FREE Birthday Party for Kids at IKEA

I would move into an IKEA store if it were possible.  I love that place.  And what's even more cool is that they host FREE kids birthday parties on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at my local IKEA in Costa Mes, CA (call your local IKEA to see if they have this program).

Plus, if you have an electric car, you can charge up while you party -  the Costa Mesa IKEA has four electric vehicle charging stations operational in the parking lot near the entrance to the store, available to any EV driver with a Blink Incard.

Location: IKEA Orange County Costa Mesa restaurant
Date: The second Wednesday of every month
Time: 4pm-6pm


Mark your calendar! Here's all of the Second Wednesdays in 2012:

• Jan. 11
• Feb. 8
• March 14
• April 11
• May 9
• June 13
• July 11
• August 8
• Sept.12
• Oct. 10
• Nov. 14
• Dec. 12

Party is for all children turning 10 years old or younger during the selected attended party date. Each birthday child is allowed to invite two of their friends to the party. Event includes entertainment (magician, clown, etc.), soda, and cake. Plus, each birthday child will receive a gift from IKEA.

Please call (714)751-7167, ext#1470 to reserve your place at the party.

March is Meatless Month: How to Save Money on Organic Vegetables and Fruit

March is meatless month, which means it's time to load up on those veggies and fruit.  That's the best way to get all of your vitamins and minerals to boost your immune system and stay healthy.  And let's face it, it's much more fun than swallowing a handful of supplement pills, tablets and drinks.

These days most of our produce is covered in not one, but multiple pesticides.  Many times the pesticides are absorbed into the fruit or vegetable, so they aren't removed by a simple washing in your kitchen sink.  In order to avoid these harmful pesticides, organic is the way to go.  Some produce is safer than others when it comes to pesticides, and considering that not everyone can afford to go completely organic, here are some tips to making the healthiest choices on a budget.

 1.  Shop wisely in the produce section:  Put your money towards organic on the fruit and veggies that are highly contaminated with pesticides, and save your money with the "non-organic" produce that is the least contaminated by pesticides.  Also, try to shop in season and watch for sales! 

*Click here for a printable guide to keep your purse!*

Here are the top 12 items that you should buy organic:

(starting with most contaminated)

apples

celery

strawberries

peaches

spinach

imported nectarines

imported grapes

sweet bell peppers

potatoes

domestic blue berries

lettuce

kale/collard greens

Here are the top 15 items that for non-organic:

(starting with least contaminated)

onions

corn

pineapples

avocado

asparagus

sweet peas

mango

eggplant

domestic cantaloupe

kiwi

cabbage

watermelon

sweet potatoes

grapefruit

mushrooms

You can view a full list of most to least contaminated produce here.

2.  Become a locavore: Shop at the local farmers market.  Not only will you know where your produce came from, but you know it will be fresh.  You will also be supporting your local farmers instead of large corporations.  Sometimes if you go towards the end of the market hours, you may score some great deals.  Most farmers don't want to drag home the leftovers, so they will be more willing to work a deal with you on some fresh local produce! Go here to search for a local farmers market near you.  You may even find a unique vegetable that you've never tried before!

source

3. Grow a garden: Section off a small area in your yard and plant seeds or small plants.  You can start simple with tomatoes, peas, and peppers.  If you don't have a yard, consider balcony gardening - just a few veggie producing plants will save you some money on your grocery bill.  Try growing some fresh herbs too - basil grows very well.  This can be a fun educational project to do with your kids too!

4.  Sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture):  This program is becoming quite popular lately.  Basically, a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. You can purchase a share or membership, and in return receive a box of seasonal produce weekly or bi-weekly throughout the farming season.  Sometimes you can choose from different size boxes, depending on how much produce you need for your family.  This program helps support your local farmers by providing cash flow early in the season to cover farming expenses, and you receive fresh local-grown fruit and veggies that will benefit your family's health.  It also helps you to cook more fresh foods and try new things that you wouldn't normally purchase.  Go HERE to locate a CSA farm new you.

**Happy Meatless March**

NEW Printable Coupon: $3 off $10 purchase of YES TO products (Yes To Carrots)

$3 off a $10 purchase of YES TO products

Use zip code 80004 or 80210

Print this out and get some great natural products, or wait for the sale to snag an even better deal.  

Kids Healthy Cooking Class at Whole Foods Tustin on Jamboree

 Whole Foods always has an event calendar packed with free and low cost activities, hands on demonstrations, and classes.  At the Tustin Whole Foods on Jamboree, there is a Kids Club Cookery held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 3:30 to 4:30pm.  The cost is only $5 and it's a fun learning experience for your child!

Location address:
2847 Park Ave., Tustin, CA 92782

In the District at Tustin Legacy

Date:  March 21st at 3:30 pm
Space is limited to 40 so make your reservation ASAP!

Children of all ages are invited to come join Gerrie Adams, Healthy Eating Speicalist, as she leads participants in choosing their own fresh foods to complete a food pyramid, and then turn those selections into a healthy, kid-friendly, delicious dish!

Reservations are required 24-hours in advance.
Register at the Customer Service Desk or pay online.

Check out the events calendar at your local Whole Foods Market.

Eco-Friendly Option for Keurig K-Cup Brewers: Ekobrew Refillable Cup

For coffee lovers, the Keurig brewer is a dream, but it's K-cups are far from friendly for the environment.  

Introducing the ekobrew cup....  it's a reusable/refillable K-cup for the Keurig brewer.  It's 100% BPA free plastic and eco-friendly.  Plus, you will save lots of money by using your favorite coffee to refill the ekobrew cup.  It's priced very affordable at around $12, which is cheap compared to how much you will spend on all of the regular K-cups!  Note:  Ekobrew is not compatible with the B30, B130, B150 and B155 so check your model first.

Be green and brew affordable Starbucks at home in your Keurig with the ekobrew cup!

Starbucks Builds a Sustainable Store in Washington Using Shipping Containers

Starbucks built a new store in Tukwila, Washington using a sustainable design approach they call Reclamation Drive-Thru.  Their eco-friendly plan has helped to create a 450 square foot drive-thru and walk-up store made from 4 end-of-life-cycle shipping containers  Shipping containers source the coffee and tea from around the world, and most of them end up in scrap yards once they reach 20 years old.  The company wanted to help keep items used throughout their supply chain, like old shipping containers, out of the waste stream.  

Aside from upcycling the storage containers, the store boasts many other sustainable features, such as: reduces material use with simplified, environmental signage,  xeriscaping (selecting plants that naturally require less water) to help reduce water consumption, and the drive-thru's roof collects rainwater to be used for landscaping.  And to top it all off, if the store ever needs to be relocated, the building can easily be disassembled and reassembled at its new location!  

I AM AMAZED - and can't wait to take a trip to Tukwila, WA (wherever that is).  There are talks to expand this sustainable design project to other areas, so maybe you will be ordering your favorite frapp from a drive-thru shipping container near you!

Here is the inspiration behind Reclamation Drive-Thru. 

Location: view from Starbucks headquarters' window in Seattle,WA

DiY Project: Paper Plate Painter's Palette for Kids

It's a quick and simple project, but your child will be amazed and feel like a super special artist!

My daughter loves to paint, so of course we have to go all out and use a painter's palette!  We made this palette out of some paper plates.  One paper plate was too flimsy, so double up!  I used a sharp scissor to cut the thumb hole and indent.  Add some paint options and you're ready to create!

**You may want to use thick paints, because watery paints will run off easily**

**Let the creativity begin!**

**HOT DEAL** Vitacost.com: Get $10 worth of natural organic products for only $2.22 shipped! AMAZING DEALS TOO!

Today only!!  Vitacost is having a special on their shipping costs, AND they are offering a $10 credit to new customers when you register through this link.  This means, if you add $10 worth of products to your cart, you can use your $10 credit to make them free and only pay $2.22 for shipping!  PLUS, if you shop through your ebates account, you will save an additional 4% in cashback!  This will make for some great deals, especially on the natural and organic products!

Some possible stock up deals (prices include shipping):

Sprout Organic baby food only .31 per pouch

Nature's One Organic Baby formula only $2.96

Earth Friendly Ultra Ecos laundry detergent only $3.34

Eden Organic beans only .37 per can

Bob's Red Mill aluminum free baking soda only .45 per bag

Bob's Red Mill aluminum free baking powder only .81 per bag

Santa Cruz Organic peanut butter only $1.85 per jar

Mrs. Meyers hand soap only .96 per bottle

SEVENTH GENERATION DEAL (dish soap, toilet bowl cleaner, and dishwasher detergent) only .98 per item

Here's how to snag this deal:

1. Register at Vitacost.

2. Check your email for your $10 off code. (It may take a day or so to receive.)

3.  Go back to Vitacost through your ebates account.

4.  Go on a $10 shopping spree, adding the items to your cart.

5. Use your special $10 code (from your email).

6. Only pay $2.22 for shipping, or score free shipping if your total is $22 or more (and pay only $12!)

**Today's deal of the day is on Santa Cruz Organic products.  They make great products with quality that you can trust!  My kids love their applesauce, and I always use their organic lemon juice.

So here's some deals that may inspire you to snag a great deal:

Santa Cruz Organic Peanut Butter Light Roasted Creamy 16 oz is only $4.44 a jar.  

Buy 3 jars and pay only $5.54.

That's only $1.85 per jar for ORGANIC peanut butter!

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap Basil -- 12.5 fl oz priced at $3.55 

Buy 3 and pay only $2.87!

That's only .96 cents per bottle!!

You can score similar deals on the Mrs. Meyer's dish soap and countertop spray as well.

Eden Foods Organic Black Beans -- 15 oz is priced at $1.67 per can

Buy 6 cans and pay only $2.24.

That's only .37 cents per can of ORGANIC beans!

You can also mix and match with some of their other beans, like Garbanzo, Kidney, etc.

Bob's Red Mill Aluminum Free Baking Soda -- 16 oz is priced at $2.01 per bag

Buy 5 bags and pay only $2.27!

That's only .45 cents per bag!!! WOW!

OR Bob's Red Mill Non-Aluminum Double Acting Baking Powder -- 16 oz priced at $3.40 per bag

Buy 3 bags and pay only $2.42

That's only .81 cents per bag!

Sprout Organic Baby Food Roasted Butternut Squash Starter 1 -- 2.5 oz price at $1.09 per pouch

Buy 10 pouches and pay only $3.12

That's only .31 per pouch of ORGANIC baby food.

*Butternut squash has excellent nutritional value for your baby too.  It's an excellent source of vitamin A, plus significant amounts of vitamin C, E, K, B6, folate and thiamin.  It also contains minerals like potassium, magnesium, manganese, and calcium, as well as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids!

Nature's One Baby's Only Organic Dairy Based Formula Iron Fortified -- 12.7 oz price at $10.74

Buy 1 can and pay only $2.96!!!

Earth Friendly Ultra Ecos® Free and Clear Laundry Detergent Unscented -- 100 fl oz priced at $11.12

Buy 1 bottle and pay only $3.34 for an all natural SLS free laundry detergent!

Or you can buy one smaller bottle and an Ecover Stain Remover stick, pay $2.29 or only $1.15 per item!

*SEVENTH GENERATION PRODUCTS DEAL*

Buy 1 Seventh Generation Dish Soap $3.07

1 Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner $3.15

1 Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent $4.49

And pay only $2.93!!!

That's only .98 per item!!! WOW!!!

This list goes on, but I think you get the point.  Have fun with this deal.  Don't forget to register with Vitacost here first to get your $10 promo code (for new customers only!)

Friday's Favorite Five

Every Friday I will post 5 of my favorite things that I've come across.  They may be anything from decor ideas to clothes or unique items on etsy or a must-see website.  Who knows... maybe it will inspire you!

Sometimes people just need a subtle reminder...  I love the neon yellow frame too.  You can easily make one with any frame and a can of spray paint!

1

Crepe cake... so good!  I've only had them while visiting in Japan, but with a little patience and a lot of work, I'm sure I can whip one up... It's basically a stack of crepes with sweet whipped cream spread between each layer.  YUM.

2

Hot pink beach cruiser.  This would be so much fun to ride down the coast on the boardwalk.

Fried pickles are every pregnant woman's dream - with a little ice cream on the side of course.  And I'm not pregnant, but these are quite dreamy to me too.  Here's a recipe to make them at home!

3

EWG: Environmental Working Group is a non-profit group that provides you with research and guides that help you to live a safe and healthy lifestyle.  They conduct their research with the money raised from donations.  On their site, there are lots of guides to help you choose the best and safest products for you and your family - cosmetic safety database, sunscreen guide, cell phone radiation guide, and shoppers guide for avoiding pesticides in produce.

The top 3 produce items that you should buy organic (because they have the highest pesticide exposure) are:

1. Apples - Eaten daily by many children, 98 percent of conventional apples had pesticides

2. Celery - Highly contaminated, celery tested positive for 57 different pesticides.

3. Strawberries - A delicious snack for kids and pests, some strawberries had as many as 13 different pesticides.

Stay tuned for next weeks favorite five on Friday!

Home Decor: Clustered Frames

A simple way to spruce up a wall is with a cluster of frames.  You can find them at garage sales, thrift shops, dollar stores, etc. and spray paint them all one color.  No need to fill the frames, the cluster creates a work of art on it's own!

DiY Project: Sew a Fabric Mail Organizer for the Wall

One of my New Year's Resolution was to be more organized.  My first goal was to eliminate the mail pile that accumulates near the front door.  I was eyeing some wall organizers at The Container Store, but didn't want to pay that much.  So, I dug some fabric out of my closet and winged it!

Inspiration:

The entire organizer measures 14 inches wide by 42 inches in length.  I doubled up the back panel to keep it sturdy.  The small pockets measures 6 inches wide by 9 inches long, and the large pocket measures 12.5 inches wide by 9 inches deep.  

Cut: 4 blocks that measure 9 inches wide by 10 inches long

1 block that measures 13.5 inches wide by 10 inches long

I finished all of the edges off with a serger, but you can simply tuck the edges under.

Grosgrain ribbon is optional but adds a nice touch.  Be sure to sew this on BEFORE you sew the pockets onto the back panel!

Next step is to sew the pocket pieces on.  First sew the side seams, spacing them about 5 3/4 inches apart (for the small pockets).  It will seem like there's a lot of extra fabric in between, but that's OK.

Next, tuck the excess fabric in on the bottom corners, keeping the amount even on both sides.  Sew across the bottom seam.  This will create a gusset, giving you lots of room for all of those bills!  Ha!

For the large pocket, space the side seams about 12 1/4 inches apart. You can also use your mail and magazines as a guide to how large you want your pockets to be.

You can use thumbtacks to hang it up on a wall.  I used nails at the top corners to hang mine on the door.

Happy Organizing!