Blog - Page 6 - Our Green House

Top Ten Gifts Moms Want When They Have More Than One Baby

Posted by Melissa McKee on Mar 2nd 2018

I remember driving away from my baby shower for my first baby, SUV loaded up with enough cute outfits for triplets at least, adorable blankets for every possible use, hooded towels, baby soaps, car seats, if it was on a baby registry “must have” list I got it. A second son and a daughter later I still have so many of these treasured gifts. I get such a rush going into our storage and pulling out the bin labeled newborn clothes or the one labeled blankets & towels knowing that we can still shower the new baby with the same loved items that our first received. With each baby, though, there is always something that I feel like we need to buy new or that you can’t use for more than one baby. So whenever I see a mom friend of mine having her second, third or fourth baby I like to buy something I hope she can really use or may not have already. It’s not always easy to know what to get for someone who presumably already “has everything” so I’ve made a top ten list of the things that I think any new mom would want - even if she’s on baby #3. 1. Diapers diapers diapers... and wipes. Seriously, you cannot have enough of these in those first few months. My babies tend to lean to the giant side so I don’t shy away from size 2 and 3 too. Even cloth diapers could use some refreshing after a while so a new all-in-one or a cute wrap cover can spruce up the cloth stash. 2. A really nice organic stuffed animal or doll. I know! Who would think a mom who is likely already wading through a sea of stuffies could use another stuffed pal for her baby? But hear me out - my first loooooved his stuffed animals, especially a stuffed squirrel named McNuttie. Eventually, he didn’t drag McNuttie around anymore or cuddle him to sleep but when baby #2 took a liking to McNuttie there were some jealousy issues. But when I looked at the mountains of stuffed animals I realized our second babe had none to call his own! Get ahead of the sibling rivalry and gift the new little one a very special stuffed animal he can call his own. 3. Anything handmade! My best friend makes each of my kids their own blanket when they are born and I think that is just the best. First babies get all the good handmade stuff - booties, blankets, tag blankets... If you are crafty a lovely heartfelt gift is always treasured. 4. Special keepsakes - I am so guilty of overlooking this one. My first has enough “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments he could share with a half dozen siblings and I forget about this one every year. I ordered an etched glass one on December 27th this year for my baby girl, she doesn’t need to know it wasn’t on the tree, does she? A personalized gift like an ornament or piggy bank is a great way to make a new baby feel special. 5. Teethers and pacis - I think the word “yuck” should sum up hand me down teethers. That natural rubber giraffe just didn’t look as delicious by baby #3. 6. High-quality pajamas. Maybe it’s just me but I love putting my babes in really nice pjs. They spend so much time sleeping I can’t stand putting them in synthetic fibers with flame retardants. A soft organic long john is way more appreciated than a frilly dress or dapper vest, (though those are admittedly pretty cute too!) 7. A baby going home outfit - bringing home a new baby is ALWAYS a big deal for mom and dad, doesn’t matter if it’s baby one or baby 7 (I can say that since I have 6 brothers). A beautiful outfit to take the baby home in is such a sweet way to say that you know this baby is a gift worth celebrating too. 8. Socks - How I never seem to have enough baby socks I will never know. I am not the only one either, all the hand me down clothes I have received over the years have never had socks. Where do they go?! 9. A blanket...for mom. Ok, this one might be my favorite gift for new parents. My husband has bought me a gorgeous throw before each of my kids were born. Those first few months you spend so much time snuggled up with your baby, who wouldn’t love a cozy blanket to wrap you two up? You would think you only need one. Wrong. Babies are beautiful but babies are gross. A new throw is a wonderful thing. 10. Gift cards to anywhere or anything. This probably goes without saying. Babies are expensive and they always need something unpredictable. You can never go wrong with a gift card. (Our Green House :) is always a great choice!)

Make Your Own Gift Basket of the Week: 3/1/18

Posted by Sonya on Mar 1st 2018

This week our featured Make Your Own Gift Basket is this striking grey themed baby gift basket for a newborn boy! This lovely gift basket for the new mom & dad included: Custom Gift Basket - Charcoal Pom Pom Fair Trade, Handmade Grey Bunny Rattle Just Cause Gifts - Organic Cotton Stuffed Baby Lion Grey Organic Baby Footie Organic Cotton Swaddle Blanket - Grey Stripe Silver Ribbons and, of course, a handwritten notecard congratulating the new baby's parents on the arrival of their son Shaurya.

When is it Good to Give + When is NOT Good to Give?

Posted by Andrea Anderson on Feb 23rd 2018

Guest Post by Andrea Anderson Yes, that’s right. It’s good to NOT give sometimes. Why? Because when we give, we want it to be when it feels good to give. When we’re excited to share a cool gift with someone. When we find something that we think someone will love and we’re thrilled to be able to share it with them. Or when the inspiration comes over us to do something for someone. It’s then that you’re giving from your heart. You’re giving from a place of LOVE. ? This is soul-inspired giving. This is the time to act. And, when we give because we’re in the mood to give and inspired to give, it gives back to us! We FEEL it! We feel the love and lightness of purchasing and sharing that gift with someone. When we feel like we have to give and we honestly have zero interest in giving, this is when we can feel annoyed or resentful of giving. We may think to ourselves, I don’t want to spend the money or why do I have to buy another gift? This means you’re operating from obligation mode. And, maybe even on autopilot with operating from obligation mode (this means you often do things because you think you have to, not because you really want to…) Functioning from obligation mode and yes, gift buying, sharing and giving from obligation mode is a recipe for feeling annoyed and depleted. You may even get annoyed at the person you’re supposed to give to, thinking they’re the issue. All the while, it’s you feeling stuck and operating from obligation mode. Hey, been there and done that. However, the remedy for this is to listen. Listen to what feels good. Listening to what feels good is a way to actually hear what your soul wants. And, if you’re not into the “soul” thing, it’s a way to just plain feel awesome! So yes, give when you feel good. Give when it feels good to give. And, give when you’re inspired to give. And the coolest part of giving when you’re inspired to give? YOU get to feel awesome! Here’s to feeling awesome and giving from the heart!! PS: If you dig fair trade home, organic baby, his + hers cool stuff, you may find yourself inspired by some of the new items at Our Green House

Make Your Own Gift Basket of the Week: 2/22/18

Posted by Sonya on Feb 22nd 2018

This week our featured Make Your Own Gift Basket is this darling baby gift basket for a newborn baby girl! This sweet gift basket for the new baby included: Make your own Gift Basket - Magical Forest cotton canvas storage bin EcoPiggy Natural Rubber Orthodontic Pacifier Natural Baby Moisturizer - Wee Rub - Lullaby Lavender Organic Baby Toys - Lamb Rattle Goodnight Moon Hardcover Book Organic Short Sleeve Onesie - Blossom Organic Short Sleeve Onesie - Petunia Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Pink Elephant Shirt Organic Side Snap Footie - Sage Organic Baby Beanie - mauve Organic Pink Swaddle Blanket Singles Organic Security Blanket - Gray Elephant Blankie Organic Muslin Swaddle Blanket - Jungle Print Pink Ribbons and, of course, a handwritten notecard with a sweet message for the new baby's parents.

Introducing Flying Bird Botanicals Herbal Teas!

Posted by Lindsay Gibson on Feb 16th 2018

Flying Bird Botanicals Sitting down with a good cup of tea can bring a feeling of peace and calm that we all need. Driven from a love of plants and healing, the creators of Flying Bird Botanicals ensure that all the herbs used in their tea varieties make for such a beautiful restorative moment. Anyone's daily routine can easily incorporate this tea. These delicious tea blends derive from organically grown and ethically wildcrafted herbs that have been carefully selected by the Flying Bird Botanicals team. They are Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, and commit to working first with their local sources. They have since grown to buy from and support farms across the USA. Today they are proud to connect with so many organic farmers near and far and really value their relationships with them, as this is what will make a better cup of tea! Even their packaging is so delicately beautiful with hand-drawn illustrations on recycled steel tin cans - all made in the US. With each wholesome cup, you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated! It doesn't matter if you enjoy your tea morning, noon or night - these teas are sure to lift you (or your gift recipient) up. Note - if you are one to crave something sweet, as we all do from time to time, then be sure to check out Chokola. This organic chocolate tea is with warm, rich flavors that will satisfy your love for chocolate! From Mama's Pregnancy tea to Bluebird Morning and Peace of Mind, there's a perfect Flying Bird Botanical tea blend to complement most gift-giving occasions.

Make Your Own Gift Basket of the Week: 2/15/18

Posted by Sonya on Feb 15th 2018

Each week we'll be featuring one of our favorite customer-created gift baskets. We love this thoughtful gift basket for a pregnant woman! This lovely gift basket for the mama-to-be included: Make your own Gift Basket - Pink Pom Pom All Natural Belly Butter for Pregnancy All Natural Stretchmark Oil - Belly Natural Nursing Salve Women's Organic Sateen Terry Robe - Misty Ocean Pink Ribbons and, of course, a lovely handwritten notecard from the expectant mother's friend.

2018 Baby Name Predictions

Posted by Pam Davis on Feb 12th 2018

2018 Baby Name Predictions - One little-known insider secret at Our Green House is that we have the privilege of getting hints at the top baby names of the year as we hand-write customer’s gift notes. Some of the names that have come rolling in just this week that we absolutely love are: Girls 1. Fia 2. Ruby 3. Agnes 4. Louissa 5. Josephine 6. Sybil 7. Sasha 8. Ella 9. Madeline 10. Finley Boys 1. Calvin 2. Sullivan 3. Brock 4. William 5. Theodore 6. Arlo 7. Grayson 8. Ollie 9. Al 10. Leroy With names like these, we may be seeing a shift in how adventurous parents are feeling when naming their babies. 2017 kept it safe with baby names that didn’t change much from 2016, as you can see: 2017: Top 10 baby names for girls 2016: Top 10 baby names for girls 2017: Top 10 baby names for boys 2016: Top 10 baby names for boys 1. Sophia 1. Sophia 1. Jackson 1. Jackson 2. Olivia 2. Emma 2. Noah 2. Aiden 3. Emma 3. Olivia 3. Liam 3. Lucas 4. Ava 4. Ava 4. Aiden 4. Liam 5. Isabella 5. Mia 5. Lucas 5. Noah 6. Sybil 6. Isabella 6. Caden 6. Ethan 7. Mia 7. Riley 7. Grayson 7. Mason 8. Riley 8. Aria 8. Mason 8. Caden 9. Zoe 9. Zoe 9. Elijah 9. Oliver 10. Amelia 10. Charlotte 10. Logan 10. Elijah A lot of these are repeat winners and we want to say congratulations to Sophia and Jackson for holding the number one spot in their respective categories two years running! Here’s something interesting: for the last two years, 7 out of the top 10 girls names end in a and at least 5 out of the top 10 boy’s names end in n. We wonder if the same names will stick in 2018 as well? Trends in 2018 baby names come from all over - from television characters, celebrity babies, and thanks to Kate and Harry lately, from royalty too. Some names to keep an eye on this year could come from any of these sources. Watch out for: Royal Influences: Harry, Meghan, George, Charlotte Celebrity Influences: Stormi, Chicago, Mason, Dream, North Popular Tv Series (think Game of Thrones): Aria, Bran, Cersei, Sansa, Jon What do you think? Are we going to see a dramatic shift or will our current headliners hold their own? Comment below with your favorite names and predictions for the new year.

10 Romantic Valentine Gifts for Him

Posted by Lindsay Gibson on Feb 9th 2018

Looking for some ways to make him feel special this Valentines Day? We can help! Show your love for him with our top ten picks! 1. Bath for two? Relax together and find some balance and boost your vitality with our natural bath salts by Indigo Wild. Our salts are already packed in a gift box and ready to go! It colorfully contains all 7 Chakra scents! The salts are made from all-natural, high-quality ingredients and made right here in the USA. 2. Sometimes life is too busy to get away or even go out to dinner - especially when you have children! Open your favorite bottle of wine and share! Our recycled stemless wine glasses are sturdy with a unique oval shape that prevents spills and made from recycled materials. 3. Light the mood! This hand-poured soy candle, in a minimalist matte ceramic vessel with a copper lid, is made in the US. With its masculine Bergamont & Mahogany scent, it's perfect to set the mood for him. 4. Frame it! Our beautiful, African wooden hand carved photo frame is perfect for a picture of you for his desk or the two of you! Just add your favorite photo, pick up a greeting card and some gift wrap for a quick gift idea he is sure to cherish. 5. Pair up the candle with some incense to really set the scene! This unique, ceramic incense holder is perfect for burning your favorite scents. Made in Nepal. 6. Write a love letter or simply list what you love about him! This is a perfect way to begin the "story of us" in this 90 page, un-ruled paper journal. Each day you both can write to each other to fill it up. The cover is handmade and naturally dyed organic cotton fabric from artisans on the Thai-Burmese border. 7. Cooking him a nice homemade dinner? Spice up dessert with our organic spicy hot cocoa! It gives regular hot cocoa some extra. Make sure to check out all of our kitchen supplies and throw in a new organic apron for yourself! 8. Get him all groomed up for your date! Our Man Can is filled with grooming essentials in fresh, clean scents so he can look & smell his best for you. This eco-friendly gift is your natural answer when looking for your man's bath products. 9. Have a whiskey lover? These gorgeous whiskey glasses are hands down the best! The best part is how the glass is hand blown to create the beauty with these glasses. Made from recycled glass and pewter in Africa. 10. Organic Tonics use high-quality herbs to restore balance in the body and have been found to boost stamina, uplift the spirit and keep your energy up. Now that is a great natural aphrodisiac - perfect for your Valentine! Use chocolate love tonic to help you and your partner boost libido and improve circulation to all of your erogenous zones - not to mention it helps to create a positive mindset. All wins for Valentine's Day!

Make Your Own Gift Basket of the Week: 2/8/18

Posted by Sonya on Feb 8th 2018

Each week we'll be featuring one of our favorite customer-created gift baskets. We love this generous eco-friendly corporate gift basket. What a beautiful gift for a new baby! This luxurious baby gift basket included: Make your own Gift Basket - white willow Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Turtle Shirt - 3-6months Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Whale Shirt - 3-6months Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Bee Onesie - 3-6months Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Monkey Onesie - 3-6months Just Cause Gifts That Give Back - Organic Pink Elephant Shirt - 3-6months Organic Short Sleeve Baby Bodysuit - Sky - 3-6 months Organic Short Sleeve Baby Bodysuit - Tofu - 3-6 months Organic Short Sleeve Baby Bodysuit - Heather Grey - 3-6 months Organic Baby Yoga Pants - Sky - 3-6 months Organic Footed Baby Pants - Solid Colors - 3 - 6 months - Natural Organic Baby Clothes Romper - Blue Stripe 3-6 months Organic Cotton Sweater Coveralls with Pocket - 3-6 months Leather Baby Shoes - Bobux - Grey Elephant - Small - 3-9 months Little Twig Organics baby Wash - calming lavender 8.5oz Natural Rubber Duck Bath Toy - Hevea Organic Muslin Wash Cloth Set - Hedgehog Organic Security Blanket - Gray Elephant Blankie Organic Hooded Baby Towel - Barnyard Print Organic Quilted Stroller Blanket - Deep Charcoal Organic Muslin Swaddle Blanket - Jungle Print Silver & Light Blue Ribbons and, of course, a lovely handwritten notecard for the new parents

The History of Valentine's Day Gifts

Posted by Lindsay Gibson on Feb 7th 2018

How did Valentine’s Day Begin? Valentine’s Day is approaching. Chocolates. Flowers. Cards – and possibly some other gifts to express our love for those special people in our lives. Perhaps you will spend it with your spouse or partner at a special dinner or a nice getaway together or you two will be home celebrating with your children. After all – aren’t they the ultimate “product” of your love together? However, a parent time-out is good too! Valentine’s Day is seen by some as rather cliché, maybe even not celebrating it at all for those couples – but no matter which way you look at this holiday – it will forever be known as the day of love. Whether you go all out in celebration or not at all, what many don’t realize, is how Valentine’s Day began. The history of this day stretches hundreds of years back – marking February 14th as a significant day in times past and present. Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival beginning around the 5th century, holds the roots to this old holiday. This celebration marked the early start to spring and symbolized not just love, but fertility as well. The traditions of this festival were not exactly beautiful, as the priest would sacrifice a goat and go around the village to all of the young women touching them with bloodstained goat’s skin – calling in the spirits of their ancestors to reincarnate and re-birth themselves through these young women. The women then would put their names in an urn and single bachelors of the town would draw a name to begin courting that woman for marriage. Strange? Yes, to us. For them, however, it was completely normal and maybe even a little romantic. I’ll just stick with the chocolates… Remembering St. Valentine Valentine in Latin is Valentinus – which means: worthy, strong or powerful – was a very popular name between the second and eighth centuries. Therefore, there are multiple accounts of a Saint Valentine that can be traced back to this holiday. However, there is one man who really inspired the beginning of Valentine’s Day in the 1400’s and is officially recognized in the Roman Catholic Church and he died around AD 270. The legend has it that Valentine was a Priest who was beheaded by the emperor Claudius II on February 14th, for secretly marrying Christian couples. It was believed then that the Roman soldiers were too distracted by women and marriage and made better soldiers if they didn't get married - therefore marriage was banned. The emperor wanted a strong army! Valentine was eventually caught for performing these secret and illegal weddings and while awaiting his execution in jail - it is known that he sent love letters to a young blind girl. This girl was the daughter of one of the men who was told to judge his sentencing and the love he expressed to this girl in many ways healed her! He always signed these letters, “from your Valentine…” Today, many of us sign our Valentine's Day cards the same way! While the happenings of this time were not exactly romantic, St. Valentine was later recognized by the Catholic Church as the official Saint Valentine – because he strongly held onto the values of love and marriage after it was banned. This is something the Catholic Church firmly believes in still today and how it marked Valentine's Day as an official holiday. Spread Love All Around When you are signing your cards – remember St. Valentine and his strong stance on keeping real love flowing in a very permissive society. Even if don’t want to celebrate the traditional way – that is okay. Offer time with your loved ones with a warm hug and maybe take turns sharing one thing you love about each other. However, if you are looking for a unique and creative gift - check out our Make Your Own Gift Baskets for Him and Her. What about yourself? Show yourself love with some self-care. Give your hard-working body a nice steamy bath. Add in some of your favorite oils for extra soothing love! Bundle up and go for a walk in the sunshine, soaking in its rays and taking some deep, restoring breaths. Curl up on the couch with a good book or a movie and just relax – maybe even order some take-out so you don’t have to cook! Loving yourself will only enhance the love that you give to others – all year through.

Organic Toys Stuffed with Love

Posted by Pam Davis on Feb 5th 2018

Organic Toys The Story Bebemoss, is based outside of Istanbul, Turkey, has assembled a group of stay at home moms with amazing talents to create a line of some of the cutest organic stuffed animals we have seen. Each sweet toy exudes personality and style. They are all handcrafted using old-fashioned human methods - including crochet and knitting. Yes... not factory made!! (and organic) The Moms Support for these moms is not only financially, but they have the opportunity to bring their children to work with them. Work sites have been set up that allow moms to get together to work alongside one another with play areas set up for the kids. This company is truly Fair Trade and stands for Our Green House's core values: Empowering Moms and Utilizing Earth-Friendly Materials. The Toys Your purchase of these adorable organic stuffed toys at ourgreenhouse.com directly supports these women and their families.

Create Your Own Organic Baby Gift Basket

Posted by Lindsay Gibson on Jan 22nd 2018

Make Your Own Baby Gift Baskets Know someone who is expecting? Looking for that perfect baby shower gift? Want something unique, that promotes clean and natural living? We have you covered! In four easy steps, you can create a customized gift basket! Four Steps: 1. Choose your container 2. Choose your items 3. Choose ribbon colors 4. Write a personalized gift note What do the baskets include? You start with a container, choosing from wooden baskets, hand-knit organic gift baskets, decorative canvas totes, simple cardboard boxes or even just clear gift wrap. The totes come in many styles for either gender or even gender neutral for the parents who wish to keep the gender a surprise! They can be re-used in the nursery or playroom to store toys for years to come. The baskets can be re-used in any room of the house for storage. All of our items for filling your gift basket are inspired by natural and clean living – but there is more... The Organic Baby The hand-knit baby blankets and hats come with a beautiful story. They are made in Haiti by Haiti Baby and they train moms in their community to knit and crochet, empowering them to earn a sustainable living wage, provide for their children, and keep their families together. Your hat purchase breaks the cycle of extreme poverty in Haiti – one mom, one family at a time. Therefore, when you purchase one of these blankets, you know that your purchase is making a big impact for them. The swaddles and organic baby clothes are made by Under the Nile and the cotton is grown on their bio-dynamic farm without the use of pesticides, chemical finishes, metal-free dyes, zero AZO agents or insecticides. Truly the best for a baby’s skin! How about a little luxury for baby during bath time? Coyuchi bath towels are a great gift to add! Throw in some organic baby washcloths, a natural rubber ducky and an organic hooded robe with adorable designs by Sage Creek Organics! Make sure to check out of all the beautiful stuffed animals and other nursery items, like our hand knit pillowcases and mobiles for the crib. Our 4-step process is easy to navigate on our website, but if you have any questions, our staff is here to help and answer your questions. Happy gift basket making!

Organic Baby Blankets - Our Fav's

Posted by Pam Davis on Sep 5th 2017

As the weather gets colder (not ready yet!) - We want to spotlight two of our favorite organic baby blankets. We love finding gifts with meaning and purpose These organic baby blankets will be something that you hand down for generations. 1. Hope & Fortune Blanket - this is a luxurious thick organic cotton blanket with hearts on one side, and grey stripes on the other. Even more importantly, it is perfect for cuddle or tummy time. 2. Crochet Baby Blankets - The reason we chose these is because they are not only beautiful but fair trade. They make a perfect gift for any new mom and dad. Rural Bangladesh women are able to make a living wage crocheting these blankets.

Our Green House Blogs