JIllybean Green Blog

Future King? Star? Rebel?

2010-07-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we have posted on our blog. We've been super busy with finding new items for the store and we just love these new onesies and tee shirts! They make such fun baby gifts and the best part, they are all pre-shrunk and made from 100% GOTS Certified Fair Trade Organic cotton.
So, if you have a future King (Elvis), Rebel (James Dean), Star (Madonna), Beauty (Marilyn Monroe), Genius (Einstein) or Outlaw (Johnny Cash) on your hands, we've got just the thing for you. Available in white, pink or blue. Pick yours up now at jillybeangreen.com.

Oink! Oink! Moo! Moo! Great New Blocks

2010-03-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

We think these are just the cutest! Here's a set of SIX 1-1/4 inch blocks featuring numbers 0 through 9 and all sorts of classic farm animals. They're the perfect way to teach baby numbers or even for use as decoration. They arrive in a drawstring bag which makes for easy cleanup & storage. This adorable birthday, baby shower or anytime gift comes sweetly packaged ready for gifting.

These are non-treated, chemical-free wood blocks coated with non toxic, non flammable sealant. Healthy for child and healthy for the planet. Click here to see more.

Peace, Love, Haiti Tee Now at jillybean green

2010-03-09T13:51:00.000-08:00

Peace, Love Haiti, what a great message for a great cause.

A portion of the proceeds from this Giving Tee goes directly to FOR THIS ONE - an organization working to bring relief and resources to the children hit hardest by the earthquake in Haiti.

These tees are printed with water-based eco-inks and made Sweatshop-Free.

Limited supply, so grab yours now.

Kauzbots Are Here! Get yours and help a great "kauz!"

2010-01-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

http://jillybeangreen.com/item_913/Kauzbot--Kale.htm

We love our Kauzbots! Purchase a Kauzbot and 10% of the retail price is donated to the kauze close to that robot’s heart. We have Kale and Kruz (Kruz is passionate about drilling water wells in underdeveloped countries).

KALE is passionate about planting trees to sustain our environment.
Her Kauze: Arbor Day Foundation – inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.
10% of the sale price from Kale will be used to benefit the work of the Arbor Day Foundation.

Available now on jillybean green .

We Love These Message Tees!

2010-01-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

Be kind to small things. What a beautiful message!
Printed on a buttery soft, 100% Sweatshop Free Organic Cotton tee using only the kindest, gentlest water-based inks. Available in a short sleeve tee or long sleeve hooded thermal.

Also available in "Beelieve " and "Reach for the Stars ."

Check them out and let your little one wear a positive message as he/she helps spread the word.

Available now at jillybean green.

We were featured on GOOD DAY LA!

2009-12-18T10:51:00.000-08:00

jillybean green was featured on the very popular Los Angeles morning news program, GOOD DAY LA on December 17th. Celebrity television host, Kym Douglas (best selling author, radio personality, fashion and beauty expert - regularly featured on Ellen) and GOOD DAY LA personaliteis Jillian Barbieri Reynolds and Dorothy Lucey did a segment on Holiday Gifts for Kids and featured the Batman Shirt and Cape we have in our store and directed viewers to our site to check it out! You should check it out too, just an adorable gift for the little caped crusader in your life.

jillybean green - opening a small retail space in Studio City, CA!

2009-11-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

Yay! We are so excited, we just can't hide it. jillybean green will be opening a small retail space within the very cool playspace, the coop , in Studio City, CA. We will carry apparel, skincare for mommy and baby, gift sets, candles, Rane Jewelry, toys and so much more. The best part is while you shop, your kids can play at the coop! How great is that? You can get your shopping done for those little ones in your life without having to drag the kids to the mall, now you can let them have fun while you have shopping fun. We will be officially open by December 4th, just in time for holiday shopping! Please stop by and check us out if you are in the Los Angeles area and we promise you won't be disappointed. jillybean green at the coop, 11118 ventura boulevard in studio city. Hope to see you there soon!

Maternity Candles - Just Beautiful!

2009-10-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

What a brilliant idea for a baby shower gift, new baby gift, birthday present for someone special or just a gift for yourself to celebrate your upcoming due date. Pour Deux makes the first 100% soy maternity candles. The soy candles smell like fresh baby powder and have light undertones of jasmine and citrus. The beautiful labeling on each candle lists not only the gemstone and flower for the due-date month but also the baby’s personality traits. For example, the November candle label reads:

Gemstone – Topaz, yellow

Flower – Chrysanthemum

November baby will be a forward-thinker with a dynamic personality. Many will believe your little love to be unique, brilliant and very inspirational. Your child’s soul reflects great compassion, sympathy for others, friendship and love.

We are now featuring these great candles on jillybean green, check them out here and we promise you won't be disappointed with this purchase.

A New Blog We Just Love!

2009-10-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, not because we are featured on this blog right now, but because they feature some of the greatest products and information for moms, that is why we love Mommy Hype . This great new blog features the latest fun and cool mommy gear, gadgets, fashion, accessories, recipes, trends, tips, tricks and stories by moms for moms. You have to check out one of their most recent posts teaching you how to make "apple bites" - perfect for Halloween and a definite crowd pleaser! www.mommyhype.com , have fun reading!

We Love These Personalized Lunchboxes

2009-10-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know the average school-age child generates 67 pounds of lunch trash per school year? It seems most thoughtful to pack lunches with as little garbage as possible and that is why metal lunchboxes are a great reusable option. The Center for Environmental Health recommends metal lunchboxes as a good alternative to vinyl. All of these personalized metal lunchboxes are lead free and made in the USA! Tons of boy and girl styles to choose from! Check out our personalized gift section to see all of the fun and funky options.

Also great for storing toys, crayons/school supplies, crafts, trading cards or snacks in your home, car or for play dates. Personalize with the child's name or monogram, it's up to you!

Get Bat-tee!

2009-10-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Let your kids get in the Halloween spirit! Have them wear their name on a fun spooky themed tee. Check out our personalized tee section for lots of styles for Halloween and other special occasions. They are boo-tiful!

Great Mobiles

2009-09-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

We just love these mobiles that were recently added to jillybean green. They are so modern, chic and best of all...eco-friendly! They make a great modern addition to any child's room. They are laser-cut from sustainably harvested bamboo, an earth-friendly renewable resource. There are 4 different styles to choose from and all available now. Made in the U.S.A. and packaged by a San Francisco non-profit that employs adults with disabilities. What a great gift or addition to your little one's beautiful room.

Fun Craft For Kids

2009-09-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

What fun! These paintable products provide hours of creative fun for the kids. Let their artistic side come out while they decorate their own building. Winner of The Dr. Toy's 2009 Best Green Product Award, Creative Child Magazine's Top Toy of the Year Award and the iParenting Media Award. There is something for every kid's style, boy or girl. They have a country cottage, fire station, schoolhouse and barn. All 100% eco-friendly too. What could be better? So, turn off the TV, put the video games away, and give your kids a few hours of artistic fun. These are also great for birthday party crafts. Available on jillybean green. Grab yours now, they will go fast!

Great Article About Why Back-To-School Shopping Should Include Organic Cotton

2009-08-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

We came across this article that was posted in The Baltimore Sun newspaper on August 27, 2009 and thought it had some great information regarding the importance of buying organic cotton for back-to-school. If not all your clothes, at least some! Enjoy the read, we included some excerpts below.

Back to school: Three words that warm a weary parent's heart. Back-to-school shopping: Four words that stop it cold. Between the paper, markers, pencils, pens, binders, backpacks, and clothing, back-to-school shopping can take a toll on your sanity, and it can also be rough on the environment.

But this year parents have more choices when it comes to eco-friendly options--and some of the biggest retailers are making organic cotton clothing (http://www.naturallysavvy.com/naturally-green/eco-living/beauty-a-fashion/598-wear-your-eco-heart-on-your-sleeve) more affordable than ever before.

Not only has organic cotton clothing hit the mainstream, the biggest brands and retailers are some of its biggest champions. According to the Organic Exchange (http://www.organicexchange.org/), an organization that promotes organic cotton farming, Wal-Mart, Nike, and H&M are among the top 10 worldwide brands or sellers of organic cotton, and the organic cotton market continues to grow, with most planning to expand their organic cotton lines to an average of 33 percent of their product by 2010.

"It is a sign of the times that despite ominous financial forecasts, brands and retailers are standing fast to their commitment to making their product lines more sustainable by increasing their use of organic cotton," says LaRhea Pepper, Organic Exchange senior director.

Choosing to purchase organic cotton clothing for your kids may seem insignificant in the face of global warming or energy use, but the environmental benefits are actually substantial.

Conventional cotton production consumes 25 percent of all insecticides and 10 percent of all pesticides used throughout the world, according to the Organic Exchange (http://www.organicexchange.org/), but cotton is grown on just 2.4 percent of the world's arable land.

In California alone, 5.8 million pounds of chemicals were used on cotton farms in 2005, according to the Sustainable Cotton Project (http://www.sustainablecotton.org/), an organization that brings together farmers, manufacturers and consumers of organic cotton--and the sunshine state is only responsible for 10 to 14 percent of yearly U.S. cotton production (http://www.ccgga.org/cotton_information/calif_cotton.html).

Not only does conventional cotton growing use a disproportionately high amount of chemicals, almost half of the pesticides used in cotton farming are designated hazardous by the World Health Organization, and according to the Environmental Justice Foundation (http://www.ejfoundation.org/page327.html), just one teaspoon of Aldicarb (http://www.pesticide.org/aldicarb.pdf), the number two pesticide used in cotton production, can kill an adult.

These chemicals also cause secondary environmental effects. Many cotton pesticides, herbicides and insecticides are easily absorbed by rainwater and are carried into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. Pesticides are also a significant source of greenhouse gases, which is a major cause of global warming (http://www.naturallysavvy.com/naturally-green/climate-change/879-global-warming).

Going organic has two benefits: It eliminates the use of toxic chemicals and promotes biodiversity, which is key to a healthy ecosystem. Many organic farmers rotate crops to keep the soil healthy, and some farmers grow trap crops alongside their cotton fields to divert pests, and others plant a strip of alfalfa because a problem pest, Lygus, actually prefers alfalfa.

To put pesticide use in perspective, it takes about one-quarter to one-third of a pound of chemical pesticides and fertilizers to produce just one t-shirt. Purchasing four organic cotton t-shirts means a pound of chemicals did not enter the ecosystem.

Choosing organic cotton clothing for your kids also affords the opportunity to teach your kids how to make eco-friendly, sustainable (http://www.naturallysavvy.com/naturally-green/climate-change/1032-toward-sustainability-make-a-difference-in-the-push-for-a-sustainable-future) choices that work for them and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Ok, so now go on over to jillybean green and shop some affordable and adorable organic cotton apparel.

Over A Hundred Items Under $25!

2009-08-27T15:40:00.000-07:00

Who says it costs more money to go green? Not us at jillybean green. In fact, we feature over a hundred items for less than $25 and a ton under $20! So not only can your little one (and you), look hip, cool and trendy in the latest fashions, but you can do so by being green and saving some green (from your wallet). And to even save some more, jillybean green is reminding you that we are still offering a back-to-school sale on all backpacks, drinking bottles, lunchboxes and supply cases. 15% off until September 1st. That's right, your little fashionistas can now sport the same bags as such celebrity tots like Violet Affleck (pictured here with a Fleurville Lunch Pak) and James Wilkie (Sara Jessica Parker's son) for 15% off! Send them back to school in style and save the environment and some cash in the process. Just enter bts in the checkout coupon.

Green Baby Shower

2009-08-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

At jillybean green, expectant moms, or those who already gave birth, can register for some of the most adorable eco-friendly products on the market. We are excited to offer our Baby Registry, so check it out. You can find this great diaper bag by Fleurville and many other much needed mommy-to-be items.

If you are thinking about your baby shower, an exciting new trend is having/hosting green baby showers. Here are some great tips on how to have your own Green Shower.

A baby shower is a celebration of life and it should be as clean, safe, and healthy as possible. Make your theme green and natural to help create a healthy world for healthy babies.

Invitations

Send out evites to all of your guests. Using email invitations is a great way to quickly get the word out and track RSVPs and it’s also better for the environment (no paper, no waste, no fuel emissions from sending invites out, etc). Evite has dozens of baby shower invitations to choose from, or you can design your own.

Gifts

Make it easy for your guests to find the perfect green gift by having the mom-to-be register at on-line stores such as jillybean green.

Games

Some hostesses like to organize games and activities during the shower. If you are planning something make sure your guest of honor is comfortable with the idea (guests may get a good chuckle out of games like “Guess Her Girth,” but it can really be humiliating for mom). Also, choose something that creates little or no waste and provide green prizes like natural personal care products or soy candles. Here are some activities that could work with small or large groups:

Guess Who - Instruct guests to bring a baby photo of themselves to the shower. Place all photos on a bulletin board or use magnets and put them on the fridge, and have guests try to match each baby photo to the guest they belong to. The winner is the person with most correct guesses.
I Remember - Have guests share special memories from their childhood, or of their own children. These may be written and kept, or shared out loud.
Onesie Painting - Supply organic baby t-shirts or onesies (plain white works best) and non-toxic paints or natural dyes for your guests. Have them decorate a shirt any way they want as a keepsake for baby to wear.
Write a Letter to Baby - Have guests write a letter to the baby and save them in a scrapbook or decorative box for baby to read later in life.
Advice - Have guests write their best baby advice and suggestions for the mother-to-be to keep and read after baby is born.

Food

Make your nosh as nutritious and safe as possible by using local, organically grown ingredients. Serve it all up on your good china to really make the day feel special (and reduce an enormous amount of waste). Or go second best by using environmentally friendly disposables if washing a lot of dishes is unrealistic.

Keep the natural theme apparent by using potted plants as decorations. Your guests can take them home with them for a cheerful reminder of the special day.

Artfully arranged twigs, rocks and shells are another beautiful option. Even crystal bowls filled with seasonal fruit (a la Martha Stewart) can make a lovely, natural decoration.

Remember, before you decorate, clean the house using non-toxic cleansers, vacuum with a HEPA filter, and open the windows for some fresh air. It will significantly improve your indoor air quality, which is always better for baby.

Most of all, have fun!

Tips by: Janelle Sorensen

We Love RANE Jewelry And So Will You!

2009-08-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

Wow, we are so happy to be featuring one of the most unique new jewelry collections called RĂNE. Talk about a conversation starter! These pieces are just exquisite and I find myself getting stopped all day when I wear my new Daisy Oro necklace or Autumn Dog Tag (shown here). All of their jewelery is made of solid 925 Sterling Silver and a big portion of which is recycled. All stones are picked and set by hand. Every piece of RĂNE jewelry arrives in a handmade bag using natural materials of burlap and 100% organic cotton. We hear that a trendy celebrity will be wearing a ring from their collection soon! We're sure it will be the first of many. Check out some of their pieces on jillybeangreen.com.

Love These Bags for Back-To-School

2009-08-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

My best friend turned me on to these bags and I LOVE THEM. They are so cute and have such great images for the kids. The best part, they are PVC & PHTHALATE FREE! I'm so thrilled to have them featured on www.jillybeangreen.com. Tons of cute styles to choose from including backpacks, toddler backpacks, lunch bags and supply boxes. Great for back-to-school. Check them out and take advantage of our 15% off sale which is still going on until August 11th (type facebook fan in the promo code section). Happy shopping.

The Giving Tee

2009-08-08T07:56:00.001-07:00

At Jillybean Green we think it is important to give back to organizations that help the environment and that is why we created The Giving Tee. Featuring the Jillybean Green girl and what we call the Jakeybean Green boy, on a white 100% organic tee or onesie, 20% of sales from these items will go towards an environmental cause. So your little one can be stylish with these cute, soft tees and feel good about helping the environment at the same time. Check them out on our site under The Giving Tee.

I'm New At This...But Here It Goes!

2009-08-07T10:45:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is my first ever entry on a blog. I've never done this before but that's what I am all about, trying new things.

If you are reading this, which I hope a lot of you are, then you know about my new online boutique, jillybean green. I am so excited about it! I've been wanting to bring a store to other moms/dads who wanted to buy products for their babies/kids that are not only good for them, but the planet as well. I'm not a tree hugger (not that there is anything wrong with that) or totally green in my lifestyle, but I am trying to become greener and the start of jillybean green is moving me in the right direction. I just love the products I am featuring.

To celebrate the launch of jillybean green, I am offering 15% off your entire purchase until August 11th. What a deal. Just go to the facebook fan page for jillybean green for details or enter facebook fan in coupon code at check out. We would love for you to join our fan page!

Happy shopping!