Tree Blocks

I love these rustic tree blocks! They are made from plantation timber and polished with beeswax for a non-toxic finish. You get 42 blocks in an eco-friendly carry bag.

Get them online here.

♥ Play Make Up

Pure Poppet make great non-toxic play make up. This set is a Shimmer Stack and is multi purpose lip balm, eye shadow, body glitter and blusher. You can also get a make up set and nail polish sets.

Get them online here.

♥ Wooden Flower Puzzle

This cute wooden flower puzzle from Green Start is designed for kids 12 months and up. It helps develop fine motor skills and encourages imaginative play. The wood is from sustainable sources, vegetable inks are used and it comes with a recycled carry case.

Get it online here.

♥ Kids’ Puppet Theatre

I wish I had one of these when I was a kid! Encouraging creative story telling and dramatic performances, it’s made from 100% cotton and felt. Easy to assemble and fold away to store. Fun!

Get it online here.

♥ The Lorax book

You can never start too young inspiring your kids to care about the environment! The Lorax by Dr Seuss is the perfect book for doing just that. This book is the hard back, recycled paper version, so it’s extra special.

Get it here.

♥ Solar Battery Charger

Perfect for older kids and teenagers, this portable battery charger uses the power of the sun! It will charge two batteries at once.

Get it online here.

Stocking Stuffers:

♥ Gingerbread Christmas box

My kids love getting one of these every year! Made in the Blue Mountains by an Aussie family owned business, these gingerbread biccies are an assortment of Christmas shapes. Made with only the finest quality ingredients, you will find no nasty preservatives or additives and the packaging is recycled and compostable!

Get them online here.

♥ Cube Bot

Perfect for restless hands, this Cube Bot is made from natural beechwood. It’s durable wood limbs and elastic bands can be shaped into dozens of poses and when you are done, it folds up into a cube!

Get it online here.

10 Teacher Gifts under $30

November 12, 2015 · 10 Comments

10 Teacher Gifts under $30

Teachers are wonderful, aren’t they?

At Christmas time, it’s nice to give a little token of appreciation for the year. I have put together some gift ideas for all sorts of teachers – school, sports, music and activities. Things that are natural, organic, eco-friendly and meaningful and they are all under $30!

Actually these gifts would be perfect for the work Secret Santa or the neighbours. Anyone, really!

♥ Happy Botanical Soap

A gorgeous large bar of all natural boutique soap infused with pure essential oils. Packaged in a reusable calico bag. Find it here.

♥ Urban Kitchen Herb Kit

Everything you need to grow herbs in one cute gift pack. Using only quality Australian seeds, you can grow your own Basil, Sage, Chives, Thyme and Parsley. Get it here.

♥ Crio Bru

One of my standard gifts I give at Christmas time- Crio Bru! It’s like ground coffee beans but it’s cacao beans and it comes in a few different flavours. Rich, dark and chocolatey, it’s great to make a hot drink or to use in recipes. You could always add a Keep Cup to the gift as well (see below) to make a more substantial gift.

Check out Mandy’s Crio Bru store online here.

♥ Xmas Decorations

Another of my standard teacher gifts every year. It is a little keepsake that will remind teachers of their student whenever they decorate the tree. Check out these beautiful ceramic stars that are handmade by a Brisbane mum.

♥ Flora Remedia Calm Roll-On

Seriously, I don’t know how teachers cope with the noise and energy of 20 odd kids every day. I sometimes struggle with two! So this Calm roll-on from Flora Remedia may be a welcome relief! It combines not only gorgeous essential oils, but flower essences as well for a double whammy. You roll it on your pulse points for soothing, calming and centering. Actually, I think I need one for myself anyway!!

Find it online here.

♥ Keep Cup

The Keep Cup is a glass reusable cup for hot drinks. Perfect for playground duty or sipping on in class – a lot safer than a coffee cup. You might want to add a few vouchers from your local coffee shop as well. Get it online here in all different styles and colours.

♥ Treehouse Room Spray

A practical gift perfect for the classroom. This room freshening spray contains pure essential oils to eliminate odours, disinfect and uplift and invigorate – multi-purpose! Get it online here.

♥ Homemade Food Gifts

If you have the time and inclination, get together with your kids and make up some yummy treats. Check out this bumper list of beautiful food gifts. Everything from bacon jam to biscotti!

♥ Reusable Cutlery Set

This set of 100% bamboo utensils includes full sized fork, spoon, knife and chopsticks. The pouch is made from post consumer recycled materials and has a handy carabiner to attach to a bag. Get it here.

♥ Organic Wine

If all else fails, just go with a bottle of good wine. After all they have put up with our cherubs all year. Maybe a case would be a more adequate compensation!! 😉

Check out this organic, preservative free (heck, it’s practically a health food!) sav blanc here.

Want more?

Check out these teacher gift ideas.

And my Stocking Stuffer, Secret Santa Teacher and gift guide.

What do you give for teacher gifts?

Beautiful Gifts for New Babies

November 5, 2015 · 1 Comment

Gifts for new babies can be hard to find. You don’t want to buy plastic, nasty J&J products or anything toxic or harmful. You want something safe, useful, beautiful and eco-friendly.

Well, you don’t have to look any further, because here are my picks for thethe best gifts for new babies.

Beautiful Gifts for New Babies

♥ Gaia Baby Starter Kit

Gaia are a well-known name in natural skincare and their Baby Starter Kit is a very affordable but useful gift. The range is pure, natural and organic and it’s all in 50ml sizes, so perfect as a trial kit or as a travel kit. It would also be great for expecting mums to pop in their hospital bag.

Included in the starter kit is a baby bath/body wash, shampoo, moisturizer, soothing lotion and massage oil – all in a little carry bag for just $22.95. You may be able to find this starter kit in your local supermarket, pharmacy or health food store but if not, you can always purchase online here.

♥ Cloth Nappies Direct Try Me Kit

For the eco-mum who wants to use modern cloth nappies, this little trial pack from Cloth Nappies Direct is a great idea. You get one cloth nappy (you can choose the design), one wetbag and a pack of 5 bamboo cloth wipes. All are durable, easy to wash and sustainable. You also avoid all the nasty chemicals hiding in disposable nappies and wipes.

MCNs are so easy to use compared to the old-fashioned towelling nappy squares, they are easy on our environment and work out so much cheaper in the long run. There is an initial outlay for them, so this kit is a really useful gift for new mums! You could even get together with friends and get a whole set.

Find them here.

♥ Sleep Hammock

This gorgeous organic hammock suits babies from birth up to three years. It converts from a bed into a swing as your child grows. For a limited time it also comes with a free mosquito net and a mounting bracket. This would be perfect to place in the family living areas so you can keep an eye on baby as you do other things. You can even hang it from a tree if you are out doing gardening!

It’s made from organic cotton and is really lightweight and totally portable. You can just throw it in the washing machine too! Find out more details about the hammock and watch the info video here.

♥ Maud n Lil Organic Cotton Softies

These cute organic cotton animals from Maud and Lil has been on my radar for ages and I finally get to share it with you! As well as being adorable, it’s made from organic cotton with a velvety smooth finish and presented in a gift box.

We all know babies like to chew on, sleep with and cuddle their soft toys, so there is peace of mind that this range is all organic and has a natural filling. No nasty toxins!

Get them online here.

♥ Sound of Virtues CD

A very different, but gorgeous, soulful gift. Beautiful affirmations about 26 chosen virtues are accompanied by music. Created to nurture your baby’s spiritual development and provide a calming and peaceful support for parents.

Check it out here.

♥ Amber Teething Necklace

All the hippy kids are wearing them and there is a good reason – they seem to work remarkably well for helping ease teething pain. Made from amber which is said to have electrostatic properties that warm against the skin and activate healing. For best results, make sure you buy real amber, not fake!

Check them out here.

♥ Organic Cotton Newborn Starter Gift Set

Made with hypoallergenic certified organic cotton, this ten piece set is suitable for new borns up to three months. I love the gender neutral colours and embroidery.

Get it online here.

♥ Eco Play Gym

Both my kids adored hanging around under baby gyms! It meant I could get stuff done while they were entertained for a bit. I love this eco-friendly, non toxic version. Made from sustainable birch wood, certified organic cotton and sheep’s wool, it’s height adjustable and completely safe. You can also unclip the toys and use them elsewhere. Gorgeous!

Get it here.

Need a card?

Check out Biome for a beautiful range of eco-friendly baby cards.

Where to shop?

If you want to browse for something different or grab a gift voucher, check out some of these great online stores:

Hello Charlie

Biome Eco Store

You might also like to read:

How to choose safe, non-toxic toys for kids

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What is smudging and how do you do it?

November 3, 2015 · 6 Comments

What is smudging and how do you do it?

♥ What is smudging?

Smudging is an ancient practice of clearing negative energy from yourself or a space using the smoke of burning herbs, usually white sage. It is often associated with Native American rituals but ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians also used this type of practice.

♥ When would you smudge yourself or your space?

You can do smudging whenever you like but some of the situations you may want to do it include:

when moving into a new house or leaving an old house
if you feel sad, depressed, angry, anxious or just a bit flat and tired
you want to remove any negative presences or spirits
if you have had an argument with someone or want to remove energy left in your space by other people
before and/or after celebrations or rituals
to cleanse crystals
to mark each season or
just because you feel like you need it

♥ What do you use to smudge?

The easiest way to smudge is to use a smudge stick – this is a bundle of dried herbs (usually white sage for its healing properties) tied together to make a stick. Sometimes lavender or other herbs are added. You can also use a stick of Palo Santo. You can get them from health food stores, new age stores or online. If you are the crafty sort, you can also make your own smudge sticks.

There are ethical considerations in using white sage and Palo Santo, so please make sure you source from a reputable supplier.

♥ How do you smudge?

First of all, think about why you are smudging, the intention and what you want to achieve. Then, holding that intention, light the smudge stick and once it’s burning, gently blow it out so the flame is out but there is smoke curling out from it and it’s smoldering.

To smudge yourself or someone else, swirl the smudge stick gently around the person, from head to toe. This will cleanse their aura.

To smudge your house or office or any space, open the windows and walk through the area with the smudge stick, allowing the smoke to get into all the corners and cupboards.

You can say or think your intention for the smudging while you are doing it. Don’t worry if it feels a bit awkward, it’s the intention that counts.

Some people like to hold a heat proof bowl under the smudge stick to collect the ash (which you can take outside and bury in the earth). You can also do drumming, chanting or fanning the smoke with a large feather too.

When you are finished and if the stick is still smoldering, tamp it out on the earth or some sand.

I find the smudge stick lasts for several uses.

♥ How does it work?

Well, there is some actual science here, it’s not just all woo (but I do love the woo!).

The sage releases negative ions into the space – just like running water, the beach or the forest does.

If you aren’t keen on burning things for space clearing, you could also use sage essential oil in a diffuser.

Do you smudge? Have you noticed the benefits?