Friday Find: Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef

Malena and Lautaro recently attended their friend Gloria’s fourth birthday party. Her birthday bash had a sea creature theme, so what better book to give as a gift than Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef?

Author Marianne Berkes cleverly wrote the book to the tune of the children’s favorite “Over in the Meadow.” Through the catchy song (sheet music is even provided in the back), children are introduced to animal families and counting concepts. Children learn about each sea creature’s traits and habitats. The mama pufferfish encourages her babies to puff and baby octopi squirt at the request of their mother. As you progress through the book, the number of babies increases – reinforcing counting through song and visuals. Your child will be singing the song in no time and demanding, “read it again! Read it again!”



I love using illustrated children’s book as an opportunity to expose your children to different art media and techniques. Artist Jeanette Canyon’s amazing illustrations using polymer clay are so beautiful to look at and really bring the book to life. Your child will be tempted to touch and grab the clownfish and seahorses. Jeanette’s work adds vibrant color and whimsical texture and dimension to Marianne’s wonderful lyrics. Jeanette gives readers an informative description of her work and artistic philosophy in the back of the book. After reading it, parents will reexamine the book and wonder – sliced clay rods? How did she do it??

Jeanette even suggests ways for parents and children to create their own works of art with clay. Here are a few other ways to extend the book through activities with your children. Find another illustrated book of sea creatures (if you don’t have another sea creature book, any will do fine) that uses a different art or media technique, such as pen and ink, watercolor or collage. Compare the books with your children and discuss the differences in technique and how the pictures look different or similar. Remember to keep it age appropriate, however, even the youngest reader can notice differences and describe it. Get out some of you own art supplies (paint, clay, playdough, tissue paper) and make sea creatures together. This story would also make for a wonderful flannel board adaptation. You can cut the sea creatures out of felt and ask your children to help you decorate the sea creatures and use Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef for inspiration. And you will definitely want to read this book before any trips to the aquarium or tidepools.

  

Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef has won numerous awards, including: Learning Magazine's Teachers' Choice Award in 2006, the National Association for Parenting Publications 2005 Gold Award and the 2005 Publisher's Marketing Association Benjamin Franklin Silver Award for Interior Design.

Children ages 2 to 8 will love hearing and reading Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef and parents will enjoy reading it over and over. Publisher Dawn Publications is currently offering 10% off all online orders. The book is also available in board book format for younger readers. You can also find Over in the Ocean, In a Coral Reef in the One Crafty Mama Recommends Amazon store.

Friday Find: The EC Store

Well, I think it is official – I no longer have children in diapers! Malena started using the potty consistently at 13 months. Lautaro has taken longer and has been using the potty consistently for the past few months (although he was first introduced to it around his first birthday). So, what a better time for me to tell you about some of the products that helped us get to this important (and happy) moment. As luck would have it, when I decided to write this Friday Find, The EC Store, decided to have a sale to celebrate their re-designed website. The EC Store is my favorite online store to buy all things related to helping your child learn to use the potty.



First Stage: We used cloth diapers from birth (but you can start anytime and achieve the same results) and practiced Elimination Communication. I didn’t learn about EC until Malena was one. We started practicing EC methods then, but it wasn’t full time. With Lautaro I started a little bit earlier, but was less consistent and even less full time. I think using cloth gave them a more acute awareness of when they were wet and thus uncomfortable. They quickly made the connection that if they are changed they are comfortable again. I think introducing EC methods showed them there was an elimination method that was not uncomfortable. I bought several Baby Bjorn little potties and placed them around the house. A quick run to a nearby potty reduces accidents. I even keep a potty in the back of my car – definitely a cleaner option than a public bathroom! I love the simplicity of the Baby Bjorn potty – no licensed media characters, no jarring music plays when you child pees into the potty. The design of the potty also seems comfy for children.



Second Stage: Once my children were using the potty more frequently, they used cloth training pants. We bought an assortment of Bright Bots, Gerber Training Pants, SIMPLYCloth, Under The Nile Training Pants and Imse Vimse Organic Training Pants – all from the EC Store. They did not use pull ups (except on rare occasions like a plane trip, long car rides, birthday parties when they used Seventh Generation). I still don’t understand the point of a pull up – aren’t they just like a diaper, unless they let your child know they are wet? Bright Bots are very trim and have an absorbent and waterproof liner – making these training pants our go to training pants for days out of the house. We used Gerber and Under The Nile training pants around the house because I could afford to buy more and they were comfy for my kids. We used the Imse Vimse Organic Training Pants at night – they were a bit bulky for my kids and they are more expensive than other training pants.




Final Stage: We started using panties/undies (or mackies as my children call them – who knows where this came from?) when Malena was fairly confident using the potty. We are still using training pants with Lautaro. Since Malena was wearing panties before she was two and she is super slim, it was difficult to find panties that fit. Fortunately, The EC Store sells a selection of tiny undies. We also introduced Baby Bjorn potty seats that adjust to fit snuggly on your toilet. Once again – no licensed media characters. The seat is contoured and was more comfortable than other potty seats that are flat-shaped. I also liked that the seat is removable, so adults don’t need to fumble with a potty seat when it is their turn to use the potty!

The EC Store Sale: Currently, almost everything in the store is marked down 10%. Use coupon code NEWSITE to get an additional 10% off any order of $50 or more. Check out the clearance section for items 40% off. The EC Store also sells Baby Legs, EC-friendly clothing, Sigg water bottles, baby carriers and nursing bras. One of the best nursing pads I ever used was from The EC Store. I am so glad to see they selling these thin, contoured and absorbent pads again.

For a little extra reading… some interesting facts about diaper and potty training historical usage in the US from Mother Jones and Diaper Jungle.

Friday Find: Firestorm Drill

So, it isn’t my usual type of Friday Find. But, I just had to tell you about this handy power tool that my Dad gave me for my birthday. It is a Black and Decker Firestorm cordless drill and I love it.

In 30 minutes, I was able to fix all the little projects that I have been nagging Diego to fix. Well, except for one, which involves changing a closet rod that is too cumbersome to hold and drill at the same time. I used my new lightweight power tool to drill holes in several walls to insert wall anchors before screwing hooks into place. Awhile back, in an effort at better organization, I screwed hooks into Malena’s closet to hang her collection of dress-up purses and into bathroom walls for hanging potty seats. I was lazy and didn’t insert wall anchors first because that would involve using Diego’s heavy-duty drill. Of course, a week later all the hooks had fallen out of the walls! Argh… drywall! The Firestorm cordless drill comes with rechargeable batteries. Changing the drill bits is really easy – no special tool needed like other drills!




And if like me, you’ve had a long week, be sure to check out my friend Ilina’s cocktail hour drink recipe at Dirt and Noise’s Friday 5 PM. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t need to be a long week to enjoy one of Ilina’s tasty concoctions. Just don't drink too many of these Mango Lassi's before doing your DIY projects!

Local Eggs

I never would have thought it – but I found a place to get fresh eggs locally. A nice retired couple that lives about two to three miles away (which is really around the corner where we live) have a chicken coop with 12 hens and one rooster. Another bonus is they are Portuguese (my Vava would approve). Once I mentioned that my family is also Portuguese, my arms were loaded with freshly picked kale and homemade linguiça, so I could go home and make my family a “good Portuguese soup.” Malena loves to go pick up eggs, because Mary won’t let her leave without some chocolates for the road.



These chickens are fed chicken feed and lots of greens from their huge veggie garden. The eggs are delicious – they really taste like eggs! The yolks are bright yellow – almost an orange hue. Oh, I forgot… these chickens have a comfy pad… Joe even built a mister for them to keep cool on hot Lake Don Pedro days.



The couple also grows apricots, kale, tomatoes, fava beans and yams. Not the yams we get in the super market. I am told these need to be cooked for five hours and were brought over as seeds from the Azores. Like any good Portuguese lady (at least the ones I know from my family), their flower garden is filled with plants grown from clippings made during trips. Each plant has a story of where they got the seed or clipping and how they got it to grow out here in our difficult soil.

Friday Find: Lunapads

I finally made the switch to reusable, natural menstrual products. So, probably some of you are gasping “too much information.” Why is it so taboo to talk about something all women experience EVERY MONTH? I just don’t get it.



For my birthday, my mom gave me a Lunapad Starter Kit. For the past six months, I have been telling myself that when I run out of the disposable stuff, I am not buying anymore. My birthday present was perfect timing because I depleted my disposable supply the month prior. Ever since using cloth diapers with both of my children, I have felt guilty about using disposable products myself.

 

Did you know that 12 billon disposable feminine products are used annually? Like disposable diapers, these products aren’t decomposing either. The average woman may toss 250 to 300 pounds of disposable pads, tampons and applicators during her lifetime. This disposable waste ends up in landfills or sewage treatment plants. And even more disgusting is that tampon applicators from sewage outfalls are commonly found on beaches. So many in fact that artist Jay Critchley created a 13’ sculpture of the Statue of Liberty from 4,000 plastic tampon applicators found on Cape Cod beaches.

Many Lunapad devotees rave about the change in their attitude toward their period after making the big switch. Menstruation is a powerful force for women – without it we wouldn’t be able to bear children, another quite powerful force. Shouldn’t we honor that power as women? This happy Lunapad customer says it all:

“As I rinse my Lunapads, I think, I am releasing all the old energy from the past month and making way for the new. I like being more aware and in touch with my cycle and with what is actually happening in my body.” Renee S.



Lunapads are made out of soft cotton (much better than plasticy, synthetic feeling disposable pads) and come in a variety of fun prints and colors – even organic cotton. The pad (looks like a wing-shaped pad) snaps around your panties. Depending on absorption needed, you can add liners. You can change the liner without having to change the pad. I did find the maxi pad a bit bulky for daytime use, but great for night. I loved the minipads with or without the liners. I think for my next order, I will get some pantyliners (no option for adding liners) and the DivaCup. The Lunapanties also look interesting – a bikini undie with a built in pad. Check out Lunapads’ kits and easy to understand selection guide to get you started.



So, some may call me a treehugger, but I know that I won’t be using disposables anymore. I bet if you give cloth pads a try, you will be surprised to agree with me.



* All pictures are credited to Lunapads.

Where's The Beef?

All my vegetarian/vegan readers should stop reading now. Last week, my mom and I went to a meat locker in Turlock to pick up our ¼ share of a steer (about 150 pounds of beef). Kelly at Bauer Family Farms organized the beef share.

While our beef is not totally organic, it was raised and produced locally. I hope the steer had a happy life as he was roaming around the Sierra Foothills and Yosemite. At least I know the meat was not factory-produced and that he was raised in the same area that we live. By picking up the meat myself, I was able to see the facility where the meat was processed. It was very clean and small scale.

The beef is delicious and I love that for all the cuts we received I paid less than $3 a pound! Last night, I made this super yummy (but probably not that healthy) Flank Steak recipe from Simply Recipes. We have also made hamburgers on the grill with homemade buns and t-bones, also on the grill. Diego is right, a little too much beef for one week, but I can’t resist it is so tasty.

Friday Find: Farm Shares

We are finally joining a local CSA (community supported agriculture)! Eager to find a local farm share/ CSA (community supported agriculture) program, every now and then I check the Local Harvest website (usually after my friend Liz mentions her yummy farm share in Santa Cruz!). As luck would have it, I finally found one in our area. The Bauer Family Farm, in Snelling (about 10-13 miles away) is starting their first CSA this year. There are farm shares in Sonora or Modesto, but I don’t want to drive an extra 90 miles a week just to pick up a farm share.

Yesterday, I drove out to the Bauer Family Farm to meet the family growers and check out their veggie garden. In addition to starting a CSA, their main business is raising organic chickens.



As we walked out of the car, we were greeted with hugs from the adorable and friendly youngest daughter who is the same age as Malena. The girls hit it off and were holding hands and picking strawberries together within minutes. Two heritage turkeys gobbled hello as we walked to the garden. Of course, I forgot my camera in the car. I promise pictures of the two Toms next time – they are beautiful.

Kelly, the vision behind the Bauer Family Farm CSA, walked me around their growing garden. She showed me their new plantings as she discussed her future plans for the CSA. She has a great vision of a CSA that gathers products from local farmers – natural honey, organic chickens, heritage turkeys, eggs, butter, produce and even beef. She is a Sonoma County native, so it is no surprise she is so supportive of local grown produce. Family farmers like her are exactly what this area needs!

We live in the foothills east of California’s Central Valley – one of the most important growing regions in the country. I had such high hopes visiting Valley farmer’s markets when we moved here. I was so disappointed by the size and lack of product diversity. Although, I must say they seem to be improving – it was nothing compared to the farmer’s markets in the bay area or Sonoma area.



So, join a CSA/ farm share and support a local farmer. What a great way to celebrate Independence Day! Happy Fourth of July!

Garbage and Recycling

So, while I was writing on the weekends, Diego spent a lot of time with the kids outside. They have been swimming, weeding, eating homemade Popsicles, reading and going for long walks. Here, Diego is reading to the kids on our back deck. They are reading Where Does Garbage Go? An easy to understand book that describes what happens to garbage and how recycling can help reduce waste. My oldest couldn’t believe that we have landfills, “where we just store garbage under the ground!” She is totally right – it is absurd. The book also discusses how paper, aluminum, glass and plastic are recycled.

Out in the sticks where we live, we don’t even have city/county garbage pick up. A private, small company picks up our garbage. We are allowed a 25-gallon (I think, maybe it is 30) container. Ours is rarely full – usually about halfway. Mariposa County has a transfer station in the area that takes cardboard, glass, paper and plastic for recycling. Although, it doesn’t accept as much as my mom’s curbside recycling in San Jose, at least it is something. Every Monday, on our drive to the bookmobile, we drop off recycling at the transfer station. When we get to the Lake Don Pedro market and gas station, we recycle our beverage bottles (glass and plastic) for a few bucks at the new CRV recycling station there. Then, we hit the bookmobile, check out a few books, hear a story and bring home our books in our cloth bags.



I just heard about EnviroMom’s One Can a Month Challenge. The goal is to reduce your garbage to just one can per month. EnviroMom will be offering lots of tips on their blogs for reducing your garbage.

We already do a lot to reduce our waste and recycle everything we can. Recycling, using cloth diapers and pads, cloth grocery bags, using homemade cleaners and using cloth rags rather than paper towels to name a few. I even wash and re-use foil and Ziploc bags! Composting could be the answer to reducing our waste further. I need to look into worm composting more. I am worried that it may be too hot here (100 degrees during the summer) for the worms. I also worry about the heat and the smell of the compost. Oh, and the other thing – I don’t have the dough for a fancy compost bin. I’d love to hear some tips and suggestions to start composting.

I’m Sorry!

I can’t believe it has been over two months since I last wrote a post! My apologies to those of you that came here over that time and saw the same post over and over. Well, I no longer have any excuses because I turned in our manuscript to the graphic designer this weekend.

For the past two months, anytime I was at the computer, I was working on the book, Going Green with Baby. I don’t even want to count the nights that I put the kids to bed at 8 PM, fell asleep in their bed, woke up at 11 PM and stayed up until 3 or 4 AM to work on the book. It is impossible to get any work done with an almost 5 year old and a 2-½ year old running around.

To make up for it, I have lots of pictures, posts, Friday Finds stored away in my mind that I need to start writing. Maybe even a summer contest soon – hint hint…

An Early Friday Find: Going Green with Baby

I couldn’t wait to announce this week’s Friday Find. For the past six months, I have been hard at work writing a book!

Itsabelly's Guide to Going Green with Baby is the first book to provide a simple resource for evaluating eco-friendly baby gear and to learn more about organic and natural family living. We offer mom-tested product reviews and tips to raising a healthy baby and creating a happy planet. The founders of Under the Nile, gDiapers, TheSoftLanding.com and Earth Mama Angel Baby provide insight on why choosing organic and natural baby products is important to creating a healthier lifestyle. Going Green with Baby features personal product recommendations from eco-minded moms Jennifer Lo Prete and Melissa Moog. Jennifer is a writer and mother of two that has long practiced green living. Melissa is mom to a toddler, writer and the founder of Itsabelly Baby Concierge, a premier baby planning agency that specializes in going green with baby.

Going Green with Baby will be released in the Summer of 2008. To pre-order your copy, please send us an email to info@itsa-belly.com or call us at (503)799-5719 with your name and contact information. We will contact you when the book is available for purchase. Wholesale inquiries are also welcome.

A Peek Inside...

• Plan your baby registry with the best mom-tested reviews of over 300 eco-friendly baby products. We cover all your baby’s needs from slings to strollers, non-toxic bottles to safe skin care products, organic baby clothes to eco-friendly diapers and sustainable nursery furniture.
  
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• Learn why going green with baby is important for a healthy baby and happy planet. Our panel of eco experts weighs in on the importance of organic apparel, sustainable wood, non-toxic feeding products and natural skin care products.
  
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• Discover our simple eco-mom tips to raising a healthy baby and protecting our planet.
  
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• Decipher the meaning and standards behind eco-labels. What does organic mean anyway? We make your trip to the store easier with a useful guide to common eco-labels and organic certification standards.
  
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• Gain valuable tips on going green on a budget. From our own experience, it may not be financially feasible to turn your household completely organic. We give you tips on how you can make green choices that are right for your family.
  

Friday Find: Bum-Ware Cloth Diapers

As a cloth diaper addict, I have tried to curtail my purchases over the past year. I kept telling myself that my youngest would learn to use the potty anytime just like his sister went diaper free at 15 months (Lautaro is now 26 months). Well, as any mom of two will tell you, each child is totally different. And I am finding out that teaching potty use to a boy is a little trickier than teaching a girl, for me at least.

Using toddler-sized prefolds with a cover seemed too bulky for size 2t clothing. Today’s clothes just aren’t cut for cloth diapers. I feel guilty that I have been using Seventh Generation or Tushies disposables while out of the house. So, I finally accepted the fact that I should buy some new cloth diapers. After all, buying disposables is expensive! I did lots of research on toddler-sized trimmer cloth diaper options on Diaper Pin and the Born to Love cloth diaper Yahoo forum. Lautaro is about 35 pounds, which is where most cloth diapers seem to have as their max weight suggestion. I received rave reviews for Bum-Ware diapers.

I learned that All in Ones seemed to offer the trimmest option for cloth diapering. An All in One (AIO) is a cloth diaper that works like a disposable diaper in terms of ease of use and style. The diaper and cover are sewn together making the diaper one piece, hence the name All in One. Using a cloth AIO is definitely faster for changing a squirmy toddler! Bum-Ware is the highest user-rated All in One diaper at the Diaper Pin.

I am delighted with my purchase of Bum-Ware Easy All in Ones. After measuring Lautaro, I ordered a large (23 to 40 pounds) AIO in orange and another in Saturn blue. The inside lining is cozy and soft. The diaper is extremely trim – fits well under all Lautaro’s pants. You can’t even tell he is wearing a cloth diaper compared to a disposable! The diapers are very absorbent and we haven’t experienced any leaks. The diapers wash well and dry within one cycle.



Bum-Ware AIO Features

• Hook and loop fasteners for a perfect fit.
  
• Serged for superior durability.
  
• Hidden elastic around the legs to keep everything in.
  
• Two inner body layers of cotton flannel.
  
• Four layer flannel soaker pad or contour snap in soaker, your choice.
  
• Polyurathane laminate (PUL) outer.
  
• Fold back laundry tabs to prevent diaper chains.
  
• Fully washer and dryer safe.
  
• Each diaper comes with a 4 layer flannel contour doubler
  
• You can customize your Bum-Ware diapers with a wide selection embroidery designs.
  

In 1998, the creator of Bum-Ware diapers, Izabela first fell in love with cloth diapering when she worked as an Early Childhood Educator at the YMCA in Ontario, Canada. “A few of the infants and toddlers were in cloth diapers, and I was blown away by their cuteness, but mostly by their reusability,” said Izabella. “I am into anything that’s environmentally friendly.”

Friday Find: Mushroom Pate Recipe

Photo courtesy of FreeFoto.

A wonderfully simple and sophisticated cracker spread for parties. This recipe originated from one of my friends in Washington D.C. I have added cumin and coriander to the recipe to add more flavor depth. If you do not like those spices, you can eliminate them and the spread will still taste great. Friends and family have told me that I am not allowed to attend their parties without this spread! 

Ingredients:

• 16 oz mushrooms – cleaned and de-stemmed. You can use regular button/white mushrooms or a mixture of different types. I like to do half button and half crimini.
  
• 1 medium yellow onion
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 8 oz cream cheese
  
• Salt & pepper
  
• Ground Cumin
  
• Ground Coriander

1. Clean and de-stem mushrooms.
   
2. In food processor, chop mushrooms and onion to small pieces.
   
3. Heat sauté pan on medium heat and melt butter. Add the mushroom and onion mixture and sauté until all the liquid evaporates. Season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to taste.
   
4. Add cream cheese and stir well to incorporate into the mushroom/onion mixture.
   
5. Spoon the mixture into a shallow baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serve warm with crackers. I prefer water crackers.

Thanks to my Dad for suggesting this week's Friday Find.

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Friday Find: MiniBlissCakes T-Shirts

In a search to find non-stereotypical boy’s t-shirts for Lautaro, I discovered this adorable double decker bus stencil t-shirt made by MiniBlissCakes on Etsy. Since visiting London was Lautaro’s first trip abroad I had to buy it. Sarah, the creator behind MiniBlissCakes didn’t have Lautaro’s size listed, but she was able to quickly make me a custom shirt in his size. She also made a custom sparkly seahorse for Malena.



Sarah, a stay-at-home-mom to twin boys started stenciling two years ago. She learned to stencil from a friend and immediately thought of the cute stencils she could make for her son’s clothing. Sarah and I share the same problem of a lack of cute boy clothing! She is also a breast cancer survivor (three years and counting- YAY!!) and stenciled pink ribbons onto her family’s Race for the Cure tees. Friends saw her shirts and started demanding shirts for their kids and her business was born.

Yeah, you read right – Sarah is a mom to twin boys. They turn four this summer. As a mother of one boy, I don’t know how she does it! Lucky for us (and her) she is able to work on her cute shirts during her boy’s naptime and her Mothers Morning Out twice a week.



Sarah’s boys are the source of her design inspiration. “There really aren't enough cute-but-not-babyish things for toddler/preschooler boys out there, so I'm always thinking - what would my boys like to wear to school today?”



Sarah is a transplanted Yankee and diehard Red Sox fan that is happily living in the very Southern and artsy town of Oxford, Mississippi.

"I wish more parents-to-be wouldn't find out - it's one of life's best surprises!" - Jennifer

Visit her Etsy shop and blog to find out more about her business. And if you have any idea of a stenciled shirt, let her know. I am sure she could create it for you!

Easter Felted Goodies

On Sunday, the kids had an Easter Egg hunt and found some felted eggs with surprises inside from the Spring fairies. Last week, the kids and I felted the eggs. During one of our walks, they collected smooth “egg-shaped” rocks. We wrapped wool roving around the rocks, and then I secured the wool by putting the rock inside an old stocking. They then wet-felted the rocks with hot water and soap. The stockings helped keep the wool in place and made it easier for them to felt the eggs.

Once the eggs were done, the fairies took the eggs in the middle of the night and cut the sides to remove the rocks. In place of the rocks, they placed felted chicks (a baby and a mama), hair clippies and a felted dog.




 


 

Welcome Spring!

Well, if has felt like Spring around here for the past couple weeks, but now it is official! Here are a few pictures of what Spring looks like in the California foothills where we live. Recently, the wildflowers have really started blooming. Everyday, the children and I go on a morning walk to pick flowers and listen to the birds. It is amazing to notice the growth, changes and new appearances of the wildflowers each day. The oak trees are sprouting new leaves and the hillsides are a beautiful green.



During the weekends, we have been spending a lot of time working to reduce our pallets of landscape materials. Last Sunday, Diego built this beautiful shade and privacy structure outside our bedroom window. We planted some jasmine in the planter that he also built. I can’t wait for the jasmine to climb, bloom and fill our room with its beautiful fragrance.



Diego also built another planter for tall grassy plants to hide the underneath of the deck. We have two more planters to fill with dirt and plants– one near a deck corner. The other is underneath the laundry room next to our stone patio, which Diego also built with my Dad’s help. Diego will also build another jasmine shade structure for the planter underneath the laundry room. I never would have imagined when I married Diego that I would use his name and the word “built” so many times in one paragraph!

Friday Find: Soft Star Shoes

Do you remember the Five Finger Vibram shoe Friday Find when I mentioned a great flexible shoe for children? Well, here it is – Soft Star Shoes (and they aren’t just for children anymore)! Be sure to read the Soft Star article about their design that promotes the healthy development of growing feet.



Both Malena and Lautaro love their Soft Stars. I will be ordering new shoes for spring/summer. I think I will order a custom designed Mary Jane with distressed leather for Malena and a playtime shoe for Lautaro.



Soft Star shoes come in a wide variety of models: suede moccasins, leather moccasins, mary janes, boots, playtime, sandal, saddle, classic and the new rambler. They even make moccasins for adults (from size 5 to 15!). They offer in-stock versions of their shoes or custom design shoes. With 22 different leather colors, 19 suede colors, and seven motif patterns the possibilities are endless! Soft Star offers some vegan models using micro-suede and a non-leather material.


 
Soft Star moccasins are truly different than other similar baby soft-soled shoes. They have a cushy sheepskin inner sole that wicks away moisture and also protects baby from sharp objects. Soft Star has been making soft-soled shoes for over 20 years. The shoes are handcrafted in the US with all leathers coming from US-based tanneries. There are no formaldehyde or heavy metals used in the tanning of Soft Star leathers.

 Tim, Founder Soft Star Elf

The Soft Star Elf workshop is in Corvallis, Oregon (another reason I love this company). They support Kids for Kids, in which an inspiring seven-year-old girl Cassidy Lynn and her friends create cat toys, "Playful Pancakes," from scrap leather and donate the profits to helping kids in Sudan. Buy one of her Playful Pancakes and someone receives one goat in Sudan. Soft Star also supports Waldorf and Montessori schools and La Leche League chapters across the country.

You can order your own Soft Star shoes on their website. I have seen Soft Stars at baby boutiques, but couldn’t find a list of retailers. Custom design shoes usually take 3-5 days ship. And don’t worry about ordering shoes over the web – their sizing charts are the most detailed I have ever seen on a website.



PS – for you crafty mamas, they also sell leather scraps and a fun star craft kit.