Posts by Category: organic

Wrap up the fourth trimester with babywearing

Posted by on March 22nd, 2013 | 0 comments »

If there’s only one thing a mom could pack in her hospital bag, the staff at Nurtured generally agree it should be a stretchy wrap like the CuddlyWrap™.  No matter the birth experience nothing competes with the skin to skin contact that both parent and child can benefit from babywearing.

Since 2007 the CuddlyWrap™ has been made with organic cotton.  Some parents wonder if purchasing organic cotton products is necessary.  The closer an item is in contact with your newborn child’s skin or their respiratory development the more important choosing organic cotton is, let alone better for the future of our environment. This Canadian-made company knows their facts!  It would take well over two pounds of chemicals to produce one regular cotton CuddlyWrap™.

If you’re giving a gift or checking off a baby list, consider asking the staff at Nurtured to demo how easy it is to learn basic wrap methods. You’ll soon see why we call a wrap a “fourth trimester must-have”. Your baby and your mental health will benefit too!

As spring 2013 rolls in we’ve brought the newest colours into stock!  Overall sage has taken the lead as the most popular colour!  Feel free to be a trendsetter by choosing the newest blue, plum, cranberry, slate, orange or the natural undyed CuddlyWrap™.

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Q & A with Anointment

Posted by on May 25th, 2012 | 1 comment »

 

Her bookshelf is lined with herbal healing and homeopathic books, and she routinely races out to the yard amidst the sound of her buzzing bee hive to rescue burdock from being mowed down each week.

It’s true what you hear about April of Anointment Skincare.  She’s one motivated woman driven to provide pure, natural solutions for the whole family.

Past, present or future, I consistently see April fulfilling a family-oriented principal to keep those you love from chemical sensitivities and wasteful or harmful practices.  Her most recently created product at Nurtured is Shoo! body spray, light in smell and effective at keeping bugs away from the whole family.  As with all Anointment products, you’ll certainly benefit from using it.

It was fun to ask April a few questions recently about Anointment and her life in New Brunswick.

Q: Congratulations on recently receiving the New Brunswick’s Energy Efficiency award!   How did you go about this?

When Jeff and I  bought a 150 year old Victorian farmhouse (also home to Anointment Skincare) we knew the house was drafty, expensive to heat and also in need of renovations.  We spent last spring freezing but also researching how to cut down a $6,000 heating bill to a fraction of the cost.  Once we did the research we found the available federal and provincial grants and actively sought these out to help with the expense of renovating and making a comfortable place to live.  As Jeff put it, “The greenest and most efficient home is one that’s already built”.   Though the federal program has ended April is a proud advocate of her local province’s efficiency program and encourages those interested to check if their province offers a similar program.

Q: What is one of the benefits of calling New Brunswick the new home of Anointment?
I find a lot of inspiration in where we live.  I’m looking at nature in a different way.  I see the colours of the apple trees and lilacs in bloom but notice the goldenrod waiting to bloom.  What I grew up thinking was a common weed, is  actually useful medicinally or as a natural dye.   I am also planting the herbs I use in my products.  I may never meet production needs to use everything I plant in Anointment’s products, but to at least show what comfrey, chickweed and calendula look like is a goal of mine. 

Q: Your blog has shared glimpses of mixing up Anointment’s small batches of skincare products.  Which is the most labour intensive?

Belly Butter takes 3 solid hours for just 12 jars!  I’m happy to have a new piece of equipment to maybe double the amount of jars, but when we say “small batches” we really mean it!  Belly Butter itself needs to be optimally whipped!

Q: What sets Shoo! apart from other natural bug deterrents?  How long have you been working on it and how did it get it’s name?

Shoo! has been in the making for about two years.

Health Canada notes soybean oil provides 3 hours of protection against mosquitoes and up to 8 hours for black flies.  We start off with a base of organic soybean oil so it’s not derived from GMOs as that’s really important to Anointment.  The neem oil was a great find as it is tried and true in other parts of the world as a bug repellant and  allowed me to stay away from the conflicting information I was finding on citronella.  I had 2 dozen people across Atlantic Canada give it a whirl last year.  When I asked what it should be called the power of social media offered excellent feedback!  We had fun with about a dozen names. Shoo! was cute, but not too cute and family friendly.    The mosquitoes are bad already this year so we’ve used this quite a bit already.  I’m also hearing the bat population is down this year so I hope people find it highly effective as they’re going to need to use something!  Which reminds me I must remember to spray the dog! Greyhounds react terribly to bites.

Q:  From what I know about you, I’m sure you’re not avidly testing products on animals, are you?

No, no.  I’m also not a veterinarian.   There are a few things animals are much more sensitive to than humans, so I do keep this in mind and I have quite a good set of council I seek when saying it’s okay to use on the family dog.

Q: If the bugs still find a way in, what’s your favourite remedy for a bug bite?

Soothing Skin Ointment

Q: What bugs you about general skincare on the shelves today?

I see a lot of green washing happening and companies capitalizing on it.   The lack of transparency in ingredients scares me. Something that can be harmful can be hidden behind a big word that’s perceived as safe.  When you strip away the complicated latin labeling requirements of Anointment you get items you should be able to pick out of a garden.
I’m also amazed at how many products exist for something like shampoo for various hair types.  I don’t know about you, but when you have 5 people in one bathroom, that’s a lot of products.  So I like the concept of one-size fits all so everyone can use something simple, safe and effective.

Q: What can we expect to see from Anointment in the future?

There are a lot of projects happening in various stages, there will be a lot happening for Anointment in 2013, but I’m not ready to let the secrets out just yet.  A family shampoo is a big one.  I’ve been working on it for about two and a half years and I’m one more testing round away from releasing it.

A lot of our customers may not know we’ve transitioned to using only certified organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Baby Balm, Soothing Skin Ointment and Push – this change was made about a year ago.  There is no product change as a result but it better reflects what Anointment stands for and my own personal agriculture beliefs to be using certified organic products.

We’re also going to be setting up an empty jar return program with some of our retailers – our customers have been asking for this and I’ve finally found a way to make it a reality which fits Anointment’s mandate so well.  I’m really excited to start rolling this out. (Me too!)

Special thanks to April for answering these questions! By the way, if you missed Nurtured’s Mother’s Day Anointment giveaway, add Anointment to your likes when you’re on Facebook.  You can enter to win a $75 gift basket until the end of the month by sharing what your favourite product is and what makes it special to you and your family!  Good Luck!

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Vertical Gardening

Posted by on June 1st, 2010 | 2 comments »

This blog post was prepared by Gillian, mom, urban gardener, and Assistant Manager at Nurtured.

One of the problems with living in a city is the lack of space to garden. My back “yard” is a parking spot for my motorcycle and our family car and about a dozen dump trucks and other kids toys. We’ve got a lovely tree and one raised bed on the side of the paved parking space, and that’s about it for anything green, but it hasn’t stopped me! My garden is underway! I planted three varieties of cherry tomatoes and peas about two months ago and they’re all doing very well. I have about two dozen tomato plants inside and seven pea plants outside in the one raised bed (which is surrounded by gout weed).

I read about vertical gardening online and in Grow Organic, the best Nova Scotia-specific gardening book I’ve ever read, and loved the idea of thinking outside the box for my complicated space. I plan on hanging a lot of my tomato plants upside down, and I read a great little article about planting in a shoe organizer, and thought what a perfect idea it was. I have a perfect deck with a railing that gets a lot of sun!

This year the majority of my seeds were Heritage Seeds from Annapolis Seeds in Nova Scotia, a small organic seed company run by an 18 year old guy. From him I purchased my beans, peas, tomatoes, arugula, lettuce, basil and cilantro. A couple of weeks ago my son and I spent a couple of sunny hours outside filling up the pockets with soil from a local company called Halifax Seed, and planting and then watering.

This is what my little urban garden looked like just after planting. My arugula is getting big (and I’ve tasted some already!) and I’m looking forward to seeing this full of green in the next couple of months!

-Gillian

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Parent Tested, Parent Approved

Posted by on July 17th, 2008 | 0 comments »


The 2008 winners of the Parent Tested Parent Approved awards have just been announced, and we are pleased to say that many of the winning products are available at Nurtured and are counted among some of our family’s favourites as well! A sneak peek at some of the parent tested and approved products we love!

Maya Wrap Ring Sling. This sling is getting rave reviews for comfort and ease of use! The redesigned shoulder has a light pad. The rails are still unpadded for easy adjusting. Fans say it is the perfect first sling for new babywearers. Wear newborns through toddlers in a variety of positions. Made of beautiful hand-loomed, breathable fabrics. Built in pocket for keys, diaper, cell phone etc. Unpadded, open tail that allows for perfect adjustability and is convenient as a nursing cover. Fits easily into a diaper bag or purse. Machine washable. Recommended for children up to 35 pounds. Instructional DVD included.


Ringley Organic Teether.The RiNGLEY is a natural teether, made without harmful chemicals and free from dyes, and it combines two efficient teething tools: natural Canadian Maple and 100% organic cotton terry cloth. These materials provide two very different textures which help children to satisfy their teething needs. Made in Canada.

Bummis Cotton Diapering Kit. Here is everything you need to start using cloth diapers – in a bright, beautiful box! Gorgeous fluffy cotton diapers, bright and functional diaper covers, flushable liners! A pinless and easy to use system that’s easy on the budget too.

Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers.Kissaluvs diapers are known for quality fabrics and terrific fit. Made from custom fabrics including the wonderfully soft and absorbent fleece, the diapers feature elasticized legs and back for superior containment. Sturdy snaps make them easy to use and ensure a good fit over a wide range of babies.

Dimpleskins Bum Bum Balm.BUM BUM BALM 100% natural diapering salve relieves and protects baby’s sensitive skin from diaper rash at every change. Made from only pure, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients, BUM BUM BALM is a must in every diaper bag and eco-conscious nursery. The soothing addition of organic Calendula and Vitamin E help to ease the discomfort from diaper rash. NO ZINC OXIDE!


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Introducing Marcus

Posted by on April 14th, 2008 | 0 comments »


The Waldorf Doll is FINISHED! Here is Marcus, as he’s been named. I’m happy to say that Spunky ADORES him, and although I’m still working on his clothing, and getting ready to start my second doll, I enjoyed this process more than I ever imagined!

Things I learned while making Marcus:
- Pinning the fabric around the head and shoulders makes it much easier to sew.
- I highly recommend sewing up the shoulders first to be sure you have a symmetrical body.
- Using a smaller needle to sew on the head and arms makes it easier to make smaller, hidden stitches.
- You need A LOT of yarn for the hair, and I prefer chunkier, thicker hair to mohair, though mohair is brushable.
- When rouging the cheeks, rub a bit of red beeswax crayon on a face cloth, then rub the face cloth on to the doll’s face.

I can’t wait to make the next…it’s so addictive!

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Bum Bum Balm Continues to Win Awards!

Posted by on April 2nd, 2008 | 0 comments »


Toronto, March 31, 2008: Dimpleskins Naturals announces that it has been awarded the influential PTPA Media Inc’s Seal of Approval for excellence in parenting products for it’s signature product, BUM BUM BALM.

PTPA Media Inc. (Parent Tested Parent Approved) has announced the winners of the 2008 Winter Product Call for the best in parenting products. The products have been awarded the PTPA Media Inc.’s Seal of Approval in many categories ranging from car seats, baby slings, music CDS, safety gear, bedding and educational toys.
Being honored with an award from PTPA Media Inc. is a huge achievement for a product geared to babies, children and parents. “We are thrilled with the award, and honored that Bum Bum Balm was chosen by parents who truly enjoy and approve of our product” Jen Casey/Owner.
Dimpleskins Naturals’ BUM BUM BALM was among many entries competing to win the PTPA Media Seal of Approval for Winter 2008, PTPA Media’s mission is to discover and appraise new products designed for children and families. Companies throughout North America submitted samples of their parenting products and they were matched with PTPA Media’s large database of parents. The products were tested by savvy parenting reviewers, and professionals and the results were compiled for PTPA Media Inc.’s review committee for the final decision. The winners of the prestigious Seal of Approval from PTPA Media are selected based on value, functionality, quality and appeal of the product.
“We are excited to announce the winners of the PTPA Media Inc. product call for Winter 2008,” said Sharon Vinderine, a Director at PTPA Media Inc. “It’s a win-win situation for the consumer as well as the manufacturer. Parents who are shopping for products for their families can look for our Seal of Approval and know that these products have been tried and tested by parents for parents.”

About Dimpleskins Naturals
Dimpleskins Naturals was created out of necessity for chemical-free baby care, in 2001. Jen Casey, former Make-Up Artist, combined her creativity with Aromatherapy, and came up with a natural alternative to baby care, for her own children. Today, Dimpleskins Naturals products have become a trusted brand across Canada and the company has just launched in the U.S. Dimpleskins Natural Body Care Inc. is committed to using only pure, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients to create wholesome and effective skin care products for babies and children. Visit Dimpleskins’ website for more information.

About PTPA Media Inc.
PTPA Media Inc. (Parent Tested, Parent Approved) provides an objective means to discover, appraise and promote new products designed to enrich family living. Products range from baby clothing, toys and accessories to parent-centric creations that enhance day to day life. Our mission is to marry innovative companies with discerning consumers. We provide reliable and relevant information to both parties with the intent of improving the consumer access to exciting quality products.
Visit PTPA Media’s website for more information.

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Bum Bum Balm

Posted by on November 5th, 2007 | 0 comments »


Nurtured along with Dimpleskins Naturals of British Columbia, are proud to announce that Dimpleskins’BUM BUM BALM made EWG’s (The Environmental Working Group) list of safest diaper creams on their Cosmetic Safety Database.

The new Parent’s Buying Guide was just released and we made it in as a best diaper cream pick, with the lowest hazardous ingredient concern rating of zero.

Our family have been avid users of the entire Dimpleskins (formerly Munchskins) line for nearly two years. We love Bum Bum Balm for soothing an irritated diaper area. It works so incredibly fast, one application at bed time is often all we’ve needed! Plus, it smells delicious. We also use the Sweet Cheeks in the winter for chapped, dry skin (or any time mom has had to do the dishes, which inevitably makes my hands chap, in which case I love the Sweet Cheeks!) and the Boo Boo Goo, which is a must-have for all families of toddlers – BananaMuffin was chasing a ball down the patio stairs last week and gravity got the best of her. Boo Boo Goo to the rescue, the redness and “road rash” of falling three stairs to the concrete pavers was short-lived, thankfully. Never a chemical, never a worry. That’s what I like to hear!

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Star Baby

Posted by on June 9th, 2007 | 0 comments »


I finished my Waldorf doll on May 22 at 11:12 pm (her official birth date, when I stitched her eyes into place), but it’s taken me this long to download the photos and post it here. I enjoyed making her – I have three more bodies cut out and ready to go, all with intended recipients, but I haven’t found the time to get back to them yet. Perhaps it’s a better winter hobby?

This doll I decided to name Bronwen, which is Welsh for “white-breasted”, and since the hemp fleece she is made of is quite pale, I thought it was an appropriate name.

Bronwen’s body is hemp fleece, which is 55% hemp, 45% cotton. Her head is made from organic cotton jersey knit. The core of her head and the stuffing for her body are wool from Lismore Sheep Farm in River John, Nova Scotia. Her eyes are french knots formed of blue embroidery floss.

Bronwen has gone on to fulfill her destiny as a comfort doll. I hope she will be enjoyed, cuddled, and teethed on for many years to come!

It’s just one of the fabulous natural toy projects I found in Tara Jon Manning’s Nature Babies book, one of my favourite craft books. I highly recommend it!

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Our Children

Posted by on May 30th, 2007 | 0 comments »

Today I did a short phone interview with Megan Venner, a freelance journalist doing a story for Atlantic Canada’s Parenting Magazine called Our Children. Our Children is published three times yearly (January, May, October) and is working in partnership with the Halifax Regional School Board to distribute the magazine in elementary schools throughout Greater Halifax. The story features ideas on how to live a greener life despite the pressures of a busy family. Boy, can I relate! With two kids 22 months apart and a business, a home, a husband, a dog…there is a lot of pressure, but in my mind, the consequences are far greater!

Obviously, I was speaking from a cloth diapering perspective, but we do try to do our part elsewhere as well. Megan asked for examples of what else we do, besides cloth diapering our children, which got me thinking…

  • We use alternative transportation wherever possible – most often my children and I are on foot (or stroller).

  • We eat organic produce and meat grown locally wherever possible.

  • I use environmentally friendly “cleaners” – baking soda and vinegar.

  • We try to reduce the amount of plastic in our lives as much as possible – both from a health perspective and from an energy consumption and life span (lack of decomposition).

  • I have a backyard composter and a clothesline, in the middle of the city.

  • We use reusable bags and green boxes for groceries.

  • We reduce, reuse and recycle!

  • All receipts and records are generated electronically for my business, making it virtually paper-free.

That’s just a list off the top of my head, but it sure started the process of me wondering where else I can improve.

And just what did I say about cloth diapering? Well, it’s a bit of a lifestyle adjustment, like going to the gym regularly or eating healthier – you use the diapers just as you would disposables, and put them in a diaper pail, but instead of putting those diapers to the curb, you take them to the laundry room. Simple as that. Today’s cloth diapers, like Fuzzi Bunz or Happy Heiny’s, are as easy to put on and off as a disposable, and the microfleece lining keeps baby feeling dry. Plus, you get the bonus of choosing incredibly cute colours to diaper your baby in – much more interesting than standard issue Elmo or Dora!

And travelling? We’ve done it. Our cloth diapers have taken road trips, plane rides, you name it! Wet and soiled diapers just go into a Bummis Waterproof Tote and when we reach our destination (or nearest laundry facilities along the way – available at most Irving Big Stop Truck Stops in Atlantic Canada, among many other places), pop a load in. Simple as that. If you wanted to make things even easier, you can add biodegradable paper liners to your diapers. When the diapers are soiled, simply flush the mess and the liner in the toilet and take the diaper with you. That way, you are toting only wet diapers rather than wet AND soiled diapers, and the impact is no greater than that of flushing toilet paper.

We find it convenient and can’t imagine any other way!

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Disestablishmentarianism

Posted by on May 20th, 2007 | 0 comments »

My Oxford Canadian Dictionary tells me that to disestablish is to “depose from an official position.” Lately, I’ve heard of more and more moms like myself who are officially deposing themselves of big box stores. Locally, we have a new super-development of big box stores that is the largest in the region. And I have to drive to get there. Meanwhile, my local small grocery store, which is less than 500 m from my door, and which I visit almost every single day with BananaMuffin in her stroller and Spunky in his CuddlyWrap carrier, is threatening to close. My husband, who often works in subdivision design, laments that “we don’t build villages any more.” And he’s right. It’s a shame.

But, I am hearing time and time again that things may be changing. Families are opting to shop locally, supporting their local economy and thinking twice about the choices we make when it comes to our families and the products we use. Moms in particular are supporting other WAHM-operated businesses like mine who are working at home, raising their children, and independently doing their part to make the world a better place.

We try to do our part by supporting our own local businesses and farmers – we purchase locally grown organic produce and meats from Home Grown Organic Foods, we shop at independent retailers and farmers markets wherever possible, and, like so many other moms I’ve talked to recently, we avoid the big box stores. It’s much more enjoyable to form a relationship with the proprietor of a small shop. The customer service is usually second-to-none. And, as is usually the case, you get what you pay for!

Baby steps. Moms everywhere are making a difference!

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