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Organic baby clothes are what we should all strive to provide for our children. After all, the health benefits are clearly documented and it is the best option for dressing our little ones. But there's no denying it, organic baby clothes can be expensive if you don't know where to look. Baby clothes are a significant expense even if they're not organic so you need to do some research in order to make your money go a little further. The good news is that there are organic baby clothes sales online. Here's why you should spend the time to check them out.

Organic Baby Clothes Are Important for the Health of Your Baby

Your baby's skin is very delicate and nowhere near as strong or resistant as yours. Therefore, baby clothes should be soft in order to prevent irritation. But that's not all, your baby's skin is very thin and as such is more absorbent. This is a problem when it comes to non-organic clothes because there are a lot of chemicals that will enter your baby's skin. This is why organic baby clothes are so important. Chemicals in dyes and chemicals from pesticides and fungicides can enter your baby's system. Whilst adults can shrug off most chemicals (they are still dangerous) with little chance of illness, your baby is very different. Some chemicals are carcinogenic whilst others can cause a range of other problems including nausea, headaches, fatigue and dermatitis.

Bargains to be Found at Online Organic Baby Clothes Sales

Yes, organic baby clothes can be pricey, which is why you should check out online sales. You will find a range of affordable organic baby clothes items, including baby jackets online, romper suits, sweatshirts and dresses. Spring is a great time to look for baby jackets online, as they are out of season. Pick up a bargain and get ready for winter. Are you expecting child in the fall or winter? Do you have a toddler that you will need to keep warm? Then look for baby jackets online and make a smart investment.

Help your Baby and Help Others

Aside from protecting your baby from harmful chemicals, there is another reason to buy organic baby clothes and to check out organic baby clothes sales. Think about where you are buying that baby jacket online. Do you know where it was produced and how it was made? Do you know the working conditions of the people who made it? The reality is that mass produced items made by big factories often employ people in the third world countries and neglect to pay them a living wage. These manufacturers will do anything to cut costs, including using chemicals and underpaying staff. With organic clothing, the items are almost always sourceable and the culture of organic baby clothing producers is much more sustainable, both in terms of maintaining natural resources and paying their staff enough to have a decent standard of living.

Organic baby clothes has far reaching implications for your baby and the people who make them. These are just a couple of reasons to see what bargains you can pick up at online baby clothes sales.

As a parent, buying clothes for your baby can be both a pleasure and a challenge. It gives many mothers great joy choosing outfits and dressing their children. We love looking at different styles, colours and designs but we rarely stop to think about how they are made. Are you aware of what synthetic chemicals and toxins are in your baby's clothing? Before you buy that beautiful baby jacket online, take a look at what its made from.

The Lowdown on Synthetic Chemicals in Clothing Production

The reality is that clothing manufacturers use production techniques that include toxins. There are thousands of synthetic chemicals that are used in clothing that can cause a range of medical illnesses. These synthetic chemicals find their way into your clothing through the dying process and pesticides on natural materials like wool and cotton.

Fast Facts on Harmful Chemicals in your Clothes

Up to 8,000 different synthetic materials are used in clothes

The US does not synthetic regulate chemicals in clothes like other countries

Chinese-made clothing is a main culprit of toxic clothing

Toxins find their way into your child's body through the skin

Non-organic clothes can cause skin conditions, infertility and cancer

Understand the Medical Risks

Synthetic chemicals used in non-organic clothing include formaldehyde, which is allowed in the US. There have been several court cases brought against clothing retailers for selling products that use this chemical. Other chemicals are carcinogenic whilst others are skin irritants and can cause such skin conditions as dermatitis. Other symptoms include, fatigue, nausea, headache, itching and respiratory problems.

Clothing to Avoid

There are certain types of clothing that rely on synthetic chemicals more than others. Polyester, acrylic and nylon are all highly flammable. Do not take the risk by dressing your children in these fabrics. Avoid synthetic garments advertised as waterproof or wrinkle-free. Buying synthetic waterproof and Teflon baby jackets online should to be avoided.

What Exactly is Organic Kids Clothing?

Organic kids clothes are not made from synthetic materials. This means they are made from natural fabrics like cotton and wool, and less commonly silk or hemp. There are no chemicals in dyes and no chemicals used for waterproofing or non-wrinkle coating. Organic baby clothes are entirely natural in the sense that the material is grown naturally without pesticides and is essentially unchanged from when it was grown to the point at which it is available for sale.

Why your Baby is At Risk

We are all at risk from the chemicals found in synthetic clothing but our babies are especially at risk. Our baby's skin is more delicate and porous and needs more care and attention. So when you're buying a baby's jacket online or that cute little jumper, take look at whether it is organic or not. When it comes to organic baby clothing, a general rule of thumb is to avoid synthetic materials at all costs and if in doubt stick to cotton. Whilst cotton often has pesticides used in the growing phase, these are usually washed away in the manufacturing process. It is best practice, however to identify reputable organic baby clothing retailers who can guarantee their products are organic.

Two more weeks until Easter!

My boys started to get in the habit of counting the days & months from one fest to another, e.q. How many days til Christmas, til Easter, til my Birthday, .....?

That is what really matters it seems. And even tough I noticed that in Australia Easter is not such a big deal, in Europe we do love to celebrate Easter in a big way.

But growing up with Easter in Spring, celebrating Easter in Australia at the beginning of Autumn still feels very strange to me.

I always associated Easter with spring flowers, pastel colors, a slow awakening of nature, the sun is slowly getting stronger and starting to warm up the earth.

Here in Australia the Easter bunny makes his way around pumpkin wines, golden, red & orange leaves, ripened apples & harvest time.

But my boys don't really seem to care about these things as there system hasnt had a chance to get used to neither one of the seasons festivals, routines & changes.

Nonetheless, as I mentioned in my blogs around Christmas time, I still love to keep some of my German traditions around festive seasons alive and integrate them into our Australian life-style:

• In Germany we do have big Easter Hunts, where the children; traditionally on Easter Sunday; looking for hidden Easter eggs, chocolates & other Easter treasures hidden by the Easter bunny around the house & garden.

• Coloring Easter Eggs is another good one that I still have very fond memories of. Sitting in my grandmas old kitchen on Good Fridays and dying loads of boiled eggs.

• And of course, the Easter baking!

Oh, we Germans love a good cake(or cakes?)!

Therefore, I would love to share today with you my recipe for Braided Easter Bread:

Ingredients:

• 500 g Spelt Flour ( I always prefer spelt flour to wheat? as it is easier on the stomach, more substantial and contains more protein & minerals than wheat flour )

• 1 Package of dried yeast
• 50 g raw sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 250 ml of cream ?slightly warm
• 1 Tsp milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 150 g raisins (optional)

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 175 Degrees.
• Put flour into a bowl.
• Add dry yeast, sugar, vanilla essence, salt, eggs, egg white & slightly warm cream.

• Knead ingredients into a dough.
• Cover the dough with a wet kitchen towel and let it sit for app. 1 hour or until the dough has doubled its size.

• Knead the dough again and if desired work the raisins into the dough.
• Divide the dough into 3 parts of equal size and make 3 long rolls out of them.
• Braid the Rolls into a Plait.
• Put plait onto a greased (or lined with baking paper) baking tray.
• Whisk the milk & egg yolk and spread the mix onto the plait.
• Put plait aside for another 30 min to raise.
• Bake for 35 min in the preheated oven.
• Plait will covet the whole baking tray.
• Once it turned golden brown & shiny, you can take it out.
• Cover it up and let it cool down.
• It taste absolutely delicious for breakfast or afternoon tea with butter, jam & honey.

Tip: You can freeze this Braided Easter Bread if you like. You can prepare it a few days prior to Easter, freeze it and take it out on Easter Sunday. Once defrosted, it will taste like freshly baked.

Conventional clothing can be extraordinarily harmful to anyone who wears it, farm workers and the environment. Organic kids clothing, on the other hand, consists of superior products that have none of the hazards and ethical concerns associated with conventional clothing.

Here are four key reasons organic boys clothes and organic girls clothes are a better choice than conventional clothing.

1. Health and safety

Every parents top priority is the health and safety of their children. Yet too few know that conventional clothing worn by the majority of young children is responsible for a plethora of health concerns.

The skin is partially porous, so anything that touches it can be absorbed. The longer something remains in contact with your skin, the more will be absorbed. Unfortunately, babies and children have skin that is more sensitive and more porous, so they are more vulnerable to harmful chemicals. These substances can have an impact not only on your child's comfort but also on their long term development.

Synthetic clothing contains many different forms of toxins. Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, defoliants and insecticides are used extensively in the production process, and they can often be found in high concentrations in conventional clothing.

One of the ways in which synthetic clothing is most harmful to health is that it prevents the skin from breathing easily. When wearing organic clothing, the average adult expels about one pound of toxins per day through the skin. Synthetic clothing hinders this essential process, forcing the body to retain higher concentrations of harmful toxins.

The presence of many different harmful chemicals can cause more harm by creating a toxic soup where they react to form increasingly harmful compounds.

Organic kids clothing does not put children's health at risk because the production process does not involve any of these toxins. They are a far better choice for any parent wanting to go the extra mile for their child's health.

2. The environment

Cotton that is grown in a conventional way covers only 3% of the worlds farmland, but it uses a full 25% of the worlds pesticides. Pesticides spread through groundwater to contaminate our food and drinking water. Fertilizers regularly cause algal blooms that can destroy marine ecosystems.

In contrast, our organic boys clothes and organic girls clothes are environmentally friendly because the farms we work with do not use any of these harmful products. They adhere to strict international standards for the production process, and we do not work with any farms that have used pesticides in the last three years. Our suppliers rely on crop rotation to ensure soil fertility, and they control pests and weeds using either mechanical cultivation or biological means.

3. Support for farm workers

While toxins are harmful for people who wear synthetic clothing, they are extremely dangerous for farm workers that are exposed to higher concentrations. Many experience very serious health problems, including respiratory issues, cancer, birth defects and Parkinson's disease. Organic kids clothing is a sustainable choice that can also send your child the right message about socially responsible consumption.

4. Higher quality organic kids clothing

The moral case for choosing organic boys clothes or organic girls clothes is very clear. But some advocates fail to emphasize that they are actually far better products! Organic kids clothing is much softer than synthetic clothing, which makes it much more comfortable to wear. It also helps children to breathe more easily. Organic kids clothing makes a particularly big difference for children who suffer from asthma or allergies.

While conventional clothing is harmful to workers, the environment and people who choose to wear it, organic kids clothing is comfortable, socially responsible and far better for your child's health. Why not see the difference for yourself?

Elves in the Wardrobe has just announced a major organic baby clothes sale, with some fantastic discounts on some of the most beautiful kids clothes online. All organic, Elves in the Wardrobe is offering a great opportunity to get some real bargains in their organic baby clothes sale.

Organic baby clothes and kids clothes online from Europe's leading designers are available on our sales page. Check each page to see what special items we have available at discounted prices. We have dresses, boys trousers, long sleeved shirts, hoodies, t shirts, skirts, jumpsuits, tunics and more. There are a range of discounted organic kids clothes online available at hugely discounted prices. Some items are reduced in price by as much 50%. For both boys and girls, this organic baby clothes sale is a great opportunity to get some amazing value items.

Adorable Organic Baby Clothes for your Baby Boy

We have a range of cute jumpsuits for your little one in our organic baby clothes sale. Check them out here. There are adorable boys options like the Smafolk baby Long Sleeve Bodysuit, in green with dark blue binding. It has cars on it which your little man will love! Its made from allergy friendly 50% Oeko Tex cotton, 45% modal and 5% elastane - perfect for keeping your baby boys skin super soft, super comfortable and super healthy. Your little man will be romping around like a champ!

We also the have Smafolk Boys Long Sleeve Shirt in our organic baby clothes sale. Its great to keep your little guy soft and protected. It comes in turquoise with orange binding. Its also covered in monkeys! It is made from 45% Oeko, 45% modal and 5% elastane. At just $29.99, your little monkey will have some of the best quality kids clothes online, all thanks to our organic baby clothes sales.

Beautiful Organic Baby Clothes for your Baby Girl

Our organic baby clothes sale features some gorgeous clothes that will make your little lady feel like a princess! In rose pink with a cute Penguin design on the front, this girls dress in super soft, comes with buttoned shoulder straps for an easy fit and is made from 100% organic cotton. It is girly, incredibly soft and perfect for you little lady and available at nearly 50% off in our organic baby clothes sale, you can have it for just $29.95.

And that's not all, check out this page to see more discounted kids clothes online in our organic baby clothes sale.

Organic is Better for your Baby

Don't forget that organic cotton is better for your baby's delicate skin, especially for newborns and babies and toddlers with allergies. Buying organic is also better for the environment, as natural organic cotton doesn't rely on harmful pesticides, which threaten both the environment and your baby's health. So you can rest assured that when you buy from Elves in the Wardrobe, you are helping your baby and the world he or she will grow up in!

Usually every time my children go back to school, I feel a rush of enthusiasm in regards to making some improvements around my childrens lunch boxes.

This spark of enthusiasm normally requires some hunting & collecting time of recipes & any other forms of inspirational lunch box ideas.

Either searching the web high & low or pestering fellow mothers at the bus stop for some refreshing insights into their childrens food intake, has become part of my daily routine by now.

I always feel great and empowered by all these newfound insights.

Next step:

I go for a big shop and buy all these new food groups and fill up our fridge and freezer completely up with these new grocery treasures & ingredients .

For the following next 2-3 weeks I tend to get up bright & early to make sure I will have enough time to prepare these new yummy, delicious & healthy meals, snacks & treats and feeling sooooooo proud of myself that I finally conquered the quest of the lunch box!

But then:

My beautiful two boys returning home, after there long day of school and kindy, either complaining about the food I lovingly prepared or not saying anything at all other than Mum, I am hungry. Can you make me some food.

By then of course I know that the lunch boxes are absolutely untouched (except for a few little nipples or treats missing) and I realize that I have failed once again!

 This usually results in: Going back to what I know they will eat!

Which is usually quite simple, plain & semi healthy.

BUT IT WORKS!!!!

What can I say?

Lunch boxes as well as mothering has been a massive learning & growing curve for me.

And I am far away from the mother ideal I had, when I was pregnant with my first son.

I always wanted to be this mother who prepares all the meals lovingly in advance, is a fantastic cook, is extremely crafty & innovative, has an answer to every challenge and is able to stay calm and present with my children while there pushing my buttons right over the limits!!

I do have my moments but I am still a work in progress.

And I can see, that even with a simple thing, like filling up a lunchbox, that provides my children with healthy yummy self-made super food, I can feel overwhelmed, frustrated or unhappy at times.

But here is what I did learn:

Understanding how a child works, is an amazing way to see what they need, how they function, what they like to eat and how you can stir them gently into a new direction.

Lets start with my oldest son: Enam, almost 7!

Enam is quite a good eater, not super fussy but he likes what he likes.

Sometimes it took us (my husband & myself) quite some convincing work (bribing with treats or the occasional force-feeding) to get the food into his stomach.

But in general, Enam DOES LIKE healthy food and he tends to go more for healthy treats, like dried bananas & nuts, he likes eating pumpkin soup and he absolutely loves to drink Kombucha (which we starting to make ourselves at home now).

He has a general interest in preparing the food, collecting food from the garden and planting things.

Therefore he has always been a lot easier to cater for.

I still havent managed to get Olives and SUSHI into him but I am feeling pretty confident that the day will come, when he does open up to these foods too.

My second son Knoa, 4 years, is a totally different person all together.

The only things he always loved eating were:

• toast with butter & vegemite,
• bread rolls with butter & vegemite
• fresh bread plain or with butter & vegemite
• plain rice &
• avocado.

He is my toughest case. In regards to lunch boxes, as you can imagine.

That was it for quite a long time.

Now, with 4 years he is slowly opening up (yeahh) to carrots, broccoli, noodles, tofu, chicken, apples, bananas, potatoes, ham, Bolognese & pumpkin soup!!!

I can see that it takes a long time for him to open up to a new foods, or food groups.

But once it is established, it is a solid addition to his diet.

Our youngest is more of a snacker rather than eating a whole meal 3x a day.

Knoa also loves junk food and everything sweet.

He seemed to have a natural tendency to go for the fatty side of life.

For me it has become more about slowly establishing and introducing new healthy foods,

proper meals & snacks that he will keep asking for.

Rewards unfortunately are still part of it:

If youll eat up your lunch, you can have a little treat.

The good knows is, there are a lot of healthy treats out there these days, like Multi-Vitamins in the form of? gummy? bears, Stevia sweetened chocolate, lollies & ice cream made from fruit juice, etc.

As you can see, I do love eating healthy & organic food and I would love for my boys to share this passion.

Unfortunately my children are a bit differently wired and therefore I need to have patients and adapt to there rhythm & speed and observe them in there development to see when they

are ready for some new food and lunch box additions.

And above all, being gentle with myself if I havent lived up the my Super Mum Ideal!

Dressing your little one can be one of the most fun jobs as a new parent. There are few things more exciting than picking baby outfits.

Those tiny jumpsuits, jackets, and tiny socks are irresistible.

I know when I found out I was having a son, one of the very first things I did was looking for some great baby outfits.

In the midst of all of the excitement of a new baby, you may not consider what's in the clothing you are purchasing for your baby outfits or how fabric choices may contribute to living a more natural lifestyle.

In many ways, I was always more drawn to the organic side of life without giving it to much thought or reason. I just love it!

Therefore our trip back home to Germany in 2009 included some serious shopping time in one of my favorite local Organic Baby and Children clothes stores and getting ready for our new family addition.

That's were I first came more in contact with Brands like LEELA COTTON & LOUD+PROUD, which make adorable baby outfits that cater so beautifully for baby's delicate & sensitive skin.

Cotton Baby Outfits

When shopping for children's clothing, you'll find that most children's clothing is made out of cotton. This is perfect for baby outfits.

So let's have a look at SOME BASICS ABOUT COTTON to help you picking the right clothes for these special first weeks of your newborn

LEELA COTTON

Trying to find great kids clothes for my two boys, that are made to last, organic & have great designs turned out to be quite a challenge. German label Loud + Proud are one of my top picks.

When I finally stumbled across some children clothing brands that incorporated all of the above, it felt fantastic, especially seeing my boys in their new outfits!

So beautiful and cuddly.

Now, 2 year later, back in Australia, a lot of people seem to share my passion for these clothes. Many of them kept asking me where I got them from

and if I could order some of the pieces for their children as well.

So, there it was:

A Plan to share my passion for beautiful, ethical organic children clothes from Europe with Australia:

And Elves in the Wardrobe was born, featuring my special finds

in Organic Baby & Children Clothing Brands:

Leela Cotton, loud + proud, Smafolk, Duns, Ubang

One of my favorite German Baby -& Children Clothes Label is loud + proud.

Loud + Proud just got the right balance between great quality, ethical & sustainable production process, extremely cute prints and an affordable prices.

Yet, still NewBie in Australia!

Therefore I would like to officially introduce Loud + Proud to the Australian World of Online Shopping:

What is so special about loud + proud?

Since the company was founded in 2008 priority is on the combination of sustainability, fair production and a special style.

The old stereotype fortunately is obsolete nowadays. Nobody has to think about terms like scratchy, shapeless, colorless and hand wash when it comes to ecological fashion for kids.

The European clothing brand offers kids' fashion which is trendy and comfortable and at the same time stops chemicals from entering the wardrobe of the little ones.

In addition loud + proud put a lot of emphasis on production under fair conditions. Whoever has seen reports about production plants in Asia where children and adults work at the expense of their health many hours per day, under the worst labour conditions, just for stylish clothes for the western countries, would like to contribute to the change this situation. loud + proud has created the opportunity to do this as they produce all their products in Portugal, Hungary and Germany where they are able to monitor every single production step.

Organic and style can this be united?

Absolutely: yes!

The company favorite colors like loud pink, vibrant turquoise, bright green, sky-blue and deep red are dyed without using dangerous chemicals.
The fabrics are soft and cosy whether it is jersey, velours, corduroy or fleece only organic cotton gets used.

Children move a lot and they should feel good in their clothes. Styles and designs are fresh, comfortable, cheerful, functional and child-orientated.

Who stands behind loud + proud?

Designer Barbara Schsselbauer is a mother of two and knows about parents' requirements concerning baby- and kid's fashion.

She has experienced herself how difficult it is to buy baby clothes that fulfill criteria like design, comfort, organic and sustainable production.

She expresses her touch with nature also in her prints: Penguins, whales, hippos, elephants and many others appear in bright colors.

Barbara puts a lot of emphasis on sustainable production under fair labour conditions. She is visiting suppliers in Germany and Portugal regularly to make sure that loud + proud continues to make

a contribution to a sustainable approach to man and nature.

And last but not least: The Prices are still affordable:

• Organic Baby Onesies: $ 26.95

• Jumpsuits $34.95

• Baby Pants $20.95

• Kids T-Shirts $ 29.95

In an nutshell:

We love loud+proud and are very happy to share our love with you!

Lately I am getting more and more psychic readings with new mothers or mothers to be and I can clearly see how the world is changing, reflected back at me through there children.

Most of us, as an evolving soul had many lifetimes here on this planet before.

Therefore in order for us to move forward, evolve and grow generally happens through making? 'mistakes', so we can learn, let go, change & grow.

These days, I noticed more and more souls coming in that don't need this old way of evolving.

They are already complete, don't have any karma and just coming into this lifetime to assist our changing world and move with ease and grace through life.

Knowing what they need and how to look after themselves, knowing how to balance life and heal themselves. What a wonderful thing, isn't it? And they are not alone!

There are lots and lots coming down at the moment to join us and support us to heal this planet & ourselves.

What a wonderful thing, indeed!

Do you feel like you got one of these NEW SOULS with you?

Share with me:

https://business.facebook.com/elvesinthewardrobe/?ref=bookmarks&business_id=1082271791784139

https://www.facebook.com/lebenseinsichten/

I love to hear your stories.

xxx Verena

Now is the time to put up your Christmas Tree!

Unless you havent already done that as I came to realize, that this tradition varies a little from country to country.

In Germany for example, the Christmas Tree gets decorated either the night before Christmas Eve or on the day of Christmas Eve.

In Australian households I found that the Christmas Tree goes up much earlier.

I know many people putting up their tree already weeks before Christmas Day.

Decorating the tree is just part of the fun in our household as we have also been busy making some natural Christmas Tree decorations.

Here are a few simple natural decorations that are inexpensive and still look very stunning:

1.Dried Orange Slices.

• Cut an orange into thin and even slices
• and put them on a baking tray to dry.
• Make sure they get enough air & sun.
• Turn them frequently around to avoid mould.
• Will take app. 2-3 weeks to completely dry.
• Use some vintage style string (hemp string, etc) to hang them up.

2. Felt Garlands & felt lollies (my youngest sons invention :-) )

• put some hand warm water
• with a little bit of liquid soap or wool wash
• into a bowl of water.
• Choose the colors (can be multicolored or uni-colored )
• of the wool for felting.
• Make a small bowl out the dry wool and put it
• in the bowl of soapy water to get wet.
• Roll the ball between your hands and on the table until it is felted.
• Let the felt ball dry and string them up to make a garland.
• My youngest son made some felt lollies :
• He made a felt ball and than wrapped
• some unfelted wool around it like a little present.
• After the lollies were dry,
• we wrapped a bit of string around to hang them up.
• Looked very cute!

These are just a few simple ideas to get you started.

Have fun creating with your children!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas time.

Verena from Elves in the Wardrobe

Only 10 more days to go - Christmas is coming!
Can you smell it?

Enam, my 6 year old son, was helping me this morning to get some more Christmas-Delights into the oven:

We made some Vanilla Crescents.

In German, during the Advents - and Christmas season, Vanilla Crescents can be found in almost every household.
And, if you asked me, right so because Vanilla Crescents are absolutely yummy!
Once baked, they will stays fresh and juicy for at least 2-3 weeks, when you store them in a closed container.
So they can be enjoyed the whole Advents Season.

Here is the recipe:

Preheat oven to 190C

Ingredients:

• 300g spelt flour
• 125g raw brown sugar
• 150g almond meal
• 250g softened butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla essence

• Combine all ingredients and knead them into dough.
• Place dough in the fridge for ? hours to settle.
• Measure a teaspoon full of dough and shape into little crescents.
• Bake in the oven for 15 min at 190C.
• Take Vanilla Crescents out of the oven and sprinkle with some icing sugar.

And most importantly: ENJOY!