Fun and Unique Second Birthday Gift Ideas (that are Better for the Environment too)

Life comes in waves- babies, weddings, even funerals seem to happen in bunches.  Right now, we are in the midst of a toddler birthday phase of life. Even though we have a toddler, it can still be intimidating to approach buying presents for little kids- there are so many choices!

Since I have an (almost) two year old, I have some solid guesses at what will be a big hit and what may not work as well.

First, this may be hard to believe, but less is better. By two years in, most parents would probably be giddy to have you take some toys OUT of their house! We, especially as Americans, feel tremendous (but often unspoken) pressure to display our love through quantity. Want to give an amazing gift? Clearly a giant plastic thing with lights and doodads is the answer! Except, that plastic is now polluting the water and land, those lights waste electricity (they don't need them! if your kid loves lights, get them a flashlight), and those cheap, imported toys may have been made by unethical or even child labor.

We are making so many problems that these children will have to face later, not to mention teaching them habits that are unhealthy and unsustainable. You want to give a kickass gift against the grain? Think about their future too!

Here are my other tips for things to absolutely avoid if you want to get a great gift and make a better for future for the kid you love:

- Anything Too Big- That tent or giant darth vader might make a big impact on the gift table, but if it takes up a ton of room, it might be a real problem. This isn't an absolute no, but it's definitely worth checking in with the parents before you do that. If you want something big, you might try these Mondo Bloxx, which we have had so much fun with.

- Fresh Plastic- I have made a resolution in our house to avoid any fresh plastic toys. They only create waste, introduce potentially toxic chemicals into the home, and pose more problems for them in the future (I don't want my kids to be the adults from Wall-E, for goodness sakes). Don't cry for my kiddos- they still have a slide in the backyard and ramps for their car toys. They are just used! If you have your heart set on something plastic, go check out Goodwill or a kids consignment shop.

-Melissa and Doug- These con people market themselves as more wholesome and well-made than anything else in the toy section, but it is a TOTAL lie. Once upon a time, they made their toys stateside, but now they manufacture solely in China. If you want to support American businesses or buy wood toys that aren't coated in nastiness, check out this post for some of the best options.

- Too Many Characters- They are getting to that age where they love the cars from Cars or Anna and Elsa. But  months from now, they may love something totally different. Giving a character gift just puts a shelf life on whatever you are giving. Not to mention, your gift might totally blend into the pile. If they really love Thomas, check to see if the train is coming anywhere near you (yes, he is always on tour from what I can tell). Or Disney on ice tickets! Or, go another route and buy them a pack of stickers with the characters on it with a gift that has more longevity. I know I have made this mistake more than once, so I get the appeal, but if the child really loves Nemo that much, I bet he/she already has a nemo stuffed animal. Next idea!

-Stuffed Animals. Trust me, the toddler you know probably already has plenty. They take a lot of room, most serve the same basic purpose, and very few are made anywhere nearby. Now that I have kids, I would probably never go this route, because we are always fighting back the hoard. If you are going that route, check out Bears for Humanity (they donate a bear for every bear you buy, are organi, use recycled polyfill, AND employ Americans for their manufacturing) or one of the super cute stuffed things from Taraluna.

You may notice, this is a short list, but it cuts out most of the toy sections in Walmart and Target. It makes me look like quite a party pooper.

 Don't sweat it, there are actually TONS of other options that are both more memorable AND more fun. You can do this! Here are my best ideas, based on my reading about child development at this juncture and my experience as a mom.

1. Paint or Crayons

These kids have FINALLY reached the point where their first instinct with art supplies isn't to eat them. This is a big deal. Mark-making and creativity are hugely important in a toddler's life. It gives them agency, helps them explore colors and representation, and sets them up to learn letters in coming years. Markers, crayons, and paints are gifts they can come back to again and again for years.

As far as brands go, no one does better for markers and crayons than Crayola- both are made Stateside, and you can even mail the markers back to them when they die, and they will be recycled.  Many of their kids washable paints are as well. If you want something more original, you could look up "recycled crayons" on Etsy or even make your own out of the crayon nubbins in your house!

Looking for something bigger? Kids easels are one of the most common finds at Goodwill or even on Buy Nothing (that's where we got ours), so it might be easy to revamp. I couldn't find any Made in the USA, so plan ahead and jump at a good one if you see it. You could also throw in The Day the Crayons Quit or Harold and the Purple Crayon to go with the theme.

from Mulberry and June

2. A Backpack

We cleaned out and revamped a little backpack my brother and I kept crayons in when we were kids, and my son loves filling it with stuff, putting it on, and wearing it around. It's bright but simple, and he uses it a lot for play (and I bet it will start getting practical use this year. Kids this age love having their own bags, so you could revamp one of your old bags , find a toddler's backpack at Goodwill or get something new and American-made from stores like Happyluxe, Omac Packs (from Erie, PA!), Stitch Crafty 4 U,  Mulberry and June, or Weepereas (love these! So cute).

Remember, a character might seem like a great idea now, but I wouldn't go that route. The characters they love change fast sometimes.

3. Snappies, Buckles, and Buttons

This is the year many toddlers want to do things themselves, and this definitely includes clothes. Our son loves all kinds of fasteners, and "snappies, please" is said about 50 times a day in our house (he can't get them apart on his own). My husband bought him this fabric covered in snappies from the 5 an 10 Market. One of our friends even made one himself (so resourceful). A perfect car toy, and so simple.

4. Tickets

Tickets for activities may not get the big box-opening moment, but how many of those do you actually remember from when you are a kid? Instead, tickets to something special, like a train ride, the zoo, or even their first movie tickets could make a great memory, especially if you are around to do the activity with them. Toddlers can really love new experiences, even more so than toys (which they have too many of already), so think about something they love and how you can bring that to life, rather than buy them one more toy that will fade into the pile.

5. Mix CD's (or music playlists)

I know this sounds hipster or retro, but trust me, you can be a birthday hero if you save those parents from Raffi.The Bub loves to dance and sing, and we are always trying to find new songs that he will love and we will only hate a little. If you want to step it up, you could have the first letter of each song spell out the toddler's name or find a song with their name in it. It doesn't have to cost you money to be a great gift. My Grammy and cousin have made us mix cds we absolutely love.

Want to step it up? Add in a book or two about music or get some bells or musical instruments. Sure to be a hit!

6. Bath Toys

People will think of regular toys, but especially if you don't have little ones, you can forget about the awesome power of the bath toy. Our favorites are these rubber duckies, the boats and cups from Green Toys, and foam letters we got on Buy Nothing. Cups will work, as kids love to pour. I also think color tablets like these would be really fun. The biggest thing is to avoid toys where water can get stuck inside and grow mold.

7. Brooms, Shovels, Play Kitchens, or Any Household Drudgery you Hate

2 year olds really want to do what the grown ups are doing, so you can have a big hit by gifting objects you would NEVER want as a gift yourself (or the tiny toddler version). You can split this into two categories- participation play and pretend play.

Some of their early pretending is often in kitchens because they see that modeled all the time, so play food, play kitchens, play tools, play gardening sets can all really resonate based mostly on what they watch the grown ups in their lives do.

You can find so much great play food on Etsy, and if you want to get a kitchen, I highly recommend checking your Buy Nothing or Etsy first. Little Tikes does make a few in the US, but I am suspicious of that "out of US and imported parts" add on. We have this one, which is great for a growing kid, but all of the accessory toys were made in China (bummer). You are better off to find something used.

 Even cooler, check pinterest for ideas on how to make any old janky piece of furniture into an adorable play kitchen. If you have the time, you could give such an amazing gift that costs you nearly no money.

All of this is fine and good, but participation play is easily as popular in our house. You know what would be a beloved gift for my son? A broom. He loves to sweep with us, but the poor child is usually stuck with the swiffer. He currently treasures a soft measuring tape used for sewing. He LOVES it. He even loves brushing his teeth when we do, because he wants to keep in the action. He likes playing with shopping bags, packing things into spare suitcases, and carrying my weed bucket (a former bakery bucket I got off Buy Nothing) around our yard and collecting leaves. He just wants to help.

Things that would be the worst gift in the world to an adult might be the absolute coolest to a little kid. Sure, you could buy some, but you could also look around your house and ask yourself what might be cool and safe for a toddler, because their standards for cool and fun are totally different. Will the parents give you a funny look if you give their kid measuring tape or an old keyboard? Probably, but they will also get it.

Re-Play from Amazon

8. Eating Tools

We never seem to have enough plates, bowls, or silverware (partially because they get used as toys). I will absolutely swear by Re-Play stuff for kids. They sell sippy cups, bowls, plates, silverware, snack stacks, and regular cups (perfect for the bath or play kitchen). It's made of recycled food safe plastic in the US, it comes in gorgeous bright colors, and it isn't all that different in price from something made of fresh plastic. They sell Re-Play at Walmart and Target now too, so this is a perfect last minute purchase if you don't have time to poke around but you still want to be eco-friendly.

As I said, I am not bringing new plastic into this house- when I see what plastic is doing to our oceans (and I think of the problems my children will face because of it), I just can't do it. This is a great gift for a child now, but it also invests in their future by supporting post-consumer recycled products and keeping plastics out of landfills and water.

9. Clothes... One Size Up

A year before, the toddler was growing out of their clothes every few months. Now, they grow out of things... every few months. Slightly bigger basics (jeans, t-shirts, socks, simple things) may not be a hit with the bub, but their parents will love you for it. My favorite Made in America companies for basics are City Threads and American Apparel- their clothes are cute and stylish without being too expensive. Buy them basics with one fun accessory they can use now (a tutu, a dinosaur hoodie, a superhero cape), and you can please everybody.

Want bonus points? Check in with a parent and buy the kid a pair of shoes a size up. We are constantly trying to stay stocked on shoes.

There is one more trick to this, and that is to buy clothes used. If you want to spend 25 dollars on said child, you can either buy one outfit from Carter's, or you can find something equally cute in consignment and then buy 3 other things. Toddlers ruin things, with paint, dirt, all kinds of nonsense. I would rather get things from consignment than a precious outfit I can never trust him to wear. Kids consignment stores are EVERYWHERE, and if you can't find one nearby, online thrift shop Thred Up has great stuff.

10. Anything on Wheels 

Kids this size just love to move things, and wheels are almost always a favorite, regardless of gender. If you want to get all heteronormative (or they do, because even if you don't encourage these things, they creep up), you could do a car for a boy and a stroller for a girl. Or this badass pink dump truck. Green Toys again nails this category- made in the US out of recycled plastic, and they have every kind of motorized vehicle to play with. Also, animals who have been monstrously amputated to have wheels for feet.

If I had any advice, I would say go small on wheeled things; the big ones seem cool, but things that fit well in their hand get more use. And if you have to do Hot Wheels, get them used. You can find used Hot Wheel cars anywhere they sell used toys, usually for 25 cents or so. No need to buy a new one. Basically ever. There have to be enough hot wheels in the world for any kid who wants one, as long as parents donate them- don't throw them out!

 I also really love Maple Landmark's cars and train sets, so that might be a good place to start. We bought their trolley for our older son when our younger was born, and it has been a big hit.

That's the list! I hope it inspired you to think of an awesome gift! I will say, books were not included because I feel like this depends a lot on households, whether they prefer library books over owning a lot, etc. That being said, in my opinion, books are always a good idea. They love them, they build language skills, and the ones that don't go well can easily be donated to help other kids. Also picking up speed in our house is puzzles and his legos. They get as much or more return use than the cars at this point, so they are well worth considering.

Happy birthday to the little one in your life! If you want more eco-frendly shopping ideas, check out my Mega List of Shopping Lists!

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Wedding Wednesday- How to Save on Wedding Decorations

Oy, wedding costs! You go into it with a vision, and then slowly, that vision can be chipped away just by the shrinking amount still left in the budget. Before you are really planning, you spend a lot of time plotting decorations and cool details, but those are often the things that get cut for the sake of the event as a whole. Some of that is inevitable, but I do think there are cool ways to approach decorations that can save you BIG money.

Even better, if you shift your approach to the stuff you buy for the wedding, you can save things from landfills and create less waste. So many of these decor pieces are used one night only, but if they are shared between many couples, they can have much longer and happier lives.

1. Let the Space do the Work- You picked your venues for a reason. Start with that premise and just let the beauty of your wedding and reception spaces shine through. If it's already a good-looking spot, you may not need much. Don't pick a theme that doesn't fit the room, and you have already saved yourself tons of money.

2. Focus on Lighting (and someone can always lend you lights)- If I had to decorate a whole reception with one item, it would be white twinkly lights. Lighting sets the mood, makes everything look intentional (even when it isn't), and adds that magical thing. Even better, you can almost always find lighting as a rental or used. Twice this summer, I have seen brides gifted tons of Christmas lights for their weddings on Buy Nothing. If you do get lights lent to you, be sure to mark who each strand belongs to. Otherwise, you can get this high impact item for very cheap or even free.

3. DIY it- I love browsing the decoration ideas on Etsy, but I am often struck how many of the things on there can just be made- you don't need to buy them! Sparkly branches? Glue, glitter, and a walk in the woods. Tissue paper flowers? Buy some bulk tissue paper and wire. Peg doll cake topper? Paint that business yourself. We made our escort cards from paint swatches- it doesn't have to be expensive to be memorable and fun.

 When you buy decor, you are paying for time and skill. Work ahead so you have the time, and you can self-assess which skills are within your wheelhouse. You can a little bit of money go a lot further this way! Only trick is to plan ahead!

4. Focal Points over Details- I have seen so many weddings where there were fussy centerpiece things at the table but nowhere to look in the room. Make a few spots really worth looking at and don't bother trying to make every corner beautiful. People will only remember a handful of things anyway.

5. Multi-task- Use your favors or cake or guests as decor. You have millions of choices dependent on your favor, but it's a nice way to have something do double duty. I went to a wedding last year where the cakes were the centerpieces, which saves tons of money on flowers, and you get more time with cake, so who can complain? Stepping out of the box even a little might help you figure out how to make what you are already paying for a key part of the room.

6. Everything Doesn't Have to Match Perfectly- Matchy matchy can be great if you are meticulous, but a little variation never hurt anyone. One of my best friends is very detail-oriented and got all the colors to match perfectly at her wedding. And it looked amazing, but it doesn't have to go that way. If you can find 40 free plates that look one way and 50 that look another, and they both fit, just use them both. It's more important to have a set sense of style than an overly particular matching set mentality. That sense of style and vision for the big picture is what will have the impact in the end.

7. And Please Don't Monogram your Napkins- Why. Why. Why. Why is this even still a thing? If you are doing the little cocktail napkins, by all means, get them in a color that resonates with your scheme (even better, get them recycled from a company like Susty). But why is this insta-garbage a good time to remind people whose wedding they are attending? No one has forgotten, and honestly, it is never all that classy. Put your money into other details, and then whatever you don't use can be for another couple or your dinner parties. Put the date on your favors, and skip the rest.

8. Get It Used- This is the most cost-effective AND eco-friendly thing you can do for your wedding decorations. So many wedding decorations become one time use things, and I hate to think of all the perfectly useful objects that get thrown out. But the bright side is you can find so much out there if you just know where to look and don't mind some browsing.

You can find great used decorations:

Newlyweds- We all know these big life events happen in waves. If you have friends getting married before you, check and see what you can get off their hands once they are hitched. We definitely gave decorations away to the Boy's beloved cousin, and our lights to the high school for dances. Your friends will have stuff they are happy to part with. Doesn't perfectly match? Get creative about what you can stretch to fit or change the color of and then offer the rest to others. After your hitched you can pay the favor forward!

On Buy Nothing- Have you joined your local Buy Nothing Project yet? I have seen it all on there- people offering their table runners to other asking for (and receiving) tons of glass vases for their center pieces. Check with your Buy Nothing and you could save 100's of dollars.

Goodwill and other Consignment Stores- Sometimes, this kind of shopping is a bust, but if you know what you need, you might find a steal. Also, lots of cities have craft consignment stores that might sell the ribbon or fabric you need as well.

Online Resale sites- Thank goodness for the internet, because you can now find everything you would ever want to decorate with used. Cheaper, convenient, and keeping things out of landfills? Amazing.

Ruffled is an absolute treasure, and you can find so many gorgeous things on their "Recycle your Wedding" pages. They have at least a thousand items, so it's a lot to go through, but you are sure to find something.  Make sure to check the price against the brand new cost, and don't be afraid to ask them to lower it a little (I mean, what else are they going to do with 100 extra mason jars?) Browse often, because things are going up all the time! You can find a steal on beautiful decorations.I may actually buy some things from them for a non-matrimonial party.

Tradesy- Tradesy started as wedding only, but they have had enough success to branch out. They have all kinds of wedding stuff, from bridesmaid dresses to wedding papers, but their decorations section is especially amazing and well-organized. They have 5,500+ items up right now! Easier to browse than most of the other sites as well. Be sure to join their mailing list so you get even more money off.

Wedding Recycle- This website also has lots of selection (about 3000 items) and they are connected to the Can't Buy me Love Project, where you donate wedding dresses that can be given away to brides who otherwise couldn't afford them. Pretty cool.

So you may be overwhelmed with the amount of money you have already spent nailing down the DJ and planning with the caterer. I don't blame you- weddings are expensive! But decorations is an area that with a little creativity, you can make huge impact with a little bit of money.

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Wedding Wednesday- Disposable Necessities Done Right

Now I know all you unmarried wonderful people are almost tired of browsing ethical engagement rings. Must be time to fantasize about your future eco-friendly compostable wedding plates- right?

My brother and his longtime, lovely girlfriend are getting married this year, and I couldn't be more psyched about it. I have been trying to be helpful (ok, I have been giving wayyyy too much unsolicited advice to two perfectly competent adults). One of the things my soon to be sister-in-law did ask for advice on was plates for the reception that were one time use but eco-friendly.

This is a challenge lots of us face for our weddings (or really any big party we throw)- when you host a party that big, it isn't surprising that some of the wares will be disposable. Maybe you are renting tables, chairs, plates, and silverware, but I bet you have had the cocktail napkin conversation (GAH!!! Do not get monogrammed napkins. Everyone already knows what wedding they are at- what a waste of money). Or maybe you are going to buy straws and cups for the bar.

This topic is boring (no, really!), so it doesn't get much attention on most wedding sites, but your approach to what you throw away might be the singlemost environmentally-conscious decisions you make. How much of this blessed day would you like to go to a landfill?

Disposable is certainly easy to come by (and cheap), but think about your priorities before you go that way across the board. Please, if you can rent any of these supplies from your caterer (or the venue or a local party rentals place), do it. Renting means reuse, which is exponentially less harmful for the environment than any one time use goods.

That being said, sometimes the cost difference is ridiculous, and other times (with things like straws and cocktail napkins), a rentable option may not exist. Maybe you are doing a big potluck picnic or another party where disposable makes the most sense. We used paper straws and plastic cups (would do that differently now), and I think most couples do end up with a mix. If you splurge a little on compostable and recycled goods for even half of these items, your wedding will have a significantly more positive impact on the world you will be married in.

If this isn't for you, but you want to do a little, don't buy any plastic. No plastic plates, straws, or cups. They are incredibly wasteful, dangerous to wildlife, and will outlive our grandchildren. Plastic is a problem, never a real solution.

So if you are doing the world's most boring wedding shopping, let me join you. Here are some things worth looking into:

Plates

Americans throw out a trillion disposable plates A YEAR. Can you even imagine a trillion? At the very least, we can make the ones we add compostable.

Some people use all disposable plates, and others only go that route for dessert or appetizer plates. Whatever you need to do is what you need to do, but I think you can find something classier and eco-friendly all at once. Yes, you can get a plastic plate in exactly your colors, but 100+ plastic plates straight to a landfill? Kind of a bummer, and you might be able to find something just as cost-effective while being much more eco-friendly. Plus, I think the perfectly matched thing only works for particular styles, and you have to be very meticulous to make it work. It's a wedding. White always makes sense.

As a side note, LOOK AROUND and see where you can buy what you want in bulk. If you buy your plates 25 at a time, you will be wasting money. Track those bigger sets down on websites like Eco Party or Webstaurant Store.

Susty Party from Amazon

Our Pick- I think if you are going for an elegant look, it doesn't get much better than the Susty Party square plates. They are sturdy, look so sharp for a table, and cost about as much as any "premium" plastic plates they sell for weddings (around 50 cents a plate). They have a dessert plate as well, and I just think this is an absolute winner if you are having a more elegant or classic wedding.

Leafware from Amazon

If you are doing something more rustic, I love these Leafware plates (compostable, not recyclable) and made out of palm leaves. They are very sturdy and look gorgeous and modern. Plus, they will decompose, so they create no waste. Win! If they don't quite fit your style, check Thynk and CiboWares as well.

Other Options- Susty also sells a more rustic and papery option that still look great and these ones are made in America as well. For any of our regular life parties, this is probably what we would buy. They scream picnic to me, not necessarily wedding (though some colors look more polished than others), but if you are having a more picnicky shindig, this is an awesome option.

Bamboo options, like these plates from Bambu, exist as well! Find an aesthetic that works for yoru style. If you want something even more low key, try these plates from Earth's Natural- still completely biodegradable and only 18 cents a plate!

Cups

Susty Party from Amazon

We definitely used plastic cups at our wedding bar (there may still be some floating around 4 years later). If I could go back, I would put our drinks in something more eco-friendly. Because, why not? If one more good thing (beyond the dancing) came out of our alcohol, who can complain?

Our Pick- I tried to find ones that don't advertise themselves too much, not because there is anything wrong with being environmentally-psyched, but it doesn't always look that pretty. Susty Party sells both clear compostable cups and even more environmentally-friendly paper cups, so they may be the big winner in this category.

Other Options- There are tons of other options, and some like Zilchables are even made in the USA. They all have branding on them, which is a pain in the butt, but if you are less fussy than me and don't care, you can find a great deal and a huge eco-friendly win- Eco-Products, Stalkmarket, World Centric, and Repurpose.

Make sure to to poke around and find the bulk option that best fits the number you were thinking- great way to save some money!

Straws

Tranquilo from Amazon

Who doesn't love a straw in their cocktail? If you want a little something extra at your bar, paper straws are biodegradable and eco-friendly. Plus, they are trendy enough that you can absolutely find something eco friendly AND in your colors!

Our Pick- Tranquilo straws are made from paper, in the US, and money goes to Ocean Clean Up projects. Their stated goal as a company is to eliminate the "needless consumption of disposable plastic products." As you can probably guess, this company is one of my absolute favorites. If you are buying straws for anything, buy these ones. The options on Amazon are limited, but you can find more on Tranquilo's website.

Other Options- Any paper straws are a thousand times better (and classier) than any plastic straw. You do more good if you find ones that haven't traveled far (so maybe not Kikkerland- at least try their subset Green Party Straws that biodegrade). I really love Aardvark straws because they have lots of colors, biodegrade, and are made in the USA. You also do more good if you find ones using recycled paper. Crave sells all recycled ones, so it might be a great option.

Still can't find the perfect straw? Hello, Etsy. "Paper Straws" and the USA filter gets you 16,000+ options. Some of my favorites- Puppy Cat Crafts (every color or pattern you could possibly want), Cherished Blessings (super affordable if you can find your color), The Papered Table (great options all around) and The Party Gnome (crazy patterns, but I like the birch if you are doing a rustic wedding). You can probably get all you would need for 10-20 dollars, and it is so much cuter than those damn cocktail napkins.

Silverware

Brichware from Amazon

Ugh, plastic silverware is the worst, right? What a waste to use a piece of plastic once and then send it off to the landfill. You still have better options than horrible plastic- even recycled plastic isn't great if you are just going to toss them. We will never go back to this- it just doesn't make sense. The wooden and biodegradable stuff looks and feels better too, and the price difference isn't too significant when you buy in bulk.

Our Pick- Wooden Cutlery. They really do look beautiful, and I think they could work with so many wedding styles. I couldn't find a specifically "Made in America" brand, so let's do the best we can. My favorite might be these Birchware wood cutlery- they have clean modernist ones and more elegant choices, so I think it could be great for so many weddings. I also think buying the pieces separately makes sense since you need way more forks than spoons for most menus.

You have more options, some of which cost less, so look around and find the wood (and biodegradable) options that work for you- HUJI Disposable (super cost-effective), Perfect Stix (also well-priced and great reviews), Creative Juice Cafe, and Pretty Sweet Party.

Other Options- Bioplastic. You can get plastic made from plants that still biodegrades I don't think it is nearly as attractive, but you can save money and it still biodegrades! Repurpose has a line of biodegradable silverware and you can get everything you possibly need (maybe for your whole marriage). I love that they are out to replace all those disposables that hurt your wedding's carbon footprint. Transitions 2 Earth has some to look out as well- they are made in China and biodegrade over 5 to 20 years. So mixed bag, but still an improvement on plastic.

Napkins

Now I know I have been pretty secretive about how I feel about decorative napkins at weddings. You probably aren't sure where I stand. Oh you are? Alright, well let's just leave it there then.

If you aren't going to use them as major decor, I say go basic. If your wedding aesthetic works with that recycled kraft color, go that route. If not, white and recycled is still way more eco-friendly.

Our Pick- My loyalty remains with Seventh Generation for eco-friendly paper goods, and you can get 100% recycled lunch napkins (in white or kraft) at low prices. They don't sell cocktail napkins, so for that, I would recommend Hoffmaster kraft napkins which are 100% recycled and made in the US.

Susty Party from Amazon

Other Options- Susty Party sells some cocktail napkins with great-looking designs (you can find them here too). I can't remember one napkin from any wedding I attended, but maybe you love a good napkin. Start with this company then. If you want something plain white, Tree Free cocktail napkins are made of bagasse (sugar cane) instead of tree products. They also donate proceeds to the Arbor Day foundation!

Need more eco-friendly wedding inspiration? It isn't all about one thing- you can take so many routes to make your wedding that much more ethical and kind to the environment. Check the Eco-wedding tag for more ideas.

Need mroe general shopping inspiration? Nice! Check out the Giant List of Shopping Lists.

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A 1940s-style vintage wedding dress for a cool Spring day.

Dear Reader, 
Choosing a vintage wedding dress for an English spring wedding can be a challenge. Of course, it must be gorgeous and glamorous. But it also needs to cover enough skin for our goosebump-inducing climate!

1940s style wedding dress, Florence, from the Heavenly Collection

Actually, I love winter and spring weddings. They're a great opportunity to wear elegant long sleeves and high necks that may simply be too hot in summer. And with this in mind, I've recently made some updates to the Florence dress from my Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses. 

The original Florence vintage-style wedding dress, with puff sleeves

1940s style Florence wedding dress – new keyhole back detail.

This lovely new Florence has long satin sleeves, set into beautifully detailed shoulders. And the glamour quota stays high with the addition of a subtly sexy keyhole back – just enough to reveal a glimpse of skin.

Long and elegant, 1940s style Florence wedding dress in silk satin

Puff sleeves and pretty lace detail at neck of 1940s style wedding dress

And with lace flutter sleeves – 1940s style wedding dress, Florence

I've also introduced a stunning new colour, Sea Pearl – that positively glows in the light of a cold day.

Flutter sleeves on 1940s style Florence wedding dress

Long and elegant, with simple puffed sleeves: 1940s style wedding dress

Marabou feather wrap, perfect for a winter or spring vintage-style wedding

Spring and winter weddings also offer a wonderful choice of vintage accessories. Feathers or fur? Winter blooms in icy hues, or freshest spring flowers? The options are so romantic.

Late winter blooms, eucalyptus, pale roses and frosted berries

Swan feather wedding cape – perfect with a vintage wedding dress for spring.

Try a feather wrap like my own above – made from ostrich and marabou. Or this beautiful swan feather wedding cape from Not on the High Street. Or fur is fabulous – whether a real vintage piece or faux if you prefer...

Fabulous original 1960s fox fur stole

Glamorous vintage bride in faux fur, from a charming 1947 photo!

A cosy faux fur jacket or shrug can also work perfectly with a short-sleeved dress, such as Florence (below) with a lace flutter sleeve. I love the real vintage bride in the photo above – teaming her dress with that super-fabulous faux fur! 

1940s style wedding dress, Florence, with lace flutter sleeves

White fur stole – perfect to keep you warm at a chilly spring wedding.

If you like real fur, you can find wonderful vintage fur wraps and shrugs at Central Park Vintage. Another great place to seek out a fur or faux fur shrug is The Hammersmith Vintage Fair – I am a regular visitor for their great selection of accessories. 

Glorious pale blooms for an early Spring wedding.

And each version of Florence works beautifully with the current vogue for natural accessories. From the beautiful blooms from Brides.com to these stunning nature-inspired headpieces by Abby at Cherished.

Nature-inspired hair accessories complement a vintage wedding dress

As pretty as real snowdrops! Delicate head-pieces for a vintage style wedding.

I am used to seeing beautiful hair accessories, but I've not seen anything quite like these by Abby at Cherished before - they are small works of art and could have been made to go with the Florence dress. (I can't wait to feature more of them very soon!)

Lovely 1940s-inspired Florence wedding dress, from my Heavenly Collection.

I hope my brides and my readers will love the elegant new member of the Florence family, as much as the original puff-sleeved and flutter-sleeved versions! If you'd like to make an appointment to see Florence in person, do contact me!

And I've hope you've enjoyed these ideas for vintage-inspired late winter and early spring weddings! 

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please try

Winter Vintage Bride Stephanie

And for more Real Vintage Brides, check out my website page here

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Wedding Wednesday- Where to Donate your Wedding Dress

taken by first blush photos

Whether you got married 3 weeks ago or 30 years ago, you may very well still have your dress sitting in a closet somewhere. This is one of those things that tends to get carried from house to house. Some of us have a lot of emotional attachment to the dress. Some of us have hopes that a family member will want to wear it someday (though I think if you got married during the age of super synthetic dresses, the odds are low). Some of us just don't know how to get rid of it, because throwing it out feels wrong.

Wedding dresses are a pretty environmentally tricky purchase- you spend a lot of money on something that will only be used once. I know I looked at lots of used dresses, but never had the nerve to buy one that way. Now, I think I might have gone about it differently. I did end up with a dress I loved, but in the end, I am not sure it made that huge of a difference.

This blog covers a lot of territory on shopping more ethically, but one of the most eco-friendly things you can do is to have less and to get rid of things in an ethical way. Sure, maybe someday your daughter will want to wear your wedding dress (she won't) but in that time, that dress could have lived multiple lives or multiple weddings. In an ideal world, we would all be way more willing to let things go, because the more used stuff is out there, the more we can all invest in secondhand instead of more brand new stuff that will land in a landfill.

So, the question becomes, where can you offload that wedding dress?

First, you could sell it online for yourself, make a little money back, and help out another bride. Here are some options:

Once Wed was my favorite place to browse dresses, and I think you can resell decor as well. Honestly, if I could do it all again, I would probably buy a dress from here.

Preowned Wedding Dresses is probably the most commonly used, though I tried to sell a dress on here and it never worked out. Still, if you have a recent dress that someone can still go to the store and try on, you might have a lot more luck than I did.

Second, you could donate it to an organization that will sell it secondhand to help make them money (my favorite idea, but you do you). Some ideas:

Adorned in Grace, based in Northern Oregon and Southern Washington, sells bridal and formal wear (so maybe somewhere to donate all those bridesmaid dresses?) to raise money to help women once caught in human trafficking and to raise awareness of the epically huge problem. Pretty awesome cause if you ask me. Your dress gets a second life, AND you get to help other women. So cool. I think I will send a few old prom and bridesmaid dresses their way.

Angel Gowns breaks your heart and makes you feel better about the universe at the same time. These organizations take donated wedding gowns and turn them into dresses for stillborn babies or babies that pass away. If your dress is older and you don't think some of the other organizations would want them, look into the multiple angel gown organizations to give a special gift to parents going through something truly awful.

Brides Across America is incredibly cool because it doesn't sell your dress, it gives it away to a military bride planning their wedding (a big challenge when your fiance is serving far away). This charity has given away wedding gowns to 12,000  brides in events all over the country. What a cool way to say thank you. They only accept dresses five years old or younger, so stop wringing your hands and go for it already.

The Bridal Garden- If you are shopping or donating in the New York City area (looking at you, Kleinfeld shoppers), the Bridal Garden sells wedding dresses to benefit underserved children in the New York area. Give them your dress or start your shopping there instead of the big salons.

Brides for a Cause is a huge and very successful consignment salon that sells their dresses "for charity" It felt a little vague to me (ok, a cause, but which one?), but they do donate to Brides Across America right now, so you are still contributing to a very positive mission by donating your dress to them. I love it.

Brides for Haiti sells your dresses to raise money for Saint Joseph's Parish's charitable work in Haiti. Looks a little trickier in terms of shipping, but otherwise great!

The Brides Project in Toronto sells the donated dresses with the profits all going to cancer charities; this store has already put 600,000 dollars into cancer charities! That's awesome!

Success in Style is a Baltimore-based organization that gives out of work individuals wardrobes to help in their business lives. They have a consignment store to fund their mission, and now they accept wedding gowns for their wedding consignment store Cherie Amor.

Wish Upon a Wedding gifts weddings and vow renewals to men and women (regardless of sexual orientation, which I think is especially important) suffering from terminal illnesses. I am looking around, and I am not positive they still accept dresses, but if you can't donate your dress, you could still sell it and donate the proceeds.

I know I have a dress I bought on super clearance panic(like 70% off?) that has been sitting in a closet since 2012. I am offering it on Buy Nothing, but if there aren't any bites, it is moving on to one of these charities. I am not sure if I am ready to have my wedding dress see the same fate, but I am seriously thinking about it.

When you see all these things your dress can do, it seems like it is really underperforming in your closet, right? I know I struggle with the idea of parting with my dress, and I don't know if I will muster the courage or not, but the more dresses get multiple uses (and do all these wonderful things for people who need them) the better for everyone.

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We Love the Local List- Murfreesboro, TN

This is a new blog series where we can each sing the praises of our favorite local shops, brands, and restaurants. 

Supporting local businesses does even more than supporting small business owners (though that is great too). It keeps your money local to you (not off wherever the Waltons are vacationing), creates more jobs for your friends and family, and even helps the environment. 

Why is shopping local good for the environment? 

We talk a lot about commutes and how much fuel people use to travel, and the same applies to your stuff. The further your stuff has to travel, the more fossil fuels they use and energy they waste. Large companies and chains pretty consistently show less responsibility and concern for the environment and the communities they are in, so you can effect positive change locally and decrease your environmental impact just by shopping and eating local! 



 This blog intends to encourage us to get out and explore the businesses near where we live. See it as a fun challenge to see what you can support nearby and be surprised what amazingness you may have missed. You can also check out other lists to find the coolest places to go when you travel to new towns and cities!  






stolen egregiously off of Amy's facebook page


I am especially excited for this post, because it was written by Amy Roberts, who writes the truly gorgeous, personal, and thoughtful Meanderblog. I love her blog, in which she shows how you can have incredibly lovely style while prioritizing experience over possessions. I was so excited that she agreed to write us a post, and it was cool to see she reads this blog as well! Amy is a longtime resident of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and she has pointed to some wonderful local businesses there. This rapidly growing area has so many local gems. Thank you Amy, and take it away!

THE GREEN DRAGON PUBLIC HOUSE

www.greendragonpubtn.com

An homage to the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Green Dragon is a hidden gem in the center of town. It's a small, family-friendly hole in the wall (no, really - there's a wall with a door and a sign forbidding rings of power) right next to the train tracks, but once you step inside, the atmosphere is a perfect combo of fantastical and truly local vibes, and the friendliness flows as openly as the craft beers. Frequent visitors of the farmer's markets, much of their food is sourced from local growers and makers, resulting in some truly original, seasonal, and delicious menu items fit for lunch or dinner, especially when paired with a cold ale. And since it's conveniently located right next to a Greenway entrance, you CAN simply walk into Mord... er, the pub.

THE WREN'S NEST

www.thewrensnestvenue.com

Image courtesy of Jenny Lindsey Photography

If you're looking for an event venue, consider The Wren’s Nest. A quiet, secluded property nestled in the trees, The Wren's Nest is an exceptional outdoor or indoor venue, used mostly for weddings (like ours!). It's hallmark structure, The Maples Barn, is a vintage barn that is over 100 years old. It was relocated to its current site during the fall of 2012, and carefully restored and improved to accommodate elegant functions. Our experience there was unforgettable, as the owner Sam did everything in his power (including loaning us a table from his HOME for our cake to sit on) to make our day perfect. There's so much beauty, history, and hard work in this place, and it shows year-round.

JUST LOVE COFFEE

www.justlovecoffee.com

Before my husband introduced me to Just Love, I rarely drank coffee. If I did, it was so dirty and bitter I had to load it down with sugar, cream, and anything else I could get my hands on. Then I tried Just Love's fairly traded coffee, and it was a new awakening. So clean, smooth, and rich was this dark, hot liquid, and so carefully crafted was my experience of it, that I was genuinely hooked from the very start. They maintain personal, fair relationships with their growers from all over the world, and they were founded when the owner, Rob Webb, and his family adopted two sweet girls from Ethiopia. Their mission is to use hand-roasted coffees to help others whose passion is to “just love," and within its first year, the company was able to give back nearly $100,000. An amazing, local company that produces amazing coffee and makes measurable, positive change in the world.

LEMONGRASS

www.facebook.com/Lemongrass-Sushi-and-Thai-Restaurant-197792543577534/

Ask any of our friends and they'll probably be able to tell you our favorite sushi restaurant is Lemongrass. We've tried all the sushi there is in Murfreesboro and this place takes the lead by a long shot. We recommend ordering the "Come With Me Roll" where you let the chef get creative and design you your own unique roll. Have a seat at the bar and watch the owner work his magic!

BATEY FARMS

www.bateyfarms.com

Batey Farms is an 8th generation family owned and operated hog, row crop, and hay farm right in the middle of Murfreesboro. They provide the community with tons of seasonal fun, like strawberry picking in the spring and a corn maze in fall. They also have an On-Farm Retail Store where you can browse products from many different family farms in the area.

OUTREACH THRIFT STORE

www.outreachmurfreesboro.com

The best thrift store in town if you ask me. Not only are their prices absolutely incredible, but they are devoted to helping provide those in need with basic clothing and household items. I always walk out of here with an unexpected treasure!

DEMOS'

www.demosrestaurants.com

If you live in Murfreesboro, you've been to Demos'. The very first Demos' Restaurant was born out of Jim and Doris Demos' desire to offer exceptional food and service at affordable prices, and they succeeded. The franchise has now spread to four locations in Middle Tennessee, but their roots will always be in Murfreesboro. They offer a variety of meals for lunch and dinner and are a staple in the community.

Thank you Amy and be sure to go to Meanderblog to get inspired by her adventures!

Want to write your own Loving the Local List? You fill my heart with joy! Just send me a list of your five to ten favorite local brands and stores (it doesn't have to be just around the street- a State specific snack or small chain of restaurants works just fine). Write a few sentences on why you love each thing (and I love pictures if you have them) and send them to sunshineguerrilla@gmail.com.

Would you like to buy more environmentally responsible or Made in America products? I've got you covered! Check out my Mega List of Shopping Lists for tons of ideas for any shopping trip.

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