Category Archives: Essential Books and Products

What I have reviewed.

Spotlight: Dalew Farms (Lavigne, ON)

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I mentioned Dalew Farms briefly in another post, but I wanted to go a little more in-depth today.

There are a lot of people out there in the more remote areas of Canada looking for good, inexpensive, organic goods.

Northern Ontario is a region that is dotted with small towns stretched out along far distances.  It can be difficult to get high quality produce and meat in the few (sometimes only one) small grocery stores due to the high cost of transporting these goods from down south.

However, there are also many farms within Northern Ontario, and if you live near the Lavigne area then you are lucky enough to be close to Dalew Farms. Continue reading →

Fantastic Homemade Laundry Detergent

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Because we are away from our neck of the woods for my Dad’s wedding (congrats Dad!), I figured I would pre-write this post just in case I couldn’t get a chance to write an update of week 3 of the 30 x 30 challenge.  If you are reading this I am far away from my precious Mac.  I will get back to reality soon.  In the meantime enjoy THIS post:

Fantastic Homemade Laundry Detergent

Waaaaaaaaaaay back in October I tried out a homemade laundry soap recipe that I found on Pinterest (originally from the site Tip Junkie).  It is now almost mid-June and I JUST ran out of the soap.  Because it lasted so long, was so inexpensive and worked so well, I wanted to write about it today. Continue reading →

Guest Post: Why Use Essential Oils

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Today I’m participating in the Ultimate Blog Swap.  You’ll find me guest posting over at Townsend House about my food preservation hits and misses, and I’m excited to welcome Krissa from More than Mundane to Yeah Baby It’s Cold Outside.

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I first began using essential oils a couple years ago when I began looking for ways to create a healthier, more eco-friendly home environment. As I began to learn more and more about essential oils I realized they were an extremely natural, effective, and versatile tool in creating the natural home I’m striving for.

Natural

One thing I love about essential oils is that they are natural. Essential oils are distilled from plants and plant parts. I can feel safe about using them in my home, for myself and for my family.

Effective

I love that essential oils are not only natural, but also Continue reading →

Eco Parent Magazine Review: Premiere Issue

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As you may remember, I wrote briefly about Eco Parent magazine in April.  Along with the one year subscription that they generously donated for me to give away to one of my lucky blog readers, they also sent me the première issue to review.  After a very hectic week, I finally got the chance to relax and take a look at this new Canadian read.

The great thing about Eco Parent magazine is that it is printed on 100% recycled paper.  I have to admit that I am guilty of being drawn in by a flashy cover and interesting article titles, without stopping to think of the environmental impact that purchasing this type of magazine leads to.  In fact, it wasn’t until I was researching Eco Parent Magazine that I even realized that I had been doing this.

So to see that Eco Parent Magazine is using 100% recycled paper makes me feel better.  What is refreshing about it is Continue reading →

The Tiny Seed (Children’s Book Review)

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This Sunday is Earth Day.  Even though they are calling for snow this weekend in our area, I am still hoping to get  some quality time outside with Little Man and the Dreamboat.  Little Man is still a tad young to understand what gardening is about, but I still want to introduce him to the wonderful world of flowers, compost, bugs and dirt.  He did eat dirt out of a potted plant recently, but that is not exactly what I have in mind. Continue reading →

Wee Urban Modern Organic Baby (Baby Product Review)

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There is a craft show in Sudbury twice a year.  I have gone three times now with Grandma N and while there are always beautiful things for sale, I rarely find anything really amazing.  Because the craft show fell on the weekend before Little Man’s first birthday party, I decided to skip the show in favour of some good old fashioned home cleaning.

When Grandma N stopped by after the show to give me the business card for Wee Urban, I was so excited that I went to the craft show an hour before closing just to talk to the owner.  I’m glad I went.  I was provided with an organic onesie to review, and was so impressed that the following day I returned to the craft show to purchase two rompers and a sleep sac.  As for the organic onesie that I was asked to review Continue reading →

Eco Parent Magazine Giveaway

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Don’t forget that you MUST submit your email address and “like” the Facebook page to be entered into the draw.

Get ready for the very first giveaway on Yeah Baby It’s Cold Outside!  Today’s fabulous prize is a one year subscription to Eco Parent, Canada’s newest Green magazine.  So often what is available to us in the north is printed in either the U.S. or Europe.  Now Canadian parents have a homegrown magazine to read.

With the principles of courage, compassion and responsibility as the driving force behind Eco Parent magazine, you will find inspiration to live a more sustainable lifestyle whether you are new to the idea of green living or a seasoned environmentalist.  The positive outlook incorporated into well-written pieces in Eco Parent magazine conveys the message that being green is not about perfection but practice.

The premiere issue offers Continue reading →

363 Days

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Although he doesn’t officially turn one until Monday, this Saturday we celebrated Little Man’s first birthday.  You know those parties you see on Pinterest where the supermom whips up an elaborately piped cake and intricate handmade decorations?  This was not one of those parties.  At our casa, a shindig is all about the hastily made sign, the tidy but not spotless house and the incredibly loud laugh of the Dreamboat and other loved ones.  After all, getting together with family and friends is supposed to be fun, right?

I spent most of the past week slowly puttering away in preparation for the arrival of our guests. Little Man’s great-aunt M came on Friday and we got started prepping the sugar-free birthday cake for the party.  [Check out the recipe at the end of the post!]

I was really excited about this recipe because Continue reading →

Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers (Cookbook Review)

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I am a book fiend.  It has taken years to develop the ability to walk out of a book store with only one or (gasp!) no books.  In high school it was books about art, in university it was politics and now that I am married it is books about food.  I love cookbooks!  With Little Man’s arrival, I began scouring bookstores for great cookbooks that tackle cooking for children.  Organically Raised by Anni Daulter has been one of my favourite finds so far.

Daulter refers to Organically Raised as “a cookbook with a conscience.”  In it she encourages parents to replace traditional (i.e. generally pesticide grown) jarred baby foods with delicious, organic homemade dishes.  Dishes are simple but flavourful, with everything from a steamed carrot, spinach, and beet blend to pan-seared halibut with lemon caper sauce and parmesan linguine.

The book is divided into Continue reading →