Enchanted Slumber and Bears for Humanity Giveaway!

The last Giveaway from my Eco Holiday Gift Guide and it's a big one!

Your little one can enjoy napping on a soothing All in One Sleeper from Enchanted Slumber while cuddling up with an Animal Pal from Bears for Humanity.
Both are naturally conscious companies with GOTS Certified Organic products made right here in the USA! To learn more about Enchanted Slumber and Bears for Humanity, check out my Eco Holiday Gift Guide!
*CLOSED*
Giveaway ends Nov 25th at 1159pm. Winner will be chosen via Random Picker.
 
To Enter, Complete all 3!
#1 Comment below and let me know why your littles would enjoy an organic sleeper and animal pal! #2 Tag 3 friends on Instagram
#3 Repost the Giveaway on Intagram and tag @craftyearthmama @enchantedslumber and @bearsforhumanity OR repost it on Facebook and tag @healthybabiesandkids @enchantedslumber and @bearsforhumanity  
Extra Entries: 
+3 Check out my Eco Holiday Gift Guide and comment with your own Holiday Picks!

Additional Terms and Conditions:
Giveaway ends Nov 25th at 11:59 PM PST. Open to Residents of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Random Picker and be notified online. Winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Crafty Earth Mama is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. Your prizes will be shipped to you directly. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook and Instagram and are in no way associated with this giveaway. You are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

Eco Holiday Gift Guide

Eco Holiday Gift Guide for 2016!
I've put together a list of Eco Friendly, Non Toxic Gifts from Naturally Conscious Brands that me and my family love!


Bears for Humanity

Not only are these stuffed animals made of 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton, but they are made with love by women in the California Welfare-to-Work program. When you purchase from Bears for Humanity, you are helping creates jobs for at-risk women in the community.
Bears for Humanity takes it a step further and donates a teddy bear to a child in need with every purchase!

Enchanted Slumber 

Enchanted Slumber is a Mama owned company that creates beautifully crafted All-In-One Organic Sleepers. These sleepers are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing! The unique design bundles a warm, whimsically-patterned quilted pad, blanket covering and a lavender-scented buckwheat pillow for roll-and-go carrying. Children will delight in having a safe, cozy place of their very own that they can easily take with them to school or on trips. Handcrafted with love in the USA.

 Green Toys

Green Toys are made 100% from recycled materials and the packaging is 100% recycled cardboard! All the plastic is collected, cleaned, shredded and made into toys right here in the USA! Read all about our Green Toys Story here!

nuSpin Kids

nuSpin Kids is not your typical straw cup! Both the Zoomi and Sip & Spin make hydration fun and easy! These 8oz cups are Free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC and have soft food grade silicone straws that are spill resistant. Read my nuSpin Kids Review here!

I would love to know what your Eco Holiday Picks are. Share them below!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

The inspiration for these bars came from a craving for brownies and a need to use up some homemade pumpkin butter! They're moist with a light pumpkin spice flavor. The chocolate chips and nuts add great texture for an all around delicious treat!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Prep a 8.5x10.5 pan by lining with parchment paper or lightly oiling and dusting with flour.

1 1/4c whole wheat flour
1/4tsp sea salt
1/2tsp baking soda
1/4tsp cinnamon

1/3c melted vegan butter
3/4c pumpkin butter
1/4c almond milk
1/4c coconut sugar

1tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2c chopped walnuts
1/2c chocolate chips

Mix together 1st 4 ingredients and set aside.
Whisk together next 5 ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry along with the nuts and chocolate. Mix until just combined.

Pour batter into pan evenly.
Bake for 11 minutes or until knife in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool and cut into bars.

Enjoy!

nuSpin Kids Review and Giveaway!

nuSpin Kids is not your typical straw cup!

Both the Zoomi and Sip and Spin make hydration fun and easy! 

These 8oz cups are Free of BPA, Phthalates and PVC and have soft food grade silicone straws that are spill resistant.

K and S especially love the Sip & Spin!

Each cup has a decorative pinwheel in the top that spin when they drink. It's so fun to see them watching the wheel as they hydrate! You can see them in action here! 

I like that all the pieces come apart, so you can clean all the nooks and crannies where bacteria like to hide.

The Zoomi straw cup has a shorter straw and is great for littles 6 months and older. It only has 3 parts and all parts also come fully apart for cleaning. I find it easier to clean both right away. If you let them sit for awhile after drinking anything other than water, you may have some build up that requires more attention.

We would love to see a larger size from nuSpin Kids. K and S are both big water drinkers and drink even more with the Sip & Spin, so a larger size would be great!

Thanks to nuSpin Kids, we are Giving Away 1 Zoomi Cup and 1 Sip & Spin! 1 Winner will get both!
*GIVEAWAY CLOSED*  

Giveaway ends Nov 21st at 1159pm. Winner will be chosen via Random Picker.

4 Ways to Enter!
+1 entry: Comment below and let me know why your littles would enjoy the Zoomi and Sip & Spin!
+1 entry for each: Tag up to 3 of your friends on post
+3 entries: Repost the Giveaway on Intagram and tag @craftyearthmama @nuspinkids
+3 entries: Repost the Giveaway on Facebook and tag @healthybabiesandkids @nuSpinKids

Additional Terms and Conditions:
Giveaway ends Nov 21st at 11:59 PM PST. Open to Residents of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected by Random Picker and be notified online. Winner has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that Crafty Earth Mama is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. Your prizes will be shipped to you directly. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook and Instagram and are in no way associated with this giveaway. You are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

Curly Halo by Kimberly Elise, Book Review

 

Curly Halo is a Natural Hair Care reference Guide and Workbook written by Kimberly Elise.
Kimberly Elise is not only an accomplished actress, but also a vegan, natural beauty and natural living advocate!

I've been working my way through Curly Halo for the past few months and my hair has thanked me for it! The guide is great for anyone researching natural hair care, just returning to their natural texture, or if you are experiencing some issues with your natural hair and need to figure out ways to bring it back to health.

I'm in the 3rd category. I've been consistently natural for about 20 years, but only have started taking care of my hair for about the past 10 years. Before then, I wore my hair up in braids and pretty much ignored it. During the time it was up, I would not condition and rarely wash it. In between braids, I would treat my hair very roughly. Barely moisturizing and tearing through detangle sessions with inappropriate combs and brushes. I used pressing combs, blow dryers and flat irons without heat protectant and then put it right back up in braids again, without any thought. It makes me cringe now to think of how rough I was with my hair!

 These days, I am much more patient and caring with my hair. However, a few months ago, I had recently fallen back into my routine of braids, twists and neglect. Braids and twists definitely don't go hand in hand with neglect, but for me, it's easy to put it up and forget it. Like a lot of other Mamas, self care including hair care, gets put on the back burner. One thing Kimberly writes about is building a hair care routine that goes with your schedule. That's key for me, because when my schedule is filled, the first thing to go is my hair care.

When I received Curly Halo, I decided it was time to pay myself some much needed attention, including my hair. I took my months old twists down and dove into the guide.

Per Chapter 4's How to Gently Wash Your Hair, I started detangling and sectioning before washing. This way, I wasn't dealing with it all at once and causing more tangles during washing. It takes more time in the beginning, but is worth it to deal with less tangles and hair breakage in the end result.

Please excuse my sweaty shirt. I just finished a run and was prepping for a wash by detangling and sectioning.

Up next for me was getting into the routine of  Deep Conditioning and Protein Treatments. Again, due to time, I had stopped deep conditioning. My hair definitely thrives when I consistently moisturize and treat it, but taking the time to sit for a deep conditioning just wasn't happening. Kimberly recommends sitting under dryer or in the sun for at least 30 minutes to really let the conditioner penetrate your strands. I decided in the interest of time, that I could deep condition while I did other things. So, now I put my deep conditioner on, cover with a shower cap and then a head wrap or hat. I go on about my regular life while deep conditioning!
 

Ready to get this party started!

Just Kidding, I'm deep conditioning my hair. LOL!

I've always known that my hair strands could benefit from protein treatments, but the truth is I just didn't know much about them. How often? How long? How much is too much? Vegan and cruelty free options? I found all the answers in the guide and eventually wound up trying a couple of natural protein packs. I am still searching for my "perfect" protein treatment, but now I am more confident in knowing how to and when my hair needs them.

Curly Halo has helped me find a hair care regimen that works for me. I definitely recommend it to those starting out, currently on their natural hair journey or needing to work on the health of your hair. It also, makes a great gift for young women just learning how to care for their hair!

You can get the Curly Halo e book and Enjoy $5 Off by using this link!  

 

Experimenting with Tooth Powder

I've been wanting to kick toothpaste completely out of our home for years. There are two natural varieties with no fluoride that I've been purchasing for the past 7 years in between using my homemade toothpaste. The problem is I haven't found a homemade combination that I love enough to completely leave the commercial toothpaste behind.

I initially liked the last mix I made, but after a few days use decided it wasn't for me. It was also super messy for the kids to use by themselves. I made a big batch of it and because I don't like waste, it took us forever to use it up! The mix was coconut oil, baking soda, bentonite clay, powdered spearmint, peppermint essential oil, sea salt and stevia.

I've become increasingly attracted to tooth powders. They seem to be gaining popularity for teeth whitening and strengthening. Instead of purchasing some, I decided to use what I had on hand and make some of my own.

I'm working in smaller batches this time around! If we don't like it after a few days, I can tweak the recipe and move on.

This is day two with this batch and so far, we are all enjoying it! The following ingredients work well together for removing toxins, restoring pH balance, killing bacteria and whitening teeth. I'm not too concerned with the whitening aspect. I have an oil pulling routine that really helps with that, but even whiter teeth will be a big bonus though!

I added a small amount of cinnamon for a little flavor and freshness and a tiny bit of stevia for light sweetness. If you try it, feel free to add more cinnamon and/or stevia or leave them out all together.

• 2tbs Bentonite Clay- Cleanses, heals and removes toxins. Includes minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, silica, sodium, copper, iron and potassium. 
• 1tsp Baking Soda- Cleanses and restores oral pH balance. Mildly abrasive.
• 1/2tsp Activated charcoal- Removes toxins, restores oral pH balance and whitens teeth by removing build up and stains.
• 1/2tsp Himalayan pink salt- Rich in minerals, including potassium for bleeding gums and calcium which strengthens and whitens teeth. Removes toxins and restores oral pH balance.
• 1/8tsp ground cinnamon- Anti-bacterial and natural breath freshener
• Less than 1/8tsp stevia powder- Natural sweetener. Safe to use without promoting tooth decay.  

I'll update in the coming weeks and let you know if we're going to stick with this mix or change things up! If you have a favorite tooth powder recipe, please share below.

California Vegetarian Food Festival

What a perfect sunny day in Los Angeles for the California Vegetarian Food Festival!
U.S. Veg Corp created a great vegan vibe to Raleigh Studios Hollywood on Sunday, November 13. After events in New York and Arizona,  U.S. Veg Corp brought its signature Vegetarian Food Festival to California. 

The event featured vegan food and lifestyle vendors, speakers, exercise classes, cooking demos, and activities for children. I didn't have my littles with me, so we didn't get to enjoy the Kumquat Kids Area, but it looked like so much fun! 

I spent the morning shopping cruelty free, enjoying vegan eats!

The California Vegetarian Food Festival had such a great laid back vibe, an easy access layout, lots of great food choices and a jam packed entertainment schedule. I'll definitely be back next year!

Pumpkin Biscuits, Recipe

If you've been with me for awhile, you know that measuring is not my thing! I cook intuitively mostly and drawing on memories of how my mother used to prepare things in the kitchen. Rarely was a measuring cup involved and I seem to be the same way!

I promised this Pumpkin Biscuit recipe 5 years ago and I just worked out the measurements! I originally began making them with Pumpkin Butter for Holiday Gifts. Now, we enjoy them each Fall when we always wind up with tons of pumpkins.
I would love to hear how they turn out for you, if you try the recipe!

Pumpkin Biscuits
Makes 8 large or 12 small
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cups white whole wheat flour
2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp sea salt

1/3c non hydrogenated shortening
3/4c pumpkin puree
1/3c carbonated beverage, For this batch, I used Diabolo Tangerine Pomegranate

Plus 2tsp shortening for layering and 2tsp coconut oil for the baking pan.

Sift all dry ingredients together. If you use whole wheat or white whole wheat flour, at the end of sifting, you will have some fiber left over. I just toss it back in with the sifted flour. For lighter cakes and other baked goods, I leave out the remaining fiber.

Add the shortening to the dry ingredients. Cut the shortening in using a fork, whisk or pastry cutter until your ingredients resemble large grain sand.

Make a well in the middle of your bowl. Add pumpkin and carbonated beverage to the well. Begin mixing wet ingredients and then start folding it into your dry ingredients.

Mix until dough ball forms.
Turn out dough onto a flour dusted surface.

Roll or pat the dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.

Gently rub layer of  shortening on the top of the dough and fold into 3rds. This will create a layered biscuit that opens easily without cutting.
 

Roll or pat out again to about 1/2 inch thickness.
Cut into 8 squares or use a biscuit/cookie cutter to cut out circles. I make square biscuits, so I am able to use all the dough without rolling out again.

I use a 9.5x13.5 baking dish that is 2 inches high. You can use a smaller pan, but you want to be sure your biscuits have room to rise.
To prepare the pan, put 1/2tbs coconut oil in the pan and put it into the oven until oil melts.
Rub the oil around the bottom and sides of the pan.

When you lay your biscuits in the pan, you can put one side down and then flip them, so that each side has some oil on them.

Bake at 350 until fluffy and cooked thoroughly. About 15 minutes.

Enjoy! They're especially delicious with Pumpkin Butter!