Tiffany Merritt - Stuff Parents Need

Rock Music for Kids: Three Great Albums

February 10, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 85 Comments

EDIT: This giveaway is now closed.

Since Darah was in the womb, Tim and I have made an effort to expose her to a variety of music. She gets plenty of classical music when her dad is home with her on Mondays. When she’s with me, we like to listen to a lot of Ben Folds. We’ve recently discovered that Darah is particularly fond of a few Michael Jackson songs, especially Smooth Criminal. She loves the quick beat; it makes her giggle when we play it! This got us thinking that we needed to find more rock music for kids.

I’m glad that we are exposing our baby to music that we love. We also need to look beyond our own favorites and expose her to other types of music that she might love all on her own. I recently had the opportunity to try out three bands that are new to me, because they are bands geared toward children.

The first a lbum we listened to was Party Like a Twinkle Star, a double album by Charity and the JAMband. The first cd has 10 songs designed especially for “rocking out,” and the second cd has 10 songs for the end of the day as you wind down. I really love that the music is on two discs, separated by overall mood. We listen to selections from the Party disc at different points throughout the day. We seem to dance the most to “Get Your Booty Out of Bed” and “Row Row Row Your Boat.” We also listen to the Twinkle disc sometime in between her last nap of the day and her bedtime routine. There are several really sweet songs on this disc, with our favorites being “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “So Long to the Day.” So what does this group sound like? From their website, “JAM is a hootenanny, a hullabaloo, a dance party, a shindig-bash, a festival, a family band, a rain dance, a sun song, a fairy frolic, a wander in the park, a race on the beach, a flitting floating butterfly-bop, a blundering thundering elephant-stomp, a twirling-whirling-swirling dizzy-dee fall-down boogie!” The overall sound of this band is what I would call funky laid-back rock. It’s not the type of music that Tim and I already had on our Itunes, which makes it a welcome addition! I was also impressed to learn that two of their four albums have won Children’s Music Web Awards! Check this album out for yourself. Right now you can download “We are Stardust” from the Twinkle album for free and get an idea of what you would be buying! I really think you and your little one will like it!

The second album we have been listening to is Go Waggaloo from Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family. Sarah is the granddaughter of Woody Guthrie, and she is definitely continuing her legacy of gifted singing and songwriting. If you are a fan of his, you should know that this album features three songs with lyrics by Woodie that have never before been put to music. So what does this music sound like? From her site, “The arrangements blend traditional folk music with contemporary lyrics and instrumentation. Among the surprises on Go Waggaloo are a scratching drum machine, songs about Xboxes and DVDs, and a spur-of-the-moment song recorded on a cell phone by the Guthrie family on a road trip.” I really liked the overall vibe of this album, and I have found myself singing some of the songs to Darah even when the cd isn’t playing. “Don’t I Fit in My Daddy’s Shoes?” and “If Mama Had Four Hands” are among my personal favorites, and “Oh How He Lied” makes Darah smile when she hears it. You can really get a good sense for the music by checking out this short YouTube clip about the album.

The third album we have added to our music collection is the self-titled album by Earthworm Ensemble. I thought this was a very interesting cd because if features a lot of different vocalists, which gives each song a unique sound. From their site, “We’re calling it family music, rather than just children’s music. We hope children and their parents can enjoy the songs together, and talk about some of the ideas in the songs. We sing about the earthworm’s role in the plant cycle; about buffalo migration as told by a young buffalo; buying fresh corn at the farmer’s market and taking it home to cook; how to make pizza from scratch; and trains, walking in the woods, birds, and a superhero team of Bear and Dog who’ve come to save the planet!” That pretty much sums it up, folks. With this album, I found myself chuckling quite a bit and tapping my feet right along with the music. If you are intrigued now (and you really should be!) and you’d like to hear some of their tunes, check out their MySpace page.

Buy Them!: If the only music you have in your house is the stuff you know and like, it’s time to branch out a bit and try some sounds that will appeal to kids (and that will surprise you by how much you enjoy them, too!). Purchase Party Like a Twinkle Star (double album) for $20, Go Waggaloo for $11.98 and Earthworm Ensemble for $15.99.

Win Them!: Right now I’m giving away one copy of each of these terrific rock music for kids albums! Three very lucky Stuff Parents Need readers will be winners! The contest will run until Thursday, February 18th at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States. Be sure to leave your email address in your comments or have it in your profile or else I can’t contact you to tell you that you won!

How to Enter:

Mandatory entry: Tell me which of these albums you’d most like to win (1 winner will be selected for each album).

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS or email
2. Follow me through Google connect (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Put my button on my blog and leave a url where I can find it (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
4. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitte r (include your TwitterID)

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.

The latest product from Apple?

February 9, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

First we had the Ipod, followed by the Iphone and the Itouch. These were all fabulous inventions. But this past weekend, Darah gave us some inside information on the latest and greatest product that Apple is putting out….

The Ida! The Ida is AMAZING…it will feed you, change your diaper, read you stories, make you giggle and cuddle with you. It will also help you locate your pacifier an unlimited number of times when you lose it throughout the night.

You may be scratching your head and thinking, “Hmm…that sounds a lot like a DaDa to me!” Well, we thought so, too. But no, Darah is very insistent that this clever invention is called, “Ida!” Ida also responds to, “Tim.”

We love you, Ida!

Beautiful Homemade Fabric Coasters

February 6, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 122 Comments

Homemade Fabric Coasters

Today I want to talk about homemade fabric coasters. Do you use coasters? If you don’t use them at all, you probably have water marks all over your furniture. Or you may be like my family was growing up and just use a paper napkin or a paper towel as your “coaster.” They are easy to grab, and then you just toss them when you are done. Either way, did you ever stop to think about the fact that you are doing harm to the environment by having these habits? I will fully admit to using both strategies in the past, and only recently did I realize that this produced so much waste! There’s no telling how many paper napkins and towels I have used over the years to put my drinks on, and there’s also no telling how many times I had to clean my desk, table or counter top with a cleaner that in retrospect was actually pretty toxic, just to remove those watermarks.

Coasters are probably not something that you spend a great deal of time thinking about, but I want to encourage you to start using them if you don’t. Think of it as a small way to be a little bit kinder to the environment! And while we are on the topic of coasters, let’s talk about what kind of coasters you should get. If you have children (or clumsy adults) in your home, I would discourage you from getting glass coasters. Those are basically disasters waiting to happen. I would also steer clear of cork coasters if toddlers are around, as the cork could break off while they are chewing on them (and they WILL chew on them).

I do have a suggestion for a specific type of homemade coaster that would be a great choice. Go with fabric! This brings me to my next Planet Earth is My Valentine Review and Giveaway! Let me introduce you to some seriously lovely fabric coasters by K. Ventura Design. These are really special coasters, because the fabric has been screen-printed by hand with beautiful floral designs on 100% linen fabric. The reverse side of each coaster has a striped linen fabric. Kelly, the owner of K. Ventura, sent me a set to try out for myself, and I have to say, they are simultaneously sophisticated and casual, mature and playful, and luxurious and practical. I absolutely love them. I never realized that there was room in my heart for coasters, that is, until the right ones came along! Edited; Since K. Ventura is closed, I wanted to point you to some other great homemade fabric coasters…you can snag them on Amazon!

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These lovely fabric squares can help you kick your coaster-free or disposable coaster habit, and they can help you do it in style! They are also machine washable, so you can use them again and again. While I haven’t washed them, yet, they appear to me to be the type of material that will only get softer with each wash.

Before I close this post, I want to point out some of the other swoon-worthy items that K. Ventura Design offers. I actually learned about this shop because this ruched jersey scarf was featured on the holiday shopping guide at dooce.co m. I flipped over it, and promptly ordered one for my BFF (and she loved it, naturally!). She also has some other divine offerings like these pillowcases and this organic cotton screen-printed shirt.

Buy It! If your home is in need of coaster reform, make a positive (and beautiful) change! The 4 piece coaster set can be yours for $18.00.

EDIT: This giveaway is closed. Congratulations #100!

Win It! Lucky you, you’ve got a chance to snag this set FOR FREE! That’s right, one Stuff Parents Need reader is going to bring the beautiful home made coaster revolution straight to his/her doorstep by winning a set. The contest will run until February 14th at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States. Be sure to leave your email address in your comments or have it in your profile or else I can’t contact you to tell you that you won!

How to Enter:

Mandatory entry: Kelly wants to hear from you: What type of products would you really like to see in her shop that she doesn’t currently offer?

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS or email
2. Follow me through Google connect (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
3. Put my button on my blog and leave a url where I can find it (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
4. Tell me the most lovely item (in your opinion) in the shop
5. Take a peek at Kelly’s children’s shop, The Urban Thimble, and tell me your favorite item sold there
6. Enter another Planet Earth is My Valentine giveaway and tell me you did (1 extra entry per giveaway)

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.

Best Natural Laundry Detergent: Charlie’s Soap

February 4, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 290 Comments

Yesterday we talked about the fact that Darah is holding nothing back when it comes to putting anything and everything in her mouth. Today I wanted to talk about one thing she is especially fond of chewing on: her sleeves. I suspect that this is not something unique to my baby. My child is a big fan of her pacifier, but lately I’ve noticed that she will frequently take out her binky in favor of chewing on her sleeves.

Natural Laundry Detergent to the Rescue!

As I watch her gnaw away, I feel very relieved to know that her clothes are not full of icky and dangerous chemicals. This brings me to our next Planet Earth is My Valentine review and giveaway! Lately I’ve been using the best natural laundry detergent called Charlie’s Soap. From their website, “Our Laundry Powder is a revolutionary approach to laundry care. It does not cover up stains and odors with scents and brighteners – it really cleans. It is made with a unique blend of biodegradable coconut-based detergents and high-grade, completely soluble, Green River washing soda.”

I have had the privilege of trying their laundry products in both the powder and the liquid form. The powder form requires 1 tablespoon per load…that’s it!!! One bag retails for $15.50, and it will do 80 loads of laundry. That’s just 19 cents per load for a soap that will clean your clothes beautifully and not harm our environment in the process. That’s a downright bargain, folks! If you prefer liquid, know that you only need to use 1/8 of a cup per load. This reduces the amount of plastic that gets used on the bottles, because a little bit goes a long way.

Charlie’s Soap also carries an all-purpose cleaner. Now when they say, “all-purpose,” they REALLY mean it! The spray bottle itself says that it will clean anything from false teeth to diesel engines. On their site, they have a great breakdown of how to dilute the solution properly depending on what you are wanting to clean. Again, this product comes in a concentrated formula of 17 ounces, but it will last you a good long while. It retails for $13.35, but you can also buy it by the gallon for $21.67!

I really love how well these soap products have worked in my own home. I also really loved that the products came in recycled cardboard. This company is really showing that it cares about the environment! But what I love most of all about Charlie’s Soap is the fact that the people who make and sell it have a real sense of humor. On the laundry products, they write that there is really nothing better than the scent of honestly clean clothing. They state, “If you want flowers, go pick some.” Ha! That really is a good point, though, that sometimes these perfumes added to our detergents are only there to cover up the fact that our clothes didn’t get REALLY clean. With Charlie’s Soap, you don’t have to wonder. You know!

Buy It: Charlie’s Soap is so confident that you will love their natural laundry powder products, that if you don’t, they’ll refund your money (but not gladly!)….hey, at least they are honest about it! I love that!

EDIT: This giveaway is closed: Congratulations to #196!

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.

Choose Non Toxic Cleaning Products: Ecostore USA

February 4, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 264 Comments

Over the weekend Darah made an interesting discovery. She figured out that she had full control over this funny thing inside her mouth called a tongue! She loves to practice sticking her tongue out and making noises while her tongue is out. It is absolutely precious. You can imagine, though, that the drool factor just went up a notch in our home!

Another change that this has brought on is her interest in licking anything with which she comes in contact! This has really given me pause to think about what I am using to clean around the house. I’ve been wanting to “go green” with my cleaning supplies, but now I truly feel as though a fire has been lit under my behind. Darah will not hesitate to put her mouth on the floor, the carpet, the table…anything! I really need to make sure that she is not at risk for ingesting anything toxic, and one way I will do that is to choose non-toxic cleaning products.

This brings me to my next review for the Planet Earth is My Valentine series! One suggestion I have for showing love to the little ones in your home, and even showing love to your home itself, is to kick those chemical-laden cleaning products to the curb! A company that can help you do that is ecostore USA. The idea behind this company is simple: create products with NO NASTY CHEMICALS!

The super friendly folks at ecostore USA sent me two household products to try: the auto dish powder and the toilet cleaner. I was really impressed with the ingredients of the dish powder. They are as follows:

Ingredients

Palm and coconut based non-ionic surfactants
Silicates and carbonates including sodium meta silicate (simple mineral salts)
Citrates and natural citrus oil
Cellulose (plant based)
Fatty acid derivatives

That’s it! And you know what? My dishes have been coming out just as clean as when I use more commercial (and more toxic) products that you find in grocery stores. This product sells for $12.00, which may seem like a lot, but listen to what ecostore USA has to say about their prices: “Ecostore USA knows that it can be expensive to buy natural or organic products, but we’ve found a way around this by safely super-concentrating each formulation. This means that a little really does go a long, long way. The result is saving money by significantly cutting down on cost per use.” Since very little is used per load of dishes, this container will last our home a good long while! I also like the fact that purchasing concentrated products cuts down on your waste in terms of the number of containers that you purchase, too!

I was excited to try the toilet cleaner because I have yet to find an environmentally-friendly product designed for cleaning toilet bowls. I feel a twinge of guilt each time I use my current product because I know that what I’m putting into the water system just to get my toilet bowl shining is bad stuff. From their website, “Because Ecostore USA’s Toilet Cleaner uses NO NASTY CHEMICALS, your toilet will not only be fresh and clean but safe for Earth’s waterways as well. Conventional products have released toxins, dyes and synthetic perfumes into toilets for years causing water degradation. Created with your environment in mind, this product is extraordinary.” I completely agree! Once again, I have found this product to clean just as quickly and effectively as the stuff I was using before, and now I have zero guilt! The product retails for $8.00.

In addition to these and other great eco-friendly household products, ecostore USA also carries a terrific line of soaps, baby care items, and even a line of products for your pets, all with NO NASTY CHEMICALS!

Buy It! If you have been thinking about going green with your cleaning products or your personal care products, ecostore USA is a great product line to try. Give them a try today!

EDIT: This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to #123!

Win It! Ecostore USA wants Stuff Parents Need readers to have the chance to win! Woo hoo! They are giving away one $25 credit to their site so that you can green your home! The contest will run until February 14th at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States. Make sure that your email address is either in your profile or in your comment.

How to Enter:

Mandatory Entry: Visit ecostore USA and tell me about the product in their line that you need the very most in your home.

Additional entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via email or reader (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)

2. Follow me on Google friend connect (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)

3. Listen to the ecostore podcast and tell me something you learned!

4. Enter any other current giveaway on my site and come back here to tell me you did

5. Fan ecostore USA on Facebook

6. Follow ecostore USA on Twitter

7. Tweet about this giveaway

8. Add my button to your blog and leave me a url where I can find it (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)

Disclosure: I received product samples for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Ethical Fashion for the Expecting Mom: Miravos Maternity and Nursing Wear

February 1, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 124 Comments

Announcing my first Planet Earth is My Valentine giveaway! I was recently contacted by Miravos, an eco-friendly clothing line (made in the U.S.A.!) that offers ethical fashion in the form of swanky clothing for pregnant and nursing mothers. I know….”swanky” doesn’t usually describe these types of clothing! Take a look, though, and you’ll see that they are offering some really cute pieces! Check out this fabulous Chelsea Top in a stunning shade of purple, or the sexy-chic Hudson dress, which actually looks good on the expecting mom, too!

All of the clothes from Miravos are made from bamboo, which is gentle on the environment, and which has natural anti-bacterial properties in its fibers. Bamboo is also a really soft fiber, which makes it very comfortable to wear!

Buy It!
If you are currently pregnant and looking for an “investment piece” that will carry you through your nursing months, consider what Miravos has to offer! If you are already nursing and are sick of your terribly ugly nursing tops (and we all have them) then treat yourself to something fabulous today!

EDIT: This giveaway is closed. Congratulations #37!

Win It!
Miravos would like to offer one uber-lucky Stuff Parents Need expecting or nursing mom a Chrystie 3/4 sleeve shirt! This is a top that will go from the playground to the office with ease. I wish I could enter my own contests! 🙂 The contest will run until February 14th at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States.

How to Enter:
Mandatory entry: Go check out Miravos. Come back here and tell me your very favorite ethical fashion piece that they sell.

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS. Leave a comment with your email address for the subscription (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
2. Make a purchase at Miravos (5 entries, so leave 5 comments)
3. Enter any other “Planet Earth is My Valentine” giveaway and tell me you did.
4. Sign up for the Miravos newsletter (include your email address that you used to sign up)
5. Follow me on Google friend connect (2 entries, so leave 2 comments)
6. Tweet about this giveaway

Disclosure: I received no product for this giveaway, nor did I receive any compensation.

Cranberry Cheese Melt: An Easy Cranberry Recipe

January 31, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Here’s something different for you and your gang. The first time I made this easy cranberry recipe I didn’t care for it, and that is because I do not like raw onion. The second time I made it, I sauteed the onions before putting them in the sandwich, and that move totally saved this recipe, in my opinion. It is easy to throw together, has a taste that is a bit different from standard weeknight fare, and would go very well with a cup of hot soup on a chilly night. Enjoy!

Easy Cranberry Recipe: Cranberry Cheese Melt

Servings: 4

2 oz cream cheese
2 oz shredded gouda or swiss
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
8 slices bread
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Mix cream cheese, gouda and walnuts and spread on half the slices of bread. Top with cranberry sauce, onion, cheddar cheese and remaining bread. Spray large skillet. Heat over medium heat until sandwiches brown on the bottom. Spray tops of sandwiches and turn to heat the other side.

Get Ready: My First Giveaway Series!!!

January 29, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This week I will be having my first giveaway series. It is called Planet Earth is My Valentine! I will be posting reviews and giveaways of products that are environmentally friendly, and that you will most definitely LOVE!

Here’s a sneak peak of what’s to come. I will be featuring products from the following companies:

Get excited about giving our planet a big hug this Valentine’s Day!

How to Remove Yellow Stains in Baby Clothing

January 27, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 361 Comments

Every new parent knows that laundry is the source of much stress and anguish. The pile of dirty laundry keeps growing despite your best efforts to throw clothes in the washer on a daily basis. The extra money you are spending on detergents is impacting your grocery budget. The yellow stains (from formula or breast milk) are your arch nemesis, and you are defeated by them constantly. I had no idea how to remove yellow stains like these. It was a mess!

Before Darah was born, we did 2 loads of laundry each week. Oh how I long for those days! Now we do anywhere between 4 and 7 loads of laundry each week for our family of 3. I remember doing a load of baby clothes for the very first time back in August. I was absolutely horrified that Darah’s precious little onesies were coming out of the wash with yellow stains set in them after being worn only once. This was well before the introduction of serious poo or of solid foods, too! Fortunately, my mother-in-law came to visit a week after the birth and she taught me how to make sure that all the stains in our laundry came out

What is her secret? It’s simple….Biz
Biz is a stain fighter that is aavailable in liquid or powder form. It can be applied directly to clothes to pre-treat them, or just added to your load of laundry along with your detergent. It has been around for over 40 years, and now I know why: because IT WORKS.

>How does it work? Well, I can’t get into all the scientific details with you, but the trick isn’t bleach or phosphates, because Biz doesn’t contain either of those. It does contain natural enzymes, though, and that makes it one heck of a stain fighter. Those enzymes break down the proteins that make up all those nasty stains; they basically don’t stand a chance!

I add Biz to every single load of laundry that I do in my house (it is safe for colors as well as whites and it works well on delicates). Here’s my personal method:1. Add regular laundry detergent and 1 scoop of Biz into the washing machine (I typically use about 1/4 of a cup of Biz for each load).
2. Add water and clothes to the machine.

3. When the washer begins to agitate, let it run for 1-2 minutes, and then stop the machine.

4. Let laundry soak for as long as possible (anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours, with longer soaks being best).

5. Turn the machine back on and let it finish the cycle.6. Open the machine to find TOTALLY clean clothes. Woo hoo!

Variation: My mother-in-law soaks her clothes in Biz alone, and then adds regular detergent when she starts the washing machine back up. She also has great results with her method. I do it differently because I often forget to add the detergent with this method!

You may think that soaking laundry for 8 hours isn’t practical, and it definitely isn’t for every load. But if you get in the habit of starting a load before you go to bed and finishing it when you wake up, or of starting a load before you head out the door for work and finishing it up when you get home, you’ll find it to be very doable, at least for some of your laundry!

Did you notice that my routine doesn’t include spraying down the stains with something like Shout? That’s because Biz does the work for me; I don’t have to seek out the stains! I have had success with removing blood, butter, sweat, all sorts of baby stains (I think you know what I mean!), food and juice (think raspberry Kool-Aid!). The truth is that since I started using Biz in August, I have not had a single stain set in on our clothes. Not one!!!

I can’t promise you that Biz will remove that year old wine stain from your cashmere sweater, but that’s because I’ve never tried this combo. Here are a few quotes from other satisfied customers who HAVE had success getting out some really old stains:

“I’ve been an antique dealer for as long as Biz has been in existence. I bought some of the ugliest lots of linens that came clean with overnight soaking. Victorian whites were blinding. I had other dealers crying for my ‘secret formula.’ I’ve tried newer products as they come into (and disappeared from) the marketplace, and always return to Biz.”

“I cannot believe what an incredible product BIZ is. My daughter-in-law brought over a box and asked if I could get a formula stain out of a red and white onesie that someone gave her. The stain was over a year old. I made a paste and it lifted the stain. Unbelievable!”

Edit: This giveaway is closed. Congratulations to #250!