I don’t usually (or ever), post warnings likes this. But having had many younger family members and friends children play on these things (as did I, as a child) – I felt it may be of interest.

Bouncy “castles” and massive jumpy toys are irresponsibly toxic. From the Center for Environmental Health:

“CEH testing found one bounce house contained more than 70 times the federal limit for lead in children’s products under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Independent testing commissioned by CEH also showed that lead from bounce houses can expose children to the toxic chemical at levels that violate California law.”

(Read more: HERE)

Really? SEVENTY BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP TIMES?!?!

Luckily, a suit is in the making:

“It’s the PVC to blame for the lead content in these bounce houses. This “poison plastic” has prompted the California Attorney General Jerry Brown to file a lawsuit against companies that supply bounce houses.”

(Read more: HERE)

Being safe is a total buzz kill. I get that.

But 70x?!! It’s safer to give them a few Menthols for Pete’s sake.

That doesn’t really seem like anything to celebrate.

I am ever on the look out for sweet party favor boxes. These Dutch house shaped ones are from Dutch by Design and are a gift unto themselves.  Perfect for the Hans Christian Andersen themed fete. Which are all the rage.

Ahem.

Anyway.  Paired with non-toxic markers – and you’ll have  a brilliant little gift for all those need a break from Star Wars young’uns.

I know. Poor Alden….

I am not crafty. Not even a little bit. I can’t manage a glue gun,  felt or anything else that requires that special “touch”.   I look at a sock and I see…well, a sock.  I am an accomplished present wrapper and I spend days laying a table (on special occasions) – but that is the sad extent of it.

But I LURVE all those pretty and delicate crafts that seem to so effortlessly spring from the hearts and hands of brides on Style Me Pretty, and other gorgeous wedding blogs – and, of course Martha Stewart magazine – which is where I first saw these I want to hug you you are so pretty Pom Poms.

I can’t think of an occasion where you wouldn’t need these feathery Poms – can you? Clearly they are perfect for baby showers…

And Halloween parties….

And even New Years parties!

And lucky for us, you needn’t even own a pair of scissors to have these whimsical spheres dangling about your fete delighting old and young alike, as you can order them, in every imaginable colour, from PomLove on Etsy!

Doesn’t that make you happy? It did me.

And with two weeks left in my pregnancy, I needed a little delighting.

Enjoy!

My grandmother set a beautiful table.  ’tis a lost art….

So you are having a wee party for the small ones, or you need a “baby table” for Thanksgiving, and you have thrown out all of those cheap and toxic plywood ones.  Now what?

Worry not, Modern Lola  has the solution.  And how. Forget the PVC saturated wood, and break out the non-toxic crayons – the little imps may not even want to eat once they start colouring in these brilliant cardboard tables that will distract and delight even the most high fructose corn syruped child…

The perfect height and size, these tables will spare you any food coma post dinner laundry or clean up. Toss the whole thing if you must!

Honestly. Could this BE any easier? Or more fun? I can’t think why they haven’t adult versions….

Please send me photos to post if you use them!

…in brilliant birthday parties that you wish you had had….

This absolutely perfect party (that I plan to shamelessly copy for my own wee son one day), was featured over at Black Eiffel.

Look how simple, and yet utterly magical.

I do believe, I do believe….

These pumpkins are actually collections of mini-cupcakes in a Jack-o-Lantern design.  If you don’t have the time to decorate hundreds of vegan, gluten free cupcakes, this seems the perfect festive solution!  (These particular cupcakes, and the “map” to set them up, are available from Baked by Melissa.  Clever girl, that one.)

Don’t have time for either, but you have already committed to healthy cupcakes for Jr’s school?

This gem of a store: www.FancyFlours.com, has all the accoutrements that you will need to look as though you are far more together than you actually are.

How beautiful are these pumpkin cupcake wrappers…

…or these…

And these sweet little harlequins - though choking hazards – are re-usable and perfect for an older child’s party.

Not green enough?

Well, fruit and veg cutouts for dipping can be this cute with the apple cut outs set from Fancy Flours.

(Of course, you would use hummus, not caramel!)

And if you somehow got suckered onto the decorations committee?  Find a convenient 100 cotton (not organic), sustainable and reusable Halloween Decoration Kit  at Green Planet Parties;  it includes a banner, tablecloth, bat appliques and more!

And what they’ll keep it always “treat” to give the kids?

These adorable mini chalk mats  are perfect for a classroom fete – and they are only $15 for a set of 10.  From Etsy, of course.

Now you have all you need to plan ahead for a more eek-o-friendly Halloween.

BOO!

Most eco wrap is either too “earthy” or too modern for my taste.  But Amy Butler makes refreshing as a sparkling minty mojito wrapping that is perfect for new baby gifts in 100% recycled paper.

Even better?

She makes gorgeous matching paper plateware with non-toxic soy inks on recycled paper with water soluble coatings.

Clever Amy makes both in hues of blues and pink – but the designs seem neutral enough to me to be suitable for “surprise” babies.

I just hope that the woman comes out with eco holiday paper goods, as cubist reindeers and “retro” Santa’s just aren’t for me.  Eco toile, anyone? Anyone?

That’s a wrap.

Who didn’t have a refrigerator house/castle/spaceship? I once played with one at my grandmother’s sleepy beach house for an entire month, until the chickens moved in.  And then there was the hungry goat.  Ah, those halcyon days….

The humble refrigerator box is a distant ancestor of  this cardboard plane, which is a wonderful gift for any child, and a fleet of them may make a brilliant birthday party activity. ($50 each).  I love me a plane that doesn’t require a few glasses of wine to ride.  And how sweet would passport invitations be?

And to where would one fly a cardboard plane? Why, to ones cardboard castle, of course! (Also $50) 

Where one may have use of a sword ($6 per 12)…

or crown…

And after HRH has tired of his noble cardboard toys ? Recycle them!

Oh.  And watch for chickens and goats.