Project Life: Week 8

I can't believe how long it's been since I shared a Project Life update!  Online I may be three weeks behind but I've actually done a pretty good job keeping up with filling in my album.  There were just various reasons why I couldn't post, happy ones like being away on a family trip to Walt Disney World and taking my very first cruise on the Disney Dream to the Bahamas.  My birthday also fell into the break, leaving me less time to update.  There's a little birthday giveaway still going on for that, go enter :) 

I forgot to take a double page view of the week.  The first half is about keeping out of Daddy's way as he works on finishing the basement, a visit from the Grandparents, and Fat Tuesday.  Do you have paczkies where you live?  It's a Polish tradition to eat these sweet filled donut like baked goods as a last splurge before the fasting of Lent.  It's very big in the Detroit area and something we really missed when we lived out of state.  The little bakery downtown makes especially sinful tasting ones, the lemon were my favorite.

The second half of the week had us saying good-bye to well loved neighbors, trying to finish up blogging deadlines like the review for Seventh Generation's diapers, getting snow, and bouncing in the jumperoo for the first time.  I kept things pretty basic using some rub ons, journaling on a tag, adding details digitally before I printed them, and using days of the week stickers from the kit. 

Credits:
Circle Outline: Date Seals: Make Your Own by Scrapping with Liz
Love You Buddy Stamp: Stamp Sheet {Boy} by Karla Dudley
Tuesday Frame: To Date by Gennifer Bursett



Linked up at The Mom Creative and One Happy Mama.

Review & Giveaway: Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers & Dr. Seuss´s The Lorax

You may remember the Seventh Generation Project Laundry Line Challenge I did a couple of years ago.  I'm excited to be featuring them again and the newest arrival to the Seventh Generation family of Free & Clear baby products. Look for their NEW Overnight Diapers debut in March along with the release of Universal Studios´ motion picture Dr. Seuss´s The Lorax*  

To celebrate this well known character, also known as the "Speaker for the Trees" who brings environmental truth and ecological hope to all, Seventh Generation will feature limited edition Lorax prints on all their diapers and training pants.  This partnership with Universal Studios, is designed to remind parents and caregivers of the lessons of The Lorax, and encourage family reading and environmental awareness while creating a few smiles.

Be looking for the Lorax on Free & Clear diapers!  Here is a little bit more about these Seventh Generation products that help protect the planet for future generations.

• NEW Overnight Diapers are absorbent enough to keep your baby and bedding dry through the night or during prolonged travel
• Free & Clear diapers have improved more flexible tabs that provide even better fit
• Free & Clear training pants have an absorbent core made with more renewable, plant-based materials. They also feature stretchy, tear away side panels for a better fit and added convenience, as well as inner leak barriers for superior leakage protection
• Seventh Generation Free & Clear baby care products do not contain chlorine, fragrance, petroleum-based lotions or latex, and all Free & Clear products are also hypo-allergenic
• Starting March 2, you can register for a free The Lorax scrapbook with the purchase of any three Free & Clear diaper products, until supplies last.

We've had a couple of days for LB to wear his new size 3 Free & Clear diapers.  I have always been concered about disposable diapers and their impact on the environment, but I just wasn't ready to make the jump to cloth.  I like knowing these are made out of renewable plant materials and how the graphics on the diaper are subtle and kept to a minimum.  The tabs are really great, even though this size is a little big for LB I was able to make them fit really nice and snug.  He recently wore one while I took him shopping.  He was strapped in the baby carrier and slept so nicely.  When we got home he was still asleep so I left him there longer.  When he woke up the diaper was really full but no leaks! 

Along with the Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers we also got a copy of Dr. Suess´ The Lorax, and introduced this classic Dr. Seuss title to our five year old for the first time.  As we read his message of sustainability together, I couldn't help but hope that it would inspire her to become part of the newest generation of environmentalists in our family. 

I think the book's message is multi-layered and can be complex for little kids.  It made me happy when she told me that her main take away from it was, "Do not chop down trees."  It's a good start and one that Brad and I can both appreciate.  We've been fortunate enough to walk among nature's giants in places like Muir Woods and can appreciate the wonders of a beautiful forest.  Reading it also got her interested in seeing the movie too.  I'm hoping to check it out, because I remember an animated version from my own childhood and am curious to see how it's been updated. 

Connect with Seventh Generation:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Giveaway! 

One reader will win a Seventh Generation Diapers Prize Pack with:

One package of new Seventh Generation Free & Clear diaper product

A copy of Dr. Seuss´s The Lorax storybook

Please use Rafflecopter to enter, after signing in it will prompt you with how you can enter.  Giveaway open now through March 16 midnight EST to US residents.

Seventh Generation: Project Laundry Line Winner

Since everyone was so supportive of the 30 Day Project Laundry Line Challenge with Seventh Generation, that my family recently finished, I wanted to let you all know some interesting facts I recently got from them:

Masking Agents: What Are They Hiding?

· Truly fragrance free products have a scent. If there is no scent, it is likely that the product contains a masking agent.

· Masking agents are actually synthetic fragrances that neutralize the scents so that there is no appreciable odor in a product.

· Masking agents have similar effects to fragrances – some people have skin and respiratory sensitivity to them.

· If a product does not contain fragrance it may still contain a masking agent – “no masking agents” claims indicate to consumers with sensitivities to fragrance that there are no fragrances present.

Optical Brighteners: Not a Brilliant Idea

· Optical brighteners are chemicals that make fabrics seem brighter or whiter than they are.

· They remain behind on clean laundry as a coating and when invisible ultraviolet light hits this coating; they convert it into visible light to create an optical illusion that tricks the eye into thinking our clothes are super clean.

· Optical brighteners are designed to remain behind on clothes/laundry which means they come in direct contact with skin.

· They can cause allergic reactions in some people.

· Some are poisonous to fish and other aquatic life.

· Many are not biodegradable and remain in waterways.

Why Seventh Generation Laundry Products are Different

· Plant-based laundry detergents are non-toxic and biodegradable

· Hypo-allergenic

· Free of phosphates and optical brighteners

· Safe for septic and greywater systems

· Not tested on animals and are Kosher certified

Learn more about Seventh Generation’s line of laundry products at http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Natural-Laundry-Detergent

And now for the information, I know you're all wanted to know...the winner is...MaryAnne, comment #19, who said, "And I subscribe via email," in her winning comment.

She also said in another entry comment, "I would love to win this giveaway - I've been wanting to try line drying for a while but can't convince DH to put posts in the ground for a permanent line. We use cloth diapers and wipes to be eco-friendly, and we recycle and compost. And, I have fabulous memories of running through the sheets my mom would pin up to dry in our back yard."

Congratulations MaryAnne sounds like you already do a lot of green activities to help our planet!



Disclosure: Seventh Generation provided me with the free product, gift pack, information in this post, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark as well as with a Flip Camera to enable me to complete the reviews.

Part 2: Seventh Generation Project Laundry Line, 30 Days and GIVEAWAY

As you know from my previous post and vlog, we accepted the 30 day challenge to use Seventh Generation's Natural 2X Concentrated Laundry Liquid and line dry our clothes. What a challenge it has been, indeed! While washing on cold and using their laundry liquid were easy, we'd already made the switch to cold, planning for the time to air dry them wasn't. It continued to be a challenge the whole time. We never did find a way around it. Find out more about how it went, by clicking on the video below.

So while we won't be line drying our clothes full time, we have decided we'd like to begin incorporating it into our routine. I think even a small change, like line drying every third load, will help a lot. I just don't see how I can pull doing a load every day long term. Now if only I could figure out a way to make the clothes that are line dried a little softer.
Here are some more facts I learned about while participating in the Seventh Generation Project Laundry Line. All are encouraging reasons why we should make line drying a regular part of our laundry routine.

• 90% of the energy used when washing clothes is used for heating the water.
• Approximately 23.8 billion pounds of clothing and textiles end up in U.S. landfills each year
• The average household can save up to $25 per month off electric bill by line drying.
• Sunlight bleaches and disinfects
• Approximately one quarter of Americans use an ENERGY STAR washer. There are no ENERGY STAR dryers on the market.
• Indoor drying racks can humidify in dry winter weather.
• Seventh Generation 2X Concentrate Liquid Laundry Detergent is specially formulated to remove soil and stains in cold water, and reduces CO2 emissions.
• Getting out of hot water can save you money—as much as $70/year on your energy bill.
• Laundry that's cold water washed and line dried lasts longer, helping to protect the environment and your wallet.
• Cold water washing and line drying helps conserve energy and the environment, while reducing climate change.
• If Americans air dried their clothing for 10 months out of the year, we could avoid 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
• If every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 100 ox. 2x ultra petroleum-based liquid laundry detergent with our 100 oz. 2x ultra plant derived product, we could save 466,000 barrels of oil, enough to heat and cool 26,800 U.S. holes for a year.
• 60 million Americans live in approximately 300,000 community associations. The majority of these restrict or ban the clothesline.
• You can reduce the full lifecycle climate change impact of your jeans by up to 50 percent by line drying and washing them in cold water.
• Conventional detergents contain polluting surfactants like alkylphenol ethoxylates, or APEs. Natural laundry products use safe, biodegradable ingredients such as vegetable oils.

Giveaway!

Win a Seventh Generation “Project Laundry Line” kit that includes Seventh Generation Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Liquid (good for 66 loads of laundry), portable laundry line, clothes pins, and laundry basket. Just like you saw with me in the video above.

To Enter:

Share with me your memories of line drying {or} tell me what household changes you've made to be more eco-friendly.

Extra Entries:

• Publically follow my blog, using Google Friend's Connect.
• Subscribe to my blog via EMAIL.
• Post my link button.
• Add my blog's Facebook page to your "Likes
• Add Seventh Generation's Facebook page to your "Likes"
• Follow me on Twitter, tweet this giveaway using @KTnestingspot in it
• Follow Seventh Generation on Twitter.

Giveaway open to US residents now through July 8th midnight EST. Good luck and please make sure I have a way to contact you, if you win.

Disclosure: Seventh Generation provided me with the free product, gift pack, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark as well as with a Flip Camera to enable me to make this vlog. This vlog presents my own unbiased opinions and experiences with the product and challenge.

Seventh Generation's Project Laundry Line Challenge

Today I'm excited to share with you my very first vlog, sponsored by Seventh Generation, it's a company I was especially pleased to work with because of their committment to naturally safe and effective household products.

Seventh Generation’s plant-based laundry detergents are non-toxic and biodegradable, hypo-allergenic, and free of phosphates and optical brighteners. In addition, they are safe for septic and greywater systems, not tested on animals, and are Kosher certified. Available at your local retail and grocery stores, Seventh Generation has introduced new products to suit every laundry need:

Chlorine Free Bleach*
Delicate Care Laundry Detergent*
Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Liquid*
Natural Fabric Softner*
Natural Powdered Laundry*
Natural Fabric Softener Sheets*

We've been taking part of a 30 day challenge to wash our clothes on cold and line dry them. Did you know that if the average family did this, they could save almost $200 in year! Plus, if every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of traditional 100 oz. concentrate laundry liquid with a 100 oz. concentrate plant-derived product, like Seventh Generation, we could save 466,000 barrels of oil, enough to heat and cool 26,800 U.S. homes for a year. WOW, that shows me that little changes can make a big difference!

I'd love for you to click on the play button below and view my vlog to see how the challenge has been going for us.



Don't forget to check back in two weeks to see how the overall challenge went and to find out how you can win a Seventh Generation “Project Laundry Line” kit that includes Seventh Generation Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Liquid (good for 66 loads of laundry), portable laundry line, clothes pins, and laundry basket!

Disclosure: Seventh Generation provided me with the free product, gift pack, and giveaway through MyBlogSpark as well as with a Flip Camera to enable me to make this vlog. This vlog presents my own unbiased opinions and experiences with the product and challenge.