Green Gift Guide 2012

Mama Making Changes is pleased to bring you The Green Gift Guide 2012 to make your holiday shopping easier and effortlessly greener.

Hours have been spent compiling a list of gifts for all ages, complete with prices and links for where to buy them. Now you don't have to browse the internet for the best gifts! Just browse here at Mama Making Changes!

These cups are crafted from blocks of pure, naturally sourced, Himalayan salt.  Also available are salt plates and bowls, with prices starting at just $10. Placing food in or on these containers gives them just a hint of saltiness, so they are great with fruits. Salt cups, bowls, and plates can be chilled or heated for serving, too.  $45.99 for this set of 4 cups at SustainableSourcing.com

   

LoveInEverything is the great little Etsy shop where I found these little leather baby shoes! Made from upcycled dark green leather, they are for ages 0-6 months. LoveInEverything






Perfect for the lady in your life, no matter her age, these beautiful miniature boxes are hand carved in India from soapstone. Brought to you by TARA, a fair trade company that works primarily in and around Delhi, these gorgeous trinket boxes are an excellent small gift or stocking stuffer. Or place a special gift inside for a beautiful presentation! Only $4 each at Ten Thousand Villages

BeeAlive has  used both honey and royal jelly to create their amazing Spa Essentials skincare line.  What is royal jelly? This information from BeeAlive’s website explains it best:

The number of worker bees in a hive may be in the tens of thousands, but there is only one Queen. Royal Jelly is eaten by the Queen Bee, and because of her exclusive Royal Jelly diet, the Queen Bee becomes different from the other bees in three significant ways:

- The average worker bee lives about 6 weeks, while the Queen Bee lives an astonishing 4 to 6 years.

- The Queen Bee is twice the size of female worker bees.

- The Queen can lay up to 2,000 eggs a day, often laying 100,000 to 200,000 eggs each year.

When it comes to providing the Queen Bee with sustenance, growth, and long life, Royal Jelly can only be described as one of nature’s miraculous foods. No where else in nature does the food fed to one member of a species, genetically identical at birth with other members, determine its morphology and lifespan.

With  herbs and other natural ingredients, Spa Essentials are handmade and chemical free.  Treat someone you love to a spa package with Spa Essentials as the spotlight. They are offering a cute starter set in a gift bag just for Christmas, too! $24.95 and up at BeeAlive.com

This quality wooden toy from Melissa & Doug is sturdy enough for even the roughest boys. And the price is right! Only $19.99 suggested retail, but buy it on amazon.com for up to 25% less! Buy it here!

This beautiful sugar bowl and creamer set is handcrafted in Nicaragua by the Ducuale Grande Women’s Pottery Cooperative, a fair trade organization. The clay is from the nearby hills and the pots are handcrafted without chemicals in outdoor kilns. Purchase at Equal Exchange, a fair trade cooperative, for only $14.95 per set. Equal Exchange

Crafted from bamboo, a sustainable natural grass, these boxes are topped with a lid and wrapped with a pretty ribbon and bow so no need for wrapping! Inside is everything you need to grow the chosen plant. Choose from organic basil, chives, oregano, mint, mixed herbs, and more. Also available in flower varieties! $20 to $45 at Potting Shed Creations

This hand-felted wool cat hideaway will please the feline lover in your life! Bonus: It comes in Christmas Red, so just roll it up and tie a ribbon around it for gifting. 

$59 

Click here to see it on Etsy! 

Kai fragrance is chemical-free, unlike most perfumes. Kai also makes a full line of bath and body products, at just $3 and up. But go for the eau de toilette for the lady in your life. $76 for 1.7 oz at Kai Fragrance 

Bamboo Knife Holder – These boxes are made from sustainable bamboo and come in 3 sizes for shorter or longer knives. Inside each box are tons of tiny bamboo skewers to hold knives of any size. What an innovative idea! $39 and up at VivaTerra

Hand Turbine AM/FM NOAA Weather Radio with USB Smartphone Charger and LED Flashlight. Wow, that’s a mouthful of a name for any one item! Use a hand crank to power up this all-in-one device no matter where you go. Charge your smartphone or listen to the radio, use the flashlight or tune into emergency weather broadcasts. Only $60 at Eton Corp

Each of these tiny tins is filled with seeds; catnip for the cat lover, clover for the friend who could use some luck, or seeds for a hummningbird garden for the bird lover are just a few of the choices. The tin can be used as a refrigerator magnet, too, and refilled with tiny tidbits in the kitchen that can be hard to keep up with. $3.25 each at Potting Shed Creations

Food Rules by Michael Pollan, acclaimed author  of  Omnivore’s Dilemma, is a pocket sized guide to eating in a way that’s good for you and the earth.  Available in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.com.  Cover price for the paperback is only $11 and you can purchase the hardcover for just $16.86 at barnesandnoble.com. 

Genius! Upcycled stillettos converted to planters! These gorgeous heels come complete with a succulent and soil from an organic gardener. Nevermind keeping your shoes off the table anymore! $55 on Etsy! Buy it Here! 

The Vagabond Studio is an Etsy seller that creates beautiful bouquets and flowers from unexpected materials. 

These flower clips are hand made from upcycled wool, meaning each one is unique. Attached to a no-slip alligator clip, they can be clipped in hair or used as an accessory on a favorite sweater, scarf or purse. 

Approximate size is 2.5x2.75. 

Only $8 each  Click Here to Buy on Etsy!

Peppermint just smells like Christmas, doesn’t it? How about a handcrafted bar of soap nut soap with peppermint oil to liven up a shower? This one comes packaged with a vertical soap dish so that a not a drop gets wasted, ready to give to that special someone.  $22.35 at Green Virgin Products 

This amazing clock by American Scientific doesn’t use batteries. It runs on water! Just open the cap, add water and a squeeze of lemon juice, and voila! It keeps time for months before refilling! $18.95 Buy it on Amazon

This sweet stuffed kitty is special. Hand knitted from organic yarns, totally toxin free, and designed to become a family heirloom, the Amelia kitty is just one in a line of these stuffed animals and dolls. Available in boy or girl versions, each one comes with an extra outfit. More clothes can be purchased separately, too.  $88 at Rosenberry Rooms 

Another fair trade item, this soft silk-blend scarf is hand crafted in Nepal.  At 84” long and 28” wide, this luxurious scarf will look and feel wonderful on any woman. 

Only $39 at Ten Thousand Villages

Children love to mimic their parents, so breast-feeding moms will often see their little girls “nursing” their dolls. 
If that’s your daughter, this child sized nursing cover up is the perfect gift for her this Christmas! 

Only $15 on Etsy! Click Here to Buy


Ladies young and old love bath products! How about an chemical free, naturally scented, homemade body scrub? Better yet, go for the set! Body scrub, foot scrub, lip scrub, facial cleansing oil, and lip balm from Purely Gorgeous are available in several scents including peppermint for the holidays.  $2.50 to $3.95 each on Etsy. Click Here to Buy! 

The “Complete Fair Trader Gift Basket” is the perfect gift for that person on your list who has everything. The hand woven grass basket holds an assortment of fair trade products including coffee, tea, assorted chocolates, and more. Yum! $60 at Equal Exchange 

For the man in your life, how about a bar of natural, handcrafted soap in a manly man scent? These wonderful soaps come in such masculine scents as Spiced IPA, Absinthe, and Black Pepper Chocolate. Enjoy giving them and then enjoy smelling him after he enjoys your gift! $5.75 each at Etsy.com

Does he love his golf game almost as much as he loves you? Make sure he thinks of you every time he plays! Get a set of two personalized golf ball markers made from reclaimed fine silver, which is 99.9% pure silver. It’s a personal keepsake that he will cherish. Perfect for women golfers, too, of course! These would make a great combined gift for your retired parents; get one personalized for each parent. Buy Here! 

Your man works hard and you love to help him relax when he gets home. This holiday help him relax with a pair of natural, eco-friendly, felted wool slippers. Soles are coated with natural latex to create a non-slip surface. Please note that, because these slippers are made to order, you should order as early as possible. $59 at Etsy.com 

Wrist cuffs are a popular accessory for men. These leather cuffs are made by upcycling old and vintage belts! Each cuff is one of a kind and there is a limited number available, so grab one before they’re gone! $32 at Etsy.com 

For the scotch lover, these gorgeous green glasses are made from 1L Glenlivet bottles. GroovyGreenGlass also sells a similar set made from Tanqueray gin bottles! $28 for the pair of Glenlivet scotch glasses or $30 for the gin glasses at Groovy Green Glass







Perfect for those perfect piggies on your perfect little girl, Piggy Paint is non-toxic, water-based nail polish. Get a couple for her stocking or pre-packaged gift set to put under the tree. $4 and up at piggypaint.com

These cute watches come in a variety of styles for men, women, and children of all ages. Even teens will like these timepieces! But what makes them eco-friendly? Just the organic cotton, corn husk resin, sustainable bamboo, natural mother of pearl, and more! These are the ultimate green watches! $40 and up at sproutwatches.comSprout Watches

Angela Englund's new book will be released in print on December 4, 2012. Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) will help you turn your backyard into a bountiful and sustainable food supply! Perfect for the backyard gardener, whether experienced or just starting out, you'll find information on why it's important to grow your own food, tips, growing guides, how to raise backyard livestock, how to eat seasonally and preserve food and more! Find out more at backyardfarmingguide.com. $20 at all major bookstores, or download a copy for yourself on Kindle or Nook. 



The Green Gift Guide is a work in progress! If you have a product or know a product that would make a great addition to the Green Gift Guide, email me at mamamakingchanges@aim.com.