How often do you make or buy homemade Halloween costumes that are used only once because they are too scratchy and uncomfortable to ever wear again? Too often I would imagine. Are you left with a pile of pirates, princesses, and various ghouls and ghosties with no little kiddy to make them come alive once the candy has been consumed and the pumpkins have been turned into pie?

If you'd rather your kids could make use of those homemade Halloween costumes and their imaginations year round let me introduce Sarah's Silks. Sarah's Silks is a company started by Sarah and Mike Lee from Sonoma California who are dedicated to helping create a better world through imaginative play.

Sarah's Silks offer a large selection of delicately delightful "quality play silks, toys and dress-ups for boys and girls between the ages of 3-10, that ignite the imagination, and capture the magical soul that lives in young children."

How are Sarah's Silks Homemade Halloween Costumes Made?

Silk is a natural fiber and renewable resource so it falls into that eco-friendly pile of playthings we so love here at Earth Friendly Goodies. Besides the eco-friendly nature of silk all the handmade dress-up silks use non-toxic vinegar-based dyes and are hand made by home based seamstresses in Shanghai China then shipped to Sonoma California where a group of women working in their homes finish sewing, ironing and packaging them.

Our daughters love playing dress-up year round and will break out the princess costumes any time day or night (princes need kissing and dragons need slaying at all hours it seems).

If you are looking for a unique fairy tale themed Halloween costume or a Halloween costume you can make at home Sarah's Silks has several homemade Halloween costumes and silky accessories to choose from including dragons, unicorns, knights, mermaids, and of course princesses and fairies. Not only does Sarah's Silks sell completed costumes they also sell many fun flavors of play silks that you can use however you like to make your own homemade Halloween costumes.

Find a large selection of Sarah's Silks homemade Halloween costumes for sale at Amazon as well as individual play silks for your own creative play below.

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Silk Rainbow Streamer List Price: $16.95 Sale Price: $12.55 You save: $4.40 (26%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Sarah's Silks Play Silk Sale Price: $17.95 - $21.99

Sarah’s Silks Natural Homemade Halloween Costumes is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

This 15-watt solar charger plugs into your vehicle's 12-volt lighter socket so when you are out in the boonies becoming one with nature you can still have the luxury of bragging to your friends on Facebook that you are on vacation. Intended to work to charge your car, boat or RV battery but many inventive folks are using these Sunforce 15 Watt Solar chargers mounted on their homes or elsewhere for some extra free energy.

These originally list for $129.99 but thanks to the Amazon Lightning Deal you can grab one (or several) for only $70! (Amazon's regular price seems to be $92.72 but with the Lightning Deal it is down to the $70 - if you make the deadline the price will be shown in the cart - good luck!)

Update: This Lightning Deal is gone but the price on solar charging kits are dropping as new technology comes out. This Sunforce 50032 15 Watt Solar Battery Charger is now on sale for $79.95 or you can grab the newer model Sunforce 50033 for even less.

Check out these other Sunforce solar charging kits for sale at Amazon

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Solar Hat Sale Price: $19.99   Eligible for free shipping!

Thermoelectric Cooler/Warmer List Price: $149.99 Sale Price: $99.99 You save: $50.00 (33%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Sunforce 15 Watt Solar Battery Charger on Sale is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

Last year I had fun keeping track of a number of green deals (including this fun AeroGrow review which had a great Lightning Deal offer), but this year nothin'. Well sure if you want to get picky there are Lightning deals on LED TV's that can be considered green, but is it too hard to ask for a Cyber Monday Lightning Deal Green category?

That being said there are still plenty of great unofficial (and unannounced) Cyber Monday eco-friendly sales on Amazon - below are some of the most gifted and wished for green gifts for the 2010 holiday season. Enjoy! (and if you see a great eco-friendly Cyber Monday deal let us know below...)

Green Cyber Monday Lightning Deals Feeling Blue is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

Each set includes a fork, knife, spoon and chopsticks all snug as a bug in a rug in a nice durable utensil holder made from RPET, recycled PET plastic (often called RePEat) which is made from recycled plastic bottles.

• These Bamboo utensils are heat and stain resistant and won't absorb flavors so you don't have to worry about chocolate pudding flavored pasta.
• They are sealed with a natural, vegan, food-safe sealant that has been tested and contains NO heavy metals that could leach into food.
• They are strong too, much stronger than those pesky plastic forks that always break and you end up trying to eat with a one or two tined fork by the end of the meal.

The RePEat utensil holders are available in a number of colors and styles so you can pick up a different one for each member of the family. We actually bought them as camping utensils but we have found there are so many more uses, and we can feel good about turning down plastic utensils where ever we go. Yes we are eco-geeky like that. As it turns out so is Oprah as the To-Go Ware was featured on Oprah's Earth Day show. (just a bit of eco-geek trivia for you)

Bamboo To-Go Ware utensil sets are for sale at a number of locations including Amazon (where you can often find them with free shipping), Whole Foods, REI and through the To-Go Ware web site itself.

This Post Shared on Real Food Wednesday

To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensils and Eco-Friendly Utensil Holder is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

I was sitting at the computer gazing longingly at a pair of high boots on sale when I caught a flash of hot pink from the corner of my eye - a runaway pink flamingo from the zoo? No couldn't be. I heard the tell tale scrape of the kitchen step stool followed by the brief clatter of the snack jar - I dash into the kitchen (the mission impossible soundtrack echoing in my mind) but too late all I see is that dazzling pink flash. But there is more - a shoe print. Not just any shoe print but a highly decorative artistic print like no other - I'd recognize it anywhere - Jambu!

Last spring I fell in love with my own Jambu Planet Vegan shoes with their artsy stylish embellishments, a designer shoe with a rugged outdoor hiker chick durability yet a classy feminine style. But I digress - back to the culprit at hand.

I peek out the door to find an innocent 5 year old smile an outstretched hand, and a full cheeked muffled "I got these for you mommy."

How can you not love being a mom especially when you know your kids feet are so well protected by a moisture absorbing memory foam foot bed, and protective partially recycled toe and heel bumpers.

I love the new Montana Jambu shoes for kids just as much as she because I know they will last (not only for her but for her younger sister as well) and she loves them because they are easy to slip on, run in and well just be a kid. Plus you can see the sparkle in her eyes when she gets to match mommy. We make a stunning picture - 2 gorgeous babes (says daddy) strutting their cute Jambu shoes around town.

Currently available at Amazon, PlanetShoes.com and other specialty retailers The Montana line from Jambu footwear is a velcro strap girls shoe available in four fun colors. A partially vegan kids shoe with the signature Jambu style including floral design insole and cute flowery elements in the partially recycled rubber bottoms all packaged up nice and secure in 100% Recycled and recyclable packaging.

Check out these other cute girl shoes for sale below from Jambu

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Jambu Dragonfly Mary Jane (Toddler/Little Kid/Big Kid) Sale Price: $54.95 - $55.00

Jambu Ladybug Backstrap Sandal (Toddler/Little Kid/Big Kid) Sale Price: $52.25 - $55.00

Jambu Montana: Cute Girl Shoes with a Sense of Adventure is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

Are you tired of throwing perfectly good food scraps, junk mail, cardboard, and coffee grounds into the trash? I certainly am, but for a long time being wasteful just seemed like one of the unavoidable evils of living in a small apartment and having no yard to speak of. Despite this setback, I've been researching different compost options all summer long, hoping to find something that will work anywhere-even a small apartment-without creating offensive odors or taking up large quantities of precious space, or being overly time consuming (hey, I'm a busy girl, I've got a life you know!)

Some small scale homemade operations sounded promising-like one website that suggested taking a plastic container, drilling some holes (I don't own a drill, but maybe I could have bought one...and then learned how to use it...someday....), adding a few dried lawn clippings (never mind that I live in an apartment and don't have any dried lawn clippings), and found a spot for it outside (did I mention we don't have a yard?) Although this "do it yourself" compost idea gave me something to feel hopeful about-really it just made me want to keep looking. I wanted something tried and true-something easy-something that wouldn't take all summer to learn how to do. So my next big idea was to buy a big plastic drum with the little holes for aeration already drilled in. You just roll it over every so often to redistribute the nutrients-I could have bought a huge 55 gallon drum for around $150. This might have worked fine for someone with a yard to roll it around in, but my significant other was quick to point out our small patio had no room for "rolling around." It was with some difficulty that I had to scratch out yet another good plan (for someone else). No, facing up to facts, what I really needed was something that could go inside...an indoor composter that was pre-made, small, practical, odorless, and not some major eye sore.

Remember grandma's compost pile--the one that stunk every time she opened it to add a few new food scraps? That's called anaerobic composting. Anaerobic composting is smelly because that kind of bacteria operates without airflow. That's not what I wanted. I wanted aerobic composting-it sounds similar, but these air-loving bacteria thankfully can get the job of composting done without the stink. Good air circulation is key. If your compost smells bad, I have it on good authority that you are doing something wrong.
Over the weekend, I finally discovered the composting solution I've been searching for - worms. Worm are great, really. Worm castings are full of nutrients that plants just love. They are quiet, well mannered, polite, shy, and they're hard workers who will work for food, helping to give my food scraps a second life. I found this amazing invention on Amazon and it's called the Worm Factory. (I got the Worm Factory DS3GT 3-Tray Worm Composter).

If this doesn't work I don't know what will, but I'll keep you updated. So far I really like my Worm Factory worm composting bin. It was simple to set up and didn't require any tools-although I did make it a little easier on myself by using a screwdriver to ease the 2 bolts into place. The directions and pictures in the 16 page booklet were very helpful and actually interesting to read. I learned that citrus and some types of plants should not be added to the compost pile as they can harm the worms. Oh, and I learned that there are over 7,000 types of worms, but the kind you want to use in your composting worm farm are called red wigglers, also known as Eisenia fetida. They weigh next to nothing and they recommend you start with half a pound (500 red wigglers.) Amazon has worms for sale, but I did a search on Craigslist and found a local seller of composting worms. I decided to start out small and just bought 5 dozen (60 worms) because he was charging $1.50/dozen and I didn't see the point in going broke when red wigglers are supposed to reproduce quickly, doubling in number every three months. They are organic worms...I guess that implies there are other worms that are not organic? I'll see how it goes and I can always buy more worms later if needed. Otherwise, a pound of red composting worms on amazon was around $30.

I think it's also great that this worm composter is designed to direct the worms to migrate upwards toward the new food sources. Because worm composting worms climb to the top of the bin your composted material on the bottom is ready to be added to your garden - you don't have to worry about throwing all your worms out or having to sort them out first.

I also learned other helpful tips about freezing food scraps, microwaving, or chopping into small pieces to speed their decomposition. The composting worms do best between 60-80 degrees, so inside the apartment should be pretty comfortable. Pretty much everything I needed to get started with worm composting, including coir brick and shredded filling were included in the purchase price. You'll just need red wiggler worms, about a cup of compost or soil, and a few food scraps to get started.
Other product features of the worm factory include:

• Made with post-consumer recycled plastic, Dimensions 16-inch x 16-inch x 13-inch
• Built in "worm tea" collector tray and spigot for easy draining
• Year Round Production
• Odor Free Operation
• Expandable up to 7 trays (You can buy an extra tray for around $10 on Amazon)

Do you have any worm composting wisdom or experiences to share?
We would love to hear from you! Good luck and happy composting!

Indoor Worm Composting in Small Spaces with the Worm Factory is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

Well, ok maybe not the free dusting/vacuuming but it does come with Enhanced Delivery, a slick option I wasn't aware of where a representative of the delivery company will bring your TV to any room suitable for testing, unpack it, and ensure that it is working properly to guarantee no damage occurred during transportation. That's a pretty sweet deal!

Samsung LED HDTV Eco-Friendly Features

Now this may not be on your top list of features in this sweet little magic picture box but the Samsung LED HDTV Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards. (hey this is an Earth Friendly blog and I had to justify writing about sweet new tech somehow didn't I? Maybe Samsung will send me a free LED TV so I can give an in-depth review... fingers crossed)

LED HDTV's are so Energy Efficient they use up to 50% less energy than the latest ENERGY STAR specifications! Not only is it cool to be green these days but it means you are saving money while you stay up all night watching your favorite TV show marathon on your free Blu-ray player.

Check out these bestselling Samsung LED HDTV's for sale below

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Samsung UN46EH6000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV List Price: $1,079.00 Sale Price: $897.99 You save: $181.01 (17%)   Eligible for free shipping!

Samsung UN40EH6000 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black) List Price: $849.00 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping!

I didn't get any moolah from Samsung to toot their horn (I'll accept a free TV though - doesn't hurt to try) but if any kind soul buys something from an Amazon link within this site I will eventually make a enough to buy myself a Samsung LED HDTV - well ok so it would have to be a massive amount of people but it could happen - if you are one of those people thank you kindly.

Samsung LED HDTV Now Comes with Free Room Cleaning is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

I think I have found the best grass seed as I have the perfect lush green eco friendly lawn, well at least in my mind I do. And perhaps thanks to Eco-Lawn from Wildflower Farms that lush green grass I envision will become a reality. Oh, did I forget to mention my perfect eco lawn needs no watering, fertilizer, bug killer and only needs mowing once a month at most? Sounds to me like an Eco Lawn review is in order.

Is Eco-Lawn Really the Best Grass Seed Ever?

A lush Eco-Lawn, alas not mine

As hard as it is to believe that is what Eco-Lawn™ grass seed claims - eco-lawn grass seed produces an extremely drought tolerant, low maintenance lawn. Since the roots of this fine fescue grass blend grow 9-14 inches deep it crowds out any weeds (it is also allelopathic which means the grass exudes a natural herbicide to prevent weeds), and grows deep enough that harmful chemical fertilizers are not needed, plus an Eco-Lawn is naturally resistant to bugs, grubs and insects! If that doesn't sound like the best grass seed ever I don't know what is.

Actually I had heard similar good things about Zoysia grass seed, but after looking into it further I found out that Zoysia grass doesn't grow well in cooler climates. Eco-Lawn™ is produced in Canada so as you can imagine if it grows that far north it will thrive in cooler climates. As far as growing in hot climates like Arizona - Wildflower Farms says it grows great, but you'll need to water it maybe once a week - much less than traditional grass seed.

Reading all the claims and testimonials got me quite excited to try this low maintenance eco-friendly grass seed for myself to find out of it really is the best grass seed for my lawn and thanks to the fine folks at Wildflower Farm I get the chance to review Eco Lawn grass seed.

My Eco Lawn Grass Seed Experiment, and the Best Grass Seed Is...?

Before Eco-Lawn Seeding - What a Mess!

Since the front portion of our lawn was looking pretty burnt out I figured that would be a good place to start. The best time to plant grass seed is in the fall (for Northern climates), the second best time to plant grass seed is in the spring and like any kid with a new toy I couldn't wait to start so the spring it is.

The Wildflower Farms website has lots of information about the best time to plant grass seed, the best grass seed for overseeding and installation tips for planting Eco-Lawn™ grass seed in particular. If you over seed a lawn like I was planning it can take a few years to get a completely established eco lawn, but since the lawn was pretty burnt out already we'll see how it goes.

One tip for overseeding that I wish I had done was to de-thatch the lawn with a metal rake, but since it was spring they suggested not to do so because it stirs up the weed seeds. I found the weeds were plenty ready to pop up anyway so de-thatching the lawn seems like it would have helped the grass seed get established better as the areas where the thatch had been removed with a loose raking are coming up better. I may have to try another section of the lawn in the fall as a comparison.

Best grass seed for cooler climates: updates and overseeding tips

It has been a few weeks and some areas are coming up better than others, but so far things are looking good. I can tell though that with the overseeding method it will take lots of time and patience.

Stay tuned for my progress, I'll let you know how things go... and someday perhaps the eco-friendly lush green lawn I envision will be the one I see out the window.

Update: Fall 2010
It is now fall and time for seeding number two. I can tell already the over-seeding method is going to take plenty of patience. There was an area of the lawn that I had to re-bury the sprinkler system (long story - don't ask) and in that area I had covered it with compost. Over the summer the eco-lawn grass seed was coming up nice and thick in that area... problem was so was a mighty interesting collection of weeds. So here are a few observations and tips I would suggest.

Eco-Lawn Over Seeding Tips:
1. If you plan to over-seed make sure you have plenty of patience - it will take awhile.
2. For best results lay down a layer of compost and mix the seed into that - I strongly suggest you somehow pre-treat the compost for weeds. If anyone knows of a way to naturally prevent weed growth in composted soil please comment below - we'd all like to know!
3. Even though Wildflower Farms recommends you do not de-thatch the lawn with a metal rake for spring seeding I think I would have had better results if I had. The main reason they do not recommend it is because it stirs up the weed seeds, but I found both the compost covered area and the non-composted area were full of weeds anyway. Based on the areas of eco-lawn seed that were growing the best it was in areas that had looser soil.

Update: Spring 2011
A new season of Eco-lawn overseeding begins! Well, I've had a bit of a set back... we had some not so pleasant visitors over the winter - Moles! or voles or shrews or whatever those tunnel digging pests are that invaded my fall seeding. So my struggling patch looked like an ant farm if it was laid out over the lawn - lots of tracks and tunnels.

I laid down another run of eco-lawn grass seed so we'll see how this next phase of the overseeding goes. I still hold firm on my advice to just bite the bullet and till your lawn before planting your eco-lawn grass seed - overseeding isn't for the impatient.

Update: Spring 2012
I have to say my lawn had more issues than I was aware of - just look at the photo when I started and you'll see what I mean. If you are starting from a similar point your best bet is to start from scratch, till the lawn and start with a fresh layer of eco lawn grass seed. After reviewing eco lawn grass seed for the past few seasons I think it is the best grass seed you will find if you are looking for a slow grow eco-friendly seed. But there is a caveat... you need to be patient, at least that is my experience. But look what I had to start from.

Before you plant eco lawn grass seed it would be a good idea to have the Ph of your soil tested. From there you can determine if your soil is healthy - the happier the soil the better and faster your eco lawn will grow. For my eco-lawn review I am taking a step back and fixing some soil issues before I continue to seed. I am taking war out on the weeds by dousing the yard with corn meal gluten which is a natural pre-emergent (stops seeds from germinating - including grass seed) but once your lawn is well treated with corn meal gluten for a couple seasons there won't be as many competing weeds so I think the eco lawn grass seed will have an easier time getting established.

I'll keep you posted on my journey to have that rich lush eco lawn as it continues....

If you've tried converting your lawn to an eco lawn please comment below, I'd love to hear about your progress. And what is your opinion - is Eco-Lawn the best grass seed ever?

Low Maintenance Eco-Lawn – Best Grass Seed Ever? is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

Unlike your little Fido there is nothing cute and cuddly about this post - in fact it stinks, or at least the thought of it does. Actually the Doggie Dooley is fairly odor free if you are using it correctly, but that doesn't stop the mind from conjuring its own remembrances of your latest dog poop collecting episode.

Just what is the Doggie Dooley? The 'ol DD works like a small septic tank - just drop in your doggie droppings throw in some all natural Digester Powder (they could have called it something not associated with eating in my opinion) fill 'er up with water and kapow! Instant pet waste-be-gone. Well not quite instant but the dog waste Digester powder uses natural bacteria and enzyme cultures to break down the dog waste so the ground absorbs it - simple clean and neat like magic, and better for the environment since you can say good bye to all the plastic bags. (and keep the money you save buying them to use for fun stuff like recycled dog collars!)

There are a number of Doggie Dooley systems - my favorite and the top dog in Doggie Dooley reviews that I've seen is the Doggie Dooley 3000. Since it is a galvanized steel tank it is more durable than the plastic Doggie Dooley 3800, 3500 or 2000 models plus it is cheaper for some reason - you'd think a nice strong galvanized steel would be pricey but it was less expensive last I saw at Amazon.

No matter what your personal preference steel or plastic these tips from Doggie Dooley users will start you off on the right paw...

Doggie Dooley Installation and Use Tips:

-Keep it moist - the enzymes can't work if the 'ol pooper is dry.
-Install the Doggie Dooley within reach of your hose - carrying buckets of water may be a good workout but you'll be wishing for a hose soon enough.
-Buy professional strength septic treatment for much cheaper than the Doggie Dooley Digester
-Don't widen the hole out to 14" until you have the 4 foot hole dug
-Don't leave the lip open while you are playing football in the backyard - 1) footballs and doggie doodie are attracted to each other 2) stepping in a septic tank at a full run isn't a good idea 3) Doing a face plant in your Doggie Dooley is even less fun than stepping in one.

Doggie Dooley 3000 – My Eco Dog’s Poop Doesn’t Stink is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies

One downside so far with the Kindle for iPhone is that Kindle newspapers, magazines and blogs are not currently available on the iPhone or iPod touch - maybe they will add that functionality in the future (but then why would you need to buy a Kindle? So maybe not). But there are plenty of free Kindle books for the iPhone (and iPod Touch - geez they should just call them your iDevices it would be simpler to write about them!)

I've been dreaming about the iPod Touch lately (well not literally, unless you count the one where I show up at school naked wearing nothing but an iPod Touch) so this gives me one more reason to take the plunge - if you already have one and have been on the fence about getting an Amazon Kindle than perhaps the Kindle app is your solution.

What books have you enjoyed on your Kindle or iPhone? Please share inquiring minds want to know...

My iPhone Just Got Greener – the Kindle for iPhone App is a post from: Earth Friendly Goodies